Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck/Marry/Kill - May 14th

This is the second installment of "Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck, Marry, Kill." I received some emails asking me for fantasy advice. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer all of them. You can email me at bobbymcrib@gmail.com.

Who made the list for a second week in a row? Do I trust David Robertson to close games for the Yankees? Should you begin looking for starters to replace Josh Beckett and Ubaldo Jimenez?

Welcome to "Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck, Marry, Kill"...

Before I begin, let's go over the F/M/K terminology. The guys that I list under "Fuck" are guys that are currently hot and you need to pick them up. "Marry", are guys that you need to stick with, even if they are struggling a bit. "Kill", are guys that you need to think about dropping for better players in the free agent pool. 

* In the player description, the "owned %" was taken from ESPN.com leagues.

OF Josh Reddick - Oakland A's - 90.7% owned - Unless you are in an AL-only league, I doubt that Josh Reddick was drafted. He's being added to leagues as a feverish pace. I doubt the A's or his former team, the Red Sox, thought that he would be showing this much power. He's batting .291 with eight home runs so far. If he hasn't been added in your league, pick him up, especially since Yoenis Cespedes was just put on the disable-list.

OF Allen Craig - St. Louis Cardinals - 72.2% owned - Since he came off of the disabled-list, he's been on a tear. In the past two weeks, he's batting .324 with four homer runs and 13 RBI. There could soon be an issue with Craig's playing time, since Lance Berkman comes back from injury in the next few weeks. If you own Craig, ride him while he's hot, but keep an eye out on Berkman's playing status.

3B Will Middlebrooks - Boston Red Sox - 39.5% owned - When Kevin Youkilis went down with an injury, Red Sox Nation didn't even expect a productive replacement. Middlebooks has taken his opportunity and made the best of it. He has a stat line of 3/11/.282 over the last two weeks. If he keeps this up, he could steal some at-bats at either third-base or designated-hitter. If Youk struggles, Boston could start looking towards the future and deal him. It's a "what if," but Middlebrooks is a nice short-term fix.

C J.P. Arencibia - Toronto Blue Jays - 21.9% owned - If your catcher is struggling at the plate this season, Arencibia is a nice replacement. You know what you're going to get out of him and he delivers. His batting average won't be very high (probably hovering around .240), but you will get power. He has hit a couple dingers in the last two weeks.

3B Chris Johnson - Houston Astros - 42.1% owned - Johnson was on this list last week and his ownership jumped by almost 30%. He is still on a hot streak and I think he is the real deal. He was productive last year and he's continuing to improve. In the last two weeks, he is batting .368 with four homers and 11 RBI. Don't let the fact that he's on the low-scoring Astros scare you away. He will still produce numbers on a bad team.

SP Joe Blanton - Philadelphia Phillies - 13.6% owned - When you think of the strong starting pitching on the Phillies, Blanton is the last person you would name. He is the hottest pitcher on their staff and available in nearly every standard mixed league. He has two starts this week with favorable match-ups. Over the last two weeks, he's averaging nearly a strikeout an inning (21 in 23 innings) with a couple wins. He's worth a pick up and/or spot start this week.

SP James McDonald - Pittsburgh Pirates - 37.6% owned - It has been a long time since a Pirates starting pitcher looked this great. McDonald has been hot since the beginning of the year. He has a 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 39 Ks in 44 innings...All-Star caliber numbers. His K/BB rate isn't great, but his balls are missing bats. He has only given up 31 hits in seven starts this year.

SP Carlos Zambrano - Miami Marlins - 47.0% owned - As a Cubs fan, it pains me to see Zambrano having a good season. In his last three starts, he has only given up one run with 21 strikeouts in 23 innings. He's red hot and you should pick him up and ride him until he has a six walk performance. He will have a few of those outings per year. The key in owning him is knowing when to drop him before his numbers hurt your team.

RP Alfredo Aceves - Boston Red Sox - 61.9% owned - Aceves started out the year bad, to say the least. His first few outings were horrible and his ERA & WHIP still show the affects of those appearances. He settled down and has a firm hold on the closing job. He has only given up two runs in his last 11.2 innings and has converted his last five save chances. Boston should start winning more games soon and he'll rack up some saves in your roto or head-to-head league.

SP Edinson Volquez - San Diego Padres 29.5% owned - Even though the Padres are bad, their pitchers still get to pitch half of their games at spacious PETCO Park. Volquez is on a hot streak and has only given up four runs in his last 25.2 innings. You won't expect many wins from him, but he has won his last two starts. He will help you a lot in strikeouts to make up for the lack of wins.

SP Brandon McCarthy - Oakland A's - 77.0% owned - McCarthy was drafted in most leagues, but was one of the first pitchers dropped in a large percentage of leagues. His starts weren't bad, but they weren't wowing any owners. His numbers started to improve and he has his pitches working and looks like old Brandon McCarthy. He won his last three starts and recorded ten strikeouts in his last start against Detroit.

OF - Jason Kubel - Arizona Diamondbacks - 81.8% owned - He keeps hitting, yet his owned percentage continues to drop. He hasn't shown a lot of power over the last couple of weeks, but in the last week, he has a hit in every game. The power will be hit or miss, but Kubel is a consistent hitter for your team.

OF - Logan Morrison - Miami Marlins - 67.0% owned - Based on past performance, you have to stick with LoMoMarlins. He is a streaky hitter, but at the end of the year, he'll have good fantasy numbers. If Ozzie Guillen starts to leave him off the lineup card, then it is time to think about dropping him.

OF Gerardo Parra - Arizona Diamondbacks - 50.3% owned - A lot of team owners get scared away by the word "platooon." Parra is on the ride side of the platoon, since he only sits when the Diamondbacks face a strong left-handed pitcher. His ownership has started to level out after being a trendy pick-up. He will give your team batting average, medium power, and some steals. He's a perfect fourth or fifth outfielder in standard mixed leagues.

1B Mark Trumbo - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 77.2% owned - I can understand why people have dropped Trumbo, the Angels' lineup is crowded. They have Kendrys Morales, Albert Pujols, and Trumbo all sharing time at first-base. It helps that the Angels are working Morales back slowly and putting Trumbo in left field. He's getting at-bats, but he's getting left off the lineup card often. I expect the Angels to make a trade to free up playing time or send Trumbo to a better situation. Hold on to him, he is going to put up solid numbers. Keep in mind, he will soon be eligible to roster as an outfielder. He could have a rough week, since the Angels will not have the DH option for four games this week (they play in National League parks).

2B Neil Walker - Pittsburgh Pirates - 77.9% owned - Walker is sitting at one home run this year, but his average is at .278. By the end of the year, he'll have around 12-15 home runs and with an average near .300. His numbers have improved this week and has shown the ability to get on base and score runs.

C A.J. Pierzynski - Chicago White Sox - He is consistent and you know what you are getting when you own him. Pierzynski is not a guy that you brag about owning on your fantasy league. He isn't going to hit 30 homers and bat .325, but he has double-digit power w/ .280 average potential.

SP Jaime Garcia - St. Louis Cardinals - 90.2% owned - I'm not sure why team owners are giving up on Garcia so easily. He's a guy that will have a couple bad outings every couple months, but he will get his ERA under 4.00 by this time next month. He isn't going to strikeout a ton of batters, but he gives you other categories. He will give you wins and low ERA over the course of a season.

SP Matt Moore - Tampa Bay Rays - 91.0% owned - Moore went fairly high in fantasy drafts based on his performance in last year's playoffs. He showed poise and delivered a lot of filthy pitches. He is having trouble with his pitch count and not getting to the sixth inning. Once he finds how to get outs without having to strikeout batters, he will be able to get deeper into games. He could be a stud by August, so hold onto him right now.

SP - Hiroki Kuroda - New York Yankees - 80.4% owned - He impressed me last season and I have confidence that he will get plenty of wins when the Yankees start winning. He isn't the reason for the Yankees troubles. He has only had two bad starts, which inflated his ERA & WHIP to 3.56/1.37 respectively. If you take out those two starts, he has an ERA under 2.00 and a 1.10 WHIP.

OF/DH Kendrys Morales - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 67.4% owned - The Angels play four games in National League parks and I don't see him playing in the majority of those games. They play a lot of Interleague games in June, so his ownership value will take a big hit. It is getting more difficult for Morales to crack the starting lineup. It doesn't help him that Mark Trumbo is hitting so well.

1B/OF Carlos Lee - Houston Astros - 97.0% owned - I'm not saying that you should instantly dump the former All-Star, but it could be time to start thinking about it. There are a lot of quality outfielders and first-baseman in the free agent pool. You drafted Lee for power and RBI and he isn't delivering. Keep an eye on his numbers, because it could be time to pull the trigger.

2B Rickie Weeks - Milwaukee Brewers - 88.1% owned - Weeks has been an up & down player for his entire career. He is either hitting under .200, knocking multiple homers in a game, or in the disabled list. It is nice to have power at the second-base position, but he has a nagging injury and his batting average is killing your team. If you don't have a suitable free agent replacement, put him on your bench while he's working through his injury.

3B/1B Chris Davis - Baltimore Orioles - 73.1% owned - Davis started out the season on fire, but he has came back down to Earth in a hurry. He reverted back into the player that couldn't hold onto a job in Texas. He will not finish the season with an average over .220 and his power is streaky. If Will Middlebrooks is available in your league, he is a better option than Davis.

1B/OF Lucas Duda - New York Mets - 63.2% owned - The NL East is loaded with left-handed starters. The Mets have Duda on a platoon and usually sit him when they face a lefty. If the Mets were in another division, he would get more playing time. He has a lot of skills and when he plays, he's solid. Unless you are in a deep mixed or an NL-only, there are better free agent options as a replacement.

1B Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona Diamondbacks - 44.3% owned - He is another player that is stuck in a platoon and shares time with Lyle Overbay. Goldschmidt was a late-season fantasy surprise last season. He was drafted in hopes that he would continue his above-average production. Goldschmidt has disappointed owners and it's time to pull off the band-aid. He could be a pick-up option later in the season if he ever hits his way out of the platoon.

SP/RP Chris Sale - Chicago White Sox - 94.4% owned - He is pitching through elbow issues and the White Sox are indecisive if they want to move him into the closer role. He has been an above-average starter this season, but elbow injuries always scare me as a fantasy team owner. He will either turn it around and have a solid season or completely lose his command and inflate his ERA and WHIP. He is a pitcher to keep and eye on and read the injury report on a daily basis. I have a feeling that he will make a trip to the DL very soon.

SP Josh Beckett - Boston Red Sox- 82.9% owned - He is in a messy situation in Boston. Beckett isn't known for keeping his cool and is labeled an emotional pitcher. I am not sold that he will end the season on Boston. A trade could come sooner than later. If he has one more bad start, it could be time to open up a spot on your roster for a rotating starter.

SP Ubaldo Jimenez - Cleveland Indians- 71.8% owned - He made the "Kill" list last week and he had another bad start. He walked five batters, allowed nine hits, and gave up seven runs in 4.2 innings. His ERA now stands at 5.18 and carries a 1.78 WHIP. I'm not sure what team owners are waiting on. Drop Jimenez now and pick up a guy like Christian Fredrich, Ross Detwiler, or Drew Smyly.

RP Grant Balfour - Oakland A's - 74.0% owned - He recently lost his job as the closer to Brian Fuentes. Bob Melvin, Oakland's manager, left the door open for Balfour to earn his spot back later in the year. He has had many opportunities to close games on other teams, but he has never succeeded as a closer. He isn't worth a roster spot in any mixed league format, unless you are in a roto league with a Holds category

Sweetbob's Fantasy F/M/K - May 7th

It has been over a month since you've had your fantasy baseball draft. If you are like me, you have given your players ever chance  to succeed. This is the time of year that teams start to make roster moves and you should do the same. You probably feel dumb for drafting Carlos Marmol...so make up for it by picking up someone better! This is the first of many weekly columns to help you win your fantasy leagues.

Welcome to "Sweetbob's Fantasy F*ck, Marry, Kill"...

Before I begin, let's go over the F/M/K terminology. The guys that I list under "F*ck" are guys that are currently hot and you need to pick them up. "Marry", are guys that you need to stick with the whole season, even if they are struggling a bit. "Kill", are guys that need to be dropped for better players in the free agent pool. 

* In the player description, the "owned %" was taken from ESPN.com leagues.

3B  Pedro Alvarez - Pittsburgh Pirates - 68.1% owned - Fantasy baseball players have waited for Alvarez to produce in the Majors. He looked like he was headed back to the Minors until he started to swing for the fences. Over the last 15 games, he has hit five home runs with a .378 average. This could be just a hot streak, so keep an eye on his batting average...when Alvarez is cold, he's ice cold.

SS/3B Jed Lowrie - Houston Astros - 71.5% owned - When Houston traded for Lowrie, they didn't expect this much offense. He has already hit four home runs and is batting .338 on the year. I would expect these numbers to level out throughout the season, but he's a must-start during this hot streak.

C Carlos Ruiz - Philadelphia Phillies - 47.3% owned - The Phillies needed offense while Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are out and they are getting it from Ruiz. He has averaged an RBI a game over the last 15 games and has nearly batted .400 during that stretch. He shares time with Brian Schneider behind the plate,  but he has been batting in the middle of the order when he is in the starting lineup.

OF Gerardo Parra - Arizona Diamondbacks - 55.9% owned - After Chris Young went down with an injury, Parra started getting regular playing time. He has been a good source for steals and batting average. Although he's in a platoon with A.J. Pollock, he still gets a lot of at-bats. He is a solid start while Young is on the disabled-list.

3B Chris Johnson - Houston Astros - 14.0% owned - After Johnson was called up last season, he ended the year on a high note. He had a slow April, but he returned to form over the last two weeks. He has hit 3 home runs, drove in 14 RBI, and carried a .333 average. This could just be a spike, but he could end up as a player that you'd like to "marry."

3B Kyle Seager - Seattle Mariners - 6.6% owned - Before this week, the consensus was that Seager would soon end up in a platoon at third-base. In the last 5 games, he has drove in 10 RBI, hit three home runs, and batted over .400. I think he is playing his way into a job as an everyday starter at third. Chone Figgins is the odd man out, but could find at-bats at another position. If you pick Seager up, there is still a slight chance that he will end up sharing time.

OF Tony Campana - Chicago Cubs - 17.0% owned - Campana was interviewed this week and said that if he started every game, he would steal over 100 bases. I believe that he would do that, since he's only been up two weeks and he has seven steals. You will not get any power from him. You would only be picking up steals and a decent average. He is a AAA demotion risk if the Cubs start making roster moves.

SP Chris Capuano - Los Angeles Dodgers - 62.2% owned - I know, I can't believe that he made the list either. He has only given up a total of one run in his last three starts. He faces the Rockies next and could string together a few more stellar outings. The most surprising thing is his K/9 is hovering around 9.0.

RP Santiago Casilla - San Francisco Giants - 73.0% owned - When it was announced that Brian Wilson would need Tommy John surgery, most people assumed that Sergio Romo would fill the closer role. The Giants opted to keep Romo in the set-up role and moved Casilla to closer. He's still available in a lot of leagues and he's currently the man. It could only be a matter of time before Romo gets a shot, but he's playing very well.

SP/RP Jeff Smaradzija - Chicago Cubs - 23.7% owned - I'm a Cubs fan and even I'm skeptical if he can keep pitching this well. In his last two starts, he has only given up one run and he's struck out 16 batters. He may not rack up wins, since Chicago is really bad, but he'll give you a nice ERA and WHIP.

OF Jason Kubel - Arizona Diamondbacks - 93.8% owned - Kubel was drafted in 100% of leagues, but people are starting to drop him. He started off cold, but he has shown signs that he's adjusting to National League pitching. He was a model of consistency in Minnesota and he's going to have a good year batting clean-up in the desert.

SS J.J. Hardy - Baltimore Orioles - 86.5% owned - Hardy already has six home runs this season, but his batting average has been hovering around .200. You knew what you were getting when you drafted Hardy, an extremely streaky player. His power numbers are one of the best at his position. You need to stick it out and you'll be rewarded in the end.

1B/2B/3B Daniel Murphy - New York Mets- 87.6% owned - Do you see how many positions he is available at? I don't understand why owners are dropping him. He hasn't hit for power yet, but he's worth more because of his position flexibility. He will bat for average and get his share of home runs when it warms up.

OF Alejandro De Aza - Chicago White Sox - 71.8% owned - De Aza has been a surprise for the White Sox, but owners are dropping him because he hasn't hit a home run in over two weeks. You shouldn't have expected a ton of power from him, but he's a valuable outfielder. If your league plays with .OBP, he has walked 13 times in the last 96 at-bats. He is a source for steals and runs, so go add him on your team.

1B Mark Trumbo - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 69.4% owned - I can understand why people have dropped Trumbo, the Angels' lineup is crowded. They have Kendrys Morales, Albert Pujols, and Trumbo all sharing time at first-base. It helps that the Angels are working Morales back slowly and putting Trumbo in left field. He's getting at-bats, but he's getting left off the lineup card often. I expect the Angels to make a trade to free up playing time or send Trumbo to a better situation. Hold on to him, he is going to put up solid numbers. Keep in mind, he will soon be eligible to roster as an outfielder.

2B Neil Walker - Pittsburgh Pirates - 67.8% owned - Walker is sitting at one home run this year, but his average is at .287. By the end of the year, he'll have around 12-15 home runs and with an average near .300. He will help you get a little pop from the position and help in the runs category once Andrew McCutchen finds his power.

SP Josh Johnson - Miami Marlins - 93.0% owned - He has been roughed up this year and Ozzie Guillen openly questioned his health. He has had health issues in the past and has been on the disabled list more than any other ace. I would stick it out with Johnson and leave him on your bench for his next start. I don't think you can drop a guy this early that you've picked to be your ace. If his next two starts look iffy, start looking for a possible replacement or trade.

SP Mat Latos - Cincinnati Reds - 88.4% owned - He went from the spacious PNC Park to a little-league park in Cincinnati. Two out of his last three starts have been shutouts, so he's getting there. Latos is a guy that you drafted high, so stick with him. He faces the Cubs, Pirates, and Astros a lot this year, so he'll rack up the strikeouts.

SP Edwin Jackson - Washington Nationals - 58.9% owned - He hasn't been very consistent this year, but he's good for a K/9 rate around 9.0. Washington is a good team this year and Jackson will get his fair share of wins. He could be a guy that is always there when you rotate starting pitchers, but he should be rostered.

RP Matt Capps - Minnesota Twins - 90.6% owned - No one is excited to have him on their team, but he helps win fantasy league championships. A few people probably dropped Capps, who is a entrenched closer, for a shot at a guy who may not have the closing job for the Yankees (Soriano/Robertson). You know who is getting the save in Minnesota.

SS Erick Aybar - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 63.8% owned - People are finally starting to drop Aybar, a player who was drafted a few rounds too high. I have never been pro-Aybar, since I've always found a shortstop that was better than him on the waiver wire. If J.J. Hardy or Alexi Casilla are available in your league, drop Aybar and go with one of those players.

1B/DH Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins - 55.8% owned - I really hate what has happened to him. Morneau has struggled with concussion issues and now he is having wrist problems. In baseball, it is one of the worst injuries to have and takes the longest to heal. Your bat speed and power are severely compromised with a wrist injury. I would drop him and pick up Bryan LaHair or Alex Presley.

C Geovany Soto - Chicago Cubs - 25.6% owned - People are slowly dropping Soto, since he was near 100% ownership post-draft. He has been splitting time with two other catchers (Wellington Castillo/Steve Clevenger). One of them will emerge as a better fantasy catcher than Soto. He hasn't hit for power or average in three seasons and has all but completely faded away in Chicago.

SS Alexei Ramirez - Chicago White Sox - 81.2% owned - Ramirez is a slow-starter and most owners are aware of this. You drafted him for power, steals, and eventually, average. He is batting below .200 and hasn't shown much power yet. I am not seeing a spark and if he keeps this up, the White Sox will not be afraid of pulling him out of the lineup.

2B/3B Ryan Roberts - Arizona Diamondbacks - 40.4% owned - I had such high hopes for Roberts in 2012. I picked him up last season and he helped me win a league. He had a slow start and Cody Ransom has taken over third-base. Ransom doesn't have much of a glove, but he has always been able to hit. Roberts isn't getting enough at-bats to justify a roster spot.

OF Jeff Francoeur - Kansas City Royals - 47.8% owned - He had a great 2011 season, but historically, he doesn't string together good seasons in back-to-back years. Francoeur was drafted fairly high, but being able to pick up a player with higher upside (Bryce Harper or Mike Trout) is the smart play. He is not contributing to any roto category.

OF Alfonso Soriano - Chicago Cubs - 37.7% owned - I really don't know why I have to tell people that they should drop Soriano, but you have to drop Soriano. He is literally collecting dust and rotting in the left field. I can't explain how he accumulated a stolen base, but I'm guessing that the pitcher must have rolled the ball to home. His skills have diminished greatly and he is barely a borderline start in an NL-only league.

SP Ubaldo Jimenez - Cleveland Indians - 80.0% owned - In 2010, he was lighting up the league with his masterful pitching performances. He has fallen back to Earth and has averaged over six walks per nine innings in 2012. His control is what made him dominant in Colorado. I don't see him being a permanently rostered pitcher and barely deserves a spot-start.

Clay Buchholz - Boston Red Sox - 45.6% owned - He has started six games and has allowed at least five runs in each game. Buchholz should thank his offense for his 3-1 record, because he doesn't deserve it. His ERA (9.09) and WHIP (2.02) are astronomical, plus his strikeouts are down (20 in 32 innings). Can the Red Sox put him on the disabled-list and list his injury as "broken curveball"?

SP Max Scherzer - Detroit Tigers - 58.3% owned - If you desperately need strikeouts, hold onto him...but your ERA and WHIP will take a nasty hit. Detroit has a few arms in the Minors waiting for their debut and if Scherzer continues to struggle with command, he is a candidate to get replaced or bumped. I would rather roster a pitcher like Ross Detwiler, Jason Hammel, or Jake Westbrook in the short-term.