powered by Google  
  Track your favorite teams and players.
Free membership, Register Now
Already a member, Log In
 


Community | Help
Pay up Suckers Springsteel Bar League
  Home   Fantasy     NFL  |  MLB  |  NBA  |  NHL  |  College FB  |  College BK  |  Golf  |  Racing  |  Tennis  |  Olympics  |  MMA  |  More CBS College | High School | Mobile | Shop  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Horses Home
 Live Racing
 Youbet Update
 Carryovers
 Free Selections
 Contests
 U. of BET
 Message Board
 
 
 
 
 Cycling Home
 Results
 Standings
 Stages
 Teams
 Riders
 Message Board
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Arena Football
 Boxing
 CBS College Sports
 CBS Sports TV
 College Baseball
 College Hockey
 Collegiate Nationals
 Horse Racing
 Message Board
 Poker
 Soccer
 SPiN
 Tour de France
 Video
 WNBA
 Women's Coll BK
 World Sports
 
 Site Index
 
 
 CBS College Sports
 Coll Sports Tonight
 Get CBS Coll Sports
 XXL - Watch Now
 Talent Bios
 Schedules
 School Sites
 
 
 Find your School
 '08 Football Preview
 Football Rankings
 Football Stats
 Hoops Recruiting
 Hoops Rankings
 Hoops Stats
 Video Highlights
 
 
 Featured Application
 Mobile Web
 Alerts
 Applications
 Video
 
 
 Home
 NFL
 NCAA
 MLB
 NBA
 NHL
 Fantasy
 
 
 
League Home | 
 
 
Live Scoring | 
 
 
Standings | 
 
 
My Team | 
 
 
Stats | 
 
 
Players | 
 
 
Schedule | 
 
 
Pick'em | 
 
 
Options | 
 
 
Help | 
 
 
Things to think about entering '06  
 


Never walk into your draft without at least a little bit of trivial knowledge to impress your opponents and dazzle your competitors. Here are some things you'll want to share while dominating your draft:

Albert Pujols is the first major-leaguer to hit at least 34 home runs in his first five seasons. Curiously, he has done it with 590-592 at-bats in all five years. That's consistency!

Robinson Cano had more extra-base hits (52) than teammate Derek Jeter (49) last year, despite being in the minors for the first month.

Whatever you do, don't give up on Barry Zito in April. (Getty Images)  
Whatever you do, don't give up on Barry Zito in April. (Getty Images)  
The A's have become somewhat legendary for digging themselves out of early-season holes. Barry Zito's career ERA in April (4.89) is more than one full run higher than any other month. Last year, he went 0-4 with a 6.60 ERA in the first month before rebounding in a big way. Eric Chavez hit only .207 with 21 RBI total in his past two Aprils combined before turning his seasons around.

While it's always nice to get a Rockies player on your team because of the homer-friendly atmosphere of Coors Field, their catchers have not always been great from a Fantasy perspective. There have only been four catchers to hit over 10 homers in a single season in the franchise's 13-year history. By comparison, there were 22 catchers that hit over 10 home runs on major-league teams last year (and none were from Colorado). The lesson to learn here? Don't expect too much from new addition Yorvit Torrealba. He has never hit more than six home runs in a single season.

Both Mike Matheny and Gregg Zaun, more noted for their defense behind the plate, put together career seasons in 2005 from a power perspective. Matheny, leaving St. Louis for San Francisco, hit 13 homers in his 12th season. That's five more homers than in any other season. Zaun hit 50-percent more home runs last year (11) than he did in his previous 10 seasons. Both veteran backstops set career-highs in at-bats as well, so don't expect repeat performances in 2006.

Rookie OF Jeremy Reed was caught stealing eleven times last year, compared to only 12 successful attempts. On the other hand, Mets speedster Jose Reyes was caught only 15 times with 60 successful steals.

Since July 1, 2003, David Ortiz has hit 115 HR and 352 RBI. By comparison, Alex Rodriguez has 111 homers and 303 RBI and Pujols has 107 homers and 292 RBI in that span.

Of the pitchers who threw at least 200 innings last season, Braves starter Horacio Ramirez had only 80 strikeouts, the lowest in the NL. And new Cleveland starter Jason Johnson had the fewest strikeouts in the AL with 93.

There were eight relievers that blew at least eight saves last year. Of that number, only Danys Baez and Francisco Cordero enter 2006 as their team's undisputed closers.

Victor Martinez hit 144 points higher in the second half (.380) than he did in the first half (.236) last season.

Mark Prior has taken a lot of abuse over the past three seasons because of his susceptibility to injuries. But you have to admire what he's done once he returns from the DL. In 2003, he came back from a shoulder injury to allow two hits in six scoreless innings in his first game back. In 2004, he started the season late because of Achilles' and elbow problems. In his first game, he again allowed two hits in six scoreless innings. Last year, starting late again due to elbow inflammation, he allowed four hits in six scoreless innings. Then after his elbow was broken by a line drive, he returned four weeks later against the eventual world champs and allowed two hits in another six scoreless innings. That's four comebacks, 10 hits allowed in 24 scoreless innings.

The Minnesota Twins pulled off an interesting feat. Six-year veteran Johan Santana led the majors with 238 strikeouts, while rookie SP Francisco Liriano led all minor-league pitchers with 206 strikeouts.

Click here to order your copy of the CBS SportsLine.com 2006 Fantasy Baseball Manual and Guide!


  
Fantasy Columns
 
League News