From now until the regular season begins, Fantasy Flings is where you'll find interesting story lines about your favorite teams from Spring Training. If there is a position battle, a nagging injury, a comeback story or a youngster making a surge for the "big club" we'll let you know the fantasy implications.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox rotation is still in flux. The four givens are Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield. The race for the fifth spot has pretty much been narrowed down to two; Brad Penny and Justin Masterson. Most feel the job will be Penny's, but Masterson is still being kept on a starter's schedule until Penny comes out and proves that he can pitch well enough to hold the spot down. Penny pitches today, and Masterson goes in a minor league game on Thursday. Both starts are crucial to these two pitchers and whoever wins this job will see his fantasy value rise.
Baltimore Orioles
How do you think George Sherrill feels to hear people describe Chris Ray as the former and future Orioles closer? If both he and Ray had more combative personalities, there may be a problem. But, both players seem to be fine with their current roles. Ray is the set-up guy and Sherrill the closer. Ray's numbers are far superior to Sherrill's this spring and the Orioles could be in for a closer controversy sooner than they'd like. Both pitchers have very late round ADP's (Sherrill is at 282.63 and Ray is behind him with a 325.76) meaning that whoever isn't the closer will probably be on your league's waiver wire to start the season. Watch this situation as the season rolls on. Ray could be a fantastic FAAB or waiver wire selection if he reclaims the job.
New York Yankees
Jorge Posada has announced to anyone who will listen that his surgically repaired shoulder is 100% healthy. He gunned down three of four base-runners in a minor league game Sunday while catching C.C. Sabathia. Unfortunately, Posada didn't get a hit. For you fantasy owners out there just remember that throwing out base-runners and having 100% healthy shoulders aren't rotisserie categories that get used very often. Until Posada proves he can return to 2007 form offensively he's best left for another owner to gamble on.
Tampa Bay Rays
Bad news was handed out to Rays fans after B.J. Upton was hit by a pitch and suffered a bone bruise to his left pinky finger. It hasn't been made official, but Upton will likely miss the opening series of games for the Rays. This injury shouldn't effect his fantasy value or draft status one bit. Owners of Upton will just want to bench him for the first week of play.
Toronto Blue Jays
You can remove Casey Janssen from your draft lists. The Jays starting pitcher who was on his way back from labrum surgery has suffered a set back. Stiffness in his back has shut Janssen down temporarily which eliminates him for contention for that fifth starter position. If Janssen gets back in April and starts proving he can take over a role in the rotation you can then start thinking about signing him in AL-only leagues. Right now the injury risk is too much to sign or draft him in any format.
