How does this fantasy baseball roster measure up?

C: Jason Varitek BOS


C: Johnny Estrada NYM


1B: Mark Tiexeira ATL


2B: Placido Polonco DET


SS: Jose Reyes NYM


3B: Chipper Jones ATL


OF: Vladamir Guerrero LAA


OF: Hideki Matsui NYY


OF: Kosuke Fukudome CHC


OF: Aaron Rowand SFG


OF: Chris Duncan STL OF


MI: Edgar Renteria DET SS


CI: Derek Lee CHC 1B


UT/DH: Gary Sheffield DET DH


RP: Takashi Saito LAD


RP: Rafael Soriano ATL


SP: Brad Penny LAD


SP: John Maine NYM


SP: Jeremy Guthrie BAL


SP: Dontrelle Willis DET (control probs, i know.)


SP: Hiroki Kuroda LAD


SP: Jon Lester BOS


SP: Chris Carpenter STL

How does this fantasy baseball roster measure up?
Well assuming your first pick was Reyes, then Vlad and Tiexeira...not really seeing who would be that 3rd pick, I say you scored on the offensive side of the ball. Even though your only speed comes from a guy who had 80 or so steals last year, its a great line-up.





As stated before the weakness does lie in the outfield, and not so much as a weakness, but a lack of proving in my eyes. I can rely on Vlad, but this was the first big year for Rowand. Nobody knows how Kosuke is going to switch over to the american game. Hideki even though power, is aging quickly in the Yankees outfield, and not producing like he once did. At 37...its a big stretch. Duncan was extremely inconsistent for me personally last year. I had him at the time where he did nothing! I don't doubt his power, but his ability to do it in and out on a daily basis I do doubt.





Your pitching is what scares me the most. Carpenter coming back from surgery this year is a huge stretch. He could have a huge year, or easily rip that shoulder again, and could be done for along time. It a toss up with him. Penny and Willis could easily be 15 win guys this year, and have a huge year, but ...erm, its Penny and Willis...





After that, Maine, Gutherie, Lester don't have much experience to make me want to draft them personally. I believe Lester has the best situation with being in Boston, but Gutherie has a horrible line-up in BAL with the loss of Tejada. I believe there best power hitter now is Patterson? Maybe Gibbons?





Your relief pitching...erm..I'm a firm believer in 4 closer at the min. I love my relief pitching, but you can get them a dime a dozen in FA. Each week there was a new closer for the Dodgers/Giants/A's/Blue Jays, and they each did well. Saito is a great pitcher, but I don't know anymore to be honest. He is also up there in age I believe 37 as well, and with Kuroda, Penny, and Saito on the same team...I would have tried and stayed away from that one.





Overall I love your offense and give it a 9. A powerful and speedy line-up will get you most of the points there. The un-proven outfield scares me the most, but you can always find the wonder player like most people did last year with Braun.





Pitching I give it a 5. I don't like the fact that well its not at least a big name pitcher. Penny had a huge year last year, and he did prove that he didn't fall apart during the second half, but Willis...erm...yup you said enough of it. After that it really falls off if Carpenter doesn't return to his former self. He could be a huge steal if he comes back and wins 12 or more.





I think its a 7. Not great and I know you could do much better.





Good luck!!
Reply:Good job man...one of the better teams I've seen off of mockdraft. I personally would have put a little more emphasis on my SP but you made out pretty well. And your OF is a little suspect Matsui(injury?), Rowand(will he repeat in that lineup?), Fukodome(?????), Duncan(will he be consistent?)
Reply:You can't do a whole lot better than that, considering the amount of positions you have to fill. Rowand is a question mark because of his new ballpark. Sluggers have been known to need a little juice to get it over the fence in SF. Other than that, Carpenter won't be ready till the second half, so that wouldn't really work without a bench. Overall, a 9+.