YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Andy Behrens

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    Andy is the editor of Roto Arcade. He blogs on baseball and football.

    • Maddon: ‘I’m not running away from Fernando. We’ll get him right’

      Not your night, Fernando Rodney (Getty)

      So Fernando Rodney was not exactly at his best against the Red Sox on Thursday night.

      Asked to protect a two-run ninth-inning lead, Rodney immediately issued a pair of free passes. Nine of the first 11 pitches he threw were non-strikes. He eventually loaded the bases via walk, then gave up a two-out, three-run double to Will Middlebrooks. And then he walked Jarrod Saltalamacchia, just to prove the first three BBs weren't flukes.

      Rodney's final fantasy line was a big steaming mess...

      Yup, you're reading those ratios correctly: 40.50, 7.50. Some of us are hurting today.

      Read More »from Maddon: ‘I’m not running away from Fernando. We’ll get him right’
    • Closing Time: Cishek struggles, Murphy ablaze, Moreland still raking

      Steve Cishek, frustrating Fish (USAT Images)

      So Thursday's slate played out pretty much the way we all expected. Aroldis Chapman blew a save against the Marlins, Justin Verlander gave up eight runs and couldn't escape the third, and, of course, Francisco Liriano struck out seven batters in an easy win.

      Baseball, you guys. Almost too predictable. Why they even play the games, I don't really know.

      We're heading straight to the bullets, because nothing makes sense just now...

      Read More »from Closing Time: Cishek struggles, Murphy ablaze, Moreland still raking
    • The Saves Index

      The Saves Index is a ranking of the top 50 relievers, based solely on their potential to earn saves from the present through the remainder of the season. In a case where two relievers have similar saves potential, the additional standard roto categories will be used to differentiate them. For relievers on this list that don't currently have a closer role, they are ranked by the likelihood of ascending to their team's closer role because of the volatility of the team's current closer.

      View Consensus Rankings from FantasyPros

      Saves Index: Top 50 relievers
      Player Team Stock
      1. Mariano Rivera NYY Perfect on save opp's so far, with sub-2.00 ERA. Why retire?
      2. Craig Kimbrel ATL  
      3. Aroldis Chapman CIN  
      4. Jonathan Papelbon PHI  
      5. Rafael Soriano WAS Chris Liss trying to trade for him in F&F league, so you know he's solid
      6. Sergio Romo SFO  
      7. Kenley Jansen LAD He may not even have the closing gig officially just yet, but c'mon. He's the man.
      8. Joe Nathan TEX  
      9. Jim Johnson BAL  
      10. Jason Grilli PIT
      Read More »from The Saves Index
    • Fantasy do-over: Auditing results from an in-season experts draft

      Nope, Bryce did not have a long wait in the green room (USAT Images)

      At the risk of tearing down the entire "fantasy expert" scam, we begin today with an admission: Occasionally, fantasy gurus get stuff wrong.

      It's rare, but it happens. Back in March, it's possible that some of us led you to believe Roy Halladay was salvageable and that Adam Dunn was not terrible at baseball. We apologize for these misunderstandings.

      With six weeks of MLB data in the books, it's time to reassess the player pool. We've assembled a group of 10 experts for an in-season baseball draft. The league settings are fairly standard: 5x5, mixed player pool, CI & MI, head-to-head, weekly lineups. Nothing too exotic.

      [Yes, you can still own Goldschmidt! Sign-up today for Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball 2013]

      Read More »from Fantasy do-over: Auditing results from an in-season experts draft
    • Closing Time: Juan Francisco making noise; Heath Bell saving games

      Juan Francisco will now accept your high-fives (Getty Images)

      When Juan Francisco hits 'em, they generally stay hit. That dude leaves no doubt.

      Francisco drilled an eighth-inning grand slam over the right field wall in Cincinnati on Wednesday, blowing open the game. The homer was his fifth of the season in 79 plate appearances — and most of them have been launched.

      Remember this thing off the upper-deck facade in Miami? And this moonshot against KC? And this zillion-foot bomb, back in spring training?

      So yeah, Francisco is kind of a monster. He recently returned to action following an ankle injury, and he's available in 88 percent of Yahoo! leagues. He's hitting .280 for the Braves with 16 RBIs, plus he has a history of solid power numbers in the minors. Francisco rarely walks, so he figures to be a liability in OBP leagues. But the pop here is very real. Can you use 25 or so additional homers? Of course you can. Consider the add.

      Read More »from Closing Time: Juan Francisco making noise; Heath Bell saving games
    • Farrell: Koji in the eighth, Tazawa in the ninth

      Junichi Tazawa (USAT Images)Well, it didn't take long for details of the latest Boston bullpen re-org to hit the street. If you're chasing saves in fantasy (as most of us are, eternally), you'll want to go get the dude pictured over on the right, Junichi Tazawa. He's currently available in 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

      Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan checked out of Monday's game with an injury that doesn't sound minor, and Tazawa is the next man up.

      Boston manager John Farrell offered these comments on Tuesday on SiriusXM MLB Network Radio:

      "I think what we'd look to do is close Tazawa. We'd keep Koji [Uehara] in that eight inning role that he's been in."

      Nothing vague about that quote. Tazawa it is. He's a hard-thrower (93-96) who perhaps fits the traditional closer profile better than Uehara. Tazawa's numbers have been absurd over the past two seasons: 58.1 IP, 8 BB, 63 Ks, 1.70 ERA, 0.96 WHIP.

      Yup, that's right: Eight walks and 63 strikeouts. His stuff is solid. Just check the tape.

      Read More »from Farrell: Koji in the eighth, Tazawa in the ninth
    • Fish frenzy: Marcell Ozuna hasn’t stopped hitting

      Marcell Ozuna (Getty Images)

      A week ago, when Giancarlo Stanton hit the disabled list with a hamstring strain, the Marlins called up 22-year-old outfielder Marcell Ozuna from Double-A Jacksonville. Ozuna was off to a noisy start in the Southern League, hitting .333/.383/.810 over his first 10 games with five homers and 15 RBIs.

      Upon joining the Fish, he actually picked up the pace.

      Ozuna has hit safely in every game he's played for Miami thus far, going 11-for-23 with four doubles, four runs scored and four RBIs. He hit his first major league home run on Saturday, a wall-scraper off Cole Hamels, then went 4-for-5 on Sunday with a pair of doubles.

      So it's time we kicked the tires on this kid. He's owned in just eight percent of Yahoo! leagues, available to most of you.

      Read More »from Fish frenzy: Marcell Ozuna hasn’t stopped hitting
    • Closing Time: Who are you and what have you done with Ryan Raburn?

      It's all smiles and high-fives for the game's hottest hitter (Getty Images)

      Actually, um ... please disregard the question posed in the headline. I don't need to know what happened to the real Ryan Raburn. Let's just hope he's somewhere safe, not gagged and stuffed in the trunk of Ty Van Burkleo's Honda. Because that would not be cool.

      For now, let's just enjoy the insane production we're getting from imposter Raburn. Over the past three days, he's gone 11-for-13 with four homers and nine RBIs. He went 4-for-5 on Wednesday, 3-for-4 on Tuesday and 4-for-4 on Monday. He's raised his season batting average 150 points in just three games, and he's raised his career average from .255 to .260.

      Ridiculous. This is player who had zero three-hit games in 2012. He is now Earth's hottest hitter, the most popular add in fantasy.

      Read More »from Closing Time: Who are you and what have you done with Ryan Raburn?
    • Fantasy Alert: Rockies promote Nolan Arenado

      "Add this player and drop another player"? Yes, please. (Getty)Gamers, this is not a drill. REPEAT: NOT A DRILL.

      The Colorado Rockies have called up prospect Nolan Arenado, and he'll immediately take over full-time third base duties. You want this guy. Arenado's promotion is without question an actionable event for fantasy owners.

      Go scan your league's free agent pool for this kid, right now. GO. SHOO.

      Chris Nelson has been designated for assignment by the Rockies (and he shouldn't have much trouble finding a new major league home. A fair number of teams have a need at third.)

      You'll recall that Arenado, 22, had a terrific spring for Colorado — so good, in fact, that he nearly opened the season in the big leagues. He was off to a tremendous start at Triple-A Colorado Springs, batting .364/.392/.667 over his first 18 games, with 11 doubles, three homers and 21 RBIs.

      Arenado is a former Arizona Fall League MVP, ranked among the game's better prospects by all sources. He projects as a heart-of-the-order hitter with respectable pop, and his home environment is obviously friendly. He's expected to bat eighth in his MLB debut, which is less than ideal, but he'll eventually find a favorable spot.

      Read More »from Fantasy Alert: Rockies promote Nolan Arenado
    • Farm Report: Nick Franklin goes 5-for-5, building the call-up case

      Nick Franklin (Getty Images)

      The Seattle Mariners, as you might have heard, are not exactly a run-scoring juggernaut. They currently rank 13th in the American League in OBP and slugging percentage. They've lost seven of their last 10 games, and the team's run differential is now -31. They just replaced Brendan Ryan with Robert Andino, which is sort of like replacing passionflower tea with chamomile.

      The Mariners, in a nutshell, are not good.

      But things are going a bit better for Seattle's Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers.

      Read More »from Farm Report: Nick Franklin goes 5-for-5, building the call-up case

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