The Return of the Bad Guy
After yet another long hiatus, The Bad Guy himself is back in action and ready to analyze a few players that have gotten off to blazing hot starts early in the 2009 MLB season. Some might be able to keep things rolling, while others probably won’t be able to maintain their success for 162 games. Here are a few worth discussing…
Aaron Hill 2B Blue Jays - After a breakout season in 2007, Hill went on to have a miserable 2008, as he simply wasn’t able to shake the effects of a horrible concussion he suffered early in the season . He seems to be back at 100% as he has been hitting the cover off the ball – Hill’s batting .365 with four HR and 14 RBI through the first 14 games of the season, and could very well be on his way to posting career highs in all five roto categories. He is currently the fourth highest ranked 2B in Yahoo! leagues, and although he might drop out of the top five due to some tough competition, Hill should continue to hold value throughout the season. If you are in need of a 2B, you might still be able to obtain Hill relatively cheap, but time is certainly running out.
Orlando Hudson 2B Dodgers - The newly acquired LA free-agent has been nothing but studly for the Dodgers so far in 2009. Hitting primarily in the number two spot, Hudson has posted a .385 batting average and has shown off both his power (2 HR) and speed (4 SB) through 13 games. Considering the fact that he has never stolen more then 10 bases or hit more then 15 HR in a season in his seven year career though, its hard to imagine the defensive minded 2B becoming a 25 HR 50 SB threat, which is the pace that he is currently on. It’s also hard to trade a guy when he’s as en fuego as Hudson is right now, but if you are able to sell high and get pretty decent value out of him, don’t be afraid to let him go.
Paul Maholm SP Pirates - The former 2003 first round pick (8th overall) hasn’t really done much up to this point in his major league career, but after three amazing performances to start 2009 , it looks as though the Pirates’ ace (?) seems to have finally figured things out. Maholm stands at 2-0 with a .87 ERA and a .97 WHIP, but when you take a closer look at the numbers, they’re not really all that impressive. Maholm has only struck out six batters in 20 innings and has also posted a very low BAPIP of .215. If he is not able to get his K rate up, he might be in trouble as his BAPIP should eventually drift back up towards the league average of around.300 (he does have almost a 2-1 GB:FB ratio going for him though). I wouldn’t necessarily look to move Maholm, as you probably can’t get much for him at this point, but just be aware that there might be some regression with him in the near future.
Eric Bedard SP Mariners - I can’t seem to find a thing I don’t like about Bedard after his first three starts – he has been absolutely phenomenal – and those of you that took a gamble on him in the later rounds of your drafts are surely reaping the benefits. He has a ridiculous 7.6:1 K:BB ratio and holds a nasty 1.86 ERA and .98 WHIP. He might suffer some in the win department playing for Seattle, but if he can stay healthy, could be a top 10-15 SP this season none the less. Injuries have plagued Bedard throughout his career, but if he is able to make 25-30 starts, we might start to hear some Cy Young chatter towards the end of the season. I’m not sure if he is a guy I would go after considering his history of injuries and the fact that his owner is probably going to ask for the house in return. If I had him on my team, I’d hold on to him.
Ryan Ludwick OF Cardinals - After his very impressive 2008 campaign, Ludwick is out to show the world that last year was no fluke. He has come out of the gate hot as ever, posting a line of 8 R, 5 HR, 15 RBI, a SB, and a .405 BA through 10 games. Hitting fourth in the Cardinals stacked lineup is going to give him plenty of RBI opportunities, and as long as he can stay healthy, should have no issues matching (or even exceeding) the 37 HR he hit in 2008. St. Louis has somewhat of a crowded outfield with Ludwick, Ankiel, Duncan, and rookie sensation Colby Rasmus all deserving of playing time, so how manager Tony LaRussa manages his OF could be something to watch as the season progresses. Ludwick is definitely someone that I would target in all leagues, but you are most likely going to have pay a hefty price in order to acquire his services at this point.
Loading ...
Comment from Stormin Norman
Time April 22, 2009 at 11:23 am
The Bad Guy: “The Bad Guy needs to look out for The Bad Guy’s best interests. The Bad Guy is at the peak of his game and anyone who doesn’t respect the bad guy will meet the bad guy’s wrath.”