Daily Fantasy Baseball Leaders - March 31st Edition

ESPN does a nice little summary of the daily leaders which you can find here.

Here's an overview of some of the top performers from games played on Monday, March 31st:

Hitting:
1) X Nady (OF - Pit) - 4-7/2 HR/4 RBI/4 R
I know everyone is probably running out to the waiver wire to pick up Mr. Nady, but remember, it was only one game.

2) J Thome (DH - CWS) - 2-5/2 HR/4 RBI/2 R

3) N McLouth (OF - Pit) - 3-5/1 HR/4 RBI/2 R/1 BB
This might be a breakout year for McLouth. After putting up 13 HR & 22 SB (with only 1 CS) in only 329 ab last season, he now has the CF job all to himself for 2008. He's a great power / speed sleeper, and he was voted as the Pirates breakout player this season in a pre-season poll in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. If he's available on your waiver wire, you might want to pick him up, especially if you have any open roster spots due to players on the DL or if you are in a non-keeper league & are holding the Jay Bruce types waiting for a call-up. Get McLouth now, before it's too late.

T4) F Gutierrez (OF - Cle) - 3-3/1 HR/3 RBI/2 R/1 BB
Another sleeper to keep an eye on this season. The RF job is all his, and he had an awesome spring. He might surprise some by putting up a 20+ HR/SB season, but he's very talented & he's part of a very good Indians lineup. If you have room on your roster, see if he's available.

T4) K Fukudome (OF - CHC) - 3-3/1 HR/3 RBI/1 R/1 BB
Not bad for a 30 year old rookie. Actually, it's one of the best first game performances in Cubs history.


Pitching:
1) B Sheets (SP - Mil) - 6.1 IP/2 H/2 BB/7K/o ER
Excellent first start for Sheets, especially considering he didn't have a great spring (again - spring stats don't matter...most of the time).

T2) C Zambrano (SP - CHC) - 6.2 IP/3 H/1 BB/5 K/0 ER
What I like most about this performance from Carlos was the single walk.

T2) J Peavy (SP - SD) - 7 IP/3 H/3 BB/4 K/0 ER

4) J Santana (SP - NYM) - 7 IP/3 H/2 BB/8K/2 ER
Excellent first start from Santana in a Mets uniform; the best is yet to come.

5) B Penny (SP - LAD) - 6.2 IP/4 H/2 BB/3 K/0 ER

Top Performers - January 24th Edition

Best Performances of the Night:
Kirk Hinrich (SG, PG), Chi - Captain Kirk put up 38 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 4 3's, all while shooting at a high %. This was his second monster game of the year (the other being his triple double on 12/14 against the Knicks). What's interesting about this is the fact that Duhon was not his starting backcourt mate in either game; I've read about how Hinrich plays better when Duhon isn't starting next to him, but this game makes it hard to ignore. He's been slowly coming along as the season has progressed, so it may be getting late to trade for him while his value is low, especially after a game like yesterday. (Photo Credit Brian Kersey / AP)

Danny Granger (SF, PF), Ind - 33 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 3's...nice. He's really been coming on strong in January (averaging more than 21 PPG), and in his last 5, he's putting up more than 25 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and 3 3's. He seems to have found his grove, so keep him in your lineup & enjoy the 1+ steal, block & 3 per game.

Josh Smith (SG, SF, PF), Atl - Not a great shooting night from JSmoove, but he got his first career triple double, putting up 22 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals & 5 blocks; although he did also commit 7 turnovers. He's a fantasy stud, no doubt about it, and if he improves his shot selection & gets a consistent 3 point shot, he'll be a super-stud. Enjoy his production...

Others of note:

-Amare Stoudemire (C), Pho - 33 points on 14-16 shooting, along with 6 boards, 2 steals & 2 blocks

-Jose Calderon (PG), Tor - Clutch with the game on the line, and scored 24 points, hit 3 3's, dished out 13 assists, grabbed 3 steals, and shot 8-10 from the field & 5-5 from the line. Anyone missing TJ Ford?

-Zydrunas Ilgauskas (C), Cle - Scored 24 on 10-10 shooting from the field...I think he put up some other stats as well, but I can't get past the 100% FG%. Impressive day from Big Z.

Performances that we could have done without:

Martell Webster (SG, SF), Por - 3 points on 0-4 shooting from the field; he's only posted double figures in points once in his last 5

Antonio Daniels (PG), Was - 2 points on 0-4 shooting from the field; he did dish out 5 assists

Kendrick Perkins (C), Bos - 4 points; this follows up his career high 24 on Monday

Weird Line of the Night:

Jamaal Tinsley (PG), Ind (again) - I'm noticing a trend with Tinsley falling into this category...meaning, it might not be very weird anymore. He put up 2 points on 1-4 shooting from the field, and dished out 6 assists. In his last 4 games, he's averaging 4 points, shooting 6-21 from the field; although he's also averaged 4 boards & 11 assists. I think it's fair to say his shot is a little off right now, but at least he's continuing to distribute the ball effectively.

Surprise Lines of the Night:

Al Thorton (SF, PF), LAC - Nice game for the rook from FSU, as he had 23 points, 9 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals & 2 blocks. In his last 3, he's put up 22, 14, & 23; he's starting to produce when getting consistent playing time. Coming into the season, I thought he was one of the most NBA ready players from the draft (along with Big Al Hortford in Atlanta), but Thorton's just now starting to show some consistency. Hopefully he'll continue to get minutes, meaning he'll be a good fantasy pickup if you need points & some 3's.

Andrea Bargnani (SF, PF, C), Tor - Andrea had his game of the year! Although that's not saying much. He scored 20 points & had 7 boards, 7 assists & 3 3's in 40 minutes of play. I'm not going to take this as THE sign that he's breaking out of his funk, but keep a close eye on his play. I still haven't dropped him in a few leagues, holding out hope that he'll start to fulfil his promise at some point this season...fingers crossed.

Marko Jaric (SG, SF), Min - Super Marko had another great game! 15 points, 8 boards & 10 assists isn't a bad line at all; this follows up his 16 point, 8 board & 10 assist game on Monday...is he here to stay? Only time will tell, but I think in this case, past performances do not guarantee future results...especially with Foye's impending return. But if you've got Jaric, play him while he's hot (like his girlfriend).

The weekend is almost here! Thanks for reading, and feel free to send any fantasy questions to rotoadvice@yahoo.com; I'll likely devote an occasional post to answering these, and I'll work to reply to all of your emails.

Top Performers - January 22nd Edition

The NBA had a full schedule of games on Monday, January 22nd. With 26 teams playing last night, there was bound to be some great lines, some not so great lines, some strange lines, and some unexpected lines. Today, I'm going to look at all four of these.

Best Performances of the Night:
Dwyane Wade (PG, SG), Mia - 42 Pts, 6 Reb, 7 Ast, 3 Stl, 1 Blk,1 3Ptm, 17-29 FG, 7-8 FT, 4 TO
Wade had an excellent game even though his Heat lost to LeBron & the Cavs on Monday. What was especially nice about this showing was his low turnover number (for Wade). He touched the ball a lot, and it seems like he didn't really force things (I didn't get a chance to watch the game, so please comment if you saw otherwise).

Ryan Gomes (SF, PF), Min - 35 Pts, 11 Reb, 3 Ast, 2 3Ptm, 11-15 FG, 11-12 FT, 3 TO
I really wanted to put this in the "Surprise lines of the night" group, but he was just too good not to show up here. It's not that Ryan hasn't been playing well this month; he has, scoring 20+ in 4 out of 10 games thus far. He was just incredibly efficient, and the consistent 3 point shooting is a new weapon this season. To be honest, his 3Pt FG% is actually down from 38% last year to 32% this year, but now that he's shooting more, it's another dimension of his game to help fantasy teams out there.

Performances that we could have done without:
Fred Jones (SG, SF), NY - 2 Pts, 1 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 TO, 0-4 FG
With Marbury going down, Jones' minutes have gone up. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of his best performances.

LaMarcus Aldridge (PF, C), Por - 8 Pts, 5 Reb, 3-12 FG, and that's it.
There were worse overall performances, but since many teams out there count on this guy to consistently produce, I figured I'd single him out. He did foul out, although it didn't happen until there was 19 seconds left to play in overtime. His scoring average & shooting percentage has come down each successive month this year, so hopefully he'll have something left in the tank for the second half of the season. If you're a Blazers fan, no worries since they continue to win...but for Aldridge owners, many of whom drafted him between the 4th & 7th rounds of their fantasy drafts, we keep our fingers crossed.

Strange Line of the night:
Jamaal Tinsley (PG), Ind - 2 Pts, 0 Reb, 12 Ast, 1 Stl, 3 TO, 0-3 FG
That was weird, although he has only scored in double digits twice in six January contests. The assists are helpful, but where did the rest of his game go? At least he's produced double digit assists in four of his past five games. If you've got him, keep him in your lineup & enjoy the dimes.

Surprise Lines of the night:
Marko Jaric (SG, SF), Min - 16 Pts, 8 Reb, 10 Ast, 3 Stl, 3 3Ptm, 5 TO
Marko has put up some great games this year, but he's been very quiet of late. This is going to wake up some fantasy owners out there. Although this was a very nice day at the office for Jaric, I'd be careful before running out there to the waiver wire to pick him up. 1) I don't expect him to put up these kind of numbers daily, even thought he's dating the very attractive Adriana Lima & 2) Randy Foye is going to be back soon (yeah, you've head that one before), and Foye will certainly eat into Jaric's minutes. If you're in a very deep league, you might want to keep an eye on him; all others should keep an eye on his girlfriend.

Kendrick Perkins (C), Bos - 24 Pts, 8 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO, 9-12 FG, 6-6 FT
Wow, that was unexpected. He put up his first double digit point game of the month (and set his career high in points), although it was against Eddie Curry & the Knicks (Curry isn't exactly known for his defense). Since Perkins is probably owned in deeper leagues out there, some owners will be smiling about this performance...at least until he comes back to earth in his next game.

Matt Barnes (SF), GS - 20 Pts, 7 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 Blk, 1 TO, 8-12 FG, 4-4 FT
Barnes has had games like this before, but with Don Nelson's player rotations, it's tough to judge when someone is going to go off from this lineup. Barnes is the kind of player who will help you in most categories, but I'm still nervous putting almost anyone from Golden State in my fantasy lineup (with the exception of Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, & Monta Ellis).


Kareem Rush (SG), Ind - 25 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 1 Stl 1 TO, 5 3Ptm
This offensive explosion doesn't come as a complete surprise, as Rush was recently inserted into the Pacers starting lineup & is averaging 13 PPG thus far in January. If you're in need of 3's & points, pick him up while he's hot & playing. If you think of him as a Rashard McCants-style guy, you'll be happy with his production...just don't expect much help in other categories.

Looking ahead, there are only 2 games on the docket on Tuesday, although for those of you who don't have NBA League Pass, the Kings play at 10 PM EST on NBA TV.

Until next time...

Top Daily Fantasy Performers - January 17th Edition (Abbreviated)

I'm not going to look at all of the top performances from Wednesday night's games, but I do want to take a quick look at two players who have been hot of late:

Gerald Wallace (SF, PF), Cha - In last night's game, he put up 36 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, grabbed 3 steals, and had 1 block...all with ZERO turnovers. He also shot 79% from the line (11-14). The only less than optimal stat line was his shooting from the field, where he only hit 40% of his shots (12-30, including 1-8 on 3's).

Wallace has simply been on fire recently. In his past 5 games, he's averaging the following:

PPG - 28.8
Reb - 9.8
Ast - 4.4
Stl - 2.8
Blk - 1.8
FG% - 45%
FT% - 70%
TO - 3.0
3PTM - 2.2

After another slow start this season, especially in the rebounding department, I almost regretted holding on to him in one of my keeper leagues; but he's putting up monster numbers now, and based on his prior season's trends, I'd expect it to continue the rest of the season (barring injury).

Chris Bosh (PF, C), Tor - In last night's game, Chris scored 31 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, got 2 assists & 3 steals. More impressively, he shot 11-12 from the field & 9-10 from the line!

Bosh has been on a very impressive streak of late as well. In his last 5, he's put up:

PPG - 29.2
Reb - 9.2
Ast - 2.6
Stl - 1.2
Blk - 1.4
FG% - 59%
FT% - 83%
TO - 2.6

If you back out his 1 rebound game on 1/9 against the 76ers, he's averaging over 11 boards in his last 4. After a slow start to the season, he's increased his scoring from a low of 16.0 PPG in the month of November, to his current January average of 27.4; all while shooting high %'s both from the field & the line. He's been very consistent in his short career, so expect him to continue performing at a high level & helping your team.

Fantasy Impact:
Even though both of these guys are playing a very high level right now, these hot streaks always present chances to "sell high" on a player. In Wallace's case, it's probably riskier to keep him than trade him, given the frequency of his injury problems in the past. This is in no way a knock on Gerald...but given his high flying, aggressive, 'take it to the hoop' game, he does take more hits & spills than your average player meaning a greater likelihood of getting injured.

Personally, I'm going to hold Wallace in the two leagues I own him, but I'm by no means what you would consdier risk adverse. If you can get a first round talent that fills a need on your roster, I'd suggest pulling the trigger now. I'm counting on him keeping it up & staying healthy, but if someone offered me Steve Nash for him straight up & I needed assists, it would be really hard to say no.

I have a little bit different take on Bosh. Given his consistency and his solid game across all areas, I'd suggest holding on to him right now. In all honesty, he's not playing too much above many people's expectations of him coming into the season; he was a first round pick in many drafts. If someone offered Lebron, I might think about it...but otherwise, keep Bosh in your lineup & enjoy the good times.

Until next time...

Top Daily Fantasy Performers - January 16th Edition

There were 8 games on the NBA schedule last night; I'm going to take a look at some of the top performances from those games:

Fantasy stars:
LeBron - Surprise! He scored 51 points on 18-28 shooting from the field (6-12 from 3 point range), grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 9 assists, and got 3 steals & 1 block for good measure. He did only shoot 9-16 from the charity stripe (56%), but one blemish is acceptable. And even though he played great, more importantly for Cavs fans is the fact that the Cavs pulled out a victory in overtime! (Photo Credit - AP Photo/Nikki Boertman)

Rip Hamilton - Efficiency...that's what I call 39 points on 16-22 shooting, 5-6 from 3 point range, 2-3 from the line, while grabbing 4 boards & getting 6 assists. That's it though; no steals, no blocks, and no turnovers. Efficient, and in only 35 minutes of play.

Sam Cassell - I was watching some of this game on NBA League Pass last night, and Sammy was on fire; I bet he could have taken a shot standing on his head at halfcourt wearing a blindfold with his hands tied behind his back with the dance team surrounding him & he would have found a way to get the ball through the hoop. He ended up with a line of 32 points on 15-21 shooting, chipping in 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal for good measure. What makes this especially surprising is he had put up a total of 21 points in his previous four games...combined. He's fun to watch when he gets on fire, like in last night's game, but don't expect it to occur every night.

Surprise Fantasy Performances:
Antoine Walker - I guess he's not a total surprise, since he's been a good player in this league...but after two scoreless games in his last 4, he threw up (not literally) 26 last night (in only 26 minutes). This included 4 3 pointers, and he got 10 rebounds as well. Even after last night's game, he's still not someone I'd recommend picking up off the waiver wire, unless you're in a deep league & desperate for 3's. While we're on the topic of guys that can help you out if you need 3's...

Juan Carlos Navarro - I wonder how long it takes for someone like Juan Carlos to get people to call him by his full name? Like Juan Pablo Montoya, Juan Carlos Navarro, Homer Jay Simpson...

MMM...Roto Advice
Juan Carlos had a great game yesterday against the Cavs, playing 47 minutes & scoring 26 points (on 9-16 shooting, including 6-10 on 3's), getting 2 boards, 4 assists, and 2 steals. His playing time has increased again of late, and he's he's played 30 or more minutes in 3 of his last 4 games. Seeing how he has 14 3's in the last 4 games, I'd definitely take a chance on him if you're looking for help in that category. Monitor his playing time frequently, as he's fallen in and out of the regular rotation throughout his rookie season, but I'd use him while he's on a hot streak.

Antonio McDyess - In 34 minutes, he had 9 points on 4-7 shooting...

AND 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks, and 0 turnovers; nice. The 7 steals ties the NBA single game high this season.

Fantasy stinker of the day:
DeShawn Stevenson - In 40 minutes of play, he scored 4 points on 1-6 shooting from the field (1-4 on 3's) & 1-2 from the line. At least he chipped in with 3 boards & 4 assists, but it's not the type of performance you hoped for when you put him in your lineup (especially after putting up games of 12, 19, 19, & 16 in his past four). Hopefully he'll bounce back Friday against the Knicks.

Top Fantasy Basketball Contributors in the last month - final chapter

And now I bring you the top 5 fantasy basketball contributors in the past month:

5 - Shawn Marion (SF, PF), Pho - Key stats over the last 30 days - .539 FG%, .600 FT%, 1.6 3PTM, 14.9 PPG, 8.7 Reb, 2.8 Ast, 1.2 Stl, 1.6 Blk, 0.8 TO
What the heck is up with that FT%??? Thankfully, he only shoots a few per game, so at least it's not hurting teams much. His scoring is lower than I expected, but he gives you help across the board, so no worries.

4 - Caron Butler (SF), Was - Key stats over the last 30 days - .939 FT%, 1.2 3PTM, 20.0 PPG, 6.9 Reb, 5.6 Ast, 2.6 Stl
Butler has been a stat sheet stuffer this year, and I expect him to continue his dominance, especially with Agent Zero being out for potentially the rest of the year (or March 15th, which is what he's thinking now).

3 - Allen Iverson (PG, SG), Den - Key stats over the last 30 days - .464 FG%, .844 FT%, 1.5 3PTM, 29.8 PPG, 5.9 Ast, 1.8 Stl, 2.5 TO
Iverson is having what is arguably the best fantasy season of his career. He seems comfortable in his role with the Nuggets, and he should continue to be a great asset to your roster.

2 - Marcus Camby (C), Den - Key stats over the last 30 days - 9.0 PPG, 12.3 Reb, 2.8 Ast, 4.8 Blk!
Camby provides the best combination of rebounds & blocks in the league right now. His rebound per game average is actually a little bit down from the start of the year, but his blocks stay strong. Expect him to continue being a beast, as long as the injury bug doesn't strike.

And #1
Chris doing his best Fonzie impression
1 - Chris Paul (PG), NO - Key stats over the last 30 days - .481 FG%, .831 FT%, 1.2 3PTM, 22.1 PPG, 3.5 Reb, 10.9 Ast, 2.9 Stl, 1.9 TO
Not only is Paul #1 for the last 30 days, he's the top fantasy player on the season. There really isn't anything he's not doing this year. He's the leader of his Hornets team, both emotionally & statistically. Expect him to continue his monster season. Enjoy the ride...

That's it for now...

On the horizon - In the upcoming week, I'll have some analysis on current fantasy basketball waiver wire activity, along with some of the major surprises as we quickly approach the midway point in the season. I'll also take a look at some top individual player performances.

Top Fantasy Basketball Contributors in the last month - continued...

Here is the continuation of the top 25 fantasy basketball contributors in the past 30 days. I now bring you number 15 through number 6:

15 - Kevin Garnett (SF, PF), Bos - Key stats over the last 30 days - .555 FG%, .758 FT%, 19.4 PPG, 9.0 Reb, 3.5 Ast, 1.3 Stl, 1.3 Blk
Garnett's production has been down some in recent months, as he's playing lower minutes / game than earlier in his career, but he's still a beast.

14 - Baron Davis (PG), GS - Key stats over the last 30 days - 2.4 3PTM, 20.5 PPG, 3.8 Reb, 8.1 Ast, 2.0 Stl
He's been good this year, although his shooting % has come down a bit recently...but he continues to shoot away.

13 - Yao Ming (C), Hou - Key stats over the last 30 days - .489 FG%, .861 FT%, 22.4 PPG, 10.7 Reb, 2.9 Ast, 2.4 Blk, 3.6 TO
Mr. Consistency...or 先生一致性

12 - LeBron James (SF), Cle - Key stats over the last 30 days - .705%, 1.1 3PTM, 28.3 PPG, 8.2 Reb, 6.9 Ast, 2.1 Stl, 0.7 Blk, 3.4 TO
LeBron is always going to be one of the top players in the fantasy game - his blocks are down a bit in the last month from his earlier season production, and if only he could get that FT% up...

11 - Gerald Wallace (SF, PF), Cha - Key stats over the last 30 days - .766 FT%, 1.4 3PTM, 23.4 PPG, 7.2 Reb, 4.8 Ast, 2.3 Stl, 1.0 Blk, 3.7 TO
A traditionally slow starter to the season, Wallace has been awesome in the last month. He provides help across the board, with TO's being his one weak point. I'd still like to see him bump his block total a bit, but he's a huge asset to any fantasy team, just keep your fingers crossed that he stays healthy the rest of the year.

10 - Andrew Bynum (C), LAL - Key stats over the last 30 days - .703 FG%!, .705 FT%, 16.9 PPG, 10.9 Reb, 2.1 Ast, 2.4 Blk, 1.6 TO
The biggest surprise on this list...the young stud has arrived! That FG% alone is a huge help to any team, but when you include the points, rebounds, and blocks, coupled with low turnover totals, you have a blossoming star. Kobe's got to be loving it...speaking of Kobe...

9 - Kobe Bryant (SG), LAL - Key stats over the last 30 days - .421 FG%, .869 FT%, 1.9 3PTM, 25.9 PPG, 5.8 Reb, 5.2 Ast, 2.1 Stl, 3.4 TO
Kobe's scoring is down some this season, but he's still one of the top scorers in the league, and he'll help you across all other categories. His shooting hasn't been great recently, but he'll come around.

8 - Jason Richardson (SG, SF), Cha - Key stats over the last 30 days - .478 FG%, .753 FT%, 3.1 3PTM, 24.4 PPG, 5.2 Reb, 3.6 Ast, 1.3 Stl, 0.8 Blk, 2.1 TO
Richardson is finally starting to look comfortable in his new environment. His shooting, both from the field & the line, is up in the last month. He's hitting a ton of 3's (tops in the league per game in the last 30 days), and his contributions in other areas are pleasant as well. It looks like he's found a home, and I expect a continued strong season from Richardson, although I'd expect his %'s to come down a little bit from where they've been recently (but not so much to harm most fantasy teams).

7 - Dirk Nowitzki (PF), Dal - Key stats over the last 30 days - .485 FG%, .899 FT%, 1.1 3PTM, 23.4 PPG, 8.8 Reb, 3.5 Ast, 0.9 Stl, 1.0 Blk
Dirk is just being Dirk...and that is good.

6 - Amare Stoudemire (C), Pho - Key stats over the last 30 days - .596 FG%, .724 FT%, 24.4 PPG, 10.2 Reb, 2.6 Blk
Amare continues to be a top tier center; expect this type of production to continue.

The top 5 is on the way...

Top Fantasy Basketball Contributors in the last month

Today, I'm going to take a look at some of the top fantasy basketball contributors in the past month (using averages, not totals). This is using a standard 9 category structure, meaning turnovers are included.

I'm going to break it up in three posts, just for your convenience.

And without further adieu, in inverse order (25 - 16):

25 - Pau Gasol (PF, C), Mem - Key stats over the last 30 days - .500 FG%, .795% FT%, 21.9 PPG, 9.5 Reb, 1.4 Blk

24 - Chris Kaman (C), LAC - Key stats over the last 30 days - .451 FG%, .691 FT%, 16.9 PPG, 13.8 Reb, 3.3 Blk
Kaman has continued to be very production in his surprising breakout fantasy season. Teams are starting to recognize that the Clippers lack a supporting cast down low, and have been doubling up Kaman more as the season has progressed. This has led to a slightly lower FG% and some poor shooting games as he presses some, but he's still been very productive. I'm a little disappointed in his recent FT%, but he's been a solid free throw shooter during the past few seasons, so I really wouldn't worry.

Of note is his increased block per game totals during the year, as his monthly average was 2.5 in Nov, 3.3 in Dec, and 3.8 thus far in Jan. Over the past month, he's second in blocks / game, only trailing Marcus Camby...this is especially impressive considering his previous season high average was 1.6 (last season). He has increased his blocks per game average every season since he's entered the league, so I don't see his performance as a fluke, although I'm not sure I'd expect him to finish the season averaging over 3 per game; 2.5 seems like a solid expectation.

I expect him to remain production as the year goes on, but it's unknown how much Elton Brand's return will affect Kaman later this year or next season (if you're looking at him as a potential keeper).

23 - Hedo Turkoglu (SG, SF), Orl - Key stats over the last 30 days - .908 FT%, 2.1 3PTM, 20.0 PPG, 5.9 Reb, 4.3 Ast, 1.3 Stl
Hedo has been helping teams nearly across the board this season. He's only been weak in blocks & turnovers (which have increased a bit throughout the season). If you've got him on your roster, keep playing him & enjoy the excellent production from a player who was taken 115th on average in Yahoo drafts.

22 - Rasheed Wallace (PF, C), Det - Key stats over the last 30 days - 1.4 3PTM, 11.6 PPG, 7.7 Reb, 1.5 Stl, 1.9 Blk
One of only 14 players averaging more than 1 steal & 1 block per game this season.

21 - Josh Smith (SG, SF, PF), Atl - Key stats over the last 30 days - .497 FG%, 19.7 PPG, 8.1 Reb, 3.0 Ast, 1.7 Stl, 2.5 Blk, 2.9 TO
Josh Smith has been an up-and-coming fantasy star for the last few seasons, dating back to the second half of 2005. He has been giving owners the type of contributions that Andrei Kirlienko provided a few years ago. He's been improving in recent months shooting the ball (or more specifically, he's been taking better shots), and his scoring has increased as well. Even though
Joe Johnson is still the number one option on the Hawks, he's been struggling with his shot much of this season, and Smith has stepped up to be a solid #2 option.

But even though Smith's offensive game has continued to improve, it's on the defensive end where his value really shines. He's averaging about 5 total blocks + steals / game, which is incredible production. He uses his athleticism & incredible leaping ability to provide great block totals, and he's shown improved anticipation (while using his long arms) to up his steal totals. And the fact that he grabs 8 + rebounds & gets a few assists / game is only frosting on the cake.

In summary, he's taken the next step this season towards fantasy superstardom...He's still young, so I see no reason he shouldn't continue to get better, especially if he puts in the necessary work on his jump shot. If you have him, congrats on grabbing a top 20 talent & enjoy his contributions as the year progresses.

20 - Jose Calderon (PG), Tor - Key stats over the last 30 days - .507 FG%, .897 FT%, 1.1 3PTM, 14.3 PPG, 4.2 Reb, 9.5 Ast, 1.0 Stl, 1.5 TO
Calderon has been incredibly consistent & solid again this season. He has always produced in his career when placed in a starting role, and this year has been no different. With TJ Ford's injuries, Calderon has stepped up & been a top 10 PG this year.

Keys that make Calderon a great member of your fantasy team - He has excellent %'s across the board, he hands out plenty of assists, and his incredible assist / turnover ratio, which stands at 6.33 for the past month. He's first in this ratio in the NBA this season, averaging almost two more assists per turnover than the next best (Brevin Knight & Chris Paul). Even if / when Ford returns, Calderon is a must keep, and he'll likely be a full time starter next season, either in Toronto or another team (I like the thought of him in the Cavs backcourt next season).

19 - Dwane Wade (PG, SG), Mia - Key stats over the last 30 days - 26.8 PPG, 4.3 Reb, 7.5 Ast, 2.1 Stl, 0.9 Blk, 4.4 TO (ouch!)
Following last season's shoulder injury, Wade has come back strong, although his high turnover totals really hurt his ranking.

18 - Mo Williams (PG), Mil - Key stats over the last 30 days - .478 FG%, .889 FT%, 1.5 3PTM, 19.9 PPG, 3.5 Reb, 6.3 Ast, 1.4 Stl, 2.0 TO
Williams has continued to improve as the season has progressed. His scoring average has increased from 15.0 PPG in November, to 20.9 PPG so far this month. Barring injury, I expect him to continue his strong season.

17 - Grant Hill (SG, SF), Pho - Key stats over the last 30 days - .545 FG%, .887 FT%, 16.6 PPG, 4.8 Reb, 3.4 Ast, 0.8 Stl, 1.5 Blk
Hill's currently recovering after an appendectomy, but he's fit right into the Phoenix offense. He doesn't hurt you anywhere, and he's even hit a few more 3's this season than in season's past. I would plug him right back into my lineup after he returns (expected around the end of the month).

16 - Chauncey Billups (PG), Det - Key stats over the last 30 days - .895 FT%, 1.9 3PTM, 17.2 PPG, 2.7 Reb, 6.3 Ast, 1.4 Stl, 2.0 TO
A consistent, steady producer.

Up next, 15 - 6...stay tuned.

Top Performers - August 10th Edition

Here are some of the top performers from games played on Friday, August 10th:

1. Conor Jackson (1B) ARI, 3-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SB
Quite a game from Jackson. This hasn't been the breakout year for Conor that many projected, but he still has game & he'll be a very solid major league player. I talked about Jackson a little bit in a previous Activity on the Waiver Wire post, but injuries this season have played a part for him not being able to get into a groove. Hopefully this is the game he needed to get him going & help him have a productive final two months of the season.

2. Adrian Gonzalez (1B) SD, 3-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB
Gonzalez was my other pre-season sleeper 1B, along with Jackson (discussed some here). After starting the year like a man possessed (.309 Avg, 7 HR, 25 RBI in April), he has certainly come back down to earth. He's still produced at a solid rate for the season (.270 Avg, 19 HR, 68 RBI, 64 R, .832 OPS), but after a breakout 2006, along with the incredible April, I was hoping for more. He's still an excellent player to have on your roster, and expect him to continue to produce at an average rate for your 1B position for the remainder of the year.

3. Travis Buck (OF) OAK, 4-5, 3 RBI, 3 R
Buck has proven that he belongs in the major leagues in this, his rookie season. His season line is solid (.288 Avg, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 40 R, 3 SB, .856 OPS), although he hasn't had more than 63 AB in a month yet. Now that the OF is a little less crowded (with Milton Bradley moving on to San Diego), it looks like Buck will be getting a good amount of playing time at the top of the lineup for the next two months. He's got a good eye at the plate, and I think he'll develop more power as he sees more major league pitching. If he continues to hit leadoff, I also think he'll be a sleeper pick for a few steals (even though he's only got 3 on the year so far; he has very solid speed).

I've considered picking him up a few times this season (even though I haven't pulled the trigger), but I'm certainly keeping a close eye on him as a Player to Watch in 2008.

4. Jack Cust (OF) OAK, 2-5, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R
Surprised that this is the second Oakland player on this list from last night's games? Well don't be, since they won 16-10 against the Tigers, exploding for 8 runs in the 6th inning alone. Cust has cooled from his great early season run, but he's still producing solidly on the year (.265 Avg, 18 HR, 59 RBI, 38 R, .937 OPS). I'm especially impressed by his great eye at the plate in August, where he's had 19 official at-bats, hitting .368, with 1 HR, 9 RBI, 9 BB against only 4 K's. He'll still mainly provide value in only HR & RBI, but he's likely got a solid career ahead of him as a 30+ HR guy at the major league level.

5. Shaun Marcum (SP) TOR, 6 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 K
Another impressive performance for the young Marcum. On the season, his line is extremely impressive (9-4, 3.43 ERA, 120 2/3 IP, 95 K, 33 BB, 1.09 WHIP). He's pitched 6 or more innings in each of his past 6 starts, allowing a maximum of 4 ER in a game during that time. He's found a home in the rotation (after starting the year in the bullpen), and I think he'll be a good sleeper for next season (if he's not already starting to show up on people's radars). If he's still available in your league, he'll make a very good pickup for the rest of '07. Toronto's rotation is looking set for the future, with both Marcum & Dustin McGowan ready to join Ron Halladay & A.J. Burnett in what is now shaping up as a impressive top 4.

Below are some other solid performances from Friday:

Hitters:
Josh Fields (3B) CHW, 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
He's the 3B of the future (and of today, I guess) for the White Sox. He's hitting for solid power so far in his first 200+ major league at bats. His average is lower than I would expect long term, and he's not taking many walks, but he's proving he belongs. He only has 1 SB this year with the Sox, even though he had 8 at AAA this year, and 26 (in 31 attempts) last season. I don't think he'll put up David Wright type SB numbers as a pro, but he should be good for 6-12 / year; solid for a corner infielder.

Raul Ibanez (OF) SEA, 3-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Ibanez is finally starting to break out of his season long funk. He's got 4 HR in his last 4 games, along with 8 RBI over that time. After a hideous July when he hit only .184 w/ 0 HR, he's hitting .433, with 4 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB, 5 K, and a 1.461 OPS in August. After a career year in 2006, many people thought he'd be able to duplicate those numbers again. He's disappointed fantasy owners that expected that production, but it looks like he might be turning the corner, so now might not be a bad time to add him to your roster, if he's available in your league.

Jermaine Dye (OF) CHW, 2-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
He homered again; that gives him the following post-all star break line - .327 Avg, 12 HR, 23 RBI, 1.165 OPS. He's finally found his swing, so keep him in your lineup until further notice.

Pitchers:
Adam Wainwright (SP) STL, 9 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, L
Wainwright had another solid start, although he didn't get a win. I discussed him in a recent Look Who's Back post, and he's continuing to produce. He now seems comfortable as a starter, so there's no reason to think he won't keep pitching well.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (SP) BOS, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Dice-K keeps pitching well & is rolling right along. He now has allowed 2 ER or less in 4 straight starts, striking out 28 hitters over this time. His season line is now 13-8, 3.59 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 158 IP, 159 K, 56 BB. Very good numbers, and he's making fantasy owners that spent a high - mid round pick on him very happy.

Phil Huhges (SP) NYY, 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Hughes bounced back nicely in his second start back from the DL. Hopefully owners didn't overreact & drop him after his last performance. He's going to be a key to the Yankees rotation for a long time to come. He'll still have some inconsistency due to his youth, but he's a good one.

Eric Bedard (SP) BAL, 7 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Bedard struck out 7 more hitters last night. Unfortunately, he didn't get the win, which broke his streak of wins in 6 straight starts (and 8 out of 9). He has proven this year to be a top 5 starting pitcher, and he's potentially moved himself to the #2 starter after Johan for next season.

Top Performers - July 27th Edition

Here are some of the top performers from games played on Friday, July 27th:

1. Placido Polanco (2B) DET, 5-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
His full season average is now up to .340. He's always been a very good hitter (his career average is .298), but he has turned it up a notch this year. Expect him to continue to help fantasy teams in Avg, although besides being 10th in the AL in runs, he won't add too much else to your team (he has 5 HR, 3 SB, and 45 RBI (which is solid) on the year).

2. Jhonny Peralta (SS) CLE, 2-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2R
Jhonny has turned it around in '07, after a relatively disappointing sophomore season with the Indians. After his first full season in 2005, where he hit .292, with 24 HR & 78 RBI, fantasy managers expected him to continue this level of production. Unfortunately, he only hit only .257, with 13 HR & 57 RBI in 2006 (making him a great sleeper in this year's drafts). This year, he's improved to .278, 16 HR, 55 RBI, and 3 SB. What I find especially interesting is his walk / plate appearance ratio has increased vs. last year, as he's now walking once every 8.9 plate appearances vs. once every 10.1 last year. This shows me that he may be maturing as a hitter, and he's being more selective at the plate, even though he's still hitting for power. He should keep up his consistent pace, and finish the year with 20 - 25 HR & about 75-85 RBI. Very solid production from a middle infielder - and it doesn't hurt to play for one of the most potent offensive teams in the game today (my Cleveland Indians).

3. Hanley Ramirez (SS) FLA, 3-5, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 R
Wow, I guess that injured shoulder isn't that injured after all. I expected him to take it easy after the injury scare earlier in the week, but the HR tells me he's ready to be re-inserted in all lineups from here on out. I'm sure there are some frustrated owners out there (like me), who didn't immediately put him back in their lineups & missed out on last night's performance. He'll consider surgery on the shoulder (his non-throwing) after the season.

4. Brian Bannister (SP) KC, 7 IP, 4 H, 6K
Another solid start from Bannister. I still wouldn't recommend him in all leagues, but his stats sure do impress. On the year, he's 7-6, with a 3.42 ERA & 1.17 WHIP. Not bad at all...He won't get too many wins playing for the Royals, and he only strikes out 4.74 / 9, but you could do worse. I've mentioned before (in my Back from the DL Smoltz post), but I'm big on consistency from starting pitchers, and Bannister has gone 6 or more innings in all but 3 of his 17 starts on the year (only once since May 26th). He's also allowed more than 4 ER once this year. These two items are good indicators of a guy that won't hurt you as the season wears on.

5. Corey Hart (OF) Mil, 3-6, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
The singing heartthrob had a great game, which many fantasy owners were clamoring for. He's cooled off significantly from his unreal June, to the tune of hitting only .193 in July, with 4 HR, 10 RBI & 0 SB. That's a huge drop off from his .336, 9 HR, 21 RBI, and 10 SB June. By looking at his K & BB ratio, you can tell he's been pressing at the plate - in June, he 14 BB to 21 K's, but this month, he's got 3 BB to 17 K's. I think the real Corey Hart is somewhere between the two months. He'll still be a consistent 20-20 threat for many years, but don't expect months like June to happen every month...I'd still suggest keeping him in your lineup, but if his August starts slow as well, it might be time to give him a rest every now and then, based on the pitching match up.

Also, now is not the time to trade him away, since his value has dropped substantially this month (probably below his true market value), but if you can pry him away from a frustrated owner, now might be the time to pick up a future star at a discounted price. Five category contributors aren't very easy to come by, and this guy is still young and plays in a good offense (oh yeah, and he's talented) - good factors for future success.

Did you know - Corey Hart's (the Brewer) favorite movie is The Count of Monte Cristo

Top Pitching Performers - July 24th Edition

Here are some of the top pitching performers from the games played on July 24th (Tuesday):

1. Daniel Cabrera (SP) BAL, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
First solid (OK, dominant) performance from the big guy in awhile. Oddly, in the past when he's had dominant performances, a high K number (and sometimes, high BB number) goes with it. Last night, he didn't have pinpoint control (not his game), but he got 3 K's, 10 ground outs, and 3 fly outs to get a very good win.

Many pegged him as a pre-season sleeper for a breakout season, but he just hasn't put it all together yet. I do not think he's worthy of an add at this time, as his main value coming into the year was K's, and he's well below his last two season's performance (7.11 K/9 in '07 vs. around 9 K/9 each of the last two years). He's simply too erratic, but keep any eye on him for a possible breakout performance next season.

2. Dustin McGowan (SP) TOR, 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5K
Another good performance for McGowan. This follows up a great win against the Yankees in his last start. For the month of July, he's got a 2.73 ERA; his ERA has actually come down each of the past three months - from 5.90 to 4.54 to the 2.73. He's still going to have occasional inconsistency (he is only 25), but he's a great add in a deeper league. I expect him to continue to put up solid numbers overall for the rest of the season.

3. Daisuke Matsuzaka (SP) BOS, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5K
Weird, he had nearly the exact same line as McGowan...He did a great job keeping my favorite team (and offensive powerhouse), the Cleveland Indians, in check. In July, his ERA is up & his K rate is down, but he's still a sure start every time he takes the mound. Quite a respectable rookie campaign; as at his current pace, he might hit 20 wins.

4. C.C. Sabathia (SP) CLE, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Was out-duled by Matsuzaka, losing 1-0. This start give Sabathia owners some optimism, after having a few iffy starts & a 6.38 ERA in July. He'll be fine, so continue to start him & enjoy a possible 20 win season in Cleveland.

5. Javier Vazquez (SP) CHI, 8 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Another solid start from Vazquez. In 38 July IP, he as only 5 BB vs. 34 K's. If he's still available in your league, he's a very good pickup. He has consistently been making quality starts, he's striking guys out, and he ranks 5th in the AL in WHIP. He's gone 6 innings or more in 19 of his 20 starts this season...good stuff.

Did you know - Daniel Cabrera & C.C. Sabathia are both the same height, 6-7?

Top Performers - July 21st Edition

Here are some of the top performers from the games played on July 21st (Saturday):

1. Willie Harris (OF) ATL, 6-6, 6 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB
He's been in a platoon situation with Matt Diaz (who has also played extremely well this season, hitting .354 w/ 5 HR & 3 SB), so he's really not worthy of a fantasy roster except in very deep leagues or if you're looking to pick up a few steals. On the season, he's hitting .339 w/ 16 stolen bases in 21 chances.

2. Tim Lincecum (P) SF, W, 8 IP, 4 H, 8 K
I've talked about him before, but he continues to prove he belongs in the majors & on every fantasy league roster around. I expect him to keep pitching well, and although there will still be some occasional inconsistency, it looks like he's maturing fast. San Francisco is going to keep a close eye on his innings as the year progresses, so be aware of the fact that they might shut him down a little early (especially if they're out of the race for a playoff spot, which appears very likely). Even I am surprised that Super Freak Tim could easily be the ace of the Giants rotation as early as next season (since Zito has been average at best, while Cain has fought inconsistency & periodic control problems this season).

3. Ryan Howard (1B, DH) PHI, 3-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB
Howard has really come on strong after a slow April & May. He hit .222 w/ 9 HR & 30 RBI in April & May combined, as compared to .310 w/ 18 HR & 49 RBI in June & July (so far). He's back to the player we all expected when we spent a first round pick on him this season.

4. Alex Rodriguez (3B) NYY, 3-4, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Big surprise; he's the man & he'll keep it up. The big question is how much will Scott Boras negotiate for Arod next season?

5. Jeff Weaver (SP) SEA, 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 K
His full season stats still look a little scary (OK, a lot), but he's really been solid the last two months. If you exclude his July 15th start against Detroit when he allowed 7 ER, he hasn't allowed more than 3 ER in his past 8 starts...and his full season ERA is still 6.19 - so I don't need to do any statistical analysis for you to see how bad he must have been before he turned it around recently. He has a 2.66 ERA over the past two months, although I still don't think he's a great add to your fantasy rotation. He has only 2 wins during this time (not his fault), is allowing about a hit per inning (a solid 1.15 WHIP), averaging 4.97 K / 9 innings, 1.95 BB / 9 innings, for a 2.55 K / BB ratio (not special).

Did you know - The best SP K / BB ratio of all time was Bret Saberhagen's 1994 season (the strike shortened one), when he had an 11.00 K / BB ratio (143 K to only 13 BB). Ben Sheets came close to that last season (which was shortened by injury) when he had a ratio of 10.55. This season, Sheets is down to a more real world 3.60, which is still above average although not superhuman.