Fantasy Sports Experience

Monday, March 3, 2008

Spring Training Fantasy News and Notes: Oakland Infield, AJ Burnett, Micah Owings

Breaking News: Chavez, Crosby Banged up

The left side of the Oakland infield is once again battling injury. 3B Eric Chavez has suffered a setback from off season surgery and is now unlikely to be ready for opening day. Not to be out done perennial injury disaster, SS Bobby Crosby, was pulled from the starting line up of the A's exhibition game Monday due to back spasms.

Fantasy Impact

I went with the headline "breaking news" to highlight the fact that these two keep on breaking. Back problems are never a good thing, especially for a Major League baseball player who needs to swing a bat. The Chavez thing you had to expect and Crosby had been healthy for almost two weeks of Spring training and was due to go down. Do not draft either player. You need healthy players to win a fantasy league and neither can help provide you with that.

Burnett Nailed

Toronto pitcher A.J. Burnett has a torn nail on his right index finger and it has kept him from throwing his curveball this spring. Pitching coach Brad Arnberg said that the finger is, "pretty tender," but does not expect the injury to sideline Burnett or put him behind schedule.

Fantasy Impact

Burnett insists that the injury is nothing major, and he doesn't normally throw his curveball till his fourth of fifth start of the spring. Add to this that Burnett is in a contract year, and I wouldn't worry about this too much. Seriously, you are going to draft Burnett knowing he is an injury risk, who has enormous upside, and this does that change that moniker.

Owings Out

Diamondbacks starter Micah Owings will skipped his start on Monday because of a sore right shoulder. Owings said it was general soreness and he was looking to nip the problem before it became an injury.

Fantasy Impact

We still love Owings as a sleeper this season. He had a decent season last year and if he can keep the ball in the park, he should be inline for 14 wins or so.

No comments: