Fan News

As the fantasy baseball trade deadline approaches, its getting closer and closer to the time when you need to lock-in your rosters. As always, benching the bad and starting the good can keep your team atop the standings for your stretch-run into the playoffs. Let’s take a look at some players you can acquire through trades or just through free agency.

Start ‘Em

Earlier this week the Braves third baseman Chipper Jones tore his ACL. He tore his ACL when he fell down trying to throw out a runner off balance.

This injury may end Chipper Jones Hall of Fame career and now the Braves are looking for a new third baseman.

One player they have looked at is Chone Figgins. Figgins is having a down year this year as the Mariners second baseman but he could be a good fit at third base for the Braves.

Nervous about the trade deadline in your fantasy baseball league? Don’t be. The Chinstrap Ninjas have you covered.

Be sure to start by checking out my 10 tips to pull off the perfect fantasy baseball trade deadline deal.

Then, check out the following players you should be targeting as you begin last-minute negotiations with an eye to your fantasy playoffs/championship…

If you haven’t already noticed, this is a hard time of year to make trades in fantasy baseball circles. About as hard as finding snowmen in the Sahara.

That’s because the marathon that is fantasy baseball has hit its fizzle time for owners who are looking at a losing season. Fantasy football drafts and NFL preseason buzz is heating up, which lures too many frustrated fantasy baseball owners away from the mid-summer classic.

As of now, Josh Beckett’s ERA stands at 6.51, while his WHIP sits at a career-worst 1.54. After returning from the disabled list, Beckett seemed to settle into a groove, culminating in a spectacular eight-inning performance in which he only allowed one run to the Cleveland Indians.

Since that game, Beckett has thrown 9 2/3 innings while allowing four home runs, 13 earned runs, and 21 hits. Ugly, ugly numbers.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has reported that Alex Anthopoulos has signed Ricky Romero to a five year $30.1 million contract extension. This is very odd for Anthopoulos, as he normally gives a bit less money in the early years of his contracts with options for big money later. In this case he gave Romero reasonable money, but this is the largest amount given to a player with less than two years of major league service.

If you’ve watched the Mets this season, you know how much of a roller coaster it’s been. From the hot start to April to the inconsistent May, to a month of June where they looked like true contenders and then a July that put that talk to bed.

In MLB, a sophomore slump, also refer to as sophomore jinx, is identified when a player is not able to live up to the standards set by their rookie season. 

Reasons to blame for the "slump" may be injury or lack of adjustments.

Pitchers seem to be more likely to regress because of fatigue. The innings pitched in their rookie season may have dramatically surpassed the prior season; think of the "Verducci Effect".

There are fewer than 50 games remaining in the 2010 season.

The New York Yankees looks poised for a return to the World Series.

If the Division Playoffs were to begin today Minnesota would go to New York and Texas would host Tampa Bay.

So who has the best chance of defeating the Yankees and representing the American League in the World Series?

Comparing starting pitching, playoff experience, team defense and a couple other statistics I ranked the Twins, Rangers and Rays (sorry Boston and Chicago fans) based on their ability to defeat the Yankees.

New York Mets fans have finally heard what they may have wanted to hear the past few seasons. Luis Castillo is calling it quits on New York. The New York Post's Dan Martin has quoted the Mets second-baseman as saying "I can’t be here anymore. I know I’m not going to be here next year."