411 Postseason Recap

First, a re-post of the important 2011 end of season blog links:

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Here is a little look at some news and performers from the 2011 Postseason that I thought warranted a blog post. I’m a firm believer that the playoffs are irrelevant in impact to the following regular season. Otherwise, Pat Borders and Scott Brosius and Bucky Dent would be first rounders the following year and then there is what I call the Beckett trap. In the 2003 playoffs he made his name as he was outstanding and then promptly followed that up in 2004 with the same exact regular season, which was OK but not worth where he probably was drafted in the majority of leagues.

-Siano

Ryan Howard

Phillies hope he is ready by April. He should drop down on draft day, especially for those like myself who drafted Kendrys Morales and got ruined by his injury. Could be a value, could be a guessing game when he gets back. Long way to go but I’m probably avoiding altogether.

Matt Moore

Postseason (2 Games, 1 Start): 1-0 0.90 ERA 0.60 WHIP

He’ll be cheaper in mixed leagues than in AL-onlys, which sounds obvious but think about it in this perspective. Using Hellickson as a comp, he went for $13 in AL Tout this past season but went in the 16^th round of a 12-team mixed. A 16^th rounder sounds a heck of a lot cheaper than a double-digit dollar player in a $260 cap.

Jason Motte

Postseason (12 Games): 5-for-5 in saves 2.19 ERA 0.49 WHIP

Well now with LaRussa gone, we’ll never know if he was the closer. One weird game aside in the World Series and a Hamilton home run in the weirdest/greatest game ever, he was unbelievable to watch. I know we won’t see as drastic a usage and uncertainty in the 2012 regular season no matter who the skipper is. Love Motte as a #3 CL and we’ll see as mocks start in earnest in 2012 where he is falling. Right now, too early to tell.

David Freese

Postseason (18 Games): .397 AVG 5 HR 21 RBI .794 SLG 1.258 OPS

Great story and I feel solid future. He is the one guy who probably drove up his draft day price the most with his October and he may actually earn it. Went for $14 in NL Tout and if it was a keeper league and you had some slots open I don’t think it was the worst idea since he possibly could be a $20 player at a thin position. In mixed leagues he was probably undrafted so could be a gold mine to those who grabbed him off the wire and can keep him in last round. Or maybe I’m just smitten.

Allen Craig

Postseason (15 Games): .243 AVG (9-for-37) 4 HR 8 RBI .622 SLG 1.013 OPS

Speaking of smitten, could Joe Sheehan say his name any more times than he did in 2011? Seems he just needs a place to play every day. If Pujols doesn’t return he would be the biggest beneficiary. If Pujols does he becomes a solid NL- only play and a wire guy in mixed.

Paul Goldschmidt

Postseason (4 Games): .438 AVG 7-for-16) 2 HR 6 RBI .813 SLG 1.339 OPS

The merry go round for 1B in the desert is now out of commission.

Alex Avila

Postseason (11 Games): .073 AVG (3-for-41) 1 HR 2 RBI .146 SLG .263 OPS

I hope he drops on draft day because of his postseason but he won’t because the leagues I’m in the players are too smart to let that happen.

David Murphy

Overall Postseason (15 Games): .317 AVG (13-for-41) 0 HR 3 RBI .439 SLG .868 OPS

ALCS (5 Games): .412 AVG (7-for-17) 0 HR 3 RBI .647 SLG 1.147 OPS

The Rangers have some good problems to figure out in 2012 and this is one of them. If they give Leonys Martina a shot to win the center field job, there is no everyday job for Murphy it seems. This one needs more time since basing his value on the inevitable injuries to Cruz and Hamilton just isn’t enough in a mixed league.

Shaun Marcum

Postseason (3 Starts): 0-3 14.90 ERA 2.28 WHIP .395 BAA

August (6 Starts): 2.95 ERA 1.13 WHIP 2 HR allowed

September (5 Starts): 5.17 ERA 1.34 WHIP 5 HR allowed

I think he was hurt from September on. Maybe not DL hurt but he was just too awful. Could create a buying opportunity in mid to late rounds.

Derek Holland

DS (2 Games, 1 Start): 1.42 ERA 1.42 WHIP

LCS (2 Starts): 8.59 ERA 2.05 WHIP

WS (2 Games, 1 Start): 1-0 0.87 ERA 0.58 WHIP

Pre All-Star break (18 Starts): 7-4 4.68 ERA 1.47 WHIP

Post All-Star break (14 Starts): 9-1 3.06 ERA 1.21 WHIP

He could have pitched four CG SHO or pitched like Marcum, I’m buying either way. High ceiling and can dominate. He is a 411 darling for 2012.

Alexi Ogando

Overall Postseason (13 Games as reliever): 2.77 ERA 1.54 WHIP

DS (3 Games): 0.00 ERA 0.37 WHIP

LCS (4 Games): 1.17 ERA 0.65 WHIP

WS (6 Games): 10.12 ERA 5.25 WHIP

Just a weird October for Ogando. Wash needs to decide on his future and who knows what that means. It could depend on the Neftali Feliz decision for 2012 and/or CJ Wilson coming back or not. My guess is Rangers rotation and bullpen will look very similar to what it looked like in 2^nd half of 2011 regular season.

NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS SO FAR

CC Sabathia signs extension with Yankees

No real change in value except that you won’t be chasing wins with CJ Wilson as a Yankee.

Derek Lowe traded to Indians

Good move by both teams. Indians lost two pitching prospects in the Ubaldo deal plus Carrasco.

Giants trade Jonathan Sanchez to Royals for Melky Cabrera

Sanchez: This is a better baseball trade than a fantasy trade I’m afraid. Sanchez, who I am a big fan of, leaves a great park, league and division. He now gets deeper lineups and could get hurt badly by his love for walking guys. Worth drafting in all leagues but to me value takes a hit.

Melky: I think his 2012 will be somewhere between his 2009 and 2011 seasons. I’d be shocked if he has another year like 2011. He could be a prime candidate for over drafting if people aren’t paying attention.