Bear Creek FP Factory Presents: The Fantasy Spin On The Hot Stove

At the end of the Hot Stove Season we may look back at this week and circle it as the biggest buzz week of the year. The premier Free Agent pitcher on the market has found a new home while perhaps the best pitcher in baseball has a new home. It was your typical week where the rich got richer and fans of these teams are very happy while other fans who haven't yet made moves are bitching and complaining about the inequities of baseball. Who cares what your thoughts are from a fan standpoint the real question is what do these moves mean in fantasy terms. Just leave it to the Factory to answer just that.

Players Not Tendered Contracts by 12/13 deadline(These players are not Free Agents).

Ching Ming Wang, Jack Cust, Garrett Atkins, Kelly Johnson, Matt Capps, Ryan Garko

Free Agent Signings

John Lackey Red Sox. Lackey was the premier free agent pitcher. The Red Sox appear to have the deepest rotation in baseball and will likely use some of it in a trade to add a bat. Beckett, Lackey and Lester could be the best 1-2-3 in baseball. Lackey has had troubles pitching at Fenway throughout his career posting a 5.75 ERA. Much of that can be attributed to the Red Sox lineups of the past but Lackey is a fly ball pitcher of sorts posting a 36% rate over his career so given the confines of Fenway and the AL East Lineups compared to the Lineups of the West expect Lackey's numbers to decline this year. Lackey will still be a productive Fantasy pitcher but more of a strong 3 than the 2 of the past.

Mike Cameron Red Sox. Cameron looks to be in a OF platoon playing all four postions. Given the health issues with Drew and the uncertainty of Hermida Cameron could garner enough playing time to once again hit 20 HR's and steal a few bases. Cameron should be picked up as a Free Agent unless a roster move would dictate Cameron playing every day. If so Cameron is no more than a 20th round flier.

Hideki Matsui Angels. Will take the spot of Vlad as full time DH. Matsui will not be in a lineup the caliber of the Yankees so the protection will not be there. The Angels have no true leadoff hitter at this point so RBI may be hard to come by. No short right field porch all adds up to Matsui not meeting the expectations of the stupid contract he was given. Another 20th Rd pick but I wouldn't touch him.

Mike Gonzalez Orioles. It appears that Gonzalez will get a shot to close in 2010. Gonzalez has all the skill's needed to be effective. His control has improved since his early years but still could use some work. You must love his 10K per nine rate. Gonzalez should at minimum battle for the job and if he becomes the closer I would consider him to be a middle of the pack closer with big upside who may slip in some drafts because of the uncertainty.

Coco Crisp A's. Crisp has never become the 5 tool player many thought he would. Crisp doesn't hit many HR's nor still many bases. Simply put Crisp isn't terrible at anything but he isn't good at anything either. Likely a free agent to start the season in most Fantasy Formats.

Nick Johnson Yankees. The Johnson signing could mean the end of the Damon era in New York. Johnson isn't your prototypical DH. He doesn't hit for power but he does make contact and his AVG is around the .300 mark and his OBP makes him a good canidate to bat in the 2 spot in the lineup. Regardless of where Johnson bats his fantasy value took an upturn when signing with the Yankees. Johnson will be a late round pick who will not hurt your AVG and if he bats near the top of the order will score some runs or if he bats near the bottom he should have plenty of RBI opps. The best part of this is that Johnson should be available in the very late rounds.

Trades

Juan Piere to White Sox. The White Sox keep adding OF so it is hard to get a grip on how the rotation is going to play out. You figure that Quentin will play in RF Rios in CF leaving Piere to play in left. Pierre played well replacing Ramirez in LA last year. Pierre's game is what it is. He will hit in the 280's and steal 40 bases if given enough at bats but with his lack of production in HR's and RBI his draft spot will outrank his worth. Unless he is available sometime after the 22rd pass on Pierre.

Milton Bradley to Seattle for Carlos Silva. The Cubs end the one year marriage to Bradley. I was a huge fan of the signing last year but it was a complete failure. Bradley never hit so the quirky attitude isn't as tolerable. Bradley will go to Seattle and play well because he has a chip on his shoulder and will be a afterthought on draft day. With Ichiro and Figgins at the top Bradley should have plenty of RBI opps. 20 some HR's should be expected and if he can bat in the .280 range a OPS in the 9's could be expected. Bradley will perform in 2010. As for the Cubs Silva should compete for the 5th starter spot. After a promising stint as a starter with the Twins in 04 and 05 Silva has feel of the map and appears to be just a Long Reliever.

Cliff Lee to Mariners, Roy Halladay to Phillies, Kyle Drabek and Brett Wallace to Toronto and Michael Taylor to A's. Other players where involved in what was really two seperate deals but these players should all see some time in 2010 while the others are a couple of years away. Lee moves from the NL to AL which should mean a increase in numbers however Safeco is friendlier than Citizens Bank Park and the AL West is hardly a offensive division so expect another big year from Lee who is worthy of a 1 but I prefer him as a two. Halladay has the NL move working for him and coming from the AL East to the NL East should make the numbers even more impressive. The workload of the last 5 years is always concerning but he is a guy you can't pass up on. Halladay is a firm 1 and among the 5 best fantasy pitchers in the game. Drabek and Wallace are the centerpieces of the deal for the Jays. Drabek should see some time at some point in the season but given his rookie status and pitching in the AL East I wouldn't save your Waiver Wire Priority for him. Wallace could make the team out of camp. Wallace is a big time bat who may make his living at the DH spot. Wallace was the centerpiece of the Matt Holliday deal last year. Wallace is worth monitoring in Spring Training to find out what his path to the majors will be. Michael Taylor is more of a 5 tool guy than Wallace but he doesn't have the bat just yet. Taylor like Wallace should be evaluated during Spring Training to determine his value. However like all young unpolished players Young should not be overvalued on draft day because of the hype.