So, between the flu finding its way to my house, and a mega winter storm dropping ~70 cm of snow and knocking out the power for 2+ days with hurricane force winds, I have been kind of tied up and slacked on my writing, and for that I apologize. So, in an effort to make amends let’s try to make the best out of a very quiet couple weeks in the NL. Let’s get to it!

• Some News This Past Week from the NL:

   

• Justin Upton supposedly vetoed a trade that would have sent him to Seattle for four prospects. Moving to Safeco would have been bad for the young Upton even as they continue to move the fence line closer to the plate, so his owners must be grateful. Rumours of him joining older brother BJ in Atlanta still persist, almost like they are something made up by the sports media at large and has gained so much crushing hype the Braves have to make this trade… you know, kind of forced. He could do worse than Atlanta though and hitting around BJ, McCann, Freeman, Uggla and Heyward, a lot worse... So the move would likely not only be a change of scenery which included big brother, but also a boost in lineup strength.

• Brian Wilson reportedly put in a private workout with the Mets this week, but apparently they weren’t too moved to toss him a deal yet. With Frank Francisco being the closer last year, Wilson would not only be a decent insurance for the Mets, but he would also create some immediate competition for the job which would be good for all. Fantasy wise it is a slight drop in value which is not good for a closer coming off Tommy John. If he goes to the Mets I wouldn’t expect him to become the full time closer until we get into the summer as he has to find his pitches again, so drafting him expecting any more than that would be silly.

• Adam LaRoche finally blinked and took a two-year deal worth $24 million with a mutual third year from the Nationals to return to the best place he could be at right now. I still don’t think he will be quite as productive as his big year in 2012, likely returning to a slow first half guy and a final stat line of .260-65R-25HR-80RBI, putting him at a back-up 1B in the fantasy world. Personally I would have rolled with Michael Morse at first base who is much younger, much cheaper and has a higher offensive ceiling.

Rants and Ramblings:

Top free agents still not signed – Michael Bourn, Rafael Soriano, Kyle Lohse – the cost of picks and money in return is killing the number of contract offers on Lohse and Bourn, but teams will have these guys signed before pitchers and catchers report in a couple weeks.

Lohse has had talks with the Rangers through agent Scott Boras. Having Satan as an agent will assure Lohse gets paid and the Rangers are one of the few teams who can afford to pay Lohse. Fantasy wise a move to TEX would cripple Lohse’s already precarious value as an SP3 guy as Lohse isn’t the type of pitcher who will fit well in the band-box style hitters’ park in Arlington.

Hall of Fame voting went on this week and first the first time in a long time no one got into the HOF. The first big wave of hall of fame talent tainted by PED use hit the ballot in Bonds, Clemens and Sosa, and it obviously hit the nerve it was expected to do. Now, I am 100% behind hating cheaters and what these guys did, and this comes from a long time (and still) die hard McGwire fan, so beat them up when it happens, but move on. These guys were all HOFers relative to the era they played in and people will have to come to grips to that someday. Sadly Craig Biggio missed out this year – both he and Jeff Bagwell deserve to be in the HOF… man the sports writers are a strange bunch.

The World Baseball Classic is on the go again with teams getting their rosters tidied up. Team Canada includes Russell Martin, John Axford, Jesse Crain, Michael Saunders and Brett Lawrie with Joey Votto an insurance physical away from being on the roster. With studs like Stanton, Braun, Jones and Phillips either on or talking about getting on the Team USA roster, Team CAN will have a tough game on March 10^th.

Really I don’t even have much to rant and grumble about it has been such a quiet week in the MLB. Three more weeks until players start to report to spring training so between now and then we will likely start to pick up steam towards the season and we will also be getting closer to seeing the Dobber Baseball fantasy guide for 2013!

Catch me on twitter @CanuckHoppy

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