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We get you ready for the upcoming fantasy baseball season by taking an in-depth look at relievers:

TOP FIVE
1. Craig Kimbrel (ATL)
2. Jonathan Papelbon (PHI)
3. John Axford (MLW)
4. Mariano Rivera (NYY)
5. Drew Storen (WAS)

UP CLOSE
Andrew Bailey (BOS) – The upside for Bailey is significant as he takes over as the new closer for the Red Sox.  There’s no arguing that when healthy Bailey is amongst the game’s top closers. However, staying healthy has been a huge issue. Arm surgery to remove bone chips following the 2010 campaign lingered into 2011, costing him six weeks of time. Those same issues make him a high risk, high reward fantasy option heading into 2012.

BREAKOUT AHEAD
Huston Street (SD) – The move to PETCO Park is always a good thing for a pitcher and it will be no different for Street. He’ll replace Heath Bell, who departed for Miami via free agency, as the Padres’ closer. Like Bell before him, Street will benefit from the Padres seemingly always playing in close games. If he stays healthy, he could emerge as a top 5 or 6 closer by season’s end.

BUST CANDIDATE
Jose Valverde (DET) – Everything went right for Valverde last year as he saved 52 of 52 games (including playoffs) and posted a 2.24 ERA. However, his strikeouts were down (8.6 K/9 innings) and his walks were up (4.2 BB/9). He managed to post elite numbers because he pitched out of jams and stranded runners.  While he remains a solid fantasy closer, expect his numbers to drop off in the year ahead making him as an overrated option.

FUTURE STAR
Kenley Jansen (LA) – The one time catcher took the baseball world by storm with a 16.1 batter strikeout rate per 9 innings in 2011 with his moving 92-95 MPH fastball.  A pair of injuries slowed his progress a year ago, but he now appears healthy and if his arm holds up the sky is the limit. He needs to beat Javy Guerra out for the Dodgers’ closer job this spring. If he does, expect a top 10 finish from him this season.

FANTASY 101
Closer is always a position that sees players emerge from nowhere seemingly every year. In some formats, saves may be overrated a bit which translates into top setup men also becoming reliable fantasy options. In other leagues starting pitchers are scored much higher so finding a starter with relief pitching eligibility become valuable so it is important to know your league rules. When it comes to going after a closer you may be best served to allow others to take big names early and look for bargains late during your draft/auction.

COMPLETE RANKINGS | LATEST ADP

Fantasy Baseball fantasy advice, fantasy rankings, 2012, relievers, strategy, andrew bailey, huston street, jose valverde, kenley jansen

Heading into the final week’s action things are taking shape for local teams and their post-season outlooks. Here is a look at how CollegeHoopsNet.com breaks things down as of Tuesday (2/28):

LOCAL TEAMS
Kentucky - #1 seed
Ohio State - #3 seed
Indiana - #4 seed
Louisville - #5 seed
Murray State - #5 seed
Xavier - #11 seed
Cincinnati - #12 seed (play-in)

BUBBLE WATCH
Last In: Arizona, Texas, Mississippi St, Cincinnati

First Out: South Florida, St. Joseph's, VCU, Dayton

Further Four: Tennessee, Oregon, Colorado St, NC State
 
Dropped Out Of Field (at-large): NC State

New (at-large): Arizona

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
(Multiple Bid Leagues)
Big East - 9
Big Ten - 7
ACC - 5
Big 12 - 6
SEC - 5
A-10 - 3
MWC - 3
Pac-12 - 3
WCC - 3
CUSA - 2
MVC - 2

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The Cincinnati Reds and left-handed setup man Sean Marshall agreed on a three-year extension, keeping him in a Reds' uniform through 2015.

Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports that the deal is “worth $16.5 million and has up to a $1 million bonus for games finished if he becomes a closer and up to $1 million for games started should he somehow become part of the rotation. There is also a partial no-trade clause.”

The 29-year old had just one year left on his deal when the Reds acquired him in a trade with the Cubs that sent Travis Wood and others to the Windy City.

Marshall has been one of the best setup lefties in the game over the past couple of seasons, could slide into the closer role in the future. He tossed 75.2 innings in 78 games going 6-6 with a 2.26 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 2011 for Chicago.

"The Reds have taken extremely good care of myself and I see they take care of all of their players," Marshall said of the deal. "I'm excited to spend the next four years in a Reds uniform and hopefully help guide them to a championship.”

MLB cincinnati reds, sean marshall, 2012 mlb offseason

With February winding down, I take a look at which players many from around the web are projecting to being drafted by the Bengals with their two first-round picks. As you can see below while most agree on the Bengals needs, there are varying opinions about which direction the team will go:

FootballsFuture.com
17. Janoris Jenkins, CB, N. Alabama
21. Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia

DraftCountdown.com
17. David DeCastro, G, Stanford
21. David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

NewNFLDraft.com
17. Jonathan Martin, OT , Stanford
21. Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

DraftKing.com
17. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
21. Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

DraftTek.com
17. Janoris Jenkins, CB, N. Alabama
21. Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

WalterFootball.com
17. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
21. Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

FFToolbox.com
17. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
21. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

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Go behind the scenes with Kate Upton as she sees herself on the cover of the SI Swimsuit issue:

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With a pair of coin flips on Friday at the NFL Combine the official draft order is now set for April's NFL draft.

NFL 2012 nfl draft, nfl draft order, 2012

from HolyTaco.com...

The Horizontal Shower

Let’s put an end to the butt humor for a minute. Let’s talk about this shower — it’s for super lazy people, or those who like to feel like they’re drowning. The type of shower sex you could have on this thing would add a whole new level of danger and excitement to shower sex, which is already dangerous, not necessarily exciting.

MORE PRODUCTS

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2011 Rewind: The Tigers cruised to an AL Central title by winning 95 games a year ago, 15 more victories the division’s next best team.  Only three teams in baseball scored more runs than the Tigers’ high-powered offense and the club’s starting rotation was loaded at the top, but overall the team 4.04 ERA left the ranked in the middle of the pack in the American League. Detroit got eliminated in the ALCS by the Rangers.

The Good:  Ace Justin Verlander was the AL’s pitching Triple Crown winner and became the first starting pitcher since 1986 to win MVP as he went 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA adding a no-hitter to boot. First basemen Miguel Cabrera laid claim to AL Batting Title by hitting a career-high .344 to go along with 30 HR and 105 RBI while appearing in 161 games for the Tigers. He remains as one of baseball’s elite hitters heading into 2012.  Catcher Alex Avila enjoyed a career season as he hit .295 with 19 HR and 82 RBI. Expecting similar numbers from this season may prove overly optimistic, but in this stout lineup he will get opportunities to succeed.

The Bad: Centerfielder Austin Jackson took a step back offensively in 2011, finishing with a .249 BA in his sophomore campaign.  He needs to cut down on the 181 strikeouts he had a year ago and not hit as many fly balls if he’s going to turn things around.  Brandon Inge lost his starting spot this offseason after the worst season of his career. The veteran hit just .197 and managed just a career low 3 HR and 23 RBI in 262 plate appearances. The team defense is terrible and did nothing to improve over the offseason.  That could translate into Tigers’ starters needing to get extra outs on a regular basis.

Biggest Loss: The biggest blow to the team this winter was the news of a season-ending knee injury to Victor Martinez. The DH/catcher hit .330 a year ago while driving in 103 runs batting in the heart of the order.  Veterans Maggilo Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Brad Penny were not retained. 

Best Addition: The team made a big splash when they broke the bank to sign free agent first baseman Prince Fielder, easing the blow to the lineup left by the departure of Martinez. Fielder returns to his old stomping grounds in Motown after signing a $214 million, nine-year contract. Over the past six years the slugger has averaged 37 long balls per season while boasting a career 282/.390/.540 hitting line. To make room for Fielder at first base

Fantasy Slant: Left fielder Brennan Boesch is a trendy breakout pick for many fantasy websites this preseason and rightfully so. With a full-time job and good health on his side look for him to get 100+ more at bats this season. The 26-year old hit .283 with 16 HR and 54 RBI in just 428 at bats during a breakout sophomore campaign. Shortstop Jhonny Peralta enjoyed one of his best seasons of his career with a .299 BA, 21 HR, and 86-RBI performance.  Normally a good value option with multiple position capability, Peralta won’t come as cheap as he used to.  Closer Jose Valverde has top 10 potential. Starters Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, and Rick Porcello all possess upside and provide good mid-to-late round value.

Final Take: Just like last season, the Tigers will be the class of the AL Central. They will be hard-pressed to match last year’s 95-game win total, but winning the division by double-digit games could be within reach if they live up to their full potential.  If their pitching holds up the Tigers will be legitimate pennant contenders…2012 PREDICTION: 93-69 – 1st Place AL Central

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We get you ready for the upcoming fantasy baseball season by taking an in-depth look at catcher:

TOP FIVE
1. Carlos Santana (CLE)
2. Brian McCann (ATL)
3. Buster Posey (SF)
4. Joe Mauer (MIN)
5. Mike Napoli (TEX)

UP CLOSE
Joe Mauer (MIN) – Last season was a disaster for Mauer. After being slowed in Spring Training as he recovered from knee surgery, the All-Star backstop lost significant time as he coped with a viral infection and was sidelined down the stretch with pneumonia.  He’s too important for the Twins on offense to continue to catch every day, but one way or another Minnesota will get him in the lineup. He appears at 100 percent as camps break and the fact he still managed a .314/.393/.416 hitting line in the second half last year suggests he is still an elite fantasy option.

BREAKOUT AHEAD
Miguel Montero (ARZ) – His numbers a year ago would suggest his breakout already came as the Diamondback hit 18 HR and 65 RBI (both career highs).  However, there still seems to be room for improvement. With a talented lineup around him, Montero could deliver even bigger numbers as he enters his prime. He’s a nice mid-round option with some upside as .290, 20 HR, 80 RBI season is not out of the question.

BUST CANDIDATE
Kurt Suzuki (OAK) – Ever since the A’s gave Suzuki a big contract, his numbers at the plate have steadily declined. Both his average and on-base percentage have declined over each of the past three seasons. The 29-year old has only mustered 73 extra-base hits over the past three seasons over a span of 1,059 plate appearances. There’s not much to suggest he’ll turn around in 2012.

FUTURE STAR
Jesus Montero (SEA) – The Yankees gave up the young catcher to land the hard-throwing Michael Pineda and a quick glimpse at the tools Montero possesses shows us why.  The 22-year old only appeared in 18 games last year for New York and most of that time came at DH, but he still hit .328 with 4 HR and 12 RBI in just 61 at bats. The Mariners plan to put him behind the plate most days and will let him be the designated hitter when he’s not catching. He’s likely to struggle at times, but he should prove to be a top 10 fantasy option in his first full season.

FANTASY 101
The value of a catcher to your fantasy team depends greatly on your league’s rules. In most Roto formats where two catchers are active is imperative to get some production at the position. In leagues where just one catcher is needed owners can afford to wait much longer before filling the need. Getting an elite player at the position is a plus, but be careful not to overpay. If you decided to wait around before selecting a player for the position then you are best served to go with a young player over an aging veteran as catching regularly can take a toll on veterans and their production at the plate.

COMPLETE RANKINGS | LATEST ADP

Fantasy Baseball fantasy advice, fantasy rankings, 2012, catcher, strategy, joe mauer, kurt suzuki, miguel montero, jesus montero