Latest Gear Live Videos
It’s hard for me to not put the Patriots at the top every season as there’s just something about them that you can’t underestimate. Sure they got there butts handed to them by the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, losing 27-13, but injuries and Father Time got the best of them.
This season the Patriots add youth to the skill positions in RB Laurence Maroney and WR Chad Jackson (who is thus far injured) through the draft and these rookies will need to step up with RB Corey Dillon, who missed five games last season, potentially continuing to decline and a possible departure of WR Deion Branch.
Click to continue reading AFC East Preview: New England Patriots
Advertisement
Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 5
Posted by Alvin Lai Categories: Editorial, H2H, Props, Roto, Site Features, Southwest Division, Memphis Grizzlies, Talent,
Two basic business theories can be applied to fantasy basketball. “Consolidate your assets” is one. “Diversify your portfolio is the other.” The tone of the draft to this point has been to build strength on top of existing strengths. So far we have some pretty interesting combinations of guards (Ray Allen/Allen Iverson and Chris Paul/Steve Nash) and big men (Yao Ming/Andrei Kirilenko). There are a million ways to skin a cat, and possibly even more ways to build a successful fantasy team. Sometimes the right play is to follow a trend and other times it helps to take on a different strategy. With Elton Brand already in the fold and as solid as they come, it is time for the big to get bigger and you to get richer.
Round 2, Pick 5: Pau Gasol, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies
Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 5
Larrys, Isiahs, and Stephons…OH MY!
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Atlantic Division, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Disses, Editorial, Props,
So, I was trolling through the topics at The Fantasy Lounge Forums’ General NBA Talk section and found this topic asking how Isiah Thomas would do as the new New York Knicks head coach this upcoming season. In it, someone I know (as much as one could know anyone through the internet, anyway) intimates that the Knicks will be better with Thomas than Larry Brown for various reasons, which is great. Everyone has an opinion. HOWEVER, he went on to say that Larry Brown stunk (he actually used a word more associated innocently with what peope do with lollipops) as a coach and that great coaches such as Phil Jackson adjusted their coaching style to fit the players’ strengths and cover their weaknesses. Having played and watched basketball for over two decades, I was dumbstruck! So, I started writing a long post, so long in fact I thought it should be an article.
And thus, here it is…
Click to continue reading Larrys, Isiahs, and Stephons…OH MY!
American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. East
Posted by Tom Massimo Categories: Fantasy, MLB, News,
BOSTON RED SOX
Mike Lowell has just three extra-base hits in the month of August. He is still batting a solid .289, thanks to a strong 90% contact rate and .79 batting eye. In his disastrous 2005 season, when had just 8 home runs, his G/F ratio remained low at .66 and in-line with previous seasons. This year it has risen to a still low .88. But with 15 home runs in 460 AB this season, it is starting to look like last season’s complete power outage was not a fluke, but rather the beginning of a decline in his power.
Alex Gonzalez is out until early September with a strained oblique muscle. Alex Cora and Dustin Pedroia should share time at shortstop until Gonzalez returns. Cora is completely devoid of power. His high contact rate and good batting eye could get him on base enough to generate a few steals, but it is probably not worth the trouble. Pedroia’s defense is better suited for second base and with Mark Loretta in and out of the line-up he could pick up some starts there. As a hitter, he makes excellent contact and has a very discerning batting eye. He does not have much power and with 4 caught steals in 5 tries in Triple-A, don’t count on any stolen bases either.
Jon Lester was scratched from his scheduled start today because of a sore back. Kason Gabbard will step in for him against Oakland. He is not recommended.
Manager, Terry Francona does not seem pleased that Manny Ramirez has missed 3 of the last 4 games with a sore knee. In any event, he should be safe to use this week.
Click to continue reading American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. East
Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 4
Posted by Ron Chow Categories: Atlantic Division, Boston Celtics, H2H, Props, Roto, Site Features,
Round 2, Pick 4 Paul Pierce, SG/SF, Boston Celtics
Last year there were rumors that Celtic’s GM Danny Ainge was contemplating a youth movement and Paul Pierce was being shopped around the league. So, “The Truth” took stock of the situation and played like a man on a mission last season. “You can’t handle the truth” was made famous by Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, and Pierce proved it last season against those defending him by averaging 26.8 points/game, which was 6th in the NBA, as well as a career high for Pierce. He will be styling in Celtic green a while longer after he signed a contract extension this past summer.
Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 4
Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 3
Posted by Scott Sargent Categories: Editorial, H2H, NBA Playoffs, Old School, Pacific Division, Phoenix Suns, Props, Roto, Talent,
Round 2, Pick 3: Steve Nash, PG, Phoenix Suns 
While I’m not usually one to stockpile a certain category in fantasy basketball, I have no shame in locking one up within my first two selections. How am I going to do that, you ask? Well, kind reader, by adding 10.5 assists per game to my fantasy roster, which also includes a guy who could one day, be dropping double-digits on his own. And while it disgruntles me as a fan to say it, the reigning two-time MVP will be a very nice fit on this fantasy roster.
With a guy that even Nelly Furtado finds time to rhyme about, there are only a few certain things in life. Death, taxes, and Steve Nash assists. Is there downside? Sure there is. However, it’s the promise, and the new hairstyle, that will have a welcomed home on this fantasy squad.
Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 3
Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 2
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Editorial, H2H, Injuries, Northwest Division, Utah Jazz, Props, Roto, Site Features, Talent,
Round 2, Pick 2: Andrei Kirilenko, SF/PF, Utah Jazz
Can we all say it together? C’mon, only because we all know it:
Andrei Kirilenko is a first round talent, but there are some questions that only fantasy hoops drafters with ca-jo-nees the size of Ryan Seacrest’s ability to annoy will ignore and take Kirilenko as an answer for their team.
Okay, so I’m assuming that you think that Seacrest is annoying too (please, yes, just be out… from my presence and from the closet), but is there anyone on this earth that will admit he isn’t? Anyway, as I mentioned, AK47 is a first round talent, but there are injury concerns that will sway a person to not draft Kirilenko in the first round because, usually, you want your first rounder to have as little question as possible. So, getting Kirilenko here in the second round is a gamble, but not as big as if I took him in the first.
With a plethora of perfectly durable players still on the board, is Kirilenko worth it?
Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 2, Pick 2
Fantasy Basketball: The Business of Turnovers
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Editorial, Fantasy, NBA,
So, a friend of mine always seems to bring up turnovers when considering drafting a player and while I can understand why (as it is one of the nine basic categories in fantasy basketball) I can’t help but to say the following:
Who cares.
No disrespect to my friend, as he does know his fantasy hoops, but I just don’t care so much about this business of turnovers. I’m not saying to knowingly punt the category, but I am saying don’t care about it as much as you do points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-pointers made, and the percentages when you draft. Why you ask?
Let me give you my $0.10.
Check the rest of the article out at DroppingDimes.com!
American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. West
Posted by Tom Massimo Categories: Editorial, Fantasy, MLB,
SEATTLE MARINERS
The Mariners ended the Adam Jones as a starting center fielder experiment by returning him to Triple-A. Ichiro Suzuki slides over to center and Chris Snelling is now in right field. Prior to this season, the injury-prone Snelling put up impressive numbers in the minors. However, in 246 Triple-A AB this year, his was hitting .216, with little power and a 75% contact rate. Those numbers should not translate into major league success.
Cha Baek was called up from the minors to replace the departed Jamie Moyer in the starting rotation. In 24 Triple-A starts, Baek had a 3.00 ERA, 6.3 K/9 and a 2.3 BB/9. He was once considered a top prospect, but now is looked at as a potential 4th or 5th starter. In his 2006 debut, the Mariners threw him to the wolves, against the high-powered Yankee offense. He held his own, allowing 3 ER in 5 innings. At best, he can be used in AL-only leagues when the match-up is favorable. A more conservative approach would be to watch his next few starts to see how he fares.
After hitting 9 home runs, 20 doubles and 7 triples in the first-half of the season, Jose Lopez’s power has gone AWOL. Since the All-Star break, he has just 5 extra-base hits, all doubles. With a G/F ratio of 1.31 the first-half power was over his head and the second-half outage is too much of a correction. Such inconsistencies can be expected with a young hitter, he is just 22 years old, with an undisciplined approach to the plate, a .27 batting eye. The pop he showed in the first-half, combined with his speed and a strong contact rate of 87%, hint that better days are ahead for him.
Click to continue reading American League Fantasy Notes: A.L. West
The Business of Turnovers
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Atlantic Division, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Central Division, Cleveland Cavaliers, Editorial, H2H, Northwest Division, Denver Nuggets, Pacific Division, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Roto, Southeast Division, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Southwest Division, San Antonio Spurs,
So, a friend of mine always seems to bring up turnovers when considering drafting a player and while I can understand why (as it is one of the nine basic categories in fantasy basketball) I can’t help but to say the following:
Who cares.
No disrespect to my friend, as he does know his fantasy hoops, but I just don’t care so much about this business of turnovers. I’m not saying to knowingly punt the category, but I am saying don’t care about it as much as you do points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, 3-pointers made, and the percentages when you draft. Why you ask?
Let me give you my $0.10.
Click to continue reading The Business of Turnovers
Advertisement
© Gear Live Media, LLC. 2007 – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.