Watch and learn what the Fantasy 411 guys have to say about the winners and losers at the MLB Trading deadline.

Some top fantasy baseball tips

• Get 6 hitters and 2 closers in the first 8 rounds.  There will be plenty of pitchers left in the later rounds.
• Make trades only out of necessity and never out of boredom.
• The work you do on the waiver wire is more important than draft day preparation, because everybody already knows that Albert Pujols is a good player.
• Come with a plan for your draft.  Don’t copy the experts.  You need to have your own plan that works for you and the team you desire.
• Have a plan, but be able to adapt to changing conditions during the draft.
• Be patient, not passive, during the season.  If your 18th round starting pitcher gets roughed up the first few times out, dump him and pick up another starting pitcher; there are plenty of them out there.
• Pitchers are too unreliable to pick too high.
• Get elite closers.  It’s the middle range of closers that is unreliable, not the top tier of elite guys.
• Get 3 OF in your first 8 picks as the drop-off is greater than you might think.
• Stay away from starting pitchers who have been hurt.  All starting pitchers are injury risks in the first place.

Top Players for the 2011 Draft

Hanley Ramirez: #1 Pick

1. Hanley Ramirez (2010 rank = 2)
2. Albert Pujols (1)
3. Miguel Cabrera (10)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (20)
5. Evan Longoria (11)
6. Ryan Braun (3)
7. Joey Votto (45)
8. Adrian Gonzalez (15)
9. David Wright (14)
10. Carlos Gonzalez (NR)

Top 10 Starting Pitchers

1. Roy Halladay (2)
2. Felix Hernandez (4)
3. Tim Lincecum (1)
4. Cliff Lee (14) — Great WHIP puts him Top 10 despite not being a top strikeout guy.
5. Clayton Kershaw (17)
6. Josh Johnson (12)
7. CC Sabathia (5)
8. Jon Lester (13)
9. Justin Verlander (6)
10. Ubaldo Jimenez (18)

Top Pitchers Ready to Make a Move to Elite Status

1. Josh Johnson
2. Francisco Liriano
3. Yovani Gallardo
4. Jonathan Sanchez
5. Johnny Cueto
6. Shaun Marcum
7. Jason Hammel
8. Jair Jurrjens
9. Tom Gorzelanny
10. Mike Pelfrey
11. Daisuke Matsuzaka
12. RA Dickey
13. John Lannan
14. Nick Blackburn
15. Scott Feldman

Players in Top 50 Not in Top 100 Last Year

• Carlos Gonzalez (10)
• Adrian Beltre (38)
• Jason Heyward (42)
• Jose Bautista (43)
• Rickie Weeks (46)

Value Picks:  Players in the Top 50 Last Year, Not in Top 100 This Year

• Mark Reynolds (Last Year = 28)
• Pablo Sandoval (30)
• Grady Sizemore (33)
• Dan Haren (35)
• Johan Santana (36)
• Adam Wainwright (37)
• Jonathan Broxton (43)
• Chone Figgins (47)

Great Picks

• Drew Stubbs  – A 30/30 type of guy who will hit leadoff for the Reds this year.  Could be this year’s CarGo.  Lots of supporting hitters in the Reds lineup.
• Mike Stanton — A possible 40 homerun guy this year.
• Edwin Encarnacion — Will play some 1B and DH this year.  Staying healthy is key.
• Mark Reynolds — Great hitting ballpark at Camden Yards.  Much improved Orioles lineup.
• Ike Davis — Lefty loves the short porch at Citi Field.
• Adrian Gonzalez — Based on hitting chart, he is +21 hits in Fenway versus Petco.  Loves to go the other way to bounce balls off of the Green Monster.  In Petco 1 in 29 AB’s was a HR; in other parks, 1 in 18.
• Kendrys Morales — Out of the lineup with an injury last year on that freak celebration at home plate.
• Pablo Sandoval — Good value after off year.  Weight loss will help.
• Aramis Ramirez — .285 with 30 homers is possible in 2011 if his shoulder is healthy again.
• Jose Reyes — Enters his magical 27-year-old year.  Shortstop is a weak position with only about 8 guys that will put up good stats.
• Ian Kinsler — When healthy, and Utley is not, Kinsler is a 30/30 guy if he plays 140 games.
• Shaun Marcum — Had a great year last year coming off of Tommy John surgery and now moves from the AL East (3.09) to the National League Central.
• Zack Greinke — The negative is that Greinke has not fared well in the past in inter-league play.
• JJ Putz — Moves to the Diamondbacks where he is going to be a closer.
• Javier Vasquez — The NL East has all pitchers’ parks with the exception of Philly.
• Bud Norris — great second half last year.
• Joel Peralta — Peralta will win the Braves closer job and it won’t be a closer by committee job.
• Coco Crisp — 32 steals in a limited role last year and could lead the league this season.
• Francisco Rodriguez — Should get 33 saves.
• Joe Nathan — Coming off Tommy John surgery.  Also pick teammate Matt Capps in case Nathan doesn’t do the job.

Great Group of Emerging Middle Infielders

• Reid Brignac
• Starling Castro
• Ian Desmond — Desmond can be a 20/20 guy this year.  Not bad for a 13th rounder.
• Martin Prado — Prado is eligible at 2B, 3B, and will be eligible at OF this year.
• Neil Walker — Pirates have a good top 4 hitters.
• Sean Rodriguez — Rodriguez is another guy that can help with multi-position eligibility.
• Jacoby Ellsbury — Ranked 74 this year so good value and appears healthy.  Ellsbury could be a top 20 player again.
• Chris Ianetta — Ianetta is never going to be a great average guy, but has power and now has the catching job exclusively.
• Gordon Beckham — Beckham will hit 2nd and has been told that he’ll be given more chances to run this year.

Emerging Outfielders

• Jay Bruce — Just 24-years-old.  On the way to being a 2nd rounder.
• Andrew McCutcheon
• Colby Rasmus — Rasmus will hit in the 2 hole in front of Pujols.
• Drew Stubbs

If you’re not sure about how good these prognosticators are, take a look at their 2010 Top Prospects rankings.

1. Jason Heyward, Braves, OF — runner-up for NL MVP.
2. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals, P
3. Mike Stanton, Marlins, OF — 22 HR’s in 100 games
4. Buster Posey, Giants, C — NL MVP
5. Brian Matusz, Orioles, C
6. Desmond Jennings, Rays, OF — the only guy who did not play in the MLB, but figures to play a role in ’11.
7. Neftali Feliz, Rangers, RP

MLB’s Top 50 list requires that its members be qualified as rookie candidates for 2011.  That means a player must have less than 130 at bats or 50 innings pitched and have been on the MLB roster for less than 45 days prior to the roster expansion date on September 1.  The rankings are made by 30 scouts and rankings are created based on a reverse point system with the scouts ranking the top 30 potential rookie players.

The 2011 list contains 23 players that were not on the list in 2010.  19 of the top 50 made it to The Show last year.  It includes 25 pitchers and 25 position players.  The Kansas City Royals strong farm system boasts 6 of the top 50.  Catchers are in abundance with 6 of them listed.  Outfielders, on the other hand, have a meager 6 on the list.

No Hobbs: Greg Dobbs

wanted me to do this season to help get you ready for your 2010 fantasy baseball draft.

We couldn’t be everywhere, but we did get to see the Yankees – Rays game on Friday and the Phillies – Pirates game on Saturday.  Here’s some general observations from the games.

*  The price of a ticket to Steinbrenner Field – $31.  The cost of the same ticket at Pittsburgh’s McKechnie Field in Bradenton — $11.  If that doesn’t compare a big market franchise with a small market franchise, I don’t know what does.

*  If you think Phil Hughes is the answer for the Yankees this year, think again.  He struggled against the Rays and was lucky to pitch 1 2/3 with only allowing one run.  Joba Chamberlain also got pounded around.

*  I’m a believer in Sean Rodriguez.  He may just win the second base job for the Rays over Ben Zobrist.  Keep an eye on Rodriguez.  Couldn’t Joe Maddon have given him that fourth at bat in an attempt to get a single for the cycle?  I know it’s spring training and all, but how many chances do you  get in a career to hit for the cycle?

*  Joba Chamberlain does a prayer to his Dad prior to his taking the mound.

*  Look for a big year from Jason Bartlett.  I really like the way Bartlett plays the game.

*  Nick Swisher might be the most ungraceful base runner in the league.  He was picked off first and stumbled going back to the bag.

*  The MLB Network van was in Bradenton Saturday to cover the Phillies vs. Pirates game.

*  Pretty cool to see a game at McKechnie Field in Bradenton.  Park in the back of the Boys and Girls Club and get a ride on a golf cart to the entrance!  All for $7!

*  The Pirate Parrot is funnier than the Phillie Phanatic.  The mimicking he did of Chase Utley and Greg Dobbs warming up was hilarious.

*  You had to love the “Pitt-Stop” at McKechnie Field offering Iron City, Yuengling, and Rolling Rock — all Pennsylvania beers.

*  Ryan Howard looks great.  The off-season regimen he has done shows.  He looks about 30 pounds lighter than last year.  Read more about Ryan Howard’s weight loss here.

*  And, the weight Howard lost is nothing compared to that of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.  Manuel is actually thin; about 60 pounds less of him this season.  See Charlie Manuel’s before and after Nutri System pictures.

*  Andrew McCutcheon, who is from Bradenton, is a five tool player and somebody I know I’ll have my eye on in the 2010 fantasy baseball draft.  His Mom can really sing too.  She sang the National Anthem prior to the game and it was one of the best renditions I’ve ever heard.

*  It looks like Dobbs has a long way to go to get that sweet stroke he had two years ago.

*  Danys Baez is going to be a nice addition to the Phillies bullpen.

*  A baseball game ends in a 3-3 tie.  Hey, it’s Spring Training, why not?

*  Great to see the Phillies practice on Sunday morning prior to  heading back home.  Little Leaguers should note that the pros do some of the same drills that you do!  Pitchers fielding ground balls and throwing to all the bases.  Hey, you have to do something to keep the pitchers busy in Spring Training!  By the way, what does a punter do in practice for three hours?

Expect a big 2010 season for Lastings Milledge.

Here’s the single most important fantasy baseball tip you’ll get for the 2010 season.

More important than “don’t take a relief pitcher in the early rounds, as saves are always plentiful.”

More important than “your hometown players will always be over-valued in a local league.”

The single most important fantasy baseball tip for the 2010 fantasy baseball season is:

Watch the Games.

We’ve never believed that fantasy baseball should be the reason that you follow baseball; fantasy baseball should be something that you do that helps you enjoy baseball more.

By playing fantasy baseball, you naturally become more knowledgeable about the game itself.  You don’t just know about your hometown team, you know all the players in the league if you play fantasy baseball, even the players on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

There are many ways to keep up with the game.  One great value is purchasing  MLB.tv which sells for $120 for the entire season.  One of the features of MLB.tv this season is called “fantasy tracker” which, combined with Yahoo Fantasy Sports, enables you to watch your fantasy players at bats only.  You can also watch condensed versions of the games and you’ll have access to every single MLB game.  You could definitely lose your job or flunk out of school with this fantasy baseball tool.

Another product which I believe in is buying the MLB Extra Innings package for your cable or Direct TV service.  It’s $200 per year, but you get to listen to Vin Scully in what will be Scully’s 61st season announcing the Dodgers and possibly his final season.  I find myself watching the Dodgers over every other team late at night not because I like the Dodgers, but because I love Scully.

Then, there’s the free things you can do like read the newspaper (assuming your city still has one), watch Sports Center, Baseball Tonight,  MLB Network, and, of course, read this blog and ones like it.

Marlins Cheerleaders get ready.

But, the best thing you can do to learn more about baseball and players that you can use on your fantasy baseball team is to attend the games.  There’s nothing like watching the players on your fantasy baseball team roster than seeing them in live action.

Just don’t make the exploits of your fantasy baseball player statistics bigger than the game itself.  It’s the game that matters.

And, whatever you do at the ballpark…

don’t ever tell a major league baseball player that he’s on your fantasy baseball team.

He doesn’t care.

BallparkBob will be making his annual pilgrimage to take in the Grapefruit League games next week.  He’ll be seeing the Phillies, Pirates, Yankees, and Rays, plus see some of the now college guys that I coached, while stationed in Clearwater Beach.  Leaving the record setting snowfall that has hit Philadelphia this year makes it all the better.

If you watched SportsCenter or MLB Network last Sunday night, you saw the celebration by the Milwaukee Brewers after the walk off homerun by Prince Fielder.

There was a time when you couldn’t even stop and watch your home run fly out of the park for fear of retaliation by the pitcher. That was known as showing up the pitcher.

Today, it appears as though you can do the Brewers’ bowling pin celebration and it’s ok.

After all, it’s not just the Brewers. The Yankees have had a lot of practice celebrating game-ending homeruns this season; they’ve done it 13 times! The new celebration in The Bronx is for the game-ending homerun hitter to toss his helmet in the air at home plate and have his teammates fight for it like a bunch of hard-up bridesmaids at a wedding.

In San Diego, the Padres have thrown the helmet of the homerun hero on the plate and then had the teammates explode away from home plate.

“What he did isn’t acceptable,” said 12-year veteran Bobby Howry who pitched an inning in the Giants loss to the Brewers on Sunday. “It won’t be forgotten, I guarantee you.”

Added coach Carney Lansford: “It’s embarassing for the Milwaukee Brewers.”

Not so said Brewers’ reliever David Weathers who has pitched for 19 years in the Bigs. “We’re just trying to have some fun. It’s not disrespect for the other team.”

BallparkBob has bounced back and forth on this issue. When it comes to baseball, I like to think that I’m old school and at first, I was appalled when I saw the Brewers’ antics. But, then I began to think about it more. Wasn’t I also the guy who called the NFL the “No Fun League” when it began penalizing end zone celebrations.

What’s the difference? I played baseball and the only football I ever played involved a nerf ball. So, I guess in one instance, I relate to the players and in the other instance, I relate as a fan.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I want a front row seat the next time the Giants and Brewers play. OK, I won’t have a front row seat, but I’ll sure have my MLB package on and will be watching from the couch.

What do you think baseball fans? Fantasy Baseball Dugout wants to know. Leave us a comment.

What would Mazeroski have done today?

Take a look.  Tomorrow we look at the winning American League All Stars.

Where we lived in Western PA, a very mountainous area in the Laurel Highlands, my family had no other option but satellite TV service. Therefore, we were forced to switch from Comcast to DirecTV. Even Dish Network wasn’t available to us in the townhouse community we lived in.

I fell in love with DirecTV’s customer service during my time in Western PA as a customer. And with all the controversy between Comcast, the NFL Network, and the Big Ten Network, I also enjoyed the fact that I didn’t have to miss any of the latest sports coverage.

Then, I learned Direct TV was getting the MLB Network.

As a baseball fan and fantasy baseball junkie, learning that DirecTV was going to be an exclusive provider of the MLB Network made it clear that there was no other choice for me – it had to be DirecTV.

When my family moved in November, DirecTV made the whole process very easy. I know their commercials talk about this all the time, but if you move – there’s no better company to work with than DirecTV. They upgraded all of my boxes for free (including a 100 hr DVR over a 50 hr DVR), threw me a free year of Showtime, and allowed me to keep my old boxes, to do with at my own discretion.

Now, I have DirecTV, the MLB Network, the Big Ten Network, and killer customer service. If you are considering getting Direct TV in Pennsylvania, I would definitely make the switch. It’s definitely been worth while for me.

And to all my buddies that want Direct TV in West Virginia… DO IT! Make the switch today.

Plus, you get the MLB Network. What else do you have to lose?