We recently named Ryan Braun as our number 1 pick in the 2012 fantasy baseball draft.  Within 24 hours of our pick of Braun, information was released that Braun has been associated with performance enhancing drugs that could sideline the Brewers slugger for 50 games.  Guest writer Chris McBrien takes a look at what Braun’s likely disqualification means to his 2012 fantasy baseball projections.

Fantasy Baseball's Two Top Outfielders

National League MVP Ryan Braun has tested positive for having a banned Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) in his system. As a result, he now faces a 50-game suspension from major league baseball. Many observers have been quick to condemn the slugger but it is probably best to reserve judgment on Braun until all of the facts are known. Regardless, what is important in fantasy baseball circles are the implications this will have on Ryan Braun’s fantasy value in 2012.

According to many, Braun was at the top of most lists which rank the top fantasy outfielders for 2012. That is surely to change with the allegations that have come to light. Not only does this affect Braun’s fantasy value, it has an effect on where other outfielders are ranked as well as an indirect effect on the value of his Milwaukee teammates.

With Prince Fielder likely leaving town via free agency, Braun was already faced with hitting in the middle of a Brewers batting order without one of the best power threats in the game protecting him in the line up. This would be a major concern to a less talented offensive player but is still bound to have some degree of effect on Braun’s statistics. Being asked to carry a larger portion of the offensive load puts him in a greater leadership role with the team. These accusations of cheating make it more difficult for Braun to be viewed in a leadership capacity by his teammates, his management or fantasy owners.

Regardless of a player’s ability to put up monster offensive numbers (and Braun is very capable of this), missing 50 games will greatly reduce his fantasy value. In 150 games last season, Braun amassed 109 runs, 33 home runs and 111 RBI. A season truncated by 50 games looks more like 72 runs, 22 home runs and 73 RBI. These numbers are not bad if your name is Freddie Freeman but certainly knock Braun significantly down the list of offensive players. For those fantasy players in head-to-head leagues, missing Braun for the first 2 months could be devastating. Draft accordingly.

If Braun faces a suspension, the effect will be also felt by his teammates. Expect newly signed third basemen Aramis Ramirez to hit in the middle of the line up and get the lion’s share of RBI opportunities. If he stays healthy, Ramirez could be a nice fantasy corner infielder. Also, don’t expect to see Corey Hart hitting out of the lead-off spot as he did at times last season. His bat will be needed in the heart of the order and will affect his numbers accordingly.

Until his appeal is heard and judgment passed, it would be safe to treat Braun as though he will miss the first 50 games of the 2012 season. In fantasy draft terms, that should put him firmly in the company of outfielders such as Alex Rios or Adam Jones.

Perhaps the most important fantasy baseball impact in this whole situation is the status of Matt Kemp who instantly becomes the top fantasy baseball outfielder for 2012.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6755411

Fantasy Baseball Dugout takes a look at the winners and losers thus far in the 2011 free agent market.  Which players will perform better in their new homes and which players will struggle.  We take a look.

Philly Phans will love Papelbon's energy on the mound.

Albert Pujols:  Cardinals –> Angels  Value: Slightly Up

With the PED charge looming against Ryan Braun, Albert Pujols at age 32 just may be the #1 pick again in the 2012 fantasy baseball draft.  Pujols has fared well in his career as both a DH (.360) and against the American League (.348) so we don’t expect any decline.  The only slight concern is that Pujols is coming off of his worst season ever, although worst season for Albert Pujols means .299/37/99/9.  By being fully healthy and able to take a day off as the DH occasionally, Pujols’ hitting should improve over his 2011 season.

Joe Nathan: Twins –> Rangers  Value: Up

No matter where Joe Nathan went, his value over his 2010 and 2011 seasons was bound to be up.  That’s because Nathan spent all of 2010 on the shelf after having Tommy John surgery and he sat out most of the 2011 season.  Nathan was baseball’s save leader from 2004 through 2009 and had a combined 1.87 ERA which was better than Mariano Rivera’s 1.90.  Nathan, age 37, is healthy for 2012 and he’s on a great team, but you have to question his durability given the past two seasons so that will cause his fantasy value to drop despite being the closer on the team that has been to two consecutive World Series.

Jonathan Papelbon:  Red Sox –> Phillies  Fantasy Value: Neutral

Jonathan Papelbon moves from one very good team to another.  He’ll surely get his share of saves in Philadelphia, at least on the days that Roy Halladay doesn’t pitch.  Papelbon has blown just 14 saves in the past 3 seasons in Boston, despite struggling a bit in the 2010 season when many fans were calling for fireballing Daniel Bard to take his spot.  There won’t be such competition in Philadelphia where his job is secure with set up men Daniel Bastardo and Jose Contreras.

More Homeruns are in the cards for Cuddyer in 2012.

Heath Bell: Padres –> Marlins  Fantasy Value: Neutral

Heath Bell is the clear closer in Miami now that Leo Nunez’s true identity has been discovered as Juan Carlos Oviedo.  Nunez, or Oviedo, is currently on the restricted list from MLB, thus giving Bell the clear access to the closer position.  Over the past three years, Bell’s 132 have been as consistent as a warm San Diego day.  Bell is moving from one of the best pitcher’s parks in the Majors to another pitchers’ park in Miami.  He will have another 40+ save season for the new look Marlins.

Jose Reyes: Mets –> Marlins  Fantasy Value: Neutral to Up

A 6 year, $106 million contract lured Reyes to Miami.  Reyes is coming off of a great 2011 season in which he put up some big numbers, despite missing 36 games.  He will be moving to the leadoff spot with a revived Hanley Ramirez in the 3 hole and Mike Stanton hitting cleanup.  If your league counts runs scored, Reyes value is up.

Huston Street: Rockies –> Padres  Fantasy Value: Up

Anytime an already good pitcher can move from Coors Field to Petco Park, you have to think that his value is going up, way up.  Coors Field was #1 in runs scored in 2011 and Petco Park was # 28.  Pitchers’ ERA’s at Coors was 4.89 and at Petco it was 2.91.  As for Street, he was 5.59/1.41 at Coors and 2.51/1.02 on the road.  I have a feelign Street is happy to be in San Diego.

Mark Buehrle: White Sox –> Marlins  Fantasy Value: Up

Mark Buehrle has pitched a perfect game and a no hitter in his career.  He’s also started an all-star game.  That being said, he’s never had an ERA below 3.00 in his 12 seasons with the White Sox.  Buehrle has all the makings of improved stats in 2012.  First of all, he moves from the park that is easiest in the league to hit a homerun, US Cellular Field, to the new Marlins Ballpark.  Second, he moves to the National League where ERA’s are always improved.  Third, his history shows a lifetime 3.32 ERA in inter-league play and a 24-6 record against the NL.  That compares to 3.89 and 137-113 against AL opponents.  In the past 7 seasons, Buehrle is 16-2 and 2.29 against the National League in 25 starts.

Josh Willingham:  A’s –> Twins  Fantasy Value: Down

Willingham is coming off a great year with Oakland in 2011 where he set career marks in homeruns (29), RBI (98), and runs (69).  Willingham has hit in pitchers’ parks for his entire career with Oakland, Washington, and Florida so he’s no stranger to hitting in the caverns of Target Field.  Willingham has never hit for much of an average and he strikes out a lot.  Don’t expect that to change, but we don’t see Willingham being able to match those 29 home runs in Minnesota.

C.J. Wilson: Rangers –> Angels  Fantasy Value: Up

Wilson is the biggest signing of the year not named Albert.  He’ll join Dan Haren and Jared Weaver on a starting pitching staff rivaled only by the Phillies.  A move from Texas to Los Angeles has got to help Wilson’s numbers.  He leaves the #1 hitters park according to Park Factor and moves to the #27 hitters park.  According to Baseball Reference, he leaves a home run index of 111 to 93 in Los Angeles.  Wilson loved pitching on the road where he’d been 2.56/1.18 versus 3.70/1.25 at home in Texas.

Aramis Ramirez: Cubs –> Brewers  Fantasy Value: Down

Ramirez joins a Brewers team that is likely going to be without Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.  That won’t help Ramirez’s protection in the lineup.  Aramis Ramirez had a solid 2011 season at .306/26/93/1.  Ramirez liked Wrigley.  He won’t fare as well in Milwaukee in 2012 although the Brewers will like him a lot more than Casey McGehee.

Michael Cuddyer: Twins –> Rockies  Fantasy Value: Up Considerably

Every fantasy baseball manager should wish that his players moved to Colorado.  Cuddyer has always been a solid player but playing in Target Field kept him to being ranked as the 95th best fantasy player last year by ESPN.  He’ll like hitting in Colorado where he should surpass his 29 homerun season of 2009.  At Coors Field, 10.7% of all fly balls leave the park; in Target, it’s only 7.6%.  One of the added values of Cuddyer is that he actually qualifies as a second baseman having played 17 games at second in 2011.  That should help his draft position dramatically.  He’ll likely hit between Tulowitzki and Helton and is capable of a .300 season with 30+ home runs in Colorado.

ANGELS IN THE INFIELD: Albert Pujols

Pujols is coming off of his worst season of his career, at least by Pujols standards.  Pujols suffered an elbow injury and ended the year at .299 with 37 home runs, 99 RBI, 9 stolen bases, and a World Series championship.  You know you are a pretty good player when those kind of numbers are your worst ever.

But, there is no denying that Pujols’ batting average has been trending downward for the past three seasons.  In fact, 2011 was the first time in Pujols’ career that he failed to hit the coveted .300 mark.  He’s a career .328 hitter.  Pujols’ home run and RBI have also decreased since he put up 47 and 135 in 2009.

There’s little reason for concern, however, even at the age of 32 when many players start to decline.  After coming back from the elbow injury, Pujols hit .318 in his last 74 games.  Had he not spent time on the DL, his home run totals and RBI totals projected to 43 and 117.  Pujols played in 147 games in 2011.

The move to the American League should not be a detriment to Pujols; at least it hasn’t been in the past.  Pujols’ average in inter-league games is .348 with 39 home runs and 121 RBI.  Being able to be a DH on occasions, could also help Pujols’ durability as he gets into his mid to late 30′s and 40′s with the Angels.  Pujols’ average as a DH has been .360 to date.  Finally, without the pitcher hitting every ninth at bat (or 8th at bat if you played for LaRussa), Pujols should get more at bats for the Angels than he did in St. Louis.

We had Pujols listed as our # 2 preseason fantasy draft pick, but with the news of Ryan Braun’s potential suspension, Pujols just may be in the familiar #1 position before long.  That is despite the fact that some people keep questioning Pujols’s real age and think he’s 3 years older than he says.

Fantasy Baseball Effects — Kendrys Morales

First of all, let’s get one thing straight: there’s an “s” on the end of this guy’s first name.  not even MLB got that right until March, 2011.  The Cuban defector is famous for having broken his leg after hitting a walk off homer in 2010 and he didn’t play at all in 2011.  Word is that Morales will be non-tendered, therefore not making him eligible as a free agent to the other 29 teams.  Clearly, the Angels will wait and see if Morales will indeed be able to play in 2012.  Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he expected Morales to not only return to the Angels’ lineup, but also bat cleanup, presumably as the team’s designated hitter.  We’ll see.

HERE COMES TRUMBO: But, he may move to third base.

Fantasy Baseball Effects – Mark Trumbo

With Kendrys Morales on the shelf since May 29, 2010, Mark Trumbo became the full-time first baseman for the Angels in 2010.  Trumbo, who was born in Anaheim, finished the season with .254/29/87/9 marks.  With Pujols at first base, and Bobby Abreu already having locked down the DH spot, Trumbo will either be traded or will make the move to third base.  If he can handle it defensively, Trumbo is the better choice based on his 29 home runs last year.

Fantasy Baseball Effects — Bobby Abreu

Bobby Abreu’s role with the Angels in 2012 will depend in part on Morales’ ability to come back.  Abreu appears to be the fourth outfielder at this time and maybe the fifth outfielder if #1 draft pick Mike Trout makes the move to the Bigs.  Abreu, who will be 38 in March, is best suited as a DH at this point in his career.  Abreu hit just 8 home runs last year, but still managed 21 stolen bases in 142 games.  Abreu played 107 of those games as the DH last year as Peter Bourjos’s defense won him the regular center field job.  If Scioscia’s statement about Morales is accurate, what role will Abreu have other than being a pinch hitter?  One thing is for sure regarding Abreu: at age 38 with a $9 million salary, he has no market value and will be a free agent at the end of the 2012 season.

Fantasy Baseball Effects — Mike Trout

Mike Trout spent 55 non-September days with the Angels last year thus eclipsing the 45 days permitted to qualify as a rookie.  MLB, however, has declared Trout to be a rookie again for the 2012 season due to a technicality.  At some point, you have to think that the Angels will trade Vernon Wells for some valuable pieces and give Trout the regular corner outfield position that he deserves.  For the beginning of 2012, however, Trout may start the season at Triple-A as the Angels are not going to keep him in the Bigs to sit.  Dealing Trout has been discussed, but I don’t see that happening.  Given the salaries that the Angels have committed to Pujols and C.J. Wilson, they will need a low priced young player in the lineup to balance those huge salaries.  Better to trade Torii Hunter, 36, who is in the final year of his contract.

Fantasy Baseball Effects – Maicer Izturis & Alberto Callaspo

Alberto Callaspo played most of the games at third base last year and Maicer Izturis was the infield utility man and qualifies at second base, third base, and shortstop.  According to the depth chart at MLB.com, the Angels have Izturis slated as the starter at the hot corner despite the fact that Callaspo played the vast majority of the games there.  Izturis hit 5 home runs last year and Callaspo hit 6.  If the Angels believe that Trumbo can handle the defense at third base, he will certainly bring more pop to the Angels lineup and Izturis’ and Callaspo’s playing time may be significantly reduced.

But, with Pujols and Ramirez each coming off of their worst seasons ever in 2011, choosing Prince Albert or HanRam are no longer the sure fire locks for the #1 pick in the fantasy baseball draft in 2012.  Add to that the uncertainty of Pujols’s injury last season, his advancing age (32), and the fact that he’s changing leagues and you’re actually going to have to think if you have the top pick in your draft in 2012.  As for Hanley Ramirez, his age (28)  is not yet a concern, but his 2011 performance and rotten attitude are.

Ryan Braun poses with one of his many fans.

Our #1 pick for the 2012 fantasy baseball season is the Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun.  Here’s our Top 12 picks for the first round of your traditional mixed league draft for the 2012 season.

First Round Draft Picks — 2012 Fantasy Baseball

1.  Ryan Braun, Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Ryan Braun has hit over .300 for 4 of the past 5 seasons. We especially like that he stole 33 bases last year which is 13 more than his highest totals ever. The Hebrew Hammer is in the prime of his career at age 28 and is coming off of an MVP season. Signing Prince Fielder as protection is the only concern for the 2012 season.

2. Albert Pujols, First Baseman, Los Angeles Angels

Albert Pujols is coming off of his worst season in 2011, but we’re not panicking. A “worst” season for Pujols is still extraordinary He hit 37 homers last year and drove in 99 in leading the Cardinals to the World Series championship. After coming back from his elbow injury, he hit .314 in his last 74 games. Getting used to American League pitching won’t be a problem — Pujols has a career batting average of .348 against the AL. Being able to DH on occasionally won’t hurt either; as a DH, Pujols is hitting .360.

3. Matt Kemp, Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

It’s hard to imagine that Matt Kemp didn’t win the MVP in 2011, but that’s the curse of playing for a team that ends up just 3 games above .500 and in third place. Kemp had a monster season at .324 with 39 homers, 126 RBI, and 40 stolen bases. Kemp is a rare combination of power and speed and at age 27, he’s in the prime of his production years. The only reason we didn’t make him #1 is that he’s been putting up gaudy numbers for a few years less than Braun and Pujols.

Year	Age	Tm	G	PA	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2003	18	LAD-min	43	168	159	11	43	1	17	2	.270	.298	.346	.644
2004	19	LAD-min	122	500	460	72	135	18	75	10	.293	.337	.504	.841
2005	20	LAD-min	109	454	418	76	128	27	90	23	.306	.349	.569	.918
2006	21	LAD-min	92	426	381	75	132	10	70	25	.346	.414	.543	.957
2006	21	LAD	52	166	154	30	39	7	23	6	.253	.289	.448	.737
2007	22	LAD-min	39	174	161	32	53	4	20	9	.329	.374	.540	.914
2007	22	LAD	98	311	292	47	100	10	42	10	.342	.373	.521	.894
2008	23	LAD	155	657	606	93	176	18	76	35	.290	.340	.459	.799
2009	24	LAD	159	667	606	97	180	26	101	34	.297	.352	.490	.842
2010	25	LAD	162	668	602	82	150	28	89	19	.249	.310	.450	.760
2011	26	LAD	161	689	602	115	195	39	126	40	.324	.399	.586	.986
6 Seasons			787	3158	2862	464	840	128	457	144	.294	.350	.496	.846
162 Game Avg.			162	650	589	96	173	26	94	30	.294	.350	.496	.846

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/10/2011.

Don't expect watered down stats for Cabrera in 2012.

4. Miguel Cabrera, First Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Miguel Cabrera has been putting up huge numbers since his last year in Miami. And, at age 28, he’s got a lot left in him. Cabrera led the AL in average in 2011 at .344 and the Venezuelan star played in 161 games so you know he’s durable. The only reason he’s not our #1 pick is the he can’t steal bases like Braun and Kemp and his past problems with alcohol make us a little uneasy.

5. Jose Bautista, Outfielder & Third Baseman, Toronto Blue Jays

Jose Bautista offers the incredibly rare luxury of qualifying at two positions — outfielder and third baseman. This makes Bautista an even more valuable commodity. If it were ten years ago and you looked at his improvement in numbers over the past two years, you’d have to guess that he was juicing. 43 home runs and 103 RBI last year. Wow!

6. Justin Upton, Outfielder, Arizona Diamondbacks

If you play in a keeper league that’s going to be around for a while, Justin Upton would be my pick. That’s because at age 24, Upton’s going to be around a while. The scary thing about Upton is that he still has considerable…Upside. At age 24, his 31 home runs, 88 RBI, and 21 stolen bases from last season are simply building blocks for larger numbers in the future.

7. Troy Tulowitzki, Shortstop, Colorado Rockies

Troy Tulowitzki is our highest ranking shortstop. With Hanley Ramirez’s attitude being of concern, Tulo is the new heir apparent on everybody’s list of top shortstops. If you play the position scarcity strategy, he’s an even higher pick.

8. Justin Verlander, Starting Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

Can you imagine a starting pitcher that throwing 251 innings and having a sub-1.00 WHIP. That’s exactly what you got from Justin Verlander in 2011 with a WHIP of 0.92. Add 24 wins, a 2.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts and Roy Halladay is no longer the top fantasy baseball starting pitcher.

9. Adrian Gonzalez, First Baseman, Boston Red Sox

Adrian Gonzalez did not disappoint the Fenway faithful and his huge salary in his 2011 campaign. Gonzalez put up 30 home runs and 105 RBI and added a surprising .338 batting average.

10. Jacoby Ellsbury, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

The only rap against Jacoby Ellsbury is that he had his first monster year in 2011 and was injured for most of the 2010 season. Still, his .321 average with 32 home runs, 105 RBI, and 39 stolen bases make him a first round pick in all fantasy baseball leagues.

11. Roy Halladay, Starting Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Roy Halladay is durable, likes to finish what he starts, and is incredibly consistent. And, while fantasy baseball pitchers don’t often get the props they deserve, Halladay remains a rare breed, even at age 34. Halladay’s 19 wins, 2.35 ERA, and 1.04 WHIP make him a first rounder on a Phillies team that will continue to win a lot of ball games.

12. Robinson Cano, Second Baseman, New York Yankees

Robby Cano is even more valuable when you consider that he plays second base, thus distancing yourself from teams with ordinary second sackers. At age 29, Cano is still in his prime production years and he has a bevy of talent surrounding him. His .302 average with 28 homers and 118 RBI makes Cano the best keystoner in the game and a first round pick in most leagues.

SAFE: Charlie Manuel can slide Mayberry Jr. into the lineup in left field or first base.

The Philadelphia Phillies have been courting Minnesota outfielder Michael Cuddyer for a few months now.  In fact, one of the “jobs” for new Phillies first baseman-pinch hitter Jim Thome was to help sell Philadelphia to Cuddyer.

But, despite the Phillies seeming best efforts, Cuddyer is yet to sign with the Phillies or anywhere else for that matter.  The Twins are working hard to bring Cuddyer back, and the market is quiet enough that they may not have to go to three years to make it happen. Only the Phillies have made much noise regarding Cuddyer and some are reporting that the Phillies have turned their interest to using their cash to bring Jimmy Rollins back instead. The other suitors for Cuddyer were the Indians and their interest ended when Grady Sizemore chose to re-sign.

So, at this point, it looks like the Phillies will hand the starting left field job over to John Mayberry Jr. with help from Ben Francisco.  Recently acquired Ty Wigginton is also in the mix; Wigginton can play first base and also the corner outfield positions, but is probably best suited as third base relief for Placido Polanco.  The Phillies may look to bring Raul Ibanez back for one year.  Another option is to bring back another former Phillie, Aaron Rowand who is likely available at a bargain basement price.  It is clear, however, that the Phillies will need to add another outfielder as Mayberry Jr. is likely to spend some time early in the season at first base while Ryan Howard works on getting back into the lineup from his season ending injury on the Phils last at bat of the year.

So, assuming that the Phillies left fielders are Mayberry Jr., Francisco and a player to be named later, what are the fantasy baseball prospects for John Mayberry Jr. for the 2012 fantasy baseball season?

John Mayberry Jr. had a solid 2011 campaign (.273/19/49/8) and impressed the coaches and fans.  Many experts, including our friends at Razzball, are saying that Mayberry is the best choice at first base for 2012.  One thing is for sure, whether Mayberry Jr. plays first base of left field, he’s surely going to get the at bats that his performance last year entitles him to.

2012 Fantasy Baseball Projection: John Mayberry Jr. — Mayberry Jr. got 495 at bats with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in 2010.  He hit .267/15/65/20.  The way things currently shape up, Mayberry Jr. could get 450 at bats in 2012 for the Phillies.  He’s never been a huge home run hitter, but some of the bombs and the 15 HR’s in limited at bats in 2011 seem to tell you otherwise.  Mayberry Jr.’s recent stolen base surge (20 with the Iron Pigs in ’10 and 8 last year with the Phils) are an added bonus.  With the current Phillies lineup, we project 450 at bats for Mayberry Jr. with 22 home runs, 15 stolen bases, 85 RBI, and a batting average of .270.

Also included is Jonathan Bentz’s look at fantasy football tips for Week 9 of the NFL Season.

Citi Field is a pitcher’s park.  It has been since it opened three years ago replacing worn out Shea Stadium.

In 2011, Citi Field allowed 1.33 home runs per game, thus ranking it 14th among the 16 National League parks.  Only Petco Park (San Diego) and AT&T Park (San Francisco) allowed less home runs per game at 1.23 and 1.00 respectively.  But, that may have been more about the anemic power that the Padres and Giants had than the ballpark home run index of the two parks.

In an effort to make Citi Field more hitter friendly, the Mets plan to move the fences in for the 2012 season.  The most dramatic change will be in right-center where the dimensions will go from 415 feet to 390 feet.  It’s probably no coincidence that David Wright’s swing naturally drives the ball toward that part of the ballpark, and that Wright’s dip in home runs since Shea Stadium closed has been the biggest argument for shrinking Citi Field. Wright has hit 22 home runs at home and 31 on the road in the three years since the new ballpark opened.  Wright never got on track in 2011, hitting .255 with 14 homers, 13 steals, 61 RBIs and 60 runs scored in 389 at-bats in an injury plagued season.

Kerel Cooper, publisher of On The Black, a site that reports on the New York Mets, agrees that Wright will benefit from the change the most, but Cooper also thinks that the park dimensions will help Jason Bay.

“We’ve seen Jason Bay struggle really bad for two years now with the Mets now,” said Cooper.  “Some seem to think that the size of the park is playing on Jason Bay’s mind.  We’ll see if the move has a positive affect on Jason Bay’s psyche.”

Mets outfielder Jason Bay completed a second disappointing season in 2011 in the Big Apple by hitting .246 with 12 homers, 11 steals, 57 RBIs and 59 runs scored in 2011.  Bay has dealt with injuries the past two seasons.  A .313 average in September gives the 33-year-old some hope for 2012.

The Mets will also be shortening the distance in left field by building a new eight-foot fence in front of the imposing 16-foot wall that has been in place the last three years. The 16-foot fence will remain, but seats will be added between the two walls as part of this offseason’s renovations.

In addition to the anticipated increase in power numbers from Wright, attendance is another reason for the change in New York.  Let’s face it, fans like to see home runs, at least if the players aren’t juicing.  The Mets have experienced three straight seasons of declining attendance since Citi Field opened.  Not even David Wright’s inclusion on Fantasy Baseball Dugout’s Baseball’s Sexiest Players list could bring in more (female) fans.

We also asked Cooper if there was a pitcher that may be hurt by the move.

“As far as a pitcher it will hurt, I don’t think there is a clear cut guy on the Mets staff this will have a huge impact on,” said Cooper. “None of the current guys are extreme fly ball pitchers.”

One thing everybody seems to agree on, however, is that for the New York Mets, moving the fences in is THE WRIGHT THING TO DO.

2012 Fantasy Baseball Outlook — David Wright:  David Wright will benefit the most since his power is to right-center.  There is significant upside to Wright for 2012, but don’t expect him to go unnoticed in your draft since he does have a national reputation as a star.  If healthy, Wright should be a 30 home run guy and hit .300 as he did for five consecutive seasons ending in 2009.

2012 Fantasy Baseball Outlook — Jason Bay:  Jason Bay is another player that could benefit from the fence move at Citi Field.  Given Bay’s last two seasons, it’s hard to imagine that he hit 36 homers for the Red Sox in 2009 and drove in 119!  As an outfielder, he’s a riskier pick than Wright, but you have to believe that the 33-year-old still has more left in him than the combined 18 dingers that he has hit in the past two seasons for the Mets.

Here’s a look at a few that we think will have the biggest impact in the 2011 stretch run.

JESUS IS COMING: Montero will take some DH at bats from Posada down the stretch.

Jesus Montero, Catcher, New York Yankees — Jesus Montero is hitting .290/18/67 at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre.  He’s been sizzling lately with 5 homeruns in his last 7 games.  Montero, 21, was expected to compete with Francisco Cervelli for the Yankees starting catcher job in Spring Training, but then the Yanks acquired Russell Martin instead.  Expect Montero to get some action as the DH as the Yankees try to see if he has a better bat for post-season than Jorge Posada.  In fact, look for Montero to get the start on Thursday night when the Yankees face southpaw Jon Lester.

“I could DH him, and I wouldn’t be afraid to put him behind the plate,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I don’t know if I would start him in a game, just because the relationship between pitchers and catchers takes time to build. Our catchers are a lot more familiar with the pitchers than him, but it’s not a guy that I’d be afraid to put in.”

Montero is the 6th top prospect in the Majors and the very top rated catcher.

David Cooper, First Base, Toronto Blue Jays — Cooper stunk early in the season in Toronto, hitting just .121 in 13 games.  He will get his chance in September, however, with current first baseman Adam Lind looking to make a move to DH.  If he performs like he has in the minors, Toronto fans will love him.  Cooper hit .375 with 9 homers and 65 RBI’s in the minors.  Cooper is a good pickup if you are in a battle for batting average in your fantasy baseball league.

Leonys Martin, Outfield, Texas Rangers — Leonys Martin, a Cuban defector, is an interesting story.  With Nelson Cruz on the DL, the Rangers called up Martin on Tuesday.  He will see some action and is an outside chance as a late season pickup in deep fantasy leagues.  Martin, 23, has hit .263 with no homers and 17 RBIs in 40 games (175 at-bats) for Triple-A Round Rock. He has a combined .295 batting average and 19 stolen bases in the minors this season with Arizona, Double-A Frisco and Round Rock.  The Rangers signed him to a $15 million deal this off season so he must be good.

Anthony Rizzo, First Base, San Diego Padres — Rizzo stunk early in the year, hitting just .143 for the Padres.  But, Rizzo has been tearing up the minors with 26 homeruns.  Jesus Guzman has been playing well for the Padres, however, so Rizzo’s playing time may be limited.  If Jesus Guzman is available in your league, take a look. He’s hitting .330 with 35 RBI, 5 HR’s, and 8 SB’s since coming up.

Julio Teheran, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves — Julio Teheran would likely be in the starting rotation on any club except Atlanta and Philadelphia.  Teheran was named the International League Pitcher of the Year this week.  He was 15-2, 2.22.  He will likely stay in Gwinnet until the playoffs are over.  If he’s up by September 8, and rested, he could get the start against the Mets in a doubleheader.

Jacob Turner, Pitcher, Detroit Tigers – The Detroit Tigers aren’t wasting time with Jacob Turner.  Detroit will keep rookie pitcher Turner around after he makes his second career start Thursday.  Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Turner will be used as protection in case the team has a rainout and needs another pitcher to start a game down the stretch.  Turner was the Tigers first round pick in 2009.  Turner was an ordinary 4-5, 3.44 with two minor league clubs this year.

Edinson Volquez, Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds – Edinson Volquez will get a call up on Monday. He’ll likely spend a few outings in the bullpen and then enter the rotation.  As a rookie in 2008, Volquez won 17 games for the Reds.

Brett Jackson, Outfield, Chicago Cubs – Promoted to Triple-A Iowa in July, Jackson has excelled. In 43 games thus far, Jackson is hitting .319 with nine HR, 25 RBI and .954 OPS. Jackson’s defense has also been exceptional, with eight assists thus far.  With the uncertainty of Alfonso Soriano’s future, Jackson could find himself in the Cubs’ outfield next season with a strong showing in September.  He’s got to be better than Tyler Colvin.

Wilin Rosario, Catcher, Colorado Rockies — Chris Ianetta has not impressed and is only signed through 2012 so the backstop job appears to be Rosario’s.  Rosario might have gotten a serious look in September, but won’t due to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers being in playoff contention.  Therefore, Rosario’s debut for the Rockies will likely be delayed, thus making him as attractive for a fantasy baseball September call-up.

Chris Carter, First Base, Oakland A’s — Carter has 187 minor league homers, but has struggled during his brief call-ups to the Bigs.  He likely won’t be able to join the club until as late as September 11 due to minor league playoffs.  After his arrival, expect him to be used mostly as a pinch hitter so he is not worth a fantasy baseball pickup.

Steve Lombardozzi, Second Base, Washington Nationals – Following in the footsteps of his father, Washington Nationals infield prospect Steve Lombardozzi is thriving in Triple-A and on the verge of reaching the major leagues.  At Harrisburg and Syracuse this year, he’s hitting .315/.366/.443 with 24 doubles, nine triples, eight homers, 36 walks, 71 strikeouts, and 27 steals in 517 at-bats.  Danny Espinosa has stated publicly that he does not want to give up any playing time to a September call up, but with the Nationals out of the race, look for Lombardozzi to get a few chances to play in September.

Bryan LaHair, First Base, Chicago Cubs — Bryan LaHair set the Iowa Cubs homerun record this year with 37 so he is certainly deserving of a look in Chicago in September.  That being said, LaHair is 28 and likely is blocked with the big salaries being earned by Carlos Pena and Aramis Ramirez.

Mat Gamel, First Base, Milwaukee Brewers – With a line of .320 BA, 28 HR, 96 RBI at Triple-A this season, he has proven worthy of a chance, and at 25 years old, he has little more to gain in the minors.  Gamel hits .367 off righties and only .209 against lefties, so it’s rather obvious as to what his niche role in September may be: pinch-hit specialist against right-handed pitchers.

Domonic Brown, Outfield, Philadelphia Phillies — Domonic Brown was up with the Phillies earlier, but did not take advantage of his opportunities and was demoted when Hunter Pence came to town.  He will get some pinch hit opportunities down the stretcha and will battle John Mayberry Jr. for the left field role vacated by Raul Ibanez next year.

Stephen Strasburg, Pitcher, Washington Nationals — I think you’ve probably heard of this guy.  Read more about the return of Stephen Strasburg here.