The CW among White Sox fans is that Ramirez isn't ready.

Another pitcher we should have guarded optimism about heading into the regular season. White Sox watchers report that he's throwing the fastball with the velocity he had back in 2005, is coming over the top more, and has movement on the pitch, which was a flat fastball last year. I was going to avoid him, but Contreras might be a decent endgame sleeper in leagues where players are at will employees.

Well, the good spring wasn't just a product of goldbricking vets. Danks was successful in adding a cutter to his repertoire, and the pitch induced a lot of ground balls. If he can keep throwing it successfully in major league games, it will keep hitters more off balance and make his fastball look faster and thus harder to hit. I'm backing off of my last comment; Danks could surprise this year, though I wouldn't chase.

The New York Post reported that Giambi did a lot more running this winter and is in the best shape he's been in in 5-6 years.

Toz did a 13 team N.L. 5x5 on Sunday, so I hope he starts posting some prices.

The word in Baltimore is that he can't hit the curve.

lol - picked him up for 10 in my NL 4x4, after he was thrown back at 7. The big internal debate will be when do I "sell high" to someone, particularly someone playing for next year.

Went for $20 in the American Dreams. Not to me. My inflation-adjusted bid was $23, so I should have at least gone another buck. Think I hesitated because I had already put a high-risk bet on Brian Roberts and figured the SB category would be made or broken by that one wager. Totally illogical, now that I think about. Damon would have been a nice safety net if Roberts gets traded and put me near the top of the category, but mostly likely not over it (speed surplus is not an asset in our league), if he doesn't.

Somehow Nick Johnson got put back in the realm of the Hidden. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was booond.

Okay. I get the hint. Raise the 4x4 bid for Heath in the final update (which will be posted tomorrow).

Any other such hints between now and 4 PM would be much appreciated. People drafting next weekend don't care if you hurt my feelings, or Mike's.

Peter, offering bids for those whacky mixed leagues, gets a pass. Then again, he has to keep puzzling over the projections, so feel free to beat him up over those.

Went for 31 in an auction last weekend - but almost all closers were protected, with only Lidge (30), Gagne (31), and Chad Cordero (34) available. Not like any of those dollars could have been spent any better, lol.
My sleeper for that pen is Mota, 2nd sleeper is McClung, if Maddux can get that 98 mph fastball under control.

Putting this here, because Nick Johnson doesn't have a page.
Johnson is hitting everything his first two games. 7 plate appearances: 3 doubles, fly out to deep right, 2 fly outs to center, 1 liner to center.
26 pitches seen in the 7 PAs, only 2 swings where he hasn't made contact. If he finally stays healthy ... this looks like he finally gets his 25 year we knew was in him.

In our NL only 4x4 keeper league with moderate inflation last week (which generally spends in the 30's on established closers) Bell went for 18.

Bunt single tonight.

Tuffy Rhodes :-)

Doesn't look like much of a player but he made the team. Moves him up to an R3 in the software.

Went for $20 yesterday in a 5x5 AL keeper league. Shandler has been high on him for at least two years, but i didn't chase him based mainly on what I had read here. Felt better to get Borowski at $18.

I love to watch guys like him - I just hate to pay for them. Does he bunt?

Had one more OF spot to fill and I picked him up for $12 in a 5x5 AL keeper league. It might have had something to do w/ the fact that my sister-in-law taught him in junior high and says he was a nice kid. She has never been a good judge of baseball talent, but I figure the bid was worth it for someone who is 24 and should get all the ABs in RF for OAK.

Well, my 4x4 AL-only keeper league auction is Saturday, and his performance tonight will probably push him out of my price range.

His two SB's tonight were easy (albeit off Weaver and his slow delivery).

Owners will pay for a 35-40 SB season based on the speed he showed tonight.