Rickie Weeks has made some defensive leaps.

Dan, I was thinking that Mark Difelice might get a starter rating since he pulled three AAA starts last year. He seems like a decent swingman option.

Marcum projection is missing.

I'll take the under on Braun's games played totals.

Was it Aramis who was comped to Brooks last year? We had good fun with that. :-)

This would be one heck of an offense with Prince back but Gamel projects OK. (Likely) missing Braun for 50 games is going to hurt of course.

Greinke's a weird cat. His ERA+ the last 2 years is 100 and 102 despite very good peripherals. The only season he's had where he's hit that ERA+ projection is his great 2009. He is possibly a true "high" BABIP pitcher -- 311 for his career and he hasn't had a season under 307 since his rookie year. Still only about 8 hits a year.

Caleb Grindl? I didn't know the Amish played baseball. :-) But then why not? Wood, leather, horsehide.

I'm obviously missing some joke about Robert Wooten.

On Prince. The comps seem appropriate ones, albeit Gonzalez being a bit more svelte. :-) OK, even Boog is a bit more svelte than Prince. Boog went off a cliff but not until 35 -- less playing time than you'd like but looks like that was Weaver platooning (which would improve Boog's rate stats). Anyway, 6 years, >3000 PA, 141 OPS+, 1 MVP.

Cash aged quite well actually. His relatively short career was due to a late start not a cliff. From 28-33 or 28-35 or 28-37, he was good for 550 PA and a 134 OPS+ per year.

Using the ZiPS career projection vs. current, Prince has coming 6300 PA (wow ... put me down as no ####### way), 1450 hits, 280 HR (is that all?) Given the career OPS+ ends up 10 points lower, I assume ZiPS sees him as maintaining at this level for about 5-6 years then a slow decline. Still surprised ZiPS is so bullish on him.

Whether any of those performances would be worth 6/$150 or 8/$184 or whatever is another matter but Prince looks like a good bet to hit for the next 6 years or so (say 20-24 WAR). ZiPS seems to think he'll be David Ortiz as he ages and that probably is good enough to warrant the extra years.

WUT, BRAUN WON'T PLAY 156 GAMEZ LOL!

Not Dan, but your answer on DiFelice is probably because his injury profile doesn't really make him fit as a starter at this point--he missed the last few months of the 2011 season. (but it's DiFelice, he proves things wrong)

How is K-Rod only 30 years old?

Weeks has some pretty crappy comps there.

Love Wooten's comps, Dan.

I'll take the over on Brauns lifetime HR. Also, if Greinke's career projections pan out, is he a HOF? He'd be almost as good as Morris. Sorry to pile on Jack.

Man, that's a good-looking team until you realize Prince is gone and Braun will be suspended 50 games.

if Greinke's career projections pan out, is he a HOF?

Too soon to tell. Those numbers (IP, wins) are nearly the same as Kevin Brown and Curt Schilling except a substantially lower ERA+ (127 vs 128 vs 120 for Greinke). So Brown without steroid suspicion (we hope) or Schilling without the bloody sock (and overall aweseome postseason stats -- seriously, the man was 11-2, 2.23 ERA in 19 starts, slightly better than that in the WS).

Anyway, it's not clear yet how the voters feel about the new "low" career IP starters that recent/current usage might be sticking us with.* Smoltz and Mussina are in similar situations but Smoltz has the saves and Mussina has 300 more IP and 50-55 more wins than these guys. In the end, I think all three of those guys make it in via BBWAA unless the backlog nightmares come to full fruition. Anyway, the voters tend to have some issues when there are substantial shifts in pitcher usage -- one of Morris's problems in a way, even moreso for somebody like Stieb. Presumably by the time Greinke retires they'll be used to it -- who knows, that might even be a high IP total by then. Schilling is next up (in a tough year), let's see how he goes.

*It's not entirely clear that current starter usage creates low career IP totals -- fewer innings per season for sure but maybe more seasons. Somewhat heavier usage but Maddux, Clemens, Glavine and Johnson all ended up with IP totals that any 70s warhorse would have been proud of. Maybe guys like Sabathia or Buehrle will stay durable through 45 now and still push 4000 IP for a career. Or, with lower offensive levels, I think we're already starting to see IP/start creep up for the top starters.

That 152 for Fielder reminded me to look for Pujol's projection. Not under Cards or Angels... Dan??

Not Dan, but your answer on DiFelice is probably because his injury profile doesn't really make him fit as a starter at this point--he missed the last few months of the 2011 season. (but it's DiFelice, he proves things wrong)

DiFelice is also a one-pitch pitcher whose one pitch is a meatball to lefties.

Why does that screen name in 14 look familiar??

I don't know why that name looks familiar? (I'm just posting this to see if it actually posts, since in other threads I can't seem to posts and nobody has posted anything in a while)

I was afraid my snark had gotten me banned.

I was afraid my snark had gotten me banned.

You too?

since in other threads I can't seem to posts and nobody has posted anything in a while

Yeah, weird. This is the only thread I can seem to post in.

If this continues, this thread is really going to go meta.

I can post in any thread that isn't on Newsblog(I think)

I can post in any thread that isn't on Newsblog(I think)

You're right. I was only clicking among the Hot topics.

Criminy, it took me four sentences to realize that #22 was spam. I thought "bags of charm" was some sort of snarky comment about Prince Fielder.

I don't know why, but I suddenly have the urge to pick up Mike Jacobs in my fantasy league.