We’d rather have Jhonny Peralta than Stephen Drew, for 2008 at least. (AI Wire photo)
Dear RotoRob.com,
In a Roto keeper league that uses OBP instead of BA, who would you rather have - Jhonny Peralta or Stephen Drew?
Steve
Steve,
Drew projects out at around .260/.332/.418, whereas Peralta should be close to .275/.350/.445. So, based on that and taking into account everything else, I take Peralta over Drew next season. Beyond 2008, however, I would likely lean towards Drew, poised for a serious breakout very soon.
Drew Gooden had been signing a sweet tune for his owners until Anderson Varejao returned to cut his minutes. (Michael J. LeBrecht II/1Deuce3 Photography)
Dear RotoRob.com,
How are you doing? I recently traded away Drew Gooden for Yi Jianlian in my 12-team H2H league, and it seems as if I’m the only person who thinks that was a good idea.
Here are my reasons:
1. Drew probably has peaked. And Anderson Varejao takes the majority of the minutes anyways.
2. Yi is a rookie. He has ebbs and flows, but my timing for the trade was alright because I caught him at a time when he was in a funk. He has better long-term potential for me than Gooden (note: not a keeper league).
3. The Bucks have a much better schedule ahead. Including the five-game week ahead, the Bucks also have one of the best fantasy playoff schedules. The Cavs have one of the worst.
So do you see what I saw? Or was trading Gooden really a bad idea?
Thanks!
Albert
New York, NY
Albert,
I think if you are looking at the season overall, Jianlian should do better than Gooden. Varejao looks like a season-ending injury waiting to happen, but the Bucks seem more committed to getting Yi more involved in the offense than the Cavs are about Gooden. I think it will end up being closer than people think, but Yi should do slightly better since he doesn’t have to fight for shots with LeBron James.
Anthony Carter is gaining the respect of his teammates in Denver as the Nuggets’ only PG at the moment. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
You know, not every week is a good week to pick up a free agent. But, lucky for you, this isn’t one of those weeks. This is actually a fairly good week to be trolling the waiver wire to help replace those players who are doing next to nothing.
Anthony Carter: Any time you are the only point guard on a team’s roster, it is safe to say your starting job is safe! Carter is all Denver has since Chucky Atkins is done for a minimum of two months following hernia surgery. Carter had 21 points and 11 assists on Friday night, plus he has had three double-digit assist performances in his last four games. I feel very good about picking up Carter off the waiver wire and I think he should be owned in all formats. Denver will likely try to make a move to add a PG, but for now, Carter’s the man.
Martell Webster: Webster has been averaging about 26 minutes per game so far this year and over the past week, he’s been on fire with 21 points, four rebounds and two assists per game. Webster is available in almost all my leagues and I think he could be a solid short-term option capable of providing points off the bench with a small amount of rebounds as well. Although Webster struggled against the Raptors today, he had managed at least 16 points in back-to-back games prior to Sunday.
Nate Robinson: The Mighty Midget is one person who is benefiting from the Knicks’ line-up change. Robinson is averaging 2.5 threes, 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one steal per game over the past week. The Knicks have played six games in January so far and Robinson has averaged 32 minutes per game. Everyone has a chance to shine on the Knicks, so Robinson is as good of a bet right now as Zach Randolph is! Robinson looked fantastic on Friday, pouring in 24 points off the bench against Toronto.
Martell Webster is tearing it up lately, especially from downtown. (Fredrick D. Joe)
Dear RotoRob.com,
Everything is good here; I’m just a bit disappointed about how my team has performed so far. I am currently No. 4 out of eight in our H2H League. Here is my team:
PG: Mike Conley, Maurice Williams, Mike Bibby
SG: Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, Jason Richardson
SF: John Salmon, LeBron James
PF: Zach Randolph, Carlos Boozer, LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Chris Kaman, Tyson Chandler
I recently dropped Ben Wallace for Bibby, and am considering picking him back up.
Anything I need?
Please advise.
Thanks.
Ace
Ace,
Bibby is going to be back here in a day or so, so I would keep him. I would look to drop or trade Salmons and pick up someone else to occupy your SF spot. Martell Webster is a possibility, as he has been hot lately. But, since your league is so small, I would want to see a list of the available SFs before telling you to grab him. In eight-team leagues, there can be some very good starters on the wire for no reason other than nobody has room for them.
Dear RotoRob.com,
I would like to ask for your advice on my team, where I’m dead last and trailing by almost 10 points in a Rotissiere league of 10 teams (nine-cat league, has O-Reb and D-Reb).
I have T.J. Ford and Gilbert Arenas (unfortunately, he was my first pick) who are both injured. Should I drop them considering that they might not be playing until the middle of February? My players include: Mo Williams, Sebastian Telfair, Mike Miller, Ricky Davis, Udonis Haslem, Travis Outlaw, Amare Stoudamire, Danny Granger, Michael Finley and Anthony Carter. What can be done to salvage my team from ending in last place?
Thanks.
Lloyd, Philippines
When Arenas comes back he will be huge. But, Ford is dead weight and should be cut as soon as possible.
James was thrilled to witness a game in the former home of Jazz legend John Stockton.
Entering the Energy Solutions Arena for the first time was a bit overwhelming for me. Although the arena has been here since 1991, this was my first time in the home of the Jazz, being that I live out of state. I can honestly say that I don’t see a bad seat in the house. [Editorial note: Believe me, James...I've sat in a bad seat there.]
This is the same floor that John Stockton and Karl Malone made magic happen. This is the same place where Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams are forging a new dynamic duo of their own. I had a sudden urge to break out my pen and run down to the floor to see if I could pry up a piece of that hallowed wood for my collection. But, alas, I am here not only as a fan, I am here as a writer covering the game.
Now, there are a few things you need to know about going to a game as a member of the media.
The Bad things
1. You can’t get any autographs. The teams are very clear about that from the time you get your credentials.
2. No pictures. No matter how bad you want to snap off a few shots, there is a difference between a fan and the media. And, the line is very finely drawn.
3. You still aren’t allowed in practices. They don’t like anyone in on the practices. I got kicked out.
The Good Things
1. They have food. I found my way to the media room where they had some good lasagna, breadsticks, and a dessert bar that would make a kid fall in love.
2. You got one of the best seats in the house. I had a media seat right above the visiting team tunnel. I could see the game perfectly.
3. You get to go down after the game and talk with the players. Sure, you still have to be professional, but you can ask them questions like “So, Mr. Tinsley, why did you pass those fans up after warm-ups without giving them an autograph? Everyone else signed for them.”
Being a fan myself, it was really hard not to ask the players for autographs or pictures. But, when you take the whole night into account, it was an experience that I am glad to have had. The Jazz organization is about as classy as they come. The arena was incredible, the entertainment for the fans was well worth the money they paid for the tickets, and the game itself was 48 minutes of sheer good times.
If you ever get the chance to get a press pass or even a special access pass, I suggest you take advantage of it. The stuff you get to do just crushes what you get to do as a normal fan with a normal ticket. I got to see every player sign stuff for fans except Jamaal Tinsley (which almost made me cut him from my team); I got to stand next to Andrei Kirilenko and see how tall he really is; and I figured out that since I am 6′2″, I am positive that Deron Williams is not 6′3″ as listed. The night ended with me getting the cold shoulder in the locker room after I asked some of the questions Rob suggested I ask. Needless to say, I can’t post them here since I work for both teams and they almost kicked me out the first time.
