Keith Lipscomb

  (3:01 PM)

Good afternoon everyone! Let's get right to your questions.

Steve Philly

Should I keep Clay Bucholtz or Nick Markakis

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:04 PM)

I would definitely keep Markakis, because he should have another solid season, while Buchholz is still young and not guaranteed anything just yet. I like Buchholz, but Markakis is the keeper in this spot.

TIm (Milwaukee, WI)

Please rank. Cano, Rios, Hunter, Abreu, Granderson. Would you trade any of these guys for Lackey?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:08 PM)

Tim, I'm assuming you're speaking of your keepers here and are looking to get one cornerstone for your pitching staff. Since you've listed 4 OFs here, you could definitely trade one of them since you've got major depth there. And all four do very similar things. Abreu has the least HR power and is the oldest of them, so I'd dish him or Hunter.

Chris (maine)

Hi Keith. For the first time this year i'm playing in a league that has all the infield positions PLUS one corner and one middle infielder. How does this change draft strategy? Does it bump all the better SS up a notch or two? Thanks!

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:11 PM)

What it means is that you won't be able to find good quality replacements on the waiver wire anymore :-) And because of that, it certainly means you'll want to put more value on the best at those positions, just because the difference from the best SS owned to the worst will be greater.

Cory (Austin, TX)

What are your thoughts on Dorrell Wright? Will he keep up the production once Haslem comes back, or maybe Miami deals Haslem and gives the position to Wright for the rest of the season?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:14 PM)

I haven't heard about any Haslem deals, so for now, I'll assume he stays with the Heat. If he does, I have a hard time seeing Wright be as effective as he's been the past couple weeks, because Haslem will occupy the 4, Marion goes to the 3, and even though Blount may not play 35 minutes a night, he'll be the 5. And with D-Wade at the 2 and J-Will/Banks at the 1, there are only so many minutes to go around for Wright and Ricky Davis. I think Davis is the key here. If he gets traded, which he seems to every year, then Wright can have some strong value. I would love to see the Heat just play Wright, since they are a non-factor in the playoff hunt, but I'm not counting on it until I hear Riles utter it.

mike newport beach, ca

WHAT KIND OF YEAR DOES STEPHEN DREW HAVE? IS HE WORTH ALATE RISK IN 10 TEAM DRAFTS

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:17 PM)

I like Drew more than some others and as long as your league has MI and CI slots, he's certainly worth taking, since 30 SS/2B will be taken in your draft. I like Drew in that 13-14 range among SS.

rizzo ( WI )

Marcus Camby; Keep him or trade him ?Can he really stay healthy ALL year ? He practically wins me blocks every week, but I do have Dalembert too.

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:19 PM)

I only deal him if you feel you're helping yourself in another area of need. I hear you, Camby NEVER stays healthy for this long and he's due to go down, but it doesn't mean you ship him off quickly. Throw his name out there in trade talk and see if you can't get another stud back, targeting a team that is in dire need of boards and blocks. And if no one bites, just hope this is the year Camby stays healthy and ride the wave!

Hoopy McHoops

I've got a playoff spot locked up and am holding onto Hibachi, Brand, and Deng with hopes they will help me in the playoffs. Your thoughts?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:20 PM)

Very, very smart. Not because I'm doing the same thing with Brand and Tony Parker in another league, of course. But seriously, if your league doesn't reward for your playoff seed, then you're all back to square one when the playoffs start. And by then, you will have a good idea of how Gilbert, Brand and Deng look.

Rich (San Jose)

Who has more upside following the All-Star break? Thornton, Warrick, Dorrell Wright or Thaddeus Young?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:24 PM)

I don't see any of them being particularly consistent, but for different reasons. I already gave my reasons for Wright, but Thornton and Warrick are two-category guys at best (points, rebounds). I think Thornton could help in points for sure and help a little in boards, but Warrick still has too many guys in his way to be a better play. Young is still a bit raw for my taste. Wright is the risk-reward pick and Thornton is the safest one if you're OK with only getting help in a couple categories. You may have to reevaluate if Brand looks like his old self upon returning, though.

Andy (Ann Arbor, MI)

Who's the #1 pick going into the MLB season? It's gotta be A-Rod, right?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:25 PM)

I liked A-Rod No.1 last year, so after the way he played in '07, I can't change my mind about him now.

Luke (Cary NC)

I have to select keepers within the week. I already have Hanley, who would you keep, Braun or Holliday.

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:28 PM)

I'd go with Holliday, because I love the high BA and being in Coors. It's not like Braun is chopped liver, but it's possible he could experience some sophomore adjustments as pitchers learn how to better approach him.

Kevin (Highlands Ranch, CO)

Hi Keith, thanks for taking my question. 12 team keeper league, H2H, 5X5...get to keep four. I'm setup quite well with Howard, HanRam, Holliday & Miggy Cabrera. I was offered Braun for Miggy, straight up, with the following caveats: Braun can be kept this year and next for a 22nd round selection...and, by removing Cabrera from my keepers, I could replace him with either Hafner or Lackey. Does this make any sense for me? Or, would you, like me, prefer the consistent numbers from Miggy, and bet on the come a little in that his numbers likely get a kick up based on the Tiger's lineup? Really appreciate your insight here!

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:31 PM)

You know, Kevin, 22nd round for Braun for '08 AND '09 is pretty nasty, even if Braun won't likely have 3B eligibility next year. And to have the option of adding a 5th keeper on the level of Hafner or Lackey is nothing to sneeze at. Knowing what I know about your rules, I think I'd do that deal, actually. Even knowing that Cabrera could blow up in Detroit, Braun will put up great numbers, too, in a slot where others are taking No. 5 outfielders and backup catchers.

Larry (Memphis)

Would you use one of your 4 AL keeper picks on Victor Martinez instead of a Tori Hunter type of player? Everyone says don't draft catchers high.

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:35 PM)

I happen to have Martinez and Hunter very close together in my rankings, so it's not an outrageous thought to me. Martinez's average/run-producing numbers are nice from the catcher position, so you could argue that you'll be able to draft an OF comparable to Hunter in the draft.

Tifany (NYC)

Who do you think will be a sleeping in Fantasy Baseball drafts this year?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:40 PM)

Besides a couple of my boys who always enjoy the spirits during the draft, I seem to get Raul Ibanez-types later than I should every year. Ibanez is very steady and goes later than he should. I like Josh Hamilton this year, especially when you consider how impressive he was last year after such a long layoff from baseball activities. And another Rangers OF, Milton Bradley, could be a nice value as well. Gotta stay healthy, of course. Those are some OFs I like earlier than others seem to be willing to take them.

Steve (Baltimore)

Should I protect Morneau at $21 or Longoria at $3. I'm worried about Morneau's second half struggles last year.

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:42 PM)

While I still like Morneau, Longoria should more than earn those $3 you're ponying up. With first base being a deep position, you should be able to find someone who can put up similar numbers to Morneau's, and maybe for cheaper.

mike newport beach, ca

I WAS OFFERED BRIAN ROBERTS FOR TULOWITZKI, SHOULD I DO IT, MY SS IS JOSE REYES AND I NEED A 2B I WANT TO USE BJ UPTON IN THE OF? IS IT A FIAR TRADE?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:46 PM)

I think it is a fair trade. Roberts could be moved during spring training, but I don't expect his value to change, really. I don't personally see anything wrong with using Upton at 2B, though, and having your middle spots all sewn up, though. Because having guys like Reyes and Upton, you're already good to go in steals, so having Tulo would provide the home run pop, which Roberts lacks.

Bart (Cleveland)

Keith, when do you think is the right time to snag bynum off of waivers?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:49 PM)

Well, Bart, it really depends on where you stand in the playoff hunt right now, in my opinion. If you feel confident you'll make the playoffs, then you could grab him in the next week or so just to be sure you get him. I don't expect him to put up the same numbers he did pre-injury, even if he does come back at full strength. The presence of Gasol has changed things some. That being said, I do think he'll still be solid in the middle for you. If you need every category in a head-to-head format, for example, to stay in the hunt, it's a tougher decision on when to pull the trigger since we don't know the exact date he'll return, though.

Luke (Cary NC)

What kind of season do you think Ryan Zimmerman will have with the new ballpark?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:53 PM)

I wish I knew how the new ballpark would play. And any speculation you hear is just that. I remember hearing bad reads on other new ballparks over the years, so I'm playing the wait-and-see game on how the ballpark will impact things. That being said, I like Zimmerman, regardless. I think he'll get that average back up in the .285-.290 range with 25 homers and 100 RBI. And if the ballpark winds up being hitter-friendly, then even better!

Michael (Tucson AZ):

Hey Keith, basketball keeper question. Who would you rather keep for next year (at this juncture): Jose Calderon or Andrew Bynum? Even when Calderon splits time, he is capable of putting up a ton of assists per game and his percentages are insane for a PG, not to mention his low TOs. My other keepers are slated to be Kevin Durant, Josh Smith, and Elton Brand.

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:55 PM)

In making this decision, I think you have to look at your other keepers. You've got the scoring, rebounding and blocks covered, which are Bynum's strongest areas. What you don't have is the great distributor, and not only is Calderon a big assist man, he's the best A/TO guy in the Association. I pick Calderon for your roster.

Corey (Philadelphia)

Is Evan Longoria worth a late draft pick in a 16 team Rotisserie league?

Keith Lipscomb

  (3:58 PM)

He's worth more than that in a big league like that. He's definitely worth a pick in 12-team rotisserie leagues. And when all is said and done, I could sound really silly for not saying the same for 10-team leagues, too. I like him more than someone like Casey Blake, for example, who many have ranked higher.

Kevin (Princeton NJ)

Hey Keith, I'm in a 10-team roto and get to keep 3SP, with no limitations on how long I can keep them (lock in 3SP keepers prior to each season). Little help here -- Webb, Smoltz, Lincecum, Liriano, Bonderman, Shields, Rich Hill.

Keith Lipscomb

  (4:01 PM)

I try not to plan too far ahead with pitchers, because of their fickle nature, unless I'm torn between two guys. I like to win now and worry about the future later, especially with pitchers. Webb is the obvious option here and I'd still go with Smoltz, despite his age. And to balance things out, I'll go with Liriano and hope he returns to his dominant ways sooner rather than later. Nice crop to pick from, though.

Keith Lipscomb

  (4:02 PM)

All right, everyone. That was a fast hour. Hope you do something nice for someone on Valentine's Day. See you next week!