Pierre Becquey

  (3:03 PM)

Good afternoon, baseball fans. I'll be taking your questions for the next hour.

Gifford Ocean NJ

I have both Russel Martin and Wieters in a 10 team league. Who do you like more this year? Also, if Wieters gets off to a great start would you recommend keeping him and selling Martin or vice versa?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:05 PM)

Ah, yes, I imagine there's a lot of people in this boat right now. My answer is that I'd rather have V-Mart, Mauer, McCann and Martin. That's it. As for selling later... well it really depends on what you get back, doesn't it? I'd dangle both of them out there and let the offer be the deciding factor. No reason to decide now, see what you have on your hands first.

jeff (chicago)

Which side of the trade do you like better? Votto and BJ Upton for Holliday and Ichiro?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:07 PM)

Hmm... Good one. I think I have to give Holliday/Ichiro the nod because I think Holliday ends up somewhere else and has a HUGE second half, whereas as much as I like Votto, I think we've seen the best of him so far this season.

Tommy Hanson GA

if i was called up today would you rather have me or David Price on your fantasy roster.

Pierre Becquey

  (3:08 PM)

Sorry, Tommy. Price all the way. I've seen him pitch in the Majors, whereas you still need to prove that you can take that step this season. It's a big leap.

Rosco, NC

Hi Pierre, What do you see from Alexei Ramirez for the rest of the year? Also, how many saves does Aardsma get from here on out? Merci Bocu!

Pierre Becquey

  (3:10 PM)

I see some power from Alexei, but no way he hits .290 again (and by that, I mean, from this point on). I think he's a .260 type and can still hit a dozen homers and steal 15-20 more. Aardsma... save opps are a crapshoot. I'll set the over/under at 19.5 and take the over.

Thomas (Cincinnati)

I have never even heard of you. Let me handle this chat.

Pierre Becquey

  (3:10 PM)

Seems nobody's heard of you either, Thomas. For those who have been around, though, I've written under the pseudonym Pete Becker for the past five years. I just ditched it this season.

PJ (NY)

Hey, P. Your boy Liriano looked phenomenal through the first couple of innings against Boston with 5 K's I believe. Why is he becoming so hittable the second time through the order?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:13 PM)

If I knew the answer to that, I'd be burning up the phone lines to Minnesota to let him know. I still think Liriano needs to realize he has to deceive hitters rather than try to blow them away. Once he figures out how to pitch with his new stuff rather than throw like what he had, he'll be a very good pitcher. I'd trade for him in every league I'm in... if I didn't already own him. (And by trade for him, it's assuming ther'es a discount because I imagine most Liriano owners are as frustrated as I am, but not neccessarily as faithful).

JasonG (St. Louis, MO)

From now until the rest of the season, who will have more value - Carl Crawford or Jacoby Ellsbury?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:13 PM)

Carl Crawford and it's not even close in my mind.

Bob (DC)

Do you think Lester turns it around? His K/9 is great and his BABIP is .374! Do I pull the trigger on a Ethier/Volstad for J. Upton/Lester trade?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:15 PM)

Yeah, but mostly because you're getting Justin Upton. BABIP is a nice indicator that something's amiss, but a pitcher can be guilty of being too hittable (line drive percentage affects BABIP...) Don't go thinking that a guy's BABIP has to go down to .300. It's just not that easy. All it tells us is that there's a lot of room for improvement, so yeah, the upside for a better end ot the season is very much there.

Chris, Miami

Which side of Holiday for Brandon Phillips do you like?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:17 PM)

I'm a huge fan of production at second base. It's a decent trade, and in a vacuum, I'd want Holliday's numbers, but depending on who you'd have to play at second without Phillips, I'd be willing to make that trade.

Todd (Philly)

Was just wondering how many more HRs does Jason Varitek have to hit before people start putting him in the top 10 catcher category again - he has hit 2 more today...

Pierre Becquey

  (3:19 PM)

Yeah, I've got that game on in the background... it's something else, isn't it? That said, in a 10-catcher league, there's a lot of competition... and he is hitting .238, which happens to be his 3-year average as well. I'd still rather play Bengie Molina over him. And a healthy Chris Ianneta. Wieters. Soto. Maybe even Shoppach... Baker...

Cameron in Atlanta, GA

Stark notes in his Rumblings that Wieters hasn't caught 2 games in a row all year. He has caught-DH-caught-DH. Any chance of this happening in Baltimore. If so, how does it affect fantasy owners?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:22 PM)

That's interesting. But since Baltimore uses Wiggy and Huff as at DH and first, they'd have to want to give Mora some time off, and not sure they'd want to sit anyone in their outfield... I'm guessing the best lineup the Orioles can put on the field is with Wieters at catcher. Maybe this eats into Wiggy's time, though. It certainly won't hurt Wieters if it happens, and he'll be in no risk of not having C eligibility next season.

Relieved (Everywhere)

I am so happy not to have to see the "when will Weiters be called up" question every chat. Now if only the braves would call up Hanson we wouldn't have any more of these stupid questions. By the way, any Idea when the Braves will call up Hanson?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:25 PM)

Nicely segued. But I really don't know. This is a team that has had several opportunities to use him, and still havent. I think we're over the Super 2 scare now (Price and Wieters being called up in the same week is NOT coincidence) so it wouldn't surprise me to see him called up at any time.... or not at all until September. Sorry, best I can tell you.

Paul (Chicago)

I can trade Votto and Beckett for big Tex. My other SP's are Greinke, Haren, Gallardo, Carpenter and Shields. Pull the trigger?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:27 PM)

Yeah, you could do that. Realize that you're giving up a lot overall, but you have to do that to get a top-shelf talent. In a shallow league, that's how you win; concentrate talent into each roster slot and replace what you lost with something good off the wire. Like a potential closer, or maybe stashing the aforementioned Tommy Hanson.

Yorvit Torrealba (Colorado)

I have Wieters, Napoli and Iannetta in a 10 team roto league. Trying to trade Wieters. Any idea what his value might be?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:28 PM)

I'd want nothing less than top-5 catcher value for him.

Not Hanson or Weiters

Chris Davis or Pablo Sandoval going forward for this year only.

Pierre Becquey

  (3:30 PM)

The easy answer is... do you need average or do you need power? But if you don't care and just want the one that'd finish higher in value... I'm gonna go Chris Davis. I can't wait for the weather in Texas to heat up along with him. Love them Arlington hitters in Auguest.

Eric (NY)

You mentioned potential closers - any relievers that are currently not in the closer mix that you think will become closers by the end of the season?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:34 PM)

COULD. Not will, but COULD... Jose Arredondo still intrigues me. With Lindstrom's control being so scary, I think you'd be wise to invest in Calero or Nunez in Florida. Or Jose Ceda if you're feeling very lucky. Grant Balfour keeps getting shoved out of the TB discussion, but when he's on, he's their best reliever. He just hasn't been ON this year.

Kevin (Charlotte)

Can you make it stop raining in Clevelend? Thanks.

Pierre Becquey

  (3:35 PM)

Yes. I'm just not going to tell you WHEN I'm going to make it stop raining, but I guarantee you it'll stop.

Doug (NY)

So, just want to make sure I understand these new metrics...a pitcher with a high BABIP + a low LD% is a good buy-low target (essentially because he's been unlucky)?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:38 PM)

That's over-simplifying things. The theory that goes into quantifying so-called "luck" does indeed rely on the fact that a pitcher who gives up few hard-hit balls should fare better in opp. BA than a pitcher who gives up a lot of hard-hit gappers. But every pitcher is different. What I'd do is look at a pitcher's known numbers from past season and see if there is a REASON the BABIP is much higher. If the underlying numbers look the same but the BABIP does not, he's likely been unlucky.

Pierre Becquey

  (3:39 PM)

For those of you interested in such things, Tristan Cockcroft is going to have an update to his lucky/unlucky BABIP article he wrote early May, updating the numbers and identifying new candidates to buy low and sell high. He's also very good at explaining the concept. Look for that early next week.

Hank (New Hampshire)

What about Reimold vs. Scott? Who would you rather have right now filling a vacant outfield position?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:39 PM)

Reimold. I think he plays more than Scott. No reason for Baltimore to sit him. Heck of a young outfield they've got going there.

Adam New York

Are you worried about Sizemore? What about Wright's power?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:42 PM)

Nah, I don't think Sizemore is suddenly a .220 hitter. I'd prorate a .270 30/30 campaign for him the rest of the way. As for Wright, same thing. I don't think he's much different than he was previous years. Take your early season losses and count on better days to come. Happens to big-name guys every year, and unless there's an injury to blame for it (IE V-Mart last season) I recommend trusting the larger sample size (recent history) over the smaller one (immediate history).

Max (Las Vegas, NV)

Hi Pierre. Great chat. Getting impatient with Oswalt - think his best years are behind him. What type of pitcher could I expect in return at this point? Thank you!

Pierre Becquey

  (3:47 PM)

Welcome to the club. I've stopped trusting Oswalt about a year and a half ago. But I still traded for him in an NL-only league because I was desperate for pitching. I'd trade Oswalt for a high-K, slightly wild pitcher with currently low win totals, in the hopes of enticing his owner with good ol's steady Oswalt. Price, Scherzer maybe? Guess it depends on whether you prefer upside the dependability. At the end of the season, Oswalt won't look bad. He just won't look like the ol' top-10 guy he used to be.

Pat ( Cincinnati)

Dice K for D Lowe? I like getting Lowe b/c I don't trust Dice K and I hate seeing my pitchers get rocked from their opponents in the AL East.

Pierre Becquey

  (3:47 PM)

Yeah, I'd do that.

Johnny (Harlem)

Just traded Wieters for Javy Vazquez & Napoli, and I have McCann already. Did I win out here?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:49 PM)

Great value for Wieters and you definitely improved your roster. Whomever you're dropping out of your pitching staff for Vazquez, it's got to be a much better improvement than playing Wieters at DH over whomever you have there. Simply well done.

Eric (MA)

I was offered Soto for Cain - am currently starting Pierzynski and have good pitching depth, also, someone just dropped Benji Molina - please advise!

Pierre Becquey

  (3:49 PM)

Grab Molina and keep Cain. I'd rather have Molina than Pierzynski, for the record.

jeff (austin)

Fielder and King Felix too much to give up for Pujols?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:50 PM)

It's a lot. But Pujols is the best in the game, period, and it's going to take "too much" to get him. Assuming you can spare the pitching, I'd be looking to make that kind of "upgrade" deal.

Joel ( Roscommon MI)

Thoughts on Jake Fox ?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:53 PM)

I drafted Jake Fox two years ago in my NL keeper league... and this is the first year he's done anything like this. What I really like about him isn't the ,400 average in the minors; let's not kid outselves, dude is NOT a .400 hitter. He's not even a .300 hitter. No, the good sign is that he was taking walks, finally. Power's there. If he's patient, he can be pretty useful. But he's not the second coming of Geovanny Soto. He is, at best, a lottery ticket for this season. I say he has the same upside and downside as Mark Reynolds.

Kenny, Ny

josh beckett just had a great outting. two straight now. more good things to come from him?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:54 PM)

When he gets on a roll, he can do in fact give you good things for a long time. And speaking as a Beckett owner.. he owes us. Keep ridding him. Now's not the time to sell.

Raul Ibanez (Philly)

If you had a chance to trade me for Sizemore, would you do it?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:54 PM)

Yes.

Not a cupcake Beckett question here

Should I trust Randy Wells tonight against the Dodgers? Should Swarzak be on my team after doing so well against Milwaukee and Boston and with Cleveland and Oakland coming up next week? Out of the two who has the better upside for the rest of the season?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:57 PM)

Yeah, everyone thinks their question is the most important, don't they? Wells... no, I wouldn't start Wells tonight. The downside far exceeds the upside, and remember, it takes two to three "good" starts to undo the damage done by one "poor" start. Swarzak... I wouldn't start him in a standard league, but a deeper league, yes. Definitely prefer Swarzak to Wells.

mike (OH)

I can't believe none of you NYC homers is going to answer a question on Beltran. What's the deal? Is he a safe buy for the rest of the year?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:58 PM)

Whiner. I'm a Blue Jays fan, for the record. It's Carlos Beltran! What else do you want to know?

Ken (IL)

Just traded Abreu for Beltran. Good move?

Pierre Becquey

  (3:59 PM)

See above.

kyle (omaha)

Breakout Year Lightning Round: Aaron Hill, Jason Bartlett, Ryan Zimmerman or Orlando Hudson: who keeps it up and who's trade bait?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:00 PM)

I keep HIll and Zim. I trade Bartlett and Hudson. (If I get good value. No reason they can't continue to have fine seasons).

Dave (Buffalo, NY)

P - help. You trade Magglio for Harang - dynasty league

Pierre Becquey

  (4:01 PM)

Dynasty league or not, doesn't matter. I expect both will have ceased being impact players by 2011. Pretty fair value, so yeah, I'd make that deal on both sides.

Aaron Hill

Not only am I for real but my little buddy Scooter is too.

Big John (Harlem)

Little Johnny get up here and clean your room, boy. This is the last time I tell you.

Don Cherry (CBC)

Hey Pierre, Detroit or Pittsburgh to win the cup?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:03 PM)

Why don't we ask Ron McLean? I'm taking the Pens. Detroit's beat up. Sched's not kind to them. (My homeboy Matthew Barnaby nailed it on SportsCenter).

jeff (peoria)

porcello or price for the rest of the year?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:03 PM)

Oh, sweet Q. I think it's Price, but it's a lot closer than anyone thought it would be at the beginning of the season, isn't it?

Jose (Caracas, Venezuela)

Kendry Morales or Cuddyer?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:03 PM)

Cuddyer. He's done it longer.

Pierre Becquey

  (4:04 PM)

We'll keep going 'til Paps gets the last out of this game.

LT (CA)

Liriano or Beckett going forward?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:04 PM)

Beckett. I think Liriano can overtake him in the second half, but from this point on, gotta go with Beckett.

Charlie (Syracuse, NY)

Wrong Pierre! Penguins aren't going to be able to finesse their way through Detroit the way they did the 'Canes. Hockey Town does it again!

Pierre Becquey

  (4:05 PM)

It certainly wouldn't be an upset. But I think Osgood's not going to be able to stop all the firepower the Pens will bring.

brad (harrisburg, pa)

please compare tommy hanson's impact to recent call-ups from the past? scherzer '08?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:07 PM)

Well, first, he'd have to get called up, yes? Not Scherzer... different pitcher. Fewer walks. Maybe Yovani Gallardo, with the Colorado disaster spread out over several games. As in, not quite as good, but definitely an impact player. Make sense?

Pierre Becquey

  (4:08 PM)

And with Paps taking care of business, we're done. I was rooting for the Twins, though. Hoping to jinx Paps into making this chat go extra innings, but alas, it was not to be. Tune in tomorrow for Stephania Bell and James Quintong!