AJ Mass

  (11:00 AM)

Good morning, gang! Another 60 minutes of fantasy chattage is ready to get started, so let's get it started. Second cup of coffee in hand. Who is up first?

Griffin (NY)

Time to jump ship on Darvish? That WHIP scares me.

AJ Mass

  (11:02 AM)

We've been saying since the spring that the combo of "second-time around" issues along with endurance concerns in first MLB season would make Yu a first-half only fantasy player. So, I'd definitely get out before the wheels fall off.

Ryan Ram (Montreal)

Hey AJ, love hearing you on #RHAP. Dynasty league and i am in last and looking to rebuild, should i trade morneau and kubel for belt and heyward?

AJ Mass

  (11:04 AM)

Thanks. Rob's a good guy... At this point of the season, I have no issue with deals to get younger that don't involve players in the minors. I wouldn't necessarily endorse trading active veterans for Double-A guys, for example... but deals like this *could* still pay dividends this season, too.

Gilbert N. (Asheville, NC)

How do you rank these first basemen for the ROS? Goldschmidt, LaRoche, Duda? Thanks

AJ Mass

  (11:05 AM)

Right now, that's the order I'd predict.

Woody (Hartford)

Is it time to give up on Latos in a 10 team mixed league?

AJ Mass

  (11:06 AM)

He's barely top 100 SP right now and shows no signs of getting any closer to the top...you do the math.

Tim (Maryland)

Niese or McCarthy?

AJ Mass

  (11:07 AM)

If Brandon, then him. If Jenny, then Niese.

Chris Capuano (Lincecum Limbo)

My hot start had to be all smoke and mirrors right? What do you think my outlook is ROS?

AJ Mass

  (11:08 AM)

Of top 25, I'd say he and Harrison are the ones I am least confident in going forward, but that's not to say he's completely fraudulent.

Billy (KC)

Ethics question. A league of mine has gotten to a point where no one wants to trade, unless it's strongly in their favor. Even trades gets rejected all the time. Only one owner trades evenly, and I've been known to trade with him 3-4 times a season. Is this unethical? The trades have been mostly even, the others HE'S actually gotten the better end of.

AJ Mass

  (11:09 AM)

So you're asking if its ethical to only make trades with one owner because he's the only one who accepts your trades? There's nothing ethically wrong there...

Alex (Chicago)

What is a Trevor Plouffe, and what are his ROS projectins?

AJ Mass

  (11:10 AM)

Jack of all trades, master of none. A batting average anchor with enough pop to be interesting as a "roll the dice" option off your bench.

Chris Sale (Chicago)

Am I THIS good??

AJ Mass

  (11:11 AM)

Pretty much, yes.

Eddie (LA)

Drop Youk in a 10 team roto?

AJ Mass

  (11:12 AM)

Assuming there's no trade market at all, then yes.

TC (Boston)

Thoughts on Nova ROS...worth a pick up?

AJ Mass

  (11:13 AM)

Not really. The wins are a fluke. If he was 2-7 with the same 5+ ERA and .300 BAA, the question wouldn't even be asked.

Nick (Oregon)

Pujols top 5 ROS?

AJ Mass

  (11:14 AM)

Certainly a possibility. He's finally pulled himself into the top-50 after the ridiculous hole he dug for himself early, which few hitters would have been able to do.

Andrew (Hutto)

Jennings or maybin in a keeper league? Kipnis for real or should we all run and trade for him?

AJ Mass

  (11:17 AM)

Jennings. I think we've seen enough of Cameron to know he's a Quad-A talent at best. Kipnis is absolutely for real as a quality 2B option, though he is due for a regression as the season wears on...

Ridiculous (Numbers)

Is Mike Trout the best player in baseball today? He's got the highest WAR since he's been called up. Sell high?

AJ Mass

  (11:19 AM)

Trout's been terrific. Nobody can argue that... but Josh Hamilton is currently best player in terms of fantasy value.

Daniel (NY)

Is it possible Maybin is a "second half player"? He tore it up in the back half last season

AJ Mass

  (11:20 AM)

I just don't buy the first-half/second-half arguments from most players, save for those who tail off late due to endurance concerns. Good players will be able to have a solid May as easily as a solid August. The rest is just statistical quirks and patternicity.

Matt (Dallas)

Lester or Lincecum? ROS

AJ Mass

  (11:22 AM)

I still say Lincecum, but it is getting harder and harder to make the argument.

Tim (VA)

Patternicity! Nice word! Should we still ignore Liriano for the sake of our own saneness?

AJ Mass

  (11:23 AM)

All credit to Michael Shermer for that coinage... but I agree it's a fun word. As for Francisco, I see no reason to turn over that stone.

MeisterNJ (Mendham)

Morrow on the shelf for awhile?

AJ Mass

  (11:24 AM)

I believe John Farrell used the word "substantial" in describing the injury... can't be good.

Tim (PA)

Lester, Gallardo, Peavy...is that the right order for ROS?

AJ Mass

  (11:25 AM)

Peavy for me still at No. 1. Lester and Gallardo is truly a coin toss.

Jeff (RI)

Are you of the same mind as a lot of other analysts that advise Beachy is a sell-high and is due for a sizeable regression, or can he keep up his strong season (albeit with slight upticks in ERA & WHIP)?

AJ Mass

  (11:28 AM)

I think the nature of the beast is that most pitchers who are in the top 25 are due for some regression as the season wears on... otherwise, everyone would be 20-3 with a 2.00 ERA. So, in that sense, no I don't think there's a "sizable" regression ahead.

Jeff (NY)

Endurance: Given that a lot of catchers ware down and it shows in their stats - might it be good to stash Lucroy on the DL right now under the assumption that the 4-6 weeks will keep him fresher at the tail end of the season?

AJ Mass

  (11:29 AM)

Since it's a hand injury and not a leg/knee issue, that's a speculation that may well bear fruit.

Cody (PA)

Isn't it annoying when people in your league never sign on and set there line up.

AJ Mass

  (11:31 AM)

All the more reason to play with a group of motivated friends rather than strangers, though even in those leagues, such actions are not completely unheard of.

Chris (Cincy)

Did you see Prometheus?

AJ Mass

  (11:31 AM)

Not yet, though I did manage to endure Chernobyl Diaries.

John (NY)

Hughes or Bauer ROS?

AJ Mass

  (11:32 AM)

Hughes has enough of a head-start...

Dave (The Big Easy)

NL-only 1B woes. Drop Ike for Wallace? Thanks!

AJ Mass

  (11:33 AM)

Done and done.

Rick (DC)

Hey AJ, ethics question for you: if in a H2H with limited starts an opponent (who is LM) had morrow going, and then removed him after the game, is that allowed? Or should that still count towards total starts and ERA for the week? League rules do not say anything about injury exceptions, but I wanted your take on it.

AJ Mass

  (11:34 AM)

Rick, even in DC, that's called cheating.

Josh Johnson (Florida)

Im finally rounding into form, was hitting 95 in the 7th!! How you feel about me ROS???

AJ Mass

  (11:35 AM)

Definitely on the rise. Still might play matchups a bit, but worth owning to be sure.

Michael (Pattowak, NJ)

Dexter Fowler is on the wire, worth dropping Kendrys Morales for him?

AJ Mass

  (11:37 AM)

Different type of player, and though I would normally make that exchange, I might wait until after this upcoming lengthy road-heavy stretch of the Rockies schedule.

Mike (San Diego)

How was Chernobyl Diaries (insert witty nuclear waste pun here...sorry, it's early)? I wanted to get your take on Alex Gordon. The general consensus was that last year was a breakout, but now it's looking more like it was an aberration. Hasn't been great so far in 2012.

AJ Mass

  (11:39 AM)

Loved the use of "found footage" camera techniques in a film that wasn't "found footage" - story was interesting for first half of film and then nosedived. Gordon is a .270 hitter at best, sorry to say.

Nick (Minnesota)

Are you in favor of streaming pitchers in order to have someone always going? My league counts wins, saves, k's, whip, era, and k/9. Thanks!

AJ Mass

  (11:40 AM)

League rules dictate the streaming strategy. My preference is to not allow roster moves during the week, so that you can't simply win counting categories by brute force... but when in Rome, you kind of have to eat Italian food.

Rollie (Oakland)

Drop Rickie Weeks for Brian Roberts?? Thanks!

AJ Mass

  (11:42 AM)

I'd drop Rickie Weeks for Pernell Roberts right about now.

Dave (Chicago)

Kemp for Longoria and Gio? Which side do you like?

AJ Mass

  (11:43 AM)

I'll add Gio to my mix and exchange the "damaged goods."

Roy Oswalt (Arlington)

Was I worth the moolah and the wait? Not really lighting it up in AA.

AJ Mass

  (11:45 AM)

Oswalt isn't "pitching" in Double-A. He's throwing. It's merely a mechanical, get in shape thing. I'd put exactly zero meaning into any results or lack thereof.

Kevin (STL)

Drop Viciedo for Soriano or sit pat?

AJ Mass

  (11:46 AM)

I do like Soriano better.

bob (ny)

Was about to get Cj wilson for Rafael Betancourt,but my league vetoed saying it was unfair. Guy needed saves. I think its a huge joke I was denied this. What do you think?

AJ Mass

  (11:47 AM)

Exhibit No. 757 on why veto votes are ridiculous.

Adam (PA)

Samardzija has had a few consecutive rocky outings. I expected major regression but not necessarily this soon. Do you see him leveling out or should owners try to 'sell high'?

AJ Mass

  (11:49 AM)

I'd say that was the regression. I think he's about where he's going to be - a No. 4-5 level SP in a 10-team mixed.

Michael (KC)

Got your book for my dad for Father's day. Would you trade Hosmer or Freeman with Stanton to get Tulo?

AJ Mass

  (11:50 AM)

Makes a great gift! And thanks! I would not throw any extra bodies into the mix in a Tulo-Stanton deal. I'd say that it's a fairly even heads-up exchange, given positional needs.

Daniel (Alabama)

AJ, Im a big fan of yours. I love everything you do. I am currently in first place, should I stand pat and do nothing or try to make some trades?

AJ Mass

  (11:52 AM)

Daniel, I'd answer the question without the syrup, sir. Don't ever get cocky that you can't improve your team. ALWAYS be looking to upgrade and trade.

Billy (Montana)

Never feel the love in these chats. Seager or Aviles ROS, removing position eligibility

AJ Mass

  (11:53 AM)

I go Seager.

Parnell (Jersey)

Rank'em: Tex, Big Papi, Butler or Sandoval ROS?

AJ Mass

  (11:54 AM)

Ortiz, Panda, Butler, Tex.

Dave (Cali)

Oakland Closer?

AJ Mass

  (11:55 AM)

No, it's still in the same place. Hasn't moved. (I keed! I keed!) Call me crazy, but I think Fuentes still ends up with most saves ROS.

Howie Kendrick (No Power)

Where is my power? Am I going to hit all singles this season or what?

AJ Mass

  (11:57 AM)

Only 11 2B/HR in 210 ABs? I think this answers the question...

John (Trade Floor)

Someone keeps asking for Pedroia by offering Ackley...fair??? Non Keeper....

AJ Mass

  (11:59 AM)

I don't think so. Looks to me to be someone trying to capitalize on DP's recent injury issues and get him on the cheap.

Erik (VA)

Earlier you said you wouldnt trade MLB guys for prospects. If you're rebuilding, why not?

AJ Mass

  (12:00 PM)

I wouldn't do it in mid-June. I would do it in late-July. I'm not of the mind to "pack it in" just yet, even if I am in last.

AJ Mass

  (12:01 PM)

That's my whistle. I'll be back at 2pm with Tristan on the video chat. I'm also around on Twitter (@ajmass) Until the next time, good luck and may the odds be EVER in your favor!