Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is fighting to put a horrendous, confusing, injury-marred first four months of the season behind him.

The speedy Boston Red Sox outfielder has dealt with a rib injury for nearly the entire season, a nagging wound suffered on April 11 that didn’t get a correct diagnosis immediately, according to ESPNBoston.com.

So, nearly 100 games later, Ellsbury is still trying to make an impact, both for the Red Sox and the many fantasy owners who made a sizable invest in him. For the first time this season, Ellsbury, batting ninth in the order against the Yankees, did just that. Read more »

It’s saddening to see now former Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp being traded to the Kansas City Royals. Come on, what starter will he flail his fists at in the AL Central? Boof Bonser?

In all seriousness, with Boston trading Crisp to the Royals for set-up man Ramon Ramirez, or “Ram Ram” as he can now be affectionately known by Red Sox Nation, both teams have improved their rosters for the 2009 season. Read more »

“The sophomore slump”.

No one will ever actually admit to being a second-year player going through a mysterious curse that makes the best hitters and pitchers suffer tremendously following an impressive rookie year outing. Some say it’s just a lack of concentration, or raising the expectations too high for themselves, or just plain old nerves. Newsflash: Those three excuses are just better ways of saying, “I’m in the sophomore slump and I don’t think there’s any way out of it.” Read more »

Chances are, keeper league decisions don’t have to be made for at least a few months. But, it never hurts to feed into the obsession and take a look now while information is fresh. Scratch out a preliminary list, then either add to or subtract from it as Spring Training 2009 approaches.

Simultaneously looking backward and forward are keys in keeper leagues, as projecting future results requires elements of both. The players carried over into 2009 build a fantasy team’s foundation, so making proper choices is imperative. The foundation has to be sturdy enough to stand strong through 2010 and beyond, but also has to be competitive right now. It’s a delicate balance. Read more »

Over the course of a 162 game season, Major League teams change their lineups countless times, promote prospects from the minor leagues, make trades, and face constant struggles about what to do with certain players. Fantasy owners are no different.

Injuries, slumps, and platoons have owners throwing fits over the course of a season. Players get benched, get traded and catch fire. Through hot streaks and slumps, good games and bad, fantasy owners are there to stomach it all.

Beginning on draft day, fantasy managers have tough decisions to make. When do you draft your first closer? Should you take a risk on that rookie or go with the proven veteran? How do you avoid getting stuck with weak players at the shallow positions? ImaginaryDiamond.com is here to address some of the lessons you should have learned regarding these situations and more in 2008. Read more »

Some say the sophomore slump is a myth, but a documented list of players has suffered its full effects.

Just ask Eric Hinske. Coming off a rookie season in which he won the American League Rookie of the Year award with 24 home runs, 13 stolen bases and 99 runs, Hinske faded into relative mediocrity and never played at the same level. Past award winners Dontrelle Willis, Jason Jennings, Angel Berroa and Bobby Crosby have equally suffered from this tragic disease.

With the 2008 Major League Baseball season coming to a close this weekend, fantasy owners, specifically keeper leaguers, can start to think about 2009. This season’s exceptionally deep rookie class will give owners several second-year players to consider as keepers and early draftees next season. Read more »

After last year’s World Series performance, it’s hard to imagine that Jacoby Ellsbury is still considered a rookie, but he must be because the 24-year-old outfielder set a Red Sox rookie record with 2 stolen bases Sunday. In addition to the thefts which raised his total to a league-leading 33, he went 3-for-5 with 1 RBI and 2 runs in Boston’s 9-0 win over Cincinnati.

With injuries to Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, the Red Sox will need production from somewhere else in the lineup to continue averaging 5.1 runs a game. He has hit .297 over the past 10 games and has scored at least 1 run in 9 of those games. He has also added some power to his game, clubbing 5 home runs so far this season after hitting only 10 in a 5 year minor league career. Read more »

The arrival of much anticipated rookies Jay Bruce and Clayton Kershaw has shaken up the top 10 rookie rankings. The two phenoms join an already impressive class of rookies that includes: early Cy Young contender Edinson Volquez, Red Sox sparkplug Jacoby Ellsbury, and one of the game’s most productive catchers in Chicago’s Geovany Soto.

Here are the top rookies that have and will continue to make huge fantasy impacts. Read more »

Rookies, despite all their inexperience, can make even a novice fantasy baseball manager look like a serious veteran. These are the top 10 rookies so far this season in the fantasy landscape. And yes, the Cincinnati Reds do have an incredible group of young players. Read more »

In fantasy, rookies come in all positions and prices. Some of them enter the majors with much fanfare and expectations, while others are well-kept secrets until they drop big stats into a smart owner’s lap. This year, however, untested superprospects such as Evan Longoria and Jay Bruce have failed to take off; Bruce hasn’t even made the majors yet for Cincinnati, who have a fairly promising crop of rookies even without him.

So which rookies and other first-time starters are making a big splash at their positions after over a month of play? The all-freshman (and some sophomores) team from both leagues includes: Read more »