Happy Holidays to all and to all playing for your football league championship, good luck.

As it turned out last weekend, while Jamaal Charles helped me to the finals in one league, he put me out in the other.  One less touchdown and I could have made both, but one is better than none.  Unfortunately, I’m going against the league powerhouse, so I’ll need some strange things to happen to win.

So here’s a present for 2010 fantasy baseball players…Do Not Draft Javier Vasquez Early, If At All.  I know the temptation will be there, and surely he must have more value in Yankee Pin Stripes than Atlanta Peach, right?  Wrong!!!  Yes Vasquez has been an innings eater over his 12 year career, and a sure bet for 32 starts.  And 2009 was the 33 year olds best year ever, posting career highs in ERA (2.87) and WHIP (1.03), with his second best years for wins (15) and strike out (238).  He was worthy of some Cy Young votes, and the National League East was child’s play for him.

But the same will not be true in the American League East!  As we look back on his career, and the last time he pitched in the Bronx, as a 28 year old in 2004, you’ll see 14 wins and disaster with all his other numbers.  His strikes fell from 241 in 2003 to 150, his low mark for a full season, 198 innings, another low mark for a full season, a4.91 ERA and a 1.29 Whip, also some of his worst work.  He gave up 33 dingers (compared to 20 last year), and that was before the new launching pad was conceived!  So it’s scary to think about what the sequel might be this summer.

Since 2004, he has not had back to back winning seasons, and the last time he was in the AL (White Sox 2006-8), only his 2007 season was one to write home about.  Yes, he’ll win his share of games, maybe a career high 17, pitching in the 3 or 4 spot in the Yankee rotation.  And he’ll match up well against the Red Sox John Lackey, which is what the Yankees we’re hoping for when they traded for him, but the rest of his numbers could give your pitching staff problems.

In our expert’s league draft for our Just Cheat Sheets magazine yesterday, Javier fell to the 11th round, about the 70th pitcher taken.  Just the day before (and before the trade while he was still a Brave), he went in the 7th round about the 35th pitcher taken, so it didn’t take long for his value to fall.  So take note, and if you want to gamble a late round pick on him, that’s the spot, but let some other owner take him as the foundation of his pitching staff, and watch it crumble!