Draft day injury report

You can read this entire blog entry in the amount of time it takes Scott Kazmir's fastball to get to home plate.

Are you ready for draft day? We certainly hope so. According to MLB expert Harold Reynolds, it's important to draft players who are healthy enough to play for your fantasy team. To follow that advice, you should peruse the following injury report. We're only mentioning the players we consider to be draftable. So don't come crying to us if you go off the board and select Colin Rea because you forgot scientists are piecing his elbow back together with wooden dowels and scotch tape.


Arizona: None.


Atlanta: IF/OF Sean Rodriguez is likely out for the season after being injured in a car crash.


Chicago: None.


Cincinnati: C Devin Mesoraco is recovering from hip and shoulder injuries and will start the season on the DL. SP Anthony DeSclafani is out indefinitely with an elbow injury and is undergoing PRP treatment. SP Homer Bailey is expected to return from an elbow injury in June.


Colorado: 1B/OF Ian Desmond is expected to return from a broken hand by late April. OF David Dahl is expected to return from a rib injury in April. SP Chad Bettis is expected to miss most of the season after doctors discovered that Bettis' testicular cancer had spread.


Los Angeles: SP Scott Kazmir is recovering from a hip problem and will start the season on the DL. OF Andre Either has a back problem and might return in mid-April.


Miami: 3B Martin Prado has a hamstring injury and is expected to be out until mid-April.


Milwaukee: C Andrew Susac is expected to return from a trapezius injury in mid-April. SP Matt Garza is on the 10-day DL with a groin strain.


New York: 3B David Wright has a shoulder impingement and might not begin throwing for 2 more weeks. SP Steven Matz has elbow impingement and won't throw for at least 3 weeks. OF Juan Lagares will start the season on the DL with an oblique injury. SP Seth Lugo might begin the season on the DL with arm fatigue.


Philadelphia: None.


Pittsburgh: None, although 3B Jung-Ho Kang doesn't yet have a work visa.


San Diego: RP Carter Capps will start the season on the 10-day DL as he recovers from elbow surgery. SP Christian Friedrich could return from a lat injury in late April. OF Alex Dickerson will be out until mid-April with a back injury.


San Francisco: OF Mac Williamson is expected to return in April from a quad injury.


St. Louis: SP/RP Trevor Rosenthal is on the 10-day DL with a lat strain.


Washington: 3B Anthony Rendon has missed a few days after fouling a ball off his leg; he might be fine for opening day.

Spring training injury report: 1 week until draft day

At least no one's gotten hurt playing Guitar Hero this year. Right, Joel Zumaya? 

Injured players are running out of time to get ready for the season (looking at you, AGAIN, Devin Mesoraco). Here's a rundown of who's hanging out with the Band-Aids and the ointments in the trainer's room.


Arizona: OF Yasmany Tomas is recovering from a mild oblique injury. OF Socrates Brito will miss a couple of months with a broken finger.


Atlanta: IF/OF Sean Rodriguez is likely out for the season after being injured in a car crash.


Chicago: 2B/OF Ben Zobrist is day to day with a mild neck injury.


Cincinnati: C Devin Mesoraco is recovering from hip and shoulder injuries and appears to be unlikely for opening day. SP Anthony DeSclafani is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. SP Homer Bailey is expected to return from an elbow injury in June. RP Raisel Iglesias, a candidate for the closer job, is recovering from elbow and hip injuries suffered in the shower but is expected to be ready for opening day.


Colorado: SP Jon Gray is day to day with a toe injury. 1B/OF Ian Desmond is expected to return from a broken hand by late April. OF David Dahl is expected to return from a rib injury in April. SP Chad Bettis is expected to miss most of the season after doctors discovered that Bettis' testicular cancer had spread.


Los Angeles: SS Corey Seager is expected to return from an oblique injury in time for opening day. SP Scott Kazmir is recovering from a hip problem and might not be ready for opening day. SP Hyun-Jin Ryu is recovering from shoulder, elbow and leg injuries; he might be ready for opening day. OF Andre Either has a hip problem and might not be ready for opening day.


Miami: SP Jeff Locke is out indefinitely with a biceps injury. 3B Martin Prado has a hamstring injury and will be out until mid-April.


Milwaukee: C Andrew Susac is expected to return from a trapezius injury in mid-April.


New York: 3B David Wright has a shoulder impingement; his return date is unknown. SP Zack Wheeler is recovering from an elbow injury and could start the season on the DL or in the bullpen. SP Steven Matz has an elbow impingement; his status is unknown. OF Juan Lagares is out with an oblique injury; his status is unknown.


Philadelphia: None.


Pittsburgh: 3B Jung Ho Kang has been denied a work visa.


San Diego: RP Carter Capps is recovering from an elbow injury and might be ready for opening day. SP Christian Friedrich is out indefinitely with a lat injury. OF Alex Dickerson will be out until mid-April with a back injury.


San Francisco: 3B Eduardo Nunez is recovering from a mild shoulder injury but should be ready for opening day. OF Mac Williamson is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a quad injury.


St. Louis: None.


Washington: None.

Positional eligibility news for 2017

The late Tony Phillips, this blog's favorite utility man, just found out Jorge Posada didn't know that Phillips
spent time in the majors at 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF, RF and DH. 

We here at the FBLG blog love players with eligibility at multiple positions. This season will be a bit tricky for team owners, though, because ESPN's rules are different from what we're used to. Players are only eligible at positions where they played more than 20 games a year ago. For players who are switching positions, you'll have to wait until they've played 10 games at a new position this year for them to be eligible there.

We understand this will make the draft a bit more complicated this year, so here's a list of players eligible at multiple positions or who are changing positions this year. We hope this helps as you prepare for the draft. If you have any questions at draft time, just ask your commissioners for clarification.

Javier Baez (CHI) is eligible at 2B, SS and 3B.
Kris Bryant (CHI) is eligible at 3B and OF.
Matt Carpenter (STL) is eligible at 1B, 2B and 3B.
Willson Contreras (CHI) is eligible at C and OF.
Ian Desmond (COL) is eligible only at OF but is expected to play mostly 1B when he returns from injury.
Brandon Drury (ARI) is eligible at 3B and OF but is expected to be the primary 2B.
Wilmer Flores (NY) is eligible at 1B and 3B.
Jedd Gyorko (STL) is eligible at 2B, SS and 3B.
Howie Kendrick (PHI) is eligible at 2B and OF.
Daniel Murphy (WAS) is eligible at 1B and 2B.
Eduardo Nunez (SF) is eligible at SS and 3B.
Chris Owings (ARI) is eligible at SS and OF.
Jose Peraza (CIN) is eligible at SS and OF but is expected to be the primary 2B.
Hernan Perez (MIL) is eligible at 3B and OF.
Ryan Schimpf (SD) is eligible at 2B but is competing for the 3B job.
Travis Shaw (MIL) is eligible at 1B and 3B.
Yangervis Solarte (SD) is eligible at 3B but is expected to be the primary 2B.
Cory Spangenberg (SD) is eligible at 2B but is competing for the 3B job.
Eric Thames (MIL) is eligible only at OF but is expected to be the primary 1B.
Trea Turner (WAS) is eligible at 2B and OF but is expected to be the primary SS.
Jonathan Villar (MIL) is eligible at SS and 3B but is expected to be the primary 2B.
Ben Zobrist (CHI) is eligible at 2B and OF.