Fantasy Baseball By the Numbers: Week 15, Don't Sleep on Cliff Lee, Martin Prado

Welcome, everyone to the All-Star Break—the three-day period in the season where you have to find something else to do with your time other than going over stat lines and setting lineups.

It’s okay, I know it’s frustrating. Pat yourself on the back for making it through. It’s gameday on Thursday.

Hopefully you used the time to examine your squad, figure out strengths and weaknesses, and possibly make some trades or additions to fix them (now is the time to pick up Edison Volquez and Michael Gonzalez if they’re still out there).

So with the All-Star Break at hand, we’ll review ten All-Stars worth talking about.

Five

Complete games for the Texas Rangers’ newly acquired ace Cliff Lee in his last seven games. That ties his high from last season, and he’s starting to look like a C.C.-type workhorse.

Lee is moving from an extreme pitcher’s park in Safeco Field to a hitter’s park in Arlington, but he’ll have a better bullpen and with a pitcher like Lee there is no reason to worry.

His ERA might go up a tick but the Rangers are going to work him as much as possible while they have him. This can only be a good thing for owners.

Go to your local Lee owner and talk up the park impact and that he gave up six runs in his first start against Baltimore (Baltimore’s first four-game road sweep in 15 years).

That might convince them to trade Lee to your team.

Current season stat line for Charlie Manuel’s All-Star utility choice Omar Infante —a fantasy pick that has everyone scratching their heads.

Sure, he plays a lot of positions, (second base, third base, shortstop, outfield and he is eligible in Yahoo! leagues) which is what “utilityman” usually infers, but how can a guy who ranks 215^th in at bats possibly be considered an elite player?

And while All-Stars don’t always have to be fantasy monsters, a player only owned in nine percent of Yahoo! leagues clearly isn’t doing a whole lot to create runs, which is the point of the game.

If you aren’t good at that, then you aren’t good at baseball.

Those of you clamoring for defensive considerations I don’t disagree; defense is important.

And you and Franklin Gutierrez can go have your own All-Star game at Petco and watch guys shag fly balls. Infante has no business on that field when Kevin Youkilis can’t make his team.

Stat line for NL starting second baseman Martin Prado , another head-scratcher but one that I actually love and think deserves to be here.

Prado was a deep sleeper in this year’s draft and those lucky enough to take him seriously and keep him on their roster have been rewarded with a very solid source of batting average and runs; the home runs are nothing to scoff at either.

Throw in three position-eligibility and you have yourself a very valuable player.

He’s also replacing the injured Chase Utley , so it’s not as if he was voted into it, though I’m not sure why he’s starting over Brandon Phillips . It’ll be interesting to see where he falls in drafts next season.

There's no baseball right now, you have time to read more numbers .