JimmyJam League Baseball: Fantasy News (1.14.14)

The Gyorko Store called and they're running out of Yu.

Rumors have it, that's what it will cost the Jerk to get Jedd Gyorko: Yu Darvish, or someone of that caliber.

Chief Otto Parts get: Julio Teheran, James Paxton.
Steroid.ERA get: Edwin Encarnacion, Jedd Gyorko, Jake Peavy

But it's unlikely the new Gyorko owner, Steroid.ERA, will deal him so soon. Only the Choo would be so antsy to wheel and deal a newly acquired player.

Then again, we're 14 days into 2014 and the Choo hasn't made a trade. Perhaps after a trip to the World Series the Choo is satisfied?

Nah, I doubt it.

Nevertheless, it was the Otto Parts and Steroid.ERA making the first deal of the new year. Otto Parts send Edwin Encarnacion, Jedd Gyorko and Jake Peavy to Steroid for Julio Teheran and James Paxton.

Paxton, a 6-4 left-handed prospect for the Mariners, came up last season and went 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA with 21 strikeouts. With a plus fastball and an above average curveball, he's one of the many top arms the Mariners hope to feature in their strong, young rotation.

It's a nice addition, and so is Teheran, who went 14-8 with a 3.20 ERA and 170 strikeouts for the Braves.

So why would ERA get rid of such a young, already proven pitcher?

Perhaps it is because he will be a surefire candidate for the 2014 Verducci list. He tossed 137 innings, only 6.1 in the majors in 2012. In 2013, he jumped up to 185.2. That's a jump of 42.1 innings, more than the 30-inning baseline used to calculate 25 or younger pitchers at risk. Teheran is 22.

Right about now, Otto Parts is looking to buy some Gummy Bears for Teheran to keep him healthy through 2014 because that last paragraph is a bit scary.

On ERA's end, I'd also be a little bit scared of Encarnacion. He's 31 and coming off his second straight 100-plus RBI season, after three straight seasons of failing to get out of the 50s.

It's kind of a random jump, and I'm personally not sold on him repeating it in 2014, but we'll see. Encarnacion does fill a hole left by Chris Davis.

Then again, Encarnacion may not even make the team. I still like Brandon Belt's upside, albeit slow coming, and Jonathan Singleton, if he can stay away from Colorado's new past-time, could be quite the gem at first base. Add Gyorko at second, Josh Donaldson at third and Nick Franklin at shortstop and that's a nice infield for ERA, and in my opinion, well worth the price of Teheran.

So is Jake Peavy — 12-5 last season with the Red Sox — who will give ERA a veteran starter to fill out the lineup with Doug Fister and C.J. Wilson. It's not the ideal trio to have as a keeper rotation, but it's a start.

And with the No. 2 pick, perhaps he's eying one Masahiro Tanaka.

Ooh, man; that would irk the Jerk.