NOTES:

• The total return on the league’s 114 keepers (including free keepers who turned a profit) was $187, fifth highest over the last ten years.

• In spite of having one of the worst returns on keepers (for the second year in a row), the Butt Pirates somehow finished in the money. Apparently, Dave is pretty good on draft day and in-season.

• Surprisingly, the team that won the Golden Plunger (AQP), barely finished with a negative on keeper returns. Apparently, it was their draft day did them in.

• The fact that the Bones finished with the worst return on keepers is not surprising considering they had the worst two keepers, and three of the bottom six (Sizemore, Davis and Qualls).

• The player that was the at the top of the list in 2009 finished in the bottom three in 2010 (Jacoby Ellsbury).

• Of the bottom 10 keepers in 2010, six were keepers in 2009.

• The top 12 keepers posted a net profit of $314 ($26.17 per keeper). The next 12 keepers posted a net profit of $197 ($16.42 per keeper). The bottom 12 keepers posted a net loss of -$370 (-$30.83 per keeper). The moral of the story – bad keepers hurt more than good keepers help.

• For the second year in a row, no active catcher keepers were able to post a profit. That streak will most likely end with Buster Posey in 2011.
  
  
• In 2009, only three relievers posted a profit. In 2010, three relievers were amongst the top six keepers in profit.
  
  
  Top Six Returns on Players
  Carlos Gonzalez +$48 (kept for $12, earned $60)
  Andrew McCutchen +30 (free keeper $1, earned $31)
  Drew Stubbs +27 (kept for $6, earned $33)
  Neftali Feliz +26 (free keeper $1, earned $27)
  Billy Wagner +26 (kept for $6, earned $32)
  Rafael Soriano +26 (kept for $6, earned $32)
  
  
  Worst Six Returns on Players
  Grady Sizemore –$69 (kept for $26, earned –$43)
  Chris Davis –$55 (kept for $6, earned –$49)
  Jacoby Ellsbury –$50 (kept for $6, earned –$44)
  J.P. Howell –$47 (kept for $7, earned –$40)
  Everth Cabrera –$36 (kept for $10, earned –$26)
  Tie: Chad Qualls –$26 (kept for $6, earned –$22)
  Tie: Dan Haren –$26 (kept for $35, earned $8)
  
  
  
  A Look Back at the 2010 Keeper Predictions
  The struggles of 2008 & 2009 continued, and may have even gotten worse. Of the top 10 predicted keepers, only three of them finished in the top 10, 2 more finished in the top 20 and the remaining five finished 36th, 74th, 75th, 91st and third from the bottom. Only two of them were hurt by injuries. Of the bottom 10 predicted keepers, four of them finished in the bottom 10, four of them were in the lower middle of the pack and failed to produce a profit, and only two finished in the top 50, producing minimal profit. As usual, Tremendous Upside Potential™ list was hit or miss, but better than normal. Two of them (Jason Heyward and Neftali Feliz) were Rookie of the Year material. Two others (Buster Posey and Pedro Alvarez) got mid-season call ups from the minors and were great, although neither was activated by their respective fantasy teams. Two others showed tremendous upside (Stephen Strasburg and Brett Anderson) before injuries derailed their seasons. Another was good but did not bust out like predicted (Alex Rodriguez). Two others were disappointing at best (Matt Wieters and Wade Davis) although both showed some flashes and will likely be better moving forward.
  
  And finally...