As I hinted at on Thursday, Astros manager Phil Garner stated today that he will begin the process of transitioning Brad Lidge back into the closer's role. This is now Brad Lidge's job to lose at this point. If he pitches well in the closer's role during his chances, the job will be his. If he falters, Wheeler will regain the closer's role.
Fantasy Impact: This is a tricky situation unless you own both pitchers. Lidge owners have the most to gain, and Wheeler owners have the most to lose. I am a Lidge owner in one league, so I have no problem holding onto him and hoping he goes back to being an elite closer.
Now, this all comes down to how you think Lidge and Wheeler will pitch from here on out, so here's how to play it:
1) If you think Lidge will regain his form and you're a Lidge owner, obviously hold onto him. This is my personal opinion and situation (thus why I own Lidge), and that's what I'll be doing. If you are a Wheeler owner, contact the Lidge owner and see what you can get for him before he loses the job for good.
2) If you think Lidge will blow up again and you're a Lidge owner, contact the Wheeler owner and get something in return for him. If you're a Wheeler owner, stick with him.
Good luck!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
John Smoltz Will Miss Sunday's Start
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher John Smoltz will miss his scheduled start on Sunday due to soreness in his right shoulder. He complained about the shoulder after his May 29th start at Milwaukee, but came back to post a fine performance his next start against the Marlins. Apparently it's flared up on him again, but this doesn't appear to be serious at the current time. A shoulder problem for a 40 year old starter is cause for concern, but the Braves and Smoltz are both smart and will likely do the right thing.
Fantasy Impact: Nothing too big for now as he's slated to start Friday instead.
Fantasy Impact: Nothing too big for now as he's slated to start Friday instead.
Friday's Fun: Crawford's On Fire, Saito Returns
Jeff Francis - 7 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Not a bad outing, but coupled 4 baserunners together in the 1st inning that led to 2 runs, and then gave up a 2 run HR later. He's still pitching very well, and is being overlooked in fantasy leagues.
Chris Ray - Picked up his 13th save last night. A couple ugly outings that involved big HRs have his ERA up over 4, but with a 1.14 WHIP and 28 K in 29 IP, he's pitching much better than the ERA indicates. He's a good buy-at-a-discount closer.
B.J. Upton - He left last night's game with a strained left quad after only one at-bat. He'll likely miss a few games, but he doesn't believe he'll need to go on the DL. Make sure to take him out of your lineup tonight and most likely tomorrow.
Carl Crawford - On fire recently, going 10/20 with 1 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R, and 5 SB in his last 4 games. Now that's some serious production.
Xavier Nady - Hit his 10th HR last night, to go along with a .287 AVG and 36 RBI. He's proving to be a nice 3 catagory player, and given Pittsburgh's inability to produce much offense, he should be starting the rest of the year. Not a bad 3rd OF/UTIL guy right now.
Hideki Matsui - Hit his 6th HR last night. With a .282 AVG, 6 HR, 29 R, and 30 RBI, he's been a disappointment. Given his history of production since coming over, he remains a legit buy-low. Given his age and his wrist injury last year, I'm not sure if the 30 HR power is coming back, but he'll be solid across the board, save stolen bases.
Jorge Sosa - 8 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. A very impressive line against one of the best offenses in the majors. With 6 quality starts in 7 tries, it's time to start taking him seriously as a mixed league starter, especially with the power of the Mets offense to support him.
Carlos Delgado - 5 HRs and 9 RBIs in his past 10 games. His power numbers are there, but the .232 AVG might allow you to get him at a discount still.
Homer Bailey - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. He was wild like I predicted, but even against the Indians he was able to avoid major damage despite the 4 walks. He's probably worth picking up in all formats depending on what your current rotation looks like. He'll pitch in a fairly weak hitting division, and for a fairly good offense.
Brandon Phillips - Hit his 11th HR last night. With a .287 AVG, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 39 R, and 10 SB, he's been arguably the 2nd best 2B to draft this year behind B.J. Upton. Tremendous numbers at a huge draft day discount.
Sean Marshall - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. That's 4 straight starts of 2 ER or less since he's been called up this year. If your rotation needs help, Jeff Francis, Jorge Sosa, and Sean Marshall all make good short-term (and possibly long-term) suggestions.
Alfonso Soriano - I'll let you guys know if I trade anyone else. They're likely due for a ridiculous hot streak (Rios, Soriano), and then you guys can make sure to go get them. His 3 HRs last night made me throw up in my mouth a bit.
Freddy Garcia - 1 2/3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K. He might be owned in your league, and if so, laugh at his owner. Unfortunately for Freddy, he complained of shoulder soreness after the game and very well might be headed for the DL.
Octavio Dotel - Retired the 2 batters he faced last night to record his 3rd save. Nice to see an outing not marred with baserunners, even if it only was 2 hitters.
Bartolo Colon - 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He's been a big (literally) problem the last 3 outings and is likely hurting again, so make sure you don't start him until he straightens things out or goes on the DL.
Chone Figgins - 3 SBs last night, giving him 8 in the last 8 games. He's definitely back being what he is, a light hitting, heavy stealing middle infielder. He led off last night too, so if he's back to leading off, he'll have added value with extra at-bats and extra runs scored.
Albert Pujols - 2/5 with a HR and 2 RBI last night. He's definitely coming around starting to produce like we expect. I still see a massive hot streak ahead for him.
Dan Wheeler/Brad Lidge - Despite Wheeler blowing another save Thursday night, Garner used the same bullpen arrangement last night, and Wheeler tossed a perfect inning with 2 Ks. It looks like Lidge won't be closing yet, but Wheeler will be on a very short leash unless he strings together a number of scoreless outings.
Chris Capuano - 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. He'll get you Ks, but he won't post great ratios, especially WHIP. He's a 2 catagory pitcher for the most part, and rather overrated in fantasy leagues.
Prince Fielder - He and A-Rod have quite a battle going on, tied at 22 HRs to lead the majors.
Josh Beckett - 8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. He continues his dominance, moving to 9-0. Easily the best draft day value of any starting pitcher this season. He's finally mixing in his very good offspeed pitches with his fastball, and the results are finally matched up to his talent level.
Raul Ibanez - Who didn't see this coming? He inexplicably hit 33 HRs last year, but his power went away as quickly as it came. He finally hit his 2nd HR last night, and has been a huge bust for those expecting a repeat performance.
Tim Lincecum - 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K. He just didn't have it last night. His first truly bad performance since opening night. Nothing to worry about.
Chad Gaudin - 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. Again pitched his way out of jams, but unfortunately the bullpen blew the lead for him. He's maintaining a great ERA under 3, giving you more time to package him in a deal before things catch up to him.
Brad Penny - 7 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. If you owned him last year, you've seen this song and dance before. Penny dominates in the first half, then tires and goes to hell in the second half. Don't own him when it happens again.
Takashi Saito - He gave up a HR for the first batter he saw to blow the save last night. He was fine the rest of the inning, so he's back to being the Dodgers closer now.
Jeremy Accardo - Gave up a walk, and then a walkoff HR last night. That's 2 straight outings of giving up 2 ER, but given his ERA is now at 2.26, things are evening out and this shouldn't be a cause for concern.
Chris Ray - Picked up his 13th save last night. A couple ugly outings that involved big HRs have his ERA up over 4, but with a 1.14 WHIP and 28 K in 29 IP, he's pitching much better than the ERA indicates. He's a good buy-at-a-discount closer.
B.J. Upton - He left last night's game with a strained left quad after only one at-bat. He'll likely miss a few games, but he doesn't believe he'll need to go on the DL. Make sure to take him out of your lineup tonight and most likely tomorrow.
Carl Crawford - On fire recently, going 10/20 with 1 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R, and 5 SB in his last 4 games. Now that's some serious production.
Xavier Nady - Hit his 10th HR last night, to go along with a .287 AVG and 36 RBI. He's proving to be a nice 3 catagory player, and given Pittsburgh's inability to produce much offense, he should be starting the rest of the year. Not a bad 3rd OF/UTIL guy right now.
Hideki Matsui - Hit his 6th HR last night. With a .282 AVG, 6 HR, 29 R, and 30 RBI, he's been a disappointment. Given his history of production since coming over, he remains a legit buy-low. Given his age and his wrist injury last year, I'm not sure if the 30 HR power is coming back, but he'll be solid across the board, save stolen bases.
Jorge Sosa - 8 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. A very impressive line against one of the best offenses in the majors. With 6 quality starts in 7 tries, it's time to start taking him seriously as a mixed league starter, especially with the power of the Mets offense to support him.
Carlos Delgado - 5 HRs and 9 RBIs in his past 10 games. His power numbers are there, but the .232 AVG might allow you to get him at a discount still.
Homer Bailey - 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. He was wild like I predicted, but even against the Indians he was able to avoid major damage despite the 4 walks. He's probably worth picking up in all formats depending on what your current rotation looks like. He'll pitch in a fairly weak hitting division, and for a fairly good offense.
Brandon Phillips - Hit his 11th HR last night. With a .287 AVG, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 39 R, and 10 SB, he's been arguably the 2nd best 2B to draft this year behind B.J. Upton. Tremendous numbers at a huge draft day discount.
Sean Marshall - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. That's 4 straight starts of 2 ER or less since he's been called up this year. If your rotation needs help, Jeff Francis, Jorge Sosa, and Sean Marshall all make good short-term (and possibly long-term) suggestions.
Alfonso Soriano - I'll let you guys know if I trade anyone else. They're likely due for a ridiculous hot streak (Rios, Soriano), and then you guys can make sure to go get them. His 3 HRs last night made me throw up in my mouth a bit.
Freddy Garcia - 1 2/3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K. He might be owned in your league, and if so, laugh at his owner. Unfortunately for Freddy, he complained of shoulder soreness after the game and very well might be headed for the DL.
Octavio Dotel - Retired the 2 batters he faced last night to record his 3rd save. Nice to see an outing not marred with baserunners, even if it only was 2 hitters.
Bartolo Colon - 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He's been a big (literally) problem the last 3 outings and is likely hurting again, so make sure you don't start him until he straightens things out or goes on the DL.
Chone Figgins - 3 SBs last night, giving him 8 in the last 8 games. He's definitely back being what he is, a light hitting, heavy stealing middle infielder. He led off last night too, so if he's back to leading off, he'll have added value with extra at-bats and extra runs scored.
Albert Pujols - 2/5 with a HR and 2 RBI last night. He's definitely coming around starting to produce like we expect. I still see a massive hot streak ahead for him.
Dan Wheeler/Brad Lidge - Despite Wheeler blowing another save Thursday night, Garner used the same bullpen arrangement last night, and Wheeler tossed a perfect inning with 2 Ks. It looks like Lidge won't be closing yet, but Wheeler will be on a very short leash unless he strings together a number of scoreless outings.
Chris Capuano - 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. He'll get you Ks, but he won't post great ratios, especially WHIP. He's a 2 catagory pitcher for the most part, and rather overrated in fantasy leagues.
Prince Fielder - He and A-Rod have quite a battle going on, tied at 22 HRs to lead the majors.
Josh Beckett - 8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. He continues his dominance, moving to 9-0. Easily the best draft day value of any starting pitcher this season. He's finally mixing in his very good offspeed pitches with his fastball, and the results are finally matched up to his talent level.
Raul Ibanez - Who didn't see this coming? He inexplicably hit 33 HRs last year, but his power went away as quickly as it came. He finally hit his 2nd HR last night, and has been a huge bust for those expecting a repeat performance.
Tim Lincecum - 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K. He just didn't have it last night. His first truly bad performance since opening night. Nothing to worry about.
Chad Gaudin - 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. Again pitched his way out of jams, but unfortunately the bullpen blew the lead for him. He's maintaining a great ERA under 3, giving you more time to package him in a deal before things catch up to him.
Brad Penny - 7 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. If you owned him last year, you've seen this song and dance before. Penny dominates in the first half, then tires and goes to hell in the second half. Don't own him when it happens again.
Takashi Saito - He gave up a HR for the first batter he saw to blow the save last night. He was fine the rest of the inning, so he's back to being the Dodgers closer now.
Jeremy Accardo - Gave up a walk, and then a walkoff HR last night. That's 2 straight outings of giving up 2 ER, but given his ERA is now at 2.26, things are evening out and this shouldn't be a cause for concern.
Belated Thursday Review: 1 Out Away!
Ian Snell - 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Not the best command, but the overall numbers are right in line with what you'd expect agains the Nationals. Another solid performance for the hopeful first time All-Star.
Matt Capps - Picked up his 2nd win with 2 perfect innings last night. His owners should be aware that his suspension is due soon, and with Salomon Torres going on the DL, Damaso Marte is the likely closer in Capps' absence.
Jason Bay - He likes hitting HRs. #11 on the year last night.
A.J Burnett - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 13 K. Too bad his offense didn't support him. Another bigtime strikeout performance, although he threw 130 more pitches tonight. His workload is starting to become a problem, even moreso for a pitcher with a history of elbow problems. I'd start shopping him around as his recent performances will likely generate quite a bit of interest.
Alex Rios - Someone please tell me why I traded him. HR #14 last night.
Fausto Carmona - 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. A great performance, and what one would expect against the Royals. He continues to pitch very well since being moved to the rotation this year, posting a 3.11 ERA on the season.
Grady Sizemore - His AVG is creeping back up there, current standing at .278. I still figure he'll improve that by 10 points or so come season's end, but he's got it back up where it should be. Stole his 18th base last night, too. He's turned into an elite fantasy OF.
Roy Oswalt - 6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Not at his best last night, and was actually in line for the win until Dan Wheeler blew the save. Colorado remains a tough place to pitch, though, so nothing to worry about here.
Curt Schilling - 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. You have to feel sorry for this man. Had a no hitting with 2 outs in the 9th, but gave up a basehit to the last man he faced. Ironically, if Julio Lugo hadn't screwded up a routine groundout in the 5th inning, who knows what might have happened. Fantasy owners will adore him for the complete game shutout, only allowing that one baserunner.
Joe Blanton - 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. Likely on the cusp of getting the axe on many fantasy teams, he's bounced back in a big way by allowing 1 ER and 10 H/BB in the last 16 1/3 IP. Take this opportunity to sell him if you can...he's not this good.
David Ortiz - Went deep twice in the Oakland series, showing the power he's been missing recently. He's still having another outstanding season, hitting .337 with 11 HR, 42 RBI, and 42 R.
Cole Hamels - 7 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Did a good job dodging baserunners, but his offense didn't do enough to get him a win. He's having a solid, but unspectacular year. He'll likely continue improving, but being a flyball pitcher in a HR ballpark will hinder his ERA.
John Maine - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. He keeps hurling great games, and that's now two straight starts without walking anyone. He would have won last night had Wagner not blown the save. If he can continue to show improved command, he won't hit the big rough spot I assumed he would.
Shane Victorino - Stole his 17th base last night. He's only hitting .263 with 4 HR and 22 RBI, so he's been only a 2 catagory player so far this year. Still not too bad for a waiver wire pickup.
Rich Hill - 8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K. Big time performance last night, and he's certainly over that rough patch of starts from late last month. The HR ball will likely determine his effectiveness in each start being the flyball pitcher he is.
Chuck James - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. He's quietly strung together 3 fairly solid performances, although he still walks too many hitters. You can pick him up, but beware of his command issues and only start him if you can take the potential WHIP damage. Not a bad 5th starter, though, especially for a strong offensive club.
Edwin Encarnacion - Think Cincinnati regrets sending him down? Perhaps not, given that minor league demotion has caused his bat to go on fire. 4/4 with a HR and 3 RBIs last night. As I said when he was called up, he's turning out to be quite a nice fantasy 3B.
Jose Contreras - 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Add him to the long list of people who hate the White Sox bullpen. Had only allowed 1 ER, but left 2 men to the bullpen who prompt let both score, making his line look worse than his actual pitching performance. He's pitched better than his overall numbers indicate.
Mike Mussina - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. The rollercoaster continues. He just isn't the same pitcher anymore, so continue to stay away even though he'll post outings like this on occasion.
Alex Rodriguez - 2/4, HR, 4 RBI last night, including a 9th inning grand slam with the Yankees up 1. He's definitely back in the groove now.
Gary Sheffield - I've run out of things to say. Hit his 16th HR last night. He's good.
Jose Valverde - Blew a save last night, giving up a HR to Pedro Feliz in the 9th inning. The thing that separates the 2007 Jose Valverde from previous versions is his ability to bounce back after bad outings, so let's hope the same stays true again.
Jake Peavy - 6 2/3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. Not at his best, as evidenced by only 3 Ks, but he was actually pitching well until giving up 4 straight hits with 2 outs in the 7th inning.
Jonathan Broxton - Holy ugly outing. 1/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K. This ensures Saito will move right back to the closer's role when he returns. Thanks for the ratio help Thursday night, Jon!
Matt Capps - Picked up his 2nd win with 2 perfect innings last night. His owners should be aware that his suspension is due soon, and with Salomon Torres going on the DL, Damaso Marte is the likely closer in Capps' absence.
Jason Bay - He likes hitting HRs. #11 on the year last night.
A.J Burnett - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 13 K. Too bad his offense didn't support him. Another bigtime strikeout performance, although he threw 130 more pitches tonight. His workload is starting to become a problem, even moreso for a pitcher with a history of elbow problems. I'd start shopping him around as his recent performances will likely generate quite a bit of interest.
Alex Rios - Someone please tell me why I traded him. HR #14 last night.
Fausto Carmona - 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. A great performance, and what one would expect against the Royals. He continues to pitch very well since being moved to the rotation this year, posting a 3.11 ERA on the season.
Grady Sizemore - His AVG is creeping back up there, current standing at .278. I still figure he'll improve that by 10 points or so come season's end, but he's got it back up where it should be. Stole his 18th base last night, too. He's turned into an elite fantasy OF.
Roy Oswalt - 6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Not at his best last night, and was actually in line for the win until Dan Wheeler blew the save. Colorado remains a tough place to pitch, though, so nothing to worry about here.
Curt Schilling - 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. You have to feel sorry for this man. Had a no hitting with 2 outs in the 9th, but gave up a basehit to the last man he faced. Ironically, if Julio Lugo hadn't screwded up a routine groundout in the 5th inning, who knows what might have happened. Fantasy owners will adore him for the complete game shutout, only allowing that one baserunner.
Joe Blanton - 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. Likely on the cusp of getting the axe on many fantasy teams, he's bounced back in a big way by allowing 1 ER and 10 H/BB in the last 16 1/3 IP. Take this opportunity to sell him if you can...he's not this good.
David Ortiz - Went deep twice in the Oakland series, showing the power he's been missing recently. He's still having another outstanding season, hitting .337 with 11 HR, 42 RBI, and 42 R.
Cole Hamels - 7 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Did a good job dodging baserunners, but his offense didn't do enough to get him a win. He's having a solid, but unspectacular year. He'll likely continue improving, but being a flyball pitcher in a HR ballpark will hinder his ERA.
John Maine - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. He keeps hurling great games, and that's now two straight starts without walking anyone. He would have won last night had Wagner not blown the save. If he can continue to show improved command, he won't hit the big rough spot I assumed he would.
Shane Victorino - Stole his 17th base last night. He's only hitting .263 with 4 HR and 22 RBI, so he's been only a 2 catagory player so far this year. Still not too bad for a waiver wire pickup.
Rich Hill - 8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K. Big time performance last night, and he's certainly over that rough patch of starts from late last month. The HR ball will likely determine his effectiveness in each start being the flyball pitcher he is.
Chuck James - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. He's quietly strung together 3 fairly solid performances, although he still walks too many hitters. You can pick him up, but beware of his command issues and only start him if you can take the potential WHIP damage. Not a bad 5th starter, though, especially for a strong offensive club.
Edwin Encarnacion - Think Cincinnati regrets sending him down? Perhaps not, given that minor league demotion has caused his bat to go on fire. 4/4 with a HR and 3 RBIs last night. As I said when he was called up, he's turning out to be quite a nice fantasy 3B.
Jose Contreras - 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Add him to the long list of people who hate the White Sox bullpen. Had only allowed 1 ER, but left 2 men to the bullpen who prompt let both score, making his line look worse than his actual pitching performance. He's pitched better than his overall numbers indicate.
Mike Mussina - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. The rollercoaster continues. He just isn't the same pitcher anymore, so continue to stay away even though he'll post outings like this on occasion.
Alex Rodriguez - 2/4, HR, 4 RBI last night, including a 9th inning grand slam with the Yankees up 1. He's definitely back in the groove now.
Gary Sheffield - I've run out of things to say. Hit his 16th HR last night. He's good.
Jose Valverde - Blew a save last night, giving up a HR to Pedro Feliz in the 9th inning. The thing that separates the 2007 Jose Valverde from previous versions is his ability to bounce back after bad outings, so let's hope the same stays true again.
Jake Peavy - 6 2/3 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. Not at his best, as evidenced by only 3 Ks, but he was actually pitching well until giving up 4 straight hits with 2 outs in the 7th inning.
Jonathan Broxton - Holy ugly outing. 1/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K. This ensures Saito will move right back to the closer's role when he returns. Thanks for the ratio help Thursday night, Jon!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Houston Closer Situation
Earlier today, Astros manager Phil Garner said that Brad Lidge has pitched well enough to start closing again. Garner has been a big Lidge supporter, and was hoping that Lidge would make the best of his time spent away from the closer's role. He's been lights out for the most part since April 20th, racking up tons of Ks while only allowing 2 ER in that timeframe.
Fantasy Impact: Pick up Lidge immediately. Wheeler was blasted for a blown save again this afternoon, giving up 3 earned runs to take the loss against Colorado. Garner will likely use this opportunity to make a switch. It's not official, but it seems likely. There are obviously no guarantees that Lidge won't struggle again once he's closing, but before last season, he was one of the best closers in the game and he certainly hasn't lost his stuff.
Fantasy Impact: Pick up Lidge immediately. Wheeler was blasted for a blown save again this afternoon, giving up 3 earned runs to take the loss against Colorado. Garner will likely use this opportunity to make a switch. It's not official, but it seems likely. There are obviously no guarantees that Lidge won't struggle again once he's closing, but before last season, he was one of the best closers in the game and he certainly hasn't lost his stuff.
Wednesday Wrapup: Good Z/Bad Z
Scott Olsen - 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K. Another ugly outing from the popular preseason sleeper. He had a brutal first half last year before turning it around in a big way in the 2nd half, so make sure to keep an eye on him in case he does the same this year. He's too talented to keep throwing like this all year long.
Kevin Gregg - Notched his 9th save last night as he continues to breeze along as the Marlins closer. You'd probably be able to deal him for a closer with more job security if you'd like, and I might try doing the same.
Carlos Zambrano - 6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K. A little wild, but a step in the right direction (again). I read he was hitting mid-90s with his heater more often last night, and that will be huge for him if he can regain his normal velocity. I went against my own advice from his last start and started him yesterday due to a gut feeling, and it worked out well. I think that fight is what he needed to wake the hell up and start pitching like he normally does. One random thing I thought of in regards to his velocity amidst all the potential injury talk was him babying his arm a bit as he pitches towards a new contract. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Prince Fielder - Tied A-Rod back up with his 21st HR last night. He's raking against anyone and everyone right now.
Felix Pie - Quite a night for him last night. 3/5 with a double, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, and a SB. I'm not sure he'll be much of a mixed league asset, but he has legit speed and is the only true CF on the Cubs roster. I think he's probably up to stay for now, so he should have job security in case you'd want to stash him on your bench.
Howie Kendrick - He has been brutal at the plate since returning, looking nothing like the player who has hitting very well before the HBP that put him on the DL. He homered last night, although that was his only hit of the night. I think he'll pull through eventually, so let's hope this is a start. This man is not a .248 hitter, he's a .300 hitter.
Kevin Slowey - 5 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Well, this is Kevin Slowey for you. He'll have some fine outings, and he'll have some rough ones like this. He'll never walk a bunch of guys, so his WHIP damage will come via hits. I know he was a popular pickup in fantasy leagues upon the news that he was going to be promoted and the hype of his minor league numbers, but I don't think it's going to translate into fantasy success at the big leagues. Start him with caution.
John Lackey - 7 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. It was one bad inning last night. In the 5th, he allowed 4 runs and 5 of those baserunners. An error didn't help things, either. Nothing to worry about.
Daniel Cabrera - 8 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K. After allowing 4 runs and 7 baserunners in the first two innings, he cruised through the last 6 and showed a nice turnaround. I'd still keep my eye on him as I've been saying for the past month.
Joey Gathright - Called up yesterday, and stole his first base of the year. He showed a lot of improvement in OBP during this minors this season, so add him if you like to chase stolen bases. He'll run plenty, and if he can port his OBP success into the majors, he could be fairly valuable.
Octavio Dotel - Another rocky outing, giving up 2 H, 1 ER, and 1 BB while registering the save. He'll save some games and K some batters, but his ratios probably won't be that great while doing it.
Scott Kazmir - 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K. Ugh, he just won't stop walking people. He's giving up a hit an inning, and has allowed 38 BB in 78 IP. I think he's presenting a buy-low opportunity with the command problems because I do think he'll get this straightened out at some point this year. He is doing a good job pitching around all the baserunners with an ERA under 4 despite the 1.49 WHIP.
Orlando Hernandez - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. He continues to amaze, although he didn't get the win last night. He's been one of the better pitchers in baseball this year while he's been healthy.
Jimmy Rollins - There he is! 3/4 with 1 R, 3 RBI, a HR, and 2 SB last night. He's been extremely quiet recently, but with 3 multi-hit games in a row, it looks like he's ready to catch fire again.
Bronson Arroyo - 6 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Still a mess, plus he threw 119 pitches last night. As I keep saying, leave him benched until something gets figured out here. Given his ugly outings, I bet you could even drop him if you need the roster spot and he wouldn't be picked up.
Albert Pujols - 2 run, go-ahead HR last night. He hasn't had that massive hot streak yet, but he has 10 hits in his last 10 games, including 4 HRs and and 2 2Bs. He's slowly getting there.
Bobby Abreu - Yahoo had the following in the scoring summary: "B. Abreu homered to deep left center". Really? Abreu hit a HR? Weird. His 3rd of the season, and he's starting to wake up now.
Chien Ming Wang - 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. As good as it gets for the sinkerballer.
Javier Vazquez - 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Ah, the jeckel/hyde act continues. He's gone at least 5 1/3 IP in every start, so he never truly bombs in a start even if he doesn't pitch well. His 4.13 ERA this year would actually be the best mark he's posted since coming over to the AL.
Gary Sheffield - 2 more HRs last night (along with 5 RBIs), giving him 15 on the year. His AVG is now .272 after hitting .200 in April. Guess we all should have traded for him, huh?
Justin Verlander - 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. His K rate is up a bit from last year, and he's having a fine season so far. I still think he'll decline in the 2nd half, so selling him during the 1st half of the season for an ace who's used to throwing 200 IP is a good idea.
Lance Berkman - Hit his 7th HR last night, and he has 11 RBIs in his past 10 games. His buy-low window is about shut.
Brandon Webb - 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K. He had 2 straight 1 BB performances, but gave up 4 free passes last night. Still, he's dominating everyone not named Colorado. Thank you Chris Young for the HR that give him the run he needed for the win!
Matt Morris - 8 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. Please, sell him high before this gets any more ridiculous. He's not going to keep this up, trust me.
Jeff Kent - 3/4 with a HR last night, moving his AVG back to .265. He just came off enduring one of the worst slumps of his career, losing over 30 points off his AVG during the last 3 weeks. Hopefully he's ready to start hitting again.
Randy Wolf - 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. That's two rough outings in a row against bad offenses. Hopefully he's still feeling good. Beware of his next start if it's against a quality offense.
Greg Maddux - 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K. Nice outing for Mr. Maddux, despite the lack of Ks. He can still get it done.
Trevor Hoffman - Career save #500. Congrats to one of the best closers in baseball history!
Kevin Gregg - Notched his 9th save last night as he continues to breeze along as the Marlins closer. You'd probably be able to deal him for a closer with more job security if you'd like, and I might try doing the same.
Carlos Zambrano - 6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K. A little wild, but a step in the right direction (again). I read he was hitting mid-90s with his heater more often last night, and that will be huge for him if he can regain his normal velocity. I went against my own advice from his last start and started him yesterday due to a gut feeling, and it worked out well. I think that fight is what he needed to wake the hell up and start pitching like he normally does. One random thing I thought of in regards to his velocity amidst all the potential injury talk was him babying his arm a bit as he pitches towards a new contract. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Prince Fielder - Tied A-Rod back up with his 21st HR last night. He's raking against anyone and everyone right now.
Felix Pie - Quite a night for him last night. 3/5 with a double, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, and a SB. I'm not sure he'll be much of a mixed league asset, but he has legit speed and is the only true CF on the Cubs roster. I think he's probably up to stay for now, so he should have job security in case you'd want to stash him on your bench.
Howie Kendrick - He has been brutal at the plate since returning, looking nothing like the player who has hitting very well before the HBP that put him on the DL. He homered last night, although that was his only hit of the night. I think he'll pull through eventually, so let's hope this is a start. This man is not a .248 hitter, he's a .300 hitter.
Kevin Slowey - 5 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Well, this is Kevin Slowey for you. He'll have some fine outings, and he'll have some rough ones like this. He'll never walk a bunch of guys, so his WHIP damage will come via hits. I know he was a popular pickup in fantasy leagues upon the news that he was going to be promoted and the hype of his minor league numbers, but I don't think it's going to translate into fantasy success at the big leagues. Start him with caution.
John Lackey - 7 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. It was one bad inning last night. In the 5th, he allowed 4 runs and 5 of those baserunners. An error didn't help things, either. Nothing to worry about.
Daniel Cabrera - 8 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 K. After allowing 4 runs and 7 baserunners in the first two innings, he cruised through the last 6 and showed a nice turnaround. I'd still keep my eye on him as I've been saying for the past month.
Joey Gathright - Called up yesterday, and stole his first base of the year. He showed a lot of improvement in OBP during this minors this season, so add him if you like to chase stolen bases. He'll run plenty, and if he can port his OBP success into the majors, he could be fairly valuable.
Octavio Dotel - Another rocky outing, giving up 2 H, 1 ER, and 1 BB while registering the save. He'll save some games and K some batters, but his ratios probably won't be that great while doing it.
Scott Kazmir - 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K. Ugh, he just won't stop walking people. He's giving up a hit an inning, and has allowed 38 BB in 78 IP. I think he's presenting a buy-low opportunity with the command problems because I do think he'll get this straightened out at some point this year. He is doing a good job pitching around all the baserunners with an ERA under 4 despite the 1.49 WHIP.
Orlando Hernandez - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. He continues to amaze, although he didn't get the win last night. He's been one of the better pitchers in baseball this year while he's been healthy.
Jimmy Rollins - There he is! 3/4 with 1 R, 3 RBI, a HR, and 2 SB last night. He's been extremely quiet recently, but with 3 multi-hit games in a row, it looks like he's ready to catch fire again.
Bronson Arroyo - 6 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Still a mess, plus he threw 119 pitches last night. As I keep saying, leave him benched until something gets figured out here. Given his ugly outings, I bet you could even drop him if you need the roster spot and he wouldn't be picked up.
Albert Pujols - 2 run, go-ahead HR last night. He hasn't had that massive hot streak yet, but he has 10 hits in his last 10 games, including 4 HRs and and 2 2Bs. He's slowly getting there.
Bobby Abreu - Yahoo had the following in the scoring summary: "B. Abreu homered to deep left center". Really? Abreu hit a HR? Weird. His 3rd of the season, and he's starting to wake up now.
Chien Ming Wang - 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. As good as it gets for the sinkerballer.
Javier Vazquez - 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Ah, the jeckel/hyde act continues. He's gone at least 5 1/3 IP in every start, so he never truly bombs in a start even if he doesn't pitch well. His 4.13 ERA this year would actually be the best mark he's posted since coming over to the AL.
Gary Sheffield - 2 more HRs last night (along with 5 RBIs), giving him 15 on the year. His AVG is now .272 after hitting .200 in April. Guess we all should have traded for him, huh?
Justin Verlander - 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. His K rate is up a bit from last year, and he's having a fine season so far. I still think he'll decline in the 2nd half, so selling him during the 1st half of the season for an ace who's used to throwing 200 IP is a good idea.
Lance Berkman - Hit his 7th HR last night, and he has 11 RBIs in his past 10 games. His buy-low window is about shut.
Brandon Webb - 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K. He had 2 straight 1 BB performances, but gave up 4 free passes last night. Still, he's dominating everyone not named Colorado. Thank you Chris Young for the HR that give him the run he needed for the win!
Matt Morris - 8 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. Please, sell him high before this gets any more ridiculous. He's not going to keep this up, trust me.
Jeff Kent - 3/4 with a HR last night, moving his AVG back to .265. He just came off enduring one of the worst slumps of his career, losing over 30 points off his AVG during the last 3 weeks. Hopefully he's ready to start hitting again.
Randy Wolf - 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. That's two rough outings in a row against bad offenses. Hopefully he's still feeling good. Beware of his next start if it's against a quality offense.
Greg Maddux - 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K. Nice outing for Mr. Maddux, despite the lack of Ks. He can still get it done.
Trevor Hoffman - Career save #500. Congrats to one of the best closers in baseball history!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Tuesday Summary - Sabathia Dominant and Schmidt Returns
Jeff Francoeur - 3/7 yesterday in the doubleheader to raise his AVG to .290. With his increased walk rate and a slight decrease in his K rate, there's plenty of reasons to believe that he's taken the next step forward in his career and will post an AVG above .280. With only 7 HRs, he's a bit behind his normal power pace, but the HRs should come.
John Smoltz - 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. A nice bounceback after leaving his last start early with pinky/shoulder issues. It looks like he's good to go moving forward.
Armando Benitez/Kevin Gregg - In a 5 run game, Benitez gave up a run in the 8th while Gregg pitched a scoreless 9th. Given Gregg still hasn't blown a save, his job still looks relatively safe...the polar opposite of how it looked at the time of the Benitez trade.
Miguel Cabrera - Posting a great line so far with a .320 AVG, 12 HR, 36 R and 41 RBI. His 12 HRs are a nice sign given that he only his 26 last year.
Matt Capps - 2/2 so far since being moved into the closer's role, with 2 perfect innings. He'll likely be a solid closer the rest of the year, but his K-rate (24 K in 31 1/3 IP) will hold him back from potentially being elite.
C.C. Sabathia - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. Just what his owners wanted to see against the weak KC lineup...dominance.
B.J. Upton - Just as I mentioned his power had quieted down, he slams a HR last night in going 4/6 with 3 R and 2 RBI. He continues to defy statistics by posting a .323 AVG with 65 Ks in 53 games.
Carl Crawford - 3/6 with 4 R, 3 RBI, a HR, and a SB. What a way to fill up a stat sheet. With 6 HRs so far, he's showing that last year's power surge during the 1st half of the season isn't out of character.
Roy Halladay - 3 1/3 IP, 12 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. Doesn't get much uglier than this. After an excellent return from the DL, he posts one of his worst outings of his season. Given how good he is when he's healthy, you can't help but wonder if something is bothering again.
Chase Utley - 3/4 with a HR, 1 R, and 3 RBI. He's right on pace for what we've come to expect from fantasy baseball's elite 2B.
Jose Reyes - SB #31. The 2008 fantasy baseball #1 pick? He's making a strong case for it...
Corey Hart - Pick him up. He stole his 9th base last night, including 4 in his last 7 games, along with his 3rd HR. He's now hitting leadoff for the Brewers with Weeks on the DL, and he'll retain solid value even when Weeks returns. He might even stay in the #1 hole, although that might be a bit of a long shot.
Ryan Braun - Overshadowed by Hunter Pence, Braun is definitely holding his own by hitting .311 with 3 HR, 2 SB, 8 R, and 8 RBI in 12 games. He's an outstanding keeper and is on his way to being a top 10 3B the rest of the year. He'll have his rookie bumps, so he'll probably be a bit better in rotisserie leagues.
Ted Lilly - 5 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. That's 3 straight outings of 5 or more ER. He'll likely settle back down, but no one would fault you if you benched him (depending on his matchup) for his next start.
Derrick Turnbow - More like Turnblow. He's blown up to a 4.62 ERA after starting the season on fire. He's hurting his chances to close if Cordero should go down.
Aaron Harang - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. A solid outing for Harang, although his offense didn't do enough to get him a win.
Alex Rodriguez - 3/5 with an RBI double, RBI single, and solo HR. Hopefully the start of another April.
Mark Buehrle - 6 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. This is only his 3rd non-quality start since his first start of the year, so nothing to worry about here.
Ian Kinsler - Hope you sold high after his torrid April. He's back down to .241, although he did steal his 9th and 10th bases last night. He's gone from sell high to buy low, so I'd suggest making an offer for him if 2B is a weak spot in your lineup.
Eric Gagne - Still perfect in save situations. 7 BB in 13 IP is bad, but he's only allowed 5 hits.
Jason Hirsh - 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. One of baseballs unheralded young pitchers, he has the ability to turn into a fantasy factor, possibly next year. He had a very solid April, but fell apart in May. Hopefully he'll use that as a learning experience, so maybe a rebound is on the way.
Eric Byrnes - 2/3 with 2 BB last night, and he stole his 11th base. Up to .314, he's continuing his torrid pace against RHP (.331) which will hopefully allow him to turn in his first .300 season.
Chris Young (OF) - Hit his 7th HR last night. He's been absent since his groin injury, but hopefully this is a sign of a resurgence.
Matt Cain - 5 1/3 IP. 8 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K. He's now up to 40 BB in 76 1/3 IP, and that has to come down for him to take the next step forward. He's walked at least 4 hitters in 6/9 outings.
Randy Johnson - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. He continues his strong pitching, although his bullpen blew the lead for him last night.
Kelvim Escobar - 9 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Another outstanding start from Escobar. Given his history of arm problems, he's presenting quite a nice sell high window here before his next injury. If only he could stay healthy...
Chris Young (SP) - 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. 14 scoreless innings in his last two starts, and like I said before, he's another sell high candidate due to his 2.19 ERA and history of fading in the 2nd half.
Jason Schmidt - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Great start in his return from the DL. It was said he was hitting 90 MPH on the gun, which is a step up from before the injury, but given he was mid-90s a year or two ago, he won't be the dominant pitcher he once was.
Daisuke Matsuzaka - 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. He deserved the win, but the offense did absolutely nothing. It was nice to see him bounce back after 2 subpar outings, so it looks like he'll be just fine.
John Smoltz - 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. A nice bounceback after leaving his last start early with pinky/shoulder issues. It looks like he's good to go moving forward.
Armando Benitez/Kevin Gregg - In a 5 run game, Benitez gave up a run in the 8th while Gregg pitched a scoreless 9th. Given Gregg still hasn't blown a save, his job still looks relatively safe...the polar opposite of how it looked at the time of the Benitez trade.
Miguel Cabrera - Posting a great line so far with a .320 AVG, 12 HR, 36 R and 41 RBI. His 12 HRs are a nice sign given that he only his 26 last year.
Matt Capps - 2/2 so far since being moved into the closer's role, with 2 perfect innings. He'll likely be a solid closer the rest of the year, but his K-rate (24 K in 31 1/3 IP) will hold him back from potentially being elite.
C.C. Sabathia - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. Just what his owners wanted to see against the weak KC lineup...dominance.
B.J. Upton - Just as I mentioned his power had quieted down, he slams a HR last night in going 4/6 with 3 R and 2 RBI. He continues to defy statistics by posting a .323 AVG with 65 Ks in 53 games.
Carl Crawford - 3/6 with 4 R, 3 RBI, a HR, and a SB. What a way to fill up a stat sheet. With 6 HRs so far, he's showing that last year's power surge during the 1st half of the season isn't out of character.
Roy Halladay - 3 1/3 IP, 12 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. Doesn't get much uglier than this. After an excellent return from the DL, he posts one of his worst outings of his season. Given how good he is when he's healthy, you can't help but wonder if something is bothering again.
Chase Utley - 3/4 with a HR, 1 R, and 3 RBI. He's right on pace for what we've come to expect from fantasy baseball's elite 2B.
Jose Reyes - SB #31. The 2008 fantasy baseball #1 pick? He's making a strong case for it...
Corey Hart - Pick him up. He stole his 9th base last night, including 4 in his last 7 games, along with his 3rd HR. He's now hitting leadoff for the Brewers with Weeks on the DL, and he'll retain solid value even when Weeks returns. He might even stay in the #1 hole, although that might be a bit of a long shot.
Ryan Braun - Overshadowed by Hunter Pence, Braun is definitely holding his own by hitting .311 with 3 HR, 2 SB, 8 R, and 8 RBI in 12 games. He's an outstanding keeper and is on his way to being a top 10 3B the rest of the year. He'll have his rookie bumps, so he'll probably be a bit better in rotisserie leagues.
Ted Lilly - 5 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. That's 3 straight outings of 5 or more ER. He'll likely settle back down, but no one would fault you if you benched him (depending on his matchup) for his next start.
Derrick Turnbow - More like Turnblow. He's blown up to a 4.62 ERA after starting the season on fire. He's hurting his chances to close if Cordero should go down.
Aaron Harang - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. A solid outing for Harang, although his offense didn't do enough to get him a win.
Alex Rodriguez - 3/5 with an RBI double, RBI single, and solo HR. Hopefully the start of another April.
Mark Buehrle - 6 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. This is only his 3rd non-quality start since his first start of the year, so nothing to worry about here.
Ian Kinsler - Hope you sold high after his torrid April. He's back down to .241, although he did steal his 9th and 10th bases last night. He's gone from sell high to buy low, so I'd suggest making an offer for him if 2B is a weak spot in your lineup.
Eric Gagne - Still perfect in save situations. 7 BB in 13 IP is bad, but he's only allowed 5 hits.
Jason Hirsh - 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. One of baseballs unheralded young pitchers, he has the ability to turn into a fantasy factor, possibly next year. He had a very solid April, but fell apart in May. Hopefully he'll use that as a learning experience, so maybe a rebound is on the way.
Eric Byrnes - 2/3 with 2 BB last night, and he stole his 11th base. Up to .314, he's continuing his torrid pace against RHP (.331) which will hopefully allow him to turn in his first .300 season.
Chris Young (OF) - Hit his 7th HR last night. He's been absent since his groin injury, but hopefully this is a sign of a resurgence.
Matt Cain - 5 1/3 IP. 8 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K. He's now up to 40 BB in 76 1/3 IP, and that has to come down for him to take the next step forward. He's walked at least 4 hitters in 6/9 outings.
Randy Johnson - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. He continues his strong pitching, although his bullpen blew the lead for him last night.
Kelvim Escobar - 9 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Another outstanding start from Escobar. Given his history of arm problems, he's presenting quite a nice sell high window here before his next injury. If only he could stay healthy...
Chris Young (SP) - 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. 14 scoreless innings in his last two starts, and like I said before, he's another sell high candidate due to his 2.19 ERA and history of fading in the 2nd half.
Jason Schmidt - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Great start in his return from the DL. It was said he was hitting 90 MPH on the gun, which is a step up from before the injury, but given he was mid-90s a year or two ago, he won't be the dominant pitcher he once was.
Daisuke Matsuzaka - 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. He deserved the win, but the offense did absolutely nothing. It was nice to see him bounce back after 2 subpar outings, so it looks like he'll be just fine.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Monday's Action
Barry Zito - 6 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. Much like Dontrelle Willis the night before, Zito was able to avoid the excessive baserunners by pitching out of jams to pick up his 6th W of the season. He won't get lucky like this very often, but his owners will take it.
James Shields - 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. If only John Buck hadn't been in the lineup, huh? His only blemishes were two solo HRs by Buck, and he continues his outstanding breakthrough season.
Gil Meche - 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks. Another quality outing from Meche, who's turned in 10 quality starts in 13 outings so far this year. He's been an excellent late draft/waiver wire starter this season, but unfortunately due to the terrible KC offense, he only has 3 Ws to show for his 3.00 ERA.
Carlos Pena - He smacked his 12th HR this year last night. With his .313 AVG, 31 RBIs, and 26 Rs, he's been quite the fantasy performer this year. He's always had legit power, but that .313 AVG is way above what he'll likely end the year at. Given his propensity to go cold for long periods of time, he's a great sell high candidate.
Tim Hudson - 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Not a great outing from Hudson, but the Florida lineup is pretty tough, so it wasn't against a powderpuff offense. His 3.09 ERA is closer to what he'll likely end the year at as opposed to the low 2.00 ERA he was sporting for quite a while.
Armando Benitez/Kevin Gregg - Benitez with a scoreless 8th, and Gregg with the save. Gregg did give up a solo HR, but he got the job done and is still the favorite for saves.
Paul Konerko - Dropped to the 6th spot in the lineup, and he responded with a 3/4 night with a HR. He's due to get hot for an extended period of time, so he still remains a quality buy-low guy. A Pena for Konerko trade might go over well, with the Konerko side very likely winning out over the rest of the year. In fact, I need some hitting help in one league and will try throwing an offer out there.
Jon Garland - 8 1/3 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. I give up on him. Everytime I think he's going one way, he goes back the other. A good start for him against a quality offense.
Derek Lowe - 7 2/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Wow, talk about bad luck. He took a no hitter into the 7th, but unfortunately all his baserunners scored on him leaving him with a subpar ERA for the outing.
Jonathan Broxton - He nailed down his first save of the year, but had a rocky inning allowing 2 hits and a BB with no Ks. He likely had the first save jitters, so expect him to settle down and be a dominant closer while Saito is out injured.
Jason Marquis - 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. Marquis pitched around baserunners for most of this outing, but got lucky and only allowed 1 ER. His cinderella season is slowly screeching to a hault, and I fully expect his 2.84 ERA to continue its ascent. Now might be the last time you can get something quality in return for him.
David Bush - 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. A forgotten man after a horrible start, but he again pitched well and was burned by a bad ERA. He remains a good bounceback candidate, and is likely on the waiver wire in your league. He seems doomed for an ERA around 4.00, but I think he'll give enough help in the other catagories to be a worthy 5th starter for your fantasy team.
Alfonso Soriano - As soon as I trade him, he gets hot. I should have seen this coming. Homered in his 3rd straight game last night, going 5/5 with 2 Rs and 3 RBIs on the evening. I'm still quite happy I got Carlos Beltran in return for him, though.
Torii Hunter - He continues his career year, hitting his 12 HR and adding his 46th RBI. His .306 AVG would easily be a career high, so I still expect him to experience a slight regression, but his power is for real. Hopefully this will be the first time since 2003 where he plays 150+ games.
Boof Bonser - 5 1/3 IP, 12 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. He'll have outings like this from time to time with his WHIP problems when he's not able to pitch around all those baserunners. He still remains a quality 5th starter.
Jered Weaver - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. A nice bounceback outing after a tough start against Seattle last time out. He's a solid middle rotation starter.
David Ortiz - Hit his 10th HR last night, ending his almost month-long HR slump. If his legs are back healthy again, expect the power to return as well. Currently at .333, he's on pace to set a career high in AVG.
Dan Haren - 7 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K. Another outstanding effort, this time against one of MLB's best offenses. He continues to be more than impressive as his true breakthrough season continues in amazing fashion.
Alan Embree - Blew his first save last night, giving up 4 Hs and 2 ER in 1 1/3 IP. After 4 straight save opportunities, he still has solid job security with Duchscherer and Street out hurt.
Felix Hernandez - 5 2/3 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. If you haven't started to already, he's a must-bench until he gets himself straightened out. He has completely lost the progress he was making prior to his elbow and back injuries. Hopefully for everyone involved, he's just pitching through back soreness and not something more serious.
Erik Bedard - 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. Another quality outing, but the bullpen blew it for him last night. He's defintely back to 2nd half 2006 form.
Ichiro Suzuki - 3/5 last night, raising his AVG to .333. He also added his 5th HR. He's been as hot as any hitter in baseball over the past month.
James Shields - 7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. If only John Buck hadn't been in the lineup, huh? His only blemishes were two solo HRs by Buck, and he continues his outstanding breakthrough season.
Gil Meche - 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks. Another quality outing from Meche, who's turned in 10 quality starts in 13 outings so far this year. He's been an excellent late draft/waiver wire starter this season, but unfortunately due to the terrible KC offense, he only has 3 Ws to show for his 3.00 ERA.
Carlos Pena - He smacked his 12th HR this year last night. With his .313 AVG, 31 RBIs, and 26 Rs, he's been quite the fantasy performer this year. He's always had legit power, but that .313 AVG is way above what he'll likely end the year at. Given his propensity to go cold for long periods of time, he's a great sell high candidate.
Tim Hudson - 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Not a great outing from Hudson, but the Florida lineup is pretty tough, so it wasn't against a powderpuff offense. His 3.09 ERA is closer to what he'll likely end the year at as opposed to the low 2.00 ERA he was sporting for quite a while.
Armando Benitez/Kevin Gregg - Benitez with a scoreless 8th, and Gregg with the save. Gregg did give up a solo HR, but he got the job done and is still the favorite for saves.
Paul Konerko - Dropped to the 6th spot in the lineup, and he responded with a 3/4 night with a HR. He's due to get hot for an extended period of time, so he still remains a quality buy-low guy. A Pena for Konerko trade might go over well, with the Konerko side very likely winning out over the rest of the year. In fact, I need some hitting help in one league and will try throwing an offer out there.
Jon Garland - 8 1/3 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. I give up on him. Everytime I think he's going one way, he goes back the other. A good start for him against a quality offense.
Derek Lowe - 7 2/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Wow, talk about bad luck. He took a no hitter into the 7th, but unfortunately all his baserunners scored on him leaving him with a subpar ERA for the outing.
Jonathan Broxton - He nailed down his first save of the year, but had a rocky inning allowing 2 hits and a BB with no Ks. He likely had the first save jitters, so expect him to settle down and be a dominant closer while Saito is out injured.
Jason Marquis - 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. Marquis pitched around baserunners for most of this outing, but got lucky and only allowed 1 ER. His cinderella season is slowly screeching to a hault, and I fully expect his 2.84 ERA to continue its ascent. Now might be the last time you can get something quality in return for him.
David Bush - 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. A forgotten man after a horrible start, but he again pitched well and was burned by a bad ERA. He remains a good bounceback candidate, and is likely on the waiver wire in your league. He seems doomed for an ERA around 4.00, but I think he'll give enough help in the other catagories to be a worthy 5th starter for your fantasy team.
Alfonso Soriano - As soon as I trade him, he gets hot. I should have seen this coming. Homered in his 3rd straight game last night, going 5/5 with 2 Rs and 3 RBIs on the evening. I'm still quite happy I got Carlos Beltran in return for him, though.
Torii Hunter - He continues his career year, hitting his 12 HR and adding his 46th RBI. His .306 AVG would easily be a career high, so I still expect him to experience a slight regression, but his power is for real. Hopefully this will be the first time since 2003 where he plays 150+ games.
Boof Bonser - 5 1/3 IP, 12 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. He'll have outings like this from time to time with his WHIP problems when he's not able to pitch around all those baserunners. He still remains a quality 5th starter.
Jered Weaver - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. A nice bounceback outing after a tough start against Seattle last time out. He's a solid middle rotation starter.
David Ortiz - Hit his 10th HR last night, ending his almost month-long HR slump. If his legs are back healthy again, expect the power to return as well. Currently at .333, he's on pace to set a career high in AVG.
Dan Haren - 7 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K. Another outstanding effort, this time against one of MLB's best offenses. He continues to be more than impressive as his true breakthrough season continues in amazing fashion.
Alan Embree - Blew his first save last night, giving up 4 Hs and 2 ER in 1 1/3 IP. After 4 straight save opportunities, he still has solid job security with Duchscherer and Street out hurt.
Felix Hernandez - 5 2/3 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. If you haven't started to already, he's a must-bench until he gets himself straightened out. He has completely lost the progress he was making prior to his elbow and back injuries. Hopefully for everyone involved, he's just pitching through back soreness and not something more serious.
Erik Bedard - 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. Another quality outing, but the bullpen blew it for him last night. He's defintely back to 2nd half 2006 form.
Ichiro Suzuki - 3/5 last night, raising his AVG to .333. He also added his 5th HR. He's been as hot as any hitter in baseball over the past month.
Homer Bailey To Start Friday
Prized Cincinnati Reds starting pitching prospect Homer Bailey will be called up to face the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Bailey was among the top pitching prospects in baseball heading into the year, sharing those honors with the Giants' Tim Lincecum, the Yankees' Phillp Hughes, and the Brewers' Yovani Gallardo.
Fantasy Impact: Go pick up Bailey if he's available, but there's no way I'd start him against the Indians, who boast possibly the best offense in the majors. He posted very good numbers in the minors, but his BB rate was high, and odds are he'll have control problems in the majors during his first season. He'll likely have some value this year, but he's not as refined as Tim Lincecum, for comparison's sake, so he's not going to dominate right away.
Fantasy Impact: Go pick up Bailey if he's available, but there's no way I'd start him against the Indians, who boast possibly the best offense in the majors. He posted very good numbers in the minors, but his BB rate was high, and odds are he'll have control problems in the majors during his first season. He'll likely have some value this year, but he's not as refined as Tim Lincecum, for comparison's sake, so he's not going to dominate right away.
Dye For Abreu Trade?
It was rumored on Monday that the Yankees and White Sox were discussing a trade to swap 33 year old hitters who aren't doing crap this year. However, it appears that the Yankees approached the White Sox with the trade, and the White Sox declined. Given Abreu's loss of power over the past two years and his horrendous hitting so far this year, there's no doubt as to why the White Sox weren't interested. Dye has more upside at this point over the rest of the year.
Belated Sunday Summary: A-Rod's Big Fly
Jeremy Bonderman - 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. He's truly taken a step forward this year and continues to post quality outings with a high K rate. These are the guys to target if you go heavy hitters early in your draft.
Gary Sheffield - He continues to kill the ball, smashing his 13th HR, and has his AVG up to .266 now. With 13 HRs and 7 SBs, he's been one of the best fantasy outfielders over the past month.
Jim Thome - Outside of the big 3/3, 5 RBI day he had in his 2nd game back from injury, he's been pretty quiet. He's known for hitting HRs in bunches, so a hot streak is likely right around the corner.
Jeremy Accardo - Another scoreless inning and save. Along with Al Reyes, he's been the most valuable waiver wire closer that has emerged this year.
Jim Thome - He's been quiet since his 3/3, 5 RBI game the 2nd day after returning from his injury, but he's shown a history to hit HRs in bunches, so a hot streak is likely around the corner.
Oliver Perez - 7 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. A 2nd straight quality start that hasn't resulted in a victory. He's been great all year long, and those 3 BBs are the most he's allowed in a month. Given he has a history of command problems, that's a noteworthy stat for this comeback player of the year candidate.
Jose Valverde - 2 straight scoreless inning saves since his 3 ER blowup a few days ago. Given he has a history of putting bad outings together in bunches, this is a great sign for his breakthrough year. He's saved 20 games already.
Tim Lincecum - 6 2/3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. It's not too often a pitcher limits an offense to 8 baserunners in 6 2/3 IP, but still allows 6 ER. He deserved a lot better, and this is nothing to worry about. He's throwing as well as any pitcher in baseball right now.
Aaron Rowand - His solid season continues, going 3/4 with his 8 HR. He's hitting .325 with 3 SBs and 37 runs scored, so he's defintely been a fine 3rd OF for your fantasy team. Given he's playing for a new contract, he'll have the motivation to keep up these fine numbers all year long. Unfortunately with Rollins and Victorino at the top of the lineup, he probably won't get moved from the 6th spot, even though the only advantage Victorino has on him is SBs.
Ryan Zimmerman - Hit his 8th HR, so his rebound continues. His AVG hasn't moved in the past 10 days, but he's showing increased power and run production.
Jason Bay - 5 HRs in the past 11 games, so he's as hot as any hitter in baseball right now. Gotta love those hot streaks!
Takashi Saito - He hurt his hamstring during one of his pitches and had to come out of the game in the middle of a save chance. He'll need at least 3 days off, and could be headed to the DL if he doesn't show improvement. Broxton will close in the meantime, and this is yet another reason why you want to own the elite setup man in front of your closer, if the team has one.
B.J. Upton - His power has disappeared, only homering once in the past month compared to 7 before this stretch, but with 5 SBs, he's doing more of what his owners expect from him. His AVG will most likely end the year under .300, but if he keeps running and hits a couple HRs here and there, his owners won't complain. Plus he's permanently in the 2nd spot of the order, which is a great spot for him.
J.P. Howell - 8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. His first start came against the Royals, so don't read too much into it. He's only 24 years old, but isn't an elite prospect. Still, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on him.
Ben Sheets - 6 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. A great outing from Sheets as he continues to put together his first healthy season in a few years. He's more than capable of keeping this up for a long period of time.
Dontrelle Willis - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 0 K. Talk about dodging bullets. He's the anti-Lincecum. He stranded runners left and right to avoid ER damage while allowing 13 baserunners in 6 IP. A pretty ugly outing as his inconsistent season continues. Expect trade rumors concerning Willis to heat up as the deadline approaches.
Albert Pujols - 2/5 with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs. 2 of his outs were bombs to CF caught before the stupid hill in center at Minute Maid Park, so he probably would have had 4 HRs in almost any other ballpark. Hopefully this is the start of a long hot streak for El Hombre.
Hunter Pence - This kid has been unreal so far, hitting .375 with 5 HR, 23 RBI, 14 Rs, and 5 SBs in 128 ABs. Redraft owners should sell high before he hits his first slump of the year. but this kid is the real deal and all keeper league owners should be elated. I saved my #1 waiver priority for him when he was called up, and he's easily the leading candidate for NL ROY so far.
Sean Marshall - 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. That's 3 straight impressive outings for Marshall. It's time to start taking this kid seriously. He has a quality fastball for a lefty, and a big curveball not unlike Rich Hill.
Edwin Encarnacion - He continues to hit the ball well since returning from the minors, going 3/6 with 2 Rs and an RBI. He should be a top 10 3B from here on out, so pick him up if you're struggling with the position and he's somehow still out there.
Garrett Atkins - The biggest 3B bust of the year so far went 3/5 with a HR and 4 RBIs last night. He's not going to repeat last season's pace over the rest of the year, but hopefully this is the start of him getting his act together.
Ervin Santana - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Yes, he pitched at home. He continues his ridiculous home/away splits, and makes for a great spot starter at home.
Victory Diaz - Hit 2 more HRs last night, bringing him to 7 HR and 16 RBIs in only 64 AB. Keep an eye on him to see if he starts getting regular ABs and hits in a favorable lineup spot. He hits in a great ballpark for power hitters. Teixeira could definitely use some help behind him.
Johan Santana - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4K. Not at his best last night as his command failed him a bit. What's to like about this stat line? This is about as bad as you'll see him pitch.
Alex Rodriguez - Finally, some signs of life. After a brutal May, he hits a game winning HR, his 20th of the year, off a great pitch from Jon Papelbon. He also added an RBI infield single, so perhaps he's ready to take off again.
Josh Beckett - 6 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Francona probably should have started the 7th with his bullpen, but Beckett had a chance to move to 9-0 before the bullpen blew it for him today. The statline isn't what we've come to expect this year, but against a tough Yankees lineup it's not so bad.
Andy Pettitte - 4 1/3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. Left his start with back pain tonight, which likely led to his poor statline. He was pitching well before falling apart in the 5th, so hopefully it's nothing too serious.
Gary Sheffield - He continues to kill the ball, smashing his 13th HR, and has his AVG up to .266 now. With 13 HRs and 7 SBs, he's been one of the best fantasy outfielders over the past month.
Jim Thome - Outside of the big 3/3, 5 RBI day he had in his 2nd game back from injury, he's been pretty quiet. He's known for hitting HRs in bunches, so a hot streak is likely right around the corner.
Jeremy Accardo - Another scoreless inning and save. Along with Al Reyes, he's been the most valuable waiver wire closer that has emerged this year.
Jim Thome - He's been quiet since his 3/3, 5 RBI game the 2nd day after returning from his injury, but he's shown a history to hit HRs in bunches, so a hot streak is likely around the corner.
Oliver Perez - 7 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. A 2nd straight quality start that hasn't resulted in a victory. He's been great all year long, and those 3 BBs are the most he's allowed in a month. Given he has a history of command problems, that's a noteworthy stat for this comeback player of the year candidate.
Jose Valverde - 2 straight scoreless inning saves since his 3 ER blowup a few days ago. Given he has a history of putting bad outings together in bunches, this is a great sign for his breakthrough year. He's saved 20 games already.
Tim Lincecum - 6 2/3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. It's not too often a pitcher limits an offense to 8 baserunners in 6 2/3 IP, but still allows 6 ER. He deserved a lot better, and this is nothing to worry about. He's throwing as well as any pitcher in baseball right now.
Aaron Rowand - His solid season continues, going 3/4 with his 8 HR. He's hitting .325 with 3 SBs and 37 runs scored, so he's defintely been a fine 3rd OF for your fantasy team. Given he's playing for a new contract, he'll have the motivation to keep up these fine numbers all year long. Unfortunately with Rollins and Victorino at the top of the lineup, he probably won't get moved from the 6th spot, even though the only advantage Victorino has on him is SBs.
Ryan Zimmerman - Hit his 8th HR, so his rebound continues. His AVG hasn't moved in the past 10 days, but he's showing increased power and run production.
Jason Bay - 5 HRs in the past 11 games, so he's as hot as any hitter in baseball right now. Gotta love those hot streaks!
Takashi Saito - He hurt his hamstring during one of his pitches and had to come out of the game in the middle of a save chance. He'll need at least 3 days off, and could be headed to the DL if he doesn't show improvement. Broxton will close in the meantime, and this is yet another reason why you want to own the elite setup man in front of your closer, if the team has one.
B.J. Upton - His power has disappeared, only homering once in the past month compared to 7 before this stretch, but with 5 SBs, he's doing more of what his owners expect from him. His AVG will most likely end the year under .300, but if he keeps running and hits a couple HRs here and there, his owners won't complain. Plus he's permanently in the 2nd spot of the order, which is a great spot for him.
J.P. Howell - 8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. His first start came against the Royals, so don't read too much into it. He's only 24 years old, but isn't an elite prospect. Still, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on him.
Ben Sheets - 6 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. A great outing from Sheets as he continues to put together his first healthy season in a few years. He's more than capable of keeping this up for a long period of time.
Dontrelle Willis - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 0 K. Talk about dodging bullets. He's the anti-Lincecum. He stranded runners left and right to avoid ER damage while allowing 13 baserunners in 6 IP. A pretty ugly outing as his inconsistent season continues. Expect trade rumors concerning Willis to heat up as the deadline approaches.
Albert Pujols - 2/5 with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs. 2 of his outs were bombs to CF caught before the stupid hill in center at Minute Maid Park, so he probably would have had 4 HRs in almost any other ballpark. Hopefully this is the start of a long hot streak for El Hombre.
Hunter Pence - This kid has been unreal so far, hitting .375 with 5 HR, 23 RBI, 14 Rs, and 5 SBs in 128 ABs. Redraft owners should sell high before he hits his first slump of the year. but this kid is the real deal and all keeper league owners should be elated. I saved my #1 waiver priority for him when he was called up, and he's easily the leading candidate for NL ROY so far.
Sean Marshall - 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. That's 3 straight impressive outings for Marshall. It's time to start taking this kid seriously. He has a quality fastball for a lefty, and a big curveball not unlike Rich Hill.
Edwin Encarnacion - He continues to hit the ball well since returning from the minors, going 3/6 with 2 Rs and an RBI. He should be a top 10 3B from here on out, so pick him up if you're struggling with the position and he's somehow still out there.
Garrett Atkins - The biggest 3B bust of the year so far went 3/5 with a HR and 4 RBIs last night. He's not going to repeat last season's pace over the rest of the year, but hopefully this is the start of him getting his act together.
Ervin Santana - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Yes, he pitched at home. He continues his ridiculous home/away splits, and makes for a great spot starter at home.
Victory Diaz - Hit 2 more HRs last night, bringing him to 7 HR and 16 RBIs in only 64 AB. Keep an eye on him to see if he starts getting regular ABs and hits in a favorable lineup spot. He hits in a great ballpark for power hitters. Teixeira could definitely use some help behind him.
Johan Santana - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4K. Not at his best last night as his command failed him a bit. What's to like about this stat line? This is about as bad as you'll see him pitch.
Alex Rodriguez - Finally, some signs of life. After a brutal May, he hits a game winning HR, his 20th of the year, off a great pitch from Jon Papelbon. He also added an RBI infield single, so perhaps he's ready to take off again.
Josh Beckett - 6 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Francona probably should have started the 7th with his bullpen, but Beckett had a chance to move to 9-0 before the bullpen blew it for him today. The statline isn't what we've come to expect this year, but against a tough Yankees lineup it's not so bad.
Andy Pettitte - 4 1/3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. Left his start with back pain tonight, which likely led to his poor statline. He was pitching well before falling apart in the 5th, so hopefully it's nothing too serious.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Clemens 2007 Yankees Debut Pushed Back
Roger Clemens tweaked his groin in his last minor league start, so he won't make his first major league start tomorrow against the White Sox as planned. He thinks he'll be ready for the weekend series against the Pirates, which is actually a much better matchup for him as they're a considerably weaker offense.
Fantasy Impact: Not much, other than Clemens won't have a 2 start week. The concern is that Clemens has had problems with that groin before, and might continually deal with this on and off all season long. If he returns against the Pirates, I'd start him right away.
Fantasy Impact: Not much, other than Clemens won't have a 2 start week. The concern is that Clemens has had problems with that groin before, and might continually deal with this on and off all season long. If he returns against the Pirates, I'd start him right away.
Saturday Swingin': Rios, Lowell, Ordonez Stay Hot
Rich Hill - 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Another great outing from this youngster, although he cost himself 2 runs with a throwing error. It's always something with the Cubs these days, whether it's hitting, pitching, or fielding related. They are playing bad baseball, and several of their pitchers are getting hurt in the ERA and W department.
Chuck James - 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. Not the cleanest of outings for James, but he continues to pitch well after a bad start to the season. He's a good pickup for the end of your fantasy rotation.
Alfonso Soriano - Finally hit a HR last night after a 3 week drought. He's been pretty worthless in the power department with only 5 HRs and 13 RBIs so far this year. He tends to be as streaky as they get, so perhaps we'll see a power surge from him. Odds are he's going to severely underplay his draft position this year as he was often taken in the top 4 picks.
Alex Rios - Cranked his 13th HR last night as he continues his torrid pace this season. He's proving that his hot start before his injury last year was no fluke, and he's on pace for 39 HRs and 15 SBs. He's bounced around the lineup a lot this year as the Blue Jays deal with all sorts of injuries, but hopefully he settles in as the 2/3 hitter so his power translates into more RBIs.
Jorge Sosa - 6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He's becoming a borderline pickup in mixed leagues now. Since joining the rotation, he's posted quality starts in 5/6 outings, and since he's pitching for the Mets, Wins should not be a problem. I'd be cautious as to the opponent at first, but you can use him against weaker offenses without hesitation.
Mike Mussina - 5 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. He had an encouraging outing last time out, but he got hit hard by the Red Sox last night. It's hard to read too much into this due to the potent Red Sox lineup, but with his ability to K batters gone and his velocity down, I just don't see him being a mixed league option this year. Don't chase Ws with Yankees pitchers assuming their lineup will do enough to get it done...use spot starters instead.
Curt Schilling - 5 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. I watched a bit of his outing, and manager Terry Francona stayed with him too long. He was tiring in the 5th, but he got sent back out in the 6th and promptly gave up single, walk, 3 run HR. He had pitched well to that point, but he was fatigued. He should be fine.
Mike Lowell - The waiver wire gem at the 3B position this year. 3/4 with a HR, 4 RBIs, and 2 Rs last night to up his AVG to .337, and the HR was his 11th. He's experienced quite a resurgence this year, although if I remember correctly with his Marlins days, he's prone to 2nd half dropoffs. Don't act it right now, but keep that in mind.
Jim Edmonds - 5 HRs and 9 RBIs in his last 10 games. He's quietly on fire, and worth picking up if you need some OF/UTIL help. More important to fantasy leaguers, however, is hopefully the added protection he'll give to Albert Pujols.
Carlos Lee - Hit his 11th HR last night, and he's now up to a tie for the MLB lead with 52 RBIs. He's having another monster season as is living up to his draft day position as a top OF.
Cole Hamels - 9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. He didn't have the K numbers owners expect of him, but that's the only blemish in this great outing. I'm sure his owners would sacrifice some of the Ks to allow him to pitch deeper into ballgames.
Chris Capuano - 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K. Nice stat line last night, although his offense didn't support him. He's continuing to be a quality back-of-the-rotation starter for your fantasy team.
Armando Benitez/Kevin Gregg - Holding to his word, Gonzalez used Benitez in the 8th and Gregg in the 9th. Both responded with scoreless innings, and Gregg got the save. If Benitez continues to impress in the 8th, he'll probably switch roles with Gregg. There's no reason to trade for him unless he was going to close. Gregg owners might want to acquire Benitez before the possible switch as insurance.
Magglio Ordonez - Slammed his 13th HR last night, and went 4/6 with 3 Rs and 2 RBIs. He's tied with Carlos Lee for the most RBIs in the majors now with 52 as his amazing season continues. The .362 AVG is awfully nice for his owners.
Ian Snell - 8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. His breakthrough season continues in an impressive fashion as Snell won his 5th game last night. His numbers would be good for at least 2 more wins on a better team, but it is what it is and he continues to be one of the better draft day bargains for SPs.
Matt Capps - Pitched a perfect 9th for his first save. I apologize for not addressing this sooner, but I read this on Friday before I headed out and forgot to post it. Capps has taken the closer role from the struggling Salomon Torres. It's probably too late, but pick him up if he's sitting out there.
Justin Germano - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. 4-0 now, and continuing to pitch well. I honestly don't know much of anything about this kid other than he's been lights out since joining the Padres rotation, posting a 1.74 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. Given his very low K rate (10 Ks in 31 IP), there's no way he's going to keep this up. You can't post numbers like that for very long without missing more bats.
Akinori Iwamura - He was a popular pickup at 3B after his hot start, but he was likely dropped after his DL stint. He's 8/18 since returning, and he's also the new Rays leadoff hitter. I'm not sure what type of numbers he'll post in the HR/SB catagories, so I'm not sure how valuable he is until he proves more of his skillset here in the US.
Jeff Francis - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Pick him up...he's pitching way too well to be left on your waiver wire. 2.23 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 3 Ws in the month of May. He's only posted 47 Ks in 80 1/3 IP, but you can still be a quality pitcher with that kind of ratio.
Joe Blanton - 9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. A very nice rebound after 2 bad outings for Blanton. Hopefully this gets him back on track to being a quality end rotation starter for your team.
Mark Teixeira - Played last night despite the concussion, and smacked his 10th HR. He's fine to put back in your lineup if you had him benched last night assuming he wouldn't play, like I did. Thanks Mark, you couldn't have posted a 0 fer, could you?
J.J. Putz - Picked up his 13th save last season. He's very quietly been an elite closer again this year with a 1.48 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, and 23 Ks in 24 1/3 IP. A great payoff for those drafting him for a discount when he had a elbow problem this spring.
Chuck James - 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. Not the cleanest of outings for James, but he continues to pitch well after a bad start to the season. He's a good pickup for the end of your fantasy rotation.
Alfonso Soriano - Finally hit a HR last night after a 3 week drought. He's been pretty worthless in the power department with only 5 HRs and 13 RBIs so far this year. He tends to be as streaky as they get, so perhaps we'll see a power surge from him. Odds are he's going to severely underplay his draft position this year as he was often taken in the top 4 picks.
Alex Rios - Cranked his 13th HR last night as he continues his torrid pace this season. He's proving that his hot start before his injury last year was no fluke, and he's on pace for 39 HRs and 15 SBs. He's bounced around the lineup a lot this year as the Blue Jays deal with all sorts of injuries, but hopefully he settles in as the 2/3 hitter so his power translates into more RBIs.
Jorge Sosa - 6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He's becoming a borderline pickup in mixed leagues now. Since joining the rotation, he's posted quality starts in 5/6 outings, and since he's pitching for the Mets, Wins should not be a problem. I'd be cautious as to the opponent at first, but you can use him against weaker offenses without hesitation.
Mike Mussina - 5 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. He had an encouraging outing last time out, but he got hit hard by the Red Sox last night. It's hard to read too much into this due to the potent Red Sox lineup, but with his ability to K batters gone and his velocity down, I just don't see him being a mixed league option this year. Don't chase Ws with Yankees pitchers assuming their lineup will do enough to get it done...use spot starters instead.
Curt Schilling - 5 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. I watched a bit of his outing, and manager Terry Francona stayed with him too long. He was tiring in the 5th, but he got sent back out in the 6th and promptly gave up single, walk, 3 run HR. He had pitched well to that point, but he was fatigued. He should be fine.
Mike Lowell - The waiver wire gem at the 3B position this year. 3/4 with a HR, 4 RBIs, and 2 Rs last night to up his AVG to .337, and the HR was his 11th. He's experienced quite a resurgence this year, although if I remember correctly with his Marlins days, he's prone to 2nd half dropoffs. Don't act it right now, but keep that in mind.
Jim Edmonds - 5 HRs and 9 RBIs in his last 10 games. He's quietly on fire, and worth picking up if you need some OF/UTIL help. More important to fantasy leaguers, however, is hopefully the added protection he'll give to Albert Pujols.
Carlos Lee - Hit his 11th HR last night, and he's now up to a tie for the MLB lead with 52 RBIs. He's having another monster season as is living up to his draft day position as a top OF.
Cole Hamels - 9 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. He didn't have the K numbers owners expect of him, but that's the only blemish in this great outing. I'm sure his owners would sacrifice some of the Ks to allow him to pitch deeper into ballgames.
Chris Capuano - 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K. Nice stat line last night, although his offense didn't support him. He's continuing to be a quality back-of-the-rotation starter for your fantasy team.
Armando Benitez/Kevin Gregg - Holding to his word, Gonzalez used Benitez in the 8th and Gregg in the 9th. Both responded with scoreless innings, and Gregg got the save. If Benitez continues to impress in the 8th, he'll probably switch roles with Gregg. There's no reason to trade for him unless he was going to close. Gregg owners might want to acquire Benitez before the possible switch as insurance.
Magglio Ordonez - Slammed his 13th HR last night, and went 4/6 with 3 Rs and 2 RBIs. He's tied with Carlos Lee for the most RBIs in the majors now with 52 as his amazing season continues. The .362 AVG is awfully nice for his owners.
Ian Snell - 8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. His breakthrough season continues in an impressive fashion as Snell won his 5th game last night. His numbers would be good for at least 2 more wins on a better team, but it is what it is and he continues to be one of the better draft day bargains for SPs.
Matt Capps - Pitched a perfect 9th for his first save. I apologize for not addressing this sooner, but I read this on Friday before I headed out and forgot to post it. Capps has taken the closer role from the struggling Salomon Torres. It's probably too late, but pick him up if he's sitting out there.
Justin Germano - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. 4-0 now, and continuing to pitch well. I honestly don't know much of anything about this kid other than he's been lights out since joining the Padres rotation, posting a 1.74 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. Given his very low K rate (10 Ks in 31 IP), there's no way he's going to keep this up. You can't post numbers like that for very long without missing more bats.
Akinori Iwamura - He was a popular pickup at 3B after his hot start, but he was likely dropped after his DL stint. He's 8/18 since returning, and he's also the new Rays leadoff hitter. I'm not sure what type of numbers he'll post in the HR/SB catagories, so I'm not sure how valuable he is until he proves more of his skillset here in the US.
Jeff Francis - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Pick him up...he's pitching way too well to be left on your waiver wire. 2.23 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 3 Ws in the month of May. He's only posted 47 Ks in 80 1/3 IP, but you can still be a quality pitcher with that kind of ratio.
Joe Blanton - 9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. A very nice rebound after 2 bad outings for Blanton. Hopefully this gets him back on track to being a quality end rotation starter for your team.
Mark Teixeira - Played last night despite the concussion, and smacked his 10th HR. He's fine to put back in your lineup if you had him benched last night assuming he wouldn't play, like I did. Thanks Mark, you couldn't have posted a 0 fer, could you?
J.J. Putz - Picked up his 13th save last season. He's very quietly been an elite closer again this year with a 1.48 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, and 23 Ks in 24 1/3 IP. A great payoff for those drafting him for a discount when he had a elbow problem this spring.
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