Daisuke Matsuzaka - 6 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. A flatout bad outing from Matsuzaka, although he had been rolling in his previous 4 starts. He's been a frustrating pitcher to own this year. He tends to get blown up too often, which masks how many good starts he's turned in. All in all, he's only had one great month in June (1.59 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) and he's been mediocre to bad in the rest of the months. The biggest problem is the walks...he's on pace for over 80 this season. Still, he's been big in the K department, has 13 wins, and an ERA under 4.00, so he's been a good 3rd starter.
Al Reyes - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, SV (18). Reyes hasn't been the same since getting hurt, but odds are he'll do more good than bad for your team. Consider him a solid 3rd closer for your bullpen, if you carry that many. He's a shaky #2 due to his ratios, although his job remains secure.
Carlos Pena - 1/3, 1 R, 3 RBI. He's quietly crashed in the AVG department, all the way down to .263. This is more like the Pena we know. The biggest problem is his power slump, hitting only 1 HR so far this month along with his dreadful .184 AVG. Expect him to hit for more power soon, but you had to know this was coming.
Erik Bedard - 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. Not even the Yankees can handle the hottest pitcher in fantasy baseball, although the bullpen blew the save, costing him the win. His ERA has dropped all the way down to 2.98, and he's honestly been pitching like Johan Santana since April. There's no pitcher that's been more valuable in that stretch.
Phillip Hughes - 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. A little erratic, but not too bad. Of course, he faced Bedard, so he had no chance anyways.
Alex Rodriguez - 4/4, 1 R, SB (15). The only guy better than Bedard, apparently. He's always been contributing something almost all year long, save the stretch when he was pressing to get his 500th HR.
Corey Patterson - 2/5, 1 R, 2 SB (35). Other than Chone Figgins, there hasn't been a hotter base stealer since the AS break. His horrible start landed him on the waiver wire in many leagues, but his 2nd half turnaround has turned him into a free agent star, just like last year.
Scott Baker - 6 2/3 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. A bit erratic, but he turned in a fine start yet again. Unfortunately the offense didn't break through until after he left, leaving him with a victory for his efforts. He's been hit hard in two of his past 10 starts, but he's been way more good than bad during that stretch.
Ichiro Suzuki - 2/4, 2 SB (34). Ichiro's quitely been doing his thing, with a .347 AVG and 34 SB on the season. Kick in the fact that he'll be going over 100 R again this year, and he's been one of the best speed threats in fantasy baseball yet again.
Eric Byrnes - 3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB (32). I think I've mentioned him enough for one year. The 32 steals have been a ridiculous return on investment so far given he was probably drafted as your 3rd OF.
Fausto Carmona - 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, W (14). Carmona set a career-high in Ks last night, and pitched great while picking up his 14th win of the season. I stated before that his ERA of 3.16 does not match his 1.24 WHIP, but when he pitches like this, it doesn't matter. He'll need to keep limiting baserunners like that to keep his ERA where it is, however, which is unlikely in the AL.
John Maine - 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, W (13). The win is nice, but again with the walks. He got away with erratic control early on, but he's not getting away with it this time around. He'll need to improve his command to start seeing better results.
Moises Alou - 3/5, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR (8), SB (3). Alou is on fire right now, and while he's healthy hitting in the Mets lineup, he's well worth using in mixed leagues. Pick him up if he's still out there.
Shaun Marcum - 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (10). Riding the hot streak. Loving it. Stay on the bandwagon...he's won his last 5 starts. Maybe Toronto has found a diamond in the rough here. Odds are strong that he'll eventually fade, however.
Jeremy Accardo - 1 IP, 1 H, SV (23). He's allowed 2 ER since July 6th, so he's on a serious role again and has reclaimed a large amount of job security in the process. It looks like the rough spot was just an ERA correction that he was due for, as he's now sitting at 2.32 on the year. His 47 K in 50 1/3 IP is solid, but the 20 BB are not. His command has been much better lately, however.
Tim Hudson - 8 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (14). Hudson has won 4 straight starts and 8 of his last 10 as he's settled into the same sort of groove that he was in earlier this season. He's on quite a roll, and the improved offensive support helped by the acquisition of Teixeira is definitely a big part of his very nice win total.
Joel Piniero - 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. His velocity has improved with his return to the rotation (a bit backwards), and the switch to the NL has helped as well. He's turned in 2 strong outings in a row, but I wouldn't use him in mixed leagues until he proves himself a bit more. If the velocity stays up, he could be a nice NL pitcher down the stretch. Keep an eye on him...he had quite a bit of potential in Seattle years ago before injuries struck.
Yovani Gallardo - 5 2/3 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. He just needs to cut down on the hits...the K:BB ratio was obviously solid last night. He's going through a tough rookie patch, so as long as he's not hurt, he'll bounce back just like Lincecum did.
Albert Pujols - 2/5, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (25). He hasn't been the fantasy monster per usual this year, but he's turning in another fine year regardless. He's been bothered by several nagging injuries so far along the way, so that might explain a "down year" by his standards.
Ted Lilly - 5 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. The start of the game was delayed by rain, and when it finally started, the pitching on both sides was horrible. Lilly had been on fire prior to this, so this is just a bump in the road on a night when the offenses went nuts.
Josh Hamilton - 1/1, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR (15). I have no idea why the Reds are platooning him right now, benching him against lefties. He's a young player that needs to develop, so the Reds need to be giving him consistent playing time. I really question his mixed league value if he's not in there every day, but he obviously has legit power. If you're using him, keep an eye on whether or not he's active when the lineups are released.
Aramis Ramirez - 2/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (18). That cortizone shot definitely has him feeling better. 2 HRs in a row, so he's definitely feeling fine.
Gil Meche - 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Are you seriously still using him?
Ian Kinsler - 2/4, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (15). Kinsler is hitting .311 with 1 HR, 7 RBI, 12 R, and 4 SB in 14 games this month. Pick him up if someone gave up on him, which is likely the case. He probably has a solid finish left in him as he remains a quality fantasy 2B when healthy.
Chris Young - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. That's much better. Young was back in form last night after struggling in his first start back after going on the DL. He apparently feels fine, so continue using him. With a 1.93 ERA, however, it has nowhere to go but up.
Mark Buehrle - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Not one of his finer performances, but he stranded baserunners and turned in a quality outing. Unfortunately the offense let him down again, keeping him at 9 wins on the season despite a 3.36 ERA.
Joe Blanton - 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, W (10). June Joe Blanton returned, at least for last night. Hopefully he'll get things turned around and give his remaining owners a solid rest of the season.
Huston Street - 1 IP, 3 K, SV (10). Welcome back to the closer's role, Huston. He and Embree switched roles last night, and given Embree allowed 2 ER and Street turned in a perfect inning, you can bet that this will be the bullpen arrangement the rest of the season. This seems a bit weird given how good Embree was closing, but Street is the team's closer and the switch happened a bit sooner than expected.
Brad Penny - 6 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (14). Well, this makes up for the no-decision Penny received last time out despite 7 shutout innings. He was hittable, but limited the damaged and picked up the win.
Russell Martin - 2/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (14). Didn't I just get done saying that he was slumping? Well this is a nice way to prove me wrong.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tuesday: Zambrano, Martin Slumping
Brett Myers - 1 IP, 3 K, SV (10). An owner's favorite kind of save. Since he's returned from the DL, he's pitched 8 2/3 IP, allowing 5 H, 3 BB, and 3 ER while K'ing 9. He's back on top of his game and will remain a borderline elite closer while he's healthy. Much like Papelbon, the Phillies will likely limit his appearances in order to protect his arm.
Jeremy Bonderman - 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. The Indians are really struggling if they can't hit Batting Practice Bonderman. On a serious note, it was obviously very nice to see this sort of outing after allowing 5 or more ER in 4 straight starts. Hopefully he can build on this and close the season strong.
C.C. Sabathia - 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Sabathia is rolling with 6 straight quality starts, the last 5 in which he's allowed 2 ER or less. Thanks to the struggling offense, he's only won 2 of those starts, and he's actually lost 2 of them as well. At any rate, he's elevated himself to a fantasy ace with his breakthrough this season, and at 27 years old, he should stay that way for a few years.
Grady Sizemore - 2/3, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR (20). 20/20 for the 3rd straight year to start what figures to be a very bright career. He was moved to the 3rd spot in the order yesterday with Lofton leading off as the Indians attempt to put together something different to get the offense going. If he'd stay there (unlikely at this point), he'd receive a slight bump in fantasy value with more RBI chances.
Orlando Hernandez - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 8 K. His command failed him, but thanks to the miserable Pirates offense, he was able to limit the damage. His 3.12 ERA on the season is nothing short of remarkable for this veteran.
Ian Snell - 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. Well, it looks like Snell has fixes his problems with a 2nd straight positive performance. He's safe to use again if you had been benching him.
Carlos Beltran - 2/4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (21). He's hitting when he's in the lineup, but it remains to be seen when he'll be ready to bat right handed again. Continue to monitor who his opponent is and sit him against lefties until he actually plays against one.
Chris Young - 3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (21). Young had been 5/45 this month prior to last night, so he's clearly not turning any corner with his AVG so far. The 21 HR and 19 SB show the type of great potential this kid has, but the .233 AVG is brutal. His strikeouts have increased every single month, and this month has been no exception so far. Until he reverses that trend, his AVG will remain a problem.
Miguel Cabrera - 2/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (29). He's 4 HR away from his career high, which seems to be a lock to be broken this year. He's hitting a scorching .373 since the AS break as he's moving himself to a middle 1st round pick next year.
Brian Roberts - 1/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB (36). Roberts has already matched his career high in SB, and we still have a month and a half left to play. He's hitting .317, and with 79 R, he's been a fine asset in 3 catagories this year, making him close to a top flight 2B.
Scott Kazmir - 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K. He's still rolling, turning in a fine performance against the Red Sox last night. He's turned in 7 straight quality starts, picking up 4 wins in that streak. He was in line for the win last night until Reyes blew the save and took the loss in the 9th.
Mike Lowell - 1/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (16). He's had a history of slowing down after the AS break, but he's hitting .336 since the break this year. His power has quieted down with only 2 HR and 16 RBI that span, but owner's can blame the surrounding offense for that one.
Roy Halladay - 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (14). Halladay has posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and has 4 wins since the AS break. He's indeed regained his form and is rewarding those who bought low or kept him through his struggles.
John Smoltz - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Another quality start from Smoltz, who's posted 7 strong starts in his last 8 tries. He was again denied a win since Wickman blew another save. His 3.09 ERA doesn't quite match his 1.26 WHIP, but that's the worst WHIP he's posted since 1993. Hopefully he'll regain his form and start limiting the baserunners a bit more, but he's still pitching very well.
Aaron Harang - 7 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, W (12). Unfortunately 3 of the hits he allowed were HRs, leading to the high amount of ER despite the lack of hits. His bullpen barely held on and gave him the win despite the subpar start.
Carlos Zambrano - 7 IP, 13 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 0 K. What, did the Cubs re-acquire Barrett? Zambrano's been horrible the last two starts, and this was especially bad. Hopefully he can bounce back during his next outing or we might have to start wondering about how he's feeling.
Aramis Ramirez - 1/3, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (17). Very nice to see. In his first game back since receiving a cortizone injection for his troublesome wrist, he slams a HR. Usually the first thing to go with a wrist injury is power, so it's nice to see him immediately homer. Get him back in there.
Ryan Braun - 3/4, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (23). He's either one up on Superman since nothing can slow him down, or no one has found his kryptonite yet. This is among the most memorable rookie seasons in some time, and he's an absolute lock for NL ROY.
Matt Garza - 7 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, W (2). It was nice to finally see Garza pick up a win for his efforts. He's been very good since returning to the majors this year after struggling during his callup last season. One has to wonder about whether or not the Twins will shut him down to preserve his arm, but continue using him in mixed leagues until you hear otherwise.
Torii Hunter - 3/4, 4 R, SB (13). He had been struggling pretty bad since the AS break, hitting .257 with 4 HR and only 10 RBI until last night. He was playing a bit over his head, but the entire Minnesota offense has been in a collective slump recently, so expect both him and the offense to get going sometime soon.
Jack Cust - 2/3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (20). His power is for real, is it not? He's actually hitting a respectable .273, so he's not dragging your AVG down that bad at all. That's 20 HR and 63 RBI in only 260 AB. The 105 K is absolutely ridiculous, but he's countered that with 59 BB as well.
Jeff Francis - 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 8 ER, 6 BB, 4 K. A disaster. 6 walks? He had won 3 straight after a rough patch before imploding versus San Diego last night, at Petco nonetheless. Very frustrating, but walks are usually not a problem for him.
Greg Maddux - 5 2/3 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (8). His outing versus Colorado is quite different when it's in Petco Park. His owners had to enjoy the solid performance last night.
Russell Martin - 0/4. Martin has disappeared this month, hitting .224 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, and 1 SB. He was due to slow down at some point after the feverish pace he started the season with, but this is a slight concern given how catchers tend to wear down, especially since this is his first full season behind the plate. Still, there's no reason to panic.
Jeremy Bonderman - 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. The Indians are really struggling if they can't hit Batting Practice Bonderman. On a serious note, it was obviously very nice to see this sort of outing after allowing 5 or more ER in 4 straight starts. Hopefully he can build on this and close the season strong.
C.C. Sabathia - 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Sabathia is rolling with 6 straight quality starts, the last 5 in which he's allowed 2 ER or less. Thanks to the struggling offense, he's only won 2 of those starts, and he's actually lost 2 of them as well. At any rate, he's elevated himself to a fantasy ace with his breakthrough this season, and at 27 years old, he should stay that way for a few years.
Grady Sizemore - 2/3, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR (20). 20/20 for the 3rd straight year to start what figures to be a very bright career. He was moved to the 3rd spot in the order yesterday with Lofton leading off as the Indians attempt to put together something different to get the offense going. If he'd stay there (unlikely at this point), he'd receive a slight bump in fantasy value with more RBI chances.
Orlando Hernandez - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 8 K. His command failed him, but thanks to the miserable Pirates offense, he was able to limit the damage. His 3.12 ERA on the season is nothing short of remarkable for this veteran.
Ian Snell - 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. Well, it looks like Snell has fixes his problems with a 2nd straight positive performance. He's safe to use again if you had been benching him.
Carlos Beltran - 2/4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (21). He's hitting when he's in the lineup, but it remains to be seen when he'll be ready to bat right handed again. Continue to monitor who his opponent is and sit him against lefties until he actually plays against one.
Chris Young - 3/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (21). Young had been 5/45 this month prior to last night, so he's clearly not turning any corner with his AVG so far. The 21 HR and 19 SB show the type of great potential this kid has, but the .233 AVG is brutal. His strikeouts have increased every single month, and this month has been no exception so far. Until he reverses that trend, his AVG will remain a problem.
Miguel Cabrera - 2/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (29). He's 4 HR away from his career high, which seems to be a lock to be broken this year. He's hitting a scorching .373 since the AS break as he's moving himself to a middle 1st round pick next year.
Brian Roberts - 1/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB (36). Roberts has already matched his career high in SB, and we still have a month and a half left to play. He's hitting .317, and with 79 R, he's been a fine asset in 3 catagories this year, making him close to a top flight 2B.
Scott Kazmir - 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K. He's still rolling, turning in a fine performance against the Red Sox last night. He's turned in 7 straight quality starts, picking up 4 wins in that streak. He was in line for the win last night until Reyes blew the save and took the loss in the 9th.
Mike Lowell - 1/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (16). He's had a history of slowing down after the AS break, but he's hitting .336 since the break this year. His power has quieted down with only 2 HR and 16 RBI that span, but owner's can blame the surrounding offense for that one.
Roy Halladay - 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (14). Halladay has posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and has 4 wins since the AS break. He's indeed regained his form and is rewarding those who bought low or kept him through his struggles.
John Smoltz - 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Another quality start from Smoltz, who's posted 7 strong starts in his last 8 tries. He was again denied a win since Wickman blew another save. His 3.09 ERA doesn't quite match his 1.26 WHIP, but that's the worst WHIP he's posted since 1993. Hopefully he'll regain his form and start limiting the baserunners a bit more, but he's still pitching very well.
Aaron Harang - 7 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, W (12). Unfortunately 3 of the hits he allowed were HRs, leading to the high amount of ER despite the lack of hits. His bullpen barely held on and gave him the win despite the subpar start.
Carlos Zambrano - 7 IP, 13 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 0 K. What, did the Cubs re-acquire Barrett? Zambrano's been horrible the last two starts, and this was especially bad. Hopefully he can bounce back during his next outing or we might have to start wondering about how he's feeling.
Aramis Ramirez - 1/3, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (17). Very nice to see. In his first game back since receiving a cortizone injection for his troublesome wrist, he slams a HR. Usually the first thing to go with a wrist injury is power, so it's nice to see him immediately homer. Get him back in there.
Ryan Braun - 3/4, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (23). He's either one up on Superman since nothing can slow him down, or no one has found his kryptonite yet. This is among the most memorable rookie seasons in some time, and he's an absolute lock for NL ROY.
Matt Garza - 7 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, W (2). It was nice to finally see Garza pick up a win for his efforts. He's been very good since returning to the majors this year after struggling during his callup last season. One has to wonder about whether or not the Twins will shut him down to preserve his arm, but continue using him in mixed leagues until you hear otherwise.
Torii Hunter - 3/4, 4 R, SB (13). He had been struggling pretty bad since the AS break, hitting .257 with 4 HR and only 10 RBI until last night. He was playing a bit over his head, but the entire Minnesota offense has been in a collective slump recently, so expect both him and the offense to get going sometime soon.
Jack Cust - 2/3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (20). His power is for real, is it not? He's actually hitting a respectable .273, so he's not dragging your AVG down that bad at all. That's 20 HR and 63 RBI in only 260 AB. The 105 K is absolutely ridiculous, but he's countered that with 59 BB as well.
Jeff Francis - 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 8 ER, 6 BB, 4 K. A disaster. 6 walks? He had won 3 straight after a rough patch before imploding versus San Diego last night, at Petco nonetheless. Very frustrating, but walks are usually not a problem for him.
Greg Maddux - 5 2/3 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (8). His outing versus Colorado is quite different when it's in Petco Park. His owners had to enjoy the solid performance last night.
Russell Martin - 0/4. Martin has disappeared this month, hitting .224 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, and 1 SB. He was due to slow down at some point after the feverish pace he started the season with, but this is a slight concern given how catchers tend to wear down, especially since this is his first full season behind the plate. Still, there's no reason to panic.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Monday's Slight Of Games: Wang Gets Pounded
Matt Cain - 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Another solid stat line, but he was again the victim of horrible run support. The Giants offense is just absolutely horrible, and it's that much worse when Bonds doesn't play. Unrelated, but continue to target spot starters against the Giants. In terms of Cain, you just can't count on him to put up more than 2-3 wins over the rest of the year, even though he's definitely pitching much better.
Paul Maholm - 9 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. That's great, but as mentioned above, it came against the Giants. He's working on his 3rd straight sub 4.00 ERA month, but with the lack of Ks and wins combined with the fact he isn't this good, and I'm not going to recommend him in mixed leagues.
Noah Lowry - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, W (13). He has an impressive 3.28 ERA on the season now, but he's combined that with a hideous 1.46 WHIP and 79 K in 142 2/3 IP. He's fool's gold and due for an ERA correction in a big way, but as with Garland earlier, you might as well ride out the hot streak if you can stomach the WHIP.
Shannon Stewart - 4/5, 3 R. He's sporting a nice .303 AVG on the season, and despite the modest contribution with 10 SB, he's not really doing much for your fantasy team with 9 HR, 36 RBI, and only 59 R despite hitting leadoff with a good AVG.
Jeremy Guthrie - 4 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Further poundings are being laid down on Guthrie, who's ERA has shot up to 3.50. Hope you sold high on him back around the AS break.
Chien Ming-Wang - 6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. That's 2 straight bad outings from Wang, who's seen his ERA shoot up to 4.09 and his WHIP shoot up to 1.30. He's sporting a 8.04 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP this month so far. Hopefully he gets back on track. I traded for him in a deadline deal since I needed wins, and thanks to 2 wild pitches in the 7th by Ron Villone, the 5th run came around to score, and then Rivera blew the save despite having a runner thrown out at home. I hate the damn wins catagory.
Corey Patterson - 2/5, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (6), SB (33). He continues his post AS break assault, upping his numbers to .347 with 4 Hr, 14 RBI, 23 R and 15 SB in 29 games since the AS break. He's clearly re-established himself as the bigtime speed threat with solid pop that we saw break out last season, and he's acclimated himself well as the #2 hitter.
Bobby Abreu - 1/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (12). Post AS break assault #2. He's hitting .333 with 7 HR, 38 RBI, and 27 R in 30 games. That's compared to .263 with 5 HR, 41 RBI, and 59 R in 85 games before the AS break. He's clearly back as a fantasy stud in the OF, and the recent power outburst has been 2 years coming.
James Shields - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Shields has rebounded nicely in his last 3 starts, allowing 5 ER over his last 19 2/3 IP with 20 K and 3 BB. That includes a matchup with Detroit, and then against Boston last night. Unfortunately due to the stagnant TB offense, he's only picked up 1 win in that span. He's re-emerged as a solid mixed league option.
Alex Rios - 2/3, RBI. Rios has cooled off in a big way in the power department, only homering 3 times in his last 42 games, but he's raised his AVG from .293 to .306 in that time frame and is still scoring plenty of runs. The HR/RBI should rebound eventually, but he's making himself useful despite the power outage.
Johan Santana - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. The relatively mediocre starts continue for Santana, and with the dreadful Minnesota offense, it's not getting him any wins despite him pitching well by normal standards. I know you want to drop his sorry ass, but I encourage you not to.
Felix Hernandez - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. Felix turned in his best outing since his last 2 starts versus Oakland. He's someone you have to worry about matchups with, unfortunately, but he's showing the consistency to shut down weak offenses at least. Pitch inefficiency (110 pitches through 6 innings) kept him back from going deeper, and then the bullpen handed the lead away the very next inning to prevent a win. It'd be nice to see him turn in one of these outings against a quality offense.
Joe Mauer - 3/4, 2 RBI, SB (7). He's hitting .364 in August so far, but thanks to the horrible offense around him and his continued lack of power, he's not helping in any other catagory right now.
Roy Oswalt - 8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (13). I told you he'd bounce back. Oswalt has been his dominant self over the past 5 starts, allowed 3 ER over 33 IP with 26 K and 8 BB. He's back on a roll as a fantasy ace right now.
Chad Billingsley - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 7 K. The Ks were there, per usual, but his control failed him once again. The roller coaster ride continues.
Chad Qualls - 1 IP, 1 K, SV (3). Qualls picked up the save chance with Lidge pitching the past 3 games, and converted flawlessly. He's valuable insurance for Lidge owners, and clearly 2nd in line should Lidge implode again later on this year.
Paul Maholm - 9 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. That's great, but as mentioned above, it came against the Giants. He's working on his 3rd straight sub 4.00 ERA month, but with the lack of Ks and wins combined with the fact he isn't this good, and I'm not going to recommend him in mixed leagues.
Noah Lowry - 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, W (13). He has an impressive 3.28 ERA on the season now, but he's combined that with a hideous 1.46 WHIP and 79 K in 142 2/3 IP. He's fool's gold and due for an ERA correction in a big way, but as with Garland earlier, you might as well ride out the hot streak if you can stomach the WHIP.
Shannon Stewart - 4/5, 3 R. He's sporting a nice .303 AVG on the season, and despite the modest contribution with 10 SB, he's not really doing much for your fantasy team with 9 HR, 36 RBI, and only 59 R despite hitting leadoff with a good AVG.
Jeremy Guthrie - 4 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Further poundings are being laid down on Guthrie, who's ERA has shot up to 3.50. Hope you sold high on him back around the AS break.
Chien Ming-Wang - 6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. That's 2 straight bad outings from Wang, who's seen his ERA shoot up to 4.09 and his WHIP shoot up to 1.30. He's sporting a 8.04 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP this month so far. Hopefully he gets back on track. I traded for him in a deadline deal since I needed wins, and thanks to 2 wild pitches in the 7th by Ron Villone, the 5th run came around to score, and then Rivera blew the save despite having a runner thrown out at home. I hate the damn wins catagory.
Corey Patterson - 2/5, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (6), SB (33). He continues his post AS break assault, upping his numbers to .347 with 4 Hr, 14 RBI, 23 R and 15 SB in 29 games since the AS break. He's clearly re-established himself as the bigtime speed threat with solid pop that we saw break out last season, and he's acclimated himself well as the #2 hitter.
Bobby Abreu - 1/4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR (12). Post AS break assault #2. He's hitting .333 with 7 HR, 38 RBI, and 27 R in 30 games. That's compared to .263 with 5 HR, 41 RBI, and 59 R in 85 games before the AS break. He's clearly back as a fantasy stud in the OF, and the recent power outburst has been 2 years coming.
James Shields - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Shields has rebounded nicely in his last 3 starts, allowing 5 ER over his last 19 2/3 IP with 20 K and 3 BB. That includes a matchup with Detroit, and then against Boston last night. Unfortunately due to the stagnant TB offense, he's only picked up 1 win in that span. He's re-emerged as a solid mixed league option.
Alex Rios - 2/3, RBI. Rios has cooled off in a big way in the power department, only homering 3 times in his last 42 games, but he's raised his AVG from .293 to .306 in that time frame and is still scoring plenty of runs. The HR/RBI should rebound eventually, but he's making himself useful despite the power outage.
Johan Santana - 7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. The relatively mediocre starts continue for Santana, and with the dreadful Minnesota offense, it's not getting him any wins despite him pitching well by normal standards. I know you want to drop his sorry ass, but I encourage you not to.
Felix Hernandez - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. Felix turned in his best outing since his last 2 starts versus Oakland. He's someone you have to worry about matchups with, unfortunately, but he's showing the consistency to shut down weak offenses at least. Pitch inefficiency (110 pitches through 6 innings) kept him back from going deeper, and then the bullpen handed the lead away the very next inning to prevent a win. It'd be nice to see him turn in one of these outings against a quality offense.
Joe Mauer - 3/4, 2 RBI, SB (7). He's hitting .364 in August so far, but thanks to the horrible offense around him and his continued lack of power, he's not helping in any other catagory right now.
Roy Oswalt - 8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (13). I told you he'd bounce back. Oswalt has been his dominant self over the past 5 starts, allowed 3 ER over 33 IP with 26 K and 8 BB. He's back on a roll as a fantasy ace right now.
Chad Billingsley - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 7 K. The Ks were there, per usual, but his control failed him once again. The roller coaster ride continues.
Chad Qualls - 1 IP, 1 K, SV (3). Qualls picked up the save chance with Lidge pitching the past 3 games, and converted flawlessly. He's valuable insurance for Lidge owners, and clearly 2nd in line should Lidge implode again later on this year.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sunday's Action: Ordonez Back On Fire, Burnett Returns
Andy Pettitte - 7 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (9). He cruised through the first 6 innings, started to tire in the 7th, and then was pulled in the 8th after putting 2 on with 1 out, 1 of which scored. Still, it was a solid effort from Pettitte, and he's posted 7 straight starts of 3 ER or less.
Melky Cabrera - 2/5, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (8), SB (10). He's a fine injury replacement OF in mixed leagues. He's being over looked, but he's hit .361 with 4 HR, 20 RBI, and 22 R in 31 games since the AS break. He's up to .302 on the season and while he doesn't possess great HR power nor great SB speed, he's going to contribute enough in those catagories while hitting .300 and producing runs.
Grady Sizemore - 1/4, SB (29). Sizemore is slumping, going 7 for his last 39 to lower his AVG to .275 on the season. He hasn't hit well since the start of July, but expect him to heat back up sometime shortly.
Mike Piazza - 0/5. Piazza is 1 for his last 15 and he only got one AB between the 8th and the 12th. Since he plays the catcher position, he should still have solid mixed league value, but the way he's being randomly inserted into the lineup on a team with 2 DH's is starting to become a problem. He's not going to find a rhythm at the plate during a cold streak this way. He cleared waivers last week, and it would be for the best if another team made a deal for him.
Magglio Ordonez - 2/3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR (21). So much for Ordonez slowing down. My sell high plea to him doesn't look so good right now, although I did conditionalize it by saying go after a top flight OF in return. It's just that Ordonez has remained top flight himself, smashing 5 HR already this month after a slow June/July with 4 HR combined.
Oliver Perez - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. Perez was due for a rough stretch as he had been posting an ERA below 3 for a while, and now that it's at 3.46, it's more in line with how's pitching, so expect better results moving forward. Too bad he didn't have another inning left him as they took the lead for good the inning following his departure.
Moises Alou - 3/4, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR (7). Alou's back, healthy (for now), and hitting well like usual. Consider him as an option if you have a hole in your OF before his next DL stint.
Jake Peavy - 6 2/3 IP. 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (13). He got sloppy towards the end of the outing, allowing 5 of the 8 baserunners, and 3 of the 4 runs he gave up in the last 1 2/3. Still, it was another fairly strong outing that lead to his 4th win in a row.
Bronson Arroyo - 6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. He just can't be trusted at home, even against a weak Padres offense, can he? Keep in mind where he's pitching before plugging him into your lineup.
Brian Giles - 2/3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (7). 5 HR in his last 3 games, all of which came at Cincinnati. Don't pick him up...he's not going through a career renassaince.
Curt Schilling - 6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K. He pitched pretty well, but the complete lack of Ks is very concerning at this point for a pitcher that's having shoulder issues. I didn't watch the game, but I didn't read that he had any diminshed velocity. Keep an eye on him, though.
Brad Lidge - 1/3 IP, SV (8). Bounced back from his latest meltdown to get the final out for another save. It'd be nice to see him string together a few more scoreless outings before I'd say he's out of the woods, obviously.
Jim Thome - He's 1 for his last 22 as his back is probably bothering him again. This is exactly why I said to trade him before your trading deadline, although I was unsuccessful in finding a deal for him. Smart owners.
Anthony Reyes - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (2). Finally another win for Reyes. He's pitching pretty well, so don't forget about him. He's only worth a spot start against weaker offenses for now.
Tom Gorzelanny - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. The CG SHO is great, but did the Pirates really need to leave their starter a few starts removed from shoulder injuries in to throw 117 pitches in a 5-0 game? A great start, but not a smart move from the Pirates coaching staff.
Troy Tulowitski - 2/5, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR (15). One of my best waiver wire pickups of the season. He has really come alive since the start of June, hitting .294 with 13 HR, 39 RBI, and 38 R in that span. He's become a top 10 SS and only figures to get better at the plate.
Jered Weaver - 7 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (8). A great start from Weaver against the reeling Minnesota offense. He's put together back-to-back solid starts since getting lit up in back-to-back outings. Such is the life for a young flyball pitcher.
Chone Figgins - 2/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (2). Dueces wild. Figgins has been ridiculous since the start of June, hitting .407 with 27 SB and 50 R in that timeframe. He's been an incredible WW pickup that rivals that of Ryan Braun, but in a different capacity.
A.J. Burnett - 7 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, W (6). A very successful return for Burnett against the soft Royals offense. The fact he was limited to 90 pitches is a plus, but the Jays history of over-using him and his arm troubles state that he's very risky going forward. Unfortunately with the fantasy trade deadlines past in most leagues, you can't try to sell him off of this performance. He'll remain pretty helpful while healthy.
Ryan Howard - 1/3, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR (33). He hits the ball far.
Jimmy Rollins - 2/5, 3 R, SB (22). He had been off to an awful start so far this month, but with a .290 AVG, 21 HR, 22 SB, and 100 R already, he's been the elite SS all his owners drafted/traded for him to be.
Melky Cabrera - 2/5, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (8), SB (10). He's a fine injury replacement OF in mixed leagues. He's being over looked, but he's hit .361 with 4 HR, 20 RBI, and 22 R in 31 games since the AS break. He's up to .302 on the season and while he doesn't possess great HR power nor great SB speed, he's going to contribute enough in those catagories while hitting .300 and producing runs.
Grady Sizemore - 1/4, SB (29). Sizemore is slumping, going 7 for his last 39 to lower his AVG to .275 on the season. He hasn't hit well since the start of July, but expect him to heat back up sometime shortly.
Mike Piazza - 0/5. Piazza is 1 for his last 15 and he only got one AB between the 8th and the 12th. Since he plays the catcher position, he should still have solid mixed league value, but the way he's being randomly inserted into the lineup on a team with 2 DH's is starting to become a problem. He's not going to find a rhythm at the plate during a cold streak this way. He cleared waivers last week, and it would be for the best if another team made a deal for him.
Magglio Ordonez - 2/3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR (21). So much for Ordonez slowing down. My sell high plea to him doesn't look so good right now, although I did conditionalize it by saying go after a top flight OF in return. It's just that Ordonez has remained top flight himself, smashing 5 HR already this month after a slow June/July with 4 HR combined.
Oliver Perez - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. Perez was due for a rough stretch as he had been posting an ERA below 3 for a while, and now that it's at 3.46, it's more in line with how's pitching, so expect better results moving forward. Too bad he didn't have another inning left him as they took the lead for good the inning following his departure.
Moises Alou - 3/4, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR (7). Alou's back, healthy (for now), and hitting well like usual. Consider him as an option if you have a hole in your OF before his next DL stint.
Jake Peavy - 6 2/3 IP. 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (13). He got sloppy towards the end of the outing, allowing 5 of the 8 baserunners, and 3 of the 4 runs he gave up in the last 1 2/3. Still, it was another fairly strong outing that lead to his 4th win in a row.
Bronson Arroyo - 6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. He just can't be trusted at home, even against a weak Padres offense, can he? Keep in mind where he's pitching before plugging him into your lineup.
Brian Giles - 2/3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR (7). 5 HR in his last 3 games, all of which came at Cincinnati. Don't pick him up...he's not going through a career renassaince.
Curt Schilling - 6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K. He pitched pretty well, but the complete lack of Ks is very concerning at this point for a pitcher that's having shoulder issues. I didn't watch the game, but I didn't read that he had any diminshed velocity. Keep an eye on him, though.
Brad Lidge - 1/3 IP, SV (8). Bounced back from his latest meltdown to get the final out for another save. It'd be nice to see him string together a few more scoreless outings before I'd say he's out of the woods, obviously.
Jim Thome - He's 1 for his last 22 as his back is probably bothering him again. This is exactly why I said to trade him before your trading deadline, although I was unsuccessful in finding a deal for him. Smart owners.
Anthony Reyes - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (2). Finally another win for Reyes. He's pitching pretty well, so don't forget about him. He's only worth a spot start against weaker offenses for now.
Tom Gorzelanny - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. The CG SHO is great, but did the Pirates really need to leave their starter a few starts removed from shoulder injuries in to throw 117 pitches in a 5-0 game? A great start, but not a smart move from the Pirates coaching staff.
Troy Tulowitski - 2/5, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR (15). One of my best waiver wire pickups of the season. He has really come alive since the start of June, hitting .294 with 13 HR, 39 RBI, and 38 R in that span. He's become a top 10 SS and only figures to get better at the plate.
Jered Weaver - 7 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (8). A great start from Weaver against the reeling Minnesota offense. He's put together back-to-back solid starts since getting lit up in back-to-back outings. Such is the life for a young flyball pitcher.
Chone Figgins - 2/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (2). Dueces wild. Figgins has been ridiculous since the start of June, hitting .407 with 27 SB and 50 R in that timeframe. He's been an incredible WW pickup that rivals that of Ryan Braun, but in a different capacity.
A.J. Burnett - 7 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, W (6). A very successful return for Burnett against the soft Royals offense. The fact he was limited to 90 pitches is a plus, but the Jays history of over-using him and his arm troubles state that he's very risky going forward. Unfortunately with the fantasy trade deadlines past in most leagues, you can't try to sell him off of this performance. He'll remain pretty helpful while healthy.
Ryan Howard - 1/3, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR (33). He hits the ball far.
Jimmy Rollins - 2/5, 3 R, SB (22). He had been off to an awful start so far this month, but with a .290 AVG, 21 HR, 22 SB, and 100 R already, he's been the elite SS all his owners drafted/traded for him to be.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Saturday's Recap
Derek Lowe - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Another mediocre outing from Lowe as he continues to struggle since coming back from his hip injury. If he continues to pitch, I imagine it's not an injury that will get worse, so expect him to bounce back soon. He was much better in the last 3 innings of this one.
Rick Ankiel - 3/4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (3). Ankiel is a great story, moving from prized pitching prospect who battled injuries and extreme wildness to power hitting OF, but his flaws at the plate (lack of patience, inability to hit a solid breaking ball) will be exposed soon enough, and he's not going to be useful in mixed leagues. You could attempt to ride out a hot streak if you're desparate.
Tim Lincecum - 6 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. More hittable than usual today as Pittsburgh gave him a hard time. Not a very good outing, but the improvement in the walks catagory is reason to smile.
Adam LaRoche - 2/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (17). LaRoche has quietly turned his season around. He hit .321 with 4 HR and 12 RBI last month, and he's started off August with a .325 AVG with 3 HR and 8 RBI in 9 games. He'll continue to be limited by the weak Pittsburgh offense and the slumping Jason Bay, but he's well worth using hitting the way he is.
Josh Beckett - 8 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. Beckett gave up consecutive RBI hits with 2 outs in the 9th, and Boston decided to replace him after 115 pitches and turned to Delcarmen to get the last out. Despite him falling an out short of a CG SHO, he turned in a great outing to pick up win #15.
Wandy Rodriguez - 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Another stellar home outing from Rodriguez, but the bullpen blew a 4-1 lead.
Brad Lidge - 1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 1 K, BS (5). That's his 3rd blown save since regaining the closer role, and this was obviously very ugly. He's allowed 9 ER in his past 6 2/3 IP, shooting his ERA to 3.28. Since Qualls also struggled tonight, Lidge will remain the closer for now, but he'd better right the ship quickly.
Ryan Braun - 2/5, 1 R, 4 RBI, HR (22). He decided to do all his damage the last two innings, including a game winning HR. The only way he could help owners more is if he started pitching.
Jeff Francouer - 2/4, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (14). He's hitting a scorching .395 this month with 2 HR and 7 RBI in 10 games. He seems to be enjoying Teixeira's arrival.
Josh Fields - 2/5, 1 R, 5 RBI, HR (12). That's 3 HR in 2 days from Fields who's hitting .282 with 4 HR and 10 RBI in 10 games so far this month. He's still striking out way too much, so he's not going to be useful in AVG. Still, with 12 HR in 2.5 months, he's displaying the power that made him a well regarded prospect.
Dan Haren - 6 1/3 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Back to the 3 ER outings for Haren, although this qualifies as a solid performance against the Tigers. His 2.53 ERA still ranks first in the AL.
Justin Verlander - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W (12). Still a bit shaky, but he stranded baserunners and picked up the win for his effort. His 2nd half numbers are still a bit worrisome as they sit at a 4.86 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He's been quite a bit more hittable since the start of July.
Mike Mussina - 7 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, W (8). Tied for his longest outing of the year, although the Cleveland lineup is hitting very lame these days. Still, he hasn't walked a hitter in 3 consecutive outings and has won 4 straight.
Alex Rodriguez - 2/5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR (39). His 5th multi-HR game of the season. He's settled back into a groove once he finally hit #500.
Tom Glavine - 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Another quality start from Glavine, although the bullpen blew his bid for win #301 for his
Kevin Gregg - After struggling for a while, he's strung together 5 consecutive scoreless appearances, 4 consecutive saves, and only 2 H and 2 BB allowed in those 6 innings. He has no threat to his job, so Benitez's struggles have given him a longer leash.
David Wright - 3/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (22). Wright responded with 2 HR just as I mentioned he needed to get going a bit to reach a career high in HR. Wright still has further upside as he continues to develop as a 24 year old hitter.
Dustin McGowan - 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Another solid outing from McGowan against the Royals here, but a lack of offense prevented him from picking up another win. Continue using him in mixed leagues.
Alex Gordon - 3/3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (9), SB (11). I had just tired of his 2nd extended slump of the season and dumped him the day before this in favor of Nomar Garciaparra. Thanks, asshole. Maybe he can build on this for once and finally show some consistency.
Rich Hill - 5 2/3 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Hill is sporting a 11.32 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP at Coors field in 2 starts there, so give serious consideration to benching him in his next trip to Colorado. Coors Field and big curveballs don't mix well thanks to the thin air.
Brandon Webb - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K. Webb is up to 33 consecutive scoreless innings as he's lowered his ERA to a sparkling 2.77 for the season. That's 2 consecutive CG SHOs as well. Needless to say, he's been the hottest pitcher in fantasy baseball over that span, compiling 29 K over that span while only allowing 22 H and 6 BB.
Edwin Jackson - 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Easily the best outing of the youngster's career. The 5.84 ERA makes him completely unusable in mixed leagues, but he's only allowed 2 ER over his past 21 IP as he's on a nice little roll. He remains a sleeper for next season as he was a prized Dodgers pitching prospect at one point.
John Lackey - 8 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 0 BB, 3 K, W (15). Lackey scattered his baserunners and tied Beckett for the MLB lead with his 15th win. He's been an unheralded fantasy ace this season, breaking through much like Brandon Webb did last season. The improved Angels offense and consistently stellar bullpen continue to support him.
Rick Ankiel - 3/4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (3). Ankiel is a great story, moving from prized pitching prospect who battled injuries and extreme wildness to power hitting OF, but his flaws at the plate (lack of patience, inability to hit a solid breaking ball) will be exposed soon enough, and he's not going to be useful in mixed leagues. You could attempt to ride out a hot streak if you're desparate.
Tim Lincecum - 6 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. More hittable than usual today as Pittsburgh gave him a hard time. Not a very good outing, but the improvement in the walks catagory is reason to smile.
Adam LaRoche - 2/5, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (17). LaRoche has quietly turned his season around. He hit .321 with 4 HR and 12 RBI last month, and he's started off August with a .325 AVG with 3 HR and 8 RBI in 9 games. He'll continue to be limited by the weak Pittsburgh offense and the slumping Jason Bay, but he's well worth using hitting the way he is.
Josh Beckett - 8 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. Beckett gave up consecutive RBI hits with 2 outs in the 9th, and Boston decided to replace him after 115 pitches and turned to Delcarmen to get the last out. Despite him falling an out short of a CG SHO, he turned in a great outing to pick up win #15.
Wandy Rodriguez - 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Another stellar home outing from Rodriguez, but the bullpen blew a 4-1 lead.
Brad Lidge - 1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 1 K, BS (5). That's his 3rd blown save since regaining the closer role, and this was obviously very ugly. He's allowed 9 ER in his past 6 2/3 IP, shooting his ERA to 3.28. Since Qualls also struggled tonight, Lidge will remain the closer for now, but he'd better right the ship quickly.
Ryan Braun - 2/5, 1 R, 4 RBI, HR (22). He decided to do all his damage the last two innings, including a game winning HR. The only way he could help owners more is if he started pitching.
Jeff Francouer - 2/4, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (14). He's hitting a scorching .395 this month with 2 HR and 7 RBI in 10 games. He seems to be enjoying Teixeira's arrival.
Josh Fields - 2/5, 1 R, 5 RBI, HR (12). That's 3 HR in 2 days from Fields who's hitting .282 with 4 HR and 10 RBI in 10 games so far this month. He's still striking out way too much, so he's not going to be useful in AVG. Still, with 12 HR in 2.5 months, he's displaying the power that made him a well regarded prospect.
Dan Haren - 6 1/3 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Back to the 3 ER outings for Haren, although this qualifies as a solid performance against the Tigers. His 2.53 ERA still ranks first in the AL.
Justin Verlander - 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W (12). Still a bit shaky, but he stranded baserunners and picked up the win for his effort. His 2nd half numbers are still a bit worrisome as they sit at a 4.86 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He's been quite a bit more hittable since the start of July.
Mike Mussina - 7 2/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, W (8). Tied for his longest outing of the year, although the Cleveland lineup is hitting very lame these days. Still, he hasn't walked a hitter in 3 consecutive outings and has won 4 straight.
Alex Rodriguez - 2/5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR (39). His 5th multi-HR game of the season. He's settled back into a groove once he finally hit #500.
Tom Glavine - 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Another quality start from Glavine, although the bullpen blew his bid for win #301 for his
Kevin Gregg - After struggling for a while, he's strung together 5 consecutive scoreless appearances, 4 consecutive saves, and only 2 H and 2 BB allowed in those 6 innings. He has no threat to his job, so Benitez's struggles have given him a longer leash.
David Wright - 3/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR (22). Wright responded with 2 HR just as I mentioned he needed to get going a bit to reach a career high in HR. Wright still has further upside as he continues to develop as a 24 year old hitter.
Dustin McGowan - 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Another solid outing from McGowan against the Royals here, but a lack of offense prevented him from picking up another win. Continue using him in mixed leagues.
Alex Gordon - 3/3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (9), SB (11). I had just tired of his 2nd extended slump of the season and dumped him the day before this in favor of Nomar Garciaparra. Thanks, asshole. Maybe he can build on this for once and finally show some consistency.
Rich Hill - 5 2/3 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Hill is sporting a 11.32 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP at Coors field in 2 starts there, so give serious consideration to benching him in his next trip to Colorado. Coors Field and big curveballs don't mix well thanks to the thin air.
Brandon Webb - 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K. Webb is up to 33 consecutive scoreless innings as he's lowered his ERA to a sparkling 2.77 for the season. That's 2 consecutive CG SHOs as well. Needless to say, he's been the hottest pitcher in fantasy baseball over that span, compiling 29 K over that span while only allowing 22 H and 6 BB.
Edwin Jackson - 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Easily the best outing of the youngster's career. The 5.84 ERA makes him completely unusable in mixed leagues, but he's only allowed 2 ER over his past 21 IP as he's on a nice little roll. He remains a sleeper for next season as he was a prized Dodgers pitching prospect at one point.
John Lackey - 8 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 0 BB, 3 K, W (15). Lackey scattered his baserunners and tied Beckett for the MLB lead with his 15th win. He's been an unheralded fantasy ace this season, breaking through much like Brandon Webb did last season. The improved Angels offense and consistently stellar bullpen continue to support him.
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