RotoSaurus has moved! If you are not automatically redirected in a few seconds, then click on the first post on the main page to move on to the new RotoSaurus! Depth charts on this Blogger site are no longer current!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
RotoSaurus has moved!
If you are not redirected to the new and improved RotoSaurus in a few seconds, then click here: www.therotosaurus.com. The new website is still under some construction, but the depth charts there are ALL CURRENT, and from now on they will be the ONLY ONES updated regularly. Nothing on this Blogger website will be maintained any longer. Thanks for visiting and see you at theRotosaurus.com!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Some Useful Articles
As Dusty and I continue working on the new website (www.theRotoSaurus.com), which should be full-go in a couple weeks, I just wanted to re-post a couple articles from last year that are still relevant and useful right now... there will be a ton of new material coming on the new site shortly as well. Please stick with us because the new site will have everything any serious fantasy baseball player will want to know.. above and beyond what most sites give you - you'll see what I mean soon. Thanks guys!
1. Pitchers who consistently outperform their peripherals/projections
2. Strikeout and ERA Conversion Rates for Pitchers Switching Leagues
1. Pitchers who consistently outperform their peripherals/projections
2. Strikeout and ERA Conversion Rates for Pitchers Switching Leagues
Monday, December 26, 2011
Shaking Off the Cobwebs
Less Than Dave has been working hard getting all of the 2012 lineups and depth charts updated for you, and they are in GREAT SHAPE. You are not going to find depth charts this current and detailed on any site right now.
As for me, in the wake of another Christmas holiday come and gone, I figured it was time to get back on the fantasy baseball horse. I got the itch to do some mock drafting today, but I saw that Mock Draft Central is only currently offering generic mixed 5x5 drafts right now. *frowns* I then decided to study some ADPs instead, and it brought that big, toothless smile back to my face to see Matt Kemp in the #1 slot. We'll save the "first round debate" for another day, however, as I am going to focus on some preliminary draft-day value observations right now. I'll remind you that MDC isn't doing values for NFBC drafts yet, so the ADPs I am using are all for single-catcher mixed 5x5 leagues. I will be looking for values in terms of a 15-team, standard NFBC Main Event league. There was at least one player at each position that jumped out at me. Onward....
C - Wilson Ramos, Nationals - He played in only 113 games because of the presence of Pudge, but he still managed a .267 / 15 HR / 52 RBI line with a very respectable .779 OPS. He also shows decent maturity at the plate, with almost a 9% walk rate and an average K rate of 17.5%. If you couple all that with the fact that the starting job is finally completely his, then his ADP of 226 (16th round) looks pretty good. Plus, the dude survived a kidnapping, so he even has luck on his side.
1B - Ike Davis, Mets - Ike was rolling at the beginning of last season, as he was hitting .302 with 7 HR and 25 RBI through his first 35 games; all that promise abruptly evaporated when he snapped his ankle in early May and sat out the rest of the year. He should be back fully healthy at the start of the season, and he currently has an ADP of 217 (15th round). That's a great place to get your corner infielder. That said, his position will probably rise a round or two towards the start of the season, as most experienced players will know that this guy is a draft-day value.
2B - Jose Altuve, Astros - Second base was a little tougher, as I love Ben Zobrist at #103, but the seventh round doesn't qualify as much for value. Altuve came up in the second half of last season and held his own quite well. His numbers don't astound you (.276 / 2 HR / 26 R / 7 SB in 234 PAs), but they were pretty good for a rookie jumping up straight from AA in a horrible lineup. His plus speed, skill set, and minor league history indicate that he is capable of good average, 8-10 HRs, and 20 or more steals in a full season. Oh yea, and he'll be batting second as the everyday second baseman. That's pretty good value for a middle infielder at #273 (19th round).
SS - Dee Gordon, Dodgers - LA frustrated the crap out of me last year by taking so long to commit to Gordon as the starting shortstop, but they finally came to their senses. This guy has elite speed and he is going to lead off, so the potential for runs and steals is great. He stole 54 bases in 546 combined PAs between AAA and the majors last season (24 in 233 PAs in The Show), so that should show you what possibility you're looking at. He even hit .304 in inconsistent playing time. His current ADP is 212 (15th round), so if you miss out on filling SS early then he is a good backup option. I believe that he'll make a great MI this season.
SS - Zach Cozart, Reds - I was excited to pick this guy off the waiver wire last year, and he promptly blew out his elbow...oh well. At least it was his non-throwing elbow, and he should be back and ready for a job in spring training. It's not like the Reds are stupid enough to try Paul Janish again, right? This kid had a great 2011 until the injury, and he has 10-20 potential in the Great American Bandbox. Take a flyer for a MI at #303 (21st round).
3B - Mike Moustakas, Royals - Looking for value, the third base field is horribly weak, indeed. In my mind, Moustakas is the best value player on the ADP list (#240, end of the 16th), which ends with Juan Uribe at #283 (yes it's pretty much all THAT bad). M+M's .263 / 5 HR / 30 RBI line in 89 games looks pretty horrible, but when you take a look at how he finished the season, he looks a little more like the player many expect he will become. After August 15th, Moustakas hit .379 with 4 HRs, 12 doubles, and 19 RBI in 36 games. That and his pedigree make him worth a chance if you still need a CI or a backup third baseman.
OF - Jose Tabata, Pirates - Views may have soured on Tabata after injuries muddied the waters of his first full big league season, but the Pirates signed him through his first year of free agency; they are committed to leading him off and giving him all the chances he needs to prove them right. He doesn't have the power potential that you would expect from a corner outfielder, but his speed and plate discipline make him a worthwhile fantasy outfielder. You can expect a .280 average with 90-100 runs and around 25 steals in a full season, and that's OK for a 15th round OF (223 ADP).
OF - J.D. Martinez, Astros - Houston has some nice young pieces that Astros fans can actually be excited about, and there could be more if they are able to find takers for Myers or Wandy. Like his teammate Altuve, J.D. Martinez held his own in the majors after making the leap from AA. He hit a respectable .274 with 6 HRs and 35 RBI in 53 second half games, and he projects to bat third and play left field in 2012. You can expect around a .285 / 15-20 HR / 80+ RBI line, and right now you can get him in the 19th round (ADP 281).
OF - Dayan Viciedo, White Sox - Whether he plays outfield, third, or DHs, Viciedo has major-league power potential. He WILL be playing this year, as the Sox will find some place for him in the lineup, and certainly has the ability to hit 20+ HRs with a reasonable average (think .265-.275). GM Kenny Williams said that the team is rebuilding, and Dayan is definitely part of the youth movement. The soon-to-be 23-year-old has an ADP of 369 (25th round). Where else can you get that kind of power potential that late? Certainly not Nyjer Morgan.
Pitcher values to come soon...
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Cleveland Indians 2012 and Beyond
As some of you may know, I am an avid Cleveland Indians fan. The saying in Cleveland (for all of our sports) is "there's always next year..." We have that 'always looking to the future' mindset because things never seem to be going well for us in the present. The Draft is our favorite time of year, with the promise of good young players hopefully making our team a contender again. Obviously in baseball there isn't instant gratification from the draft as there can be in basketball and football. You wait years as the prospects work their way through the system... from A to A+ to AA and finally to AAA. Sometimes if prospects are more advanced, they can skip a level here or there... sometimes players skip AAA and go straight from AA to the majors. So even though the Indians are very much in the playoff hunt this season, I am still always looking to "better times ahead."
The Ubaldo Jimenez trade certainly changed the Tribe's farm system landscape, but it also decreased the need to "find" a true ace, because hopefully that's what they got in Jimenez. Though his ERA has jumped from 2.88 last season to 4.46 (xFIP and FIP are around 3.50) this season, his peripherals have mostly stayed about the same, though he is getting a little unlucky on his BABIP and and LOB%. This is likely due to his velocity dropping from 96.1 MPH the last 2 seasons to 93.4 MPH this season - which he claims was due to his injuries earlier in the year. Still, this is a definite red flag... so giving up 3 of their top 5 pitching prospects for him was a very steep price to pay. The reason he should end up being worth it, though, is that the Tribe has him for the next 2+ years at least. With that said, let's take a look at what the Tribe's roster will look like for the next couple years:
Starting Lineup
LF Michael Brantley
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
RF Shin Soo Choo
DH Travis Hafner
C Carlos Santana
2B Jason Kipnis
1B Matt LaPorta
3B Lonnie Chisenhall
CF Ezequiel Carrera
Bench
C Lou Marson
3B Jack Hannahan
2B/SS Jason Donald
OF Jerad Head
Rotation
SP Ubaldo Jimenez
SP Justin Masterson
SP Carlos Carrasco
SP Fausto Carmona
SP Josh Tomlin
Other Starting Options
SP David Huff
SP Scott Barnes
SP Zach McAllister
Bullpen
RHP Joe Smith
RHP Josh Judy
RHP Chen Lee
LHP Tony Sipp
LHP Rafael Perez
SU Vinnie Pestano
CL Chris Perez
Other Relief Options
LHP Nick Hagadone
RHP Tyler Sturdevant
RHP Matthew Langwell
RHP Bryce Stowell
RHP Cory Burns
Before this season started, this looked like a future projection... but they basically have the team set already. It looks unlikely now that the Tribe will exercise Sizemore's 2012 option for $8.5 million, and even if they do, it's likely that they trade him because he just can't stay healthy. They will more than likely let Fukudome, Kearns, and Durbin walk as free agents after the 2011 season. They might sign someone to play LF/CF if they don't re-sign Sizemore and don't trust starting Carrera, but either way they're going to need a 4th OF at least. I project Jerad Head to be promoted from AAA to be the Tribe's 4th OF. He's old (28) for a "prospect" and has very little upside, but he does have some pop and he's the only OF in their system who could fill the void unless they want to go back to Buck or Duncan (hopefully not). Another possibility is that the Tribe could move Santana to 1B (since he's struggling defensively as a catcher), start Marson at C, move LaPorta to LF, and move Brantley to CF - making Carrera the 4th OF. Donald fits the team well as a backup infielder because he can play 2B and SS. The lineup is pretty well set, and should be very good for years to come as they grow and progress together.
The rotation just got a major boost in the short-term with the trade for Ubaldo. He gives the Tribe a legitimate 1-2 punch with Masterson. Unfortunately, their other options are less than exceptional and the cupboard is mostly bare. Jason Knapp is the only ace-upside prospect in the Tribe's system, and he's at least 2 years away; if he can even stay healthy. The only other starter who can really step up is Carlos Carrasco, who can definitely be the #3 starter for the Tribe if he puts it all together. I still believe Carmona will turn it around in the 2nd half and be the mediocre starter he has the potential to be. He is by no means as good as his 3.77 ERA indicated last season, but I think with his electric stuff and groundball tendencies he can maintain an ERA in the low 4s when he isn't struggling with his control. Tomlin and Huff, like Carmona, are low-upside starters as well. However, unlike Fausto, they don't have good stuff. They rely on their excellent control to keep hitters in check. McAllister and Barnes have higher upside than the others, but they don't have great stuff either. The #4 and #5 spots could be a revolving door next season and beyond until another prospect emerges (possibly from the 2011 draft) or until they trade for someone. Dillon Howard and Dillon Peters have become must-signs from the 2011 Draft as both have ace-potential in a system devoid of them.
The true strength of this team is their bullpen. Wow. It's already one of the best in baseball before factoring in the massive amount of major league-ready depth in the minors. Once Durbin and Herrmann are gone, they can bring up guys like Josh Judy and Chen Lee for starters. Sturdevant, Langwell, Stowell, and Burns are other elite options that are pretty close to being ready to step-in as well. If they decide to trade one of Sipp or Raffy Perez, Nick Hagadone could be called-up as the next LHP. Joe Smith should have a spot in the pen for years to come as well. I'm not sure if Chris Perez is good enough to remain the closer; but if he isn't, they could always turn to Pestano, who looks like an elite future closer. For the record, I believe Perez will maintain the closer role. He may not be the best reliever in the pen, but he has the closer mentality. He wants it - and you gotta love that.
At this point, the only major change I see from 2012 to future seasons based on the talent available in the minors is the inclusion of Jason Knapp in the rotation around 2014. I think there will be several guys from the 2010 and 2011 Drafts that will emerge, but it's too early to speculate on those at this point. Having said that, 'll put out a Top 25 Prospects list once all the 2011 picks are signed by August 15th.
The Ubaldo Jimenez trade certainly changed the Tribe's farm system landscape, but it also decreased the need to "find" a true ace, because hopefully that's what they got in Jimenez. Though his ERA has jumped from 2.88 last season to 4.46 (xFIP and FIP are around 3.50) this season, his peripherals have mostly stayed about the same, though he is getting a little unlucky on his BABIP and and LOB%. This is likely due to his velocity dropping from 96.1 MPH the last 2 seasons to 93.4 MPH this season - which he claims was due to his injuries earlier in the year. Still, this is a definite red flag... so giving up 3 of their top 5 pitching prospects for him was a very steep price to pay. The reason he should end up being worth it, though, is that the Tribe has him for the next 2+ years at least. With that said, let's take a look at what the Tribe's roster will look like for the next couple years:
Starting Lineup
LF Michael Brantley
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
RF Shin Soo Choo
DH Travis Hafner
C Carlos Santana
2B Jason Kipnis
1B Matt LaPorta
3B Lonnie Chisenhall
CF Ezequiel Carrera
Bench
C Lou Marson
3B Jack Hannahan
2B/SS Jason Donald
OF Jerad Head
Rotation
SP Ubaldo Jimenez
SP Justin Masterson
SP Carlos Carrasco
SP Fausto Carmona
SP Josh Tomlin
Other Starting Options
SP David Huff
SP Scott Barnes
SP Zach McAllister
Bullpen
RHP Joe Smith
RHP Josh Judy
RHP Chen Lee
LHP Tony Sipp
LHP Rafael Perez
SU Vinnie Pestano
CL Chris Perez
Other Relief Options
LHP Nick Hagadone
RHP Tyler Sturdevant
RHP Matthew Langwell
RHP Bryce Stowell
RHP Cory Burns
Before this season started, this looked like a future projection... but they basically have the team set already. It looks unlikely now that the Tribe will exercise Sizemore's 2012 option for $8.5 million, and even if they do, it's likely that they trade him because he just can't stay healthy. They will more than likely let Fukudome, Kearns, and Durbin walk as free agents after the 2011 season. They might sign someone to play LF/CF if they don't re-sign Sizemore and don't trust starting Carrera, but either way they're going to need a 4th OF at least. I project Jerad Head to be promoted from AAA to be the Tribe's 4th OF. He's old (28) for a "prospect" and has very little upside, but he does have some pop and he's the only OF in their system who could fill the void unless they want to go back to Buck or Duncan (hopefully not). Another possibility is that the Tribe could move Santana to 1B (since he's struggling defensively as a catcher), start Marson at C, move LaPorta to LF, and move Brantley to CF - making Carrera the 4th OF. Donald fits the team well as a backup infielder because he can play 2B and SS. The lineup is pretty well set, and should be very good for years to come as they grow and progress together.
The rotation just got a major boost in the short-term with the trade for Ubaldo. He gives the Tribe a legitimate 1-2 punch with Masterson. Unfortunately, their other options are less than exceptional and the cupboard is mostly bare. Jason Knapp is the only ace-upside prospect in the Tribe's system, and he's at least 2 years away; if he can even stay healthy. The only other starter who can really step up is Carlos Carrasco, who can definitely be the #3 starter for the Tribe if he puts it all together. I still believe Carmona will turn it around in the 2nd half and be the mediocre starter he has the potential to be. He is by no means as good as his 3.77 ERA indicated last season, but I think with his electric stuff and groundball tendencies he can maintain an ERA in the low 4s when he isn't struggling with his control. Tomlin and Huff, like Carmona, are low-upside starters as well. However, unlike Fausto, they don't have good stuff. They rely on their excellent control to keep hitters in check. McAllister and Barnes have higher upside than the others, but they don't have great stuff either. The #4 and #5 spots could be a revolving door next season and beyond until another prospect emerges (possibly from the 2011 draft) or until they trade for someone. Dillon Howard and Dillon Peters have become must-signs from the 2011 Draft as both have ace-potential in a system devoid of them.
The true strength of this team is their bullpen. Wow. It's already one of the best in baseball before factoring in the massive amount of major league-ready depth in the minors. Once Durbin and Herrmann are gone, they can bring up guys like Josh Judy and Chen Lee for starters. Sturdevant, Langwell, Stowell, and Burns are other elite options that are pretty close to being ready to step-in as well. If they decide to trade one of Sipp or Raffy Perez, Nick Hagadone could be called-up as the next LHP. Joe Smith should have a spot in the pen for years to come as well. I'm not sure if Chris Perez is good enough to remain the closer; but if he isn't, they could always turn to Pestano, who looks like an elite future closer. For the record, I believe Perez will maintain the closer role. He may not be the best reliever in the pen, but he has the closer mentality. He wants it - and you gotta love that.
At this point, the only major change I see from 2012 to future seasons based on the talent available in the minors is the inclusion of Jason Knapp in the rotation around 2014. I think there will be several guys from the 2010 and 2011 Drafts that will emerge, but it's too early to speculate on those at this point. Having said that, 'll put out a Top 25 Prospects list once all the 2011 picks are signed by August 15th.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Second-Half Saves
To be frank (though my name is actually Dave), the trade deadline didn’t really bring about any changes for potential closers other than K-Rod’s trade to the Brewers that led to Jason Isringhausen becoming the Mets’ closer (and a whole lot of people speculatively picking up Bobby Parnell). Heath Bell didn’t get traded to Texas (or anywhere else for that matter), but Mike Adams did – meaning Bell and Neftali Feliz will continue to save games and Adams will continue not saving games. Koji Uehara also went to Texas, meaning Kevin Gregg’s job is officially safe for the rest of the season barring some unforeseen circumstances. Andrew Bailey, Huston Street, Leo Nunez, Brandon League, Drew Storen, and Jon Rauch also stayed with their current teams. No potential closers (unless you count Octavio Dotel going to the Cards) were traded either. Basically, a whole bunch of nothing went down on the closer front at the trade deadline. This is probably the most stagnant the waiver wire has been for a speculative closer add in fantasy leagues all season so far. No incumbent closers are really struggling, or at least not enough to draw attention to their handcuffs (the guys next-in-line for saves). I’d say at this point, those desperate for saves have very few legitimate speculative closer adds, but I am going to try to dig some up for you (in descending order of those most likely to get saves in the second half) anyways because as we all know, saves are scarce and they can easily make-or-break a fantasy team.
Bobby Parnell needs to be owned by anyone looking for saves, but I’m assuming he’s not available at this point in any competitive league. As I stated earlier, he was a popular speculative add for saves either just before or just after K-Rod was traded away. It was obvious to me that Isringhausen was going to be given the first chance to close, given that he was K-Rod’s set-up man and just 7 shy of 300 career saves. Regardless, Parnell still needs to be owned because Isringhausen does not have the stuff to close anymore. Izzy has blown a save and given up 6 earned runs in his last 4 outings. Parnell might have already overtaken Isringhausen if not for the fact that he has struggled a bit lately, and they want Izzy to reach 300 saves first. Still, Parnell is the closer of the future and it’s very likely he will see some time as closer this season before becoming the full-time closer next season.
Frank Francisco also needs to be owned, though he’s also likely unavailable. The closer situation in Toronto has been murky all season, but one thing is clear: they want Francisco to be the closer. After trading Dotel and Frasor, Francisco becomes the only other legitimate candidate to replace Rauch. The Jays have used Francisco in the closer role a few times this season, only to have to eventually go back to Rauch due to Francisco’s struggles. However, since July 14th, Francisco has only given up 1 run on 5 hits and 0 walks in 8 outings. I think it’ll take a couple of blown saves to wrestle the job from Rauch, but Francisco could easily see some saves here in the second half.
Yet another speculative closer who is likely unavailable is Aroldis Chapman. Due to his massive upside, he’s a popular player to own in fantasy leagues. It’s much sexier to pick up a guy like Aroldis Chapman than a guy like Isringhausen (when he was still available before K-Rod’s trade). Before the season began, Francisco Cordero was one of the most likely closers to lose his job this season with Chapman waiting in the wings. However, Chapman really struggled with his control and Cordero had an ERA around 1.70 through June. Chapman was sent down to the minors to work on his command in mid-May before returning in late June. Since his return to the majors, Chapman has given up only 3 runs. He hasn’t even allowed a HIT in his last 8 appearances though. Meanwhile, Cordero labored through July with a 6.10 ERA and with 3 blown saves in 6 opportunities. He has righted the ship recently though, not giving up a run in his last 5 appearances. Still, Chapman is someone to own if you’re desperate for saves. I’m not sure that he will get his opportunity this season if the Reds stay competitive, but with Cordero’s impending free agency (and the unlikelihood that he is re-signed), it’s a possibility Chapman sees some looks as closer at the end of the season (and next season certainly).
Going back to the situation in Texas, it’s worth noting that Feliz has a 27:20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and has blown 3 saves since June 22nd. Manager Ron Washington has recently questioned his competitive fire. I believe if they had traded for Bell, he would have become the closer. While I don’t think Adams is a candidate to close in Texas, Koji Uehara might be. He has previous closing experience and has been absolutely lights-out all season. Uehara would have had a much better chance of replacing Gregg, but it’s possible Feliz could be replacedat this point. It’s likely someone is still holding onto Uehara as Gregg’s handcuff, but if he became available after his trade to Texas and you really need saves, grab him.
If someone drops David Hernandez in your league, he might be a good speculative add based on Putz’s inability to stay healthy. We know he can handle the job, he just needs another opportunity. Fresh off the DL, Putz currently sits at 38 innings pitched. He hasn’t pitched over 54 innings since 2007 though, so it’s very possible he ends up on the DL again at some point this season. I’d hold onto Hernandez if you own him and are still in need of saves.
As you can see, the problem here is that all of the speculative closers are likely unavailable in your league. I do see one situation to keep an eye on in which a speculative closer might be worth an add – Tampa Bay. Though Kyle Farnsworth has been great overall this season as Tampa’s closer, he’s still Kyle Farnsworth, so I’m still expecting an implosion at some point. He's only blown 4 saves and walked 8 batters all year, but 3 of those blown saves and 6 of those walks have come in his past 10 appearances. He’s not nearly close to losing his job, but it’s easy to imagine a scenario where he does implode and lose his job. On that note, in case you missed it, possible future closer Jake McGee was called back up from the minors in mid-July and has only given up 1 run in 7 outings. Again, I wouldn’t expect anything to happen anytime soon, but if Farnsworth’s control continues to regress, McGee would be a good reliever to have stashed on your bench. Joel Peralta is another possibility to close, but he’s been complaining about his arm being tired from overuse, and he doesn’t profile as a closer like McGee does.
Bobby Parnell needs to be owned by anyone looking for saves, but I’m assuming he’s not available at this point in any competitive league. As I stated earlier, he was a popular speculative add for saves either just before or just after K-Rod was traded away. It was obvious to me that Isringhausen was going to be given the first chance to close, given that he was K-Rod’s set-up man and just 7 shy of 300 career saves. Regardless, Parnell still needs to be owned because Isringhausen does not have the stuff to close anymore. Izzy has blown a save and given up 6 earned runs in his last 4 outings. Parnell might have already overtaken Isringhausen if not for the fact that he has struggled a bit lately, and they want Izzy to reach 300 saves first. Still, Parnell is the closer of the future and it’s very likely he will see some time as closer this season before becoming the full-time closer next season.
Frank Francisco also needs to be owned, though he’s also likely unavailable. The closer situation in Toronto has been murky all season, but one thing is clear: they want Francisco to be the closer. After trading Dotel and Frasor, Francisco becomes the only other legitimate candidate to replace Rauch. The Jays have used Francisco in the closer role a few times this season, only to have to eventually go back to Rauch due to Francisco’s struggles. However, since July 14th, Francisco has only given up 1 run on 5 hits and 0 walks in 8 outings. I think it’ll take a couple of blown saves to wrestle the job from Rauch, but Francisco could easily see some saves here in the second half.
Yet another speculative closer who is likely unavailable is Aroldis Chapman. Due to his massive upside, he’s a popular player to own in fantasy leagues. It’s much sexier to pick up a guy like Aroldis Chapman than a guy like Isringhausen (when he was still available before K-Rod’s trade). Before the season began, Francisco Cordero was one of the most likely closers to lose his job this season with Chapman waiting in the wings. However, Chapman really struggled with his control and Cordero had an ERA around 1.70 through June. Chapman was sent down to the minors to work on his command in mid-May before returning in late June. Since his return to the majors, Chapman has given up only 3 runs. He hasn’t even allowed a HIT in his last 8 appearances though. Meanwhile, Cordero labored through July with a 6.10 ERA and with 3 blown saves in 6 opportunities. He has righted the ship recently though, not giving up a run in his last 5 appearances. Still, Chapman is someone to own if you’re desperate for saves. I’m not sure that he will get his opportunity this season if the Reds stay competitive, but with Cordero’s impending free agency (and the unlikelihood that he is re-signed), it’s a possibility Chapman sees some looks as closer at the end of the season (and next season certainly).
Going back to the situation in Texas, it’s worth noting that Feliz has a 27:20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and has blown 3 saves since June 22nd. Manager Ron Washington has recently questioned his competitive fire. I believe if they had traded for Bell, he would have become the closer. While I don’t think Adams is a candidate to close in Texas, Koji Uehara might be. He has previous closing experience and has been absolutely lights-out all season. Uehara would have had a much better chance of replacing Gregg, but it’s possible Feliz could be replacedat this point. It’s likely someone is still holding onto Uehara as Gregg’s handcuff, but if he became available after his trade to Texas and you really need saves, grab him.
If someone drops David Hernandez in your league, he might be a good speculative add based on Putz’s inability to stay healthy. We know he can handle the job, he just needs another opportunity. Fresh off the DL, Putz currently sits at 38 innings pitched. He hasn’t pitched over 54 innings since 2007 though, so it’s very possible he ends up on the DL again at some point this season. I’d hold onto Hernandez if you own him and are still in need of saves.
As you can see, the problem here is that all of the speculative closers are likely unavailable in your league. I do see one situation to keep an eye on in which a speculative closer might be worth an add – Tampa Bay. Though Kyle Farnsworth has been great overall this season as Tampa’s closer, he’s still Kyle Farnsworth, so I’m still expecting an implosion at some point. He's only blown 4 saves and walked 8 batters all year, but 3 of those blown saves and 6 of those walks have come in his past 10 appearances. He’s not nearly close to losing his job, but it’s easy to imagine a scenario where he does implode and lose his job. On that note, in case you missed it, possible future closer Jake McGee was called back up from the minors in mid-July and has only given up 1 run in 7 outings. Again, I wouldn’t expect anything to happen anytime soon, but if Farnsworth’s control continues to regress, McGee would be a good reliever to have stashed on your bench. Joel Peralta is another possibility to close, but he’s been complaining about his arm being tired from overuse, and he doesn’t profile as a closer like McGee does.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Matt Kemp Is Your Daddy
A number of children in America wish that the Dodgers' Kemp were their father, instead of this other guy. He only had one hit today, but it was a two-run homer that gave LA the win in the 12th inning against the Braves. He continues to mash and dash, hitting .411 with 4 HR and 8 SB for the otherwise enemic Dodgers. It makes you think that if anyone besides Kemp and Ethier could hit on this team, they could be a serious contender. Well, there is someone else who is starting to hit...
Casey Blake - 3-6 with a HR and 2 RBI. Kept the Dodgers into the game until Kemp was able to play the hero, and he's beginning to heat up. Blake has hit safely in eight of his first ten games this season, and he is batting .302 now. If you're in need of some average help or CI depth, ride him while he's hitting.
Clayton Kershaw - 8.2 IP, 9 baserunners, 3 ER, 7 Ks. Despite losing the lead in the ninth, Kershaw pitched very well. And since when does he go this deep into games?! Could it be that he is taking that next step forward?
Felipe Lopez - Bats cleanup for the Rays. The five fans watching them frown.
Sergio Santos - Pitched a scoreless eighth inning in a blowout win. This leads me to believe that Ozzie might not be ready to close with him yet. But then again, who knows with that guy? The batboy might close tomorrow.
Paul Konerko - 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI. The White Sox finally all decided to hit today, and Konerko wondered where they'd been.
Scott Baker - 7 IP, 5 baserunners, 0 ER, 9 Ks. That collective thud you hear is the Scott Baker addicts all falling off the wagon.
Stephen Drew - 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI. J.D.'s younger bro is smoking right now, upping his average to .340.
Mike Leake - 7 IP, 6 baserunners, 3 ER, 6 Ks. Leake survived a razzing usually reserved for Bengals players, and he was quick to produce a Dick's receipt for his spikes when questioned by a reporter.
Matt Holliday - 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI. He's continues to rake as the average rises to .455. That's a streak Frank the Tank would be proud of.
Kyle Lohse - 9 IP, 4 baserunners, 0 ER, 6 Ks. Lohse channeled his inner Wainwright and flat-out dominated the Reds. Throughout much of his career, he's been a strong home-split guy; so far, he's been dealing everywhere.
Jason Bay - 1-4 with 2 runs as he batted fifth in his season debut. You can start him if you have to, but I don't know if I'd expect much yet.
Angel Pagan - 0-3 and takes Bay's place out of the lineup by pulling a muscle in his left side. Not sure if this is the mysterious Masked Oblique Strain, as he hasn't revealed himself to the masses yet.
David Wright - 2-3 with a homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI. Hopefully for my teams, this is a sign of him breaking out of his long slump. Take two Astros pitchers and call in the morning.
Astros Offense - Shut down by Chris Capuano. They blow.
Felix Hernandez - 7.2 IP, 7 baserunners, 0 ER, 8 Ks. Finally the outing we've been waiting for from the King, as he wins 1-0 thanks to an Adam Kennedy homer. Wedge almost left him out there too long, as he threw 125 pitches and almost lost it in the eighth, but I know that all of his owners will take this one.
Brandon McCarthy - 8 IP, 5 baserunners, 1 ER, 6 Ks for the hard-luck loser. McCarthy is doing an awesome job so far, and if he stays healthy he could be a real gem.
Pedro Alvarez - 3-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI. Shrugs off the rumors of a possible demotion and carries the suddenly struggling Bucco-O (a swashbucklingly delightful part of this balanced breakfast).
Logan Morrison - Placed on the 15-day DL with a foot sprain, just as his owners thought they were getting him back. Maybe LoMo sprained his foot kicking them in the crotch.
Scott Cousins - 2-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI. Morrison's replacement celebrated the news of more playing time by dancing all over James McDonald.
James McDonald - The aforementioned Pirate got bombed again, this time giving up 8 ER in 3 innings. If you haven't jettisoned him already, get someone new next week.
Grady Sizemore - 3-5 with an RBI, and is hitting .421 in his first five games back (four starts). Maybe Acta will move him into a better spot in the lineup for RBI soon.
Josh Tomlin - 7.1 IP, 6 baserunners, 1 ER, 4 Ks. Continues to defy the pundits in this first month of the season, and he could be the biggest surprise on this Indians team. Won't give you good K numbers, but neither did Trevor Cahill last year. The trouble is, Tomlin doesn't have Cahill's stuff, and thus I wouldn't bank on his success continuing at this current level.
Chris Perez - Blew his first save of the season, giving up his first run in 26-some-odd innings (dating back to last year). No worries, Chris, everyone's doing it this year!
Kevin Youkilis - Pulled from the game in the second after hitting a foul ball off his shin. X-rays were negative, which is the opposite. He still looks like he'll miss a couple games, with hot sauce Jed Lowrie manning third for him.
Dustin Pedroia - 3-4 with a run and a steal. He has raised his on-base percentage to .450, and I am down with OBP.
Josh Beckett - 8 IP, 5 baserunners, 2 ER, 5 Ks. I didn't trust Beckett at all this spring, and I'm kinda regretting it. But I still don't trust him. So there!
Roy Oswalt - 6 IP, 3 baserunners, 0 ER, 7 Ks, win against the Pads. It's hard not to like reliable guys like Oswalt. He never really gets his due, because now he's playing third banana to Halladay and Lee, but he has been as reliable as they come in the last decade.
Casey Blake - 3-6 with a HR and 2 RBI. Kept the Dodgers into the game until Kemp was able to play the hero, and he's beginning to heat up. Blake has hit safely in eight of his first ten games this season, and he is batting .302 now. If you're in need of some average help or CI depth, ride him while he's hitting.
Clayton Kershaw - 8.2 IP, 9 baserunners, 3 ER, 7 Ks. Despite losing the lead in the ninth, Kershaw pitched very well. And since when does he go this deep into games?! Could it be that he is taking that next step forward?
Felipe Lopez - Bats cleanup for the Rays. The five fans watching them frown.
Sergio Santos - Pitched a scoreless eighth inning in a blowout win. This leads me to believe that Ozzie might not be ready to close with him yet. But then again, who knows with that guy? The batboy might close tomorrow.
Paul Konerko - 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI. The White Sox finally all decided to hit today, and Konerko wondered where they'd been.
Scott Baker - 7 IP, 5 baserunners, 0 ER, 9 Ks. That collective thud you hear is the Scott Baker addicts all falling off the wagon.
Stephen Drew - 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI. J.D.'s younger bro is smoking right now, upping his average to .340.
Mike Leake - 7 IP, 6 baserunners, 3 ER, 6 Ks. Leake survived a razzing usually reserved for Bengals players, and he was quick to produce a Dick's receipt for his spikes when questioned by a reporter.
Matt Holliday - 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI. He's continues to rake as the average rises to .455. That's a streak Frank the Tank would be proud of.
Kyle Lohse - 9 IP, 4 baserunners, 0 ER, 6 Ks. Lohse channeled his inner Wainwright and flat-out dominated the Reds. Throughout much of his career, he's been a strong home-split guy; so far, he's been dealing everywhere.
Jason Bay - 1-4 with 2 runs as he batted fifth in his season debut. You can start him if you have to, but I don't know if I'd expect much yet.
Angel Pagan - 0-3 and takes Bay's place out of the lineup by pulling a muscle in his left side. Not sure if this is the mysterious Masked Oblique Strain, as he hasn't revealed himself to the masses yet.
David Wright - 2-3 with a homer, 2 runs, and 2 RBI. Hopefully for my teams, this is a sign of him breaking out of his long slump. Take two Astros pitchers and call in the morning.
Astros Offense - Shut down by Chris Capuano. They blow.
Felix Hernandez - 7.2 IP, 7 baserunners, 0 ER, 8 Ks. Finally the outing we've been waiting for from the King, as he wins 1-0 thanks to an Adam Kennedy homer. Wedge almost left him out there too long, as he threw 125 pitches and almost lost it in the eighth, but I know that all of his owners will take this one.
Brandon McCarthy - 8 IP, 5 baserunners, 1 ER, 6 Ks for the hard-luck loser. McCarthy is doing an awesome job so far, and if he stays healthy he could be a real gem.
Pedro Alvarez - 3-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI. Shrugs off the rumors of a possible demotion and carries the suddenly struggling Bucco-O (a swashbucklingly delightful part of this balanced breakfast).
Logan Morrison - Placed on the 15-day DL with a foot sprain, just as his owners thought they were getting him back. Maybe LoMo sprained his foot kicking them in the crotch.
Scott Cousins - 2-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI. Morrison's replacement celebrated the news of more playing time by dancing all over James McDonald.
James McDonald - The aforementioned Pirate got bombed again, this time giving up 8 ER in 3 innings. If you haven't jettisoned him already, get someone new next week.
Grady Sizemore - 3-5 with an RBI, and is hitting .421 in his first five games back (four starts). Maybe Acta will move him into a better spot in the lineup for RBI soon.
Josh Tomlin - 7.1 IP, 6 baserunners, 1 ER, 4 Ks. Continues to defy the pundits in this first month of the season, and he could be the biggest surprise on this Indians team. Won't give you good K numbers, but neither did Trevor Cahill last year. The trouble is, Tomlin doesn't have Cahill's stuff, and thus I wouldn't bank on his success continuing at this current level.
Chris Perez - Blew his first save of the season, giving up his first run in 26-some-odd innings (dating back to last year). No worries, Chris, everyone's doing it this year!
Kevin Youkilis - Pulled from the game in the second after hitting a foul ball off his shin. X-rays were negative, which is the opposite. He still looks like he'll miss a couple games, with hot sauce Jed Lowrie manning third for him.
Dustin Pedroia - 3-4 with a run and a steal. He has raised his on-base percentage to .450, and I am down with OBP.
Josh Beckett - 8 IP, 5 baserunners, 2 ER, 5 Ks. I didn't trust Beckett at all this spring, and I'm kinda regretting it. But I still don't trust him. So there!
Roy Oswalt - 6 IP, 3 baserunners, 0 ER, 7 Ks, win against the Pads. It's hard not to like reliable guys like Oswalt. He never really gets his due, because now he's playing third banana to Halladay and Lee, but he has been as reliable as they come in the last decade.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The All-knowing LaRussa Throws Us No Bone
After days of speculation, it finally came to pass that Tony LaRussa has removed the battered Ryan Franklin from the Cardinals' closer role. Four blown saves in the first 20 days of the season is enough to make even LaRussa remove an entrenched veteran for a younger, more talented pitcher....or is it? Mitchell Boggs is the likely replacement, as he has started off this year with a 2.00 ERA and 12 Ks in 9 innings. Jason Motte is also a possibility, but he has not been pitching as well as Boggs. However, knowing the great Tony LaRussa, you cannot discount the ageless Miguel Batista, who was added to the roster just before the season and brings "invaluable" closing experience. Any of these guys (or none of these guys) could get most of the save opportunities in the near future, but you really have no idea with LaRussa. I would hold Boggs, Batista, and Motte, in that order, but it's possible that someone like newcomer Fernando Salas could jump into the mix, too.
James Shields - Complete game, 5 baserunners, 1 ER, 9 Ks. Shields gets back on track with a dominating four-hit performance, spoiling a quality outing by John Danks. Don't look now, but the Rays are surging back to .500.
Josh Johnson - 7 IP, 3 baserunners, 0 ER, 9 Ks. He flat-out shut down the Pirates, limiting them to two singles and a walk. Johnson is really dealing right now, and those who overlooked his previous back issues and drafted him are smiling so far.
Wandy Rodriguez - 7 IP, 6 baserunners, 1 ER, 7 Ks. Those who got suckered in (myself included) by the Wandy two-start breathe a sigh of relief. He still walked three guys, but this was a far cry from his last time out. He certainly has the talent to pitch like this the majority of the time, but we'll see if he has his head on straight again.
J.R. Towles - 2-2 with a double, a run, and an RBI. He's splitting time with Quintero, but in 21 ABs he's hitting .429. Now I'm not saying to blow your FAAB wad on the guy, but for a #2 catching option, you could do worse. He wouldn't hurt you for the time being, and he could end up catching the majority of the time soon (based on how badly Houston needs offense).
Carl Pavano - 4.2 IP, 11 baserunners, 7 ER, 3 Ks. The Orioles got back on the beam against Pavano, completely bombing him as they went on to win 11-0. The Twins are in a bad way right now, and nothing seems to be going right for them.
Matt Wieters - 2-3, 3 runs, 4 RBI. He's only hitting .239 so far on the year, but he is delivering in the clutch: he is 5-5 with 8 RBI with runners in scoring position on the young season.
Vladimir Guerrero - 2-5 with a HR, 2 R, and 3 RBI. The ultimate free-swinger is still delivering. The home run came off Joe Nathan, who is hating life right now.
Jake Arrieta - 6 IP, 7 baserunners, 0 ER, 4 Ks. You saw whom this was against...don't bother.
Aaron Hill - 1-2 with an RBI and a SB. Hill got you his sixth steal of the season(!), but then promptly left the game with tightness in his hamstring. He has already been playing through a sore knee, so this certainly seems like something that will keep him out for a few days at the least. Unfortunately, those of us with weekly changes might be stuck with him for the week, but you lucky daily change people can get him out of the lineup today.
Kyle Drabek - 5.1 IP, 10 baserunners (4 BB), 4 ER, 2 Ks. Starts like this are precisely why I didn't draft Drabek this year. He was a very polished pitcher before he came up, but he didn't do anything that blew you away. Plus, his division is a scary one. His K:BB is meh, and his control makes him prone to giving you lines like this every so often.
Angels #6-9 hitters (Callaspo, Trumbo, Conger, Bourjos) - 11-16, 11 R, 2 HR, 10 RBI. The bottom four of the Angels order absolutely slammed Colby Lewis and Co., with Trumbo and Bourjos pitching in a homer apiece. All four of these guys were performing well coming into this game, so I hope that you were savvy enough to have them in your lineup.
Michael Brantley - 3-5 to up his average to .328. The kid is getting on base, and he is still playing most days, even though Sizemore has bumped him down to the bottom of the order.
Alex Gordon - 2-4 with a run, an RBI, and 2 steals. This kid is finally looking like he's put it all together; hopefully you took Spectre's advice and grabbed him near the end of your drafts. The two steals are great, and he even threw out a runner at home and made a diving catch in the ninth to save the game. It's a great day to be Alex Gordon (or one of his owners).
Bruce Chen - 7 IP, 9 baserunners, 2 ER, 5 Ks. Continues to baffle the Indians offense (he's had their number the last few years). He's off to a 3-0 start with a 2.42 ERA; I can't say I'm buying that.
Ian Stewart - sent down to AAA to get regular at-bats. The Rox had to lose somebody to bring Jimenez back, and since Stewart is platooning and not hitting in his share of the ABs, he's the odd man out for the time being.
Aubrey Huff - 1-4 with a BB and a 2-run HR. Currently hitting .254 and still driving in runs, but he has to be trying a little harder with the impending return of Cody Ross. Brandon Belt will probably be the one to leave the roster, but Burrell and Huff could both lose playing time.
Pablo Sandoval - 1-4 with a 3-run bomb. Keep riding out this amazing Panda power surge.
Ubaldo Jimenez - 5 IP, 8 baserunners, 4 ER, 6 Ks. Returned from the DL to get smacked. I said all offseason that I'd consider Ubaldo as a #2, but never as my ace. I hope that you Jimenez owners have some nice replacement pitchers for the next couple weeks.
Ichiro Suzuki - 4-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB. Awesome day from Ichiro, but his totals are a little down so far. In other news, I read a blurb about him a few days ago that informed me that Ichiro still speaks through an interpreter. Really? He's been here for ten years! Surely this guy has to know at least baseball English by now; you know, like "we take it one day at a time" or "I just try to put the bat on the ball and make things happen" or "Kurt Cobain is my favorite Seattleite, besides me."
Chone Figgins - 3-3, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB. I actually saw guys dropping him in NFBC leagues already. I know he hasn't really hit well yet, but grab him and hold him a bit if you can.
Phil Coke - 3.2 IP, 10 baserunners (4 BB), 2 ER (6 total), 0 Ks. WOOF. Starting Coke this week against the sub-Mariners seemed like a good idea for me a couple days ago. He just couldn't throw strikes at all last night. Ouch. Thank God four of those runs were unearned.
Ryan Braun - 2-3, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, and his fifth homer. Those of you who lucked out when your draftmates let him slide into the 9-11 range will be happy all season.
Randy Wolf - 6 IP, 5 baserunners, 0 ER, 5 Ks. Wolf has looked great in his last two starts, but he's not a "start with confidence" guy yet.
Roy Halladay - 6.2 IP, 12 baserunners, 6 ER, 3 Ks. Even the best pitchers will have days like this, but Dan Herndon made it worse by failing to record an out in the seventh and allowing two of Doc's runners to score.
Brandon Beachy - 6 IP, 4 baserunners, 0 ER, 7 Ks. Beachy sparkled as he got his first MLB win. He's not out of the woods, as Mike Minor is still looming.
Jerry Sands - 1-4 with an RBI double. There will be some big FAAB bids on this guy this week, but I'm not so sure you want to go as high as others will (lower average, high strikeout rate, manager with an itchy trigger finger).
Jon Lackey - 6 IP, 5 baserunners, 1 ER, 3 Ks. Finally a decent start by Lackey, but I'm definitely not starting him yet.
Brett Anderson - 8 IP, 5 baserunners, 0 ER, 8 Ks. Anderson is dominating; hopefully his injury history doesn't find him hiding under the bed.
Coco Crisp - 1-4 with a run and a steal. He's still hitting, and he's still running.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia - I think teams have finally figured out that they can run all day on this guy and his noodle arm; start your speedsters when they're up against the Red Sox.
Drew Stubbs - 1-2, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, and his 5th SB. I <3 Stubby...er...nevermind.
Ryan Roberts - The late fill-in for Melvin Mora (is he still alive?) hit two of the four homers off of Reds starter Sam LeCure. Don't look now, but he has a six-game hitting streak and 3 multi-hit games in that span.
James Shields - Complete game, 5 baserunners, 1 ER, 9 Ks. Shields gets back on track with a dominating four-hit performance, spoiling a quality outing by John Danks. Don't look now, but the Rays are surging back to .500.
Josh Johnson - 7 IP, 3 baserunners, 0 ER, 9 Ks. He flat-out shut down the Pirates, limiting them to two singles and a walk. Johnson is really dealing right now, and those who overlooked his previous back issues and drafted him are smiling so far.
Wandy Rodriguez - 7 IP, 6 baserunners, 1 ER, 7 Ks. Those who got suckered in (myself included) by the Wandy two-start breathe a sigh of relief. He still walked three guys, but this was a far cry from his last time out. He certainly has the talent to pitch like this the majority of the time, but we'll see if he has his head on straight again.
J.R. Towles - 2-2 with a double, a run, and an RBI. He's splitting time with Quintero, but in 21 ABs he's hitting .429. Now I'm not saying to blow your FAAB wad on the guy, but for a #2 catching option, you could do worse. He wouldn't hurt you for the time being, and he could end up catching the majority of the time soon (based on how badly Houston needs offense).
Carl Pavano - 4.2 IP, 11 baserunners, 7 ER, 3 Ks. The Orioles got back on the beam against Pavano, completely bombing him as they went on to win 11-0. The Twins are in a bad way right now, and nothing seems to be going right for them.
Matt Wieters - 2-3, 3 runs, 4 RBI. He's only hitting .239 so far on the year, but he is delivering in the clutch: he is 5-5 with 8 RBI with runners in scoring position on the young season.
Vladimir Guerrero - 2-5 with a HR, 2 R, and 3 RBI. The ultimate free-swinger is still delivering. The home run came off Joe Nathan, who is hating life right now.
Jake Arrieta - 6 IP, 7 baserunners, 0 ER, 4 Ks. You saw whom this was against...don't bother.
Aaron Hill - 1-2 with an RBI and a SB. Hill got you his sixth steal of the season(!), but then promptly left the game with tightness in his hamstring. He has already been playing through a sore knee, so this certainly seems like something that will keep him out for a few days at the least. Unfortunately, those of us with weekly changes might be stuck with him for the week, but you lucky daily change people can get him out of the lineup today.
Kyle Drabek - 5.1 IP, 10 baserunners (4 BB), 4 ER, 2 Ks. Starts like this are precisely why I didn't draft Drabek this year. He was a very polished pitcher before he came up, but he didn't do anything that blew you away. Plus, his division is a scary one. His K:BB is meh, and his control makes him prone to giving you lines like this every so often.
Angels #6-9 hitters (Callaspo, Trumbo, Conger, Bourjos) - 11-16, 11 R, 2 HR, 10 RBI. The bottom four of the Angels order absolutely slammed Colby Lewis and Co., with Trumbo and Bourjos pitching in a homer apiece. All four of these guys were performing well coming into this game, so I hope that you were savvy enough to have them in your lineup.
Michael Brantley - 3-5 to up his average to .328. The kid is getting on base, and he is still playing most days, even though Sizemore has bumped him down to the bottom of the order.
Alex Gordon - 2-4 with a run, an RBI, and 2 steals. This kid is finally looking like he's put it all together; hopefully you took Spectre's advice and grabbed him near the end of your drafts. The two steals are great, and he even threw out a runner at home and made a diving catch in the ninth to save the game. It's a great day to be Alex Gordon (or one of his owners).
Bruce Chen - 7 IP, 9 baserunners, 2 ER, 5 Ks. Continues to baffle the Indians offense (he's had their number the last few years). He's off to a 3-0 start with a 2.42 ERA; I can't say I'm buying that.
Ian Stewart - sent down to AAA to get regular at-bats. The Rox had to lose somebody to bring Jimenez back, and since Stewart is platooning and not hitting in his share of the ABs, he's the odd man out for the time being.
Aubrey Huff - 1-4 with a BB and a 2-run HR. Currently hitting .254 and still driving in runs, but he has to be trying a little harder with the impending return of Cody Ross. Brandon Belt will probably be the one to leave the roster, but Burrell and Huff could both lose playing time.
Pablo Sandoval - 1-4 with a 3-run bomb. Keep riding out this amazing Panda power surge.
Ubaldo Jimenez - 5 IP, 8 baserunners, 4 ER, 6 Ks. Returned from the DL to get smacked. I said all offseason that I'd consider Ubaldo as a #2, but never as my ace. I hope that you Jimenez owners have some nice replacement pitchers for the next couple weeks.
Ichiro Suzuki - 4-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB. Awesome day from Ichiro, but his totals are a little down so far. In other news, I read a blurb about him a few days ago that informed me that Ichiro still speaks through an interpreter. Really? He's been here for ten years! Surely this guy has to know at least baseball English by now; you know, like "we take it one day at a time" or "I just try to put the bat on the ball and make things happen" or "Kurt Cobain is my favorite Seattleite, besides me."
Chone Figgins - 3-3, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB. I actually saw guys dropping him in NFBC leagues already. I know he hasn't really hit well yet, but grab him and hold him a bit if you can.
Phil Coke - 3.2 IP, 10 baserunners (4 BB), 2 ER (6 total), 0 Ks. WOOF. Starting Coke this week against the sub-Mariners seemed like a good idea for me a couple days ago. He just couldn't throw strikes at all last night. Ouch. Thank God four of those runs were unearned.
Ryan Braun - 2-3, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, and his fifth homer. Those of you who lucked out when your draftmates let him slide into the 9-11 range will be happy all season.
Randy Wolf - 6 IP, 5 baserunners, 0 ER, 5 Ks. Wolf has looked great in his last two starts, but he's not a "start with confidence" guy yet.
Roy Halladay - 6.2 IP, 12 baserunners, 6 ER, 3 Ks. Even the best pitchers will have days like this, but Dan Herndon made it worse by failing to record an out in the seventh and allowing two of Doc's runners to score.
Brandon Beachy - 6 IP, 4 baserunners, 0 ER, 7 Ks. Beachy sparkled as he got his first MLB win. He's not out of the woods, as Mike Minor is still looming.
Jerry Sands - 1-4 with an RBI double. There will be some big FAAB bids on this guy this week, but I'm not so sure you want to go as high as others will (lower average, high strikeout rate, manager with an itchy trigger finger).
Jon Lackey - 6 IP, 5 baserunners, 1 ER, 3 Ks. Finally a decent start by Lackey, but I'm definitely not starting him yet.
Brett Anderson - 8 IP, 5 baserunners, 0 ER, 8 Ks. Anderson is dominating; hopefully his injury history doesn't find him hiding under the bed.
Coco Crisp - 1-4 with a run and a steal. He's still hitting, and he's still running.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia - I think teams have finally figured out that they can run all day on this guy and his noodle arm; start your speedsters when they're up against the Red Sox.
Drew Stubbs - 1-2, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, and his 5th SB. I <3 Stubby...er...nevermind.
Ryan Roberts - The late fill-in for Melvin Mora (is he still alive?) hit two of the four homers off of Reds starter Sam LeCure. Don't look now, but he has a six-game hitting streak and 3 multi-hit games in that span.
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