Fantasy Baseball News 2008

[Hache Man]

2008 Top 150 Prospects

Presented this week is this year's Top 150 Prospects column. In order to be eligible, players must have no more than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the majors. Also, they cannot have spent more than 45 non-September days on an active roster. At the end of the article is a listing of where some of the key ineligibles would have ranked.

The writeup presented with each player is the same from the divisional prospects columns. That means most are one or two months old and may contain some obsolete data. Please try not to be too unkind.

I didn't want to changes much based on anything that's happened since the start of spring training, but there are a few alterations. The most notable is Jordan Schafer, who has been dropped about 50 spots from where he would have been before the hGH suspension. I also pushed Eric Hurley down about 10 spots. Houston's Josh Flores, who would have come in around No. 140, fell off because of the knee injury that will cost him the season. No one gained very much, but Johnny Cueto might have been more in the 15-20 range before his fantastic start.


2008 Top 150 Prospects

1. Jay Bruce - OF Reds - DOB: 04/03/87 - ETA: May 2008
Previous rankings: 2006 #130, mid-2006 #23, 2007 #8, mid-2007 #2

.325/.379/.586, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 67/24 K/BB, 4 SB in 268 AB (A+ Sarasota)
.333/.405/.652, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 20/8 K/BB, 2 SB in 66 AB (AA Chattanooga)
.305/.358/.567, 11 HR, 25 RBI, 48/15 K/BB, 2 SB in 187 AB (AAA Louisville)

Add it all up and Bruce hit .319/.375/.587 with 26 homers in his second full pro season. A 2005 first-round pick out a Texas high school, Bruce has drawn comparisons to Larry Walker because his build and powerful left-handed stroke. He's athletic enough to play center now, but he projects as a long-term right fielder. The only real concern about his game is his big strikeout totals. He fanned 135 times in 133 games last season. However, he's no more vulnerable to quality breaking balls than most, and while he can struggle some against hard heaters up and in, that hardly makes him unusual for a left-handed hitter. He crushes mistakes and is still capable of turning pitches at his knees into line-drive singles and doubles. With his durability never having come into question, he seems certain to establish himself as an above average regular. If his K/BB ratio goes from 3:1 to 2:1 or even 3:2, he'll go multiple All-Star Games and contend for MVP awards in his best years.

2. Colby Rasmus - OF Cardinals - DOB: 08/11/86 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: 2006 #135, mid-2006 #47, 2007 #27, mid-2007 #11

.275/.381/.551, 29 HR, 72 RBI, 108/70 K/BB, 18 SB in 472 AB (AA Springfield)

Rasmus seemed destined to return to the FSL after hitting .254/.351/.404 in 193 at-bats following a midseason promotion to Palm Beach in 2006, but the Cardinals aggressively pushed him up to Double-A and he responded even better than they could have hoped. His 29-homer campaign would have made him a circuit MVP a lot of years, but he ended up losing out to Chase Headley. The 28th overall pick in the outfield-rich 2005 draft, Rasmus has 30-homer ability and impressive on-base skills. He's already answered questions about his ability to stay in center field for the long-term, and the Cardinals traded Jim Edmonds to San Diego to clear the spot for him. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll win the job this spring, but the opportunity appears to be there if he turns in a Hunter Pence-type performance. If the chance comes this year, Rasmus will probably struggle against left-handers and find that some of his balls that traveled out of Texas League parks turn into warning track flyouts in the majors. He's a future All-Star, most likely, but he's probably a year away from being a real asset.

3. Evan Longoria - 3B Rays - DOB: 10/07/85 - ETA: May 2008
Previous rankings: 2007 #19, mid-2007 #5

.307/.403/.528, 21 HR, 76 RBI, 81/51 K/BB, 4 SB in 381 AB (AA Montgomery)
.269/.398/.490, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 29/22 K/BB, 0 SB in 104 AB (AAA Durham)
.318/.380/.682, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 13/4 K/BB, 0 SB in 44 AB (AFL Scottsdale)

Longoria finished with a pedestrian 789 OPS in his first of two seasons at Long Beach St., but he started hitting in the Cape Cod League in 2005 and hasn't stopped since. He had a 1070 OPS for the Dirtbags in 2006, a 957 mark at three levels after being drafted third overall and a 921 OPS in the high minors last season. He's already on the verge of taking over as Tampa Bay's third baseman, though it's possible the team will send him down for the first month or two of the season. Longoria will be a 30-homer guy by 2009 or 2010. His defense at the hot corner isn't stellar, but he should be able to stay at the position for at least the first half of his career. Since he probably won't hit .300 except for in his best years, he could fall short of being a perennial All-Star. Still, he'll be a well above average regular for a long time.

4. Clay Buchholz - RHP Red Sox - DOB: 08/14/84 - ETA: May 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #122, 2007 #45, mid-2007 #4

7-2, 1.77 ERA, 55 H, 116/22 K/BB in 86 2/3 IP (AA Portland)
1-3, 3.96 ERA, 32 H, 55/13 K/BB in 38 2/3 IP (AAA Pawtucket)
3-1, 1.59 ERA, 14 H, 22/10 K/BB in 22 2/3 IP (Red Sox)

A 2005 supplemental first-round earned through the loss of Pedro Martinez to the Mets, Buchholz emerged as the game's top pitching prospect during the middle of last season, only to be challenged by Joba Chamberlain by year's end. Using a 91-95 mph fastball and two outstanding complimentary pitches in his curve and changeup, the Texas native was able to pitch a no-hitter versus the Orioles in just his second major league start. He was shut down in late September because of some arm fatigue, but it was nothing that was expected to linger. Assuming that the rest of Boston's starters make it through the spring healthy, Buchholz is probably going to get some additional minor league time early on. He hardly needs it, but it could serve to keep his innings total down. He's still sure to have a chance to make a big impact this year, and he could prove to be an ace two or three years from now.

5. Joba Chamberlain - RHP Yankees - DOB: 09/23/85 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: 2007 #130, mid-2007 #19

4-0, 2.03 ERA, 25 H, 51/11 K/BB in 40 IP (A Tampa)
4-2, 3.35 ERA, 32 H, 66/15 K/BB in 40 1/3 IP (AA Trenton)
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 H, 18/1 K/BB in 8 IP (AAA Scranton)
2-0, 0.38 ERA, 12 H, 34/6 K/BB in 24 IP (AL New York)

Perhaps the game's most dominant reliever after being called up last season, Chamberlain is everything the Yankees could ask for in an heir to Mariano Rivera in the closer's role. Still, the rotation is likely where he belongs long-term and he's expected to spend most of 2008 starting, even if he begins the year in the bullpen in an effort to restrict his innings total. Chamberlain used a 96-100 mph heater and outstanding slider to succeed as a reliever. He'll return his curveball and changeup to the mix as a starter, though he may not need to use either a lot even if he loses three or four mph off his fastball. Just how strong those two pitches are will determine whether he develops into a legitimate ace. The curve has drawn the better reviews of the two.

6. Clayton Kershaw - LHP Dodgers - DOB: 03/19/88 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: 2007 #40, mid-2007 #9

7-5, 2.77 ERA, 72 H, 134/50 K/BB in 97 1/3 IP (A- Great Lakes)
1-2, 3.65 ERA, 17 H, 29/17 K/BB in 24 2/3 IP (AA Jacksonville)

The No. 1 left-handed pitching prospect in the minors, Kershaw probably has even more upside than the two right-handers who will rank ahead of him on the overall top 150. However, at the tender age of 20, he does qualify as the biggest injury risk of the group. Kershaw has the ability to be a true ace for the Dodgers. His 91-96 mph fastball, curve and changeup are all quality major league pitches, and he's so tough to hit that he could be effective in the majors right now even though he'd walk five batters per nine innings. He does need to get more efficient with his pitches if he's going to work deep into games. It's very possible the Dodgers will add him to their rotation in June or July, but they'll only have him for five innings per game because he'll certainly be on a pitch count. The caution is warranted. Kershaw isn't always consistent with his delivery, which is why he occasionally struggles to throw strikes. If he gets tired and starts using his arm more than his legs, he could have problems.

7. David Price - LHP Rays - DOB: 08/26/85 - ETA: Sept. 2008
Previous rankings: none

The Rays haven't let bonus demands scare them away from top talents lately. They used the first overall pick in the 2007 draft to select Price and then gave him a major league deal worth $8.5 million. With a mid-90s fastball, an excellent slider and a track record of success against top collegiate talent, Price has to be regarded as one of the game's top pitching prospects, even if he hasn't thrown a pitch as a pro. He went 11-1 with a 2.63 ERA, 95 H and a 194/31 K/BB ratio in 133 1/3 innings as a junior at Vanderbilt. The Rays waited until August to sign him, as they didn't want him adding to an already heavy workload. He'll be in major league camp this spring, and while he's not being mentioned as a possibility for the Opening Day rotation, he could leap over several other notable youngsters and debut before the end of the year. He might prove to be a legitimate ace in time.

8. Daric Barton - 1B Athletics - DOB: 08/16/85 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: mid-2004 #102, 2005 #23, mid-2005 #3, 2006 #4, mid-2006 #10, 2007 #20, mid-2007 #7

.293/.389/.438, 9 HR, 70 RBI, 69/78 K/BB, 3 SB in 516 AB (AAA Sacramento)
.347/.429/.639, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 11/10 K/BB, 1 SB in 72 AB (Oakland)

Barton is no longer alone as an elite prospect in the A's system, but he still claims the top spot after staying healthy in his second year at Sacramento and showing surprising pop in his late-season audition with the A's. The former catcher has always employed the disciplined approach the A's prefer, and there's now increased reason for optimism that he'll be a 15- or 20-homer guy down the line. His swing promises that he'll always hit for average, and he might have some .400-OBP seasons because of patience. His glove isn't yet an asset at first base, and it is possible that he'll spend the bulk of his career as a DH, although the A's are planning on playing him in the field for now. His bat alone should make him an All-Star in his best years, though since the power isn't quite there yet, it's going to be a while before he's a stud in fantasy leagues.

9. Cameron Maybin - OF Marlins - DOB: 04/04/87 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: 2006 #79, mid-2006 #36, 2007 #18, mid-2007 #6

.571/.667/.571, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2/2 K/BB, 0 SB in 7 AB (R GCL Tigers)
.304/.393/.486, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 83/43 K/BB, 25 SB in 296 AB (A Lakeland)
.400/.538/1.050, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6/6 K/BB, 0 SB in 20 AB (AA Erie)
.143/.208/.265, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 21/3 K/BB, 5 SB in 49 AB (Detroit)
.219/.286/.438, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 5/3 K/BB, 2 SB in 32 AB (AFL Peoria)

In the market for a center fielder from the day they sent Juan Pierre to the Cubs, the Marlins picked up an excellent long-term choice when they acquired Maybin the Miguel Cabrera deal. Unfortunately, for them, the long-term may last only four or five years before he gets dealt for the next big-time prospect. Even though he has just 69 at-bats above A-ball, Maybin is the heavy favorite to take over the starting job to begin this year. He has the swing to eventually generate 30-homer power, though that's going to be a few years in coming. He currently strikes out an awful lot for someone who is going to be looked at as a top-of-the-order guy. He does offer very good speed on the basepaths and great defense in center field. I'm not convinced he'll reach his ceiling, but he shouldn't need to in order to turn in a fairly lengthy career as a regular. He'd be a better bet going forward if he spent 2008 continuing to hone his game in the minors.

10. Jacoby Ellsbury - OF Red Sox - DOB: 09/11/83 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: 2006 #138, mid-2006 #67, 2007 #42, mid-2007 #15

.453/.518/.644, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 7/6 K/BB, 8 SB in 73 AB (AA Portland)
.298/.360/.380, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 47/32 K/BB, 33 SB in 363 AB (AAA Pawtucket)
.353/.394/.509, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 15/8 K/BB, 9 SB in 116 AB (Red Sox)

Ellsbury failed to excel in Triple-A after a red-hot start in Double-A last season, but he helped make up for that by hitting more homers during a 116-at-bat audition with the Red Sox than he had in 436 at-bats in the minors. Ellsbury already offers excellent defense and exceptional basestealing ability. He doesn't walk a whole lot, but his ability to make contact should see to it that he's at least a fair leadoff hitter. Whether he's truly the 10- or 15-homer guy he appeared to be during the final month of last year will determine if he's merely an above average regular or a future All-Star. Like Johnny Damon, he takes a completely different approach when he wants drive the ball. Most of the time, he's an inside-out guy. Since it seems to work for him, he could prove to be a better all-around hitter than the minor league numbers suggest. Either way, he should be a very good fantasy outfielder for the foreseeable future.

11. Johnny Cueto - RHP Reds - DOB: 02/15/86 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #33

4-5, 3.33 ERA, 72 H, 72/21 K/BB in 78 1/3 IP (A Sarasota)
6-3, 3.10 ERA, 52 H, 77/11 K/BB in 61 IP (AA Chattanooga)
2-1, 2.05 ERA, 22 H, 21/2 K/BB in 22 IP (AAA Louisville)

One of last year's fastest risers, Cueto went 12-9 with a 3.07 ERA, 146 H and 170/34 K/BB in 161 1/3 IP at three levels. As if that wasn't enough, he finished 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA, 31 H and 37/7 K/BB in 31 2/3 IP in the Dominican Republic over the winter. Cueto throws 91-94 mph. After his improved changeup helped establish him as a quality prospect in 2006, he worked on perfecting his slider last year, turning it into more of a strikeout pitch. The likelihood of injury still plays some role in his ranking. On the one hand, it was encouraging that he lasted over 190 innings without incident last year. On the other hand, that he was allowed to throw 190 innings as a 21-year-old seems like a very bad sign for the future. Cueto doesn't have a maximum-effort delivery, but he is a short right-hander with a modest build. If his arm holds up, he'll prove to be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.

12. Fernando Martinez - OF Mets - DOB: 10/10/88 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #80, 2007 #10, mid-2007 #8

.111/.200/.333, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 6/1 K/BB, 0 SB in 9 AB (R GCL Mets)
.271/.336/.377, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 51/20 K/BB, 3 SB in 236 AB (AA Binghamton) newyorkmets.com

Martinez, who received a $1.4 million bonus to sign at age 16, quickly established himself as a top prospect by hitting .333/.389/.505 in 192 at-bats at low-A Hagerstown in his pro debut in 2006. Moved up in August, he proceeded to bat .193/.254/.387 in 119 AB for high-A St. Lucie. Still, the Mets opted to get extremely aggressive and send him to Double-A for his age-18 season. He barely held his own in 60 games when he wasn't sidelined with hand injuries, but even that was rather impressive. Martinez is an enormous talent with 35-homer potential and the ability to hit for average. He should also prove to be an above average defender in right field with experience. He's at least one and probably two years away, but he's a star in the making.

13. Homer Bailey - RHP Reds - DOB: 05/03/86 - ETA: May 2008
Previous rankings: 2005 #73, mid-2005 #91, 2006 #65, mid-2006 #11, 2007 #4, mid-2007 (in majors)

0-1, 10.13 ERA, 15 H, 7/5 K/BB in 8 IP (A Sarasota)
6-3, 3.07 ERA, 49 H, 59/32 K/BB in 67 1/3 IP (AAA Louisville)
4-2, 5.76 ERA, 43 H, 28/28 K/BB in 45 1/3 IP (Cincinnati)

It didn't look like Bailey was far away when he finished 10-6 with a 2.47 ERA, 99 H and 156/50 K/BB in 138 2/3 IP between Single-A Sarasota and Double-A Chattanooga in 2006, but he made no progress at all in his age-21 season. In fact, he regressed in the command department. The off year doesn't qualify as a huge black mark against him. He didn't have any arm problems, and he continued to show the 93-96 mph fastball and curveball that could make him an ace in the future. In order to fulfill his potential, he'll need to do a better job of spotting his heater and come up with an improved changeup, but even if he doesn't get there, his ability to generate swings and misses with his top two pitches should make him a quality starter, albeit one who is more inconsistent than most. He's not a great bet for the short-term, but his long-term potential is intact.

14. Matt LaPorta - OF Brewers - DOB: 01/08/85 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: none

.259/.286/.519, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 8/1 K/BB, 0 SB in 27 AB (R Helena)
.318/.392/.750, 10 HR, 27 RBI, 22/7 K/BB, 0 SB in 88 AB (A- West Virginia)
.241/.351/.500, 6 HR, 22 RBI, 28/17 K/BB, 1 SB in 112 AB (AFL Mesa)

The Brewers didn't let Richie Sexson's presence prevent them from drafting Prince Fielder in 2002 and that worked out well enough. They again went with the best available player last summer and made LaPorta the seventh overall pick after he hit .402/.582/.817 as a senior at Florida. The right-handed slugger should combine 30- or 35-homer power with strong OBPs driven by high walk totals after reaching the majors. What remains to be seen is whether he'll be able to help the Brewers as anything more than a really nice piece of trade bait. LaPorta moved from first base to the outfield after being drafted and worked hard to make it a successful switch, but he just doesn't have the range to be an asset there. At best, he'll be below average. Complicating things even further was Milwaukee's move of Ryan Braun to left field. Both Braun and Corey Hart have the raw speed to play center, but the Brewers didn't want to put either there this year. Unless they're willing to have one of the two replace Mike Cameron next season, LaPorta could be the odd man out. Whether the Brewers have room for him or not, he should be ready for a job by Opening Day 2009.

15. Andy LaRoche - 3B Dodgers - DOB: 09/13/83 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2005 #17, 2006 #26, mid-2006 #17, 2007 #13, mid-2007 #17

.309/.399/.589, 18 HR, 48 RBI, 42/39 K/BB, 2 SB in 265 AB (AAA Las Vegas)
.226/.365/.312, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 24/20 K/BB, 2 SB in 93 AB (NL Los Angeles)

A .315 hitter with 28 homers and a 74/64 K/BB ratio in 467 at-bats in Triple-A the last two years, LaRoche has nothing left to prove in the minors. However, he does have to show he can stay healthy. His history of back issues qualified as one reason the Dodgers were afraid to simply hand him a starting job this spring, and while the injury he suffered in March was a fluke -- he suffered a torn UCL in his thumb when he was hit by a thrown ball -- it's just one more to add to the list. A healthy LaRoche has an All-Star-caliber offensive game and a fine glove at third base. Should be beat the injury bug, he could have some .300-30 HR seasons in his prime. The team should be hoping he wins the third-base job outright by June or July.

16. Matt Wieters - C Orioles - DOB: 05/21/86 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: none

.283/.364/.415, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 15/12 K/BB, 0 SB in 106 AB (HWL Honolulu)

Wieters, the fifth overall pick, immediately became the class of Baltimore's system after signing just minutes before the Aug. 15 deadline. He's compared to Jason Varitek because he's a switch-hitter out of Georgia Tech. During his college career, he hit .359 with 35 homers and a 108/152 K/BB ratio in 704 at-bats. He should be able to muscle at least 20 homers per years in the majors. Hitting for average might be an issue, but his patient approach will lead to solid OBPs even if he bats .250-.260. On defense, he'll be solidly above average, but probably less than a Gold Glover. He's polished enough that he could survive in the majors this year if necessary. He figures to see action by September at the latest, and Ramon Hernandez could be cleared out of the way so that he can take over as a regular in 2009.

17. Rick Porcello - RHP Tigers - DOB: 12/27/88 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: none

The one top prospect left in the Tigers' organization following the Miguel Cabrera deal, Porcello was viewed by many as the No. 2 talent in the 2007 draft behind first overall selection David Price. He fell to Detroit at No. 27 because of his bonus demands and got $7.3 million from the Tigers in August. It was too late then for him to make his pro debut in 2007, but that's not a bad thing. Porcello throws in the mid-90s consistently, and his curve was one of the best breaking balls in the draft. He also has a slider and a changeup. The Tigers are likely to be pretty aggressive with him after giving him a major league deal, so he could split this season between low-A West Michigan and high-A Lakeland. He has ace potential.

18. Brandon Wood - SS/3B Angels - DOB: 03/02/85 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: 2005 #149, mid 2005 #13, 2006 #3, mid-2006 #2, 2007 #6, mid-2007 #10

.272/.338/.497, 23 HR, 77 RBI, 120/45 K/BB, 10 SB in 437 AB (AAA Salt Lake)
.152/.152/.273, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 12/0 K/BB, 0 SB in 33 AB (AL Los Angeles)

Wood's .321/.383/.672 season in the California League in 2005 really stands out now after he hit right around .270 with 25 homers for a second straight season last year. He did go from 149 strikeouts in Double-A in 2006 to 120 in about the same number of plate appearances last season, but he fanned in more than a third of his major league at-bats and didn't work a single walk. Wood may already be at a crossroads, at least as far as his Angels career goes. With Orlando Cabrera gone, the team is planning on shifting him back to shortstop, putting him in a position to land a starting job if Erick Aybar struggles. There's still good reason to think he'll be a 30-homer guy in the majors someday, and if he is something close to an average shortstop – as it appeared he would be before the logjam resulted in his move -- he won't need to put up very good OBPs to be a quality regular. As a third baseman, more would be expected of him offensively. He'd be a regular anyway, but he'd be a Joe Crede-type, not a star. Considering that he doesn't quite fit the Angels' mold, there's a good chance he'll be traded if he doesn't step up this year.

19. Andrew McCutchen - OF Pirates - DOB: 10/10/86 - ETA: Sept. 2008
Previous rankings: 2006 #87, mid-2006 #64, 2007 #25, mid-2007 #18

.258/.327/.383, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 83/44 K/BB, 17 SB in 446 AB (AA Altoona)
.313/.347/.418, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 11/4 K/BB, 4 SB in 67 AB (AAA Indianapolis)
.286/.381/.378, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 12/14 K/BB, 8 SB in 98 AB (AFL Phoenix)

It'd be unfair to say McCutchen hasn't met expectations since being drafted 11th overall in 2005, but he definitely had some rough patches last season and his numbers were more distressing that his overall 717 OPS suggests because of his huge righty-lefty splits. Against right-handers, McCutchen finished with OPSs of 642 in Double-A, 583 in Triple-A and 612 in the AFL. He gets overpowered by both big fastballs and hard sliders. McCutchen is a terrific athlete, and he still has plenty of time left to improve. His defense in center field will make him a regular even if he doesn't live up to expectations offensively. Still, the Pirates may regret pushing him through their system as quickly as they have. The new regime is more likely to back off and give him the additional full year in the minors he clearly needs. If he reaches his ceiling, he'll hit .300 with 15 homers and 30-40 steals per year.

20. Chase Headley - OF/3B Padres - DOB: 05/09/84 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #26

.330/.437/.580, 20 HR, 78 RBI, 117/74 K/BB, 1 SB in 433 AB (AA San Antonio)
.222/.333/.278, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 4/2 K/BB, 0 SB in 18 AB (San Diego)

Headley's long-term potential was questioned when he finished with just 12 homers in the hitter-friendly California League in 2006, but he's a legitimate top prospect now after starting off on fire last year and never cooling off. Headley finished with 20 homers and 63 extra-base hits, showing consistent power from both sides of the plate in the process. The on-base ability has always been there, and he'll keep hitting for fine averages in the minors. On defense, he was only average at third base, though some would say that already makes him an upgrade over Kevin Kouzmanoff. Surprisingly, it's Headley who will make the switch to the outfield. He could be the Padres' left fielder as soon as June. His bat won't make him a star at the position, but he should be a solid regular for several years.



21. Joey Votto - 1B Reds - DOB: 09/10/83 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: mid-2004 #144, 2005 #105, mid-2005 #130, 2006 ---, mid-2006 #63, 2007 #48, mid-2007 #20

.294/.381/.478, 22 HR, 92 RBI, 110/70 K/BB, 17 SB in 496 AB (AAA Louisville)
.321/.360/.548, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 15/5 K/BB, 1 SB in 84 AB (Cincinnati)

Votto's promotion to the majors came later than expected, but he made the most of Scott Hatteberg's injury in September, amassing a 908 OPS in 84 at-bats. Now he has to contend with Dusty Baker's strong preference for veterans as he attempts to win a starting job at first base this year. He's also turned himself into an option in left field, but first is where he'll stay for the long-term. With 25-homer power and pretty good on-base skills, he seems ready for regular duty versus righties. Lefties give him trouble when they come inside on him, but he handles fastballs from right-handers especially well. In time, he should prove to be a solid everyday player. Given 450 at-bats as a starter against righties this year, he could hit .280 with 20 homers.

22. Wade Davis - RHP Rays - DOB: 09/07/85 - ETA: Aug. 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #79, 2007 #83, mid-2007 #24

3-0, 1.84 ERA, 54 H, 88/21 K/BB in 78 1/3 IP (A Vero Beach)
7-3, 3.15 ERA, 74 H, 81/30 K/BB in 80 IP (AA Montgomery)

Once the Rays sort through some of their less talented youngsters, Davis figures to be the first of their top pitching prospects to reach the majors this year. Possessing a fastball in the 91-94 mph range, three complimentary pitches that should all prove useful and command that's improving each year, he could peak as a No. 2 starter. He also has an ideal pitcher's build and a delivery that would seem to help his chances of staying healthy. His changeup keeps left-handers honest, and he induces a fair number of grounders, allowing him to keep his home run rate down. Davis still needs to work on pitching inside, but he isn't far off.

23. Jake McGee - LHP Rays - DOB: 08/06/86 - ETA: May 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #114, 2007 #91, mid-2007 #26

5-4, 2.93 ERA, 86 H, 145/39 K/BB in 116 2/3 IP (A Vero Beach)
3-2, 4.24 ERA, 19 H, 30/13 K/BB in 23 1/3 IP (AA Montgomery)

One of the hardest throwing lefties in the minors, McGee is capable of reaching 98 mph with his fastball and typically averages right around 93-95 mph. He also offers a true strikeout curveball, and his changeup has come pretty quickly considering where it was when he was drafted in the fifth round in 2004. He does have trouble in the command department, something that will become more apparent as he faces hitters less willing to chase the curve. Still, he possesses about as much upside as any pitcher in the minors, Price included. Hurting his ranking a bit is that he's the most likely of the Rays' three elite pitching prospects to begin experiencing arm woes.

24. Travis Snider - OF Blue Jays - DOB: 02/02/88 - ETA: Aug. 2009
Previous rankings: 2007 #71, mid-2007 #43

.313/.377/.525, 16 HR, 93 RBI, 129/49 K/BB, 3 SB in 457 AB (A- Lansing)
.316/.404/.541, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 29/15 K/BB, 1 SB in 98 AB (AFL Scottsdale)

One of the most talented hitters in the minors and the Jays' only top-100 prospect, Snider has the potential to be the one star drafted in the first round by Toronto this decade. The team found Chris Carpenter, Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells, Alex Rios and Shannon Stewart in the first round in 90s, but the best they have to show for the 2000s so far is Aaron Hill, with Gabe Gross a distant second. A stocky left-handed hitter, Snider would be compared to Matt Stairs even if the two weren't in the same organization. It looks like he'll last in the outfield for at least a few years, and he figures to surpass Stairs offensively because of his ability to hit for average. He might advance quickly enough to reach the majors as a 21-year-old in 2009.

25. Franklin Morales - LHP Rockies - DOB: 01/24/86 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #81, 2007 #67, mid-2007 #36

3-4, 3.48 ERA, 77 H, 77/45 K/BB in 95 2/3 IP (AA Tulsa)
2-0, 3.71 ERA, 20 H, 16/13 K/BB in 17 IP (AAA Colorado Springs)
3-2, 3.43 ERA, 34 H, 26/14 K/BB in 39 1/3 IP (Colorado)

The Rockies were very lucky twice last season, as both Ubaldo Jimenez and Morales were able to make quick transitions to the majors after arriving in the second half. Morales even went three straight starts in September without allowing a run. He did slump in the postseason, but he showed enough overall that the Rockies had him penciled into their rotation entering the spring. When Morales is at his best, he shows a 92-96 mph heater, a sweeping curveball and a fine changeup. His velocity was down this spring, making him a risky proposition for the short-term. However, he has more upside than anyone on Colorado's pitching staff, Jeff Francis included.

26. Carlos Triunfel - SS Mariners - DOB: 02/27/90 - ETA: 2011
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #28

.273/.231/.273, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1/0 K/BB, 0 SB in 11 AB (R AZL Mariners)
.309/.342/.388, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 23/5 K/BB, 4 SB in 152 AB (A- Wisconsin)
.288/.333/.356, 0 HR, 22 RBI, 31/12 K/BB, 3 SB in 208 AB (A+ High Desert)

While the Mariners had no choice but to part with Adam Jones in an Erik Bedard trade, they stuck to their guns and held on to Triunfel, their new No. 1 prospect. Playing in full-season ball at age 17, Triunfel was able to hit .309 at Wisconsin last year before going down with a broken hand at the end of May. The uber-aggressive Mariners opted to bump up to high-A ball following his return in July, and he continued to hit for a decent average, though without any power at all. While Triunfel still doesn't have a professional homer, he's sure to develop power soon. If anything, he's filling out more than expected, something that's probably going to result in a move to third down the line. He has legitimate star potential anyway. He figures to need three more years in the minors, but he could be a .300 hitter and 25-homer guy someday.

27. Jose Tabata - OF Yankees - DOB: 08/12/88 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: 2006 #136, mid-2006 #18, 2007 #17, mid-2007 #13

.307/.371/.392, 5 HR, 54 RBI, 70/33 K/BB, 15 SB in 411 AB (A Tampa)

The numbers Tabata has put up at such a young age relative to his competition the last two years make him look like a truly special player. However, his right wrist problems have to be taken into account. He's had issues for two years now, and it was reported by Baseball America last season that the Yankees had sent him to five different hand specialists. In August, he had the hamate bone removed. If it turns out that it was a cure-all, then Tabata should put in a nice showing as perhaps the youngest player in Double-A this season. If not, it'll be time to start getting very worried. Tabata projects as a quality defensive right fielder capable of hitting for average and displaying 20-homer, 40-double power.

28. Nick Adenhart - RHP Angels - DOB: 08/24/86 - ETA: May 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #21, 2007 #21, mid-2007 #22

10-8, 3.65 ERA, 158 H, 116/65 K/BB in 153 IP (AA Arkansas)

Even though he had just nine starts in high-A ball under his belt, it didn't take Adenhart any time to adjust to Double-A last year, as he went 3-1 with a 0.80 ERA in his first five starts. He was inconsistent most of the rest of the season, and the way his stuff came and went suggested he wasn't always completely healthy. He ended up striking out 116 batters, down from 145 in 158 1/3 innings in 2006. When he's on, Adenhart is consistently in the low-90s with his fastball and shows a great hard curve. His changeup has turned into a very respectable third pitch. His velocity might be more of a constant if he did a better job of repeating his delivery. He'll open this season at Triple-A Salt Lake, and he projects as a long-term No. 2 starter for the Angels.

29. Ian Kennedy - RHP Yankees - DOB: 12/19/84 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #50

6-1, 1.29 ERA, 39 H, 72/22 K/BB in 63 IP (A Tampa)
5-1, 2.59 ERA, 27 H, 57/17 K/BB in 48 2/3 IP (AA Trenton)
1-1, 2.08 ERA, 25 H, 34/11 K/BB in 34 2/3 IP (AAA Scranton)
1-0, 1.89 ERA, 13 H, 15/9 K/BB in 19 IP (AL New York)

Kennedy made some teams nervous when his velocity fell into the high-80s as a junior in college, but the Yankees took him 21st overall in the 2006 draft anyway and were pleasantly surprised when he resumed averaging about 90 mph with his fastball last season. As strong as his curveball and changeup are, he doesn't need to throw any harder than that to last as a middle-of-the-rotation starter in the majors. The Yankees will likely go into the season with him as their fifth starter if they decide to stick Chamberlain in the pen initially. An alternative would be for Kennedy to pitch in middle relief while waiting for a rotation spot to open up.

30. Elvis Andrus - SS Rangers - DOB: 08/26/88 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: 2006 #110, mid-2006 #96, 2007 #129, mid-2007 #109

.244/.330/.335, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 88/44 K/BB, 25 SB in 385 AB (A+ Myrtle Beach)
.300/.369/.373, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 19/10 K/BB, 15 SB in 110 AB (A+ Bakersfield)
.353/.411/.471, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 10/5 K/BB, 5 SB in 51 AB (AFL Surprise)

Andrus spent most of last year merely holding his own as an 18-year-old in high-A ball, but he improved considerably after joining the Rangers in the Mark Teixeira deal, even if ballpark effects were partially responsible, and he experienced his most success to date in the Arizona Fall League in October and November. Andrus is a natural at shortstop with above average range and a strong arm. His approach at the plate still leaves something to be desired, but he's rarely overmatched by big fastballs or tough breaking balls and he's going to keep getting stronger as he fills out. Perhaps the power won't be there to make him a superstar, but he might be an above average major leaguer in every other respect and he's moving quickly enough that he could be an option for the Rangers as soon as the middle of 2009, when he'll still be just 20 years old. Ideally, they'll shift Michael Young to third base to make room for him once he proves he's ready.

31. Max Scherzer - RHP Diamondbacks - DOB: 07/27/84 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #12

2-0, 0.53 ERA, 5 H, 30/2 K/BB in 17 IP (A+ Visalia)
4-4, 3.91 ERA, 64 H, 76/40 K/BB in 73 2/3 IP (AA Mobile)
1-1, 2.13 ERA, 6 H, 18/5 K/BB in 12 2/3 IP (AFL Scottsdale)

It took nearly a full year and $4.3 million in guaranteed money, but the Diamondbacks were able to sign the 11th overall selection in the 2006 draft. Scherzer, a Missouri product, got off to a dominant start after finally making his pro debut last June and ended up with 106 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings in the minors. Working out of the pen in the Arizona Fall League, he had three times as many strikeouts as hits allowed. Scherzer could be the same kind of asset that Brandon Morrow was for Seattle last year if the Diamondbacks were to turn to him as a reliever now. However, they plan to keep developing him as a starter and hope that his changeup comes along. He has a wicked slider, and his tops out at 95 mph as a starter, 98 mph as a reliever. He's just as likely to be a closer as a starter by 2010, but he has plenty of upside in either role.

32. Matt Antonelli - 2B Padres - DOB: 04/08/85 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #63

.314/.409/.499, 14 HR, 54 RBI, 58/53 K/BB, 18 SB in 347 AB (A+ Lake Elsinore)
.294/.395/.476, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 36/30 K/BB, 10 SB in 187 AB (AA San Antonio)
.214/.333/.268, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 9/10 K/BB, 0 SB in 56 AB (AFL Peoria)

Antonelli, a 2006 first-round pick out of Wake Forest, went from hitting no homers in 205 at-bats in his pro debut to slugging 21 last year. Especially promising was that his numbers carried over to Double-A without any real decline. He did slump in the AFL, but it was at the end of a long year. The Padres took a look at him in the outfield over the winter, but he's going to be their long-term second baseman, with a full-time job likely to come at the beginning of 2009. His ability to hit for average and draw walks will make him a great fit as a No. 2 hitter. The power probably won't be there to make him an All-Star, but there's nothing else not to like.

33. Gio Gonzalez - LHP Athletics - DOB: 09/19/85 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2005 #81, 2006 #84, mid-2006 #62, 2007 #78, mid-2007 #21

9-7, 3.18 ERA, 116 H, 185/57 K/BB in 150 IP (AA Birmingham)

Gonzalez was at one point kicked off his high school baseball team and has now been traded three times as a minor leaguer, suggesting that red flags are warranted. However, one of the trades had the White Sox reacquiring him after giving him up for Jim Thome and in none of them has he been undersold at all. It's mostly a case of lefties with huge strikeout rates always being in demand. Gonzalez does have some clear flaws. His velocity can dip from the usual low-90s to the 85-88 range on any given night, and his command is a little below average. When he's at his best, he dominates lefties and righties alike with his fastball, plus curve and solid changeup. Also, he's remained healthy throughout his minor league career despite his unimposing frame. He's never pitched in Triple-A, so the A's will probably have him start the season at Sacramento. However, he should be an option for their rotation by May or June. He currently projects as a No. 3, but if the command comes, he could be a No. 2.

34. Taylor Teagarden - C Rangers - DOB: 12/21/83 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #135

.315/.448/.606, 20 HR, 67 RBI, 89/65 K/BB, 2 SB in 292 AB (A+ Bakersfield)
.294/.357/.529, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 39/10 K/BB, 0 SB in 102 AB (AA Frisco)
.271/.345/.479, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 18/6 K/BB, 0 SB in 48 AB (AFL Surprise)

Depending on how much one wants to penalize Jeff Clement for his glove, Teagarden ranks as the game's No. 2 or 3 catching prospect behind Baltimore's Matt Wieters. Dating back to his days at the University of Texas, his defense has never been in question, though Tommy John surgery did limit him to just 38 games in his first year and a half as pro. His showing last year proved that he has the bat of a regular. He may not hit for average in the majors because of a rather long swing, but he should be a 15- or 20-homer guy and he'll draw enough walks to result in respectable OBPs. Now the Rangers just need to decide what to do with him. He's nearly ready to play in the majors, but he's stuck behind both Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Gerald Laird. He'd be wasted as a backup, so the Rangers will either need to trade him or move Salty to first base to make room for him in 2009.

35. Austin Jackson - OF Yankees - DOB: 02/01/87 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: none

.260/.336/.374, 3 HR, 25 BI, 59/24 K/BB, 19 SB in 235 AB (A- Charleston)
.345/.398/.566, 10 HR, 34 RBI, 48/22 K/BB, 13 SB in 258 AB (A Tampa)
.333/.600/.667, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2/2 K/BB, 1 SB in 3 AB (AAA Scranton)

When Jackson was moved up to the FSL in late June despite a 710 OPS in the Sally League, it seemed to be just another case of the Yankees being way too aggressive with a prospect. However, Jackson responded to the challenge right away and upped his stock more than any other prospect in baseball during the second half of the season. Still something of a raw talent, Jackson could blossom into a 25-homer guy despite his modest build. He's continuing to learn how to play center field, but he has the speed to last there, and it looks like he'll be a pretty good OBP guy after cutting well back on the strikeouts last season. Expecting him to make Melky Cabrera expendable after this season might be pushing it a little, but there's a good chance he'll prove to be the Yankees' long-term center fielder.

36. Chris Marrero - 1B/OF Nationals - DOB: 07/02/88 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: 2007 #117, mid-2007 #45

.293/.337/.545, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 39/14 K/BB, 0 SB in 222 AB (A- Hagerstown)
.259/.338/.431, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 63/32 K/BB, 0 SB in 255 AB (A Potomac)

Marrero showed exciting power in what was technically his age-18 season, delivering 23 homers, and it didn't take a ton of strikeouts for him to get there. The 15th overall pick in the 2006 draft was selected as a third baseman, but it was a given he wouldn't stay there. The Nationals used him in left field last year, but since he lacks range, they're probably going to move him to first this year. Marrero has star potential as a hitter, so the Nationals will find a spot for him when he's ready. He doesn't get himself out on bad breaking balls, and he dramatically improved his walk rate after moving up last year. He does need to learn which balls to pull and which to try to send back up the middle, but that could come with time.

37. Carlos Gonzalez - OF Athletics - DOB: 10/17/85 - ETA: Aug. 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2005 #139, 2006 #92, mid-2006 #19, 2007 #34, mid-2007 #49

.286/.330/.476, 16 HR, 75 RBI, 103/32 K/BB, 9 SB in 458 AB (AA Mobile)
.310/.396/.500, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 6/6 K/BB, 1 SB in 42 AB (AAA Tucson)

Gonzalez isn't at all the kind of player the A's usually look for when trading for prospects, but he has the raw talent to make the Dan Haren deal a winner for Oakland. There are few minor leaguers who excite scouts as much as Gonzalez does when he's in the box. His lightning quick swing should make him a 30-homer guy after he finishes filling out, and he's hit for average everywhere he's played. That he doesn't walk is a problem, but at least his strikeout totals aren't overly excessive. He's better against breaking balls from right-handers than most players his age. Curves and sliders from left-handers have been known to make him look bad. While there's been talk that Gonzalez could win a spot coming out of spring training, he clearly needs a year in Triple-A. The A's will keep him and hope he develops into the same kind of offensive force as another player who didn't fit their mold, Miguel Tejada.

38. Reid Brignac - SS Rays - DOB: 01/16/86 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #83, 2007 #31, mid-2003 #23

.260/.328/.433, 17 HR, 81 RBI, 94/55 K/BB, 15 SB in 527 AB (AA Montgomery)
.177/.218/.248, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 16/3 K/BB, 1 SB in 113 AB (AFL Scottsdale)

Brignac secured a spot as one of the game's top shortstop prospects while hitting .321/.376/.539 between Single-A Visalia and Double-A Montgomery in 2006, but he couldn't keep it going last season. He did improve as the year went on, though that was versus diluted talent in the Southern League. In the AFL, he managed just four extra-base hits and three walks in 113 at-bats. He was even caught stealing four times in five attempts. Brignac's left-handed swing promises 25-homer potential, and he likely will show the ability to hit for average once he settles into the majors. He still might be more of a bottom-half-of-the-order guy, like Khalil ******, but he will have a lengthy career as a regular. Helping his case is that he's answered every question about his ability to stay at shortstop. The Rays will go with Jason Bartlett this year and then consider turning the position over to Brignac in 2009.

39. Eric Hurley - RHP Rangers - DOB: 09/17/85 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2006 #56, 2007 #44, mid-2007 #16

7-2, 3.25 ERA, 71 H, 76/27 K/BB in 88 2/3 IP (AA Frisco)
4-7, 4.91 ERA, 65 H, 59/28 K/BB in 73 1/3 IP (AAA Oklahoma)

Hurley didn't handle the in-season jump to Triple-A last season as well as he did his first taste of Double-A in the second half of 2006, but he still allowed under a hit an inning and struck out two for every batter he walked. The real problem is that he continued to give up a homer a start. In all, he allowed 26 in 162 innings, a scary total considering he's set to pitch half his games in Arlington upon reaching the majors. Hurley's low-90s fastball, slider and changeup are all quality pitches, but none generate a lot of groundballs. He'll be a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Rangers anyway, but he may never post a sub-4.00 ERA until he makes his way elsewhere. He'll likely spend a couple of more months in Triple-A this year and then move into the Texas rotation in June or July.

40. Jeff Clement - C Mariners - DOB: 08/21/83 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: 2006 #63, mid-2006 #43, 2007 #58, mid-2007 #34

.275/.370/.497, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 88/61 K/BB, 0 SB in 455 AB (AAA Tacoma)
.375/.474/.813, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3/3 K/BB, 0 SB in 16 AB (Seattle)
.269/.367/.481, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 13/7 K/BB, 0 SB in 52 AB (AFL Peoria)

Clement, the third overall selection in the 2005 draft, solidified his status as an offensive force last season, hitting 20 homers in Triple-A and a pair of clutch bombs in a brief look in September. He's strong enough against right-handers that he'd most likely be an upgrade for the Mariners in the DH spot right away. However, the team is expected to continue developing him as a catcher, possibly with the intention of having him replace free-agent-to-be Kenji Johjima in 2009. The Mariners like how he's come along as a receiver, but he lacks quickness behind the plate and he'll be a liability trying to throw out basestealers. He could survive as a catcher anyway, but he might be more valuable as a first baseman. Clement doesn't fan a lot for a power hitter, and he retains his good approach versus lefties. In another ballpark, he'd be a candidate for 25 or 30 homers per year, though he figures to fall short of that at Safeco. The Mariners are expected to send him back to Triple-A to start this year, but if they're in contention in the second half, they'll want him around as a part-time player or maybe even as their primary DH.



41. Chris Volstad - RHP Marlins - DOB: 09/23/86 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: 2007 #128, mid-2007 #51

8-9, 4.50 ERA, 152 H, 93/37 K/BB in 126 IP (A Jupiter)
4-2, 3.16 ERA, 41 H, 25/10 K/BB in 42 2/3 IP (AA Carolina)

The first of the Marlins' five first- or supplemental first-round picks in 2005, Volstad has done almost exactly what was expected of him so far. While he allowed 193 hits and struck out just 118 batters in his 168 2/3 innings last season, his sinker still made him pretty effective, and he managed to improve after being promoted to Double-A. In fact, nine of the 15 earned runs he allowed there came in one of his seven starts. The 6-foot-7 Volstad could continue adding velocity as he fills out, and he's showing a most consistent curveball to go along with his sinker. If his changeup develops, he could be a No. 2 starter. Expect him to make at least a dozen starts for Florida this season.

42. Adam Miller - RHP Indians - DOB: 11/26/84 - ETA: Sept. 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2004 #101, 2005 #8, mid-2005 #26, 2006 #35, mid-2006 #31, 2007 #22, mid-2007 #14

5-4, 4.82 ERA, 68 H, 68/21 K/BB in 65 1/3 IP (AAA Buffalo)
0-2, 9.00 ERA, 18 H, 11/3 K/BB in 13 IP (AFL Surprise)

This is going to be a big year for Miller after he missed time with more elbow problems and a finger injury last season. One of the most talented pitchers in the minors, Miller can dominate with mid-90s heat and a hard slider. The changeup that helped establish him as a top prospect has suffered due to the time he's missed the last three seasons. Still, if his arm holds up, he's not going to need an above average change to become a successful big leaguer. Miller needs to put his elbow problems behind him once and for all. The strained tendon in his finger that shut him down last season probably isn't going to be a major concern going forward, but the elbow has held him back since 2005. If healthy, he'll force his way into the Indians' plans before the end of the season, perhaps as a reliever at first.

43. Josh Vitters - 3B Cubs - DOB: 08/27/89 - ETA: 2012
Previous rankings: none

.067/.094/.067, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 9/1 K/BB, 0 SB in 30 AB (AZL Cubs)
.190/.361/.190, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5/2 K/BB, 1 SB in 21 AB (SS-A Boise)

Vitters didn't hit at all after being drafted third overall by the Cubs last season, but that's sure to prove to be an aberration. Vitters can spray liners all over the park, and he should turn into a 25-homer guy capable of hitting for high averages. Like the slugger he could replace in Chicago someday, Aramis Ramirez, he probably won't walk or strikeout a whole bunch. A shaky defender at third base, he'll face a move to left field unless he dramatically improves his footwork and his throwing accuracy. Ideally, he'd stay at the hot corner and take over after Ramirez's contract expires in four years (though Ramirez can opt out after 2010). Logic suggests he'd have a better chance of becoming an All-Star there, though David Wright will have something to say about it.

44. Neil Walker - 3B Pirates - DOB: 09/10/85 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2005 #129, 2006 #114, mid-2006 #107, 2007 #105, mid-2007 #30

.288/.362/.462, 13 HR, 66 RBI, 73/53 K/BB, 9 SB in 431 AB (AA Altoona)
.203/.261/.250, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 13/2 K/BB, 1 SB in 64 AB (AAA Indianapolis)

Walker has received unnecessary late-season promotions four years running since being drafted in the first round in 2004 and flopped each of the last three times. Though the Pirates have been aggressive, it's not like he's ever hit particularly well while being pushed through the system. Last year's 800 OPS in Double-A was the first time he reached that mark at any stop. Walker made clear gains in the power department and showed more patience at the plate. A converted catcher, it looks like he'll be an average third baseman in time, though he still needs to cut down on the miscues. A likely .290-.300 hitter in his better years, he should prove to be a solid long-term regular. It remains to be seen whether he'll continue taking walks and he'll probably top out at 20 homers, so stardom figures to elude him.

45. Wladimir Balentien - OF Mariners - DOB: 07/02/84 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #39

.291/.362/.509, 24 HR, 84 RBI, 105/54 K/BB, 15 SB in 477 AB (AAA Tacoma)
.666/.500/2.000, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0/0 K/BB, 0 SB in 3 AB (Seattle)

Triunfel is awfully intriguing and Clement is no slouch, but Balentien has the best power potential in the Seattle organization. The native of Curacao made terrific progress in his first year in Triple-A, though he did fade as the season went on. A shorter swing allowed him to make contact more frequently without robbing him of the ability to yank pitches out of the park. Balentien does make mistakes in the outfield, but since he's a fine athlete with a very good arm, he could be an above average right fielder in time. He still needs to do a better job of recognizing breaking balls, but he looks like a much better bet to make it as a quality regular than he did a year ago. One more year in Triple-A should be sufficient, and the Mariners can afford to give it to him after signing Brad Wilkerson.

46. Lars Anderson - 1B Red Sox - DOB: 09/25/87 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #74

.288/.385/.443, 10 HR, 69 RBI, 112/71 K/BB, 2 SB in 458 AB (A- Greenville)
.343/.489/.486, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 9/11 K/BB, 0 SB in 35 AB (A Lancaster)

The Red Sox gambled on several big-ticket players in the 2006 draft, and while they couldn't land Matt LaPorta after selecting him in the 14th round, they did get Anderson, an 18th-rounder, to forgo his college scholarship by giving him supplemental first-round money. It looks like an outstanding investment so far. Anderson has an advanced approach and a swing that promises 30-homer power after he fills out. His glove lags behind his bat, but he'll be an adequate first baseman in time. He could prove to be a No. 3 or No. 4 hitter in a major league lineup.

47. Jason Heyward - OF Braves - DOB: 08/09/89 - ETA: 2013
Previous rankings: none

.296/.355/.556, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4/2 K/BB, 1 SB in 27 AB (R GCL Braves)
.313/.353/.375, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5/1 K/BB, 0 SB in 16 AB (R Danville)

The Braves went with history and selected a Georgia high school product 14th overall in the 2007 draft. In this case, it didn't look like a reach at all. In fact, they might have gotten the bargain of the first round, Rick Porcello excepted. Heyward's build and powerful swing suggest he'll be a 35-homer guy someday, and he's quite disciplined for a high school product. The Braves moved him from center to right after drafting him. He should be above average there in time, but he still figures to end up in left if Jeff Francoeur proves to be a permanent fixture in Atlanta. He's the best bet of any of Atlanta's prospects to develop into a star.

48. Carlos Carrasco - RHP Phillies - DOB: 03/21/87 - ETA: Aug. 2008
Previous rankings: 2007 #93, mid-2007 #29

6-2, 2.84 ERA, 49 H, 53/22 K/BB in 69 2/3 IP (A Clearwater)
6-4, 4.86 ERA, 65 H, 49/46 K/BB in 70 1/3 IP (AA Reading)

With the way he was rolling at Clearwater, it appeared for a time as though Carrasco had a chance to follow Kyle Kendrick to the majors last season. However, he ran into a speed bump at Double-A Reading, where he barely managed more strikeouts than walks in 70 innings. Even in the FSL, he was giving up more homers than expected. Overall, he allowed 17, which figures to be a problem for a guy set to pitch in Citizens Bank Park someday. Carrasco has no shortage of stuff. He can dial his fastball up to 94 mph, and he has a lot of movement on his changeup. That his curveball hasn't turned into a strikeout pitch has lowered his ceiling a bit, but he still figures to be a No. 3 or maybe a No. 2.

49. Jed Lowrie - SS Red Sox - DOB: 04/17/84 - ETA: April 2009
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #71

.297/.410/.501, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 58/65 K/BB, 5 SB in 337 AB (AA Portland)
.300/.356/.506, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 33/12 K/BB, 0 SB in 160 AB (AAA Pawtucket)
.163/.236/.245, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 14/10 K/BB, 3 SB in 98 AB (AFL Mesa)

Lowrie isn't the new Dustin Pedroia, but the two share some similarities. Both put up great numbers at top college programs (Arizona State and Stanford, respectively), yet neither was looked at as a true first-rounder coming out of school because of a perceived lack of athleticism. The Red Sox drafted both and used them at shortstop, even though neither figured to stay there for long. Lowrie has displayed surprisingly strong range at the position, but since he doesn't have a great arm, he still projects better at second. One of the best hitters in the minors over the final four months of last season, Lowrie could be a doubles machine at Fenway. He's also strong enough to hit 10 homers per year, and he knows the value of a walk. Because they have no place to play him, the Red Sox are open to trading him. However, they're not going to let a potential above average regular go cheap.

50. J.R. Towles - C Astros - DOB: 02/11/84 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: 2007 #135, mid-2007 #112

.200/.339/.278, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 15/12 K/BB, 3 SB in 90 AB (A+ Salem)
.324/.425/.551, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 35/23 K/BB, 9 SB in 216 AB (AA Corpus Christi)
.279/.354/.279, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 7/4 K/BB, 2 SB in 43 AB (AAA Round Rock)
.375/.432/.575, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 1/3 K/BB, 0 SB in 40 AB (Houston)

Towles, a 2004 20th-round pick out of a Texas junior college, got his first ever in-season promotion last year as a result of fellow prospect Lou Santangelo's 50-game PED suspension. He earned two more on his own and is poised to be Houston's primary catcher this season, a scenario that seemed highly unlikely a year ago. Because of injuries, Towles has just 950 professional at-bats to his credit and he wasn't very productive in three of his six minor league stops. There's a lot to like about Towles' all-around offensive game and he's made a lot of strides defensively, but if it wasn't for his highly successful 40-AB stint last September, there's little chance the Astros would have given him a job over the winter. If he's turned the corner health-wise, he should prove to be a fine long-term regular capable of several .280-15 HR seasons. Still, growing pains are likely in store for 2008.

51. Mike Moustakas - SS Royals - DOB: 09/11/88 - ETA: 2011
Previous rankings: none

.293/.383/.439, 0 HR, 10 RBI, 8/4 K/BB, 0 SB in 41 AB (R Idaho Falls)

Moustakas might have been a first-rounder as a pitcher, but everyone agreed his bat was even more promising and the Royals took him second overall last year. Signed just before the deadline for $4 million, he began his pro career as a shortstop, though few expect him to stay there. His build and arm would seem to make him an ideal candidate to become a catcher if he were less promising offensively. The Royals, though, aren't going to jeopardize his star potential. On another team, he'd probably end up at third base. However, with Alex Gordon entrenched there in Kansas City, it's at least as likely that Moustakas will shift to the outfield at some point. Moustakas could develop into a .300 hitter and a 25-homer guy in time. He'll likely open this year at low-A Burlington.

52. Steve Pearce - 1B Pirates - DOB: 04/13/83 - ETA: Aug. 2008
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #104

.347/.412/.867, 11 HR, 24 RBI, 13/8 K/BB, 2 SB in 75 AB (A+ Lynchburg)
.334/.400/.586, 14 HR, 72 RBI, 45/33 K/BB, 7 SB in 290 AB (AA Altoona)
.320/.366/.557, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 12/6 K/BB, 5 SB in 122 AB (AAA Indianapolis)
.294/.342/.397, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 12/5 K/BB, 2 SB in 68 AB (Pittsburgh)

Pearce looks like more than just the new Brad Eldred after slamming 31 homers and posting a 1000 OPS in the minors last season. Not a hulking slugger, Pearce checks in at 5-foot-11 and 200-210 pounds. Quick wrists allow him to generate his power, and he doesn't have a long swing that would make him prone to big strikeout numbers. The Pirates didn't realize what they had in him when they pursued Adam LaRoche so heavily, and they opted to try him in right field in the majors last season with first base cut off for the foreseeable future. He doesn't belong out there, but he's not such a downgrade from Xavier Nady that'd it make a huge difference if he was plugged in as a regular right now. He'll be more of a 25- than a 30-35 homer guy in the majors, but he should be a nice asset when he's cheap. The Pirates will probably send him back to Triple-A to begin this year.

53. Ian Stewart - 3B Rockies - DOB: 04/05/85 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: 2004 #98, mid-2004 #29, 2005 #7, mid-2005 #11, 2006 #20, mid-2006 #27, 2007 #50, mid-2007 #37

.304/.379/.478, 15 HR, 65 RBI, 92/49 K/BB, 11 SB in 414 AB (AAA Colorado Springs)
.209/.261/.372, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 17/1 K/BB, 0 SB in 43 AB (Colorado)

Stewart was supposedly part of the Rockies' second-base competition entering the spring, but he never had a realistic chance of beating out Jayson Nix, and even though he hit well in March, he was sent down. Another year of Triple-A is what he needs anyway. His 857 OPS last year was nothing special considering the conditions at Colorado Springs. In fact, he hasn't put up particularly good numbers at any point since he was at low-A Asheville in 2004. His defense at third base remains rough, though he has the tools to be more than adequate. He was never likely to cut it at second. Even though he's just now turning 23, this is a big year for Stewart. If he goes out and slugs .550, he'll be a hot property in trade talks, while another season like his 2007 would have teams questioning his long-term upside. It'd be a disappointment if he joins the Mike Lamb/Ty Wigginton class of third basemen.

54. Luke Hochevar - RHP Royals - DOB: 09/15/83 - ETA: June 2008
Previous rankings: 2007 #38, mid-2007 #31

3-6, 4.69 ERA, 110 H, 94/26 K/BB in 94 IP (AA Wichita)
1-3, 5.12 ERA, 53 H, 44/21 K/BB in 58 IP (AAA Omaha)
0-1, 2.13 ERA, 11 H, 5/4 K/BB in 12 2/3 IP (Kansas City)

Hochevar, the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, reached the majors in his first full pro season and tasted success in one start and three relief appearances for the Royals, but his ceiling just doesn't seem as high as it once did. While he occasionally touched 95 mph on the gun at the University of Tennessee, he peaks at around 93 mph now, and he doesn't induce many grounders with the pitch. As a result, he allowed 24 homers in the minors last season. He can get strikeouts with his curve, and both his changeup and slider show promise. Still, after calling him a No. 2 or No. 3 in last year's top 10, I'd label him a No. 3 or No. 4 now. He'll contend for a rotation spot this spring, and the Royals are also looking at him as a possible short-term reliever.

55. Ryan Sweeney - OF Athletics - DOB: 02/20/85 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: mid-2004 #124, 2005 #80, mid-2005 #94, 2006 #85, mid-2006 #52, 2007 #23, mid-2007 #25

.270/.348/.398, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 71/48 K/BB, 8 SB in 397 AB (AAA Charlotte)
.200/.265/.333, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5/4 K/BB, 0 SB in 45 AB (Chicago - AL)
.286/.347/.345, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 18/9 K/BB, 5 SB in 84 AB (AFL Phoenix)

The White Sox put Sweeney in high-A ball in his first full pro season and later got discouraged when he still wasn't ready for the majors at age 21. His genuine lack of progress in his age-22 season seemed to be the final straw, and it was no longer a matter of if he'd be traded by the time he was included in the Nick Swisher deal. The change of scenery should be good for Sweeney. Despite always being among the youngest players in his leagues, Sweeney has hit .289 as a minor leaguer. The power has yet to come and probably never will in the quantity that the White Sox expected, but he has enough strength to average 15-20 homers per year. On defense, he's a potential top-notch right fielder with enough speed to play center, though that'll probably be gone by the time he reaches his prime. The A's could keep him as a fourth outfielder for now or send him down to play regularly. He doesn't possess Carlos Gonzalez's offensive potential, so if he's going to be a starter for the A's in 2009, it may have to be in center.

56. Adrian Cardenas - 2B Phillies - DOB: 10/10/87 - ETA: 2011
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #93

.295/.354/.417, 9 HR, 79 RBI, 80/47 K/BB, 20 SB in 499 AB (A- Lakewood)

Cardenas, a 2006 supplemental first-round pick, hardly posted eye-catching numbers in his first full pro season, yet he fared quite well for a high school product in the Sally League. Excluding his poor April, he had a .366 OBP, and he finished with a .301 average in lefty-lefty matchups. It remains a mystery where Cardenas will end up on the diamond. He was drafted as a shortstop, but he would have needed to move even if not for Jimmy Rollins' presence. He should prove to be an average second baseman, though he faces a similar obstacle there. His below average arm would make him less than ideal at third, and he probably wouldn't have the range for center field. It'd be a real shame if he ended up in left, though he may have the bat to carry the position. It's possible that he'll be trade bait for the Phillies before he's ready for the majors in 2010 or 2011.

57. Desmond Jennings - OF Rays - DOB: 10/30/86 - ETA: 2010
Previous rankings: mid-2007 #88

.315/.401/.465, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 53/45 K/BB, 45 SB in 387 AB (A- Columbus)

The Rays hardly seemed to need another top-flight outfield prospect, but they got one last year, as Jennings blossomed less than a year after he was stolen in the 10th round. Now that Delmon Young and Elijah Dukes are gone, with Rocco Baldelli a possibility to follow at some point in the next year, there's actually a pretty clear path for Jennings to the majors, though he's going to need another two seasons in the minors first. Jennings has terrific speed and should develop into an excellent center fielder in time, though he doesn't have a great arm. He shows leadoff potential in the batter's box, and it looks like he's already well on his way to developing modest power. If he can handle more advanced breaking balls, he could become a star.

58. Scott Elbert - LHP Dodgers - DOB: 05/13/85 - ETA: July 2009
Previous rankings: 2006 #118, mid-2006 #37, 2007 #35, mid-2007 #46

0-1, 3.86 ERA, 6 H, 24/10 K/BB in 14 IP (AA Jacksonville)

Elbert, a 2004 first-round pick, established himself as one of the game's top lefty prospects in 2006, but was limited to just three starts last season before surgery on his left shoulder. While no tears in his labrum or rotator cuff were discovered, he still wasn't ready to return this spring. If he regains his stuff, Elbert will show three major league pitches in his low-90s fastball, curve and changeup. He does struggle to throw strikes, and his rather violent windup may have led to his shoulder problems. If he could tone it down a bit and still throw 88-91 mph with better command, he might be better off in the long run. He'll probably resume pitching in the minors in May or June. The surgery has backed up his timetable by at least a year.

59. Geovany Soto - C Cubs - DOB: 01/20/83 - ETA: Now
Previous rankings: none

.353/.424/.652, 26 HR, 109 RBI, 94/53 K/BB, 0 SB in 385 AB (AAA Iowa)
.389/.433/.667, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 14/5 K/BB, 0 SB in 54 AB (NL Chicago)

Soto entered 2007 as a .262/.344/.371 hitter in 1,574 minor league at-bats. He hit four homers in 292 at-bats at Iowa in 2005 and six homers in 342 at-bats in 2006. His sudden emergence as arguably the top performer in the minors was surprising to say the least. The weight he dropped over the previous winter certainly played some role. Soto continued to excel in 54 at-bats for the Cubs, leaving no doubt that the team would go forward with him as a regular this year. Soto has always been solid defensively. His slow release takes away from a strong arm behind the plate, but he's average at cutting down baserunners anyway. He was a candidate for a long career as a backup even when he wasn't showing much offensively. He can't possibly be as good going forward as he was last year, but he was so impressive that he has to be looked at as an above average offensive catcher for now. It's really anyone's guess what kind of player he'll be in three years.

60. Jeff Niemann - RHP Rays - DOB: 02/28/83 - ETA: July 2008
Previous rankings: 2005 #60, mid-2005 #74, 2006 #83, mid-2006 #49, 2007 #53, mid-2007 #32

12-6, 3.98 ERA, 144 H, 123/46 K/BB in 131 IP (AAA Durham)

Niemann finally managed to stay healthy last year, with his only missed time coming in early August because of shoulder fatigue. Still, the 6-foot-9 right-hander didn't display the same kind of velocity that made him the fourth overall selection in the 2004 draft. He still peaks in the mid-90s with his heater, but he was often under that, and neither his curve nor his slider resulted in as many strikeouts as hoped. He's going to have to adapt in order to begin fulfilling his potential and a legitimate changeup would help. He still has above average stuff, so there will be no giving up on him anytime soon. There's a good chance he'll be one of the first starters called up by the Rays this season.

[Hache Man]

Calf Injury Knocks Soriano Out

It seemed reasonable to assume that the Cubs would call up Matt Murton if they placed Alfonso Soriano on the disabled list following a calf injury Tuesday night, because Murton should never have been demoted to Triple-A in the first place after batting .296/.365/.455 in 289 career MLB games. Instead, Soriano headed to the DL on Wednesday and the Cubs left Murton to rot in Iowa while calling up Eric Patterson.

Patterson is a good prospect with solid long-term fantasy potential because of his power-speed combination, but the Cubs refused to play him when they called him up last year and he figures to spend much of his time on the bench this time around too. While Patterson watches from the dugout and Murton continues to waste away in the minors, expect Mark DeRosa to see most of the starts in left field and Mike Fontenot to take over for him as the regular second baseman.

DeRosa was already playing nearly every day, so his value won't change much, but Fontenot is now a solid NL-only option. He started at second base and led off Wednesday, going 1-for-5 with an RBI. Fontenot isn't nearly as strong a hitter as Murton and can't compete with Patterson in the steals department, but has batted .277/.338/.410 through his first 285 plate appearances in the majors after putting up similarly decent numbers in the minors.

Patterson is worth grabbing in deeper leagues and remains a quality keeper-league option, while Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno, and Reed Johnson should also receive small value boosts. As for Soriano, no timetable has been established yet for his return, but it's safe to assume that he'll be out for longer than the 15-day minimum. Following up last year's quadriceps problems with a calf injury can't be good news for his speed, so don't expect many steals when he does return.

While the Cubs do everything they can to ruin the career of a perfectly solid hitter in Murton, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* He's made me look like the boy who cried wolf before, but Felix Hernandez finally appears to be making The Leap. King Felix tossed a complete game Wednesday, holding the A's to two runs while racking up eight strikeouts versus one walk. He allowed a run in the eighth inning to trim the Mariners' lead to 4-2 and finished the frame with over 100 pitches, but manager John McLaren let him go back out for the ninth inning rather than turn to fill-in closer Mark Lowe.

Allowing Hernandez to throw 115 pitches in April isn't the smartest move in the world given that he turned 22 years old last week. Plus, he got off to a similarly outstanding start last year, tossing 17 straight scoreless innings before being slowed by arm problems. This time around Hernandez is 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA, 24 strikeouts, and 1.17 WHIP through four outings, and looks capable of long last living up to all the hype that he's received in this space. He has Cy Young potential.

* Nomar Garciaparra returned from the disabled list Wednesday, one day earlier than expected, and went 1-for-2 with two walks as the Dodgers' starting third baseman. Rookie Blake DeWitt did a decent job filling in for Garciaparra and Andy LaRoche, batting .261/.382/.348 with eight walks in 14 games, but has zero chance of continuing to play regularly now that manager Joe Torre has another veteran to stick in the lineup.

Garciaparra went 3-for-10 during a three-game minor-league rehab assignment and shouldn't be counted on as an immediate asset after saying Tuesday that he'll "never be pain-free" because "it would probably take a lot longer than that" for his wrist to completely heal. He'll have reasonable value in NL-only leagues, but will have to play his way into being a mixed-league option after batting just .283/.328/.371 last season and will have to hurry with LaRoche on the way back.

* Carlos Gomez went 2-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases Wednesday, giving him nine steals through 15 games. That puts him on pace to swipe about 95 bases, which would make him the first player to crack the 90-steal mark since Rickey Henderson stole 93 bags in 1988. Amazingly, all of that thievery has come despite Gomez getting on base just 28 percent of the time and his lone caught stealing came via pickoff. Never before has .262/.284/.369 been such fun to watch.

AL Quick Hits: Barring a setback, Curtis Granderson (hand) is on track to begin a minor-league rehab assignment as soon as Friday … Manager John Gibbons said Tuesday that the best-case scenario for Scott Rolen's (finger) return is another two weeks … Jorge Posada (shoulder) hasn't caught since April 8, but was in the lineup Wednesday at designated hitter … Miguel Cabrera went 4-for-6 with a homer Wednesday, making him 12-for-33 (.363) with two homers and nine RBIs since beginning the season 2-for-20 … His ill father is reportedly feeling better, but there's no timetable yet for Joba Chamberlain's return … Kevin Youkilis left Wednesday's game with a bruised foot, but X-rays were negative and he's considered day-to-day … Alex Rodriguez's homer Wednesday was No. 522 of his career, moving him past Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for 15th place on the all-time list … A.J. Burnett came on in relief Wednesday in the 14th inning and took the loss as the Blue Jays' ninth pitcher of the night … With Al "Don't Tase Me, Bro!" Reyes (shoulder) going on the disabled list Wednesday, Dan Wheeler will take over as the Rays' primary setup man.

NL Quick Hits: Jimmy Rollins (ankle) pinch-hit Wednesday, but was clearly hobbled and will now be away from the Phillies until at least Saturday while attending his uncle's funeral … Mike Jacobs smacked his MLB-leading sixth homer Wednesday and has a dozen hits during the past six games … With youngsters Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez already thriving in the Reds' rotation, the Homer Bailey Watch officially began once the Cubs got to Josh Fogg for nine runs Wednesday … After saying that he fixed a flaw in his delivery that had contributed to his rough start, Roy Oswalt held the Phillies to one run over seven innings Wednesday … Doug Brocail closed out the win for Oswalt, but the struggling Jose Valverde working on three of the past four days may explain why he got the save chance … Off to a .309/.361/.455 start, Lastings Milledge was shifted to the fifth spot in the Nationals' batting order Wednesday … Looking like the NL version of Gomez, Michael Bourn swiped his league-leading seventh base Wednesday and also went deep for the second time after homering just once in 133 plate appearances last season.

[Hache Man]

Definite-Lee looking good

If the Yankees gave Billy Crystal an at-bat during spring training, doesn't it make sense that they should give the Pope at least one plate appearance when he's in New York later this week? Certainly there's a reason he wears that funny hat around, and I'm guessing it has to do with protection against 90 mph fastballs. Besides, he's just as likely to get on base as Johnny Damon.

Here are some options if your fantasy team needs divine intervention:

American League

1. Cliff Lee – In Lee's first full season in the majors, he averaged almost a strikeout per inning. Since then, his inning totals have increased annually and his strikeouts have decreased. So far this year, Lee has a 12/1 K/BB ratio with just six hits allowed in 14 2/3 innings. There's no denying that Lee's 2007 was brutal, but much of that could be the result of an abdominal strain that forced him to miss the first week of the season. He'll struggle to match his numbers from 2005, but if he continues to make batters miss, pitching for Cleveland will give him plenty of value. His upcoming schedule makes him especially attractive.

2. Milton Bradley – Bradley, who is supposed to be recovering from knee surgery, is currently sitting on a nine-game hitting streak. He's yet to hit a home run, though, and his run and RBI totals have been hindered by the lineup around him. Still, Bradley displayed plenty of power last season despite playing at Petco, and hitting at Ameriquest Field could help him approach 25 home runs if he can net around 400 at-bats. That's a huge "if," however, as Bradley has only topped 377 at-bats once in his career. He'll contribute to your fantasy team as long as he's healthy, and is a worthy option until disaster strikes.

3. Gavin Floyd – The most important thing to remember when looking at Gavin Floyd's 7 1/3 innings of no-hit ball from Saturday is that it was on a cold and rainy day in which there were only two hits through the first seven innings. Floyd's brief time in the majors has been highlighted by a tendency to give up a ton of home runs, and thus far the weather seems to be helping him keep that problem in check. Floyd was also lucky enough to face the Tigers offense before they caught fire, although that turns into a bit of a chicken or the egg argument. Still, Floyd is a former first-round draft pick with plenty of potential – just don't go assuming he's over the hump to quality fantasy material just yet.

4. Sean Casey – With Mike Lowell sidelined due to a sprained left thumb, Kevin Youkilis has taken over at third with Casey stepping in at first. Casey is a singles hitter at this point in his career, but hitting around .300 in Boston's vaunted lineup should give him a decent number of RBI opportunities. In 28 at-bats this season he already has knocked in seven, but he's stuck in the eighth spot and could start losing more time if the Red Sox look to get Jed Lowrie more involved. Casey's numbers have been trending downward since his monster 2004, and he's not a great option for anything but the deepest AL-only leagues.

5. Livan Hernandez – Hernandez has great numbers through four games, as he sports a 3.00 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Most of the credit belongs to the inordinately high number of ground balls he's been able to induce, but there's reason for concern. After allowing one walk in his first three games, Hernandez issued three in his fourth start. He allowed three home runs in his that start, suggesting that he's returning to the pedestrian numbers he's put up in the past three seasons. If he can continue to induce ground balls at his current rate, pitching in Minnesota should help Hernandez improve slightly on his numbers from last season. Still, he's still not someone to be relied upon in fantasy leagues.

6. Justin Ruggiano – With Cliff Floyd being placed on the disabled list, the Rays recalled Justin Ruggiano to platoon against left-handed pitchers. Ruggiano hit .309 in Triple-A last season, with 20 home runs and 26 stolen bases, so he brings a lot of talent to the table. That said, he also brings a propensity to strike out often and is only going to play a few times a week, giving him severely limited immediate value in mixed leagues. Still, Ruggiano projects to have a bright future if he is ever given the chance to play every day, which could ultimately end up happening at some point this season.

7. Nathan Haynes – Haynes possesses two primary talents: the ability to steal bases and superior defense. With Willy Aybar missing a few games before being put on the DL due to hamstring stightness, Eric Hinske moved to third, giving Haynes a few games in right field. Since Evan Longoria's promotion, though, Haynes has played in just two games and doesn't appear to be in line for much more. Haynes has four stolen bases in just 24 at-bats this season, but there's no telling how long it will take him to get his next couple dozen plate appearances. He's only an option if you're desperate for speed and in a very deep league.

8. Joe Inglett – Since being called up last week, Inglett has played in five games and amassed 16 at-bats. He's hitting .375 in this brief period, but that number should come down to around .260 if Inglett continues to hit regularly. Inglett offers little in the way of speed or power, making him a poor addition to fantasy teams.

9. Armando Galarraga – Filling in for Dontrelle Willis, Galarraga allowed just one hit in 6 2/3 innings of work on Wednesday night while striking out six and not walking a batter. He allowed two runs, the second coming as a result of a hit batter that Jason Grilli allowed to score. Still, if Galarraga is going to sustain this type of success, he's got to do a little more work on honing his game in the minor leagues. He'll likely get a chance to resume doing that after his next start against the Blue Jays. He makes a risky AL-only start at Toronto.

National League

1. Manny Acosta/Blaine Boyer/Will Ohman – With Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan now on the disabled list, Braves manager Bobby Cox says he'll use a closer-by-committee approach featuring the three guys listed above. Acosta has been used in more high-pressure situations thus far, but Boyer has displayed more of the high strikeout/low walk ratio that tends to indicate a solid closer. He also has a better ERA, although neither has a great one. Also, before being hampered by shoulder issues in 2006, Boyer was considered a candidate to close over Chris Reitsma for the Braves. Acosta has the most immediate value, but those in deeper leagues might want to stash Boyer if it seems like Soriano will be out for longer than the minimum 15-days on the disabled list.

2. Hong-Chi Kuo – Kuo has taken Esteban Loaiza's spot in the rotation, and while his talent has always been evident, his health remains his biggest problem. In three injury-plagued seasons he's never been able to bring his WHIP into the respectable range, and he already had to miss time this spring due to arm issues. He's always had great stuff, though, and thus far this season has a 0.84 ERA with 14 strikeouts in just 10 2/3 innings. He also continues to be haunted by shaky control, having given up seven walks. Still, Kuo possesses the stuff to make him an asset in fantasy leagues, and his K-rate makes him worth gambling on despite the fact that he'll likely wind up back on the disabled list at some point.

3. Randy Wolf – Through three games, Randy Wolf is sitting on a 1.42 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. His three games have all been in pitcher-friendly parks, but that's one of the benefits of calling Petco home. For Wolf, it should have an immediate impact on the number of home runs he gives up, and thus limit the damage done by his moderately high walk rate. Wolf has been bothered by arm injuries since 2004, and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2005, but so far he appears to be fully recovered. If so, he will be a nice addition for as long as he stays healthy.

4. Doug Brocail – Brocail got his first save of the season on Wednesday night, but Jose Valverde had pitched in three of the previous four nights and clearly needed a rest after a messy meltdown on Tuesday night. After the game, the Astros confirmed that Valverde remained their closer, and it makes sense, as he's really the best suited for the job. Still, Brocail is the clear Plan B, and could see significant saves if Valverde continues to struggle. He's still speculative at this point.

5. Kaz Matsui – Matsui is scheduled to come off the disabled list on Friday, and he's currently owned in about half of all fantasy leagues. Matsui's anal fissure shouldn't affect our original projections for him: he'll likely net you 20 steals over the rest of the season while not dragging down your average. Besides that, his contributions will be just about league average. Still, he's a decent option if you're looking for steals.

6. Scott Olsen – Much like Zack Greinke, Olsen's problems on the field have often been linked to issues off the field. Heading into spring training, there were plenty of feature stories written about how hard Olsen was working to overcome his personal issues in hopes that it would translate to a better numbers. After three starts, he has a 3.05 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, hinting that he could be close to finally pitching to the potential his plus slider hints at. He's already a decent option in NL-only leagues, and his upside makes him worthy of consideration in mixed leagues.

7. Jayson Werth – With Shane Victorino on the disabled list, Jayson Werth is seeing significant playing time in center field. He's gotten off to a great start, raising his average to .370 on the season and stealing two quick bases. Still, Werth's batting average is bound to come back to Earth, and he's not a huge speed threat, making him a better play in NL-only leagues than mixed ones. Ride out his hot streak, but don't get attached.

8. Wily Mo Pena – Wily Mo is back in left field after suffering an oblique injury halfway through spring training. His numbers from last season are pedestrian, but it wasn't until the trade to Washington that he really took off, smacking eight home runs in just 133 at-bats. Pena has legitimate power, but he strikes out a ton and he struggles against right-handed pitchers. If he can lay claim to consistent work in left field, he could approach thirty home runs, but he'll do it while hitting around .260.

9. Mike Fontenot – With Alfonso Soriano hopping his way onto the disabled list, Fontenot appears poised to see significant work at second base for as long as Felix Pie is struggling in center (thus leaving Mark DeRosa in left). He has the potential to steal a few bases and hit a few home runs, but his main contribution is an average that should hover around .300. He should have decent NL-only value for as long as he has a regular job.

10. Skip Schumaker – Schumaker had a brutal start to the season, but a recent hot streak has him seeing consistent time at the top of the St. Louis batting order. While he could finish with a decent average, he doesn't have the power or speed to contribute to fantasy lineups. He'll have some value as a run-scorer as long as he's hitting in the top spot in the lineup, but even that gig is only guaranteed for as long as his hot streak lasts.

11. John Bowker – To say Bowker has gotten off to a fast start would be an understatement. In his first four games, the 24-year-old is hitting .538 with two home runs, a triple and seven RBI. It's a solid start, but nothing about Bowker's minor league stats suggest that he'll hit home runs at anything close to this rate. Expect a solid average, but Bowker should only hit about 10 home runs even if he manages to see 400 at-bats. It's not a given that will happen, either, but the Giants have already said they're planning on sitting Randy Winn more often in order to get Bowker more involved.

12. Shawn Chacon – Chacon pitched eight innings of shutout baseball on Tuesday to lower his ERA to 2.25 on the season. With a WHIP of 1.15, Chacon might be getting fantasy consideration from players who have forgotten that he's still Shawn Chacon. He's walked 10 batters in 20 innings, while only striking out 11, suggesting that his ERA is destined to start climbing. If one wants to find the underlying cause of his success, the BABIP that's just over .200 could be a place to start. Avoid.

[Hache Man]

Does hitting pitcher 8th work?


Last season, it was not unusual for current Milwaukee Brewer Jason Kendall to find his name listed ninth in the batting order. However, at the time, he was playing for the Oakland A's in the American League.

This season, his regular appearance at the bottom of the Brewers lineup card seems to defy common logic. Shouldn't a lineup's weakest hitter — almost always the pitcher — own the No. 9 slot?

The St. Louis Cardinals started routinely batting their pitcher eighth last season. Manager Tony La Russa has said this arrangement potentially gets the team's best hitters more RBI opportunities later in the game. Now Milwaukee's Ned Yost has jumped on the bandwagon.


Our first question is whether the No. 9 slot in the batting order leads off more than the No. 8 slot does. Tom Ruane of Retrosheet.org performed some analysis of games and composite lineups for every National League game for the past 10 years. He determined that the likelihood in any given NL game of the No. 8 slot or the No. 9 slot leading off is exactly the same: 11.1%, which is very symmetrical considering 11.1% is 100% divided by 9.

Looking at composite No. 8- and No. 9-hitter data over that 10-year period, Ruane determined No. 8 hitters got on base at a .322 clip, compared to a .234 clip for No. 9 hitters. Yet, in innings in which those poor-hitting No. 9 hitters led off, teams averaged 0.519 of a run, 0.05 more than when No. 8 hitters led off.

In fact, that 0.519 average is higher than for any other batters leading off except for the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 slots. This data demonstrates the importance of La Russa's thinking — that having top RBI men available in a row might be more important than the on-base percentage of the leadoff hitter.

Moving a hitter such as Kendall into the No. 9 slot will almost certainly raise that 0.519-run average. However, it follows that this tactic will also reduce the number of runs scored when the Nos. 5, 6 and 7 hitters lead off.

Essentially, the gain in those innings that Kendall leads off is washed out by those innings in which regular No. 6 hitter Corey Hart or No. 7 hitter J.J. Hardy leads off. Furthermore, batting in the No. 9 slot instead of the No. 8 slot means an average of 48 fewer plate appearances a season.

So, in real terms, this quirky move neither helps the team very much (as La Russa and Yost believe it does) nor hurts the team very much (as many pundits have decided without really looking at the data).

However, if these hitters remain in the same slots all season, there might be a real impact on individual contributions. There will be more RBI chances for the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 hitters on the Cardinals and Brewers and fewer runs scored for those teams' Nos. 5, 6 and 7 hitters. The position players in the No. 9 slot will get roughly 30 fewer at-bats than they would have otherwise, but those players are more likely to score runs in that No. 9 slot.

For fantasy baseball purposes, the Cardinals' Cesar Izturis and Aaron Miles would split an incremental increase of about eight to 10 runs from the No. 9 slot, while Kendall would get most of that incremental increase. That additional eight to 10 runs per team would be driven in by a combination of Nos. 1-3 hitters, such as the Cardinals' Skip Schumaker, Chris Duncan and Albert Pujols and the Brewers' top-of-the-order hitters Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun (Braun batted third Sunday) and eventually Mike Cameron, who's sitting out the first 25 games of the season after testing positive for a banned stimulant. They would get perhaps an additional three RBI apiece.

Correspondingly, regular No. 6 and No. 7 hitters — such as the Cardinals' Adam Kennedy and Yadier Molina and the Brewers' Hart and Hardy — can expect a drop of about three to five runs scored apiece.

As neat and symmetrical as this all sounds, things are rarely equal. These players likely will not always hit in the same slot in the order, and the team composition is likely to change over the course of the season. The truth is, while these changes could add or subtract a handful of runs scored or RBI for one player slot or another, the difference should end up being negligible for most players.

The lone exception, perhaps, might be for Kendall. If he stays in the No. 9 slot for all of 2008, he could potentially score 10 more runs over the course of the season. That would be a hefty 22% increase over his 2007 total of 45.

[Hache Man]

Key cogs off to slow starts

One of the oft-repeated axioms in baseball is that when the season starts, pitchers generally have the upper hand against hitters. Players go from the warmth (and lofty batting averages) of spring training to colder and wetter conditions in much of the country.

Slow starts might be part of the game, but it's hard to sit back and watch while your top hitters struggle, especially if you've invested a large part of your payroll on a few players using the Stars & Scrubs approach … and your stars are playing like scrubs.

In other words, your fantasy team has turned into the 2008 Detroit Tigers.


If that's the case, there isn't a whole lot you can do other than give your players a Jim Leyland-like tongue-lashing and hope they respond.

Outside of a season-ending injury, the greatest fear fantasy owners have at this time of year is that the one or two players who are supposed to be carrying their team will end up being nothing but dead weight.

It's quite a shock to see David Ortiz hitting .070, Prince Fielder without a home run and Jose Reyes with one stolen base.

But how quickly we forget that a year ago David Wright was hitting .244 with no homers at the end of April. He ended up with a .325 average, 30 homers and 34 stolen bases.

Mark Teixeira went the first 11 games of last season without an extra-base hit. Even with a midseason stint on the disabled list, he finished with 30 homers and 33 doubles.

If you're waiting for superstars such as "Big Papi" (Ortiz), Miguel Cabrera or Alfonso Soriano to turn things around, don't despair. The early trends of April are soon forgotten.

Need reassurance? Then ask yourself how many of these early trends (as last week ended) were likely to continue:

* Two catchers (A.J. Pierzynski and Jason Kendall) were leading their leagues in hitting.

* The Colorado Rockies and Tigers were tied for last in the majors in runs scored.

* The Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals were thriving because of their outstanding pitching. (Kansas City's relievers have a collective ERA of 1.16, a full run better than any other team.)

* The New York Yankees had a total of zero stolen bases (until Sunday night).

Every year, a few statistical quirks such as these will send fantasy owners scrambling — even if the season is only a couple of weeks old. But unless there's an injury, April is no time to start dealing your underperforming stars for below-market value.

As difficult as it is seeing your team at the bottom of the standings, the best course of action during the season's first month is to hang on to your core players and look to reinforce your weak spots through the waiver wire.

Poor pitching performances can be even more of a headache.

If pitchers usually have the upper hand in April, what does that mean for the ones who struggle early?

With hitters, breaking out of a slump can be as simple as going 4-for-4 in the next day's game. But for pitchers who are off to bad starts, the five-day wait until they take the mound again can be torture.

C.C. Sabathia has looked terrible in his first four starts, failing to get out of the sixth inning in any of them. After issuing 37 walks in 241 innings last season (1.38 per nine innings), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has 14 walks in 18 innings this year.

Until he shut down the Phillies over seven innings Wednesday night, Roy Oswalt had been hammered in his first three starts and complained of a twinge in his pitching arm after the second one. While that's a concern, his ratio of 16 strikeouts to four walks is among the majors' best.

Established stars such as Sabathia and Oswalt will be given every chance to get back on track, but managers are far less patient with their Nos. 3, 4 and 5 starters.

Just last week, the Chicago Cubs sent left-hander Rich Hill (who won 11 games for them last season with 183 strikeouts, a 3.92 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP) to the bullpen to work out his control problems. The move is only temporary since the Cubs were able to use an off day to keep their other pitchers on regular rest, but it does demonstrate how volatile rotation spots can be.

Hitters usually have several opportunities to rebound if they have a bad month to start the season. But lower-tier pitchers who struggle in April sometimes don't get that same opportunity to work things out. After all the talk of patience, this is one area where moving quickly isn't a bad idea after all.

If you have Andrew Miller or Jose Contreras in your lineup, don't be afraid to make changes before you suffer serious damage to your ERA and WHIP. Their roster spots can be used to fish for breakout candidates or under-the-radar finds.

If one pickup doesn't work, you don't lose a whole lot by looking somewhere else. Perhaps you'll stumble across this season's version of Brian Bannister. The Royals righty went undrafted in all but the deepest leagues in 2007, yet he won 12 games with a 3.87 ERA and is off to a 2-0 start this season.

Remember, it's a long way to September and there are plenty of moves to be made along the way. The goal is to have the best team when the long road ends.

[Hache Man]

Missing MPH

While Miguel Tejada ages two years in one day and then celebrates by going 3-for-4 with a homer at night, here are some notes from around baseball ...

* Ted Lilly posted a hideous 9.95 ERA and 1.82 WHIP through his first three starts, at which point pitching coach Larry Rothschild said that he was experiencing a "mysterious" drop in velocity. Asked about his lack of arm strength, Lilly said Wednesday that he wasn't overly concerned because "there are a lot of guys throughout this league who are winning games without velocity." Then he took the mound Thursday against the Reds and struggled again.
atlantabraves.com
Lilly averaged 88-90 miles per hour with his fastball from 2005-2007, but worked primarily in the 85-87 range during his first three starts and wasn't much better Thursday while allowing five runs over six innings. He occasionally reached 88-89, but was more often around 85-86. The good news is that he still managed six strikeouts despite throwing in the mid-80s, but the bad news is that his 9.16 ERA can be blamed on a clear lack of stuff rather than a simple slow start.

* Justin Verlander has also lacked his usual velocity while beginning the year 0-3 with a 7.03 ERA through four starts. Few pitchers threw harder than Verlander over the past two seasons, but his mid-90s fastball has been clocked around 92 MPH this year and after being knocked around Thursday by the Indians he's allowed 24 total runs in 24.1 innings, including at least four runs in each start. Unless injuries are revealed, both Lilly and Verlander are decent buy-low targets.

* Peter Moylan was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a sore elbow and Thursday the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that he may need season-ending surgery. No decision will be made on his status for a couple weeks, but it's clear that Moylan won't be back any time soon. Losing Moylan and his 2.20 career ERA is a big blow to the Braves' already shaky bullpen, but the good news is that Rafael Soriano is now hoping to come off the DL when eligible Tuesday.

* Chad Cordero blamed his poor velocity Wednesday on not having enough time to warm up prior to coming into the game, but the Washington Post reports that "there's widespread concern about Cordero within the organization" and he tellingly went unused in a 14-inning lost Thursday night. Manager Manny Acta has made it clear that he simply doesn't feel comfortable trusting Cordero in key spots right now, saying that "we're going to have to pick and choose our spots" to use him.

"What do you do?" Acta said. "He says he's fine. He has no pain. He's going to continue to pitch. I really don't feel right now, the way he's throwing the ball, I should trust him to save a game here." Don't be surprised if Cordero lands on the disabled list, because keeping him around as a mop-up man when something clearly isn't right with his arm makes little sense. Whatever happens, it seems clear that Jon Rauch will be the Nationals' closer for the foreseeable future.

* David Ortiz's brutal slump has overshadowed Manny Ramirez's fantastic start, which continued Thursday with two homers against the Yankees. Ramirez has been great in every month during his career, but his lowest OPS has come in April and he didn't hit his first homer until April 19 last year while batting just .202 with three homers, 13 RBIs, and a .629 OPS for the month. This April he already has five homers and an AL-leading 18 RBIs, along with a .343 AVG and 1.106 OPS.

AL Quick Hits: Curtis Granderson (hand) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Friday, but is expected to get 20-25 at-bats before coming off the disabled list ... After picking up a victory in extra innings Thursday, new Orioles closer George Sherrill has six saves and one win in seven appearances ... Vladimir Guerrero was out of the lineup Thursday with a bruised finger, giving Juan Rivera a rare start ... David DeJesus left Thursday's game with a jammed toe, which could push Joey Gathright back into the lineup ... Gavin Floyd turned in another impressive outing Thursday, holding the Orioles to a pair of unearned runs over six innings, but isn't worth trusting quite yet with the Yankees next on the schedule ... Richie Sexson was benched Thursday in favor of Greg Norton because of what manager John McLaren called "a sore leg and sore shoulder" ... Roy Halladay tossed his second straight complete game Thursday, but lost while allowing four runs on 11 hits against the Rangers ... Carlos Pena is day-to-day after leaving Thursday's game with a hamstring injury.

NL Quick Hits: According to the Cubs, Alfonso Soriano (calf) is likely to return from the disabled list when eligible in two weeks, which is great news after manager Lou Piniella initially guessed that he'd be out for "a while" ... Jose Valverde mopped up Thursday and gave up two more runs, meaning that he's now been scored upon in five of seven appearances ... Responding to reports that he's likely to miss at least another month, Pedro Martinez (hamstring) said Wednesday that he hopes to be back within two weeks ... Tim Hudson's velocity was down about five miles per hour in Wednesday's loss, but he called it "just one of those nights" and said that he "felt fine physically" ... Reed Johnson went 4-for-4 with a double Thursday, raising his batting average to .361 and putting a big dent in Felix Pie's fantasy stock ... Carlos Beltran was absent from the lineup Thursday because of a stiff neck ... Gabe Kapler (shoulder) was out of the lineup Thursday for a third straight game, but did pinch-hit ... John Lannan came into Thursday's game with 16 career strikeouts in 45.1 innings, but racked up 11 strikeouts against the Mets. newyorkmets.com

[Hache Man]

"Cy Beckett" and Sayonara CC?

Beckett looking like the Cy Young he should have been and Sabathia pitching like anything but. That and more in this week's Week That Was.

Nelson Figueroa: Nelson Figueroa looked good again this week, allowing just two runs in seven innings against the Nats while striking out seven. While this is a feel good story, it is also a textbook sell high story. Was I clear? SELL. Why? Well, Figueroa has not pitched in the majors in four years and even when healthy in the minors, posted ERAs over 4. Add in the fact that El Duque, Pedro and Claudio Vargas all wait in the wings and you have a SELL HIGH candidate. You have been warned.
newyorkmets.com
Josh Beckett: Josh Beckett was smokin' again this week, pitching eight strong innings against the Yankees. Watching the game, you just got the feeling that had the Red Sox only scored 1, Beckett would have pitched a shut out. Frankly, the 96 mph heater together with the nasty 78 mph hook is simply unfair. If you own Beckett, sit back and enjoy the ride. If there is a Beckett owner in your league who is looking at his first start and worrying about blisters of old, take advantage of the sucker. Beckett is well on his way to another Cy Young caliber season.

Jayson Nix: Jayson Nix is spending more time on the bench as April plods along. The fact that Nix is looking up at the Mendoza line and Clint Barmes is on fire means what it should mean – Barmes will play more and Nix less. The question is how long is this likely to last. Answer – quite some time. I did not even have Nix on my draft lists (other than maybe NL only taxi). Before last year in the minors, Nix posted MINOR league batting averages of .212, .235, and .251. Those are hardly numbers that say major league success. Clint Barmes, on the other hand, has hit around .300 in his last 3 minors seasons and had success in 05 in the bigs. You know what to do.

Brett Myers: Brett Myers struck out 8 in seven solid innings on Thursday. After a slow start, Myers is now dealing. If you own him, do not panic --180-200 strikeouts will be yours by the end of the year. On the other hand, if you can fleece a Myers owner who is still worried about the effect of being shifted from the pen back to the rotation, do it. Myers is the real deal and will be a top 10 NL pitcher this year.

Gil Meche: Gil Meche allowed two runs in six innings this week to win for the first time. Thus far, Meche has not shown either the strikeout numbers or control that made him successful last year. That said, veteran observers say he looks healthy and that there is no reason to believe he will not come around. Bottom line – he will never be mistaken for Josh Beckett, but with Zack Greinke stealing the headlines in KC, Meche could fly under the radar and provide solid value from here on in.

Chris Iannetta: Chris Iannetta had a big game Wednesday, going 3-4, an RBI and two runs. Here is another buy-low candidate. Yes, Iannetta did not hit in his first year in the bigs. However, that is very common for young catchers who must devote so much of their time to defense, learning hitters and getting into grooves with their pitchers. Now, in his second year in the show, Iannetta should hit like the minor league stud he was -- CI hit .351 in AAA in 06. If you need another reason to buy here, remember that Yorvit Torrealba failed his Met physical before returning to Colorado. That cannot be good.

Skip Schumaker: Skip Schumaker went 2-4 with a home run on Wednesday night to up his average to over .290. No one will mistake Skip for Willie McGee or Andy Van Slyke, however, the manager loves him, he does the little things a team needs and he is the only legitimate lead off hitter on the Cards. You can probably still get him for a song from a non-believer. That will not be possible when he is still leading off most days and the calendar says June, not April.

C.C. Sabathia: C.C. Sabathia was tattooed again Wednesday, giving up nine runs in four innings. Oh my, what a mess. I remember when Sparky Lyle won the 1977 Cy Young only to be replaced as Yankee closer the next year. Graig Nettles remarked "from Cy Young to Sayonara". That seems apt for CC and fantasy. CC, never known for his conditioning, threw around 260 innings last year. That workload is coming back to haunt him. If you own CC, you should have discounted. That said, wait for the next good performance, crow about how Cy Young is back and SELL!

Mike Jacobs: Mike Jacobs' hot start continued this week as he continues to hit for power and average. Can this continue? No. Will Jacobs be a worthy CI in NL only leagues? Yes. However, it is very important to temper expectations. Jacobs hit in the.260-.265 range in his only two years in the majors and never really played at AAA. Sell high. There is just no reason to think he will hit much above .270.

Nomar Garciaparra: Joe Torre's Dodgers activated third baseman Nomar Garciaparra from the 15-day disabled list this week. Do not spend too much here and do not put too much faith in Ramon backwards. He was once a great player, but now he is a backup in waiting – one without power, speed or consistent health. You have been warned – again.

And finally, more wisdom from the Carlton the Doorman of fantasy sports -- Schultz Says: "Howie Kendrick owners have every right to be beside themselves with apoplexy at this point in time. So far, Kendrick has been nothing short of a rotisserie force of nature when he plays. Those last three words are a dagger to the heart of those who have Kendrick as their 2B. He opened the season hitting .429 over the first 8 games, jammed his thumb and missed 5 days before raising his average to .500 . . . and then tweaking a hamstring. He may not have hit a home run but he did steal a couple bases. What is frustrating about Kendrick's injury hiatuses is the Angels refuse to put him on the DL. He's too valuable to sit so keep monitoring the injury reports to see how he's progressing. If his owner seems whiny and impatient with him, pry him away cheaply. He's high maintenance but he's worth the effort.

The Joe Borowski era in Cleveland ended sooner than any attentive Tribe fan would have imagined. On the bright side, at least Jo Bo's poor performance has a rational explanation. Last week, I said that I thought Rafael Betancourt would be a poor investment as the Indians don't envision him as a closer. That's still true. Masahide Kobayashi is still learning the American version of the game and recalling how wonderful the "Fausto Carmona - unprepared closer" experiment worked out, aren't looking for a repeat performance. If you have Betancourt, enjoy your good fortune but don't break your arm patting yourself on the back just yet. (It really is a shame you can't quote Winston Wolf in respectable media).

It's probably no surprise that one of Seattle's new starters is 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP; that it's Carlos Silva and Eric Bedard is the real head scratcher. Bedard has followed up a horrible spring with a less-than-stellar start to the regular season. Much like Borowski, his owners have to be breathing a sigh of relief that his troubles seem to be related to a hip injury and have some sort of explanation. You don't need me to tell you to hang on to Bedard and wait this out. His potential for monster numbers is too great to abandon. You also don't need me to tell you that if someone will give you something valuable for Silva, you should take it before they sober up and your league vetoes the deal. Maybe next week I'll tell you all some things you need me to tell you.

This Sunday is Earth Day. Go do something nice for the environment this weekend.

Response: Hard to know what to make of that other than to say Kendrick is good, Borowski was on borrowed time and Carlos Silva is an implosion waiting to happen. Duh! (Though I did like the use of "apoplexy").

Enjoy Earth day and hopefully some quality baseball this weekend.

[Hache Man]

Lies, Popes and Death, oh my!

Miguel Tejada was caught lying about his age, Manny Acta had a special officemate and Shea Stadium likely experienced its last death ever. It's just another week in the world of baseball.

Here are some notes on the next one:

Two-Start Pitchers

American League
Must Starts
Felix Hernandez – BAL (Adam Loewen), OAK (Joe Blanton)
Justin Verlander - TEX (Vicente Padilla), LAA (Jered Weaver)
Josh Beckett - LAA (Jered Weaver), @TB (James Shields)
Joe Blanton - MIN (Livan Hernandez), @SEA (Felix Hernandez)
Shaun Marcum - DET (Armando Galarraga), @KC (Luke Hochevar)
James Shields - TOR (Jesse Litsch), BOS (Josh Beckett)

Other Options
Jered Weaver - @BOS (Josh Beckett), @DET (Justin Verlander)
Chien-Ming Wang - @CHA (Jose Contreras), @CLE (C.C. Sabathia)
Jesse Litsch – @TB (James Shields), @KC (Gil Meche)
C.C. Sabathia - @KC (Gil Meche), NYY (Chien-Ming Wang)
Gil Meche – CLE (C.C. Sabathia), TOR (Jesse Litsch)
Clay Buchholz – TEX (Kason Gabbard), @TB (Edwin Jackson)
Adam Loewen - @SEA (Felix Hernandez), @CHW (Jose Contreras)
Livan Hernandez - @OAK (Joe Blanton), @TEX (Vicente Padilla)
Jose Contreras - NYY (Chien-Ming Wang), BAL (Adam Loewen)
Vicente Padilla - @DET (Justin Verlander), MIN (Livan Hernandez)
Kason Gabbard - @BOS (Clay Buchholz), MIN (Scott Baker)
Armando Galarraga - @TOR (Shaun Marcum), LAA (Dustin Moseley)

National League
Must Start
Brandon Webb – SF (Barry Zito), @SD (Jake Peavy)
Jake Peavy – @HOU (Brandon Backe), ARI (Brandon Webb)
John Smoltz - WAS (John Lannan), @NYM (Nelson Figueroa)
Carlos Zambrano - NYM (John Maine), @WAS (Matt Chico)
Tim Hudson - WAS (Matt Chico), @NYM (John Maine) newyorkmets.com
Brad Penny - @CIN (Matt Belisle), COL (Mark Redman)
Micah Owings - SF (Kevin Correia), @SD (Justin Germano)
Roy Oswalt – SD (Justin Germano), @STL (Adam Wainwright)
Brett Myers - @COL (Jeff Francis), @PIT (Paul Maholm)
John Maine – @CHC (Carlos Zambrano), ATL (Tim Hudson) atlantabraves.com
Adam Wainwright - @MIL (Carlos Villanueva), HOU (Roy Oswalt)
Edinson Volquez – LAD (Hong-Chih Kuo), @SF (Barry Zito)

Other Options
Jeff Francis – PHI (Brett Myers), @LAD (Hong-Chih Kuo)
Kyle Lohse - @MIL (Manny Parra), HOU (Brandon Backe)
Manny Parra - STL (Kyle Lohse), FLA (Ricky Nolasco)
Hong-Chih Kuo - @CIN (Edinson Volquez), COL (Jeff Francis)
Justin Germano - @HOU (Roy Oswalt), ARI (Micah Owings)
Kyle Kendrick - @COL (Mark Redman), @PIT (Matt Morris)
Nelson Figueroa - @CHC (Ted Lilly), ATL (John Smoltz)
Ted Lilly - NYM (Nelson Figueroa), @WAS (John Lannan)
John Lannan - @ATL (John Smoltz), CHC (Ted Lilly)
Kevin Correia - @ARI (Micah Owings), CIN (Matt Belisle)
Carlos Villanueva - STL (Adam Wainwright), FLA (Mark Hendrickson)
Paul Maholm - FLA (Ricky Nolasco), PHI (Brett Myers)
Mark Redman - PHI (Kyle Kendrick), @LAD (Brad Penny)
Matt Belisle - LAD (Brad Penny), @SF (Kevin Correia)
Matt Morris - FLA (Mark Hendrickson), PHI (Kyle Kendrick)
Matt Chico - @ATL (Tim Hudson), CHC (Carlos Zambrano)
Brandon Backe – SD (Jake Peavy), @STL (Kyle Lohse)
Ricky Nolasco - @PIT (Paul Maholm), @MIL (Manny Parra)
Mark Hendrickson - @PIT (Matt Morris), @MIL (Carlos Villanueva)

Barry Zito
Barry Zito - @ARI (Brandon Webb), CIN (Edinson Volquez)

Possible Streamers

American League:

Tuesday 4/22 – Jesse Litsch @TB – Litsch finished with a 2.04 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 17.2 innings against the Rays last season. He's a fine add in weekly leagues, too, as his second match-up is with the Royals.

Friday 4/25 – Tim Wakefield @TB – Wakefield has a career 2.41 ERA and 1.09 WHIP at Tropicana field, and had a 4.08 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP against the Devil Rays last season.

Saturday 4/26 – Dana Eveland @SEA – Eveland has gotten off to a great start, and one home run did all the damage against him against the Sox. He's facing Miguel Batista, so it's a nice match-up if you need a win.

National League:

Tuesday 4/22 – Ricky Nolasco @ PIT – In 16 2/3 career innings against the Pirates, Nolasco has a 1.08 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. And they're the Pirates.

Thursday 4/24 – Greg Maddux vs. SD – Maddux might start getting dropped because of his disastrous outing on Friday, but he's already shown what he can do against the Giants this season.

Friday 4/25 – Adam Eaton @ PIT – In his lone start against the Pirates last year, Adam Eaton allowed one run in seven innings. It's a terribly small sample size, but risk-takers should consider it.

Friday 4/25 – Ryan Dempster @ WAS – Depending on how Dempster fares against the Pirates on Sunday, he might be worth consideration against the Nationals on Thursday, or even as one of your back-end starters.


Total Games

American League
7: BOS, DET, TEX, TOR
6: BAL, CHW, CLE, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, OAK, SEA, TB

National League
7: Everyone

Lefty vs. Righty Match-ups

American League

Baltimore - 3 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties
Boston - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Chicago White Sox - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Cleveland - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Detroit - 7 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Kansas City - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Los Angeles Angels - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Minnesota - 2 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
New York Yankees - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Oakland - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Seattle - 3 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties
Tampa Bay - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Texas - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Toronto - 7 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties

Notes (based on career numbers):

Baltimore faces three lefties this week, which should provide a nice boost for Adam Jones (.320 vs. LHP).

The Tigers face seven right-handed pitchers, which should really only affect Brandon Inge (.229 vs. RHP).

Seattle is matched-up against three left-handed pitchers, which could mean Raul Ibanez (.262 vs. LHP) is negatively impacted, while Jose Lopez (.282 vs. LHP) and Kenji Johjima (.292 vs. LHP) should benefit.

The Rays don't face a lefty all week, which can't have Jason Bartlett (.306 vs. LHP), Akinori Iwamura (.316 vs. LHP) or Jonny Gomes (.291 vs. LHP) excited, but should benefit Eric Hinske (.224 vs. LHP) and Carlos Pena (.237 vs. LHP).

The Blue Jays don't face any lefties this week, which shouldn't help Frank Thomas get off the bench, and won't help Gregg Zaun (.271 vs. LHP) either.

National League
Arizona - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Atlanta - 4 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties
Chicago Cubs - 3 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
Cincinnati - 3 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
Colorado - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Florida - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Houston - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Los Angeles Dodgers - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Milwaukee - 3 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
New York Mets - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Philadelphia - 3 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
Pittsburgh - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
San Diego - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
San Francisco - 7 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
St. Louis - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Washington - 4 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties

Notes (based on career numbers):

The Cubs face four left-handed pitchers, which is good news for Mark DeRosa (.298 vs. LHP) and Ryan Theriot (.297 vs. LHP). It's good news for Reed Johnson (.308 vs. LHP), who should play over Felix Pie (.122 vs LHP). Kosuke Fukudome (.385 vs. LHP) has hammered lefties so far this season.

The Reds are scheduled to go up against four lefties, which is good news for Edwin Encarnacion (.267 vs. LHP), Brandon Phillips (.296 vs. LHP) and Jeff Keppinger (.338 vs. LHP). It's bad news for Ryan Freel (.250 vs. LHP), Scott Hatteberg (.235 vs. LHP). It could have a slightly negative effect on Ken Griffey Jr. (.274 vs. LHP), who has really struggled against lefties this season.

The Brewers also face four left-handed pitchers, which is great news for Ryan Braun (.430 vs. LHP), not that you'd ever sit him anyway. Other players that should benefit are J.J. Hardy (.294 vs. LHP), Corey Hart (.322 vs. LHP) and Gabe Kapler (.291 vs. LHP).

The Phillies are the fourth team in the National League facing four lefties, which is a positive for Eric Bruntlett (.273 vs. LHP) and Jayson Werth (.286 vs. LHP).

The Injury Report

For a more detailed look at injuries around the league, check out Rotoworld's injury page: Injuries!

Justin Duchscherer – OAK – SP – Could be back April 26
Rich Harden – OAK – SP – Could be back by end of the month
Tom Glavine – ATL – SP – Should return on April 29
Peter Moylan – ATL – RP – Could be out for season
Rafael Soriano – ATL – RP – Expected to return Tuesday
Ben Sheets – MIL – SP – Could miss starts this week
Yovani Gallardo – MIL – SP – Should be back on April 20
Erik Bedard – SEA – SP – Could return Thursday
J.J. Putz – SEA – RP – Could return on Tuesday
Moises Alou – NYM – OF – Could return this week
Dmitri Young – WAS – 1B – Could return this week
Jimmy Rollins – PHI – SS – Should be starting all week
Jack Wilson – PIT – SS – Could be back by end of the week
Mike Lowell – BOS – 3B – Unlikely to be back this week
David Ross – CIN – C – Should be back this week
Matt Belisle – CIN – SP – Expected to start on Monday
Dontrelle Willis – DET – SP – Not expected to return this week
Michael Cuddyer – MIN – OF – Not expected back this week
Joba Chamberlain – NYY – RP – Should be back by start of the week

Waiver Wired

Check out over twenty of this week's top waiver options here. Here is an abbreviated list:

American League:
1. Cliff Lee
2. Milton Bradley
3. Gavin Floyd

National League:
1. Manny Acosta
2. Randy Wolf
3. Hong-Chi Kuo

The Weather Report

The following games have a 50% or greater chance of being rained out:

Sunday April 20 – Yankees @ Baltimore – 70% -- This game could be replayed on Monday if it ends up being rained out.
Sunday, April 27 – Yankees @ Indians – 60%
Sunday, April 27 – Phillies @ Pirates – 60%

[Hache Man]

AL Team-by-Team Notes
The surprising decision Saturday to bench Frank Thomas was certainly financially driven for the Blue Jays. The Big Hurt is 304 plate appearances away from having his $10 million vesting option for 2009 kick in, and Toronto would prefer not to pay him that much even if he bounces back and matches his 2007 numbers. The best-case scenario for the Jays would be a two-month injury for Thomas, after which he'd come back and immediately start hitting. However, since even Thomas is unlikely to get hurt if he's not playing, that seems like a long shot. With no room on the roster for both Thomas and Adam Lind, the Jays will probably go with Matt Stairs at DH and Shannon Stewart in left field for now. Unless they give Thomas his release, they'll have to put him back into the mix in a week or two. However, it could be quite some time before he's a regular again. There's no reason to own him in mixed leagues right now.

American League Notes

Baltimore - Relying overwhelmingly on his fastball, Daniel Cabrera has turned in two nice outings in a row. He threw heaters about 90 percent of the time while limiting the Rays to one run in 6 2/3 innings on April 12. In Friday's win over the Yankees, he kept up that same kind of pace his first two times through the lineup before mixing in more sliders and changeups his third time through. The strategy has helped Cabrera generate more grounders than usual, and he's also less apt to walk batters while concentrating on his best pitch. It's not all that likely that he's truly turned the corner, but he could be somewhat more reliable in AL-only leagues going forward. It doesn't hurt that his schedule over the next month looks pretty favorable. … It's probably not going to happen before July, but since there's a good chance the Orioles will part with George Sherrill at some point during the summer, it's worth paying attention to the rest of the team's pen. The standout so far has been Rule-5 pick Randor Bierd, who has thrown 10 2/3 scoreless innings in six appearances. He's probably not going to be a long-term closer, but with impressive command of a nice sinking fastball, he could set up for Chris Ray in 2009. Because he'll be a possibility for saves in the second half, he'd be worth adding in AL-only leagues if he remains effective over the next few weeks.

Boston - With neither Clay Buchholz nor Jon Lester off to very good starts, it seems like only a matter of time until Bartolo Colon gets his rotation spot. It probably would have happened this week if not for the veteran's strained oblique. As is, the switch could take place right around May 1, which is the date that Colon can opt out of his contract if he's not in the majors. Buchholz looks like the favorite to head back to the minors. However, Lester has a 5.06 ERA and a 15/17 K/BB ratio in his five starts, and he hasn't had to face the same caliber of opponents as Buchholz, who has taken on the Yankees twice and the Blue Jays while amassing a 6.75 ERA in three starts. I still think Buchholz goes, as the Red Sox will want to keep his innings count down anyway, but Buchholz will be the better bet of the two for the rest of the season regardless. … Jed Lowrie has a limited opportunity to show what he can do with Mike Lowell (thumb) on the disabled list. Ideally, he'd prove he's a legitimate alternative at shortstop if Julio Lugo is truly washed up. It's not a switch the Red Sox figure to make anytime soon, so Lowrie will probably spend at least another month or two in Triple-A after Lowell returns. However, the Red Sox could always consider making a transition at shortstop much like they did in center field at the end of last year. Like Dustin Pedroia, Lowrie doesn't have the power or speed to become a fantasy star. However, he'd hit for average and he could collect plenty of runs scored and RBI if he somehow becomes a fixture in Boston's lineup.

Chicago - With Jerry Owens getting optioned to Triple-A, Carlos Quentin's spot is secure. It's great news for the White Sox offense as a whole. However, Quentin might yet turn into a sell-high candidate sometime soon. The former Diamondback has a significant injury history, and his tendency to leave himself open to HBPs increases the chances that he'll get hurt. He probably won't hit for a particularly strong average and he's not a basestealer, so he even if he gets 550 at-bats and hits 25 homers, he won't be more than a $16-$17 player in AL-only leagues. It will be time to think about shopping him if he keeps this up for a few more weeks. … The only position the White Sox have struggled to get production from is second base. Juan Uribe continues to be run out there every day even though he's hitting .161/.217/.268. There's been no update on Danny Richar's status since he went on the DL with a stress fracture in his rib cage, making it unclear whether he'll still be a possibility to take over in mid-to-late May. The White Sox clearly don't trust Alexei Ramirez on defense yet, though they continue to have him take grounders at second. Realistically, they may need to go outside of the organization. Unfortunately, neither Ray Durham nor Felipe Lopez presents an obvious upgrade. If Marcus Giles is still interested, giving him a minor league deal would make sense. The White Sox will probably make a run at Brian Roberts before the deadline if they remain in contention, but they don't have a whole lot to offer. As much luck as the team has had making deals with the A's, Mark Ellis might prove to be the ultimate solution.

Cleveland - Everyone knows that Rafael Betancourt is the Indians' best reliever, but that doesn't necessarily mean Joe Borowski (triceps) won't get his job back in a couple of weeks. Manager Eric Wedge prefers the way his bullpen sets up when Borowski is closing. I wouldn't rank Betancourt as a top-10 AL reliever just yet. … Fausto Carmona found his command last week. C.C. Sabathia still figures to do the same soon enough. He's been at 94-95 mph with his fastball once he gets past the first inning in games, and he insists there's nothing wrong with his arm. This being his walk year, he might have incentive to cover up an arm problem, but maybe in August or September, not in April. It's time to start looking into opportunities to buy low. … Cliff Lee has been the Indians' savior so far, and there has to be several teams upset with themselves over not pursuing him when he was very much available in trade talks over the winter. Still, his current run doesn't figure to last. He's feasted on two lineups that figure to have problems with lefties all year. Incredibly, he's going to have missed all four series this month against the Angels, Red Sox, Tigers and Yankees. Barring a schedule change, his first outing against an above average offense will come May 10 against the Jays. … David Dellucci, who looked completely hideous at times this spring, has been Cleveland's one productive corner outfielder to date, though that's still barely given him any fantasy value. It's doubtful Ben Francisco will be called up to help out while he's struggling in Triple-A just as much as Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels are in the majors. Giving Casey Blake some outfield time isn't something that's being considered, so it looks like the Indians will stand pat. I still have plenty of faith that Gutierrez will snap out of it soon. Michaels, on the other hand, might need to be replaced once Francisco heats up.

Detroit - Excluding Armando Galarraga's first turn in place of Dontrelle Willis, the Tigers' five starters have a 6.20 ERA and a 49/52 K/BB ratio to date. Jeremy Bonderman is the only one with an ERA under 6.00, and his WHIP stands at 1.76. I'm not particularly concerned about Justin Verlander's off month, and Nate Robertson has been fairly unlucky on his way to 7.02 ERA. Still, this just isn't a very good pitching staff that GM Dave Dombrowski has assembled. Kenny Rogers' rough start is truly disturbing given his age and peripherals, and Willis might be a lost cause, at least for 2008. Both Bonderman and Willis appear to be pitching with damaged arms. The Tigers will hit, but they're in real trouble. … Clete Thomas has cooled off considerably, so he'll probably head back to the minors when Curtis Granderson (hand) returns on Monday or Tuesday. However, there will be more pressure on Jacque Jones to produce with Brandon Inge available to play left field. Jones is hitting .184/.220/.184 through 38 at-bats. He'll probably be in the lineup less than half of the time until he shows signs of life. … Placido Polanco's sore back appears to have been a factor in his slow start. Mixed leaguers shouldn't be afraid to look elsewhere. He wasn't going to hit anywhere near .340 again anyway, and he's pretty much a two-category player even when he's swinging well.



Kansas City - Luke Hochevar, who made one start and three relief appearances for the Royals last September, will take over for John Bale (tired arm) and make his 2008 debut Sunday against the A's. Hochevar was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, but that was a reach and he's been a disappointment both in terms of numbers and stuff since being selected. He has a 4.62 ERA in 169 1/3 innings in the high minors the last two years. His 90-94 mph fastball is decent, but hardly unhittable, and he struggles to throw his curveball for strikes. Unless he makes a lot of progress with his changeup, he probably won't be much more than a No. 4 starter. AL-only leaguers shouldn't use him right away. … The strikeouts haven't been there for Zack Greinke, but he's been terrific anyway and should be picked up in mixed leagues. He's a better bet than Brian Bannister going forward. … Tony Pena Jr. is probably the AL's best defensive shortstop, but that doesn't make him an adequate regular when he's hitting .120/.135/.140 in 50 at-bats. The Royals should continue surrendering more playing time to Alberto Callaspo. Callaspo is worth considering in AL-only leagues.

Los Angeles - Howie Kendrick wound up back on the disabled list after Friday's game due to a strained hamstring. He's hitting .500 in 36 at-bats this season, but this makes three DL stays in the last year for him, and his inability to stay in the lineup is becoming a real cause for concern. The Angels have called up Sean Rodriguez to split time with Maicer Izturis until Kendrick returns. What Kendrick's injuries have done is given Erick Aybar a chance to take over as the everyday shortstop. He seems primed to hold on to the job all year long, making 30 steals a real possibility. … He's still a hard guy to trust, but Ervin Santana appears to have taken a legitimate step forward this year. He's been consistently in the mid-90s with his fastball, something that rarely happened in 2007, and he also has a little something extra on his slider. It'd be nice to see a better changeup, but he barely needs it when he has command of his top-two pitchers. I don't see it keeping up for 32-34 starts, but he can't be left unowned in any mixed leagues at this point.

Minnesota - Francisco Liriano's fastball was a little better in his second start back, but he's walked 10 in 9 2/3 innings since returning. Frankly, I thought he looked better the time I saw him this spring than he has in either of his major league outings. Liriano's delivery isn't the same as it used to be, and one has to wonder if he'll ever throw 95 mph again unless he goes back to his old arm slot. The command will probably come, and once it does, he'll be a fine major league pitcher while throwing in the low-90s. However, I'm backing down from my prediction that he'll be the best pitcher in baseball during the second half of the season. … Matt Tolbert should see most of the action at shortstop over Nick Punto while Adam Everett spends a couple of weeks resting a sore shoulder. That gives him a little value in AL-only leagues, but due to a lack of speed and power, his upside is quite limited. … One of the most incredible stats of the season: after 18 games, just two Twins have hit homers. Justin Morneau has five and Jason Kubel has chipped in with three, but the team hasn't gotten any power from Joe Mauer or its winter acquisitions. I'm most concerned about Mike Lamb, who was already a poor bet while making the transition to the tougher league and a worse park for homers. Since he's a below average defender, his job should be on the line if he doesn't hit soon. If Tolbert stays hot, he could stay in the lineup after Everett comes back. In that scenario, it'd make sense to play him at second and Brendan Harris at third.

New York - Phil Hughes has an 8.82 ERA despite not allowing a homer in four starts. He's throwing about as hard this year as he did in 2007, but he's not getting swings and misses with his curveball and his changeup might as well not exist. Left-handed hitters don't have to look for anything besides the heater, and they're simply lighting him up as a result. I'm genuinely concerned. Hughes is still a fine bet for the long-term, but it looks like he could use some time in the minors to work on his offspeed pitches. His curveball is a great pitch when he's able to put it where wants to, and he's showed plenty of promise with the changeup in the past. If he gets the right coaching, he might be a quality option again in a month or two. … Ian Kennedy also has awful numbers at the moment, but I don't think he's as far away from where he needs to be as Hughes is. He should prove to be a reliable AL-only pitcher. It's not yet the time to bench him. … Jorge Posada (shoulder) says he'll be back behind the plate on Sunday or Tuesday. That'd be good news for Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi, both of whom would continue to lose at-bats with Posada at DH.

Oakland - Mike Sweeney has fanned just once in 51 at-bats this season, but he's also driven in all of three runs. Time will tell if jettisoning Dan Johnson will come back to haunt the A's. Sweeney certainly isn't a long-term option, and he might not be a short-term asset. He's already losing some playing time to Emil Brown. By the time June or July rolls around, it'd be no surprise if Jack Cust is an everyday DH with Carlos Gonzalez and Travis Buck starting in the outfield corners. …. Of course, neither Cust nor Buck has shown much so far, either. Cust is 5-for-18 with eight walks and five runs scored in his last six games, so the worst of his slump may be over. Still, he hasn't homered since April 1. It's not a major concern. Streakiness is part of the package with him. Buck may need to show something soon or risk getting replaced by Gonzalez next month. He's 2-for-49 when not facing Toronto this season (he did go 8-for-16 in a series against the Jays). The A's have already dropped him in the order, and they've never been afraid to send young players back down if they think it's necessary. … The A's are hopeful that Justin Duchscherer (biceps) will return Saturday. If that happens, Lenny DiNardo will shift to the pen. Rich Harden (back) isn't expected back during April, so Greg Smith will make at least a couple of more starts. He's a decent play this week.



Seattle - As little information about the injury as there is available, it's very hard to tell just how concerned owners should be about Erik Bedard's hip injury. Bedard is barely talking, but that's par for the course for him. The Mariners are calling the problem inflammation, though they won't even say what they think caused it. If they decide against bringing Bedard back this week after he's eligible to return Thursday, I'll start getting especially worried. Bedard is an outstanding pitcher, but no one has ever called him a quick healer. … Fortunately, the Mariners do seem poised to gt J.J. Putz (ribs) back, probably on Tuesday. … It would hardly be a surprise to see Wladimir Balentien called up and made the primary right fielder this week. He's hitting .260/.350/.540 in Triple-A, while Brad Wilkerson is at .150/.292/.175 in 40 at-bats in the majors.

Tampa Bay - Long-term contracts for young players typically don't have fantasy implications, but the one Evan Longoria just signed certainly does. Now that he's in the fold for up to nine years, it matters little whether he's going to be a super-two player (there is a clause in the contract giving him an extra $500,000 if he's arbitration eligible after 2010, but that's the only difference it will make). As a result, there's no longer very much incentive to return him to Triple-A once Willy Aybar returns from a strained hamstring. As long as his play warrants it -- and the early returns are quite positive -- he should remain a regular for the rest of the year. That makes him worth trying in shallow mixed leagues. … Since the Giants made it clear they were passing on another chance to upgrade, Tampa Bay became the most obvious destination for Dan Johnson. He'll see action as a DH against right-handers, at least until Cliff Floyd (knee) returns. Jonny Gomes still figures to see some action versus righties, but not as much as he would have otherwise. Anyone who picked up Nathan Haynes in an AL-only league can probably go ahead and drop him. Justin Ruggiano figures to be sent down to open up a spot on the roster. … Scott Kazmir (elbow) is out until the beginning of May, but Matt Garza (arm) could be back to take Jeff Niemann's rotation spot on Friday or Saturday. All he needs to do is turn in an effective outing in a rehab start Sunday. … Dioner Navarro (hand) is set to return Tuesday.

Texas - The power has been absent so far, but Ian Kinsler has six steals in six attempts. He's someone fantasy leaguers looking to upgrade at second base should target. He'll get his 20 homers, and it looks like he's making it a priority to swipe 30-40 bases. … Hank Blalock's quick return from a back problem that was rumored to have him DL bound was a nice surprise. He's currently batting .339 with three homers and just five strikeouts in 62 at-bats. It hasn't resulted in many RBI yet, but he'll prove to be a major asset in mixed leagues if he continues to swing like this. … Marlon Byrd's lack of production was a real problem, and the DL might be the best place for him right now. Ideally, he'll return from a sore knee as the true fourth outfielder he should have been all along. David Murphy and Jason Botts will keep picking up at-bats in his place.

Toronto - On the off chance that the Jays do release Thomas, Adam Lind would likely DH against right-handers. They could temporarily put both on the roster in Joe Inglett's place, but that'd only work until Scott Rolen (finger) gets back. Lind is worth having stashed away in AL-only leagues. Power is his game, but he's opened the year with a .360 average in 50 at-bats at Triple-A Syracuse. … Jeremy Accardo's struggles played a definite role in the decision to bring B.J. Ryan back early. Ryan's velocity is well down from where it should be, but since he's pain-free, the Jays might as well let him pitch in major league games. Besides, he can succeed at 88-90 mph. He'll have off days, but he should be an adequate closer anyway. … Accardo's velocity is just fine, but he hasn't found his splitter this year. Reduced to being a one-pitch pitcher, he's sporting a 10.29 ERA in seven innings. He'll probably figure it out soon enough, but there's little reason to play him in fantasy leagues right now. Ryan can't be used on back-to-back days, but when he's unavailable, the Jays figure to go to Scott Downs in save opportunities.

[Hache Man]

Big Hurting

When Frank Thomas signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the Blue Jays last winter, the deal included a $10 million option for 2009 that kicked in if he reached 376 plate appearances this season. Thomas' seemingly annual slow start convinced the Blue Jays that they wanted nothing to do with paying him that much for his age-41 season, so they announced Saturday that Thomas would be spending some time on the bench.

That understandably didn't sit well with the future Hall of Famer, so he complained publicly about the way things were being handled and was released Sunday. Toronto is still on the hook to Thomas for about $7 million, which makes the decision to give up on him after three weeks an odd one. His .176/.306/.333 hitting line this season certainly isn't pretty, but 16 games isn't a very telling sample size and he's rebounded from similarly slow starts in each of the past two seasons.

Thomas hit just .190 in April while playing for the A's in 2006, but ended up at .270/.381/.545 with 39 homers and 114 RBIs. He also batted just .223 through the end of May last season before hitting .303/.387/.520 with 18 homers and 73 RBIs over the final four months. If he was worth signing to a two-year contract last offseason and was worth starting on Opening Day, he was certainly worth sticking with for longer than three weeks.

General manager J.P. Ricciardi explained the decision by saying that the team doesn't "have the luxury of waiting 2-3 months" for Thomas to get on track, but their options to replace him aren't exactly inspiring at the moment thanks to Adam Lind being sidelined at Triple-A by a sore neck. Rod Barajas started at designated hitter Sunday, which is laughable given that he's not even an especially good hitter for a catcher and is a huge dropoff from Thomas.

Aside from any misguided starts given to Barajas or Gregg Zaun the DH spot figures to be filled by Matt Stairs, which is fine except that he could have played left field anyway. Instead, Shannon Stewart will keep playing regularly despite the fact that his .235/.341/.294 start is no better than Thomas' and unlike Thomas he hasn't been a significant asset at the plate since 2004. Once healthy, Lind will get the biggest value boost and is worth grabbing in AL-only leagues.

As for Thomas, he's now looking for work in a job market where Barry Bonds hasn't been able to find a gig. He's limited to AL teams and there are only a handful of possible destinations, without a single obvious landing spot. Seattle has already been mentioned as a possible fit and Detroit might get interested if Gary Sheffield's ongoing shoulder problems prove serious, but most of the contenders are pretty well set at DH for now unless Thomas feels like taking on a part-time role.

While two of the greatest hitters in the history of the sport look for work, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Yovani Gallardo returned from the disabled list Sunday and tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Reds in his season debut. Gallardo's knee surgery ended up costing him just three starts and the Brewers letting him throw 112 pitches in his return is a pretty strong indication that he's fully healthy. He'll face the Marlins on Friday, clearly should be in both NL-only and mixed-league lineups, and is capable of being among the NL's top 15 starters going forward.

Poor run support left Gallardo without a victory and when the Brewers finally scored twice to take a 10th-inning lead Eric Gagne coughed up three runs in the bottom of the inning. It was Gagne's third blown save of the early season and he's been shaky since the middle of last year, but some of the blame for his ugly outing Sunday goes to manager Ned Yost for asking him to pitch on a fourth straight day. His ERA is up to 8.22, but Gagne does have 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

* John Danks posted an ugly 5.50 ERA last season even though his 109-to-54 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 139 innings wasn't bad for a 22-year-old rookie. His biggest problem was that an extreme fly-ball pitcher is a horrible fit for the White Sox's power-inflating home ballpark, which led to his allowing 28 homers and 38 doubles in just 26 starts. Danks worked on adding a cutter to his repertoire this offseason and the early results from his new approach are extremely encouraging.

He tossed seven shutout innings Sunday against the Rays to slice his ERA to 3.04, inducing eight ground-ball outs to go along with eight strikeouts. Last season just 34.8 percent of Danks' balls in play were on the ground, which would have ranked as the lowest percentage among AL starters if he had enough innings to qualify for the ERA title. This year he's coaxed a grounder on over 50 percent of his balls in play, which if sustained would drastically improve his long-term outlook.

* Jimmy Rollins' sprained ankle finally pushed him to the disabled list Sunday and because of his pinch-hitting appearance Saturday he'll be sidelined for the full 15 days. Run-of-the-mill utility man Eric Bruntlett has started 11 straight games in Rollins' place while batting just .186 overall and has a .245/.318/.356 career hitting line, but with 21 steals in 586 plate appearances he has enough speed to be a passable middle-infield option in NL-only leagues for the rest of the month.

AL Quick Hits: Alex Rodriguez left Sunday's game with a strained quadriceps, but the Yankees have Monday off anyway and he's considered day-to-day … John Lackey (triceps) is set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Thursday, with an eye toward coming off the disabled list on May 13 … Scott Rolen (finger) made his first rehab appearance Sunday at Single-A, going 0-for-3 while playing designated hitter … Sending Jeff Niemann back to the minors Sunday signals that the Rays are confident in Matt Garza (elbow) returning this weekend … Jim Thome went 4-for-4 with his 512th career homer Sunday, moving into a tie for 19th place on the all-time list with Eddie Mathews and Ernie Banks … Mike Lowell (thumb) hit off a tee Saturday and could be cleared to begin a rehab assignment this week … With B.J. Ryan unavailable Sunday after throwing 24 pitches Saturday, Jeremy Accardo picked up a save against the Tigers … No. 1 overall pick David Price (elbow) threw a bullpen session Saturday, but is still several weeks from making his pro debut … Already scheduled to receive a day off Monday, Manny Ramirez was ejected from Sunday's game in the second inning for arguing balls and strikes.

NL Quick Hits: Chipper Jones is questionable to play Monday after leaving Sunday's game with a strained quadriceps, but manager Bobby Cox called the injury "nothing that's going to have him out any length at all" … Randy Johnson struggled Sunday in his second start, allowing six runs (four earned) against the Padres, but totaled six strikeouts before serving up a three-run homer to Justin Huber … With Rafael Soriano (elbow) still having soreness, Manny Acosta figures to be the Braves' closer for at least another week … Hanley Ramirez went deep twice Sunday, giving him five homers and five steals to go with a .366 batting average through 18 games … Kosuke Fukudome was scratched from the lineup Sunday because of a cyst above his eye, but manager Lou Piniella called it "only a one-day thing" … Jonathan Sanchez shut the Cardinals out for five innings Sunday and the 25-year-old southpaw now has 26 strikeouts in 20 innings … Chad Tracy (knee) ran the bases at full speed over the weekend and looks ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this week … Homer Bailey tossed seven shutout innings Saturday at Triple-A, dropping his ERA to 1.03.

[Hache Man]

NL Team-by-Team Notes
May rankings next week.

Chad Cordero actually had a fastball clocked at 76 mph last week. For the most part, he's been throwing 82-84 mph, topping out at 86 mph. Whether or not he's pain-free, his arm probably isn't sound. The Nats are sticking with Jon Rauch in the closer's role until Cordero earns is back, which will probably happen if he can get his fastball up to 86-88 mph. However, I think it's at least 50/50 that he'll return to the DL by the middle of next month. GM Jim Bowden should already regret not trading him while there was still considerable demand for him in the offseason. On the plus side, if Rauch spends three or four months in the closer's role, his trade value could be higher than ever before. The possibility that the Nats won't have either Cordero or Rauch available come August makes Jesus Colome a sleeper.

National League Notes

Arizona - The results haven't been great, but Randy Johnson didn't look bad at all in his first two starts back from the DL. His fastball has regularly been 90-92 mph, and his slider is breaking well. He gave up just one hit on the slider in Sunday's loss to San Diego. I see that as a very encouraging sign. Johnson won't make 30 starts, but he should be an asset in shallow mixed leagues when healthy. … Not that he wouldn't have been useful as a true bench player, but Tony Clark did Arizona a favor when he failed to accept their contract offer. No longer shoved to the bench every second or third day, Conor Jackson has opened the season at .377/.469/.717 with 18 runs scored and 17 RBI in 16 games. Obviously, he can't maintain that kind of pace. However, he should be an asset in mixed leagues all season long. With both he and Mark Reynolds off to outstanding starts, it's going to be tough for Arizona to find starts for Chad Tracy, who could be back from knee surgery around the first of the month. … Micah Owings gets the Giants on Monday and the Padres on Saturday, making him a fine one-week option in shallow mixed leagues.

Atlanta - Off to a brutal start against right-handers, Matt Diaz was benched in favor of Gregor Blanco for three straight games over the weekend. Diaz's spot as an everyday player was always tentative, so he's very much in danger of returning to a platoon role. Blanco, though, is more of a fourth or fifth outfielder and wouldn't be an ideal choice to replace him. There isn't an NL team that would make more sense for Barry Bonds than the Braves, and if they were to sign him, they'd be the favorites to win the East. Still, it seems highly, highly unlikely. Brandon Jones is off to a slow start in Triple-A, so there are no quality internal options to replace Diaz. The Giants should be trying to interest them in Randy Winn. Until the team looks elsewhere, Blanco could have some value in NL-only leagues. Unfortunately, he has no power and he's a poor percentage basestealer despite very good speed. … I want to see what happens Monday before getting concerned about Tim Hudson's velocity drop. The Braves are hoping it was just a tired arm. … Rafael Soriano (elbow) appears doubtful to return this week, and there's always good reason for extra concern when he has arm problems. Since Peter Moylan joined Soriano on the DL, Manny Acosta has taken over as the Braves' closer. Those with open DL spots should be thinking about picking up Mike Gonzalez, who is due back from Tommy John surgery in 4-6 weeks. atlantabraves.com

Chicago - Counting Reed Johnson, the Cubs have six regulars with OBPs over .400 and a seventh (Aramis Ramirez) at .393. That just leaves left field, and that's where they can stick Matt Murton, who was at .462 in Triple-A before being called up. Of course, there are some flukes. Reed Johnson, who has supplanted Felix Pie in center, has a .344 career mark. Ryan Theriot finished at .326 last year. Geovany Soto will probably continue to show good power, but there's no way he's hitting .328 all season long. The two guys with the best chance of staying there are Derrek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome hasn't homered since his memorable three-run shot off Eric Gagne on Opening Day. However, it's easy to see him finishing the year with a .300 average. … At 23, Felix Pie is still too young to be a bench player. It's ridiculous how quick manager Lou Piniella was to pull the plug on him, but there's no reason to compound the mistake by letting him play once a week in the majors. Besides stunting his development, they're also hurting his trade value. … I'm still more optimistic than not after watching Ted Lilly pitch Thursday. Dropping him would be a bad idea.

Cincinnati - Adam Dunn, Jeff Keppinger, Ken Griffey Jr., Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Edwin Encarnacion, Corey Patterson, Catcher, Pitcher. Just try it, Dusty. … Not that I'm complaining about the job Baker has done so far. The one big test was whether he'd give Votto a chance to beat out Scott Hatteberg, and he's passed with flying colors. Perhaps Votto will slump and Hatteberg will eventually find his way back into the starting lineup, but Votto is a legitimate corner option in mixed leagues while he's hot. … Unfortunately, Homer Bailey's outstanding start in Triple-A didn't make him the choice to replace the struggling Josh Fogg in the rotation on Monday. Matt Belisle (forearm) will get the call after performing at the very top level of his ability during his rehab assignment. He and Fogg might as well be the same pitcher, but it'll have to be a short-term upgrade with the way each has thrown recently. Belisle isn't recommended in NL-only leagues.

Colorado - The Rockies are already coming to regret handing Jayson Nix a starting job based far too much of a strong performance in the World Cup last fall and the fact that he was out of options. He's struggling as much as his minor league numbers suggested he would, and it looks like he'll be a backup to Clint Barmes for the foreseeable future. Barmes is another well below average hitter, but he's hot at the moment and has value in NL-only leagues. A trade for additional help may come later. The Rockies certainly have the prospects to make a run at Brian Roberts, with the Orioles likely to be particularly interested in infielders Ian Stewart, Chris Nelson and Hector Gomez. … Chris Iannetta is also picking up time at Yorvit Torrealba's expense. It's unlikely that the two will switch roles this year -- the Rockies' still prefer Torrealba's defense -- but Iannetta should get more time than most backups. Unfortunately, the power isn't there to make him more than a $1 player in NL-only leagues.



Florida - It's only a matter of time until Chris Volstad debuts. It just remains to be seen whether the Marlins will be able to delay the move until late May, guaranteeing that he wouldn't be a super-two player after 2010. The Marlins are only getting decent starts from Scott Olsen and Mark Hendrickson at the moment. Andrew Miller's velocity seems to have come back, but he's still not hitting his spots. Ricky Nolasco has given up six homers in 15 1/3 innings. Burke Badenhop wasn't a very good prospect in the first place and barely has any experience above A-ball. Volstad should replace one pitcher from that group within the next four or five weeks. Once it happens, he could be the Marlins' No. 1 or No. 2 starter for fantasy purposes, depending on whether Olsen can keep this up. … Hanley Ramirez did steal three bases over the weekend, bringing his season total to five and causing those who turned over a pile of money to land him to sigh in relief. Manager Fredi Gonzalez spoke publically this spring about preferring that his shortstop do less running to save wear and tear on his body. I think it's having some effect. All three of Ramirez's steals on Friday and Saturday came off a sore-armed Johnny Estrada, and it seems like he's been quite a bit pickier in choosing when to run this year. He'll get 40 anyway, but a third-straight 50-steal season might not materialize.

Houston - Jose Valverde was able to pitch a clean inning Sunday for his second save in four tries, but it wasn't a particularly impressive outing. He allowed one hit and walked one. Just one of his 23 pitches resulted in a swing and a miss, and as spotty as his control is, he needs to miss bats to succeed. He's not hurt, so it's possible he'll reemerge as a shutdown closer as quickly as he lost it. However, it wouldn't be the first time in his career that he's been a pretty terrible pitcher for a month or two. He'll probably keep his job, but it may be a long time before he resumes helping owners in ERA and WHIP. … Doug Brocail is the closest thing the Astros have to a fallback if Valverde continues to struggle, making him worth picking up in NL-only leagues. Rule-5 pick Wesley Wright has impressed at times, but he lacks any consistency when it comes to throwing strikes. … Swingman Jack Cassel will be brought up Thursday to replace the ailing Wandy Rodriguez (groin) on the DL. It looked like Rodriguez was going to make his next couple of starts on the road anyway, so the DL trip might be good news for his owners. Wandy has a 6.41 ERA away from Minute Maid since the beginning of last year. Cassel shouldn't be used in NL-only leagues. … Kaz Matsui is back, but Ty Wigginton (thumb) is set to miss at least the first half of the week. Hold off on activating him.

Los Angeles - Nomar Garciaparra came off the DL last week, and the Dodgers will try to both keep him happy and still find playing time for Blake DeWitt at third base. Garciaparra could very well prove to be a liability, but the Dodgers should go ahead and give him a look now before Andy LaRoche (thumb) returns in 2-3 weeks. DeWitt did OK as a stopgap, but since he'll likely be sent down when LaRoche returns, NL-only leaguers with alternatives shouldn't stress about holding on to him. … Hong-Chih Kuo, who was effective for four innings against the Pirates last Tuesday, will make his second start against the Reds this Tuesday. He should also get a home start versus the Rockies. Kuo is an awful bet to stay healthy, but NL-only leaguers will want him active this week.

Milwaukee - Let me get this straight: the Brewers are carrying 14 pitches, yet still used Eric Gagne for a fourth straight day on Sunday. The same Eric Gagne who hadn't worked on four straight days since 2004. Ned Yost got exactly what he deserved in that one. Brewers fans, on the other hand, deserve a lot better. … Ben Sheets appears doubtful for Wednesday due to what's being called triceps tightness. The Brewers genuinely don't believe this is any sort of long-term issue, but they have to be cautious for now. My guess is that he won't pitch this week. … If Sheets is scratched, then Dave Bush will start Wednesday. If not, it looks like Bush will be the odd man out in the rotation. Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra have also been disappointments, but they do have more upside than Bush, and the Brewers can use Bush in middle relief, something they don't want to do with either youngster. … I still can't muster much concern about Prince Fielder's slow start. Too many people are making a big deal about the diet, but no one would have known anything about him becoming a vegetarian if he didn't go public with it. He doesn't look any different, and it's not like he's sending balls to the warning track that were going out last year. He's just in a slump. See about buying low.

New York - Moises Alou appears set to return from hernia surgery on Friday. Brady Clark is the obvious choice to go to make room for him, and Angel Pagan figures to join Endy Chavez on the bench most of the time. The Mets could play Pagan over Ryan Church against lefties, but Pagan, a switch-hitter, has hit righties considerably better in limited major league experience and Church is actually handling lefties quite well in 30 at-bats this season. In fact, both of Church's homers have come off southpaws. … Nelson Figueroa fits into the Jason Simontacchi mold: finesse right-hander comes from seemingly nowhere to have a good month or two, creating some believers in the process, before eventually showing everyone why the quad-A label was created in the first place. Of course, that success can easily last just a week or two, rather than multiple months. Figueroa is actually pretty good as far as stopgaps go, but he's still a sixth starter, and it'd be too risky to use him in NL-only leagues with the Cubs and Braves on the schedule for this week. newyorkmets.com

Philadelphia - Although the fact that they used him Saturday meant they'd have to go a full 15 days without his services, the Phillies placed Jimmy Rollins on the disabled list Sunday with a sprained ankle. It was a surprising move, especially in light of the decision to replace him with a Double-A player (Brad Harman) they won't want to use at all. Eric Bruntlett will probably get all of the starts at shortstop for the next two weeks, making him a fine play in NL-only leagues. Pedro Feliz owners in one-game eligibility leagues should be hoping he sees an inning or two there as part of some late-game maneuvering. … If the Phillies had it to do over again, they surely would have placed Rollins on the DL when he first got hurt and kept Shane Victorino (calf) on the active roster. Victorino appears ready to play now, but he'll be ineligible to return until next Monday.



Pittsburgh - The poor command exhibited by Tom Gorzelanny to date suggests that he might not be completely healthy. He's had elbow problems before, and he dealt with some shoulder tightness during spring training. There's a lot to like about Gorzelanny when he's on, but I've always been worried about his arm. It's possible he'll be making a trip to see Dr. James Andrews within the next month. … With Nate McLouth still tearing it up, perhaps we'll see Nyjer Morgan and Kevin Thompson switch places. The Pirates still think Morgan has promise, but they can't afford to give him any at-bats right now. Thompson, who would be at least as effective off the bench, is hitting .346/.404/.500 in 52 at-bats in Triple-A. … Jack Wilson (calf) is still at least a week away. The Pirates will keep using Brian Bixler and Luis Rivas.

St. Louis - Mark Mulder (shoulder) has been effective in his two rehab starts to date and seems set to rejoin the rotation early next month. It's going to leave the Cards with a tough decision on which starter to bump. Todd Wellemeyer was the low man on the totem pole initially, but he's impressed while starting off 2-0. Management needs to strongly consider moving Braden Looper back to the pen. He's been the weak link in the rotation so far, and he's likely to be more helpful in relief than the other possibilities for demotion (Wellemeyer and Joel Pineiro). … As for Mulder, I see him as a long shot to contribute in NL-only leagues. There are certainly worse pitchers to have stashed away, but I'll take the possibility of two months from Chris Carpenter over five months of Mulder. … Some guys have to homer every day to stay in the lineup. For Ryan Ludwick, even that isn't sufficient. At least Skip Schumaker is also playing quite well at the moment. Still, it's hard to believe a guy slugging .800 was penciled into the lineup just twice last week.

San Diego - Add the Padres to the list of teams that have to be concerned about their situations at second base. Tadahito Iguchi is hitting .213/.298/.253 and has generally looked pretty awful in the process. If Matt Antonelli starts tearing up the PCL, San Diego might not wait too long to make a switch. The 23-year-old Antonelli is currently batting .231/.385/.461 in 52 at-bats. He wouldn't have big-time fantasy upside in Petco Park, but he might offer a better OBP and more speed on the basepaths than Iguchi. … The Padres could also reenter the market for an outfielder. Scott Hairston is hitting .203, while Jim Edmonds is at .204 with a .245 slugging percentage. They do have Chase Headley in Triple-A, but he's also off to a poor start. They'll be on the lookout for any veterans that become available. Gabe Gross is one possibility.

San Francisco - Besides maybe Tim Lincecum, John "Babe" Bowker was the Giant most responsible for the team winning the season series against the Cardinals 4-3. He homered in three of his four starts versus St. Louis and drove in nine runs in those games. Ideally, the Giants would just make him their everyday first baseman right now. He's still a novice at the position, but he'll get better. Of course, he's not nearly this good of a hitter. However, he does have legitimate promise, separating him from many of the guys the Giants have tried the last few years. If it means Dan Ortemeier joins Rajai Davis on waivers, well, that's not much of a loss. If Rich Aurilia (still no extra-base hits or runs scored in 55 at-bats) is kicked to the curb where he belongs, then Brian Sabean will have done something right for once. … I'll withhold further comment about the Manny Burriss callup, except to say that it's doubtful he'll have any fantasy value. Brian Bocock will continue seeing most of the starts at shortstop, and second base is crowded enough with Eugenio Velez and Ray Durham sharing time.

Washington - John Lannan's 11-strikeout game against the Mets might have been the surprise of last week. It wasn't his first nice outing as a major leaguer, but he entered the game with 16 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings since debuting last year. Lannan throws 86-89 mph and has good movement on his changeup. The combination would seem to make him a bottom-of-the-rotation guy, but hitters unfamiliar with his change could keep having trouble against him. Still, with the Braves and the right-handed-heavy Cubs on the schedule, this doesn't seem like the right week to use him in NL-only leagues. … Paul Lo Duca went on the DL with his hand injury, but the Nats declined to promote Jesus Flores this time, suggesting they're not particularly pleased with his glovework. Lo Duca won't be missed on offense, but since Johnny Estrada still isn't throwing at close to 100 percent, the Nats are hurting defensively behind the plate. Wil Nieves will get more time if Estrada continues to struggle to get the ball down to second base. … Felipe Lopez had a couple of nice games on Friday and Saturday, so he could keep taking starts away from Ronnie Belliard. For this week at least, Belliard doesn't look like a very good play in NL-only leagues.

[Hache Man]

GoGo Grounded

There's an awful lot of good stuff to cover today, so let's skip the usual niceties and get right to the notes from around baseball …

* Carlos Gomez had an amazing Twins debut and went 14-for-43 (.326) with five steals through 10 games, but he's 6-for-44 (.136) with zero walks in 10 games since. Gomez continues to rack up steals despite rarely being on base, but after going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts Tuesday he's now hitting .230/.247/.310 overall. He's plenty exciting at times, but a 22-year-old with a .247 on-base percentage and 24-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio has little business atop any lineup.

Minnesota rushed him to the majors, in part to show some of what they got for Johan Santana and in part to quickly replace Torii Hunter in center field, but including his time with the Mets last season Gomez has hit .231 with a putrid 51-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 228 career plate appearances. Nearly one-fourth of his career hits have come on bunt singles, which means that Gomez has batted .202 with 51 strikeouts in 203 plate appearances when he swings away.

* Manager Ned Yost said Monday that a wet mound in Cincinnati was to blame for Eric Gagne blowing his third save of the season Sunday, but the field conditions presumably had little to do with Gagne's fourth blown save Tuesday. In fairness to Gagne he nearly wriggled out of trouble after allowing the first two batters he faced to reach, but Rickie Weeks' inability to turn a would-be double play allowed the tying run to score from third base instead of ending the game.

The trouble started when Gagne plunked leadoff man Cesar Izturis on the elbow and he scored the tying run, but eventually had to leave the game. X-rays were negative and he's considered day-to-day, but Izturis' unexpected exit led to Albert Pujols making his first career appearance at second base. Pujols' value skyrockets in leagues where one appearance creates eligibility at a position, although you may want to reconsider why you're in such a silly league to begin with.

* Out since April 2, J.J. Putz returned from the disabled list Tuesday and immediately resumed ninth-inning duties, getting swinging strikeouts against Adam Jones and Ramon Hernandez while closing out a 4-2 victory. His return pushes Mark Lowe and Ryan Rowland-Smith back into setup roles. Meanwhile, not only do the Mariners finally have Putz back, Erik Bedard is now expected to rejoin the rotation Saturday against the Angels after being scratched from two straight starts.

* Josh Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday due to neck stiffness, leaving David Pauley to struggle against the Angels while filling in. As of Tuesday night the Red Sox had yet to decide whether Beckett's turn in the rotation will be skipped completely or if he'll simply be pushed back a couple days. Whatever the case, the injury is not related to the back spasms that caused him to begin the year on the disabled list and isn't expected to send him back to the DL.

* Chad Cordero appeared to make some progress Monday night, tossing a scoreless inning while showing increased velocity. He even said afterward that his arm was fine, but felt a "clicking" in his shoulder once he got back to the team hotel and is scheduled to be examined by Dr. James Andrews. "We just want to make sure there really is nothing wrong," Cordero said. "Just clicking, that's all it was. No pain, nothing like that." Suffice it to say that Jon Rauch's value remains high.

* C.C. Sabathia had his fantasy owners plenty scared while beginning the year 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA, but got back on track in a big way Tuesday. Sabathia tossed six scoreless innings against the Royals, racking up 11 strikeouts while picking up his first win. It'll be a while before his ERA gets back into the realm of respectability, but that just allows more time to grab him as a buy-low target, because with 25 strikeouts in 24 innings and little drop in velocity he'll be just fine.

AL Quick Hits: Jorge Posada (shoulder) started behind the plate Tuesday for the first time in two weeks, but the combination of a quadriceps strain and his wife giving birth is expected to keep Alex Rodriguez out of the lineup until at least Friday … John Lackey (triceps) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Wednesday at Single-A and remains on track for a mid-May return … Dustin Pedroia smacked three doubles Tuesday and now leads the AL with 11 two-baggers … With Jake Westbrook (ribs) placed on the disabled list Tuesday the Indians may call up ground-ball machine Aaron Laffey to replace him in the rotation … Manager Jim Leyland said Monday that Joel Zumaya (shoulder) could throw off a mound later this week … Jason Varitek sat out Tuesday's game for the second straight day because of the flu … Dioner Navarro (finger) came off the shelf Tuesday and will resume being the Rays' primary catcher … With Placido Polanco (back) out, Ramon Santiago started at second base Tuesday and homered for the first time since 2003.

NL Quick Hits: John Smoltz held the Nationals to one run over seven innings Tuesday and totaled 10 strikeouts—including the 3,000th of his career—but was a tough-luck loser in his first defeat of the season … Ted Lilly turned in his second straight solid start Tuesday, holding the Mets to one run over six innings to quiet concerns about diminished velocity … Gabe Kapler (shoulder) hasn't started since April 13, but came off the bench Tuesday to deliver a walk-off single in the 12th inning … After hitting .421 in 14 games at Triple-A, Jerry Hairston Jr. made his first big-league appearance of the season Tuesday and went 4-for-5 with three RBIs … Rickie Weeks is batting just .192, but after a big game Tuesday now has three homers, five steals, and 18 runs in 20 games … Clint Barmes appears to have overtaken Jayson Nix for the second-base gig, starting seven of the past nine games … Kosuke Fukudome reached base in all five of his trips to the plate Tuesday and now sports a .477 on-base percentage … By trading Gabe Gross to the Rays the Brewers cleared the way for Tony Gwynn Jr. to return from the disabled list Wednesday.

[Hache Man]

Clues to early struggles

David Ortiz opened the season with just three hits in his first 43 at bats for an .070 batting average. But in the eight games since then, he's raised his average more than 100 points. Granted, .177 is still nothing to write home about.

However, had these last eight games occurred at the beginning of the season, he would have gotten off to a .306 start, and nobody would be giving him a second thought. Such is life in the world of small data sets.

In general, it takes a good six weeks for statistics to stabilize and give us a true read on how a player is actually doing. Until then, we can usually find clues to explain the early strugglers like Ortiz.

Small samples are far more noticeable in April than they are any other time of the season. Kenji Johjima has been a model of consistency since coming over from Japan but is batting only .196 in 56 at bats. However, he batted .167 over a 60 at-bat stretch last July, and nobody noticed.

Justin Verlander is off to a slow start, in part due to poor bullpen support. However, even last year's solid 3.66 ERA included an entire month when he posted a 5.08 ERA. But that was August, and nobody noticed.

Some early slumpers have just run into a bit of bad luck. Troy Tulowitzki's batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is only .200, more than 100 points lower than his career level; that should improve, as will his current .153 average. Similarly, Roy Oswalt is posting solid skills but has been snake-bitten by an inflated .350 BABIP. As that regresses, his 6.00 ERA should improve significantly.

And then there are those players whose early struggles might need to be taken a bit more seriously.

Last year's American League Cy Young Award winner, C.C. Sabathia, has looked awful in his first four starts. In his early career, he had several three-game disaster stretches, but never four. Excessive workload has been cited in many quarters as a possible culprit. For a player of his physique, he pitched too many innings in his formative years, then weathered a 63-inning workload spike in 2007. There is no talk of injury, but these are classic burnout symptoms.

The Dodgers were hoping a change of scenery would help Andruw Jones rebound to pre-2007 productivity levels, but so far that has not happened.

In fact, his peripheral skills indicators are even further off from last year. His 63% contact rate is more than 10% lower than 2007, a harbinger of continuing batting average woes. His power stroke is in danger as well; he is hitting 15% fewer fly balls and line drives than even last year, when he hit only 26 home runs, his lowest total since 1999.

Finally, there are the strugglers for whom we had expectations that were probably too high to begin with. Kenny Rogers has teased us for years with marginal skills indicators, so his poor showing should not be too surprising, especially coming off an injury. Barry Zito's strikeout rate has been in decline for several years and has plummeted even further in 2008. And while Jack Cust batted .256 in 2007, his 58% contact rate should have been enough of a warning; odds are he'll be hard-pressed to add back 100 points to his current .157 batting average.

[Hache Man]

Prospect Report: Week 3

I've been accused of a lot of things in my life. Bad timing, no tack, poor fashion sense, little grasp on recent events outside of baseball, and a troubling affection for Bruce Willis I'd all admit to being guilty of. But until this week I had never been called a pom-pom American League fan. One reader noted how last week's column saw just two NL players profiled while six from the AL received writeups. And for those scoring at home, this week's edition will see an even more lopsided ratio.

Unfortunately, I'm a slave to the randomness of the callups, and there will be some ebb and flow as the year progresses. Strangely, I would have wagered that the early season would have leaned towards the NL, with stud prospects like Jay Bruce, Colby Rasmus, Homer Bailey, and others just a quick call away in Triple-A. Instead the opposite has been true, but fans of the Senior Circuit will certainly have plenty to read about in the coming weeks.

Major League Callups

Brian Buscher – 1B Twins – Up for the second time due to an injury in as many years, Buscher is a decent bet to have a little value in AL-only leagues this season. A third round pick out of South Carolina in 2003, Buscher showed little potential with the Giants before breaking out for the Twins' Double-A club last season. The 6'0", 220-pound left-hander hit .309/.391/.478 with a 30/31 K/BB ratio and good gap power for New Britain, then went on to do more of the same for Triple-A Rochester. Buscher also got some time in the majors, though his time there was limited due to an infection in his right leg.

Buscher was back with Rochester to start the 2008 campaign and was off to another fine start with a .345 batting average and 4 home runs. With Adam Everett on the disabled list, Buscher will serve as a bench player for at least a week. Buscher deserves a few starts over the struggling Mike Lamb while he's hitting so well, but it's more likely that the Twins stick with the veteran for now. However, Buscher would be the most deserving candidate of playing time if injuries to Justin Morneau, Lamb, or an outfielder occur, or if Lamb continues to struggle. Twins' management seemed to like him last season, so it seems likely he'll get a chance as a regular against right-handers at some point. Because of his high batting average and solid power, Buscher will be an option in AL-only leagues when that happens. Recommendation: Monitor in one-year AL-only leagues.

Robinzon Diaz – C Blue Jays – At one point considered a sleeper prospect in the Blue Jays' system, Diaz is getting his first shot in the majors at the age of 24. His biggest strength is his incredible ability to put the ball in play during nearly every at-bat. In 1,978 career at-bats in the minors, Diaz has struck out just 155 times. That's a major reason why he's hit .305 in professional baseball. However, Diaz lacks secondary skills. Because he swings at everything he rarely walks, and there's no loft to speak of in his swing. The result is a mediocre 731 OPS despite the high batting average, and there's little reason to think he'll develop much in the way of secondary skills in the future. However, since he's also a solid defender, Diaz's batting average skills will make him a big league backup in the near future. Recommendation: Ignore in all formats.

German Duran – 2B Rangers – A sixth round pick out of a Junior College in 2005, Duran broke out as a prospect in 2007. The 5'10" right-hander had a solid season for High-A Bakersfield in 2006, but his .300/.352/.525 line with a 77/34 K/BB ratio, 32 doubles, and 22 homers for Double-A Frisco last season got him noticed by a wider audience. Duran has a quick swing that generates decent batting averages and solid gap power. Though he doesn't walk much, Duran has enough discipline to go with above average contact skills to maintain a .340 on-base percentage. Groomed as a utility man earlier in his minor league career, Duran played second base almost exclusively last season and continued to do so early this year.

The big question surrounding Duran's prospect status is if the increase to 22 home runs last season was for real. He was moving to a park that favored home runs more, and most of his damage did come against left-handed pitching. Duran turns 24 in August, so if he regresses in the power department at Triple-A Oklahoma this season he'll be back to looking like a future bench player. However, if he defies the odds and continues to show increased power he could have a career as a regular. I lean towards him regressing but still being a fine bench player. Off to a slow start for Oklahoma, Duran will get a few starts in place of the injured Hank Blalock this week. Though little should be expected now, he's someone to watch for the future. Recommendation: Monitor in one-year AL-only formats; stash away in AL-only keeper leagues.

Ben Francisco – OF Indians – Too old to be considered a big time prospect, the 26-year-old Francisco will get his second chance with the Indians in as many seasons. The outfielder had the best season of his career in 2007, hitting .318/.382./.496 in his second go-round with Triple-A Buffalo and then .274 with three homers in 62 at-bats for Cleveland. He posted a solid 85/39 K/BB ratio during that timeframe, and he also notched 22 steals. Francisco followed up his strong 2007 campaign with an even better spring that saw him hit .362 with three homers in limited action.

The knock on Francisco has always been that he has a bunch of solid tools but no outstanding abilities. This criticism is evident in his stat line as well, as he consistently shows solid yet below average numbers across the board. While Francisco's 2007 campaign looks like somewhat of a breakout, it was due mostly to an inflated BABIP and the rest of his skills were in line with previous seasons. That doesn't mean Francisco can't be a solid reserve or a platoon player against left-handers, but that's his ceiling at this point. He won't see much action this time around, but he could take Jason Michaels' role later in the season. His 20-steal wheels will help his fantasy value, and he should be considered in deep AL-only formats if he can carve out a part-time role. Recommendation: Monitor in AL-only formats.

Brad Harman – 2B Phillies – Our lonely National League representative of the week, Harman was promoted to the majors after Jimmy Rollins found himself on the disabled list. The 6'1", 175-pound Australian has had an up and down minor league career, starting as a shortstop and then moving over to second base full-time last season. His bat has also been a rocky ride, though he did have a solid enough season with a .281/.341/.449 line as a 21-year-old in High-A in 2007. Harman was off to a slow start for Double-A Reading, but he's only going to get a few at-bats as a backup and there's little harm in carrying him over a more experienced player from Triple-A. Perhaps he'll be a utility player down the road, but he's not someone to monitor. Recommendation: Ignore in all formats.

Luke Hochevar – RHP Royals – One of the most disappointing performances of the 2007 season, Hochevar posted an awful 4.86 ERA in 152 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. His 138 strikeouts and 47 walks weren't as poor, but they were underwhelming. Hochevar's biggest problem was that he gave up 163 hits, including a whopping 24 home runs. Even worse, neither can be explained away by luck or a particularly harsh pitching environment. The first overall pick of the 2006 draft was simply that bad. And though he wasn't considered a big upside pick at the time of the draft, more was very much expected out of the former Tennessee star.

For those who don't recall, Hochevar was the 40th pick of the 2005 draft by the Dodgers and at one point changed agents and was said to have agreed to sign with the club. However, he backed out of that deal and returned to his previous agent, Scott Boras. Hochevar never came to terms with the Dodgers, and the Royals took the opportunity to pick him first overall after he reentered the draft in 2006. The pick was more cost-driven than talent driven, and I ranked Hochevar the fifth best prospect in the draft at the time.

The question with Hochevar now is if he can retain the form he showed in college. The tall, 6'5" right-hander was more regularly at 95 MPH with his fastball then, but sits in the low-90s now. His curve is also a solid pitch, but neither his slider nor change is much of a weapon. It seems appropriate to give him another year before writing him off as a fifth starter, but we'll need to see progress. Though Hochevar had a nice 2.60 ERA in Triple-A before being promoted, his 12/6 K/BB and two homers allowed aren't encouraging. Though he didn't give up a homer, Hochevar was nonetheless rocked for six runs in 4 2/3 innings in his season debut in the majors this week. Again, it's too early to write him off as a prospect, but he'll need to show improvement before he's an option in any fantasy leagues. Unfortunately, I'm becoming less and less convinced those improvements are coming. Recommendation: Monitor in AL-only leagues.

Sean Rodriguez – INF Angels – A middle infield prospect with a wide array of opinions, Rodriguez quickly intrigued prospect watchers in 2006 before disappointing them in 2007. A solidly built 6'1", 215-pound right-hander, Rodriguez had a breakout campaign for High-A Rancho Cucamonga as a 21-year-old in 2006. Rodriguez hit .299 with a .375 on-base percentage to go with 29 doubles, 5 triples, and 24 homers in 455 at-bats. That gave him a nice .543 slugging percentage, and Rodriguez hit even better in a brief 65 at-bat stint with Double-A Arkansas late in the year. The downside was that Rodriguez struck out 144 times in 522 at-bats and there were questions about whether he'd make enough consistent contact at higher levels.

However, Rodriguez had shown an intriguing 85/78 K/BB ratio the previous season, so the worse K/BB ratio in 2006 was more an indicator of going for more power than deterioration in skill. If Rodriguez were able to combine the positive aspects of his 2005 and 2006 campaigns into one season he'd be an elite prospect, so there were plenty of reasons to pay close attention. Indeed, Rodriguez earned some press by jumping out to a fast start last April with a 945 OPS, but he slumped badly in May and was simply mediocre the rest of the year. In the end he regressed from his 2006 performance to a disappointing .254/.345/.423 line, though at least part of that can be attributed to leaving the California League.

Rodriguez continued to strike out far too often last year, so his first priority for 2008 should be to get his selectivity at the plate back to near 2005 levels. If he can rediscover that skill his batting average will follow back to around .290. The second aspect of Rodriguez's game to focus on in his power. He'll be a solid regular if his batting average creeps back up, but he could be significantly more than that if his power spike in 2006 wasn't a California League mirage. Even if his batting average doesn't improve, a bounce back in power could still make Rodriguez above average. He's off to a good start in both regards, hitting .333 with four homers and a 9/7 K/BB ratio in the early going for Triple-A Salt Lake.

We've seen a hot start like this from Rodriguez before, but his potential is big enough that owners need to gamble on it being for real. If his early season at-bats are an indication of better consistency than he's capable of being a quality regular right away. He's not going to get much playing time now even with Howie Kendrick on the disabled list, but he could be an option if a more long-term injury strikes and he's also a trade candidate. That he wasn't considered much of a defender at shortstop hurts his stock, but he's adequate enough at his new position of second base and there should be plenty of teams lining up to give him a shot. I admittedly like Rodriguez more than most, and though he burned me somewhat last year, I'm still on the bandwagon. If things go reasonably well he'll have a few .270-20-15 seasons in his future. Recommendation: Stash away in AL-only keeper leagues; monitor in mixed keeper leagues.

[Hache Man]

Corpas' Rocky Start

Manny Corpas served up a two-run homer to Aramis Ramirez on Wednesday, blowing a save for the second straight day and fourth time in eight chances this season. The Rockies may decide that Corpas needs a break from closing, in which case Brian Fuentes will reclaim the ninth-inning duties that he held for most of the past three seasons and emerge as a must-grab in all leagues. However, there isn't much in Corpas' underlying numbers to suggest that he's in serious trouble.

Corpas' velocity is down slightly compared to last season, which is somewhat worrisome, but he continues to induce a ton of ground balls. Even after serving up the homer Wednesday he's allowed two long balls in 53 plate appearances, which while much worse than his rate of one per 51 plate appearances last season is far from a concern. Corpas certainly hasn't pitched well thus far, but his biggest problem has been throwing strikes and he figures to be just fine if the Rockies show patience.

While Corpas blows more saves in three weeks than he totaled last season, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* With both Alex Rios and Lyle Overbay scratched from Wednesday's game, the Blue Jays had three catchers in their lineup against the Rays just one day after releasing Frank Thomas. Gregg Zaun started behind the plate, with Rod Barajas at first base and Robinson Diaz at designated hitter, and the trio of backstops combined to go 0-for-11. Rios and Overbay aren't expected to miss much time, but it's rare to see a questionable decision so quickly come back to hurt a team.

Adam Lind wasn't available to immediately replace Thomas on the roster due to a neck injury at Triple-A, but returned to the Syracuse lineup Monday by going 2-for-4. Lind followed that up by going 0-for-4 on Wednesday, but still boasts a .355/.406/.581 hitting line in 17 games at Triple-A and figures to be called up very soon. Once back in Toronto he becomes a must-grab in AL-only leagues and could emerge with mixed-league value eventually.

Meanwhile, Thomas is still looking for work. Reports surfaced Wednesday afternoon that he was close to signing with the A's, but that was apparently put on hold when an unnamed second team swooped in with an offer. As of this writing he's said to be debating which of the two teams to join, but with Mike Sweeney going 2-for-3 with a homer Wednesday night the A's may not feel quite as much urgency to sign Thomas.

* After being examined Wednesday by Dr. James Andrews, Chad Cordero has been diagnosed with tendinitis and general weakness in his shoulder. The good news is that he'll avoid surgery while staying off the disabled list for now, but Cordero can't be counted on until his velocity improves. His average fastball has been clocked at 83.4 miles per hour this season, compared to 89.6 last year, and he doesn't figure to take over ninth-inning duties from Jon Rauch for a while.

* David Ortiz's slump is officially over. Ortiz began the year 3-for-43 (.070) with a lowly .371 OPS, but smacked a two-run homer Wednesday and has now gone 13-for-42 (.310) with two homers and 15 RBIs over the past 10 games. He has at least one RBI in six straight games and is on pace to drive in 125 runs despite sporting an ugly .628 OPS through 23 games. His OPS has risen 250 points in less than a week, so time is running out to make him a buy-low target.

* Pedro Martinez said last week that he hoped to come off the disabled list by early May, but the Mets made it clear that they had a different timetable for him and the most recent report is that he won't even throw a bullpen session for another 10-14 days. While Martinez is well behind where he hoped to be, he's actually ahead of the pace that the Mets initially laid out when they placed him on the disabled list during the season's first week.

* Felipe Lopez owners were disappointed when he lost the second-base job to Ronnie Belliard this spring, but Lopez has now overtaken Belliard for the starting gig while moving into the leadoff spot. I've given up on Lopez developing into the offensive force that he briefly looked capable of becoming a few years ago, but with 24 steals last season and three steals in limited action this year he has enough speed to be a major fantasy asset even if he's not hitting especially well.

AL Quick Hits: Curtis Granderson (hand) returned from the disabled list Wednesday by going 2-for-4 with two walks, two RBIs, and three runs … Rich Harden (shoulder) threw off a mound Wednesday for the first time and is scheduled to pitch a simulated game Saturday … Starting on short notice and working on short rest Wednesday after Daisuke Matsuzaka was scratched due to illness, Jon Lester allowed four runs over six innings against the Angels … Jason Giambi left Tuesday's game with a sore thumb, but was back in the lineup at first base Wednesday … Rajai Davis doesn't figure to see much action after being claimed off waivers by the A's, but has the speed to be a fantasy factor if he can work his way into regular playing time … Michael Cuddyer (finger) is expected to come off the shelf Friday and will likely resume hitting third in the Twins' lineup … Jorge Posada (shoulder) caught his second straight game Wednesday and went 4-for-5 with three doubles … Dan Johnson was designated for assignment Wednesday without ever playing for the Rays and has just one at-bat all season.

NL Quick Hits: Wayne Krivsky was fired as Reds general manager Wednesday, with longtime Cardinals boss Walt Jocketty replacing him … Signed by Krivsky to a $46 million deal this winter, Francisco Cordero hasn't had a save chance since April 10 … Prince Fielder's pair of mammoth homers Wednesday should quiet concerns about his lack of power … Johan Santana picked up his third victory with seven innings of one-run ball Wednesday against the Nationals … Tony Gwynn Jr. returned from the disabled list Wednesday, but Gabe Kapler started in center field for the first time in 10 days … Geovany Soto notched his second four-hit game of the season Wednesday and is now batting .353 with a .451 on-base percentage … Dropped to seventh in the batting order Wednesday, Troy Tulowitzki homered for the first time this season … Michael Bourn (groin) said Wednesday that he's hoping to return to the lineup Friday … Orlando Hernandez (foot) has suffered a setback and will be in a walking boot for at least two more weeks … Mike Hampton (chest) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and said afterward that he's ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.

[Hache Man]

Delicious Deer Barmes-san
Four weeks into the season, it's getting easier to tell which players are flukes and which ones could be destined for breakout seasons. Of course, it's still very early, and there's always the possibility that this week's popular waiver add could suffer a freak accident. Just ask Clint Barmes. After a great start to 2005, Barmes missed most of the season after falling and breaking his collarbone while lugging a package of deer meat given to him by Todd Helton. Let that be a lesson next time you consider making Bambi for dinner.

National League

1. Clint Barmes – 2B – COL: With Jayson Nix off to a terrible start, Clint Barmes has begun to see more and more playing time at second base. Barmes also got off to a hot start in 2005, hitting .410 in April before seeing his average slide down to .329 by the time he was taken out by deer meat. He returned to hit just .217 over the last month of that season, but he got his job back in 2006, only to hit .220. Barmes now has two incredibly hot months under his belt, but he also has almost two seasons of mediocrity. The overwhelming odds are that this pace won't last, but he's now been pushed up to the second spot in the order, so ride the hot streak while you can.

2. Moises Alou – OF – NYM: Moises Alou is scheduled to return to the Mets next week and should reclaim his spot in left field. When healthy, Alou is a solid contributor in most sized leagues, but he hasn't played more than 123 games in three seasons. Still, he can be had for free in 90% of leagues right now, making him a sound investment.

3. Felipe Lopez – 2B – WAS: Lopez was named the Nationals starting second baseman on Wednesday, and will settle into the leadoff spot in the lineup. Lopez struggled at the plate last season, but the move to the more hitter-friendly Nationals Park should help. Expect him to wind up with an average around .260 if he can hold the spot over Ronnie Belliard. While it's unlikely he'll return to his lofty 23-home run campaign of 2005, Lopez should provide plenty of stolen bases for your fantasy team. He had 24 last year, which was actually a step down from 44 in 2006. Lopez has eligibility at both middle infield spots and in the outfield, making him a great addition for mixed league teams looking for speed.

4. Brian Fuentes – RP – COL: Aaron Gleeman does a great job analyzing the closer situation in Thursday morning's Daily Dose. Manny Corpas has blown four of his eight save attempts on the young season, plagued mostly by a lack of control. If the Rockies take him out of the high-pressure situation so that he can clear his head, Fuentes will become the interim closer. If you're trolling for save chances, Fuentes makes a nice option this week.

5. Jair Jurrjens – SP – ATL : After four starts for the Braves, Jair Jurrjens is currently sitting on a 3.20 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He's also improved his control, striking out 21 batters while walking just nine. He makes a fine play in NL-only leagues and could be spot started in mixed ones. He certainly should be on the radar of all keeper leaguers.

6. Fred Lewis – OF – SF: With Dave Roberts injured, Fred Lewis has seen the majority of work in left field. He is currently hitting .338 with 11 runs scored, and although Lewis has just two stolen bases on the season, he's shown he can be a speed threat. Expect his average to come down to around .270, but he could steal around 15 bases and approach ten home runs with Roberts expected out for three months.

7. Jerry Hairston – OF – CIN: The Reds have struggled against left-handed pitchers all season, and brought up Jerry Hairston to provide a spark. Hairston had been red-hot in the minors, and it carried over to his first start in Cincy: he went 4-for-5 with three RBI. He'll make a worthy investment in NL leagues for as long as he's hot.

8. Chad Tracy – 3B – ARI : Chad Tracy will begin a minor league rehab assignment this week and could be back after seeing about 40 plate appearances. The bad news for Tracy is that Mark Reynolds got off to a blistering start at third base so playing time could be tough to come by. He probably won't see enough at-bats to be a fantasy option unless there's an injury or he's traded, which remains a distinct possibility.

9. Eric Bruntlett – SS – PHI : With Jimmy Rollins on the disabled list, Eric Bruntlett is now the starting shortstop in Philadelphia. Since taking over, he's hit under .200 with four runs and an RBI. If you want two more weeks (possibly six, if Rollins' leg is broken) of that, feel free, but you're probably in a deep NL-only league.

American League

1. Carlos Quentin – OF – CHW: We covered Quentin a couple weeks ago, but with Jerry Owens being optioned to Triple-A, Carlos has an improved grasp on the starting job. Quentin has plenty of power at a hitter-friendly park, and his batting average should definitely improve. He's a solid option in standard-sized mixed leagues.

2. John Danks – SP – CHW: John Danks has been great in three of his four outings, but he was pounded in his one bad game. Still, the most encouraging news for the young pitcher is that he hasn't given up a home run yet this season after giving up 28 in 26 appearances last season. This might not a fluke: Danks has increased his number of ground balls induced by over 33% this season. There's plenty of risk, but adding Danks to your bench while we figure out if he's for real could provide very valuable results.

3. Matt Stairs – DH – TOR: Matt Stairs has been given the DH job following the release of Frank Thomas, which should amount to an extra 150 or so at-bats over the course of the season. Most importantly for the adorably rotund Stairs, he doesn't have to make that long trek out to left field anymore. He should hit around .270 with about 20 home runs, making him a decent fourth outfielder in mixed leagues.

4. Adam Lind– LF – TOR: With the release of Frank Thomas, Shannon Stewart has assumed a role as the primary left fielder in Toronto. That shouldn't last, as the Blue Jays figure to eventually call up Adam Lind and give him starts against most right-handed pitchers. Stewart has minimal fantasy value, but Lind could contribute over 20 home runs if he winds up on pace to get 400 at-bats. First, though, he'll have to be called up. Keep an eye on him – he could eventually have value in mixed leagues.

5. Eric Hinske – OF –TB : Hinske has struggled since becoming a part-time player in 2005, but he's shown that if given regular at-bats he can swat over 15 home runs. With Cliff Floyd on the disabled list, Hinske has earned a job as the Rays' primary DH against right-handed pitchers, and has hit .327 with five home runs. He'll certainly cool off, but will continue to make a nice option for as long as he has regular playing time.

6. Matt Garza – SP – TB: Garza is scheduled to come off the disabled list and face the Red Sox on Friday. He's struggled in both his major and minor league starts this season, but we wrote in our draft guide that "the potential is certainly there for him to win 12-15 games with a sub-4.00 ERA in 2008." He's owned in just 1.9% of all leagues, but he's certainly a high-upside option if you're looking to fill out the back of your NL-only rotation. Mixed leaguers should also keep an eye on Garza.

7. Chad Gaudin – SP – OAK: The biggest knock against Gaudin last season was that he didn't have an out pitch against left-handed batters. Lefties hit .282 off him last year, and he walked 68 of them while striking out just 49. Right-handed hitters managed just .250 off him, and he enjoyed a 105/32 K/BB ratio. This season, Gaudin's numbers against righties have stayed the same, but he's improved against lefties – they are hitting just .241 off him. He has still only struck out three while allowing two walks, suggesting that his underlying skills do not support the growth. Gaudin makes a decent add, but only if you play him against teams that aren't stacked with left-handed hitters.

8. Daniel Cabrera – SP – BAL: Daniel Cabrera has such enormous potential that it's hard to not get carried away when he throws as well as he did on Wednesday night. The key to his eight inning, two run performance was that he didn't allow a single walk, thanks largely to a impatient hitting from Seattle. Don't let him trick you again – he hasn't shown that he can sustain success. Still, he's someone that should always be on your watch list just in case he finally figures out how to harness all his amazing ability. If he does, he'd be one of the American league's best pitchers, but it seems unlikely.

[Hache Man]

Closers causing concern
In the late 1970s, Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver gave his closer, Don Stanhouse, the nickname "Full Pack" because Stanhouse's adventures with ninth-inning walks were enough to make Weaver smoke a full pack of cigarettes in the dugout.

During Todd Jones' first tour of duty with the Detroit Tigers, the closer earned the moniker "Roller coaster" from broadcaster Ernie Harwell because of his many ups and downs during the ninth inning.

Closers have been tormenting managers — and fantasy owners — for years. Injuries and ineffectiveness have combined to make the start of this season one of the rockiest for closers in recent memory.

Brad Lidge and Chad Cordero started the season on the disabled list. J.J. Putz blew one of his two save chances before joining them on the DL.

For fantasy owners who came out of their draft with oft-injured Atlanta Braves closer Rafael Soriano but smartly backed him up with Peter Moylan (and his 2.20 career ERA), those plans were derailed when Soriano was sidelined with elbow problems and Moylan developed an elbow strain that could force him to have season-ending surgery.

Although it now looks like Soriano will be able to reclaim the closer's role, he is no lock to stay healthy the rest of the season. So do fantasy owners use a roster spot on Blaine Boyer or Manny Acosta, wait for Mike Gonzalez to return sometime in June or just give up and look elsewhere? (The numbers say go with Boyer.)

It's been that kind of season.

Look at the struggles of last year's AL and NL saves leaders. The Cleveland Indians' Joe Borowski (45 saves) never had his usual velocity coming out of spring training and ended up on the DL after blowing a couple of ninth-inning leads. It turns out he was battling an arm injury the whole time. A 0-2 record and 18.00 ERA shows it.

Meanwhile, Jose Valverde (47 saves) blew two of his first three save chances this season and has been so bad (9.00 ERA, 2.10 WHIP) that the Houston Astros used him last week in a mop-up role to try and boost his confidence.

Even the all-time saves leader, Trevor Hoffman, has two blown saves, an 0-2 record and an 8.22 ERA this season.

On the other hand, several closers who weren't expected to have immediate success have been outstanding in the early going.

In a March blog post, I listed four closers in each league I thought would be the most likely to lose their jobs due to injury or ineffectiveness.

Let's see how that turned out.

AL

1. C.J. Wilson, Rangers

2. George Sherrill, Orioles

3. Troy Percival, Rays

4. Joe Borowski, Indians

NL

1. Kerry Wood, Cubs

2. Brandon Lyon, Diamondbacks

3. Kevin Gregg, Marlins

4. Brad Lidge, Phillies

Outside of Borowski, the three other American League closers in the group combined for 12 saves and a 0.96 ERA until Wilson had his first melt-down of the season on Sunday in Boston.

In the NL, Wood's durability was the main question but through the season's first three weeks, no closer had apppeared in more games (9) or pitched more innings (10). He also recorded a win and four saves. The others on the NL list have been reasonably effective and aren't in danger of losing their jobs — yet.

So does any of this seemingly random information from the first three weeks provide any clues as to what to expect the rest of the season?

* First of all, the list of truly reliable closers is a short one.

Only seven pitchers have recorded 30 or more saves in each of the last three seasons: Mariano Rivera (five in a row), Trevor Hoffman (four in a row), Joe Nathan (four in a row), Jason Isringhausen (four in a row), Billy Wagner, Francisco Rodriguez and Jones.

Isringhausen might be the biggest surprise, especially since Adam Wainwright took over for an injured Izzy when the St. Louis Cardinals made their run to the 2006 World Series title.

There's also a subset of younger closers who look like they could be 30-save men for the foreseeable future. Jonathan Papelbon has established himself among the elite. His 18-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio is proof.

Other up-and-comers include Joakim Soria, Bobby Jenks and Matt Capps.

* Injuries will continue to thin the ranks.

Wood's injury history still makes it unlikely he will to hold on to the Chicago Cubs closer's job all season. Troy Percival, Eric Gagne and B.J. Ryan also aren't that far removed from major surgeries.

The Washington Nationals' Cordero has been unable to regain his velocity since coming off the disabled list. Jon Rauch looks like he could hold the job for a while.

* Save opportunities will continue to be dispersed randomly.

How else to explain Percival, Francisco Cordero and Takashi Saito combining for five saves over the first three weeks? Chalk it up to a small sample size. No need to worry.

* New closers will emerge later in the season.

Hard throwers who post solid numbers across the board have the qualities to succeed in the closer's role if they're called upon. Equally important, they won't damage your ERA and WHIP while you wait.

Rafael Betancourt is already getting an opportunity to close in Cleveland — and he could keep the job when Borowski returns.

Jonathan Broxton, Carlos Marmol, Tony Pena, Santiago Casilla, Matt Lindstrom, Joaquin Benoit and even Joba Chamberlain are worth watching before the next wave of uncertainty hits. One (or more) of them could turn into this season's version of Manny Corpas or Soria — guys who grabbed the closer's job and never let go.

If all this speculation is too much to sort out, there's another option to consider when looking to save your season: make a trade.

With everyone speculating on closers throughout the season, at least one team is likely to end up with a surplus of saves. By waiting until the dust has settled, it's much easier to figure out the potential impact of acquiring a reliable closer. At that point you may even be able to get one at a discount.

[Hache Man]

Fast starts may not last


Ervin Santana is pitching like Cy Young. Edwin Jackson has looked like a rotation anchor at times. Brian Bannister is doing his best Greg Maddux impersonation.
But how do we know which of these performances are for real? Breaking down traditional stat categories into their component parts allows us to analyze the underlying skills that drive players' performances. These skills give us a better read on future potential than the surface results themselves.

However, when it comes to ERA, the elements of skill are not the only components. Random chance also plays a factor. So, when evaluating some of these early-season anomalies, we have to also ask: Is it real, or is it luck?

Let's analyze the surprise early performances of several starting pitchers.

For real

* Dustin McGowan, Blue Jays: He was a first-round pick back in 2000 due to his mid-90s sinking fastball. Early-career control issues banished him to the bullpen, but the Jays knew he had greater upside, so he was given another chance as a starter. He had a solid showing last year in his first full season with Toronto: 12 wins, 4.08 ERA and 7.6 strikeout rate per nine innings.

However, signs late last year pointed to even greater gains. His strikeout rate surged to 8.4 for August and 9.1 for September. While he hasn't yet returned to those levels this season, his K/9 rate remains at a still-solid 6.4 during his first four starts.

With a batting average on balls in play (BABIP) of .350, there is room for further growth, and he could well maintain his current ERA in the mid-3.00's.

* Ervin Santana, Angels: He has hard, moving stuff and had nearly three full major league seasons of experience before he turned 25 in December. He appears to be coming in to his own this year with a 3-0 record and a sub-3.00 ERA. He has been able to sustain a K/9 rate of higher seven.

Skills aside, Santana has been held back in the past by an inability to pitch well on the road. In 2007, he posted a 3.27 ERA at Angel Stadium but a 8.38 ERA away from home. The early returns this year are positive for him. He had a 3.46 ERA and a 6.2 K/9 rate in his first two road starts of '08.

Given his age and skill growth, he'll make for a fantastic breakout target if he can continue to avoid the road lapses that have hindered him in the past.

* Wandy Rodriguez, Astros: He's another who struggled mightily on the road last year (6.37 ERA versus 2.94 at home). But he had a 7.8 overall K/9 rate.

He has looked fantastic in his first four starts this year, posting a 9.3 K/9 rate, including 10.8 in his one road start. He won't likely maintain an ERA below 3.00, but one below 4.00 appears quite possible.

Heed caution

* Brian Bannister, Royals: He had three wins and a 2.42 ERA in his first four starts. This coming after a season in which he won 12 games with a 3.87 ERA and 1.21 WHIP.

But a closer look at this season's numbers shows that he had a mediocre 4.8 K/9 rate, along with a low .240 BABIP. He hasn't displayed a K/9 rate greater than 4.5 over a season he debuted in 2006. He's a soft-tosser, and a lucky one at that. Despite his pinpoint control, there's just not enough here to suggest that he can make a long-term splash.

* Dana Eveland, Athletics: He was shuttled between the rotation and bullpen during his development as a prospect. Spotty control was the problem. After making his major league debut in 2005, his growth stalled.

Now he's looking like a rotation fixture for the A's after coming to them in the Dan Haren trade with Arizona this offseason. His first three starts resulted in a 2.00 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. The third start may be most telling, however. His 4¨ø-inning, two-strikeout outing displayed the type of inconsistency that has held him back in the past.

His .270 BABIP for the season was also on the fringes of being a concern, which means his ERA is likely to head upward.

* Cliff Lee, Indians: He certainly looks like a breakout target on the surface. He allowed just one earned run in his first 22¨ø innings pitched. He also is showing an ability to dominate, as indicated by his 7.9 K/9 rate. But a deeper analysis reveals one key warning sign.

He has benefited from a ridiculously low .150 BABIP. Based on that figure, he should have about twice as many hits allowed. His rebound this year may be for real, but the magnitude of it is not.

[Hache Man]

Big Hurt Back in Oakland

Frank Thomas returned to Oakland on Thursday, agreeing to a minimum-salaried deal with the A's after being released by the Blue Jays earlier this week. Thomas takes over as the A's starting designated hitter and jumped right into the lineup in the cleanup spot Thursday afternoon, going 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored. With Thomas at DH, Mike Sweeney saw his first action of the season at first base while Daric Barton rested against a left-hander.

Thomas figures to start nearly every game and the A's may go with a straight Barton-Sweeney platoon at first base, taking a chunk out of both players' fantasy value. However, Barton has done just fine against lefties thus far and could convince manager Bob Geren that there's no need to sit him against them, in which case Sweeney may be out of a regular role if he doesn't go on a tear over the next few weeks.

It's remarkable that the A's were able to pay just $500,000 for Thomas' huge comeback season in 2006 and now get him back for even less than that, with the Blue Jays paying him $18 million in the meantime. Thomas is unlikely to repeat that huge year that he had with the A's in 2006, but still figures to make the Blue Jays regret letting him go so soon and is well worth gambling on in most leagues if the price is right. A .270 batting average with 20 homers and 75 RBIs is doable.

While one of the all-time kings of power and patience lands back with the team that appreciates his skills better than anyone else, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Francisco Liriano's first two starts back from Tommy John elbow surgery were merely bad, but his outing Thursday afternoon against the A's was a complete disaster. Liriano didn't make it out of the first inning, allowing six runs on five hits and three walks while recording just two outs. He continues to show significantly decreased velocity while struggling to throw strikes, and now sports an 11.32 ERA, 7-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 2.71 WHIP in 10.1 innings.

No move has been announced as of Thursday night, but Liriano seems destined for a return trip to Triple-A in order to work through his issues and get some confidence against lesser hitters. His long-term outlook hasn't changed much, because had the Twins not misguidedly rushed him back to the majors he'd still be rounding into shape at Triple-A, but there's plenty of reason to think that he won't make a positive impact this season. Liriano still has a very long road back.

* Chad Billingsley fell to 0-4 with an ugly 6.53 ERA after allowing five runs in six innings Thursday against the Diamondbacks, which is an extremely disappointing start to the season from one of my favorite breakout candidates heading into the year. However, along with the disappointment his bad first month provides an excellent opportunity to make the 23-year-old right-hander a buy-low target, because he's a good bet to bounce back in a big way.

Billingsley has struggled with his command and there's no dancing around 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA, but it's also worth noting that he's racked up 32 strikeouts in just 20.2 innings. Thursday marked Billingsley's 40th career start, and he's posted a 3.65 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 216.2 innings as a member of the Dodgers' rotation, all before his 24th birthday. With some improved run support and a little better control, he could still have a dozen wins in him this season.

* Manny Corpas blew his fourth save of the year Wednesday and manager Clint Hurdle removed him as closer Thursday, handing ninth-inning duties back to Brian Fuentes. Hurdle called the move "shuffling the deck" and Corpas is expected to slide back into the setup role that he filled last year before taking over for Fuentes as closer. Corpas will likely eventually reclaim the job if he pitches well, but Fuentes picked up a save Thursday and could delay the inevitable for a while.

* A rumor circulated Wednesday that a small break had been discovered in Jimmy Rollins' injured ankle, but everyone involved quickly shot it down as baseless and Rollins was scheduled to take batting practice Thursday. He remains 10 days away from even being eligible to return from the disabled list, but Rollins reportedly hasn't suffered a setback and looks likely to be ready to play again early next month.

AL Quick Hits: Evan Longoria went 2-for-2 with a pair of extra-base hits and a walk Thursday, giving him a .947 OPS through a dozen games … Back in the lineup Thursday after sitting out two games with the flu, Alex Rios was ejected in the third inning after slamming his helmet to the ground following a strikeout … Adam Jones had a big game against his former team Thursday, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs in a win over the Mariners … Joba Chamberlain took his first career loss Thursday when Joe Crede delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning … Carlos Gomez returned to the lineup Thursday after a day off in the midst of a brutal slump and went 2-for-5 with his first homer of the season … Phil Hughes looked to be having his second good start of the season Thursday against the White Sox, but exited after two scoreless innings following a rain delay … After homering twice Thursday, Donnie Murphy may begin to steal at-bats from Jack Hannahan at third base … Jermaine Dye is considered day-to-day after leaving Thursday's game with a strained groin.

NL Quick Hits: Albert Pujols reached safely in all five plate appearances Thursday, increasing his on-base percentage to a Barry Bonds-like .525 … Tim Lincecum tossed 6.1 shutout frames in Thursday's a 1-0 victory over the Padres, improving to 4-0 despite predictably getting minimal run support from the Giants' lineup again … Chris Young was the tough-luck loser against Lincecum, taking the loss despite 10 strikeouts in seven innings of one-run ball … Felipe Lopez reclaimed a starting job earlier this week and celebrated Thursday by going 2-for-4 with a grand slam and six RBIs … Just 6-for-39 (.154) over his past 10 games, Ryan Howard was benched Thursday even though the Phillies were facing a right-hander … Tom Gorzelanny handed out seven walks in Thursday's loss and has now issued 15 free passes in 17.2 innings to go along with an ugly 7.81 ERA … Playing on his 36th birthday Thursday, Chipper Jones went 3-for-3 with a homer and is now batting .442-7-20 through 22 games atlantabraves.com … With Blake DeWitt demoted to the minors Thursday, Nomar Garciaparra won't have competition until Andy LaRoche returns from the disabled list.

[Hache Man]

Can you rely on young hurlers?

The ups an downs of young pitchers, Bobby's thoughts on the Dbacks' bats and more ravings from Schultz in this week's Week That Was.

Chad Billingsley . From my seat at Dodger Stadium I got to see the good and bad Chad Billingsley Thursday night. The good – he struck out 12 with a 91-93 mph fastball and a drop off the shelf curve. The bad – as many young pitchers do, he lost focus at times and he ended up giving up five runs in six innings including a bomb of a home run to Jeff Salazar, yes Jeff Salazar. Chad is a high risk/high reward roto pitcher. He will notch his K's but there is no way to know whether the ERA will hold up. The risk averse or faint of heart should avoid. Those who need to gamble should. Of course, those in keeper leagues should pounce – this guy is only 23 and will be something special.

Tim Lincecum: Tim Lincecum struck out nine Pods on Thursday. Given how bad the Giants are, Lincecum being 4-0 is quite something. It just seems that contrary to the warnings about young pitchers above, Lincecum is a safe bet to keep on keeping on. 36 strikeouts in just 29 innings this year says a lot. Of course, there is no way he can continue to roll up the wins on a team as bad as the Giants. However, if you are looking for a rock for your rotation, this is one of the young pitchers you can count on.

Brian Fuentes: Brian Fuentes took back the closer role in Colorado Thursday and notched his first save. Two things to note here: First, the Rockies gave Corpas a sizable contract and will want him to succeed so do not go and cut bait on Corpas any time soon (though owning both would be a nice way to go). Second, the return of Fuentes highlights the value of set up men. Many have ascended to the closer role already this year including Jon Rauch, Peter Moylan (and Manny Acosta), Rafael Betencourt and others. Trust me, more will follow. Look to see if any are good ratio set up men are on your waiver wire. If so, pounce.

Corey Patterson: Corey Patterson's bat showed a little life Thursday when he notched two hits and scored a run. Life with Corey is always a roller coaster. However, by year's end, Patterson should notch 15+ HR and 20+ SB while posting a decent enough batting average. When the weather warms up, the ball will start flying around Great American. If you can get Patterson cheap while his average is under .250, do it. Speed is hard to come by and Patterson has averaged 29 SB over the last 5 years.

Daniel Cabrera: Daniel Cabrera looked strong Wednesday night tossing eight two run innings. Of course, the key was issuing just one walk. That now makes three quality starts in a row -- two on the road and one home against the Yankees. Cabrera, at 27 years old and with 4 major league seasons already under his belt, could very well be ready to go where his ability should take him – stardom. Remember, however, that you do not need Cabrera to remind people of Doc Gooden in his prime. You just need him to keep his ERA around 4 and WHIP under 1.30 to make those 175+ K's really sweet. Buy.

Rajai Davis: Oakland continued their quest to stockpile outfielders and designated hitters by claiming Rajai Davis off waivers from the Giants. Frankly, this only continues to muddle the Oakland situation. The only thing I can figure is that Billy Beane is hoping Mike Sweeney and Frank Thomas stay healthy and hit so he can trade them to contenders in July. As to the outfield situation, Chris Denorfia is a much better hitting prospect than Davis, but Davis will run. Those in need of speed in AL-only leagues should grab Davis if they can afford rostering a part-timer on an offensively challenged team.

David Ross: David Ross returned from the DL this week. Consistent with his ways of hitting for a truly ugly average, Ross hit well under .200 during his minor league rehab start. So, now that the Reds have three catchers (Ross, Valentin and Bako), what should roto owners do? Well, unless you are truly desperate for power, avoid Ross. He struggles to reach the Mendoza line and will drag down your team average. Bako is on a nice run now, but it will run out. That leaves Javier Valentin – he of the solid average for the last three years. Valentin is the best bet to take advantage of the Cincy bats and Great American ballpark effects without hurting you team in other ways. He is probably available in some leagues on waivers. If you are in a deep league that requires two catchers, buy.

Fred Lewis: Fred Lewis has 8 hits in his last five games (as of Thursday night). Overall, he is hitting .315 on the season. With Rajai Davis across the bay in Oakland and Dave Roberts both hurt and too old to get serious second half time on a rebuilding team, Lewis should be in the starting lineup to stay. Given that Lewis hit .287 in the majors last year after hitting over .290 in AAA, he is a good bet to be a quality FAAB pickup. Buy.

Jerry Hairston, Jr.: Jerry Hairston Jr. came off the DL and promptly went 4-5 with 3 RBI in his first came back on Tuesday. Since then, the Reds have moved Hairston all around the field to keep him in the lineup. He has played SS, 2B and OF already. This is a bit of a puzzle. On the one hand, Hairston has always had talent. On the other, he never seems to be able to stay healthy. It seems that Dusty Baker is going to use the veteran in a super-utility fashion to spell both infielders and outfielders. If so, he will be eligible at a bunch of positions and be pretty valuable in very deep NL-only leagues. Just remember, he has not been good since 2004 and that is a long time.

Andruw Jones: Andruw Jones remains firmly below the Mendoza line. Watching from my seats at Dodger Stadium Thursday night, it was not hard to see why. First, he chases bad balls. Second, he struts like he is Mickey Mantle. It is kind of like Lou Brown says to "Willey Mays Hayes" in Major League: "You may run like Hayes but you hit like [expletive deleted]": It is hardly a surprise that Jones gets booed loudly every time he struts to the plate. Avoid him at all costs. If you notice him acting more humble and hitting pitches up the middle and to right field rather than trying to pull everything, then you can take a flyer on him. Until then, let someone else wish they could trade him for Mario Mendoza.

And now, next to last, some roto wisdom from Bobby:

Will Tracy Rain on Reynolds' Stellar Season? By Bobby Colton
The Arizona Diamondbacks are playing at the level of a defending NL West champion, sporting the best record in all of baseball as of this writing (4/19/08). A lot of factors have contributed to the Diamondback's rise to the top of a star studded National League that features the Rockies, Mets, Phillies, Cubs, and Brewers. Of course the trade for Dan Haren has helped fortify a rotation that already featured former Cy Young hurlers Brandon Webb and Randy Johnson. The hot bats of first baseman Connor Jackson and twenty year old outfielder Justin Upton have also been big factors in the Dbacks success thus far.

Perhaps the biggest thing the Diamondbacks have going for them is their "replacement" third baseman Mark Reynolds. While Chad Tracy has been nursing his countless injuries, Reynolds has been playing better than almost everyone in the National League. Batting fifth in the stacked Arizona batting order, Reynolds has produced numbers that not even Alex Rodriguez has been able to keep up with early on. Reynolds' five homers places him one off the NL lead, his 16 RBIs places him in the top five, and although his average isn't among the league leaders, it is more than adequate.

While Reynolds is producing all-star numbers, Tracy continues to get closer and closer to rejoining an already potent Arizona Diamondbacks lineup. When Tracy does get back into playing shape, the Diamondbacks' brass will have a tough decision to make. Will Reynolds move to a utility role, or will Tracy become the high priced bench player that teams generally try to avoid? The Dodgers have already admitted that they needed to make Juan Pierre an expensive bench player, and the Diamondbacks might have to follow suit with Tracy.

Tracy and Reynolds have both played third base almost exclusively in their Major League careers. Tracy has played limited first base but that position is monopolized by the red hot Connor Jackson, a hitter ready to take his game to the next level. Reynolds has played some second base, but Orlando Hudson would also be a costly bench player (there would also be a mutiny from the DBacks hurlers if they lost Hudson's glove up the middle). Finally, while both Reynolds and Tracy have had limited experience in the outfield, there is no room there either. The Diamondbacks' outfield is pretty steadfast with Eric Byrnes coming off of a career year, Justin Upton, who's playing just as well as Reynolds and has an even brighter upside, and Chris Young, who is in the same position as Upton.
At the very least one can assume neither will be demoted and neither will be exclusively benched. That makes a platoon situation the most likely scenario. Moving Tracy could be another option for the Diamondbacks, but that is a long shot considering his almost permanent home on the DL.

Regardless of how the situation pans out, fantasy owners should be cautious with the Reynolds/Tracy situation. It might be time to trade Reynolds while his value is high for a quality player with a guaranteed job.

And finally, this week's Schultz Says: "I think this might be the appropriate time to stop, pause and reflect on what Chipper Jones has accomplished this year. The man known to Mike Piazza as Larry has hit 7 home runs, driven in 20 runs, scored another 18 himself and has his average sitting at .442 while I write this. Why should we stop and reflect at this time? Because it's good to honor those we admire while they are still amongst us and if history has taught us anything, we should know that Chipper will not be the roto-land faithful much longer. It is a sad reality that Chipper is quite brittle and even though he played in 134 games last season, you have to go back to 2003 to find a season in which he went wire-to-wire. Let us toast Chipper now; we shall be mourning his departure quite soon.

Understandably unhappy with his first three starts, the Twins have demoted Francisco Liriano to AAA. Many will look at this as a foreboding sign and cut bait on the ridiculously talented lefty; if they do, they will regret the decision. It takes approximately 18 months to fully recover from Tommy John surgery and Liriano doesn't reach that point until May of 2008. Perhaps because he's 24 years old everyone expected him to regain his form sooner. Since being called up, Liriano has struggled with his control and although he showed glimpses of his old self in his first start against the Royals simply isn't himself yet. Use this information wisely, Liriano is a fantastic investment who could provide a roto-staff with a nice boost come June or July when aces will be in short supply. Just be patient.

My favorite story of the week is Frank Thomas getting cut by the Blue Jays for being a big ol' jerk. Not since Milton Bradley had to have said the most vile things imaginable to Eric Wedge to get him immediately traded to the Dodgers has a locker room tirade provoked this quick a response. Nobody can fault the Jays for wanting to sit the Big Hurt while he's hitting .159 but releasing the notoriously poor starting DH seemed a tad drastic. He's back in Oakland where he had his career resurgence two seasons ago. If someone in your league emulated the Blue Jays and let the Big Hurt go, he's worth grabbing and stashing away. His second halves are usually quite good.

Response: Listen to Bobby and Schultz this week – they are right on.

[Hache Man]

Great Scott, he's back!


The return of Scott Kazmir brings a boost to the Rays, significant strikeouts for his fantasy owners, and a reminder of a terrible trade for disgruntled Mets fans. Kazmir has always pitched well against Boston, sporting a 2.66 ERA and 1.26 WHIP against them in his career. You might as well start him, since there's always the chance an arm injury could sideline him again soon.
Two-Start Pitchers

American League

Must Starts
Roy Halladay - @BOS (Daisuke Matsuzaka), CHW (Javier Vazquez)
Daisuke Matsuzaka – TOR (Roy Halladay), TB (Jason Hammel)
Javier Vazquez – BAL (Daniel Cabrera), @TOR (Roy Halladay)
Fausto Carmona – SEA (Carlos Silva), KC (Brett Tomko)
Jon Garland – OAK (Chad Gaudin), BAL (Daniel Cabrera)

Other Options
Joe Saunders – OAK (Greg Smith), BAL (Undecided)
Daniel Cabrera - @CHW (Javier Vazquez), @LAA (Jon Garland)
Mike Mussina - @CLE (Aaron Laffey), SEA (Felix Hernandez)
Chad Gaudin - @LAA (Jon Garland), TEX (Vicente Padilla)
Carlos Silva - @CLE (Fausto Carmona), @NYY (Phil Hughes)
Kenny Rogers - @NYY (Phil Hughes), @MIN (Boof Bonser)
Scott Feldman – KC (Brett Tomko), @OAK (Greg Smith)
Brett Tomko - @TEX (Scott Feldman), @CLE (Fausto Carmona)
Phil Hughes – DET (Kenny Rogers), SEA (Carlos Silva)
Jason Hammel - @BAL (Undecided), @BOS (Daisuke Matsuzaka)
Greg Smith - @LAA (Joe Saunders) TEX (Luis Mendoza)
Boof Bonser – CHW (Gavin Floyd), DET (Kenny Rogers)

National League

Must Starts
Johan Santana – PIT (Ian Snell), @ARI (Dan Haren)
Cole Hamels – SD (Greg Maddux), SF (Matt Cain)
Dan Haren – HOU (Chris Sampson), NYM (Johan Santana) newyorkmets.com
Ian Snell - @NYM (Johan Santana), @WAS (John Lannan)
Matt Cain – COL (Kendry Morales), @PHI (Cole Hamels)
Derek Lowe - @FLA (Andrew Miller), @COL (Kendry Morales)

Other Options
Greg Maddux - @PHI (Cole Hamels), @FLA (Andrew Miller)
Bronson Arroyo - @STL (Todd Wellemeyer), @ATL (John Smoltz) atlantabraves.com
Ben Sheets - @CHC (Jason Marquis), @HOU (Chris Sampson)
Jason Marquis – MIL (Ben Sheets), @STL (Todd Wellemeyer)
Tom Glavine - @WAS (Tim Redding), CIN (Bronson Arroyo)
Tim Redding – ATL (Tom Glavine), PIT (Tom Gorzelanny)
Franklin Morales - @SF (Matt Cain), LAD (Derek Lowe)
Todd Wellemeyer – CIN (Bronson Arroyo), CHC (Jason Marquis)
Tom Gorzelanny - @NYM (Oliver Perez), @WAS (Tim Redding)
Chris Sampson - @ARI (Dan Haren), MIL (Ben Sheets)
Andrew Miller – LAD (Derek Lowe), SD (Greg Maddux)

Possible Streamers

The following pitchers are available in half of mixed leagues and should make decent starts next week:

American League

Wednesday 4/30 – Gavin Floyd @ MIN – Floyd has had a great start to the season, and has a good match-up against the Minnesota offense in a stadium that limits offense.

Friday 5/2 – Armando Galarraga @ MIN – Galarraga has done a great job filling in for Dontrelle Willis, and should his streak at the Metrodome.

Friday 5/2 – Joe Blanton vs. TEX – Blanton should be a nice start against the Rangers on Friday. He had a 1.08 WHIP in two starts against them last season, and even though that resulted in a 4.15 ERA, he had 13 strikeouts in 13 innings.

National Leagues

Monday 4/28 – Todd Wellemeyer vs. CIN – Wellemeyer is off to a strong start, and he has a 2.03 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in his career against the Reds.

Tuesday 4/29 – Aaron Cook @ SF – Cook is sitting on a 2.91 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He won't stay this hot all season, but the success should continue in San Francisco.

Friday 5/2 - Jair Jurrjens vs. CIN – Jurrjens is also off to a great start, and while he's not widely owned, he should have a decent outing at home against the Reds.

Saturday 5/3 – Ian Snell @ WAS – Snell has a career 1.17 WHIP and a 3.91 ERA against the Nationals, with 22 strikeouts in 23 innings.



Total Games

American League
7: BAL, CLE, LAA, NYY, OAK
6: BOS, CHW, DET, KC, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
5: MIN

National League
7: PIT
6: ARI, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD, SF, STL, WAS
5: ATL

American League

American League
Baltimore - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Boston - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Chicago White Sox - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Cleveland - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Detroit - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Kansas City - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Los Angeles Angels - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties, 1 vs. Undecided
Minnesota - 4 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
New York Yankees - 3 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
Oakland - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Seattle - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Tampa Bay - 4 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties, 1 vs. Undecided
Texas - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Toronto - 3 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties

Notes:

The Yankees face three left-handed pitchers, which should help Johnny Damon (.305 vs. LHP over last three years),

Toronto has three games against lefties, which should help Lyle Overbay, who has hit lefties significantly better since last season. It should help Gregg Zaun (.271 career vs. LHP)

National League:
Arizona - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Atlanta - 5 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Chicago Cubs - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Cincinnati - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Colorado - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Florida - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Houston - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Los Angeles Dodgers - 1 vs. Righties, 5 vs. Lefties
Milwaukee - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
New York Mets - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Philadelphia - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Pittsburgh - 2 vs. Righties, 5 vs. Lefties
San Diego - 2 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
San Francisco - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
St. Louis - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Washington - 2 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties

Notes:
Atlanta doesn't face a left-handed pitcher this week, which could hurt Jeff Francoeur (.317 vs. LHP), Matt Diaz (.356 vs. LHP), Mark Teixeira (.342 vs. LHP) and Yuniel Escobar (.355 vs. LHP). Chipper Jones (.274 vs. LHP) should be happy.

The Reds won't face any lefties, which is bad news for Edwin Encarnacion (.267 vs. LHP), Brandon Phillips (.296 vs. LHP) and Jeff Keppinger (.338 vs. LHP). It's good news for Ryan Freel (.250 vs. LHP), Scott Hatteberg (.235 vs. LHP).

The Cubs don't face a lefty either, which is good news for Felix Pie's (.111 career vs. LHP) playing time.

The Dodgers face five lefties, which should help Russell Martin (.356 vs. LHP) and Matt Kemp (.333 vs. LHP).

The Brewers don't face a lefty, which could hurt J.J. Hardy (.294 vs. LHP), Corey Hart (.322 vs. LHP) and Gabe Kapler (.291 vs. LHP).

The Pirates face five lefties, which should help help Xavier Nady (.319 vs LHP over last three years).

The Padres face four lefties this week, which hurts Jim Edmonds (.255 vs. LHP), Adrian Gonzalez (.268 vs. LHP) and Tadahito Iguchi (.259 vs. LHP) It should benefit Kevin Kouzmanoff (.343 vs. LHP) and Scott Hairston (.271 vs. LHP).

Washington also has four games against lefties next week, which is good news for Ryan Zimmerman (.330 career vs. LHP) and Austin Kearns (.293 career vs. LHP). Christian Guzman (.210 vs. LHP) could struggle.

The Injury Bug

For the latest on injuries, check out Rotoworld's handy Injury Page.

Howie Kendrick – 2B – Should return early in week.
Chipper Jones – 3B – Day-to-day with back cramps
Tom Glavine – SP – Should start Tuesday
Rafael Soriano – RP – Should resume as closer by mid-week
Mike Cameron – OF – Suspension ends Tuesday
Alfonso Soriano – OF- Should be back May 1
Jimmy Rollins – SS – Could be back at end of draft
Shane Victorino – OF – Should be back on Tuesday
David Ortiz – DH – Day-to-day with bruised knee
Scott Kazmir – SP – Should pitch on May 3 or 4

Waiver Wired

For this week's top waiver adds, read my opinion in this week's Waiver Wired.

AL

1. Carlos Quentin
2. John Danks
3. Matt Stairs
4. Adam Lind
5. Eric Hinske

NL

1. Brian Fuentes
2. Clint Barmes
3. Moises Alou
4. Felipe Lopez
5. Jair Jurrjens

[Hache Man]

May Third Basemen Rankings


It's time for the May player rankings. As always, players are ranked based on how I believe they will perform in 5x5 leagues over the remainder of the season. Included with the position rankings is a new overall top-250 list.


Third basemen

Rank	Player Name	Team
1	Alex Rodriguez	NYY
2	David Wright	NYM
3	Ryan Braun	MLW
4	Miguel Cabrera	DET
5	Chone Figgins	ANA
6	Aramis Ramirez	CHC
7	Garrett Atkins	COL
8	Chipper Jones	ATL
9	Ryan Zimmerman	WAS
10	Alex Gordon	KC
11	Adrian Beltre	SEA
12	Edwin Encarnacion	CIN
13	Hank Blalock	TEX
14	Mike Lowell	BOS
15	Bill Hall	MLW
16	Joe Crede	CWS
17	Kevin Kouzmanoff	SD
18	Troy Glaus	STL
19	Mark Reynolds	ARZ
20	Evan Longoria	TB
21	Scott Rolen	TOR
22	Melvin Mora	BAL
23	Pedro Feliz	PHI
24	Casey Blake	CLE
25	Ty Wigginton	HOU
26	Jose Bautista	PIT
27	Jorge Cantu	FLA
28	Chad Tracy	ARZ
29	Andy LaRoche	LA
30	Josh Fields	CWS
31	Mike Lamb	MIN
32	Eric Chavez	OAK
33	Brandon Inge	DET
34	Nomar Garciaparra	LA
35	Jack Hannahan	OAK
36	Dallas McPherson	FLA
37	Rich Aurilia	SF
38	Wilson Betemit	NYY
39	Scott Moore	BAL
40	Blake DeWitt	LA
41	Greg Dobbs	PHI
42	Morgan Ensberg	NYY
43	Chase Headley	SD
44	Andy Marte	CLE
45	Alberto Callaspo	KC
46	Ian Stewart	COL
47	Alex Cintron	BAL
48	Wes Helms	FLA
49	Willy Aybar	TB
50	Brandon Wood	ANA

Rising: Chipper Jones (9 to 8), Alex Gordon (11 to 10), Joe Crede (31 to 16), Mark Reynolds (30 to 19), Evan Longoria (27 to 20), Jorge Cantu (29 1B to 27), Andy LaRoche (34 to 29), Blake DeWitt (58 to 40), Ian Stewart (53 to 46)

Falling: Troy Glaus (15 to 18), Melvin Mora (19 to 22), Pedro Feliz (18 to 23), Chad Tracy (22 to 28), Josh Fields (17 to 30), Eric Chavez (26 to 32), Nomar Garciaparra (29 to 34), Wilson Betemit (33 to 38), Willy Aybar (40 to 49), Corey Koskie (41 to NR), Scott Spiezio (43 to NR)

- The only change at the top of the third-base rankings has Jones and Ryan Zimmerman switching spots. However, both Aramis Ramirez and Garrett Atkins are moving up about 20 spots apiece in the top 250.

- Garciaparra's latest DL stint gets LaRoche into the top 30. He could be a week away from his chance to become an everyday player for the Dodgers. DeWitt will fill in for now as LaRoche's rehab assignment continues.

- I didn't like lowering Fields to 30 when he could come up and hit 25 homers over the rest of the year if he somehow caught a break. Still, it seems highly unlikely that either he or Crede will be traded in the near future.

[Hache Man]

May Shortstop Rankings

It's time for the May player rankings. As always, players are ranked based on how I believe they will perform in 5x5 leagues over the remainder of the season. Included with the position rankings is a new overall top-250 list.


Shortstops

Rank	Player Name	Team
1	Hanley Ramirez	FLA
2	Jose Reyes	NYM
3	Jimmy Rollins	PHI
4	Derek Jeter	NYY
5	Troy Tulowitzki	COL
6	Michael Young	TEX
7	Miguel Tejada	HOU
8	Carlos Guillen	DET
9	Rafael Furcal	LA
10	Orlando Cabrera	CWS
11	Yunel Escobar	ATL
12	Stephen Drew	ARZ
13	Edgar Renteria	DET
14	Jhonny Peralta	CLE
15	Julio Lugo	BOS
16	Ryan Theriot	CHC
17	Bobby Crosby	OAK
18	Yuniesky Betancourt	SEA
19	Erick Aybar	ANA
20	J.J. Hardy	MLW
21	Khalil ******	SD
22	Felipe Lopez	WAS
23	Jason Bartlett	TB
24	David Eckstein	TOR
25	Cristian Guzman	WAS
26	Jeff Keppinger	CIN
27	Brendan Harris	MIN
28	Jack Wilson	PIT
29	Alex Gonzalez	CIN
30	Clint Barmes	COL
31	Juan Uribe	CWS
32	Brendan Ryan	STL
33	Adam Everett	MIN
34	Tony Pena Jr.	KC
35	Mark Loretta	HOU
36	Omar Vizquel	SF
37	Ronny Cedeno	CHC
38	Nick Punto	MIN
39	Cesar Izturis	STL
40	Jed Lowrie	BOS

Rising: Yunel Escobar (12 to 11), Ryan Theriot (20 to 16), Bobby Crosby (23 to 17), Erick Aybar (25 to 19), Cristian Guzman (29 to 25), Jeff Keppinger (32 to 26), Clint Barmes (48 to 30), Jed Lowrie (56 to 40)

Falling: Jose Reyes (1 to 2), Troy Tulowitzki (4 to 5), Khalil ****** (18 to 21), Jason Bartlett (17 to 23), Jack Wilson (22 to 28), Tony Pena Jr. (28 to 34), Omar Vizquel (31 to 36)

- I had Reyes with an 18-steal edge on Hanley Ramirez in the projections, making up for a projected 20-point disadvantage in average and a deficit of seven homers. However, he's done nothing this year to suggest it will even be that close. If Willie Randolph can't get any more out of him than this, then it's time for the Mets to find a new manager.

- The move to drop Jayson Nix from the roster makes Barmes the Rockies' primary second baseman for now. Jeff Baker could also figure into the mix, and Omar Quintanilla might be called up soon. I don't see anyone from that group really setting himself apart. Baker has the most upside, but it's unrealistic to expect the Rockies live with his glove.

[Hache Man]

May Outfielder Rankings

It's time for the May player rankings. As always, players are ranked based on how I believe they will perform in 5x5 leagues over the remainder of the season. Included with the position rankings is a new overall top-250 list.




Outfielders

Rank	Player Name	Team
1	Matt Holliday	COL
2	Carl Crawford	TB
3	Vladimir Guerrero	ANA
4	Nick Markakis	BAL
5	Carlos Beltran	NYM
6	Ichiro Suzuki	SEA
7	Alex Rios	TOR
8	Grady Sizemore	CLE
9	Manny Ramirez	BOS
10	Alfonso Soriano	CHC
11	Bobby Abreu	NYY
12	Curtis Granderson	DET
13	Carlos Lee	HOU
14	Magglio Ordonez	DET
15	Adam Dunn	CIN
16	Chris Young	ARZ
17	Corey Hart	MLW
18	Eric Byrnes	ARZ
19	Vernon Wells	TOR
20	Hunter Pence	HOU
21	Jeff Francoeur	ATL
22	Torii Hunter	ANA
23	Delmon Young	MIN
24	Johnny Damon	NYY
25	Nick Swisher	CWS
26	Jacoby Ellsbury	BOS
27	Shane Victorino	PHI
28	Matt Kemp	LA
29	Jason Bay	PIT
30	Brad Hawpe	COL
31	Kosuke Fukudome	CHC
32	Hideki Matsui	NYY
33	Josh Hamilton	TEX
34	Pat Burrell	PHI
35	Raul Ibanez	SEA
36	Jeremy Hermida	FLA
37	Jermaine Dye	CWS
38	Michael Bourn	HOU
39	Nate McLouth	PIT
40	Willy Taveras	COL
41	Lastings Milledge	WAS
42	Michael Cuddyer	MIN
43	Justin Upton	ARZ
44	Andruw Jones	LA
45	Rick Ankiel	STL
46	Adam Jones	BAL
47	J.D. Drew	BOS
48	Josh Willingham	FLA
49	Gary Matthews Jr.	ANA
50	Mike Cameron	MLW
51	Ken Griffey Jr.	CIN
52	Carlos Quentin	CWS
53	Austin Kearns	WAS
54	Franklin Gutierrez	CLE
55	Juan Pierre	LA
56	Melky Cabrera	NYY
57	Mark Teahen	KC
58	Andre Ethier	LA
59	Jose Guillen	KC
60	Aaron Rowand	SF
61	Ryan Church	NYM
62	Garret Anderson	ANA
63	Luke Scott	BAL
64	Milton Bradley	TEX
65	Xavier Nady	PIT
66	Jack Cust	OAK
67	Chris Duncan	STL
68	Wily Mo Peña	WAS
69	Geoff Jenkins	PHI
70	Randy Winn	SF
71	Jason Kubel	MIN
72	Brian Giles	SD
73	David DeJesus	KC
74	Carlos Gomez	MIN
75	Fred Lewis	SF
76	Corey Patterson	CIN
77	Jacque Jones	DET
78	Moises Alou	NYM
79	Barry Bonds	SF
80	Jonny Gomes	TB
81	David Murphy	TEX
82	Adam Lind	TOR
83	Jayson Werth	PHI
84	Skip Schumaker	STL
85	Coco Crisp	BOS
86	Matt Stairs	TOR
87	Scott Hairston	SD
88	Reed Johnson	CHC
89	Travis Buck	OAK
90	John Bowker	SF
91	Jay Bruce	CIN
92	David Dellucci	CLE
93	Kenny Lofton	CLE
94	Matt Diaz	ATL
95	Colby Rasmus	STL
96	Ryan Sweeney	OAK
97	Mark Kotsay	ATL
98	Cameron Maybin	FLA
99	Frank Catalanotto	TEX
100	Jim Edmonds	SD
101	Ryan Ludwick	STL
102	Joey Gathright	KC
103	Emil Brown	OAK
104	Alfredo Amezaga	FLA
105	Shannon Stewart	TOR
106	Gregor Blanco	ATL
107	Carlos Gonzalez	OAK
108	Angel Pagan	NYM
109	Jerry Hairston	CIN
110	Felix Pie	CHC
111	Tony Gwynn Jr.	MLW
112	Cliff Floyd	TB
113	Ryan Freel	CIN
114	Marlon Byrd	TEX
115	Elijah Dukes	WAS
116	Chris Denorfia	OAK
117	Craig Monroe	MIN
118	Ryan Spilborghs	COL
119	Alexei Ramirez	CWS
120	Matt Murton	CHC

Rising: Manny Ramirez (12 to 9), Curtis Granderson (18 to 12), Chris Young (21 to 16), Nick Swisher (30 to 25), Jacoby Ellsbury (40 to 26), Kosuke Fukudome (41 to 31), Josh Hamilton (42 to 33), Pat Burrell (50 to 34), Nate McLouth (59 to 39), Justin Upton (67 to 43), Mike Cameron (62 to 50), Carlos Quentin (88 to 52), Andre Ethier (69 to 58), Xavier Nady (75 to 65), Carlos Gomez (89 to 74), Fred Lewis (147 to 75), David Murphy (138 to 81), Adam Lind (141 to 82), Skip Schumaker (114 to 84), Reed Johnson (121 to 88), John Bowker (204 to 90), Ryan Sweeney (129 to 96), Gregor Blanco (178 to 106), Jerry Hairston Jr. (190 to 109)

Falling: Alfonso Soriano (4 to 10), Eric Byrnes (13 to 18), Hunter Pence (15 to 20), Matt Kemp (23 to 28), Willy Taveras (27 to 40), Andruw Jones (29 to 44), Juan Pierre (43 to 55), Jose Guillen (48 to 59), Barry Bonds (57 to 79), Kenny Lofton (74 to 93), Felix Pie (91 to 110), Ryan Freel (90 to 113), Marlon Byrd (92 to 114), Dave Roberts (76 to NR), Jerry Owens (87 to NR)

- Two changes in the top 10. Soriano is expected back before the end of the week, but because of his leg problems, he still falls from four to 10. Also, Ramirez overtakes Bobby Abreu to move up three spots.

- Byrnes slides from 13 to 18. I had him dropping from 50 to 38 steals, but because of his leg issues, 25 might be more realistic now.

- Even though he's been truly awful so far this year, I'm not souring on Delmon Young just yet. The good news is that he is doing more running that he did last year. The power will surely come. He's not going to stop swinging at bad pitches any day soon, but he will start making better contact with some of his hacks.



- With his 25-game suspension over, Cameron climbs 12 spots. He'll be back in center field on Tuesday.

[Hache Man]

May Starting Pitcher Rankings

It's time for the May player rankings. As always, players are ranked based on how I believe they will perform in 5x5 leagues over the remainder of the season. Included with the position rankings is a new overall top-250 list



Starting pitchers

Rank	Player Name	Team
1	Johan Santana	NYM
2	Jake Peavy	SD
3	Brandon Webb	ARZ
4	Josh Beckett	BOS
5	Erik Bedard	SEA
6	Cole Hamels	PHI
7	Carlos Zambrano	CHC
8	Felix Hernandez	SEA
9	C.C. Sabathia	CLE
10	Justin Verlander	DET
11	Dan Haren	ARZ
12	Roy Halladay	TOR
13	Aaron Harang	CIN
14	Chris Young	SD
15	Fausto Carmona	CLE
16	Tim Hudson	ATL
17	Matt Cain	SF
18	Roy Oswalt	HOU
19	Daisuke Matsuzaka	BOS
20	Tim Lincecum	SF
21	John Smoltz	ATL
22	John Lackey	ANA
23	Scott Kazmir	TB
24	Yovani Gallardo	MLW
25	Jered Weaver	ANA
26	Ben Sheets	MLW
27	Brett Myers	PHI
28	Brad Penny	LA
29	A.J. Burnett	TOR
30	Ian Snell	PIT
31	Adam Wainwright	STL
32	Javier Vazquez	CWS
33	Ted Lilly	CHC
34	Chien-Ming Wang	NYY
35	James Shields	TB
36	John Maine	NYM
37	Derek Lowe	LA
38	Chad Billingsley	LA
39	Oliver Perez	NYM
40	Cliff Lee	CLE
41	Randy Johnson	ARZ
42	Johnny Cueto	CIN
43	Dustin McGowan	TOR
44	Zack Greinke	KC
45	Andy Pettitte	NYY
46	Pedro Martinez	NYM
47	Rich Hill	CHC
48	Mark Buehrle	CWS
49	Clay Buchholz	BOS
50	Greg Maddux	SD
51	Joe Blanton	OAK
52	Hiroki Kuroda	LA
53	Shaun Marcum	TOR
54	Micah Owings	ARZ
55	Joe Saunders	ANA
56	Kyle Lohse	STL
57	Edinson Volquez	CIN
58	Ervin Santana	ANA
59	Scott Olsen	FLA
60	Jake Westbrook	CLE
61	Jair Jurrjens	ATL
62	Jeremy Guthrie	BAL
63	Randy Wolf	SD
64	Rich Harden	OAK
65	Daniel Cabrera	BAL
66	Kevin Millwood	TEX
67	Francisco Liriano	MIN
68	Jeff Francis	COL
69	John Danks	CWS
70	Phil Hughes	NYY
71	Jeremy Bonderman	DET
72	Matt Garza	TB
73	Homer Bailey	CIN
74	Jon Garland	ANA
75	Scott Baker	MIN
76	Gil Meche	KC
77	Bronson Arroyo	CIN
78	Tom Gorzelanny	PIT
79	Manny Parra	MLW
80	Tim Wakefield	BOS
81	Brian Bannister	KC
82	Chris Carpenter	STL
83	Carlos Silva	SEA
84	Carlos Villanueva	MLW
85	Max Scherzer	ARZ
86	Tom Glavine	ATL
87	Ubaldo Jimenez	COL
88	Dana Eveland	OAK
89	Jon Lester	BOS
90	Clayton Kershaw	LA
91	Aaron Cook	COL
92	Mark Prior	SD
93	Ian Kennedy	NYY
94	Kevin Slowey	MIN
95	Wandy Rodriguez	HOU
96	Kelvim Escobar	ANA
97	Nick Blackburn	MIN
98	Mike Mussina	NYY
99	Todd Wellemeyer	STL
100	Jarrod Washburn	SEA
101	Curt Schilling	BOS
102	Barry Zito	SF
103	Chuck James	ATL
104	Jason Schmidt	LA
105	Bartolo Colon	BOS
106	Chris Volstad	FLA
107	Dave Bush	MLW
108	Nate Robertson	DET
109	Mike Pelfrey	NYM
110	Dontrelle Willis	DET

Rising: Dan Haren (13 to 11), Tim Hudson (20 to 17), Tim Lincecum (30 to 20), John Lackey (27 to 22), Yovani Gallardo (32 to 24), Brad Penny (37 to 28), Ian Snell (38 to 30), Adam Wainwright (49 to 31), Javier Vazquez (42 to 32), Cliff Lee (136 to 40), Johnny Cueto (61 to 42), Zack Greinke (68 to 44), Micah Owings (103 to 54), Joe Saunders (83 to 55), Kyle Lohse (76 to 56), Edinson Volquez (109 to 57), Ervin Santana (82 to 58), Scott Olsen (86 to 59), John Danks (98 to 69), Homer Bailey (95 to 73), Brian Bannister (107 to 81), Max Scherzer (166 to 85), Clayton Kershaw (143 to 90), Nick Blackburn (141 to 97), Todd Wellemeyer (129 to 99), Chris Volstad (208 to 106)

Falling: Erik Bedard (3 to 5), C.C. Sabathia (7 to 9), Justin Verlander (5 to 10), Chris Young (11 to 14), John Smoltz (16 to 20), Ted Lilly (25 to 34), Chad Billingsley (31 to 38), Pedro Martinez (22 to 46), Rich Hill (34 to 47), Clay Buchholz (39 to 49), Francisco Liriano (28 to 67), Phil Hughes (36 to 70), Jeremy Bonderman (47 to 71), Jon Garland (54 to 74), Bronson Arroyo (45 to 77), Tom Gorzelanny (53 to 78), Ubaldo Jimenez (65 to 87), Ian Kennedy (73 to 93), Barry Zito (66 to 102), Dave Bush (62 to 107), Orlando Hernandez (84 to NR), Kenny Rogers (85 to NR), Andrew Miller (87 to NR)

- I wish I could hold off another week before ranking either Hudson or Smoltz. Hudson had a great spring and started off very strong, only to have velocity issues and then a brief start Saturday that led to rumors his arm is bothering him. If there's nothing to it, there'd be every reason to believe he'll be a top-20 starter the rest of the way. Still, I am nervous about having him there. As for Smoltz, I was planning on keeping him at No. 16, but Sunday's setback dropped him five spots. If he returns to the DL, he'd fall at least 10 more. He's probably pitched through pain as frequently as any starter in the game, but it seemed to be a little too much for him against the Mets.

- Roy Oswalt has been effective enough in his last three starts that he maintains his preseason ranking. I still don't think he's what he was, but a true collapse never appeared likely.

- The drop in Brett Myers' velocity is something to watch going forward. He's not giving up a lot of hits, but those that he is allowing do seem to be traveling a long way.

- Buchholz has strung together a pair of excellent outings, but still drops 10 spots due to the fear that he could be replaced in the rotation by Bartolo Colon. The Red Sox surely know that he's one of their five-best starters, but they could manage his innings count better if he spends a month in Pawtucket.

- It appears that Scherzer will be utilized as a reliever for now after being called up to the majors for the first time on Sunday. Still, NL-only leaguers have to grab him anyway. If he moves into the rotation, mixed leaguers should take a chance on him. He was the best pitcher in Triple-A this month.

[Hache Man]

May Relief Pitcher Rankings

It's time for the May player rankings. As always, players are ranked based on how I believe they will perform in 5x5 leagues over the remainder of the season. Included with the position rankings is a new overall top-250 list.






Relievers

Rank	Player Name	Team
1	J.J. Putz	SEA
2	Jonathan Papelbon	BOS
3	Joe Nathan	MIN
4	Mariano Rivera	NYY
5	Takashi Saito	LA
6	Billy Wagner	NYM
7	Francisco Rodriguez	ANA
8	Bobby Jenks	CWS
9	Huston Street	OAK
10	Joakim Soria	KC
11	Francisco Cordero	CIN
12	Trevor Hoffman	SD
13	Matt Capps	PIT
14	Brad Lidge	PHI
15	Jose Valverde	HOU
16	Jason Isringhausen	STL
17	B.J. Ryan	TOR
18	C.J. Wilson	TEX
19	Todd Jones	DET
20	Joba Chamberlain	NYY
21	Brian Wilson	SF
22	Eric Gagne	MLW
23	Kevin Gregg	FLA
24	Troy Percival	TB
25	Rafael Betancourt	CLE
26	Brandon Lyon	ARZ
27	George Sherrill	BAL
28	Kerry Wood	CHC
29	Rafael Soriano	ATL
30	Manny Corpas	COL
31	Jon Rauch	WAS
32	Carlos Marmol	CHC
33	Brian Fuentes	COL
34	Chad Cordero	WAS
35	Jonathan Broxton	LA
36	Tony Peña	ARZ
37	Pat Neshek	MIN
38	Heath Bell	SD
39	Joe Borowski	CLE
40	Jeremy Accardo	TOR
41	Hideki Okajima	BOS
42	Manny Acosta	ATL
43	Chad Qualls	ARZ
44	Scot Shields	ANA
45	Bob Howry	CHC
46	Juan Cruz	ARZ
47	Doug Brocail	HOU
48	Mike Gonzalez	ATL
49	Guillermo Mota	MLW
50	Duaner Sanchez	NYM
51	Rafael Perez	CLE
52	Matt Lindstrom	FLA
53	Aaron Heilman	NYM
54	Scott Proctor	LA
55	Santiago Casilla	OAK
56	Justin Speier	ANA
57	Chad Bradford	BAL
58	David Riske	MLW
59	Masahide Kobayashi	CLE
60	Andrew Brown	OAK

Rising: Joakim Soria (13 to 10), Brad Lidge (19 to 14), B.J. Ryan (23 to 17), Todd Jones (25 to 19), Rafael Betancourt (35 to 25), Jon Rauch (39 to 31), Brian Fuentes (41 to 33), Manny Acosta (68 to 42), Juan Cruz (64 to 46), Doug Brocail (118 to 47), Mike Gonzalez (70 to 48), Guillermo Mota (121 to 49), Duaner Sanchez (108 to 50)

Falling: Takashi Saito (4 to 5), Francisco Rodriguez (6 to 7), Trevor Hoffman (10 to 12), Rafael Soriano (14 to 29), Manny Corpas (16 to 30), Chad Cordero (18 to 34), Joe Borowski (24 to 39), Jeremy Accardo (33 to 40), Matt Lindstrom (42 to 52), Aaron Heilman (43 to 53), Joaquin Benoit (44 to NR), Al Reyes (46 to NR), Tom Gordon (47 to NR)

- Seeing Ryan end up as a setup man for Jesse Carlson of all pitchers on Sunday was unexpected, but all indications were that he was going to get a chance to go for a two-inning save before the Jays increased their lead from one run to three. Carlson isn't a fantasy sleeper at all.

- George Sherrill has been quite impressive, but I can't see moving him up very far when there's at least a 50/50 chance that he'll be a setup man for a contender come July or August.

[Hache Man]

Shoulder Sends Posada to DL

Jorge Posada's shoulder was healthy enough for him to start three games behind the plate last week after going 10 days without being able to catch, but the injury has apparently worsened and he was placed on the disabled list Monday for the first time in his 14-year career. Posada is scheduled to be examined by Dr. James Andrews, at which point the Yankees should have a clearer picture regarding his return timetable.

Posada called the injury "probably the biggest disappointment of my career" and explained that he planned to "find out what's really bothering me and make a wise decision," which certainly makes it sounds like he expects to miss significant action and may be worried about surgery. It obviously makes little sense to speculate too much until further details are revealed, but in the meantime fantasy non-factors Jose Molina and Chris Stewart will split catching duties.

While the Yankees await word on the player they're perhaps least equipped to capably replace, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Hank Blalock underwent an MRI on his injured hamstring Monday and has been diagnosed with a partial tear that's expected to sideline him for 3-4 weeks. With Blalock out Ramon Vazquez will likely be thrust into regular action at third base for the second straight season, which isn't saying much for the Rangers' infield depth given that he's 31 years old and has hit just .249/.320/.342 in nearly 1,700 career trips to the plate.

Vazquez figures to start against most right-handers, with rookie German Duran likely getting the nod against southpaws. Duran is eight years younger than Vazquez and hit .300/.352/.525 with 22 homers and 11 steals in 130 games at Double-A last season, so the last-place Rangers would be smart to give him an extended look. Duran is far from a great prospect thanks to poor on-base skills, but unlike Vazquez he has a chance to actually be a decent regular at some point.

* Dusty Baker has rightfully taken plenty of heat over the years for his love of mediocre veterans, so the first-year Reds manager deserves credit for going against his reputation by making rookie Joey Votto the starter at first base. Votto began the year in a quasi-platoon with Scott Hatteberg, but has since claimed the full-time job while hitting .311 with an .869 OPS. Meanwhile, Hatteberg has started just one of the past 17 games, hitting .161 in 39 plate appearances overall.

Given how productive he was as the Reds' starting first baseman over the past two seasons Hatteberg has handled his demotion to the bench with class, but said Sunday that he doesn't feel comfortable as a pinch-hitter and would welcome a trade. New general manager Walt Jocketty told reporters that he hasn't talked to any teams about Hatteberg, but with a .294/.388/.445 line since coming to Cincinnati in 2006 there are certainly some teams that could better use him.

* Rafael Soriano suffered another setback over the weekend when he experienced soreness in his tender right elbow while throwing a bullpen session Sunday. He's no longer expected to return from the disabled list when eligible Tuesday and manager Bobby Cox indicated that Soriaino will be asked to complete at least two pain-free bullpen sessions before being cleared to rejoin the Braves' bullpen, which likely gives Manny Acosta at least another week at closer.

* Barry Zito's struggles were discussed in this space Monday morning, and hours later the Giants announced that he'll take his 0-6 record and 7.53 ERA to the bullpen. Getting some low-leverage work will allow Zito to tinker with his mechanics in an effort to find his missing velocity, but the odds are heavily against a dramatic comeback. Zito is all but guaranteed to rejoin the rotation at some point thanks to still being owed over $100 million, but he's posted his last sub-4.00 ERA.

* John Smoltz complained of shoulder soreness following Sunday's loss to the Mets and will be examined by team doctors Tuesday in Atlanta. Smoltz will almost surely miss his next scheduled start and could be headed for a stint on the disabled list (or worse). If he lands on the DL then the Braves will be able to recall Chuck James from Triple-A, but if Smoltz remains on the active roster while missing his next turn Jo-Jo Reyes is the leading candidate to fill his rotation spot. atlantabraves.com

AL Quick Hits: Alex Rodriguez exited Monday's game after aggravating his quadriceps injury and is expected to be sidelined for several days, giving Morgan Ensberg some playing time … Howie Kendrick (hamstring) is eligible to come off the shelf Tuesday, but the Los Angeles Times reports that he "probably won't be activated until later in the week" after experiencing soreness while running Sunday … Javier Vazquez was in line for a victory Monday against the Orioles, allowing one run over eight innings before closer Bobby Jenks served up a game-tying homer in the ninth inning … After going 3-for-13 during a brief minor-league rehab assignment, Mike Lowell (thumb) is expected to return from the disabled list Tuesday … Carlos Quentin went 3-for-4 with a homer before Monday's game was suspended by rain, giving him a sparkling .448 on-base percentage … Mike Mussina was criticized publicly by Hank Steinbrenner following a rough April 17 start, but has turned in back-to-back strong outings after holding the Indians to a pair of runs over five innings Monday … Frank Thomas somehow tripled Monday for the first time since 2002.

NL Quick Hits: Adding to the Joba Chamberlain comparisons, general manager Josh Byrnes said Sunday that Max Scherzer will pitch out of the bullpen initially despite still being viewed as a long-term starter … Edwin Encarnacion went 2-for-4 with two doubles Monday, making him 26-for-70 (.371) with five homers and seven doubles since starting the year in a 2-for-24 slump … Alfonso Soriano (calf) had what's described as a "vigorous" workout Monday and afterward guaranteed that he'll come off the disabled list when eligible Thursday … General manager Pat Gillick said Sunday that he'd like Jimmy Rollins (ankle) go play 3-4 minor-league rehab games before coming off the shelf, which he's eligible to do on May 5 … Mike Jacobs (finger) won't be in the lineup Tuesday, but could be available off the bench as a pinch-hitter … Cesar Izturis returned to the lineup Monday after missing six straight starts with a bruised elbow that came courtesy of an Eric Gagne fastball … Brett Myers blamed decreased velocity for his early struggles—which include allowing 10 homers in six starts—saying Sunday: "I'm lost throwing 88 miles per hour." newyorkmets.com

[Ego74]

Glavine activated; Smoltz to the DL

Tom Glavine-S- Braves Apr. 29 - 4:34 pm et
		Braves activated LHP Tom Glavine from the disabled list. He takes John Smoltz's spot on the roster and will start Tuesday night against the Nationals. The stint on the DL was the first of Glavine's career.

		John Smoltz-S- Braves Apr. 29 - 4:32 pm et
		Braves placed RHP John Smoltz on the disabled list with a severely inflamed biceps tendon and inflamed rotator cuff. Smoltz received the scary sounding diagnoses Tuesday after being examined by Dr. James Andrews, but the Braves are hopeful that he can avoid surgery and return after a few weeks of rest. Smoltz has had shoulder and neck problems since spring training and complained of soreness following his start Sunday against the Mets.

[Hache Man]

Yankees Hurting

Jorge Posada was placed on the disabled list Monday and Alex Rodriguez is reportedly expected to join him there after aggravating his quadriceps injury. If Rodriguez is indeed lost for at least two weeks, the Yankees will likely go with Morgan Ensberg as his primary replacement while also giving shortstop prospect Alberto Gonzalez some action at the hot corner. Ensberg has struggled dating back to last season, but has 20-homer pop and is worth grabbing in AL-only leagues.

Meanwhile, news on Posada's shoulder injury is positive, or at least better than initially expected. Posada seemed resigned to a lengthy stay on the DL and possibly even expected to go under the knife when speaking about his status Monday, but an examination Tuesday reportedly revealed no major damage. For now at least the injury is not expected to be of the season-ending variety, although the Yankees have sent MRIs to several other doctors for further opinions.

There's no timetable yet for Posada's return and the injury may ultimately prove to be serious, but if nothing else there's a lot more reason for optimism now than there was 48 hours ago. Backup Jose Molina will likely see most of the action behind the plate with Posada sidelined, although the Yankees may look to add catching depth via trade or possibly even free agency if someone like Damian Miller feels like dusting off his cleats.

While the Yankees lose their two best players from last season within the span of 48 hours, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Max Scherzer made his major-league debut Tuesday night, living up the hype and then some by absolutely overpowering the Astros. Scherzer came on in relief after starter Edgar Gonzalez was knocked around for six runs early and proceeded to retire all 13 batters he faced, including seven on strikeouts. His fastball was consistently clocked at 94-96 miles per hour and he pumped it up to 97-98 MPH on several throws.

Spotty control was the one weakness that Scherzer showed while dominating in the minors last year, but he threw 35 of 47 pitches for strikes Tuesday and walked just three batters in 23 innings at Triple-A prior to being called up. If he can consistently throw strikes Scherzer has the raw stuff to be one of the elite pitchers in baseball, although it remains to be seen whether he'll be working from the rotation or bullpen long term. Whatever the case, he's a must-grab in almost all leagues.

* Johnny Cueto had a Scherzer-like debut on April 3—coincidentally against the Diamondbacks—tossing eight one-hit innings while racking up 10 strikeouts. He followed that up with a strong second start, but then struggled a bit over his next three outings before turning in the first official clunker of his career Tuesday night. Cueto was chased out of the game in the second inning, as the Cardinals got to him for seven runs to push his ERA from 4.05 to 5.40.

As a fly-ball pitcher calling an extreme hitter's ballpark home Cueto is susceptible to some rough outings, but interestingly Tuesday's start was his first without serving up a homer. A 22-year-old rookie going through some growing pains once the league gets familiar with him is certainly nothing new and Cueto has pitched better than his now-ugly ERA indicates, posting a 33-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.09 WHIP over 35 innings. Be patient and, if you can, buy low.

* Atlanta's rotation received both good news and bad news Tuesday, welcoming one future Hall of Famer back from the disabled list and putting another one on the shelf. Tom Glavine returned from his first career stint on the DL to toss six innings of two-run ball against the Nationals, but the Braves sent John Smoltz to the DL what they're calling a severely inflamed biceps tendon and inflamed rotator cuff. atlantabraves.com

That diagnoses came following an examination by Dr. James Andrews and certainly sounds bad, but for now at least the Braves are hopeful that Smoltz can avoid surgery while coming back after a few weeks of rest. "We're going to let him rest for a little bit and see what happens," manager Bobby Cox said. Interestingly, general manager Frank Wren was asked about potentially moving Smoltz back to closer once he returns and replied that it was "too premature" to think about that.

* Pitching for just the second time in eight days, Chad Cordero was asked to close out a four-run lead Tuesday and couldn't get the job done. He allowed two singles while recording one out, and was pulled in favor of Jon Rauch. Rauch wriggled out of the jam to notch his fifth save, but the Nationals announced afterward that Cordero will be placed back on the disabled list with more shoulder problems. He's clearly a long way from closing again and Rauch's value is secure.

AL Quick Hits: Scott Kazmir (elbow) threw five innings of one-run ball in his final minor-league rehab start Monday at Triple-A and is slated to rejoin the Rays' rotation Sunday against the Red Sox … Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien were absent from the lineup Tuesday night at Triple-A, leading to speculation that they're headed to Seattle … Rich Harden (back) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Monday and is scheduled to make the first of two rehab starts Thursday at Triple-A … Roy Halladay took his third straight complete-game loss Tuesday, falling 1-0 to the Red Sox when he allowed a walk-off single on his 112th pitch … Joe Borowski (triceps) played catch from 75 feet Monday, but is still expected to miss at least two more weeks … Travis Buck (shin splints) ran and shagged fly balls Monday, and could begin a rehab assignment this week … Kelvim Escobar (shoulder) threw from 60 feet Monday, but manager Mike Scioscia called it "baby steps" and added that "there's a long way to go" … David Price (elbow) threw batting practice Tuesday and is expected to start the first of 3-4 extended spring training games Friday.

NL Quick Hits: Alfonso Soriano (calf) is set to return from the disabled list when eligible Thursday and manager Lou Piniella said Tuesday that he'll resume leading off … With an MRI showing no major damage to the injured ankle that delayed his rehab from hernia surgery, Moises Alou is now expected to make his season debut Friday … Former general manager Wayne Krivsky said Tuesday that the Reds haven't had contract talks with impending free agent Adam Dunn … Jose Reyes entered Tuesday with a putrid .272 on-base percentage, but reached safely in all six plate appearances against the Pirates … Shane Victorino (calf) came off the shelf Tuesday, but may have to battle Jayson Werth and Geoff Jenkins for playing time … After posting a 6.39 ERA and walking 17 batters over 25.1 innings, Franklin Morales is now headed to Triple-A … Ryan Freel has started just eight games all year and said Monday that he's unhappy about his lack of playing time … Jonathan Broxton is reportedly scheduled to undergo an MRI after recently complaining of shoulder soreness

[Hache Man]

Big Hurt's Big Replacement

One can never say that J.P. Riccardi and the Blue Jays are a boring organization. Whether it be manager John Gibbons and pitcher Ted Lilly getting physical, the entire management team lying about B.J. Ryan's injury, or this latest fiasco, the club seems good for at least one unique story per year. The decision to release Frank Thomas was certainly a controversial one, but don't for a minute believe the drivel about it being a performance-based baseball decision. There's absolutely no way any organization would decide a future Hall of Famer who posted an 857 OPS last season was done as a starter after less than three weeks of play. Adam Lind is a nice alternative and I think he'll bounce back from a down 2007 campaign, but there was plenty of room for Lind on the team even with Big Hurt around.

The move was designed simply to avoid paying Frank Thomas a $10 million vesting option for next season. Riccardi had to dress up the decision in part to look good in the media, but also to avoid a complaint from the MLBPA. It's illegal for any team to release a player strictly in order to avoid them reaching an incentive, but by making the transaction now and trying to spin it with reports that Thomas is washed up adds enough cloudiness to likely avoid a penalty. It's a well orchestrated move to avoid penalty, but it's still very farm from a performance-based decision.

I've seen owners following Riccardi's lead in fantasy leagues, either dropping Thomas or shopping him for cents on the dollar. Afterall, if his own general manager doesn't think he can produce, why should we? However, the nuances behind the scenes shed a much different light, and the Blue Jays' history of lying has to be taken into account. In addition to the great opportunity for a quality prospect in Adam Lind, owners can also look for profit by buying low on Thomas. In that sense, I guess Riccardi is okay.

Speaking of Lind, I won the outfielder for $21 of my $100 FAAB in a very deep AL-only league that already has many top prospects claimed. He also went for $19 in another deep AL-only league, so that's right about his value. I recommend bidding right up to that level, as Lind's .365 batting average and three homers in 63 Triple-A at-bats are the start of him rebounding from a disappointing all-around 2007 campaign. If he can keep the strikeouts in line, he has the ability to hit .300 and smack 20+ homers per season right away. Since he's up so early in the season and has little competition for a full-time gig, he's worth a big investment.

Major League Callups

Aaron Laffey – LHP Indians – One of my favorite underrated prospects, Laffey made a solid impression in the majors by posting a 4.56 ERA in 49 1/3 innings last season. He also gave up just two homers, got more than three times as many outs on the ground compared to the air, and posted a 25/12 K/BB ratio. All of those ratios, except the strikeout rate, are in line with his minor league performance from last season. The left-hander posted a 2.88 ERA, 99/30 K/BB, 2.81 GB/FB, and allowed just seven homers in 131 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2007, so most of Laffey's positives were translating to the majors.

Laffey hadn't received much press prior to then because of his low strikeout rate. However, by getting his strikeout rate up over 6 per nine innings last season he allowed for a more optimistic approach. And since he was still just 22 years old, there's plenty of reason to take the optimistic approach. With his high-80s sinker and an improved slider, he has enough of a repertoire to succeed while inducing grounders and limiting home runs. That should make him nothing worse than an innings eater, and if his changeup continues to develop he could top out as a No. 3 starter.

Laffey had a 2.77 ERA in five starts for Triple-A before being promoted, then allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Yankees in his season debut in the majors. He'll continue to fill in for Jake Westbrook and should get at least three more starts. He's not for the risk averse, but I like his chances of providing solid innings. If you're rotation is hurting, I like taking a chance on Laffey in AL-only leagues.

Recommendation: Claim in AL-only formats.

Brent Lillibridge – SS Braves – A fourth round pick out of Washington in the 2005 draft, Lillibridge started to gain a following in prospect circles after a breakout 2006 campaign. He hit .299/.414/.522 in 274 at-bats for Single-A Hickory, then batted .308/.422/.418 in 201at-bats in High-A. Lillibridge also played good defense, stole 52 bases, and displayed excellent plate discipline with a 104/87 K/BB mark. He was too old for Single-A at age 22, but High-A was more age appropriate and he was still rather intriguing there.

However, Lillibridge's stock fell after he combined for a .282/.341/.417 line between Double-A and Triple-A last season. The power that he showed in Single-A was all but gone, and more advanced pitchers realized there was little harm in throwing strikes to the 5'11", 190-pound shortstop. That meant he walked just 40 times in 2007, down a whopping 47 from the previous season.

Called up with the Braves banged up in the infield, Lillibridge will receive some playing time in the short-term. However, it likely won't be enough to amass value in NL-only leagues and he'll be back in the minors fairly soon. Long-term, Lillibridge could be a quality prospect if he shows his power or walk rate in 2007 were a fluke. He wasn't off to a good start with a 540 OPS in Triple-A, and he could end up a quality utility player if his bat doesn't rebound. His 40-steal potential will make him someone to watch closely in fantasy leagues, so he's worth taking a flier on.

Recommendation: Stash away in NL-only keeper leagues; monitor elsewhere.



Pat Misch – LHP Giants – A wild and ineffective starter in college, Misch immediately began showing improved control and fine results after signing in 2003. He looked primed for a late season promotion with the Giants in 2005 after posting a career 2.91 ERA and 227/62 K/BB in 306 innings up to that point, most of which were at Double-A. However, Misch was awful once reaching Triple-A in 2005, posting an ERA over 6.00 and seeing all of his ratios deteriorate. Misch rebounded while back in Double-A during the 2006 campaign and looked solid in Triple-A, but he finally earned the Giants' trust after posting a 2.29 ERA and 74/19 K/BB ratio in 67 innings, mostly as a reliever, for Fresno last season. He bounced between the rotation and the bullpen once joining the Giants later that year, posting a 4.24 ERA in 40 innings.

Misch is your typical finesse left-hander, throwing in the high-80s with an assortment of solid breaking pitches. He has good command, and though he doesn't induce a lot of ground balls, he does a surprisingly good job of limiting home runs. Misch is smart enough to beat undisciplined hitters in the majors, but he'll run into enough quality lineups to prevent him from posting quality ratios. He could be an innings eater in time, but there's little upside to his game and plenty of downside. While I think he's got a better chance to be a No. 4 than most, he's not worth the risk in NL-only leagues until he shows a little more. However, with Barry Zito in the bullpen and Kevin Correia hurt, Misch will get that chance.

Recommendation: Monitor in one-year NL-only leagues.

Garrett Olson – LHP Orioles – A highly thought of prospect entering the 2007 season, Olson looked strong for Triple-A Norfolk with a 3.16 ERA and 120/39 K/BB ratio in 128 innings of work. The Orioles decided to give him a shot late in the year, but Olson didn't trust his stuff and nibbled on the corners too often. The result was 28 walks and a 7.79 ERA in 32 1/3 innings of work. Since his fastball sits around 90 MPH and none of his secondary offerings profile as particularly strong offerings, he's going to have to live on the margins where the difference between success and failure is quite small. So while his debut wasn't strong, it's not something to be overly concerned with in the long-term.

A supplemental first round pick in 2005, Olson has long showed good command and the ability to attack hitters despite less than stellar stuff. Given more time to adjust in the majors, I think he'll have a long career as a No. 4 starter. Olson was off to a nice start with a 1.85 ERA and 25/11 K/BB ratio in 24 1/3 innings in Triple-A, and he gave up just two runs despite walking five in 6 2/3 innings against the Rays in his season debut. The solid performance will keep him in the rotation for now. I wouldn't trust him in an AL-only league, but I could be convinced otherwise if he gets off to a nice start.

Recommendation: Monitor in AL-only formats.

Max Scherzer – RHP Diamondbacks – There's hot starts, and then there's Max Scherzer hot starts. Scherzer made all of four Triple-A starts before being promoted to the majors, and it's easy to see why when you look at a 1.17 ERA and 38/3 K/BB ratio in 23 innings of work. His dominance continued in a long relief appearance in his major league debut on Tuesday, as Scherzer retired all 13 batters he faced while striking out seven of them. Of all National League players who started the season in the minors, Scherzer is the early front-runner to provide the biggest fantasy impact in 2008.

While Scherzer's fast start is rather encouraging, it's important to understand the track record he brings to the table. Drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft, Scherzer induced mixed opinions. Everyone liked his arm, but some clubs had concerns about his command and thought he might profile best in a relief role. Scherzer held out until right before the signing deadline the next spring, then dominated High-A hitters for three starts after signing. A move up to Double-A Mobile went reasonably well, but Scherzer's 40 walks in 73 2/3 innings renewed concerns about his command. Scherzer then pitched in the Arizona Fall League as a reliever, striking out 18 in 12 2/3 innings while hitting 98 MPH on the radar gun.

Despite a season of signs pointing to Scherzer as a reliever, the Diamondbacks wanted to give him another season to prove himself as a starter. The results have obviously been exceptional, but the way that Scherzer has gotten there adds even more hope. The right-hander still sits in the mid-90s with his fastball while starting, but his electric slider looks as good as it ever has and his changeup has improved as well. Throw in his more consistent control, and Scherzer looks like one of the very best pitching prospects out there.

The Diamondbacks realized it was folly to keep such a talented pitcher in the minors, regardless of role, and he's up in the bullpen for now. However, Arizona could quickly move him into the rotation by displacing Edgar Gonzalez. It could happen as soon as Gonzalez's next start. The impending return of Doug Davis would then complicate things, but the club shouldn't hesitate in sticking with Scherzer if he's going well. The possibility of a Randy Johnson further increases the chances that Scherzer can remain in the rotation. Since Scherzer has the stuff to dominate right away, he needs to be pursued aggressively in all formats. Perhaps his command won't hold up so well, but he can still be well above average even if his walk rate is mediocre and that makes him a particularly strong bet in keeper leagues.

Recommendation: Pursue aggressively in all NL-only leagues and keeper mixed leagues; stash away in one-year mixed leagues.

Brandon Wood – INF Angels – We fantasy players are generally an impatient bunch, reacting to perceived trends and news like traders on Wall Street. I usually argue that we're not patient enough with minor leaguers and youngsters in the majors, but Wood is one of the cases where I'd take the opposite approach. However, that hasn't been the case with Wood, as most fantasy players still value him quite highly. I suspect that's mostly to do with owners remembering his incredible 43 homers and 51 doubles for High-A Rancho Cucamonga back in 2005, but we've learned plenty about Wood as a player since then.

The knock on Wood (no pun intended...really) was that his 128 strikeouts in 130 games indicated he wouldn't be able to keep up with advanced pitching, and even if his power remained mostly constant his batting average would tumble down from its .321 mark. And indeed that's been the case. Wood has struck out 269 times in 890 at-bats between 2006 and 2007, and his batting average has predictably dropped to .274 during that span. His isolated power has also dropped from .351 to .252. Simply put, better pitchers began to eat Wood's poor tendencies alive, and he showed little ability to adjust over time. The ability to adjust at the plate is one of the most essential components of being a big league hitter, and Wood's lack of progress there is a major indictment.

It's been more of the same in 2008 for Wood, who was hitting .273 with six doubles and eight homers to go with 29 strikeouts in 88 at-bats. His power is looking as good as ever, but Wood's always been streaky and until he cuts down on his strikeouts I won't buy into his ability to maintain an elite power performance. Back at shortstop after spending most of 2007 at third base, Wood can still be an average regular if he hits .250 with 25 homers and solid defense. I think his defense is good enough to stick at short, but third base may yet be his destination.

Wood just turned 23 years old and is repeating Triple-A, so there's reason for optimism there. However, we'll need to see progress in selectivity from Wood before we can get too excited. I'm becoming increasingly convinced that won't happen and I've always been lower on Wood than most, so I'm not giving a mandate to grab him now. Since he won't get much playing time even with Howie Kendrick out, he's not a short-term option.

Recommendation: Stash away in keeper leagues.

[Hache Man]

Bad April, Worse May?

With veterans Brad Wilkerson and Jose Vidro off to horrible starts, the Mariners turned to a pair of their best prospects Wednesday, calling up Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien from Triple-A. Wilkerson was designated for assignment to make room for Balentien, who will likely take over as the semi-everyday right fielder and jumped right into the lineup Wednesday by going 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs against Cliff Lee and the Indians.

Vidro remains on the roster and started at designated hitter against the left-handed Lee, but will almost surely lose significant playing time to Clement against right-handers. Clement is among the game's elite catching prospects, but the Mariners are reportedly less than thrilled with his defense behind the plate and Kenji Johjima signing a three-year contract extension earlier this week essentially guarantees that he'll be primarily a DH.

While Balentien figures to garner more playing time initially, Clement is actually the much better fantasy bet. Selected third overall in the 2005 draft, he's batted .281/.374/.469 in 215 games at Triple-A, including a ridiculous .397/.535/.692 with five homers and 20 RBIs prior to being called up. Clement saw an inning behind the plate Wednesday and if he gets enough action there to become eligible at catcher he has top-10 potential at the position.

Balentien is a less refined hitter than Clement, but has huge power potential after blasting 30 homers in 141 career games at Triple-A. He's improved his plate discipline while cutting back on his strikeouts in recent years to become a far better prospect, but still seems likely to post a sub par batting average. Balentien is worth a pickup in AL-only leagues, while Clement is a must-grab in AL-only leagues and worth considering in mixed leagues for his possible catching value.

While the Mariners try to infuse some much-needed youth into their veteran-laden lineup, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* April went horribly for Phil Hughes, as he turned in a rough outing Tuesday against the Tigers to finish the month 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA and then revealed afterward that he's been experiencing blurred vision during night games because of glaring lights. May then got off to an equally bad start for Hughes on Wednesday when the Yankees placed him on the disabled list with a strained oblique that could easily sideline him for the entire month.

Blurred vision doesn't do a whole lot to explain Hughes' putrid April and the oblique strain can't be held responsible for the bulk of his bad starts given that he first felt soreness last week. With that said, something has clearly not been right with Hughes thus far and perhaps a month off might be good for him. His fastball has been clocked around 90-92 miles per hour, which is a far cry from his reported velocity in the minors, and he's dealt with an awful lot of health issues already.

* One day after being placed on the disabled list with an inflamed biceps tendon and rotator cuff, John Smoltz said Wednesday that he plans to return as a reliever. Smoltz is expected to take at least a week off from throwing and then head out on a minor-league rehab assignment, with the hope being that he can return within the month. Given that Smoltz will almost surely close again if he's indeed back in the bullpen, Rafael Soriano's future value is suddenly in serious question. atlantabraves.com

* Max Scherzer impressed the hell out of me during his big-league debut Tuesday and apparently the Diamondbacks were equally awed by his 4.1 no-hit innings of relief, because they announced Wednesday that he'll replace Edgar Gonzalez in the rotation. Scherzer will start Monday against the Phillies, which is a pretty tough first assignment, but he's absolutely worth sticking in NL-only lineups and is certainly capable of emerging with mixed-league value soon enough. newyorkmets.com

AL Quick Hits: Daisuke Matsuzaka missed out on his fifth win Wednesday when the bullpen blew a 1-0 lead, but he tossed seven shutout innings to drop his ERA to 2.52 … As expected, Alex Rodriguez (quadriceps) was placed on the disabled list Wednesday and Alberto Gonzalez started in his place … Francisco Liriano struggled Wednesday at Triple-A, allowing four runs on five hits and five walks over 4.1 innings … Josh Hamilton smacked his first grand slam Wednesday, giving him a .303-25-79 line through 118 career games … Fighting for his spot in the rotation with Scott Kazmir (elbow) due back this weekend, Andy Sonnanstine tossed eight innings of one-run ball Wednesday versus the Orioles … Placido Polanco entered Wednesday's game with zero homers since September 17, but went deep twice against the Yankees … Carlos Gomez went 3-for-4 with his AL-leading 11th steal Wednesday, making him 7-for-15 with a homer, a double, and two steals since a one-game benching last week … David Eckstein went 0-for-4 Wednesday and has failed to score or drive in a run for eight straight games.

NL Quick Hits: As expected, Chad Cordero (shoulder) was placed on the disabled list Wednesday and is slated to miss 4-6 weeks, leaving Jon Rauch with ninth-inning duties through at least the All-Star break … Tom Gorzelanny tossed five shutout innings Wednesday against the Mets, but walked five batters and exited early with back spasms … Micah Owings blasted a two-run homer as a pinch-hitter Wednesday and is now hitting .354 with five homers and 18 RBIs in 83 career plate appearances … Matt Kemp had a monster game Wednesday, going 3-for-5 with two runs, three RBIs, and two steals … Ryan Freel got a rare start Wednesday after complaining about his playing time and went 3-for-5 to make him 15-for-36 (.417) in nine starts … Kelly Johnson was scratched from the lineup Wednesday with back soreness, giving Ruben Gotay his long-awaited first start … Asked Wednesday about Dmitri Young's (back) return timetable, general manager Jim Bowden said: "He's not making progress, it's unfortunate" … Matt Morris has decided to retire after being released by the Pirates.

[Hache Man]

Position switches do matter
For many years, the designation "utility player" was a derogatory one in Major League Baseball. It meant a player wasn't good enough to handle any one position. But fantasy owners have long recognized versatility is an extremely desirable quality.

Already this season, Brandon Inge of the Detroit Tigers has gone from a bench player to a semi-regular infielder/outfielder. More recently, he has seen time at a third position — playing four games at catcher — which could help make him one of the season's biggest bargains.

Eligibility rules vary from league to league, but the most common is that a player must have played 20 games at a position the previous season or 10 games during the current season to qualify.

In shallow leagues, defensive positions aren't that big of a deal. There are plenty of good players to go around, so all that matters is the stats they generate. But in deeper leagues where rosters must be carefully manipulated, eligibility changes can carry major repercussions.

That's why last week's announcement that the Tigers were shuffling the deck in the infield was so interesting. Even during spring training, offseason acquisition Miguel Cabrera had been getting regular time at first base. But when manager Jim Leyland announced the move was going to be permanent and former first baseman/shortstop Carlos Guillen would be moving to third base, it was big news.

Guillen, who played 132 games at shortstop in 2007, was already one of the American League's best at that position. Moving to first base this season was expected to lessen his chances for injury and allow him to concentrate more on his hitting. It was apparently working — with Guillen off to one of the best starts of his career. Even though most fantasy teams will continue to slot Guillen at short, being able to use him at either corner spot will be a bonus.

The only complaint fantasy owners could have about the Tigers' moves is that they were made too soon. At week's end, Cabrera had played 14 games at third base and Guillen 18 games at first base — just short of the magical 20-game threshold to guarantee eligibility at those positions next season.

Sometimes it's out of necessity, sometimes it's out of desperation, but occasionally players are forced out of their comfort zone into new (or old) positions. In fact, the past couple of weeks have been full of interesting moves.

* Because of an injury and extra innings, the St. Louis Cardinals were forced to play catcher Jason LaRue at first base and move Albert Pujols to second base for the first time in his career.

* An injury to Nomar Garciaparra forced the Los Angeles Dodgers to shift catcher Russell Martin to third (his original position in the minors) to finish an extra-inning game.

* The acquisition of designated hitter Frank Thomas spurred the Oakland Athletics to give DH Mike Sweeney his first start of the season at first base.

Of course, these were all emergency-type moves and aren't likely to send major shock waves through the fantasy community. However, some leagues do require only one appearance at a position to qualify.

A dynasty league I'm in requires teams to start a player at each individual position — with left field, center and right all counting separately. The league also determines position eligibility solely from the previous two weeks' worth of games.

That means Guillen is no longer available as a shortstop and Cabrera will have to play third base again to continue to be used there. On the other hand, Pujols could get a two-week stint as a second baseman. However, with 16 active hitters and a 40-man roster, the loophole doesn't usually come into play because most teams have backups at every position.

Another of my leagues has what seems like an annual debate over its position rules. Traditionally, designated hitter types have been eligible at the position they would play if they were forced to take the field. For instance, David Ortiz, Travis Hafner and Frank Thomas are classified as first basemen, Gary Sheffield and Juan Rivera are outfielders and Seattle Mariners prospect Jeff Clement is a catcher — even though none of them appeared in the 20 games at those positions last season that other players are required to have.

The league so far has resisted change on the grounds that it could penalize owners who built their teams with the old rule in mind. True, the AL does have a significant number of DH-only types this season. But Billy Butler has already played five games at first base, and there's always interleague play around the corner to get those DHs time in the field. Where's the harm in adding a little more strategy to the game and forcing owners to make tough decisions?

As Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen, Brandon Inge and others have demonstrated already this season, changing positions isn't that difficult — especially when it makes a team (or a fantasy league) better.

[Hache Man]

Value in 'Plan B' relievers
By Brandon Kruse and Ron Shandler, BaseballHQ.com

The pursuit of saves can be frustrating. Bullpens are volatile, and roles can change quickly.

In an analysis of expert fantasy leagues over the past five years, more than 40% of pitchers drafted for saves were not saving games by the end of the season. That's why the draft values of "Plan B" relievers have skyrocketed in recent years.

Plan B relievers are those in line for saves when the front-liners fail. Identifying these pitchers earlier than your competition can give you a huge advantage.

Future closing potential comes down to two elements: talent and opportunity. And because Plan B relievers, by their very definition, do not yet have the opportunity to close, we must focus on talent.

Using only ERA to identify talent can be misleading, as relievers' ERAs can be skewed by one or two bad outings, especially this early in the season. Analyzing the underlying skills that tend to drive ERAs can give you a better assessment of a pitcher's potential. Three key pitching skills we use to do that are walks per nine innings (BB/9), strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB).

Let's take a look at some closers who are struggling and identify some Plan B options:

* Baltimore: George Sherrill is new to the job, and he hadn't exactly been dominant: 5.06 ERA, 5.1 BB/9, 1.5 K/BB.

Historically, his skills have been better than this, but at the same time, his K/BB ratio was no better than it was in 2006, his worst season for that category. And there's a bias against lefty closers (managers tend to reserve their few lefties in the pen for situational work), so he might not be given a long leash.

Jamie Walker has filled the closer's role before, but he's a lefty too, and his skills have been good but not great (5.63 ERA, 4.5 K/9, 2.0 K/BB) this season.

Matt Albers had put up some intriguing early numbers (1.65 ERA, 3.3 K/BB), but he was working in long relief and could be a long way from consideration. The real Plan B option in this pen could be a guy who hadn't logged an inning yet: Jim Hoey, who was on the disabled list with a sore shoulder, but had a 13.7 K/9 and 4.1 K/BB in Class AAA last season. Keep him on your radar.

* Houston: While a 7.50 ERA and three blown saves is not what you want from your closer, Jose Valverde had not been that bad. His skills (4.5 BB/9, 11.3 K/9, 2.5 K/BB) weren't that far from his historical levels, but his ERA had been hurt by a touch of "gopheritis." That said, he's lost his job before.

The Astros might turn to 40-year-old Doug Brocail, who already had one save this year. He had been pitching superbly (8.3 K/9, 6.0 K/BB), beyond anything he's done in the past five years. He's a tough call. If he maintains this, he's worth owning. More likely, he'll come down to earth and stick you with a mid-four ERA at best.

Similarly, Geoff Geary had been very good (9.0 K/9, 3.3 K/BB), but was striking out batters at a rate well above what he's done in the past. We need more data before we can buy in.

* Milwaukee: Eric Gagne had a 6.17 ERA and four blown saves. He was allowing too many walks and home runs, but his strikeout rate (11.6 K/9) was back to his old elite level, and his 3.0 K/BB ratio was strong. However, with these early struggles coming after his rough stint in Boston last year, it certainly feels like the sharks are circling.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Brewers' bullpen is stocked with pitchers who have closing experience but poor skills: Seth McClung (1.6 K/BB), Guillermo Mota (7.5 BB/9, 1.4 K/BB), David Riske (6.2 BB/9, 0.9 K/BB) and Derrick Turnbow (14.3 BB/9, 0.4 K/BB). The cream of this ugly crop might be Salomon Torres, who had a 2.6 K/BB ratio last year, and was at 1.9 K/BB this season. Chasing saves in this bullpen will probably give you ulcers.

* Oakland: Huston Street has overcome a rough start, in which he gave up five runs in his first three appearances, but overall, his skills (8.0 K/9, 2.8 K/BB) aren't quite at the dominant level we're used to seeing. And with the A's in rebuilding mode (though you wouldn't know it from their early record), there's always the possibility that he could be traded this season.

Alan Embree (9.8 K/9, 6.0 K/BB) and Keith Foulke (7.7 K/9, 6.0 K/BB) have experience and good skills, making either a solid Plan B choice. But the real future of this 'pen might be Santiago Casilla, who was off to a spectacular start: 0.00 ERA, 1.4 BB/9, 12.2 K/9, 9.0 K/BB. Even without saves, those are numbers that could help any fantasy pitching staff. Focus on the talent, hope for the opportunity.

* San Diego: Trevor Hoffman was off to the worst start of his career, with a 7.27 ERA and two early blown saves. His 2.0 K/BB ratio was only at the minimum level of acceptability, and while his 8.3 K/9 was strong, historically his strikeout rate has been in decline for five years. His legendary status will make it tough for him to lose his job, but it's not impossible.

Heath Bell and Cla Meredith have both owned closer-worthy skills in recent years, though their current numbers (5.7 K/9 and 2.5 K/BB for Bell; 3.8 K/9 and 2.5 K/BB for Meredith) were worse than last year's. It could be a small-sample-size issue, but it's worth monitoring. Ignore the low early ERAs of Kevin Cameron (7.0 BB/9, 0.7 K/BB) and Wil Ledezma (4.6 BB/9, 1.6 K/BB); their skills are not worth owning.

* St. Louis: Jason Isringhausen had a 6.55 ERA and has struggled with walks and mediocre K/BB ratios for the past three seasons. Neither of those had been a problem (2.5 BB/9, 3.0 K/BB), but if the struggles were to resurface, they could make it hard for him to dig out of this early hole.

Veteran Russ Springer might be first in line; he's coming off a 2.18 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.5 K/BB last year — but he's also battling nerve problems in his elbow.

Rookie Kyle McClellan has come out of nowhere with a 1.84 ERA, backed up by a 7.4 K/9 rate and 6.0 K/BB ratio. And while Anthony Reyes had a 5.06 ERA, his early skills (0.8 BB/9, 6.7 K/9) look good.

[Hache Man]

Sweet, it's Salty
To succeed in baseball, one often has to make bold moves. The Giants were looking to bolster their pitching staff, so they gave Barry Zito a $126 million contract. Problem solved. The Florida Marlins had poor attendance, so they hired a squad of fat guys to dance at their games. They're only averaging 1300 fewer attendees than the 29th-place Pirates. What did Roger Clemens do when he fell for a 15-year-old country music starlet? He allegedly went out and got himself some human growth hormone in what I imagine was an ill-advised attempt to make her age quicker.

Fantasy baseball players need to bring the same tenacity to the table. Here are some options to help out your team:

American League

Jeff Clement - C/DH – SEA – Clement hit .375 in 16 major league at-bats to end last season, and he smacked two home runs in that same period. Starting this season in Triple-A, Clement was absolutely on fire, hitting .397 with five home runs and 20 RBI. Don't expect numbers that strong, but a .280 average with 15 home runs isn't out of the question as Clement should start against most righties. He likely only qualifies as a DH in most leagues right now, but he saw one inning behind the plate on Wednesday night. Once he gains eligibility at catcher, he should be worth using in mixed leagues. His immediate playing time makes him more attractive short-term than Saltalamacchia.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in mixed leagues.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia - C – TEX – With Adam Melhuse breaking his hand and getting released, Jarrod Saltalamacchia figures to be back in the major leagues for good. While he's not the Rangers' primary catcher, he figures to see a few starts a week through a combination of work as Gerald Laird's backup, the designated hitter and at first base. Texas is already nine games under .500, and Saltalamacchia's role could increase if the team continues to stink. He should be owned in all leagues that start two catchers, and his upside makes him a solid investment in mixed leagues.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in mixed leagues.

Nick Adenhart - SP – LAA – The Angels plan on calling up Nick Adenhart to make his major league debut on Thursday night against the A's. Originally pegged as a first-round pick, Adenhart fell all the way to the fourteenth round after blowing out his elbow before the draft. Since then, Adenhart has fully recovered and enjoyed success at almost every level of minor league ball. He doesn't strike as many hitters out as he did at the lower levels, but he's still dominating Triple-A with a 0.87 ERA to start the year.
Recommendation: Should be owned in AL-only leagues, worth a flier in mixed leagues

Armando Galarraga - SP – DET – Galarraga was covered here a couple weeks ago, and expectations were that he wouldn't continue his hot start. He's made two solid starts since, but he still shouldn't be counted on to put up numbers anything like what he's sporting now. Galarraga had an ERA over 4.00 in the minor leagues last season, and his numbers should eventually begin to trend in that direction. While the Tigers aren't rushing Dontrelle Willis back, Galarraga appears likely to be out of a job once he returns.
Recommendation: Play him while he's hot in mixed leagues

Emil Brown - OF – OAK – Through the first month of the season, Emil Brown already has over half the RBI Rotoworld originally projected for him. He's found consistent playing time in Oakland's crowded outfield, and seems to have settled into the fifth spot in the lineup. Brown's numbers have returned to their 2005/2006 levels, and his teammates are helping by getting on base in front of him. He is hitting an impressive .386 with runners on base, and while you shouldn't expect him to lead the league in RBI come the end of the season, Brown should make a solid addition for as long as he's seeing regular playing time.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in mixed leagues.

Wladimir Balentien - OF – SEA – Balentien was called up with Jeff Clement and figures to take over in right field. Balentien has gradually improved his approach at the plate, striking out at a lesser rate as he climbed through the minor leagues. He's done so without sacrificing his power, either, as he's hit 25, 22 and 24 home runs in the last three seasons. Balentien is a streaky hitter, and he's never hit over .291 at any level in the minor leagues. Expect decent power numbers, but an average that could hurt your team.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in AL-only leagues

Garrett Olson - SP – BAL – Olson made his first start of the season on Tuesday, allowing just two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He tallied an impressive six strikeouts, but yielded five walks – a problem he also had in spring training. Still, Olson has shown solid underlying skills in the minors, where he was sporting a 1.85 ERA and a 25/11 K/BB ratio in 24 1/3 innings. If he sticks in the rotation with Adam Loewen out, he'll be worth monitoring in AL-only leagues.
Recommendation: Worth watching in AL-only leagues.

Jeff Mathis - C – ANA – Jeff Mathis is hitting .302 through his first 43 at-bats while Mike Napoli is struggling along with a .218 batting average (although he does have six home runs). The strong start for Mathis has gotten him roughly half the starts in Los Angeles. He's a streaky hitter, but he's worth using as a second catcher as long as he's producing like this.
Recommendation: Worth consideration as second catcher.

Franklin Gutierrez - OF – CLE – After a terribly slow start to the season, Gutierrez has gotten a hit in eight of his last nine games, raising his average to .276. He also has two home runs and three stolen bases on the young season, putting him right on pace for the 20 dingers and 13 stolen bases that Rotoworld originally projected for him. His average shouldn't end up hurting fantasy teams, and he makes a cheap source of power and speed in AL-only leagues.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in AL-only leagues.

Brian Burres - SP - BAL – Burres has a 2.49 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP through 25 1/3 innings this season, but don't expect that to continue. He's enjoying an unusually low BABIP and when that normalizes so should his stats. You need look no further than last year, when Burres had a 4.27 ERA before the All Star game, and a 7.92 ERA after it. His 13/10 K/BB ratio should also hint at his downside.
Recommendation: Stay away.


National League

Max Scherzer - SP – ARI – Scherzer, the latest hot prospect to be called up, struck out seven batters in just 4 1/3 innings in his first appearance for the Diamondbacks. He was named a starter the very next day, and will face the Phillies in that capacity on Monday. Scherzer pitched 23 innings in the minors and struck out an incredible 38 batters while walking just three, assuaging long-standing concerns about his control. While owners shouldn't expect him to duplicate the 1.17 ERA he had in Triple-A, he should be a worthy addition to fantasy squads while pitching for the D-Backs.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team mixed leagues

Aaron Cook - SP – COL – Cook is sporting a nifty 4-1 record to go along with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, much of it a result of the sinkerballer's impressive 60% ground ball rate. That he keeps the ball on the ground makes him one of Coors Field's more worthy investments, but don't expect Cook to maintain the success: he's been the beneficiary of a low BABIP so far this season. His lack of strikeouts makes him more appealing in 4x4 leagues.
Recommendation: Back-end starter in mixed leagues.

Jayson Werth - OF – PHI – When Werth took over for Shane Victorino, it was originally assumed that he'd surrender the centerfield job when Victorino returned form the disabled list. Victorino returned on Tuesday, but Werth still got the start in center, thanks to his .289 average and five home runs. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel wants to keep Werth in center field until he cools down, but the fact remains that Werth is an injury-prone outfielder who hits lefties significantly better than he does righties. Don't count on him maintaining his success, throughout the season.
Recommendation: Should be owned in NL-only leagues for now.

Luis Castillo - 2B – NYM – Castillo is an overpaid, injury-prone second baseman who hits for solid average but doesn't have much pop in his bat. What he does do, however, is steal bases. Castillo has six stolen bags on the season, and while he won't help much in any other category, he's a cheap source of speed while healthy. His health won't last, but he's on pace to steal over thirty bags if it does.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in mixed leagues.

John Lannan - SP – WAS – Lannan is sporting a 2.64 ERA after five starts, but ignoring an unusual 11 strikeout performance, his K/BB ration is just 13/14. He's a finesse lefty with an unusual delivery that the league figures to catch up to. He'll start Saturday against the Pirates, making him an attractive short-term option, but don't expect this success to last through the year.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in NL-Only leagues.

Jared Burton - RP – CIN – With David Weathers on the disabled list, Jared Burton has taken over setup duties in the Cincinnati bullpen. His 3.65 ERA and 1.30 WHIP won't have much impact on fantasy teams, but he's struck out 18 batters in just 12 1/3 innings. If you're looking for holds or cheap strikeouts that won't send you over an innings limit, Burton could help.
Recommendation: Worth consideration in NL-Only leagues.

Omar Quintanilla/Jonathan Herrera - IF – COL – With Troy Tulowitzki possibly destined for the disabled list, Omar Quintanilla and Jonathan Herrera will platoon at second base for the Rockies. Quintanilla is expected to start against most righties, and Colorado is tentatively scheduled to face righties in each of their next ten games. Quintanila was hitting .329/.451/.425 at Triple-A, but probably won't have much value in the majors.
Recommendation: Monitor in NL-Only leagues

Phil Dumatrait - SP – PIT – With the Pirates releasing Matt Morris, Phil Dumatrait will assume a position in Pittsburgh's rotation. Dumatrait is sporting a 3.92 ERA, but has a 1.62 WHIP out of the bullpen thus far, and has 13 strikeouts to 13 walks. Don't expect him to somehow flip the switch when he moves into the starting rotation – he had a 15.00 ERA in six starts for the Reds last year.
Recommendation: Stay away.

[Hache Man]

Torn Tendon for Tulo

It's been a busy week and there's lots of good stuff to cover today, so let's skip the usual chit-chat and get right to the notes from around baseball …

* Troy Tulowitzki has been out since a leg injury forced him from Tuesday's game and the Rocky Mountain News reports that he has a torn quadriceps tendon that could sideline him through the All-Star break. Tulowitzki was off to a horrible start offensively, batting just .167 with zero homers through 14 games, but was bound to turn things around at the plate and losing his glove at shortstop is an equally big blow to the Rockies.

Clint Barmes figures to see the bulk of the shortstop playing time in his place and has some upside. Barmes spent most of last season in the minors after falling out of favor in Colorado and his career numbers are very underwhelming, but he's hit .292/.324/.508 in 69 plate appearances so far this season and has enough pop to smack double-digit homers while stealing a handful of bases. Don't count on huge production, but he's a decent middle-infield option.

* Nick Adenhart got a surprise call-up Thursday and made his big-league debut against the A's, but struggled while working on short rest. He was chased out of the game in the third inning after allowing five runs and his final line would have looked worse had Dustin Moseley not stranded a pair of runners after coming on in relief. He's one of the better right-handed pitching prospects in baseball, but it's no shock that Adenhart struggled against Oakland.

He was 4-0 with a pretty 0.87 ERA at Triple-A, but 15 walks over 31 innings there suggested that the ever-patient A's presented an unfavorable first matchup. Sure enough, Adenhart walked five of the 14 batters he faced without recording a strikeout and threw just 24 of 57 pitches for strikes. It was far from a strong showing, but a 21-year-old struggling in his MLB debut while pitching on three days rest is far from a huge concern and he's still worth having in AL-only leagues for now.

* Manager John McLaren announced Wednesday that Kenji Johjima would get two games off "as a mental break" after posting a paltry .582 OPS in April and lived up to his promise by giving Jeff Clement his first big-league start behind the plate Thursday. Clement went 0-for-2 against Paul Byrd before Johjima replaced him in the late innings, but more importantly moved one step closer to gaining catcher eligibility in various fantasy leagues.

If Clement can get enough work behind the plate to become eligible at the position and then see significant playing time at designated hitter for the remainder of the year, he has a chance to end up as one of the AL's top fantasy catchers. Clement is no sure thing to stick in the majors if he struggles, of course, but is very capable of hitting .260-.275 with 12-15 homers over the final five months of the season if he does remain in Seattle.

* Phil Hughes' nightmarish season took another bad turn Thursday as the Yankees announced that he has a stress fracture in his rib cage rather than the strained oblique that was initially diagnosed. Hughes is now expected to miss 4-6 weeks and general manager Brian Cashman said that the team isn't counting on having him back until July. Darrell Rasner has been called up from Triple-A and will replace Hughes in the rotation, but carries at best marginal AL-only value.

* B.J. Upton exited Thursday's game after straining his left shoulder while swinging, which is a concern given his past shoulder problems. However, he's considered day-to-day for now and the Rays have said that they hope to have him back in the lineup Saturday. "It looks bad right away, it feels bad right away," Upton said. "But this is the best it's ever felt after [a similar injury], so we shouldn't think too much of it." Nathan Haynes will pick up at-bats until Upton returns.

AL Quick Hits: Miguel Cabrera homered and drove in three runs Thursday, making him 25-for-75 (.333) with five homers and 21 RBIs over the past 20 games … Dropped to sixth in the batting order Thursday for the first time as a member of the Indians, Travis Hafner broke out of a 7-for-51 (.137) slump with a pair of doubles … A.J. Burnett came into Thursday's game with a 6.07 ERA, but worked around five walks to shut out the Red Sox for 7.2 innings … Eric Chavez (back) fielded ground balls Wednesday for the first time since being shut down during spring training and is still hoping to return by the end of the month … An oblique strain has delayed his comeback, so Bartolo Colon agreed to push back the opt-out clause in his contract to June 1, potentially giving the Red Sox another month to call him up … Emil Brown collected four hits Thursday and now has 26 RBIs in 28 games despite a modest .753 OPS … Milton Bradley was scratched from the lineup Thursday with a sore hamstring … Sidney Ponson somehow tossed eight innings of one-run ball Thursday against the Royals, but remains a horrible fantasy bet.

NL Quick Hits: Kerry Wood blew his third save of the season Thursday, coughing up three runs in the ninth inning against the Brewers … As expected, Alfonso Soriano (calf) came off the disabled list Thursday and resumed leading off, going 0-for-4 … According to manager John Russell, Tom Gorzelanny "should be fine" to make his next scheduled start despite having back spasms Wednesday … Mark Mulder (shoulder) struggled Wednesday in a minor-league rehab start at Triple-A, allowing nine runs over 3.2 innings … Kosuke Fukudome picked up right where he left off after batting .327 in April, beginning May by going 4-for-4 while throwing out two runners at the plate … Noah Lowry will be shut down for at least 3-4 weeks after experiencing what the Giants called "pins and needles" in his surgically repaired forearm … Mike Gonzalez said Thursday that he could return from Tommy John surgery without first going on a rehab assignment and perhaps within two weeks … Derrick Turnbow is sporting a hideous 15.63 ERA and the Brewers may be on the verge of letting their former closer go despite a $3.2 million salary.