Fantasy Baseball News 2007

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

The 2007 Tuffy Awards

The first week of the season produces some wonderful anomalies on the stat sheet: Vladimir Guerrero on pace for 234 RBI; Felix Hernandez on pace for 420 strikeouts; Hanley Ramirez on pace to score 208 runs; Salomon Torres on pace to rack up 78 saves.

Of course, it's laughable to think that the fast starters will continue to dominate opponents the same way over the rest of the regular season. But don't tell that to fantasy owners, who are often more than willing to cut an established veteran just so they can grab a .600-hitting slap hitter off their league's waiver wire.

To guard against such irrational exuberance, we're here to hand out our annual Tuffy Awards.

In the spirit of Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes, who hit three home runs off Dwight Gooden on opening day 1994 and then faded into fantasy oblivion, we present the first-week performances that are least likely to continue the rest of the season.

Before we get to this year's winner, here are a few first-week surprises to whet your appetite.

Unlikely to continue

Mark Ellis among the league leaders in RBI. The A's second baseman had just three hits (and an OPS of .596) but eight RBI after five games before a two-hit game Sunday.

Mike Napoli as a stolen base threat. In 99 games as a rookie last season, the Angels catcher stole two bases in five attempts. Just because he swiped a base in the opener, don't confuse him with Jason Kendall in his prime.

Albert Pujols hitting below the Mendoza line. A 1-for-17 start to the season saw Phat Albert's average drop to a bare-bones .059 before he went 2-for-5 with a home run Sunday. Pujols was still hitting .136 after the game, but good luck if you think that'll persuade another owner to trade him to you. Same goes for David Ortiz (.217), Michael Young (.154), Andruw Jones (.130) and Lance Berkman (.190).

Could continue

Young arms racking up the strikeouts. In their first starts of the season, Felix Hernandez (12 Ks), Ian Snell (11), Jason Hirsh (8) and Zack Greinke (7) demonstrated excellent command in addition to an ability to finish off hitters with two strikes.

Adam Dunn hitting for a higher average. Dunn's elevation in the Reds order paid immediate dividends on opening day when he slugged two homers. He hit .317 in the No. 2 spot last season, and he's getting some good pitches to hit so far this season.

The envelope, please

And now it's time for our feature presentation, the Tuffy.

Second runner-up: Robinson Tejeda, Rangers. Pitching seven innings of shutout ball against the potent Red Sox offense is quite impressive. Allowing only two hits over those seven innings is even more so. But what are the chances Tejeda can manage similar stats the next time he only strikes out one batter and records 16 of the other 20 outs on fly balls?

The winds of change are about to blow in Arlington, and those fly balls will start blossoming into home runs.

First runner-up: Dmitri Young, Nationals. If he didn't have the career r?sum? to back up his early success, Young would have been the perfect choice as this year's Tuffy. Just two seasons ago, Young matched Rhodes' feat to become only the third player in history to hit three homers on opening day. (Trivia answer: Toronto's George Bell was the first in 1988.)

After winning not only a roster spot but a starting job as well, Young has been one of the Nationals' most productive hitters with an RBI in the team's first four games. Injuries and off-field issues kept him sidelined for most of last season and there's no guarantee that injuries won't be a problem again this year.

Young is also a liability at first base, something the Nats can't afford with their shaky pitching staff. Plus, the expected return of Nick Johnson a couple months down the road will leave Young without a position. He may be a popular first-week pickup off the free agent wire, but unless you're able to trade him soon, Young will grow old on your bench.

And the Tuffy goes to ?

It's easy to criticize the Royals' decision to sign Gil Meche to a big-money contract in the offseason, but Meche quieted the critics by limiting those powerful Red Sox hitters to just one run in 7 1/3 innings on opening day to earn his first win.

Meche surrendered six earned runs in seven innings in his second start (against the Tigers), but he still probably would have been a great sleeper candidate this season had he signed just about anywhere but Kansas City. Even though this Royals team has some talent in its everyday lineup, the bullpen is still suspect, which will keep Meche from winning any more than a dozen games this season.

Meche wasn't even the biggest surprise for the Royals. Shortstop Tony Pena Jr. whacked a pair of triples in three at-bats on opening day. He also scored two runs and drove in another to spark the K.C. offense. Not bad for a player the Royals acquired just days before the start of the season to be an emergency starter at shortstop in place of the struggling Angel Berroa.

But those first-week stats with an impressive .571 slugging percentage mask the fact that there's not much upside to Pena, even if he does get full-time at-bats with the Royals. In 44 at-bats last season with Atlanta, Pena hit .227. He's a .252 career hitter in the minor leagues.

With so many other capable shortstops around, one hot week isn't going to elevate Pena into very many fantasy lineups. So when it comes to adding this year's Tuffy Award winner to your roster, the advice is simple: No Pena ? it's a no-brainer.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Waiver Wired: Lidge Out
The baseball season is about 5-6% over for most teams, yet like clockwork, fantasy owners are panicking. My teams, packed to the brim with Mark Teahens and Kelly Johnsons, are hitting about .200. Can't?resist?must?drop Lance Berkman for Akinori Iwamura?admit it, you have that little devil guy on your shoulder telling you to do this.

But you have to fight it, and instead make strategic pickups that do make sense. That's what Waiver Wired is for. Let's just hope ESPN doesn't wipe out another week's worth of claims. From now on, this column will come out on Fridays before noon CST. Sorry about the confusion. This super-expanded edition covers April 3rd through April 12th.

I think I did OK last week, naming guys like Zack Greinke, Matt Belisle, and Chris Sampson while cautioning against some others.

American League

Jeremy Guthrie, RP, BAL ? The Indians picked the hard-throwing righty 22nd overall out of Stanford back in '02. There was a time when he was the 53rd best prospect in the game, according to Baseball America (2004). They liked him more than John Maine, Bobby Jenks, Scott Olsen, Jason Bay, Nick Markakis, or Matt Cain. He hit a wall in Triple A, but finally conquered the level last year. Claimed off waivers by the Orioles, Guthrie made the club as a long reliever following a nice spring. He's the top candidate to replace the injured Jaret Wright in the rotation, and may be a late bloomer who flourishes under Leo Mazzone. I'd add him to my bench in a deep AL-only to see what comes of this. AL: $2, Mixed: No.

Joakim Soria, RP, KCA ? The Royals swiped him from the Padres in the Rule 5, so he'll be in their pen all year. This isn't your mother's Rule 5 pick ? Soria is now closing for the Royals with David Riske ineffective and Octavio Dotel hurt. The 23-year-old hits his spots and has five strikeouts and one save in five scoreless innings so far. Dotel will return on April 20th at the earliest, and could be out until May. AL: $12, Mixed: $4.

David DeJesus, OF, KCA ? Just wanted to point out that DeJesus is hitting .378 with seven runs and a pair of homers in nine games so far. If he finally stays healthy all year, he could hit .300 with 100 runs scored. He's still on some mixed league waiver wires and should be picked up. AL: $28, Mixed: $13.

Alex Gordon, 3B, KCA ? The Next Big Thing is only 3 for 29 on the young season. Did I mention it's a young season? He had his first home run this week and will improve as the season goes along. Remember, he skipped Triple A. Hang on to him if you've got him and pilfer him if you don't. AL: $30, Mixed: $15.

Dustin Moseley, SP, LAA ? The 25-year-old Moseley is the Angels' seventh starter. In two efforts this year he allowed just two runs in twelve innings. He'll still be demoted when Jered Weaver returns next week, and his Triple A work hasn't impressed to date. This was a nice trade showcase but I don't see him helping in AL-only anymore. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

Joe Kennedy, SP, OAK ? A fine start for Kennedy as Oakland's fifth starter. He's allowed two runs in eleven innings. It's not known yet whether he or Chad Gaudin will be skipped next week, but my guess is that it's Gaudin. Kennedy has a shot at respectable AL-only numbers if he limits his free passes and stays healthy for 30 starts. He could get you ten wins. AL: $9, Mixed: No.

Chad Gaudin, SP, OAK ? Gaudin's been nearly as good as Kennedy, and he doesn't have to worry about Esteban Loaiza returning for at least a month. A 4.50 ERA with some strikeouts is not out of the question. AL: $6, Mixed: No.

Dan Johnson, 1B, OAK ? Johnson could return this month from his hip injury. He makes a fine CI in AL-only, so keep him on your radar as a possible .450 SLG guy. AL: $10, Mixed: No.

Ramon Ortiz, SP, MIN ? Ortiz has surprisingly allowed just three runs in 15 innings against the Orioles and Yankees this year, making the Twins look less dumb for signing him. I still feel that all the Johan Santana-taught changeups in the world can't keep his ERA under 5 this year. I wouldn't risk it in mixed leagues but may take a peek in AL-only. AL: $8, Mixed: No.

Josh Rabe, OF, MIN ? The 28 year-old minor league vet brings little to the table, but could get some at-bats while Rondell White does what he does best (hang around on the DL). I'm still not buying in AL-only. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

Alexi Casilla, IF, MIN ? Casilla is so similar to a young Luis Castillo that it's eerie. I heard Casilla even tries to dress like Castillo. Anyway, Casilla's going to be a pretty sweet fantasy MI one day when he becomes a full-timer (.300 average, tons of steals). He's a bench guy in Minnesota while Jeff Cirillo is out, and perhaps worthy of a spot on your AL-only roster. AL: $2, Mixed: No.

Melky Cabrera, OF, NYA ? The Melk Man isn't hitting much to date, but is noteworthy in fantasy as a regular member of the Yankee lineup for the next ten days or so while Hideki Matsui is out. No shame in activating him in AL-only during that time. AL: $12, Mixed: No.

Al Reyes, RP, TBA ? As expected, the cream has risen to the top of the Rays' pen and Reyes is the official closer. They say he can't go back-to-back nights yet because of October 2005 TJ surgery. Regardless, he should be good for 20+ saves and should be owned in all leagues. AL: $25, Mixed: $15.

Jonny Gomes, DH, TBA ? Time to kick Gomes to the curb in your mixed league. Joe Maddon just refuses to play him despite the 30 HR potential. He was a minor investment in the first place, but it's frustrating. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Akinori Iwamura, TBA ? Despite a rough spring, Iwamura is cruising in his rookie season. He's 12 for 29 with three steals. This offseason, he set several goals: 20 HR, 40 SB, and the ROY. Realistically think more like 15 HR, 25 steals, and a third-place ROY finish. But he will keep running and should be owned in all leagues. In fact, all the Devil Rays are running under Joe Maddon. AL: $25, Mixed: $12.

Akinori Otsuka, RP, TEX ? Otsuka can't be amused that Eric Gagne will be thrust directly into the closer role in Texas. With Gagne having thrown 15 innings over the past two seasons, Otsuka owners should definitely keep him around on the bench for the inevitable Gagne DL stint. AL: $14, Mixed: $7.

Aaron Hill, 2B, TOR ? Hill is off to a blazing start at 12 for 31 with five doubles so far. Who knows, maybe he sneaks into the leadoff role somehow. He may be available in your mixed league and could hit .300 with 15 home runs in the best case. AL: $20, Mixed: $9.

National League

Carlos Quentin, OF, ARI ? Quentin could come off the DL as early as Tuesday from a labrum injury. His power, already just OK for a fantasy outfielder, could suffer a bit. Still, a 20 HR bat is useful in most leagues so snag him if he was ignored because of the injury. NL: $20, Mixed: $9.

Micah Owings, SP, ARI ? Owings jumped out to a hot start this year, allowing only two runs in eleven innings with eleven strikeouts. Much is made of his 10-0 Triple A record last year, but he's not overpowering. Owings has a chance to remain the fifth starter when Randy Johnson returns, which will probably happen April 19th or 24th. Owings doesn't look like mixed league material this year but certainly should be owned in NL-only. NL: $10, Mixed: No.

Alberto Callaspo, OF, ARI ? Callaspo has been playing quite a bit as the D'Backs multi-purpose utility guy, and he's hitting .310. I wonder if that hollow batting average is going to steal at-bats from [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] here and there once Young returns from a mild groin strain. Callaspo really just offers the average and multi-position eligibility to NL-only players. NL: $9, Mixed: No.

Kelly Johnson, 2B, ATL ? A .179 average is far from pretty, but Johnson's scored at least one run in all but one game he's started. The Braves' leadoff man is still a good candidate for 20 HR and 100 runs, and how many of those do you find at second base? He should be able to hit .270 this year. Don't let him linger on the wire in your mixed league. NL: $22, Mixed: $10.

Matt Belisle, SP, CIN ? Fantasy leaguers start to notice after two solid starts, and Belisle's got a pair of six inning, one run performances under his belt. He's worth a look against the Brewers next week and could post an ERA in the low 4s with double digit wins if things break right. NL: $10, Mixed: No.

Josh Hamilton, OF, CIN ? Keith Law, in yesterday's chat at ESPN: "It's two home runs. Let's all settle down." Klaw has a good point in that Hamilton hasn't faced live pitching for years and he's playing at the highest level. If you can bench him through the hard times, he deserves consideration in a keeper league. Otherwise, he's already owned in your NL-only and doesn't merit non-keeper mixed league consideration. NL: $8, Mixed: No.

Jeff Baker, 1B/OF, COL ? Baker is a solid bat who could probably knock 25 HR given a full-time job, just like Brad Hawpe last year. Unless a Todd Helton trade starts to come together or injury strikes, Baker doesn't fit in a mixed league. He's a fine NL-only supporting player though. NL: $9, Mixed: No.

Jason Hirsh, SP, COL ? An eight strikeout performance against the Padres to start the season opened some eyes. But then he was just OK against the Dodgers and those eyes started squinting. I'd pass in a mixed league but he's a decent choice when on the road for NL-only. NL: $8, Mixed: No.

Taylor Tankersley, RP, FLA ? The Tank was activated from the DL yesterday after dealing with shoulder tendinitis. He won't jump directly into the saves mix, but the team would like him to emerge as the closer. Worth stashing in any league, though I don't think he'll make a good closer with his control. NL: $10, Mixed: No.

Henry Owens, RP, FLA ? Owens is likely owned in all leagues. He is essentially the Marlins' closer until he falters. So far he's posted seven scoreless innings with just two hits. He could certainly keep the job all year. NL: $16, Mixed: $10.

Jorge Julio, RP, FLA ? Julio has officially lost the closer job, and despite his salary I don't think the Fish will turn back to him. He's already blown two saves and given up runs in three of his five appearances. No matter what skills are there, a man can only be allowed to fail in one role so many times. If Owens and Tankersley fail, I'd put Matt Lindstrom and Kevin Gregg ahead of Julio. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Rick Vanden Hurk, SP, FLA ? The 22-year-old Dutch hurler and TJ survivor debuted in the Majors this week, allowing just one run in 4.2 innings. Never having pitched above A ball, his control is going to be an issue. He'll probably get another start or two but isn't a smart gamble in NL-only. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Brad Lidge, RP, HOU ? Some say it was unfair to demote Lidge from the closer role after two rough performances. Talk about a short leash. I know folks think he has a good chance to regain the gig but I don't see it. His replacement is perfectly capable of pitching the ninth inning. Closers are fungible enough where I don't feel that Lidge is worth the bench space in a mixed league. He should probably have an NL-only spot for the strikeouts though. NL: $6, Mixed: No.

Dan Wheeler, RP, HOU ? As I said, Wheeler is a perfectly capable closer. Yes, he struggled last time out, but that was his third day in a row pitching. His numbers since 2005: 2.54 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 8.4 K/9. He should be fine. NL: $22, Mixed: $12.

Brad Penny, SP, LAN ? Shoulder stiffness and a lousy spring left Penny undrafted in a lot of mixed leagues. He's capable of a pretty good first half, as evidenced by his 0.68 ERA in 13 innings. He should be owned everywhere until his performance dictates otherwise. NL: $16, Mixed: $8.

Wilson Betemit, 3B, LAN ? I thought Betemit might come into 25 HR power this year as the Dodgers' regular third baseman. Instead, he's 1 for 19 and could start losing at-bats to Wilson Valdez. This was his best shot at becoming a regular, so the timing couldn't be worse. NL: $7, Mixed: No.

Andre Ethier, OF, LAN ? With Matt Kemp out, Ethier has right field all to himself. A 2 for 17 start isn't inspiring confidence though, and James Loney could replace him. NL: $8, Mixed: No.

Wilson Valdez, SS, LAN ? Valdez's claim to fame thus far was being traded for Billy Koch in 2004. After that he bounced through a ton of organizations and finally found an opportunity with the Dodgers because of Rafael Furcal's injury. He's batting .368, but anyone can string together three good games. The Dodgers might wait until he cools down before setting him free. The benefits to you in NL-only might be speed and a hollow batting average (he rarely strikes out). NL: $4, Mixed: No.

Claudio Vargas, SP, MIL ? Vargas whiffed nine Marlins in his first start as a Brewer this week. That tied a career-high, but doesn't change his overall projection. Decent strikeout rate, middling ratios, ten wins. Already owned in NL-only and not worthy of mixed. NL: $14, Mixed: $1.

Geoff Jenkins, OF, MIL ? Jenkins is one of baseball's streakiest hitters. Pick him up in your mixed league if you can and ride it out. He's hitting .400 with three homers and playing regularly. We saw this last September. Don't be afraid to cut him when he cools off. NL: $17, Mixed: $7.

Mike Pelfrey, SP, NYN ? Pelfrey makes his season debut against the Nationals today, so he's primed for success. He may need some time to develop in the Majors but still profiles as a #1 starter. It seems the hype has died down in some areas of the country, so pick him up in your mixed league. NL: $10, Mixed: $2.

Kip Wells, SP, STL ? Two runs in 13 innings is a great way to start the season. 14 strikeouts, too. I think the best case scenario is 175 innings, 12 wins, and a 3.90 ERA. If anyone can get it out of him, it's Dave Duncan. NL: $15, Mixed: $5.

Randy Keisler, SP, STL ? Keisler, a journeyman southpaw, debuted in 2000 as a sub for David Cone on the Yankees. His claim to fame used to be an 18 strikeout game in Triple A in 2001, until he went on the DL in 2002 for being bitten by a snake. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. The Cards rescued him from the scrap heap and have him filling in for Chris Carpenter. His first start was solid, but he faced the Pirates. He'll draw the Bucs again on Monday, so desperate NL-only folks can give it a shot. NL: $1, Mixed: No.

Rob Bowen, C, SDN ? Josh Bard just hit the DL with a groin strain, making Bowen the full-time catcher for a couple of weeks. It's been a while since the 26 year-old Bowen showed any power or average, so he should only be considered in the deepest of two-catcher NL-only leagues. NL: $2, Mixed: No.

Jason Bergmann, SP, WAS ? According to Baseball America, Bergmann's career took off when he switched to relief in 2004. He has a power arsenal with three different pitches. The Nats have him starting again now, and he gave them a much-needed win last night. In six innings, Bergmann allowed just one hit and struck out eight Braves, though he walked four. That'll be enough to hold his rotation spot for another turn or two. He's got good stuff and could be a deep NL-only sleeper. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Weaver Set to Return
Jered Weaver racked up seven strikeouts while tossing seven shutout innings at Single-A Wednesday, ending talk of him needing additional minor-league rehab work before returning from the disabled list. He's expected to join the Angels Friday and is scheduled to make his season debut Monday against the Red Sox. Asked if the team has done more than "pencil Weaver in" for Monday's start, manager Mike Scioscia said that he'll get the nod "unless he shows up in a sling."

Weaver's return to the rotation means that Dustin Moseley is likely headed back to Triple-A despite back-to-back impressive (and nearly identical) starts against the A's (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 SO) and Indians (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 SO). Joe Saunders is the favorite to remain in the rotation as Bartolo Colon's replacement, although the Angels could decide that Moseley is worth keeping around for a while as a long reliever.

Moseley has looked fantastic this season, but he got knocked around in a brief stint with the Angels last year and his minor-league track record is far from impressive. Making 26 starts at Triple-A last season, he posted a 4.69 ERA and 114-to-51 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 149.2 innings, serving up 18 homers and a total of 164 hits. If Colon looks healthy once he returns and the Angels prefer Saunders over Moseley, they might look to deal him with his value peaking.

While Angels fans and Weaver owners hope he can pick up right where he left off last season, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Seemingly replaying a sad and now annual tradition, Mark Prior left his start in extended spring training Thursday after two innings because of shoulder soreness. He's reportedly scheduled to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, who's no doubt incredibly familiar with Prior's injury history at this point. After Prior struggled in camp, the Cubs' plan was to let him work his way back in extended spring training, before sending him to Triple-A to officially begin his comeback.

Instead, Prior's season might be over before it even started. A visit with Yocum often precedes going under the knife, and if surgery is required Prior's career could be in jeopardy. Wade Miller's early struggles in Chicago left the door open for Prior, but his health has again made a comeback impossible. Once a worthwhile risk as fantasy's version of a lottery ticket, Prior is so far removed from dominating big-league hitters that the potential reward is a rapidly vanishing mystery.

* With Mike Pelfrey set to join the starting rotation Friday, the Mets made room on the roster by optioning Lastings Milledge to Triple-A. To Milledge's credit, he handled the demotion well after receiving a total of just three at-bats in two weeks with the team. "I'm going to go and work on what I'm going to be for the Mets for the next 15 years," Milledge said. "At least when I get the call back up, whenever it is, I'll be playing every day."

Barring an injury, Milledge will likely remain at Triple-A until the Mets decide they've seen enough of Shawn Green as an everyday player, although his strong start to the season likely pushes that timetable back. Meanwhile, Pelfrey is scheduled to debut against the Nationals, which is the perfect way for a young pitcher to begin the season. Pelfrey gave up three runs over five innings in a tune-up start at Single-A, but should be in the majors to stay this time.

* While throwing a bullpen session Thursday in extended spring training, Octavio Dotel suffered yet another setback in his recovery from a strained left oblique muscle. The Royals had been hoping that Dotel could return on April 20, but that now looks unlikely. He's scheduled to undergo an MRI Friday, with manager Buddy Bell saying, "Right now, we really don't know when he's going to be back ? that's obviously discouraging."

Dotel's continued inability to get healthy means Joakim Soria should get an extended look as the Royals' closer. The Rule 5 pick, who I strongly recommended as a fantasy pickup in this space earlier this week, has already impressed Bell enough to move ahead of both David Riske and Joel Peralta on the bullpen depth chart. "With the way that Soria has thrown, we'll probably keep him closer to the end than the other two," Bell said.

AL Quick Hits: General manager Brian Cashman said Thursday that "it's too early to tell" if Mike Mussina (hamstring) will be placed on the disabled list, but Darrell Rasner will start in his place Tuesday against the Indians ? Manager Eric Wedge said Thursday that Victor Martinez (quadriceps) could return this weekend ? Gil Meche injured his hamstring Thursday and could miss his next start, with Brian Bannister the likely replacement ? With Todd Jones getting the night off Thursday after pitching in four games over five days, Joel Zumaya picked up a two-inning save ? In a move that shocked absolutely no one, Jaret Wright (shoulder) has been placed on the DL ? The [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4441"]Andrew Miller[/URL] Watch in Detroit can probably be put on hold for a while after he coughed up four runs in 5.2 innings Wednesday at Single-A ? Rained washed away Wily Mo Pena's first scheduled start and manager Terry Francona said afterward that he wasn't sure when Pena would actually get into the lineup.

NL Quick Hits: Trainer Stan Conte said that Rafael Furcal (ankle) "looked pretty good" Thursday and is expected to return to the lineup Friday night ? With Josh Bard (groin) heading to the disabled list Thursday, Rob Bowen figures to get regular at-bats behind the plate for the next two weeks ? Taylor Tankersley (shoulder) returned from the DL Thursday, but likely won't be used in save situations unless Henry Owens falters ? With his victory Thursday against the Phillies, Tom Glavine is just eight wins from No. 300 ? Unlikely as it may be, Jimmy Rollins took Glavine deep twice Thursday to become the NL's first five-homer man ? Mike Hampton (shoulder) confirmed that he's planning to pitch in 2008 after going through what will be a long, difficult comeback following two straight lost seasons ? Chris Sampson (calf) said Thursday that he doesn't expect to miss his next start.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

AL Team-by-Team Notes
Felix Hernandez may very well be baseball's best pitcher with the way he's throwing now, but I do worry, especially since he's thrown 111 pitches each time out. In 2006, he reached that total three times in 31 starts. The Mariners want him to be their ace, and it looks like they're prepared to use him like one, even if it means leaving him out there to throw 120+ pitches every once in a while. As long as Hernandez keeps pitching this well, he'll probably continue to average 110 pitches per outing. The 21-year-old figures to wear down if kept at that pace, and the already substantial likelihood of injury gets that much greater. I'm not saying sell now, but for those not in keeper leaguers, it might make sense to part with him come June 1.

American League Notes

Baltimore - Jaret Wright's first trip of the year to the DL with a sore right shoulder hasn't opened the door for Hayden Penn, who is experiencing some forearm soreness. Instead, middle reliever Jeremy Guthrie will get the start on Sunday. Wright could be back within two weeks, but no AL-only leaguers should have to resort to using him. Guthrie also isn't very interesting for fantasy purposes. ? Kevin Millar's recent hot streak will help keep him in the lineup when Jay Payton (hamstring) returns this week. Payton and Millar should probably share time against right-handers, with the hotter hand getting the nod. Both will play against lefties, with either Jay Gibbons or Corey Patterson taking a seat. Ideally, both Gibbons and Patterson would be platooned, with Payton in center, Millar DHing and either Jon Knott or Jason Dubois playing left field. The Orioles just need to create room on the roster. Knott is the candidate to be called up this week, as Dubois remains sidelined with a hamstring strain. ? Ramon Hernandez (oblique) won't return Sunday as hoped, but he should be OK to have active in AL-only leagues this week.

Boston - Wily Mo Pena and Eric Hinske have combined for just nine at-bats so far. The Red Sox will be happy they have both once J.D. Drew or someone else lands on the DL, but they need to keep them sharp. Coco Crisp deserves to lose playing time to Pena with the way he's performed so far. ? The Red Sox were open to dealing Hinske during the spring and probably still are. A trade to Minnesota would make all kinds of sense if the Twins realized they needed him, and with Scott Baker clearly out of favor within the organization, they would seem to have just the bait to get a deal done. ? Devern Hansack's second straight 10-strikeout game at Triple-A Pawtucket last week puts pressure on Julian Tavarez to turn in a good outing on Monday. The Red Sox would benefit from making a switch, and Hansack has turned into a real sleeper in AL-only leagues.

Chicago - Juan Uribe has gotten off to just the kind of start he needed to guarantee that he didn't lose one or two starts per week to Alex Cintron. Even while hitting at the bottom of the lineup, Uribe has the power to be of some use in shallow mixed leagues, at least until he cools off. Of course, despite his inconsistency from month to month, he has driven in70 runs in three straight years. ? Since Darin Erstad is hitless in 14 at-bats and without an extra-base knock since Opening Day, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1893"]Brian Anderson[/URL] could make his second start on Sunday. The current arrangement can't last forever. Either Anderson needs to get more at-bats over Erstad or he should be in Triple-A playing regularly. The former scenario seems more likely to play out than it did a couple of weeks ago. Erstad is best suited to being a fourth outfielder right now.

Cleveland - Getting Jake Westbrook for $33 million over three years almost qualifies as a bargain for the Indians, given that he would have earned at least $12 million per year for four or five seasons on the open market. Still, unless ownership is willing to open up the purse strings and bump the payroll up to nine figures by 2009, the Indians may eventually regret tying up so much money in a No. 3 starter. Travis Hafner and C.C. Sabathia are both free agents after 2008. The commitment to Westbrook suggests that one of the two won't still be with the team in two years. Sabathia is the better bet to go. As bare as the pitching market will be next winter, the Indians would be smart to make him available in trade if they don't think they can sign him. ? Victor Martinez (hamstring) is due back in the lineup as early as Sunday, though he may DH initially. He should be active in leagues this week. ? Cliff Lee (abdomen) is expected to make at least two more rehab starts, giving Fausto Carmona another week in the rotation.

Detroit - Chad Durbin was roughed up again on Saturday and is sporting a 12.46 ERA after two starts. His career ERA in 58 starts and 22 relief appearances as a major leaguer is 6.29, so there just isn't any reason for the Tigers to demonstrate patience with him. If they think [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4441"]Andrew Miller[/URL] is still a month away, they could go to Jason Grilli or Wilfredo Ledezma. After pitching three innings Saturday, Grilli is probably in better position to go five or six innings in a start. However, Ledezma is the more interesting pitcher and would be a worthy pickup in AL-only leagues if he gets the nod. With two wins already, he's not a bad use of a roster spot anyway. ? Omar Infante didn't see any action in the Tigers' first 10 games before getting a start in place of Placido Polanco on Saturday. Still just 25 and coming off a season in which he hit .277/.325/.415 in 224 at-bats, Infante is good enough to play regularly for a handful of teams. He certainly deserves better than being equated with Neifi Perez on the Detroit bench. A trade seemed a lot more likely to happen over the winter than it does now, so it looks like he'll be a non-factor, barring an injury to Carlos Guillen or Polanco.

Kansas City - One bad pitch to Ivan Rodriguez apparently cost David Riske his role as the temporary closer to Kansas City. Rule 5 pick Joakim Soria is filling in now and likely will through the end of the month with Octavio Dotel (oblique) not recovering as hoped. Dotel threw well this spring, so there's little doubt he'll get his job back when he returns. Still, he's no sure thing, and while the Royals are paying him to close, most of his success in the majors has come as a setup man. Soria, though, is unlikely to excel all year long. All signs point to him being one of the most astute Rule 5 picks of the decade, but he's not a true closer right now. ? It's nice to see manager Buddy Bell doing what he can to work Esteban German in this season after spending 2006 looking for excuses not to play him. That German even got a start in the outfield last week is just more bad news for Emil Brown. With Reggie Sanders also demanding at-bats, Brown is a mediocre play in AL-only leagues right now. ? Gil Meche expects to make his next start despite a mild hamstring strain suffered Thursday.

Los Angeles - Troubled by a sore shoulder, Kelvim Escobar was placed on the DL Friday for the fifth time since the beginning of 2005. The Angels are labeling it a precaution and saying he'll miss only two starts, but that Escobar is down again already is a bad sign. Because of the injury, Dustin Moseley will get at least one more start. With the way Moseley has thrown since the start of the spring, he's turned himself into pretty good trade bait. Still, the Angels' No. 7 starter won't be expendable if the club keeps suffering injuries like this. ? Jered Weaver (biceps) is no lock to have a good start Monday at Fenway in his first game back, but he's worth using in all formats immediately. ? Whether it's because of the groin injury or not, Shea Hillenbrand is not off to his typically strong start. Since his $6.5 million club option for 2008 kicks in with 600 plate appearances, the Angels have added incentive not to play him when he's cold. They might be a better team anyway when they have Reggie Willits in an outfield corner and either Garret Anderson or Vladimir Guerrero DHing.

Minnesota - Third base, left field and maybe DH could all remain problem areas for the Twins, but shortstop probably won't be. While Jason Bartlett is slumping offensively and defensively, he deserves a long leash after his showing in the final four months of last year. Bartlett is no fantasy stud, especially not while he's batting at the bottom of the order, but he should hit .280-.290 and steal a dozen bases over the rest of the year. ? Still to be determined is what the Twins are going to get from Jason Kubel. He's hitting for average right now, but he didn't show any power this spring and he has just one extra-base hit so far this year. Also, he's appeared tentative on defense when used in left field. Kubel still figures to develop into a 20- or 25-homer guy, but I'm not as confident in him for this year as I was at the start of the spring. If he's still not producing come June, the Twins could seek a cheap upgrade, just like they did with Phil Nevin last year. ? Jason Tyner barely played last week, but he did get the start Saturday and had a big game, making it likely that he'll get the majority of the at-bats in place of Rondell White (calf) this week. White is eligible to return Friday and might be ready then.

New York - Mike Mussina (hamstring) and Carl Pavano (forearm) both went down last week and are candidates for the DL, depending on how well their throwing sessions go Sunday. Darrell Rasner did a fair job Saturday in Pavano's place and could be in line for another start this week. Jeff Karstens (elbow) is also a candidate to return by the weekend. If the Yankees still need another starter during the week, Ross Ohlendorf and Chase Wright are far better bets than Phil Hughes to get the assignment. Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) will make a rehab start Thursday and then return from the DL on April 24. ? With Doug Mientkiewicz in an 0-for-21 start, Josh Phelps got his first start against a right-hander on Saturday. Phelps would have to catch fire right away to prevent Mientkiewicz from returning to the lineup soon. Still, don't rule it out. Phelps could hit 20 homers from the ninth spot in the lineup if he gets 400-450 at-bats. ? Hideki Matsui is expected to come off the DL when eligible on April 23.

Oakland - In order to hit Nick Swisher second, which is where he belongs, the A's have already dropped Jason Kendall to the eighth spot in the lineup. Why Shannon Stewart keeps getting the benefit of the doubt even though Kendall has had a better OBP four years running is a mystery, but there's not enough difference between the two that the A's are really costing themselves. Kendall will probably get another look at the top of the order later. With the way Stewart is playing now, perhaps he'll be bounced from the lineup instead of Travis Buck if Dan Johnson can return from a hip injury in the first half of May. ? Swisher's value increases batting second, even if he has fewer RBI chances. He'll drive himself in often enough, and he might score 105-110 runs while hitting ahead of Milton Bradley and Mike Piazza. ? Joe Kennedy won't get another start until April 22 or 24. Chad Gaudin is due to face the Angels on Tuesday.

Tampa Bay - Elijah Dukes' stock has dropped somewhat, and it has just as much to do with some shaky play in the outfield as it does his offensive slump. If he doesn't heat up soon, he may revert back into the reserve outfielder he was supposed to be at the start of the year. ? Dukes' struggles would seem to be good news for Jonny Gomes, but when the Rays had the DH spot open last week, they elected to go with Carlos Pena at first base and make Ty Wigginton their DH twice. They also had Wigginton at second once to make room for Pena. I'm not sure Gomes is any better of a bet than Pena, but it's absurd that he's started just one time in 11 games after he was one of the Rays' best hitters this spring. Gomes hit .282/.372/.534 as a rookie in 2005 and got off to a fantastic start last year before a shoulder injury ruined his season. Factoring in all of the numbers he put up in the minors, he's done more to earn his opportunity than practically anyone else on Tampa Bay's roster. ? Al Reyes has solidified himself in the closer's role by going 3-for-3 in save opps and throwing four scoreless innings so far. It also doesn't hurt that Brian Stokes has failed to impress as the primary setup man. Jae-Kuk Ryu may soon get a look in that role.

Texas - Rather than easing Eric Gagne into the closer's role, Rangers manager Ron Washington went right to him in the ninth inning in a save situation on Friday and was rewarded with a scoreless inning. Gagne is supposed to be available on back-to-back days right away, though he won't pitch three days in a row. Akinori Otsuka has to be held on to in every format. Gagne hasn't had any setbacks since the beginning of spring training and he's reportedly throwing in the low-90s with regularity now, but it's not like there are any guarantees he won't be right back on the DL in two weeks. ? Jamey Wright's shoulder injury hardly qualifies as a blessing as disguise when everyone except the Rangers can see that the club is better off without him. Kameron Loe isn't likely to have much fantasy value while Wright is out, but if he can secure the rotation spot, he could eventually be of use in 4x4 leagues. ? After 11 games, Sammy Sosa has a 522 OPS in 36 AB, Brad Wilkerson has a 683 OPS in 27 AB and [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1390"]Nelson Cruz[/URL] has a 588 OPS in 24 AB. If one of the three can get hot, the other two stand to lose of playing time, and Sosa really should be the most vulnerable to losing at-bats. The Rangers hurt themselves defensively by playing Sosa or Frank Catalanotto in the outfield.

Toronto - It hasn't been a good April to be a Johnson, as Reed joined Dan, Josh, Nick and Randy on the disabled list on Friday. Fortunately, the Jays only lose on defense with Johnson resting an injured back, as Adam Lind was called up to replace him in right field. Lind, who would have been a threat to hit 25 homers this year as a regular, should be a fine AL-only outfielder while Johnson is out. ? While the Jays had a strong replacement ready for an outfielder, Lyle Overbay or Frank Thomas, the rest of the team is extremely shallow, which is the big reason the club just didn't project as a 90-game winner this year. The front-line talent is there, and with some good luck, they're contenders. With bad luck, they could easily lose 90. Already, the position player they can least afford to lose, Troy Glaus, has had shoulder, heel and hamstring troubles. The Jays hope to get him back Tuesday, but especially with the DH no longer available to him, he seems like a weak bet to play in 140 games this year.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

The Preview
Keep in mind that Week 3 will have an early lineup deadline as the Red Sox host the Angels for Patriots Day Monday, starting at 10:05 a.m., but there is currently a 100 percent chance for precipitation. Along with Boston, the entire National League is scheduled for seven games this week. Dice K will get his first taste of the Yankees/Red Sox series later this week, Jered Weaver and brother Jeff Weaver could face off ? barring weather, former teammates John Smoltz and Tom Glavine will tangle, and Curt Schilling and Roy Halladay are also scheduled to compete against one another. With the barrage of rainouts the past week, The Week Ahead will get you up to speed on the latest two-start hurlers for week 3, the games threatened by weather, the latest with the injury bug and also run down some key statistics.

Two-start pitchers:
note: with the crummy weather lately, be sure to check Monday morning to see if rotations have been changed further.
Great options:
Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) at TOR (G. Chacin) vs NYY (TBA)
Roy Oswalt (HOU) vs FLA (S. Mitre) at MIL (D. Bush)
Jered Weaver (LAA) at BOS (J. Beckett) vs SEA (Jef. Weaver)
Josh Beckett (BOS) vs LAA (Jer. Weaver) vs NYY (TBA)
Chris Capuano (MLW) at CIN (E. Milton) vs HOU (W. Rodriguez)
Greg Maddux (SD) at CHC (W. Miller) at COL (J. Hirsh)
Brad Penny (LAD) at ARZ (M. Owings) vs PIT (T. Gorzelanny)
Tom Glavine (NYM) at PHI (J. Moyer) vs ATL (J. Smoltz)
John Smoltz (ATL) at WAS (J. Bergmann) at NYM (T. Glavine)
Jon Garland (CWS) vs TEX (R. Tejeda) at DET (Verlander)
Justin Verlander (DET) vs KC (Z. Grienke) vs CWS (J. Garland)
Anibal Sanchez (FLA) at HOU (W. Rodriguez) vs WAS (J. Williams)
Jeff Francis (COL) vs SF (M. Morris) vs SD (C. Hensley)
Adam Wainwright (STL) vs PIT (T. Gorzelanny) at CHC (W. Miller)

More strong options:
Jamie Moyer (PHI) vs NYM (T. Glavine) at CIN (M. Belisle)
Jake Westbrook (CLE) at NYY (TBA) at TB (J. Shields)
Adam Eaton (PHI) vs NYM (O. Perez) at CIN (E. Milton)
Gustavo Chacin (TOR) vs BOS (D. Matsuzaka) at BAL (Trachsel)
Claudio Vargas (MLW) at CIN (M. Belisle) vs HOU (C. Sampson)
Chuck James (ATL) at SF (J. Williams) at NYM (O. Perez)
Noah Lowry (SF) at COL (J. Hirsh) vs ARZ (M. Owings)
Clay Hensley (SD) at CHC (J. Marquis) at COL (J. Francis)
Wade Miller (CHC) vs SD (G. Maddux) vs STL (A. Wainwright)
Jason Marquis (CHC) vs SD (C. Hensley) vs STL (A. Reyes)

Other two-starters:
Chad Gaudin (OAK) vs LAA (J. Saunders) at TEX (R. Tejeda)
Eric Milton (CIN) vs MLW (C. Capuano) vs PHI (A. Eaton)
Adam Loewen (BAL) at TB (J. Shields) vs TOR (Towers)
James Shields (TB) vs BAL (A. Loewen) vs CLE (J. Westbrook)
Jason Hirsh (COL) vs SF (N. Lowry) vs SD (G. Maddux)
Sergio Mitre (FLA) at HOU (W. Rodriguez) vs WAS (J. Bergmann)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) vs FLA (A. Sanchez) at MLW (C. Carpenter)
Robinson Tejeda (TEX) at CWS (J. Garland) vs OAK (C. Gaudin)
Jerome Williams (WAS) vs ATL (C. James) at FLA (A. Sanchez)
Zack Greinke (KC) at DET (J. Verlander) vs MIN (R. Ortiz)
Jason Bergmann (WAS) vs ATL (J. Smoltz) at FLA (Mitre)
Micah Owings (ARZ) vs LAD (B. Penny) at SF (N. Lowry)
Ramon Ortiz (MIN) at SEA (Jef. Weaver) at KC (Z. Greinke)
Oliver Perez (NYM) at PHI (A. Eaton) vs ATL (C. James)
Tom Gorzelanny (PIT) at STL (A. Reyes) at LAD (B. Tomko)
Anthony Reyes (STL) vs PIT (I. Snell) at CHC (J. Marquis)
Matt Morris (SF) at COL (J. Francis) vs ARZ (E. Gonzalez)
Brett Tomko (LAD) at ARZ (E. Gonzalez) vs PIT (I. Snell)
Edgar Gonzalez (ARZ) vs LAD (B. Tomko) at SF (M. Morris)
Tom Gorzelanny (PIT) at STL (A. Wainwright) at LAD (B. Penny)

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Seven-game schedule: ARI, ATL, BOS, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, NYM, PHI, PIT, SD, SF, STL, WAS
Six-game schedule: BAL, CHW, CLE, DET, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, TB, TEX, TOR, SEA
Five-game schedule: OAK

Rain threatened games:
Monday, April 16: LAA @ BOS (100%), SF @ COL (40%)
Tuesday, April 17: SF @ COL (40%), MIN @ SEA (60%)
Wednesday, April 18: KC @ DET (40%), BAL @ TB (40%), MIN @ SEA (40%)
Friday, April 20: SF @ PIT (40%)
Sunday, April 22: SEA @ LAA (40%), ARI @ SF (60%), PIT @ LA (50%), OAK @ TEX (60%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN.com - MLB - Park Factor
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
2. Coors Field (Rockies) 2.000 runs ? 2 vs. SF, 2 vs. LA, 3 vs. SD
3. Comerica Park (Tigers) 1.841 runs ? 3 vs. KC, 3 vs. CHW
4. Miller Park (Brewers) 1.547 runs ? 2 vs. PIT, 3 vs. HOU
5. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.488 runs ? 3 vs. CLE
6. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.484 runs ? 3 vs. TEX

No Games: 1. Metrodome (Twins) 2.540 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
29. Petco Park (Padres) 0.615 runs ? 2 vs. ARI
28. Camden Yards (Orioles) 0.629 runs ? 3 vs. TOR
27. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.683 runs ? 2 vs. FLA
26. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 0.693 runs ? 2 vs. NYM, 3 vs. WAS
25. Angel Stadium (Angels) 0.731 runs ? 3 vs. SEA

No Games: 30. Jacobs Field (Indians) 0.585 runs

Caught Stealing %:
Stats based on 2007 exclusively:
Toughest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. David Ross, CIN 0-for-2 (100%) ? 2 vs. MIL, 2 vs. HOU, 3 vs. PHI
2. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW 1-for-3 (66.7%) ? 3 vs. TEX, 3 @ DET
3. Jason Kendall, OAK 3-for-8 (62.5%) ? 2 vs. LAA, 3 @ TEX
4. Yadier Molina, STL 2-for-5 (40%) ? 2 vs. PIT, 2 @ SF, 3 @ CHC
5T. Russell Martin, LA 4-for-8 (50%) ? 2 @ ARI, 2 @ COL, 3 vs. PIT
5T. Paul Lo Duca, NYM 3-for-6 (50%) ? 2 @ PHI, 2 @ FLA, 3 vs. ATL
5T. Jason Varitek, BOS 1-for-2 (50%) ? 1 vs. LAA, 3 @ TOR, 3 vs. NYY

Facing these elite catchers is bad news for the following players in the stolen base category: Chris Burke (3-for-3 SB), Kenny Lofton (4-for-5 SB), Brandon Inge (2-for-2 SB), Kaz Matsui (5-for-5 SB)

Easiest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. Brian Schneider, WAS 9-for-9 (0%) ? 2 vs. ATL, 2 vs. PHI, 3 @ FLA
2. Ivan Rodriguez, DET 6-for-6 (0%) ? 3 vs. KC, 3 vs. CHW
3. Gregg Zaun, TOR 7-for-8 (12.5%) ? 3 vs. BOS, 3 @ BAL
4. Jorge Posada, NYY 10-for-13 (23.1%) ? 3 vs. CLE, 3 @ BOS
5T. Carlos Ruiz, PHI 6-for-8 (25%) ? 2 vs. NYM, 2 @ WAS, 3 @ CIN
5T. Brian McCann, ATL 6-for-8 (25%) ? 2 @ WAS, 2 vs. CHC, 3 @ NYM
5T. Joe Mauer, MIN 3-for-4 (25%) ? 3 @ SEA, 3 @ KC

Facing these catchers is good news for Darin Erstad (3-for-3 SB), Scott Podsednik (3-for-5 SB), Julio Lugo (3-for-3 SB), Grady Sizemore (3-for-3 SB), David Wright (3-for-3 SB), Jose Reyes (6-for-8 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (2 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Minnesota: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (4 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Orioles, Twins and DRays play three southpaws this week. That's good news for Jay Gibbons (.417 vs LHPs), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2074"]Alberto Castillo[/URL] (.429 vs LHPs), Justin Morneau (.316 vs LHPs), B.J. Upton (.417 vs LHPs), Ty Wigginton (.500 vs LHPs), Akinori Iwamura (.500 vs LHPs), Delmon Young (.385 vs LHPs)

And bad news for Brian Roberts (.176 vs LHPs), Nick Markakis (.176 vs LHPs), Luis Castillo (.158 vs LHPs), Elijah Dukes (.167 vs LHPs), Ben Zobrist (.083 vs LHPs), Carl Crawford (.231 vs LHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers) note: Thur vs Mil (TBA)
New York Mets: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Pittsburgh: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
San Francisco: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers) note: Thur vs SF (TBA)
Washington: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)

The Brewers, Giants, Cardinals and Nationals play three lefthanders, while the Cubs play just righties. That's good news for Bill Hall (.400 vs LHPs), Barry Bonds (.500 vs LHPs), David Eckstein (.462 vs LHPs), Chris Duncan (.500 vs LHPs), Ronnie Belliard (.600 vs LHPs), Aramis Ramirez (.433 vs RHPs), Derrek Lee (.368 vs RHPs), Ryan Theriot (.357 vs RHPs)

That's bad news for Prince Fielder (.182 vs LHPs), Geoff Jenkins (.167 vs LHPs), Rickie Weeks (0-for-6 vs LHPs), Omar Vizquel (0-for-6 vs LHPs), Bengie Molina (0-for-6 vs LHPs), Albert Pujols (0-for-10 vs LHPs), Preston Wilson (.200 vs LHPs), Brian Schneider (0-for-10 vs LHPs), Austin Kearns (.111 vs LHPs), Alfonso Soriano (.225 vs RHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 4:
Erik Bedard, Scott Kazmir, Tim Wakefield, Tomo Ohka, Jeremy Sowers, Kei Igawa, Brandon Duckworth, Jeremy Bonderman, John Lackey, Dan Haren, Carlos Silva, Felix Hernandez, Kevin Millwood, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Webb, David Wells, Carlos Zambrano, Kyle Davies, Aaron Harang, Derek Lowe, Josh Fogg, Mike Pelfrey, Dontrelle Willis, Brett Myers, John Patterson, Tony Armas Jr., Randy Keisler, Russ Ortiz

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Jeff DaVanon (shoulder) ? return mid-April
Chris Denorfia (elbow) ? likely out for the season
Juan Encarnacion (wrist) ? return mid-April
Alex Escobar (shoulder) ? return May/June
Chone Figgins (finger) ? return early May
Lew Ford (knee) ? return mid-April
Jeremy Hermida (knee) ? out until mid-April
Reed Johnson (back) ? return early May
Matt Kemp (shoulder) ? return late April
Mark Kotsay (back) ? return May/June
Nook Logan (foot) ? return late April
Hideki Matsui (hamstring) ? return late April
Laynce Nix (ribs) ? return mid-April
Jay Payton (hamstring) ? return mid-April
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return July/August
Carlos Quentin (shoulder) ? return mid-April
Rondell White (calf) ? return late April

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) ? return mid-April
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2653"]Alex Gonzalez[/URL] (personal) ? day-to-day
Cristian Guzman (hamstring) ? return late April
Dan Johnson (hip) ? out until mid-season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? return mid-season
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return Aug/Sept
Aramis Ramirez (wrist) ? day-to-day

Catchers:
Toby Hall (shoulder) ? might be out for the season
Ramon Hernandez (ribs) ? return late April
Victor Martinez (quadriceps) ? day-to-day
Vance Wilson (ankle) ? return mid-April

Designated Hitters:
Greg Norton (knee) ? return mid-May

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? return early May
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return July/August
Bartolo Colon (shoulder) ? return late April
Lance Cormier (shoulder) ? return mid-April
Kelvim Escobar (shoulder) ? return early May
Jeff Francis (suspension) ? will return Monday
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL] (biceps) ? return mid-April
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? return mid-April
Jason Jennings (elbow) ? return early may
Josh Johnson (elbow) ? return mid-season
Randy Johnson (back) ? 50/50 to return April 19 vs. San Diego
Jeff Karstens (elbow) ? return mid-April
Brian Lawrence (shoulder) ? return mid-April, might be released
Cliff Lee (abdomen) ? return late April
Jon Lester (cancer) ? return early May
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return mid-April
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return July/August
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return July
Mike Mussina (hamstring) - out until early May
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return early May
Carl Pavano (forearm) - return early May
Mark Prior (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Kenny Rogers (arm) ? return July
John Thomson (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) ? hoping to return April 24
Jered Weaver (biceps) ? scheduled to start on April 16
James Wright (shoulder) ? return early May
Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? return early May

Important Relievers:
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (elbow) ? return mid-season
Octavio Dotel (ribs) ? return mid-April
John Grabow (elbow) ? return mid-April
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return June/July
Brandon League (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Tom Martin (groin) ? return late April
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3262"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3706"]Matt Miller[/URL][/URL] (elbow) ? return early May
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? return mid-April
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? out indefinitely
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return July/August
Tanyon Sturtze (shoulder) ? return May/June
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return mid- to late April

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

NL Team-by-Team Notes
The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Jimmy Rollins has six homers in 11 games. One was of the inside-of-the-park variety, but even so, he's put five balls into the bleachers already. Since three of those have come on the road, it's not like he's just taking advantage of Citizens Bank Park. I'm still not convinced we're going to see Rollins get to 30 homers this year, but I do regret projecting him at just 15. It'll be interesting to see just how much the power helps him as a fantasy shortstop. He's tried just one steal through two weeks. He attempted 40 last year, and he's had at least 32 tries in each of his six full seasons. At the start of the year, I had Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada and Rollins all bunched together well behind Jose Reyes atop the shortstop rankings. I'd put Rollins ahead of Tejada now, but I don't think he's overtaken Jeter yet.

National League notes

Arizona - Randy Johnson (back) sounds like someone who might need one more rehab start before rejoining the Diamondbacks, though that won't be determined until after Monday's throwing session. It wouldn't be the worst thing for the club to get a little more time to pick between Edgar Gonzalez and Micah Owings for the final rotation spot. With a 1.59 ERA in two starts, Owings is looking like the better choice. He'd be worth adding in NL-only leagues if he gets the nod. ? Carlos Quentin (shoulder) could return on Monday or Tuesday, sending Scott Hairston back to the bench. ? Conor Jackson sat out back-to-back games over the weekend. He's not on the verge of losing his job or anything, but he could use a hot streak to separate himself from Tony Clark. I still expect him to have some value in shallow mixed leagues.

Atlanta - With Mike Hampton done following another elbow surgery, it looks like the Braves will have to rely on two members from the group of Mark Redman, Lance Cormier and Kyle Davies to act as starters over the rest of the year. Davies has the most upside, and with Cormier (shoulder) not progressing as quickly as hoped, there now seems to be some chance of him earning a permanent spot. He has some value in NL-only leagues. Hampton's injury also increases the chances that prospect Matt Harrison will contribute in the second half of the season. Both Redman and Cormier could fall short of being adequate bottom-of-the-rotation starters. ? With Ryan Langerhans off to a 2-for-20 start, Matt Diaz stands to see more time versus right-handed pitching. Diaz already has a few more at-bats than Langerhans because of the inordinate amount of southpaws the Braves have faced to far and is hitting .375. He's capable of batting .300 as a full-time player, though with only moderate home run power and limited speed, he's never likely to be of much use as a mixed-league outfielder. ? Kelly Johnson may be batting just .154, but he's walked nine times and scored nine runs in 10 games. As long as his glove holds up, he's going to be a fixture in the lineup.

Chicago - It was curious how Mark Prior went from being able to throw four innings in spring training games to not being ready to pitch for Triple-A Iowa. Now we know why. Prior was sent to see both Dr. Lewis Yocum and Dr. James Andrews after a setback with his shoulder last week. Even if he gets favorable reports back, he seems like a long shot to contribute this year. Surgery to repair looseness in his shoulder, a procedure considered last October, could be on the way. ? Matt Murton has been a non-factor of late, making his last start on April 8. Supposedly the Cubs' primary left fielder, he's been on the bench in favor of Cliff Floyd since opening the season 4-for-13. Murton has been the odd man out even though Alfonso Soriano, Jacque Jones and Floyd have combined for three RBI in 117 at-bats to date. He deserves better after his showing last year. ? Aramis Ramirez could return from right wrist tendinitis on Monday. Ryan Theriot, who has filled in the last three games, will keep being worked into the lineup, as manager Lou Piniella seems to favor him as the No. 2 hitter.

Cincinnati - I can't see ever completely buying into Kyle Lohse, but the former Twin did amass a 4.18 ERA in the AL in 2005. He's capable of a sub-4.00 ERA in the NL for a full year, and he can even be looked at as a spot starter in mixed leagues with the way he's throwing now. However, he'd be a sell-high candidate if he's still pitching well at this time next month. ? Josh Hamilton's fast start has manager Jerry Narron reconsidering his preference not to use Ryan Freel in the infield. Expect Freel to get his first start at third base in place of the slumping Edwin Encarnacion soon. He could also see some time at second, giving him additional value in fantasy leagues. ? I'm still not too high on Hamilton, but he certainly hasn't seemed overmatched so far. His swing suggests he's going to be a 30-homer guy in a couple of years, and that he's walked four times in 17 at-bats is plenty encouraging. Still, he's vulnerable enough to good breaking balls that he doesn't figure to hit for average this year. The Reds don't need to rush him into a starting role.

Colorado - Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta earned starting jobs with strong showings last month, but they've combined for a .161 average and three extra-base hits so far this season. Maybe a seven-game homestand this week will help out. Tulowitzki appears closer to breaking through. I don't yet see any reason to believe that he won't finish the season with about 15 homers. Iannetta is likely further away from being of a lot of help in NL-only leagues. His game is OBP, but he appears overly tentative right now. Expect Yorvit Torrealba to keep making two or three starts per week in his place. ? With LaTroy Hawkins struggling, it looks like either Manny Corpas or Ramon Ramirez will soon be the Rockies' top setup man. Both are worth watching, as the possibility exists that Brian Fuentes will be moved this summer. Personally, I prefer Corpas as a fantasy sleeper.

Florida - With a 1/10 K/BB ratio in 4 2/3 innings, Jorge Julio seems unlikely to regain closing duties anytime soon. Henry Owens should be the favorite for saves in the Florida pen. After posting a 0.64 ERA in spring training, he'll allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings during the regular season. Also in the mix to close are Taylor Tankersley, Kevin Gregg and Matt Lindstrom. I still think Tankersley will end the year with the best ERA of any of the Marlins' relievers, but Owens is the one to own in all formats right now. ? This isn't the time to give up on Scott Olsen in mixed leagues, not with the Nationals up next. Anibal Sanchez is also a nice play in mixed leagues this week.

Houston - Pulling Brad Lidge from the closer's role was the right move, and the Astros probably won't be as quick to go back to him as they were last year. He needs to spend at least a month in middle relief. Lidge hasn't lost any stuff, so there's always hope that it will click for him. Still, it might take a change of scenery. The Astros appear to have little interest in moving him right now, but a few more poor outings would likely change that. ? Dan Wheeler is likely to be just fine in the closer's role. His slider neutralizes right-handers, and he doesn't give up as many homers as he did early in his career. The Astros will need some bullpen help if Lidge doesn't bounce back, but they shouldn't have to worry about landing a true closer. Given the chance, Wheeler will notch 30 saves. ? As high as the Astros were on Mark Loretta during spring training, it's odd to see that he has just eight at-bats through 10 games. He might be worth using in NL-only leagues later this year, but there's little reason to own him now.

Los Angeles - Jason Schmidt lost his best fastball a couple of years ago, so I wasn't very concerned about the reports regarding his diminished velocity in spring training. He's started slow before and worked his way back up to the 90-92 mph range. The same could happen again year, but it is disturbing he's been in the mid-80s more often than not so far. Considering that Schmidt says he's healthy ? and he has little reason to lie while in the first year of his contract -- it's not yet time to panic. With Dodger Stadium aiding him, he'd probably be fairly successful working in the high-80s. ? Wilson Betemit has yet to earn the benefit of the doubt in Los Angeles, so his 1-for-24 start is going to cost him playing time. Andy LaRoche isn't an alternative, as he's hitting .172 at Triple-A Las Vegas. The surprising Wilson Valdez stands to benefit most from Betemit's slump and is worth using in NL-only leagues. I'm still expecting Betemit to hit 15-20 homers, but it wouldn't be a big surprise to see him get there with another team in the second half.

Milwaukee - Bill Hall had a fine spring offensively, hitting .313/.390/.567 in Arizona, and the Brewers seemed pretty happy about his defense in center field. The regular season, on the other hand, has been a totally different story. Hall is batting .171 in 35 at-bats, and it seems like some of his problems on defense are spilling into the batter's box. With Ned Yost showing once again that he's no member of the [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3875"]Corey Hart[/URL] fan club, the Brewers could try Hall in right if they think he'd fit better in a corner. It'd make even more sense to play him at third base over the Craig Counsell-Tony Graffanino platoon. However, the club's plan is to stick with Hall in center right now. He has the speed to be adequate there, and it's safe to assume his offense will pick up soon enough. ? [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4768"]Ryan Braun[/URL], who hit three homers off Chan Ho Park in a Triple-A game on Saturday, is the other alternative for the Brewers at third base. If he could play average defense at the position, he'd already be a major league regular. Unfortunately, he's a liability there now and his tendency to make errors could force him to the outfield. If Hart can't establish himself in right field, the Brewers should try Braun there in Triple-A and see if he can contribute come June or July.

New York - Lastings Milledge had to go last week. Even Endy Chavez didn't have a start until Saturday, and if the Mets can't find at-bats for their fourth outfielder, there was no reason to carry Milledge as a reserve. Shawn Green has gotten off to a fine start following his awful spring, but he needs to outhit Chavez by a hefty margin to be the superior option as a regular, considering that he's the far inferior defender and he doesn't offer as much on the basepaths. He's OK as long as he hits .300, but that's not going to last for long. ? There's been plenty of speculation that Milledge's next appearance in the majors will come in a different uniform, especially since it's likely the Mets will need some pitching help in July. However, there's no guarantee that there will be any top-flight hurlers available and the Mets have other bait to use to acquire a fourth starter or a setup man. A Milledge trade made more sense when other teams saw him as a center fielder. Now he's viewed as corner guy by most, and some have soured on his offensive potential a bit, though the way I see it, he's as good of a prospect as ever. Unless Dontrelle Willis or Dan Haren becomes available, the Mets should keep Milledge and pencil him in as their right fielder in 2008.

Pittsburgh - The Pirates were treating Adam LaRoche as a savior, but what they got was a guy who was an average regular until hitting .323/.387/.655 in 229 at-bats after the All-Star break last season. The Pirates can reasonably expect him to hit 25-30 homers and drive in 90-100 runs this year, but they didn't acquire a perennial All-Star and all of the expectations that came with the trade could be taking a toll. Expect LaRoche to break out of his current slump soon enough. He also started very slow his first two seasons, so this is nothing new. ? Ian Snell has yet to earn a win in two strong performances, but he's quickly made a statement that he's going to be an asset in mixed leagues this year. The Pirates have also received great results from Tom Gorzelanny, who nearly lost his rotation spot after an ugly spring. Gorzelanny shouldn't be picked up in mixed leagues just yet, but he is worth paying attention to.

St. Louis - Thanks to two homers and five RBI on Sunday, I no longer have to share how unworried I was about Albert Pujols' slump. ? Chris Carpenter is someone to be worried about. The Cardinals don't seem overly concerned about the diagnosis of arthritis in the right-hander's elbow, but they do have to sweat the impingement. Odds are that Carpenter will be able to avoid surgery, at least until the offseason, but if not, he'd likely miss two or three months. ? Randy Keisler is a weak option in NL-only leagues while filling in for Carpenter. The journeyman left-hander could be replaced by Blake Hawksworth or Chris Narveson if he struggles. ? Amazingly enough, Ryan Franklin is probably second in line for saves in the St. Louis pen right now. Brad Thompson is still the better option in NL-only leagues because of his win potential, but Franklin is also probably worth owning. Even if Jason Isringhausen can stay healthy, the Cardinals are going to be careful when it comes to using him three days in a row.

San Diego - Mike Cameron is batting .156 and doesn't have an extra-base hit in 45 at-bats. His play will pick up, but he's probably not going to be the same kind of asset in mixed leagues that he was last year. He's due to lose about 20 points of average from his .268 mark in 2006, and since he figures to miss 20-30 games over the course of the year, he's going to have a tough time reaching 80 runs or RBI. ? Josh Bard's groin injury has the light-hitting Rob Bowen behind the plate. The Padres called up someone with additional power in Pete Laforest, but they're probably not going to downgrade their defense by giving him more than a couple of starts. ? Clay Hensley's early struggles seem to be mostly the result of his blister troubles. He's worth holding on to, but he's too risky to play this week against the Cubs and Rockies.

San Francisco - Even if the Giants want to stick with Russ Ortiz as their fifth starter, Tim Lincecum is going to be hard to keep in the minors into June. The 10th overall pick in the 2006 draft has been dominant at Triple-A Fresno, striking out 17 in 12 scoreless innings. The Giants don't have to use Lincecum as a starter and might consider making him a late-inning reliever if Armando Benitez slumps. Still, as unlikely as it is that they'll go to the playoffs, turning to Lincecum for relief help would be a mistake. Ideally, he'd break in as a starter sometime in June or July. Just don't be surprised if it happens much earlier. ? The Giants have given Pedro Feliz two days off already, but instead of going to Kevin Frandsen, manager Bruce Bochy used Rich Aurilia at third and Ryan Klesko at first. With no playing time for Frandsen in sight, the 24-year-old was demoted to open up a roster spot for Mark Sweeney. Frandsen will return once Ray Durham gets hurt, but the Giants are playing it correctly now. Aurilia is more of an asset while playing all over the place than he is as a full-time first baseman. Klesko should have some value in NL-only leagues if the Giants can keep him in the lineup three times per week.

Washington - With 110 losses on the way in 2007 and seemingly little chance of getting above .500 before 2009, the Nationals will have to strongly consider moving Chad Cordero in July. He's their best chip as they attempt to continue rebuilding the farm system. One good piece of news for Cordero owners is that, with the Red Sox moving Jonathan Papelbon back to the pen, the leading suitors for Cordero could all be NL teams. Barring injuries, the Indians may be the only AL team in the market for a closer. The Astros, Reds, Phillies, Giants, Rockies and Diamondbacks look like NL possibilities for Cordero. ? Jon Rauch is the leading candidate to replace Cordero in Washington. Luis Ayala (elbow) could be back in May and the club seems particularly fond of Ryan Wagner, but it should be Rauch's job, assuming he isn't traded himself. ? Neither Cristian Guzman (hamstring) nor Nook Logan (ankle) is expected back when eligible on Wednesday. Chris Snelling has replaced Kory Casto as the primary left fielder with Logan out. Ronnie Belliard has been strong enough at second base that the Nationals have reason to be very careful with Guzman.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

The Scout
As a favor to a friend, I spent Sunday afternoon serving as one of two "independent talent evaluators" while a bunch of 11- and 12-year-olds tried out for the traveling team that he'll be coaching this season. I had a clipboard and everything, so the next time someone accuses me of being a "stat-head," I can surely point to the whole experience as evidence of my deep scouting background. As everyone knows, clipboards are no joke.

In fact, when it comes to grading fifth graders' tools on a 1-to-10 scale?my evaluation form had way more than the standard five tools on it, and even included "baseball sense"?word around the little league field is that I've immediately become one of the premiere scouts in the Twin Cities area. That'll look sweet as the new leadoff item on the old resume.

As someone who's lucky enough to spend each day watching and writing about baseball, it was interesting to take an afternoon off from tracking guys like Albert Pujols and Johan Santana. Instead, I watched a bunch of kids who're probably 90 pounds soaking wet, and aren't at all opposed to the idea of a left-handed second baseman or wearing jeans and skateboarding shoes to a tryout.

In order to convince the parents on hand that their sons were being evaluated by someone with some semblance of qualifications to do so, I was introduced as (among other things) a writer for Rotoworld. About 10 seconds later, one father came up to me and told me that he was a reader, at which point we discussed Manny Ramirez's ridiculous hair for several minutes (he's from Boston and his son sported a Manny jersey for the tryout). It made my afternoon.

While I finalize my all-important grades for the 11-year-old hopefuls prior to Tuesday night's follow-up tryout?yes, I said follow-up tryout?here are some other notes from around (major-league) baseball ?

* With Sunday's game rained out, Jered Weaver's debut start has been pushed back to either Tuesday or Wednesday (depending on the status of Monday's rain-threatened game). Instead of coming back against the Red Sox, Weaver will get his feet wet with a much more favorable matchup against the A's. Trusting a pitcher fresh off the disabled list is always risky, but Weaver tossed seven shutout innings in his final minor-league tune-up and is a strong play immediately.

Meanwhile, Bartolo Colon could soon be joining Weaver in the rotation after tossing seven scoreless innings of his own Sunday at Triple-A. Colon was reportedly working in the mid-90s with his fastball and, barring a setback, is scheduled to return Friday against the Mariners. Colon is less of a sure-thing play than Weaver this week, but a matchup against Seattle is a relatively favorable one and the Angels have been pleased with how he's looked while rehabbing.

* After blowing a save in ugly fashion Saturday night, the Blue Jays placed B.J. Ryan on the disabled list Sunday with an elbow injury, rather than the back problems that limited him during spring training. With a visit to Dr. James Andrews scheduled Monday, Ryan's injury could be serious and the Blue Jays have made it clear that Jason Frasor will take over as closer until he returns.

However, with Frasor throwing 30 pitches Saturday, it was Shaun Marcum who got the call to close things out Sunday. Marcum tossed a perfect inning against the Tigers to get the save, but Frasor remains the choice as a waiver-wire pickup this week and should be owned in all leagues. Marcum is worth keeping an eye on, especially if Ryan is out for a significant stretch, and Victor Zambrano could also emerge as an option for saves at some point if Frasor struggles in the role.

* Rich Harden continued his brilliant start with six scoreless innings against the Yankees Sunday, but continued his history of injuries by exiting one batter into the seventh inning with shoulder tightness. The good news is that Harden said afterward that "it's not too serious" and he's "not concerned." The bad news is that Harden's track record suggests even "not too serious" is something to be concerned about, and the A's may stick him on the DL anyway just to be safe.

AL Quick Hits: With both Mike Mussina (hamstring) and Carl Pavano (forearm) heading to the disabled list Sunday, Chase Wright will come up from Double-A to join Darrell Rasner in the rotation and Jeff Karstens (elbow) may be rushed back ? Following the death of his grandfather, Corey Patterson will be away on bereavement leave until at least Wednesday ? General manager J.P. Ricciardi said Sunday that Reed Johnson (back) is considering surgery that would keep him out for two months ? If a scheduled batting-practice session Monday goes well, Ramon Hernandez (oblique) could be back in the lineup by midweek ? Nick Punto (ankle) is scheduled to undergo an MRI Monday and manager Ron Gardenhire indicated that a trip to the DL looms ? Chone Figgins (fingers) took batting practice on both Saturday and Sunday, and could begin throwing Monday ? Manager Sam Perlozzo said Sunday that Jay Payton (hamstring) could return as soon as Friday ? As usual, reports of Ichiro Suzuki's demise were greatly exaggerated and he collected four hits while scoring four runs Sunday.

NL Quick Hits: Making his first appearance since losing the closer job, Jorge Julio walked four batters in one inning against the Braves ? Manager Lou Piniella said that he's "hopefully optimistic" that Aramis Ramirez (wrist) will be back in the lineup Monday ? In a tour he's no doubt used to by now, Mark Prior (shoulder) will visit Dr. James Andrews this week after seeing Dr. Lewis Yocum over the weekend ? David Weathers has received all of the Reds' save chances thus far and is now 5-for-5 converting them ? With Sunday's game postponed due to rain, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL] (biceps) is expected to make his season debut Monday against the Mets ? Reports of Albert Pujols' demise were predictably exaggerated too, as he homered twice while driving in five runs Sunday ? With Kaz Matsui (back) out, Jamey Carroll will likely see most of the starts at second base despite Clint Barmes being called up from Triple-A ? Playing at Triple-A, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4768"]Ryan Braun[/URL] took Chan Ho Park deep in three straight at-bats Saturday.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Trouble in Toronto
Monday was a very tough day for the Blue Jays, with B.J. Ryan and Troy Glaus heading to the disabled list, and Reed Johnson deciding to undergo surgery on a herniated disk in his back that'll sideline him for at least two months. Toronto has the outfield depth to replace Johnson, calling up top prospect Adam Lind to take over in left field in what may become a Wally Pipp situation, but the team is far less equipped to handle losing Ryan and Glaus.

Glaus is expected to miss two weeks with a bone spur in his left heel, but a stint on the DL is far from guaranteed to fix the problem and eventual surgery can't be ruled out. The combination of Jason Smith, John McDonald, and recent call-up Ryan Roberts will replace Glaus, which figures to be an upgrade defensively while being a huge dropoff at the plate. No one from that trio is worth grabbing in fantasy leagues, regardless of how the playing time shakes out.

Ryan is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a strained elbow ligament and the possibility exists that he'd need season-ending Tommy John surgery if his recovery doesn't go smoothly. That'd be a huge blow to the Blue Jays, who signed Ryan to a five-year deal worth $47 million last offseason, and their bullpen could be a problem without Ryan around to handle ninth-inning duties. Jason Frasor will step into the closer role initially, with Shaun Marcum and Victor Zambrano waiting in the wings.

While Blue Jays fans wonder if their playoff chances vanished along with Ryan, Glaus, and Johnson Monday, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Alfonso Soriano left Monday's game in the fifth inning with a strained left hamstring and said afterward that he expects to miss at least five days. If Soriano can avoid the disabled list, the Cubs may decide to use Jacque Jones in center field with Cliff Floyd and Matt Murton flanking him in the corners. While that's not a bad arrangement, Soriano being sidelined for more than a week could lead to calling up Felix Pie from Triple-A to step in as the regular center fielder.

The 22-year-old Pie has been the subject of call-up speculation since 2005, but so far the Cubs have avoided the temptation. Despite Soriano's massive contract, Pie figures to be the Cubs' long-term center fielder. He's still somewhat rough around the edges and may struggle initially in his first taste of the big leagues, but Pie has the power-speed combination to be a big-time fantasy asset in time.

* Carlos Quentin returned to the lineup Monday after sitting out the first two weeks with a partially torn left labrum, making his season debut as the Diamondbacks' right fielder and No. 5 hitter. Manager Bob Melvin indicated that he plans a four-man outfield rotation that will keep Quentin, Eric Byrnes, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL], and Scott Hairston in the mix for regular at-bats, but that's going to be tough to pull off given that everyone involved is a right-handed hitter.

The choice for who loses playing time may ultimately come down to Young or Hairston. Young is one of the top prospects in all of baseball and an outstanding defender in center field, but he's off to a 5-for-35 start at the plate. Hairston is deserving of a chance after consistently putting up excellent numbers in the minors and started 12 of Arizona's first 13 games while Quentin was sidelined, but has been pushed aside for less of a reason in the past.

* On the same day that they got Quentin back, the Diamondbacks learned that Randy Johnson won't be returning as soon as initially hoped. Johnson revealed Monday that he wants to make one more minor-league rehab start before returning, saying: "I didn't feel I was ready ? I want to have one more productive start and know that it's my last start." That start will come Thursday at Triple-A, after which Johnson will be on track to debut next Tuesday against the Padres.

* Vladimir Guerrero gave the Angels a major scare when he left Monday's game in the first inning after being hit on the wrist by a Josh Beckett pitch. Guerrero appeared to be in a ton of pain at the time, but X-rays were negative and the injury has been diagnosed as merely a bruise. Reggie Willits figures to fill in for Guerrero as long as the injury remains a short-term problem and picks up a little value in AL-only leagues.

AL Quick Hits: Rich Harden (shoulder) said Monday that he's "pretty sure" he'll make his scheduled start Saturday ? The Angels confirmed that Jered Weaver (biceps) will debut Tuesday against the A's, with Bartolo Colon (shoulder) returning Saturday against the Mariners ? After taking soft toss Monday, Ramon Hernandez (oblique) is hoping to return Wednesday ? Nick Punto (ankle) is expected to avoid the disabled list after an MRI showed no serious damage ? Getting some work in a non-save situation Monday, Joakim Soria coughed up three runs in one-third of an inning ? According to manager Terry Francona, Julian Tavarez will start Thursday on 12 days' rest ? Alex Gordon surprisingly spent most of Monday's game at shortstop, making him eligible there in some leagues ? Ervin Santana's struggles on the road continued Monday, as he was knocked around by the Red Sox and dropped to 9-13 with a 6.78 ERA in 27 career starts away from home.

NL Quick Hits: With a 7.36 ERA and significantly decreased velocity, Jason Schmidt underwent an MRI Monday despite claiming that his arm isn't sore ? Aramis Ramirez (wrist) wasn't used Monday, but manager Lou Piniella said that he expects him back on Tuesday or Wednesday ? Despite an ugly 6-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio, Brad Penny improved to 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA after beating the Diamondbacks Monday night ? Jeff Francis returned Monday from his five-game suspension and coughed up seven runs to the Giants ? Pinch-hitting in the ninth inning Monday, Josh Hamilton launched his third homer in 18 at-bats ? Despite tossing 120 pitches in his last start, Roy Oswalt will be working on three days' rest Tuesday ? Ryan Freel's two-year contract extension is worth $7 million, but doesn't buy out any free agency ? Lance Cormier (shoulder) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Sunday, at which point he'll be about one week from returning.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Prospects: Inman and Rodriguez
With a full docket of injuries and player reevaluations now in the books, I'm returning to the standard Prospect Report format this edition. That means I'll evaluate the significant callups of the last week, then move on to a pair of prospect profiles. If there are any prospects you're looking for a profile on, feel free to submit suggestions to the contact info at the bottom of the page or to the Rotoworld Forums. At worst, I'll do my best to send an abbreviated response if the player isn't selected for a full profile.

Callups

Alexi Casilla ? 2B Twins ? Traded from the Angels to the Twins for J.C. Romero after the 2005 season, Casilla is a speedy middle infielder lacking anything resembling power. The 5'9", 160-pound Casilla stole 50 bases in 60 attempts between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain last season, but he's a worthwhile prospect because he plays above average defense and also shows quality on-base skills. The 22-year-old switch-hitter hit .318 with a .386 on-base percentage last year. Big league pitchers with better control won't be afraid to lay pitches in the strike zone against him, but Casilla may be able to slap and bunt his way to a career similar to that of current Twins' second basemen Luis Castillo.

Casilla is only up in the majors with the club lacking another option to replace the injured Jeff Cirillo. The Twins would prefer to see Casilla getting regular playing time down in Triple-A, and he could head back there before Cirillo is ready to return in three-to-six weeks. Since he won't play much and is likely headed back to the minors, Casilla is only to be considered in keeper formats at the moment.

With Castillo a free agent at season's end, the always cost-conscious Twins could look to go with his younger version in Casilla. And while the promising prospect is no lock to perform nearly as well, the club may be forced to make the tough decision. Casilla's 40 steal and plus batting average potential would make him a very intriguing option in roto leagues, and he's worth locking up now if possible. Recommendation: Claim in keeper leagues, monitor in one-year formats.

Jon Knott ? OF Orioles ? The quintessential Triple-A slugger, Knott has belted 82 homers for Portland of the Pacific Coast League since arriving there late in the 2003 campaign. The undrafted right-hander out of Mississippi State University posted his best season to date in 2006, leading the PCL in homers while batting .280/.353/.572 with a 103/52 K/BB ratio in 479 at-bats. Knott's power has always been a constant, but his long swing and unimpressive strikeout rate mean he's unlikely to hit for much average in the majors. Still, a background like this would ordinarily make a player like Knott an excellent prospect, but the 6'3", 210-pounder turns 29 in May and is thus unlikely to ever work as a regular for an extended period of time.

With Jay Payton on the disabled list, Knott will serve as a reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter. He's capable of helping a team in that role, and a positive contribution in a platoon can't be ruled out either. Still, it's more likely that Knott gets a smattering of at-bats and then returns to the minors when Payton is ready this weekend. AL-only leaguers could consider Knott if he were ever given more steady big league at-bats, but there's no long-term potential and is thus not worth a claim at this time. Recommendation: Ignore for now in AL-only formats.

Adam Lind ? OF Blue Jays ? The first big callup of the season, Lind is sure to garner a lot of attention in all AL-only leagues. A third rounder out of South Alabama in 2003, Lind looked like a potentially useful platoon player until last season. In 2006, Lind continued displaying his adeptness at hitting for average while batting .330 between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Syracuse, but increased power is what made him an intriguing prospect. The left-hander had hit 42 doubles and 12 homers the previous season, but he got a little more loft on the ball last year and belted 24 homers and 31 doubles in 38 less at-bats. A late season promotion to the majors also went well, with Lind batting .367 with two homers and eight doubles in 60 at-bats.

Despite the big jump in production, Lind has all of the tools necessary to continue succeeding at the big league level. His swing is smooth and he's capable of going the other way. Throw in a 6'2", 200-pound frame, and he won't have a problem generating the requisite power either. That Lind improved his production and strike zone judgment as the season went along is another positive sign that his successes will carry forward. Given all of the above, the 23-year-old is currently ranked 27th in our Season Pass Top 100 prospects.

Reed Johnson went down with a herniated disc in his back this week, and he'll be sidelined until July at the earliest. It's rather likely that he'll experience a setback or not regain full strength right away, so it looks like Lind has at least three full months as a regular in front of him. If he performs well, and I'm projecting that he will, the club could easily slide Reed Johnson back into a platoon role with Lind. Since he's a lock for 400 at-bats now and has 20-homer potential to go with a strong batting average, Lind is worth a big investment in AL-only formats. Recommendation: Bid aggressively in AL-only formats, monitor closely in mixed leagues.

Glen Perkins ? LHP Twins ? The Twins recalled Perkins from Triple-A Rochester this week when they needed someone to log emergency innings. Perkins pitched in two games, giving up three runs in 2 2/3 innings of work. The assignment figures to be a temporary one, as Perkins is a legitimate candidate to join the Twins' rotation at some point this season. Once the team feels their bullpen is healthy enough, he'll be sent back down.

However, those in keeper formats may want to consider claiming Perkins now. The 24-year-old doesn't have ace potential, but he has an average fastball to go with a quality changeup and a serviceable curve. Using that repertoire and changing speeds often has allowed Perkins to strike out more than a batter per inning in his minor league career, so he deserves a big league opportunity despite less than stellar scouting reports. If he can continue hitting his spots and keeping the ball in the yard, Perkins projects as a decent middle of the rotation starter that can help in AL-only formats. Recommendation: Monitor in one-year and keeper AL-only leagues.

Josh Rabe ? OF Twins ? Another short-term callup by the Twins, Rabe is filling in for the injured Rondell White. Rabe, a 28-year-old right-hander out of Quincy University, debuted in the majors late last season. He had an impressive few weeks with the club, batting .286 and swatting three homers in just 49 at-bats. However, the 804 OPS Rabe posted in that small sample was the best he had posted since Double-A in 2003. While he has adequate control of the strike zone and the ability to hit for a decent average, Rabe isn't ever going to hit for enough power to be a regular. He'll get a few starts while White is out, but Rabe is unlikely to provide much value in the meantime and his long-term potential isn't promising. Recommendation: : Ignore in AL-only formats.

Prospect Profiles

Will Inman ? RHP Brewers ? Not a lot of noise has been made about their progress in developing youngsters, but the Brewers have quickly developed an impressive yet top-heavy minor league system. Yovani Gallardo and [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4768"]Ryan Braun[/URL] are among the 15 best prospects in the game, and Inman is an up-and-comer who has the potential to crack the top 50 in short order. The club also has a number of interesting pitching prospects in Jeremy Jeffress, Manny Parra, and Mark Rogers to go with promising hitters Cole Gillespe, Angel Salome, and Lorenzo Cain. Add in that they've graduated Prince Fielder, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3875"]Corey Hart[/URL], and Rickie Weeks over the last two seasons, and scouting director Jack Zduriencik probably doesn't get as many accolades as he deserves.

While Braun and Gallardo are potential All-Stars who should break into the majors this season, Inman is still another year or two away. The 6'0", 200-pound Inman was a third round selection in the 2005 draft out of a Virginia high school. He signed quickly and jumped into Rookie ball, posting an ERA under 2.00 with a 59/12 K/BB ratio in 47 innings of work. Inman was allowed to work out of the bullpen for a portion of those outings and it was a small sample against weak competition, but the debut still qualified as excellent.

Assigned to Single-A West Virginia to begin the 2006 campaign, Inman continued to overmatch hitters in the low minors. He posted an excellent 134/24 K/BB ratio while giving up just 75 hits in 110 2/3 innings of work. Overall, he went 10-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 20 starts and three relief appearances. The one negative in the season was that Inman missed most of May and June after going to the disabled list with a shoulder strain. He was as dominant as ever after returning, but even relatively minor injuries are a red flag for pitchers this young.

The Brewers thus figure to be cautious with the right-hander, and he's going to spend most of 2007 at High-A Brevard County regardless of how well he pitches. Inman, however, will do his best to test their patience. He's already off to a fast start for the Manatees, striking out 15 and giving up just one run over his first 10 2/3 innings. With excellent command of a fastball that can reach 93 MPH to go with a pair of above average secondary offerings in a curve and changeup, Inman's relative polish for a 20-year-old will further tempt the club's front office.

Inman shouldn't have much difficulty dispensing of High-A batters this summer, so the biggest key to his prospect status is staying healthy. If he can make it to August without experiencing any arm injuries, perhaps a late season promotion will be in order. Double-A will prove a better test for Inman due to his lack of exceptional fastball velocity, but he throws plenty hard enough to succeed and I'm expecting him to pass with flying colors. Should he remain healthy and effective, Inman will enter 2008 as one of the game's top 10 pitching prospects. He's on track to break into the majors late in 2008 or early in 2009.

Sean Rodriguez ? SS Angels ? The Angels are absolutely loaded when it comes to middle infield talent, and Rodriguez is just the latest in a line of strong prospects. Over the last few seasons, they've graduated Howie Kendrick, Alberto Callaspo (since traded), and Erick Aybar to go with current stud prospect [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] and now Rodriguez. Throw in veteran Orlando Cabrera being signed through 2008, finding a place to play for Chone Figgins, and a talented backup in Maicer Izturis, and it's a crowded situation to say the least. Of course, that's a pretty great problem to have.

Rodriguez, a third round pick out of a Miami high school in 2003, was projected to be a quality middle infielder that could contribute across the board. His debut in Rookie ball after signing was far from ideal, but he didn't do anything to embarrass himself and he showed a broad range of skills. A move to the Pioneer League the next season put Rodriguez on the map after he posted a .338/.486/.569 line to go with a 62/51 K/BB ratio in 225 at-bats. A mid-season promotion to Single-A Cedar Rapids went poorly however, as Rodriguez saw his batting average, power, and plate discipline all regress significantly.

Back at Cedar Rapids in 2005, Rodriguez improved his walk rate and cut down on his strikeouts, posting an excellent 85/78 K/BB rate in 448 at-bats. That his batting average stayed exactly the same and his power increased only marginally was disappointing, but the improved contact rate and pitch recognition were promising signs. It was a performance that wouldn't get him noticed, but would set him up well for future success.

Moved up to Rancho Cucamonga to start the 2006 campaign, the 21-year-old finally had a full season breakout. He hit .301 with 29 doubles and 24 homers in 455 at-bats, then hit .354 with five homers in 65 at-bats after a late season promotion to Double-A Arkansas. That Rodriguez struck out 144 times and dropped his walk rate to just 58 free passes was of significant concern, but the pitch recognition skills are still very much there and Rodriguez swinging harder had more to do with the deterioration than an actual regression in skill. Back in Arkansas to start the 2007 season, the 6'0", 190-pound right-hander is off to a fast start, going 12-for-34 with four doubles, two homers, and a 10/6 K/BB ratio thus far.

Rodriguez's biggest problems are on defense. His arm could play at shortstop or third base, but his range is poor and he's not very sure handed. A move to second base is possible in a different organization, but moving to a corner outfield position is more likely in Anaheim given Howie Kendrick's presence. Perhaps an off-season trade of Orlando Cabrera will open up some options, giving the club more opportunities to work in Aybar, Wood, and Rodriguez. When he does finally get a chance, Rodriguez should resemble an above average regular if he's playing in the infield. He's capable of batting .280 with 20 homers and 50 walks in his better years, and his intelligence on the bases should allow for 15 steals annually. He's an underrated prospect.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Pie Steps in for Soriano
So far at least, Alfonso Soriano has avoided the disabled list. However, the Cubs decided to call up prospect Felix Pie from Triple-A anyway, with the 22-year-old making his big-league debut Tuesday against the Padres as Soriano's replacement as the leadoff man and center fielder. Pie went 1-for-6 with an RBI double off future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux and threw out Russell Branyan at the plate with what would have been the go-ahead run in the 10th inning.

An MRI on Soriano's injured hamstring came back negative Tuesday and he reiterated plans to return in about a week. Pie figures to get nearly every start in center field until then and has a chance for extended action given the unpredictable, slow-healing nature of Soriano's injury. Chicago's outfield was crowded already with Soriano, Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd, and Matt Murton, but Pie could certainly work his way into a permanent spot with a strong start.

While Cubs fans judge for themselves whether Pie is something special or merely the next Corey Patterson, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* One day after Jason Schmidt diffused questions about his decreased velocity by saying that his arm wasn't sore, the Dodgers placed him on the disabled list with what is being called shoulder inflammation. Manager Grady Little said Tuesday that the team hopes it's "just a short-term thing," but it could be more significant than that considering Schmidt has lacked velocity since early on in spring training.

Mark Hendrickson will move from the bullpen to the rotation to replace Schmidt, but isn't worth picking up in 5x5 leagues despite a 1.64 ERA and impressive 11-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11 relief innings. Hendrickson's track record as a starter is long enough and mediocre enough that we know he can't rack up the necessary strikeouts to be a worthwhile fantasy option, although he clings to marginal value in 4x4 leagues.

* I'm not sure if this qualifies as ironic or just sad, but after making it back from offseason hernia surgery, Scott Podsednik got hurt while going through an off-day workout Monday. Podsednik suffered what is being called a "moderate-to-severe adductor strain" and was placed on the disabled list Tuesday, with no timetable for his return established yet. Posdednik had been off to a good start, batting .303 with three steals, but the White Sox are well prepared to replace him.

Rob Mackowiak likely will step in for Podsednik against right-handed pitchers, with Pablo Ozuna continuing to face most left-handed pitchers as the other half of the left-field platoon. [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1893"]Brian Anderson[/URL] could also pick up a few more at-bats with Podsednik out. The injury changes the White Sox's batting order a bit, with Darin Erstad likely moving up one spot into the leadoff role and Tadahito Iguchi sliding behind him in the No. 2 spot, which will give him a value boost.

* An MRI on Jason Jennings' injured elbow showed no ligament damage, but he's expected to miss at least two starts after being placed on the disabled list Tuesday. Matt Albers, a 24-year-old right-hander who lost out on the fifth-starter job this spring, has been called up from Triple-A to replace Jennings in the rotation He's scheduled to debut Friday against Ben Sheets and the Brewers, which is a tough first matchup.

Albers struggled in a brief stint with the Astros last season and got off to an equally rough start at Triple-A to begin this year, allowing nine runs in 13 innings. He isn't worth grabbing right away, but he's definitely someone to keep an eye on in NL-only leagues after going 12-3 with a 2.49 ERA and 121-to-57 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 141 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

* The Lincecum Watch: Tim Lincecum has yet to allow a run in three starts at Triple-A, tossing 5.0, 7.0, and 6.2 scoreless innings in his three outings. Daily Dose's favorite pitching prospect is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 28-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and .143 opponent's batting average in 18.2 innings.

AL Quick Hits: An MRI on Rich Harden's injured shoulder showed no damage and he's expected to start on April 24 ? With the Angels off Thursday, Vladimir Guerrero (hand) is expected to return Friday ? Ramon Hernandez (oblique) said that he was "pain free" after taking live batting practice Tuesday, but his expected return has been pushed back from Wednesday to Friday ? Torii Hunter left Tuesday game after hurting his shoulder and wrist on an attempted diving catch, but reportedly could play Wednesday ? Jay Payton (hamstring) is within days of returning, but manager Sam Perlozzo indicated that he may not have the everyday left-field job waiting for him ? Victor Martinez (quadriceps) was back in the lineup Tuesday for the first time since April 6 ? Howie Kendrick left Tuesday's game and was taken for X-rays after being hit on the left hand by a pitch ? One day after manager Ron Washington hinted at reducing his playing time, Sammy Sosa reacted to the boos in Chicago by smacking a three-run homer.

NL Quick Hits: [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL] struck out six batters in his return to the rotation Tuesday, but was yanked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning ? Paul Lo Duca left Tuesday's game after taking a foul ball off his finger, but X-rays were negative and he's considered day-to-day ? Sergio Mitre lasted one-third of an inning Tuesday, leaving with a torn callous on his right hand ? Aramis Ramirez (wrist) returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing four games ? Matt Cain didn't pick up a win Tuesday because the Giants' bullpen let him down, but turned in another dominant start to lower his ERA to 1.80 ? Roy Oswalt pitched well on three days' rest Tuesday, picking up his third win ? After a disastrous outing Tuesday, Jorge Julio has allowed seven runs while walking five batters in two innings since losing the closer job ? Showing the downside of good-hitting pitchers, Micah Owings tweaked his hamstring while running the bases Tuesday ? With Kory Casto demoted to Triple-A, the left-field job belongs to Chris Snelling.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Team Name Contest Results


Due to the high volume of great team-name submissions, I'm dedicating this entire column to the team-name contest results. Don't worry, I'll bring the player advice back next week.
[SIZE=+1]Topic of the Week: Team Name Contest Results[/SIZE]
This was easily the best year to date for team-name submissions, so thanks to all who participated. Keeping in mind that I received several hundred emails, don't be too disappointed if your entry doesn't get a mention. Besides, my opinion is just that of one highly opinionated dude. If you want to complain about my choices and/or give the world a chance to judge your name, by all means hit our team name forum.
Before I get into the results, I just want to point out that, for reasons of taste and originality, I had to disqualify entries that fit the following criteria:

• Anything mentioning Tom Emanski
• Any play on the name Pujols
• Any play on the name Sexson
• Anything mentioning Cory Lidle
• Master Batters
• Honey Nut Ichiros
• Steriods to Heaven
• Schmidt Happens
• Eat Schmidt and Die
• Suppan's Labyrinth

Okay, now onto the results!
MOST HUMOROUS
Here are the runners up:

• Hassidic RBIs, Rick Goldstone
• Dice Dice Baby, Jerry Price
• CubicZirconiaBacks, Todd Dell
• Gregorian Chance (owned by Greg Weiss), Jim Meyer
• Twisted Ankiel's, Zach Parr
• Sock It THO-ME, Bryan, Toronto
• Matt Capps Yo Ass!, Patrick The BSU Fighting Cardinal
• Your Momma's Uggla (And She Sets Your Lineup Funny), Sean Hooper, Windsor, Ontario
• GAGNE WITHASPOONS, Jim Gagne
• Lawn Mauers, Brown Kelley, Monroe, LA
• Numerators (we're on top), Wayne Godfrey, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• The Disposable Income-poops, Bob
• Letters from Iwamura, Peter from San Diego
• I Feel Randy after I Winn, Jaime
• Victorino is Mine!, submitted by Brett
• Cano U Didn't, Dan Greenstein
• Cuddyer Straits, Dan Greenstein
• EVERY WOMAN'S NIGHTMARE, Ed
• Derektile Dysfunction, Derek Armstrong
• Debbie Does Odalis, Tim
• The Bridesmaids (after finishing 2nd three times in a row), David Buck
• Ushal Gitslapt, Greg
• Urajo Imapro, Greg
• Infinity WHIP, Sammy
• Hurwitz Ends, Alex Bensky, Detroit
• Loebl O's, Alex Bensky, Detroit
• MarciaMel O's, Marcia and Mel
• Ptallahassee Pterodactyls, David
• ROBINSON'S CANO WHOOPASS, Brad
• Hughes Your Daddy, Matt Hughes
• Mylanta Braves, Brian
• Chris Reitsma Sucks Bad, submitted by Craig
• BabyBack RBIs, Mark
• Helena Handbaskets, Steve Stein
• Pesky's Pole Dance, Matt Rivers
• God Our Team Sucks, Eric Price
• Some1 Needs Sabathia, Zac
• Tequila Mockingbirds, Bill K.
• Dustin Diamondbacks, submitted by Sean Greene on behalf of his leaguemate Lee
• Ichiro and Scratchiro, Kevin
• Menet Work (owned by Scott Menet), Anonymous
• What Would DeJesus Do?, Richard

And the winner is...My Sheets Don't Stink, submitted anonymously. Maybe not the most creative, but the cool thing is that it actually makes perfect sense--especially given debate over whether Ben is worth drafting. Besides, how can you not laugh when you hear it? Hopefully, I don't get too much grief from management for this!
MOST INTIMIDATING
Here are the runners up:

• The Professional, Greg Boucher
• Moundchargers, Ronald Mingus
• Longtaters, Steve Lepper
• Kevorkian Visits, Anonymous
• DyNasty, Ian

And the winner is...SCHADENFREUDE, submitted by Bruce Sundheim. It's German for "pleasure taken from someone else's misfortune." Hey, there wasn't much to choose from in this category. At least this one is original. The use of all caps is a nice touch as well. MOST TASTELESS
Here are the runners up:

• Chappaquiddick Swimmers, David Moore
• Creatures from Uranus, Evan
• The Jihad I-Rockies, Chuck Bauerlein
• BabyShakers, Ben Liedtke
• Ted Williams on the Rocks, Rick
• Uggie's Hatchetmen, Dave
• The Pedrophiles, John

And the winner is...Sodom Eyes, submitted by Daniel. Again, not a whole lot to work with in this category--especially because most tasteless entries have to be eliminated for vulgarity. This entry wins for offending on multiple fronts.
DUMBEST
Here are the runners up:

• Vermonsters, David
• Smith Barney Rubbles, Smith
• Jim Beam Me Up, Scott
• Well Hung Jury (John Holmes as the logo), Paul
• Drunk Bastards, Anonymous
• BILL BUCKNER ALL-STARS, submitted by Rich Epstein
• Hammerin' Hemorrhoids, Robert
• Dyer Rheas, Donald
• Happy Hour Heros, Joe
• Stoned Idiots, Tony
• Bumpin' Uglies, Chip
• Balloons for Jesus, submitted by Pete
• Outlaw Josey Wales, Ken in Titletown, Gainesville
• Da Loaf Pinchers, John MacLeod
• Base Bo Dereks, Derek McElhinney
• Knights in White Battin', Scott Knight
• I pick my nose, Dennis
• Kouzmanoff the record with Kevin, Mat
• Put up your Elijah Dukes, Mat
• Aaron Harang-a-Tang, Mat

And the winner is...Silly Billy Joels, submitted by Mike. Smith Barney Rubbles was a close second, but at least that guy was trying to incorporate his name. Billy Joel has nothing to do with fantasy baseball, and the worst part is the owner seems to think that rhyming "silly" with "Billy" is somehow clever. I think Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? may have their next contestant.
LEAST CREATIVE
Here are the runners up:

• Rico Brogna, submitted by Sean Greene
• Tuckered Outs, Andy Tucker
• Strike Out, submitted by Paul Cahalane
• BALL BUSTERS, submitted by Rich Epstein
• Bambinos, Anonymous
• Sultans of Swat, Anonymous
• Guys Who Score, Steve Marshall
• Butt Kickers, Steve Butt
• The Metropolitans, Ken in Titletown, Gainesville
• Armed and Dangerous, Michael

And the winner is...Doug Outs, submitted by Andy Tucker. All of these names bite, but a dugout doesn't even have a positive connotation!
Congrats to all winners! You're going to love the Rotoworld lids!
[SIZE=+1]The Trash Dump[/SIZE]
To submit a question or comment to the Trash Dump, email jgangi@rotoworld.com.
When I first joined a league run by Scoresheet Baseball, I called my team "Scored Sheetless."
- Alan
Not bad.
"Creeping Death" - Old Metallica song. It is based on the 10 commandments movie. The green fog that kills all first born sons of nonbelievers that creeps into town. Thus if you don't believe or respect my team your team will die from the green fog creeping death.
- Jon
Clearly better than most of the runners up for Most Intimidating, but I needed to include the story behind it.
I am an 82 year old great grandmother and I enjoy playing fantasy baseball. My team name is the "Quacker Jackers." I picked this name because my son always called me "Mother Duck".
- Helen Wammes
Now that is a cool grandma!
For the past two seasons, my money league team has gone by the name"Urine Troubles." While the moniker may conjure up imagery of elderly men wincing in pain in public restrooms, it's actually meant to be a play on words, as in "You're in Troubles."
- Daniel ("Crew Love" on the Rotoworld forums)
Thanks for the explanation...I was confused as to the possible meaning. Not to burst your bubble, but I received this submission from about 10 different sources.
I wanted to submit a team name that my friend and I have for our fantasy baseball team this year. It is "MoAz Kickers." I just moved to Missouri from Arizona where my friend Craig still lives. So we took the abbreviated state codes to create MoAz and then added Kickers to it since our team is stacked and they should be doing alot of Az Kickin' this year. Keep up the great and funny columns.
- Jonathan Wilson
I like it!
My nickname is Nut. I'm bald. And I'm one person. My team name: "One Bald Nut."
- Jeff
Have to admit I chuckled.
dude. you are an idiot.
- Maureen (or more probably man who does not have his own email account)
I'm not the one who thinks "dude" constitutes a sentence.
After grabbing Lasting Milledge a few years back in the minor league draft and holding on to him through his rise to the majors last year?we could not resist going with the "Milledge Idiots" (which, given his high-fiving romp around Shea last year, is probably appropriate in more ways than one). Had a few chuckles at our draft last week when for all intents and purposes the other owners dropped the "Milledge" and we became the "Idiots."
- John
Great story!
I just thought it was interesting that I am in a 15 team league but somehow have five of the 15 players you mentioned in your column this week: Jonny Gomes, Rich Hill, Eric Chavez, Felix Hernandez, and Coco Crisp. If I lose my league this year I'm sending toucans of whoopass worth of spam mail your way.. jeje.
- Gus from Nicaragua
What's with all the pressure?
Hey Jonathan, what do you call a guy with no arms and no legs floating in a lake? Bob. What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs in front of the door? Matt. Well, along those same lines...What do you call a guy looking for a place to go to the washroom? John Hunter. There you have you it...I've used my own name for my fantasy baseball team name: The "John Hunters."
- John
You get points for presentation.
Mine..."The Fainting Goats." A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goats whose external muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled. Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. Thought it was appropriate given my historic inability to maintain a lead in fantasy baseball.
- Phil Marino
Genius. Had to put it in the Dump, though, so I could include the explanation.
"We Don't Meche" (a league I was a last minute replacement for, I only know one person in this league and have never met anyone except the guy who asked me).
- Rod Rego, Phoenix, AZ
Good stuff.
I actually just welcomed my wife, yes "My Wife," into our fantasy baseball league. She was excited at our annual draft when she announced her team name of "Double D's," jumping up and down to show the crowd why she chose such a name.
- Craig Maynard
I think that falls under Most Intimidating for many fantasy nerds.
Mr. Gangi, as both a long time fantasy baseball fan and also a big fan of 24, last year I renamed by team to '24 Jacks'. Dumb? Humourous? Least creative? You decide.
- Eric Musselman, Toronto, ON Sorry E, much as I love 24, I have to go with dumb on that one!

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Not time to panic ... yet
It's easy to overreact to every little thing that happens in the first month of the season. We've been waiting all spring for the games to count, we've picked out our sleepers and our franchise cornerstones, and when it doesn't all add up after the first couple of weeks, we're ready to ditch half of our roster.

That feeling might be even more widespread than usual this April. From the wacky weather to the prevalence of struggling stars, it seems very little has gone according to plan.

For many fantasy teams, it's been a washout on a number of fronts. For instance:

The Seattle Mariners had almost as many off days because of rain and snow as they did game days in the first two weeks. Ichiro Suzuki is usually a lock to boost fantasy teams' batting averages and stolen-base totals, but through Friday he had four hits, a .182 average and no steals.

(Time to panic? Two days later, Ichiro had nine hits, a steal and a .290 average.)

Last year's steals king in the American League, Carl Crawford, has been bogged down (literally) to start the season. He was thrown out twice in a game for the first time in his career last week at the Texas Rangers, prompting Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon to suggest the dirt around first base was a little on the wet side.

Several highly touted rookies have struggled to keep their heads above water this season. Alex Gordon is hitting .111, Kevin Kouzmanoff .156, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] .156 and Troy Tulowitzki .179.

Also hitting around or under .200: Brian Roberts, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Adrian Beltre, Andruw Jones, Lance Berkman, Juan Pierre, Bill Hall, Albert Pujols, Mike Cameron and Adam LaRoche.

Most, if not all, of these players will turn things around very quickly. But that doesn't ease their fantasy owners' pain.

We can say the first month of the season really doesn't matter, but anyone who tried to trade Pierre last season after he hit .258 in April and followed it up with a .226 average in May knows that's not always the case. The casual fan remembers that slow start and might not recall that Pierre hit .313 the rest of the way and finished with another 200-hit season, a .292 average and 58 stolen bases.

Pierre is off to a slow start again this year and could be the classic example of what I like to call the Theory of Inflated April Importance. It states that a poor start will drop a player's perceived value far below his actual value ? even after he's started to perform well again ? because it's harder to rebound statistically.

But fantasy owners need to be looking forward, not backward. When making a decision about whether to start, bench or trade a player, the stats he's already posted aren't as important as the stats he's going to put up in the weeks to come. As a result, some buy-low candidates to consider:

Mark Teahen, Royals. He's hitting .200, but don't forget he started slowly last season as well, even to the point of being sent to the minors. After the All-Star break, however, he caught fire. This year's struggles could be due in part to Teahen having to learn a new position. Once he gets comfortable in the outfield, he'll be more productive at the plate.

Mark Teixeira, Rangers. It might have taken him 11 games to get his first extra-base hit, but "Big Tex" isn't making drastic changes in his approach. He's staying patient ? walking about as often as he's striking out ? something he didn't do last year when he also started slowly. Look for a quicker rebound this time.

Chris Ray, Orioles. He gave up a game-winning grand slam to Alex Rodriguez that cost him a save and helped inflate his ERA to 5.40. But opponents are hitting .200 against him, and he's in no danger of losing his job as closer.

Michael Barrett, Cubs. Manager Lou Piniella said it first: The cold early-season weather has kept the Cubs' fly-ball hitters in check. Pitcher Carlos Zambrano had more home runs than Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Barrett combined during the first two weeks. But Barrett is one of the best-hitting catchers in the National League, and he could provide an inexpensive upgrade.

Noah Lowry, Giants. His teammates haven't helped him a whole lot. They've scored one run in his two starts, and they've allowed an unearned run in each game. Lowry has a respectable 2.77 ERA. Barry Zito owners may not be willing to give up on him so soon, but Lowry could make a decent trade target, especially with pitcher's parks in three of the five NL West cities.

Brad Lidge, Astros. He's lost his job as closer and has been banished to middle relief, but his ability to strike batters out hasn't gone anywhere. Once Lidge clears the mental hurdle of getting back on the mound in a save situation, he'll have value again ? whether that's in Houston or somewhere else.

Quick fixes

The early part of the season provides the greatest opportunity to make impact trades, but for many owners it's simply too soon to make any major moves. That doesn't mean there aren't other ways for a struggling fantasy team to improve.

For some, just getting to play the Washington Nationals might be enough to right the ship. There will certainly be brighter days in the nation's capital, but the Nationals look like they might be a favorite punching bag this season. After two weeks, they had the highest team ERA and the lowest team batting average in the National League.

Another more realistic solution is to look for smaller ways to improve your roster week by week via the waiver wire. Be ready to jump on new closer candidates or players who have the potential to step into a full-time job.

The Royals' Joakim Soria was one of this week's free agent prizes because he's filling the closer role until Octavio Dotel is completely healthy. Opponents haven't been able to solve the Rule 5 pickup, hitting .143 against him. If Dotel is slow to heal (as has been the case), Soria could pick up more than just a handful of saves.

Meanwhile, Akinori Otsuka probably will be dropped in a number of leagues with Eric Gagne off the disabled list and closing games for Texas. But Gagne's health is no sure thing, and Otsuka will get save opportunities if for no other reason than to keep Gagne fresh.

The Cincinnati Reds' Josh Hamilton didn't figure to be a full-timer unless there was an injury. Yet he showed what he can do when given a chance by homering in each of his first two starts. He's worth a roster spot right now and could become a valuable contributor if there's an injury in the Reds' outfield or if the Ryan Freel experiment at third base takes hold.

Another player in a similar situation is the Colorado Rockies' Jeff Baker.

He will get an occasional start in the outfield (for Brad Hawpe) or at first base (for Todd Helton) against a left-hander but for now will keep his .438 average and .813 slugging percentage ready for mostly pinch-hitting situations.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Elbow Overshadows No-No
It's rare that a pitcher tossing a no-hitter somehow avoids being the biggest story in baseball, but that was the case Wednesday night?at least in fantasy terms. Mark Buehrle no-hit the Rangers, facing the minimum 27 batters after picking Sammy Sosa off first base following his only walk. He earned a beer bath from teammates and nation-wide headlines, but the biggest fantasy story was undoubtedly Felix Hernandez leaving his start against the Twins with elbow tightness.

While Buehrle kept the Rangers off balance all night with tremendous command, Hernandez struggled to throw strikes in the first inning before signaling to the Mariners' dugout that he needed help four batters into the game. He walked off the mound grimacing and then squatted down as manager Mike Hargrove and the training staff arrived. After at most 10 seconds of dialogue with Hernandez, Hargrove turned away as King Felix walked off the field.

It seems likely that Hernandez greeted Hargrove with something like "it's my elbow," because there was never any doubt that the 21-year-old ace was leaving the game and the Mariners are calling his injury "right elbow tightness." That's obviously the last thing anyone wanted to hear about one of the most promising young pitchers in baseball history, but the widespread panic should at least wait until more details become available in the next 48 hours.

Whether or not it's a significant long-term injury, the Mariners are almost certain to place Hernandez on the disabled list. Jake Woods, who pitched well on zero notice as long reliever Wednesday, would likely replace Hernandez in the rotation, with Cha Seung Baek at Triple-A as another option. Whether you're a Mariners fan, a Hernandez owner, or simply a baseball nut, it's definitely breath-holding time.

While Buehrle washes the beer off and everyone hopes for the best with King Felix, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* It doesn't compare to Hernandez abruptly leaving his start with elbow problems, but Phillies fans have an injured superstar to worry about as well. Ryan Howard stayed in Wednesday's game after tweaking his knee on the first-base bag while trying to beat out a double play?which would seem to indicate that the injury isn't especially serious?but he's expected to undergo an MRI Thursday.

Much like discussing whether Woods or Baek will replace Hernandez, talking about the Phillies' backup plan if Howard is sidelined seems somewhat pointless given how devastating the loss would be. Greg Dobbs, Chris Coste, Abraham Nunez, and Jayson Werth would all be candidates to pick up at-bats depending on how manager Charlie Manuel chose to shuffle the lineup. After some of the decisions Manuel has made lately, I won't attempt to get inside his head.

* The day after reportedly threatening a local radio-show host during an angry tirade, Manuel announced that Jon Lieber would be replacing Brett Myers in the rotation, with the Phillies' Opening Day starter moving to the bullpen. It's a tremendous overreaction to Myers' poor start, caused in large part by the presence of six qualified starters on a roster that also lacks dependable relievers.

While far from one of my favorite players because of his off-field behavior, Myers has certainly proven himself enough as a starter to avoid having a rotation spot yanked away based on three lousy outings. Meanwhile, Adam Eaton lacks Myers' successful track record and has a 6.62 ERA through three starts, but as an offseason free-agent signing his rotation spot is apparently safe. Myers pitched an inning in relief Wednesday and figures to work as Tom Gordon's setup man.

* Vladimir Guerrero and Howie Kendrick visited a hand specialist Wednesday after they were each hit by a pitch earlier this week, with the Angels receiving good news on one and bad news on the other. First, the good news. An MRI confirmed that Guerrero's injury is merely a bruise. He's expected to avoid the disabled list and could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday. Now, the bad news. Kendrick has a fractured finger and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Angels are likely to replace Kendrick on the roster by calling up [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL], a top prospect who's hitting .293 with three homers at Triple-A after being moved from shortstop to third base this spring. Chone Figgins is close to returning from two broken fingers of his own, but until then the Angels could go with a Wood-Robb Quinlan job-share at third base and a Maicer Izturis-Erick Aybar job-share at second base.

AL Quick Hits: Ramon Hernandez (oblique) experienced a setback after taking batting practice Wednesday and may not return until next week ? Torii Hunter (shoulder) was scratched from the lineup Wednesday, but is expected to avoid the disabled list ? Manager Joe Torre announced that Jeff Karstens (elbow) will come off the DL to start Saturday against the Red Sox, with Chase Wright facing Boston Sunday ? Cliff Lee (abdomen) is expected to throw about 70 pitches in his minor-league rehab start Saturday at Triple-A, which means he could be close to rejoining the Indians ? Jose Lopez's new four-year contract extension with the Mariners doesn't buy out any free agency ? If his final start at Single-A Greenville goes well Friday, Jon Lester is expected to join the rotation at Triple-A Pawtucket Wednesday ? Brad Wilkerson (knee) was scratched from the lineup Wednesday and may miss several days after receiving a cortisone shot ? With Jorge Cantu being shopped around, the Rockies reportedly have some interest.

NL Quick Hits: Manager Fredi Gonzalez has reportedly decided on Henry Owens as the Marlins' closer ? Alfonso Soriano (hamstring) said Wednesday that he hopes to return Friday ? Mike Gonzalez is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his left elbow, which Gonzalez said Wednesday was "just a little sore" ? Brandon Webb got stuck with a no-decision Wednesday, but racked up a career-high 13 strikeouts against the Padres ? Despite leaving his start Tuesday after recording just one out, Sergio Mitre (finger) doesn't expect to miss any additional time ? After starting the season in a 1-for-20 slump, Bill Hall has seven hits?including two homers and seven RBIs?over the past three days ? At Edwin Encarnacion's expense, Josh Hamilton started Wednesday for the second straight game and smacked his fourth homer in 26 at-bats this season ? Willy Aybar has been suspended indefinitely by the Braves after remaining AWOL during his original three-game suspension ? It got lost in Buehrle completing the task, but John Maine took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Wednesday against the Marlins.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bullpen Report: Week 3
There were a lot of mixed feelings this spring when the Red Sox moved Jonathan Papelbon back to the closer's role. A still young and obviously talented pitcher, seeing how Papelbon could transition to the rotation after one of the best relief seasons of the decade would have been an interesting study. Instead, the right-hander decided he was more comfortable closing and requested a move back to ninth inning duties. Perhaps the team would have been better with Papelbon starting if he were only an above average closer. However, if he's really one of the best two or three closers in the game, than his utter dominance in high-leverage situations might mean everyone is better off. With nine strikeouts and no runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings, it's certainly looking like the proper move. Assuming he can remain healthy for a full season, it'd be surprising if Papelbon didn't finish in the top three in terms of fantasy closers.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Secure)

Key setup men: Brandon Lyon, Brandon Medders, Tony Pena

Valverde gave up two hits in one outing this week and then walked a pair of batters in another, but he didn't give up a run in either appearance. With six saves and a strong strikeout rate in the early going, Valverde is looking like a steal for those who gambled on him this spring. After another few weeks of this he'll be a fine sell-high candidate given his injury history.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Secure)

Key setup men: Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, Oscar Villarreal

Wickman keeps chugging along, defying the odds and remaining an effective closer. He's still yet to give up a run this season. Soriano hasn't been lights out in a setup role, but Gonzalez's command problems might make Soriano the favorite for saves should something happen to Wickman in the near future.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (Locked In)

Key setup men: Danys Baez, Chad Bradford, Jamie Walker

It's nice to see Ray continue to rebound after giving up a walk-off grand slam to Alex Rodriguez. He hasn't allowed a run since, and he picked up a win and two saves since the last column. If your league includes a "Story to tell the grandkids someday" category, Ray has been even more valuable.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Joel Pineiro, Mike Timlin, Hideki Okajima

Another reason moving Papelbon back to the bullpen was a good decision is Pineiro's play. He's looked decidedly average as a reliever thus far, and it's doubtful he'd be able to bail out the club's middle relievers as often as Papelbon has the past 13 months. Okajima has looked strong with eight strikeouts and one run in 6 2/3 innings thus far. His good command and quality secondary offerings compliment a windup that can seriously mess with a hitter's timing.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (Secure)

Key setup men: Bob Howry, Kerry Wood (DL), Scott Eyre
For those of you who correctly surmised that Wood would get hurt and Dempster would be given a chance to regain his previous form, pat yourselves on the back. Dempster has only two saves, but he's looked dominant while striking out eight and allowing just one hit in seven innings of work. He's got more job security than many think right now.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Secure)

Key setup men: Mike MacDougal, Matt Thornton, Nick Masset, David Aardsma

Jenks hasn't been dominant in the early going with a fastball that's still sitting in the low-to-mid 90s. He's given up seven hits and three runs in 6 2/3 innings, taking a loss in one outing and coming close to the same fate in another. He's now working with the team's psychiatrist to see if mental changes can improve his mechanics. It's unlikely that Jenks will be demoted until he struggles for an extended period of time, but that can't be ruled out. MacDougal is next in line despite a slow start, and former top prospect Aardsma's excellent start might put him in the mix at some point.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Shaky), Mike Stanton (Shaky)

Key setup men: Todd Coffey, Jon Coutlangus

I'll leave Weathers and Stanton listed as co-closers for another week, but Weathers is the one who's received every save opportunity thus far. It helps that everything has aligned for Weathers to finish the games, with Stanton starting the ninth in one save opportunity and then giving way to Weathers after retiring the first batter. Weathers can be bumped up a little in closer rankings, but the situation still remains a tricky one.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Secure)

Key setup men: Roberto Hernandez, Rafael Betancourt, Fernando Cabrera

Borowski looked better this week than in the previous two, recording three saves and not yielding a run since the last column. There wasn't much doubt the club would stick with him through more than a few poor outings, but his owners are breathing a little easier now. Cabrera has eight strikeouts and hasn't yielded a run in 6 2/3 innings. A horrible start to the season did him in last year, but the longer he can remain effective the better a long-term investment he'll become. Those in AL-only leagues could consider stashing him away now.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Brian Fuentes (Secure)

Key setup men: Manny Corpas, Ramon Ramirez, LaTroy Hawkins

A slow start was rectified quickly by Fuentes, who recorded two saves without allowing a baserunner in three innings this week. He remains a fine option. Hawkins has already struggled in key situations, which should be a surprise to nobody, and has been demoted to middle relief. Both Corpas and Ramirez have looked strong, and it's still up in the air which would be next in line should something happen to Fuentes.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya, Fernando Rodney, Wilfredo Ledezma

Jones hadn't allowed a run despite striking out just two batters in 7 1/3 innings entering Wednesday, but then he blew a two-run lead against the lowly Royals. Those who own Jeremy Bonderman, the starter whose win was blown by Jones, aren't quite happy, but there's nothing to read into here.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Henry Owens (Shaky)

Key setup men: Taylor Tankersley, Matt Lindstrom, Kevin Gregg

Julio went from closer to shaky option to setup man to mop up duty almost overnight. Now he's on the disabled list, which is the best thing for the Marlins right now. Owens hasn't recorded a save since taking over for Julio, but he still hasn't given up a run in eight innings of work either. He remains the top option. Tankersley has looked fine in a pair of innings since coming off the disabled list, and he's probably already second in line.

Houston Astros

Closer: Dan Wheeler (Secure)

Key setup men: Chad Qualls, Brad Lidge, Trever Miller

Wheeler only pitched once this week, throwing a scoreless inning and recording a save. If his lack of saves thus far leads to his owner undervaluing him, go out and make a trade. Lidge has thrown two scoreless innings over his last three appearances, but he's also allowed five baserunners during that span. He's not out of the woods yet. Even if Lidge does start to look better it will likely take Wheeler struggling in order to affect another set of role changes.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (DL), Joakim Soria (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Joel Peralta, David Riske

All it took was one blown save for Riske to lose his title as interim closer. If that was the case, manager Buddy Bell should have just gone to Soria right away. Instead, Riske again gets knocked down a peg for no good reason. Soria recorded a save as this column was being written last week, and then gave up three runs against the Tigers in a game that was already a blowout. With Dotel's return being pushed out until early May, Soria is worth claiming for at least the next few weeks.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier, Darren Oliver

K-Rod is one of the best closers in the game. Shields is the best setup man in the game. Speier is one of the best third options in the game. Any questions?

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Secure)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley, Rudy Seanez

Someone needs to inform Saito that his unexciting fastball isn't supposed to work now that clubs have had a year to scout the right-hander. He's yielded one run while posting a 9/1 K/BB ratio and recording six saves in 7 2/3 innings thus far. It's still early, but another few weeks and he'll need to be bumped significantly higher on most rankings. Broxton still looks like an ace closer in waiting and Jon Meloan still looks like the best relief prospect in the game. Fantasy leaguers would love to see one of them dealt, but only with Meloan is that even somewhat plausible.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Secure)

Key setup men: Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva

Cordero has given up one hit while notching 10 strikeouts in just six innings thus far. His poor first half with the Rangers last year lowered his perceived value in many leagues, but the astute owner was able to capitalize on that perception this winter. Should Cordero falter, Turnbow is again looking like the elite reliever who posted a 1.74 ERA in 2005. He has 13 strikeouts in seven innings thus far and hasn't allowed a run to score.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Juan Rincon, Jesse Crain, Pat Neshek

Although he still hasn't blown a save, Nathan gave up two runs in a tie game against the Devil Rays this week and suffered his first loss of the season. He's also yielded 10 hits in his last four innings of work and has just three strikeouts in six total innings thus far. However, it's still early and this is an incredibly small sample size for someone with such an elite track record over the last few seasons. Don't adjust his value.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Joe Smith, Ambiorix Burgos

It was another fine week for Wagner, who threw two scoreless innings to pick up a pair of saves. Smith has pitched better than Heilman thus far, but it hasn't been enough of a difference to change who would be next in line for saves.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Kyle Farnsworth, Scott Proctor, Luis Vizcaino

If Alex Rodriguez keeps playing well and performing in the clutch, expect the media to turn their attention to the contract status of manager Joe Torre and Rivera. It's doubtful that playing for a contract for the first time in quite a while will be much of an issue for Rivera, so it's not something that should affect his fantasy value. As long as he can avoid Marco Scutaro, who hit a three-run walk-off homer against him last week, Rivera should be fine.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Huston Street (Locked In)

Key setup men: Justin Duchscherer, Kiko Calero, Alan Embree

Street rebounded from giving up three runs and taking a loss last week to throw 3 2/3 scoreless innings while picking up a win and a save this week. I still expect him to be a top eight closer.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Tom Gordon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

I never thought I'd have to list Jon Lieber as a key setup man in this space. I couldn't fathom having to replace Lieber on the setup man list with Brett Myers. The Phillies have totally butchered this whole situation. Lieber should have been dealt for a setup man this off-season. Instead, the club refused to accept 90 cents on the dollar and then moved a $7.5 million player who hadn't pitched an inning of relief since 1996 to the bullpen. Now they're demoting their best starter to eighth inning duties after a couple of bad outings. The club clearly isn't happy with Myers' performance to date, but the mishandling of the Lieber situation is what enabled the club to make such a poor decision.

Myers should do fine working in the eighth, but he shouldn't be there for long. If getting Myers back in the rotation means the ownership group has to fire manager Charlie Manuel and the entire front office, so be it. Fantasy owners should remain patient and hold on to Myers for now.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Salomon Torres (Secure)

Key setup men: Matt Capps, Damaso Marte, Jonah Bayliss,

Torres gave up three runs over two outings to take a loss last week, then pitched just once over the last seven days. His early season saves lead was bound to vanish at some point, but he remains a fine option. Capps continues to pitch well as a setup man, solidifying his status as the leading candidate for closing duties in the future.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Cla Meredith, Heath Bell

It was a slow week for Hoffman, who pitched just once but was able to record a save. Meredith continues to look like the real deal, having not allowed a run in 8 1/3 innings of work. Bell and Rule 5 pick Kevin Cameron also have looked strong while combining for 16 2/3 scoreless innings, but both remain well behind Linebrink and Meredith in terms of being next in line.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Armando Benitez (Secure)

Key setup men: Kevin Correia, Steve Kline, Jonathan Sanchez

Benitez didn't pitch at all this week and still has appeared in just three games total. It's surprising the club didn't use him just to get some work in at some point, but it appears everything is fine with Benitez.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Chris Reitsma, Julio Mateo, Brandon Morrow

Putz still hasn't been given a save opportunity, in part because the Mariners have played just nine games to date. It's unlikely, but maybe the Putz owner in your league has become inpatient due to the slow start. Make an offer if another slow week passes.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brad Thompson, Tyler Johnson, Russ Springer

Isringhausen has looked fine through the first three weeks of the season, showing no ill effects from the hip surgery he underwent at the end of last season. He's becoming a better investment as time passes.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes (Secure)

Key setup men: Brian Stokes, Ruddy Lugo, Juan Salas

Reyes' job security is increasing by the minute. He recorded three saves over the last week and still has yet to give up a run this year. Add in that Stokes and Salas haven't looked ready in setup roles, and Reyes is all but a lock to close for at least a few months this season. Reyes is capable of above average ratios and he'll be quite the asset if the first eight innings continue to go so well.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (Secure)

Key setup men: Akinori Otsuka, Joaquin Benoit, C.J. Wilson

The Rangers activated Gagne from the disabled list this week, and he recorded a save with a scoreless ninth the same day he was added to the roster. We'll have to wait and see if decreased velocity will hurt Gagne or if he'll be able to work around the issue. Otsuka remains willing and able in the eighth inning role.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: B.J. Ryan (DL), Jason Frasor (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Shaun Marcum, Jeremy Accardo

The Blue Jays placed Ryan on the disabled list this week with a strained ligament in his elbow. He's expected to miss 4-6 weeks, but the higher end of that range seems much more likely. Ryan could have to undergo Tommy John surgery if he experiences a setback, so he's no lock to return and resume his status as an elite closer in late May. Frasor, who earned 17 saves as a rookie for the Blue Jays back in 2004, will close for now and could resemble an average closer. He's a better pitcher now than he was back in 2004, so Frasor owners shouldn't be looking to dump him on the cheap before Ryan returns.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Ryan Wagner, Jesus Colome

It was a better week for the Nationals, who went 4-2 after starting the season 1-8. Cordero also finally recorded a save with a scoreless ninth against the Braves. However, the right-hander has struggled more than not in the early going, giving up 16 baserunners in just seven innings thus far. It's nothing to worry about yet, and the Nationals' poor play remains a larger source of concern for Cordero owners.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Time To Buy Low On Myers
It's the third week of fantasy baseball, so the dust is starting to settle a little bit. No one is hitting .400 anymore, and Carl Pavano is where he belongs on the DL. It was an exciting week, with plenty of action relevant to Waiver Wired.

American League

Tim Wakefield, SP, BOS ? Three earned runs in 20 innings will get a pitcher owned in a lot of mixed leagues. To me, it's just a fast start reliant on an unsustainably low hit rate. I think he's an iffy start against the Jays on Monday. AL: $14, Mixed: $2.

Rob Mackowiak, OF, CHA ? Someone has to fill the void with Scott Podsednik hurt and Darin Erstad doing his best Darin Erstad imitation. However, Mackowiak just doesn't contribute much in fantasy baseball. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Mark Buehrle, SP, CHA ? His brilliant no-hitter will make him a popular add if he's available in mixed leagues. Remember that Buehrle had a similar April in 2006 but got demolished in the second half. Keep an eye on his home run rate as your indicator. AL: $16, Mixed: $4.

Ryan Shealy, 1B, KCA ? Shealy is trying his best to play his way out of the first base job in KC, going 4 for 41 with 17 strikeouts. He should be benched but not dropped in AL-only and deep mixed leagues. The 25 HR hitter is still in there somewhere. AL: $7, Mixed: No.

Ross Gload, 1B, KCA ? Gload will see some more time at first with the way Shealy's playing. He can contribute in batting average at the least, and maybe add a little pop for AL-only. AL: $4, Mixed: No.

John Buck, C, KCA ? It's been an insane 25 at-bats for Buck ? he's at .440/.517/.960 with three home runs. He might have 15+ homers in him if the Royals make Jason LaRue the backup. On the other hand, Buck has had a few 4-6 HR months in his past but has never had sustained success. AL: $11, Mixed: $1.

Maicer Izturis, 3B, LAA ? If you're looking for some swipes and batting average in AL-only while Howie Kendrick is out (probably at least a month), Izturis is your man. You can use him at short or third in most leagues. AL: $8, Mixed: No.

Erick Aybar, SS, LAA ? Aybar should also benefit from Kendrick's misfortune. He's a worse pick than Izturis, though, as his only real fantasy contribution right now is steals. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL], 3B, LAA - Wood has a good chance of replacing Kendrick on the Angels' roster, and he'd play third base perhaps until Chone Figgins returns in a week or two. I know Wood is described as an automatic, no-brainer pickup, but I'm not so sure. Right now he's a .250 hitter with 20-25 HR pop over 500 ABs. A fine keeper with Troy Glaus-like upside, but Glaus is a career .254 hitter. AL: $6, Mixed: No.

Carlos Silva, SP, MIN ? Silva has begun his year with three surprising solid efforts. He had a very nice year as recently as 2005 (3.44 ERA, 1.17 WHIP). But his margin for error is thin as he strikes out so few. That lack of Ks limits him to AL-only. AL: $10, Mixed: No.

Ramon Ortiz, SP, MIN ? I steered you away from him last week, so he promptly went out and pitched his third gem in a row. His control has been superb, but his low hit rate won't last and his strikeout rate is terrible. His upside is 2004 (4.43 ERA, 1.38 WHIP), but his downside is pretty scary. I'd say there's a 25% chance he has a decent season. AL: $12, Mixed: $1.

Chase Wright, SP, NYA ? Wright won his Major League debut with an OK effort against Cleveland. As a back-rotation southpaw with little high minors experience, he's incredibly risky against the Red Sox on national TV Sunday. AL: No, Mixed: No.

Chad Gaudin, SP, OAK ? I misfired last week in guessing that Gaudin, and not Joe Kennedy, would be skipped this week. Gaudin pitched and had his third strong start of the season. He might be able to maintain a rotation spot with a low 4s ERA. A possible 10 win guy for AL-only. AL: $11, Mixed: No.

Jake Woods, SP, SEA ? Woods will inherit Felix Hernandez's rotation spot for a few weeks. He can avoid getting bombed if he shows some semblance of control. I wouldn't chance it in AL-only. AL: No, Mixed: No.

Brendan Harris, SS, TBA ? Harris has earned four starts in a row, and he's 8 for 21. If he bats second regularly in the currently high-powered Tampa Bay offense, he'll have a little AL-only value for the runs. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Adam Lind, OF, TOR ? With Reed Johnson out until at least July, Lind will get his chance as Toronto's left fielder and #2 hitter. It's a nice place to hit and Lind is ready for The Show. His fluid swing could result in a .285 average and 15 HR this year if he gets 400 at-bats. He's worth a look in deeper mixed leagues. AL: $13, Mixed: $2.

National League

Felix Pie, OF, CHN ? Pie just looks like he belongs in the big leagues. His 0 for 4 last night was deceiving ? he scalded two line drives at people. He'll be a 30/30 man just like his good friend Alfonso Soriano. When Sori comes back Monday or Tuesday, it may be Jacque Jones pushed to the bench or off the club. Those in NL-only and keeper leagues should definitely snag him. The hype around this Pie is definitely not fluff (obligatory pastry joke? Check.) NL: $11, Mixed: $1.

Angel Guzman, SP, CHN ? Pie's promotion sent Guzman back to Triple A, where he'll get in shape to start again. He could supplant Wade Miller as the Cubs' fifth starter in a few weeks. He would chip in with some strikeouts in NL-only. NL: $1, Mixed: No.

Ryan Theriot, 2B, CHN ? The Riot is having quite a lark on the basepaths, swiping his fifth last night. He got a little greedy and tried stealing third; Brayan Pena didn't find that amusing. Since his bat remains hot and Lou Piniella adores him, Theriot can be considered in mixed leagues. NL: $12, Mixed: $1.

Matt Albers, SP, HOU ? Albers has a very strong arsenal and plenty of movement on his pitches. He'll make a handful of starts in place of Jason Jennings and could be a decent short-term NL-only option. NL: $2, Mixed: No.

Henry Owens, RP, FLA ? Fredi Gonzalez is "92% sure" that Owens is his closer. That didn't stop him from using Owens in the ninth last night with the Mets up by seven. As is the rule, Owens promptly gave up a few runs in the non-save situation. Not cool, Fredi. Owens should be owned in all leagues right now, anyway. NL: $20, Mixed: $11.

Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, COL ? Jimenez can bring it, and he offsets his high-90s heater with a plus changeup. He's the most intriguing choice to fill in for Rodrigo Lopez for a few weeks. He's still pretty raw though so you should pass even if he does get the call. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Josh Hamilton, OF, CIN ? Last week it was only two home runs, now it's five. Hamilton needs to be owned in all leagues at least until Wonderboy breaks. I can't believe Hamilton is doing this after so much time off, and have no idea when or if pitchers will adjust. No one saw this coming a few months ago ? that's what's great about baseball. NL: $18, Mixed: $5.

Mark Hendrickson, SP, LAN ? Hendrickson got his first start of the season last night and won it (although his April 14th stint in relief of Jason Schmidt was 5+ innings). If he continues to limit the free passes, an NL-only pickup may be in order. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Brett Myers, RP, PHI ? Big news of the week, Myers is now a middle reliever. Way to maximize the value of your second best starter, Phillies. An injury in the rotation or Lieber trade is bound to happen within six weeks, so his owners need not panic. Still, mixed leaguers may consider benching him unless he starts closing. This could be a nice time to trade for Myers. And if Myers was dropped in your league?you need to find a more competitive league. Pick him up. NL: $28, Mixed: $14.

Jon Lieber, SP, PHI ? Liebs is hopefully being showcased for a trade. He turns all lefties into Johnny Damons, but still has his uses in NL-only while starting. Spot him against the weaker clubs, and hope he's motivated to earn a trade and lay off the Big Macs. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Good News on Felix, Howard
Both the Mariners and Phillies received good news on their injured superstars Thursday, although Ryan Howard will be back in the lineup long before Felix Hernandez returns to the mound. X-rays reportedly showed that Howard suffered no significant damage after tweaking his knee Wednesday. He's been diagnosed with a strained ligament and sat out Thursday's game, but the Phillies are hoping that he can return by Monday. Disaster averted.

Meanwhile in Seattle, King Felix has been diagnosed with a "flexor-pronator strain inside his right elbow." That sounds really bad, but the team's medical director called it "as good news as you can get from an elbow injury" because Hernandez has no structural damage. He'll be shut down for five days and is expected to miss 2-3 starts, meaning a trip to the disabled list is coming, but Mariners fans can officially breath again.

While we test the limits of how happy a fan base can be to learn that Cha Seung Baek could be stepping into the starting rotation for a few weeks, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Joe Borowski's monumental blowup against the Yankees Thursday afternoon was painful to watch and all the more dramatic because New York's new favorite player, Alex Rodriguez, launched a three-run, walk-off homer. Rodriguez's blast to center field capped a six-run bottom of the ninth inning, with the entire rally starting after Borowski recorded two quick outs. As Borowski said after watching his ERA balloon from 5.06 to 13.50, "It was like batting practice."

Rodriguez has reached 10 homers faster than anyone in American League history, two of them have been walk-off shots, his 26 RBIs are twice as many as anyone else in the league, and through 14 games he's on pace for a .351-115-300 season. Seriously, 115 homers and 300 RBIs. Do you think a 300-RBI season would keep the Yankee Stadium crowd from booing him after his first strikeout in October?

While driving in two runs per game for an entire season is almost as improbable as Rodriguez permanently getting on the good side of Yankees fans, there's no doubt that he's in essentially the perfect situation for RBIs hitting behind three speedy on-base machines in Johnny Damon (career OBP of .354), Derek Jeter (.388), and Bobby Abreu (.412). As Borowski learned the hard way Thursday, making your way through that lineup can be a nightmare.

* Alfonso Soriano tested his injured hamstring by running Thursday, with manager Lou Piniella saying afterward that it was "encouraging" while suggesting that Soriano could "be ready to play on Monday or Tuesday." Soriano is scheduled to test the hamstring again Saturday, at which point he could be cleared to return. Meanwhile, Felix Pie again started in place of Soriano in center field, but was dropped to eighth in the lineup against a left-hander and went 0-for-4.

The odds were against Pie sticking with the Cubs once Soriano returned regardless of how well he played, but a 2-for-14 start almost guarantees that he'll be headed back to Triple-A soon. Barring another injury (always a possibility with Cliff Floyd and now Soriano) or a trade (Jacque Jones has been rumored to be on the block at various points) Pie may not be in Chicago again until the second half.

* Chien-Ming Wang allowed three runs over five innings in a minor-league rehab start Thursday at Single-A, after which team vice president Billy Connors pronounced him "ready to go." Wang threw 74 pitches in what is expected to be the final step in his recovery from a spring hamstring injury. Barring a last-minute setback, he's expected to return from the disabled list to start Tuesday against the Devil Rays.

* Along with the good news they received Thursday on Wang, the Yankees got some bad news on pitching prospect Humberto Sanchez. A 23-year-old right-hander acquired from the Tigers in the Gary Sheffield trade this offseason, Sanchez underwent Tommy John elbow surgery and will miss the entire season. General manager Brian Cashman said that he "knew there was a chance it needed to be fixed" when the Yankees dealt for Sanchez, but "looked at it long term."

* One day after Willy Aybar was suspended indefinitely by the Braves for going AWOL from the team, his agent said Thursday that he's "dealing with drinking and drugs" and "doesn't want anybody to help him" because "he's embarrassed." Assistant general manager Frank Wren said that the Braves are "just in a waiting mode" until Aybar meets with the players' association, but gave no indication that the team expects to have him back in the near future.

AL Quick Hits: Luis Castillo looks likely to be sidelined for several games after limping off the field Thursday with a quadriceps injury, giving rookie Alexi Casilla at-bats ? Jay Payton (hamstring) is set to return Friday, but manager Sam Perlozzo has indicated that he may not be starting right away ? Carl Pavano has been shut down for a week with what the team is calling a mild elbow strain ? Unhappy that manager John Gibbons took him out after just 95 pitches Thursday, Roy Halladay then watched as the bullpen coughed up the lead and his win ? Despite sitting out his second straight game Thursday, Torii Hunter (shoulder) remains confident that he'll avoid the disabled list ? Soon after manager Ron Washington talked of making him a part-time player, Sammy Sosa has forced his way back into the lineup with three homers in five games ? Manny Ramirez's game-tying two-run homer Thursday was his first long ball in 51 at-bats dating back to last season.

NL Quick Hits: Miguel Cabrera (oblique) reportedly expects to avoid the disabled list, but could miss this weekend's action after leaving Thursday's game ? After giving up two runs over six innings Thursday at Triple-A, Randy Johnson (back) is ready to return ? Chris Carpenter (elbow) began a throwing program Thursday and is aiming for a return early next month ? Manager Phil Garner said Thursday that he plans to give Craig Biggio three games off within the next week, with Mark Loretta likely starting in his place ? Kerry Wood (shoulder) has yet to begin throwing and no timetable has been established for his return ? Rodrigo Lopez's shockingly strong start will be put on hold for at least two weeks thanks to elbow tightness ? An MRI on Mike Gonzalez's sore elbow reportedly showed no significant damage, although Gonzalez said Thursday that it did reveal "a little bit of inflammation" ? After narrowly missing a homer in the first inning Thursday, Josh Hamilton went deep later anyway for his fifth long ball in 10 days.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Week That Was
A look at the hottest hitter on the planet, slumps, injuries and Schultz's cogent analysis of "stuff" in this week's Week That Was.

Randy Wolf:: . Randy Wolf looked strong Friday night, striking out 10 Pirates in just 6 innings. To date, Wolf has three wins and a 3.38 ERA. If you realized that Wolf is a quality pitcher in his second year post-surgery pitching in a pitcher's park, good for you. If the Wolf owner in your league thinks he has a sell high candidate on his hands, oblige him ? Wolf should be a quality starter all year.

Mike Sweeney: Mike Sweeney finally had a good game Friday night, including his first dinger of the year. Yes, it is fair to assume that Sweeney will spend time on the shelf when his balky back acts up. However, it is not fair to assume that he has suddenly forgotten how to hit. I would bank on 400 AB with numbers similar to his 2004/2005 injury interrupted campaigns. In other words, I think it is fair to assume Mike will hit .280 with 20 HR and 80 RBI. Trumpet the fact that Sweeney was hitting only .195 in the middle of this week and you could land some quality stats cheap.

Dan Uggla: Dan Uggla had an ugly night (ok I could not resist the pathetic play on words) Friday night, going hitless in 6 AB, striking out three times. Thus far, Uggla is hitting only .215. Is he suddenly this bad? No. Was he the quintessential sophomore slump candidate after coming out of nowhere in 2006 and posting numbers his minor league record just could not support? Yes. If you paid a modest price for Uggla, no worries, he will be OK (though not great). On the other hand, if you ignored the warning signs and paid big for a risky soph in that hitters' park, shame on you.

Mariano Rivera: Yuck! This may be the ugliest week the great Mariano Rivera has ever had. Two save chances, two blown saves. Is it time to panic? Is Mariano done? No, No and No. Before the ugly two blown saves, Mariano had 4 scoreless innings in which he gave up just ONE hit. Yes, the blow saves were ugly. However, I believe this is a product of lack of consistent work (the Yankees blow out opponents or get blown out). If someone in your league is ready to trade the best closer ever for a discount, DO IT. Torre will find a way to insure a more steady workflow for Mo and the results will be exactly what you expect them to be ? stellar.

Alex Rodriguez: ARod blasted two more dingers Friday night to increase his absurd season totals to 12 HR and 30 RBI in just 15 games. Just for fun, lets do the math ? he is on pace for 120 + HR and 320+ RBI ? not too shabby! Should you sell high if you own ARod? No. Leaving all of this year's hype aside and ignoring the unfounded criticism of last year, ARod remains the best player in the game. You own him, you keep him. It is that simple.

Mark Teixeira: Big Tex is off to another slow start. As of Thursday, he was looking up at the Mendoza line, with a weak.192 average. It appears that slow starts are becoming a pattern. However, this will not last. Teixeira is a hitting machine who will hit. Count on it.

Orlando Hernandez: El Duque struck out 10 in his Thursday gem against the Marlins. With three quality starts and high K numbers, El Duque is looking good. When you consider that the Mets will score in bunches, that El Duque struck out more than one batter per inning last year, and that Shea is a pitcher's park, you have a quality, high K, high W veteran pitcher on your hands. Nicely done.

Felix Hernandez: Reports out of Seattle are that Felix "King Felix" Hernandez will miss at least two to three starts with an elbow/forearm strain. This is tough stuff for roto-owners as it could determine the fate of your team. At least one roto-expert bailed on King Felix dealing him in LABR for two lesser starters. If you own Felix in a keeper league, you probably have to hold, however, given his young age and dramatic exit from a game, you have to be worried. For those in non-keeper leagues, I would dump him now before it is too late.

Howie Kendrick: Reports are that Howie Kendrick will miss 4-6 weeks with the finger injury. The question is whether he will have a full-time role when he returns. Macier Itzturis continues to show that he deserves serious playing time and Chone Figgins will be back from injury before Kendrick. If you own Kendrick, you should be very concerned. However, if you were smart enough to back him up with Itzturis, then your worries are very much reduced. As to those rumors that [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] will get the call, they were just that ? rumors. The Angels called up Kendry Morales instead.

Mike Gonzalez: In an announcement that should surprise no one, word is that Mike Gonzalez is scheduled to have an MRI for a sore left elbow. While the Braves and Gonzalez are saying all of the requisite positive stuff, there is reason to worry. Thus far, Gonzalez has walked a batter per inning and has allowed a whopping 14 base runners in 6 innings. Given that Rafael Soriano and Bob Wickman are ahead of him, Gonzalez's value is very low at this point. If you can get value for him, do it. Otherwise, wait to see if he has a few good innings, then move him. Why the Braves parted with Adam Laroche for a questionable health pitcher and the right to play Scott Thorman is one of those questions that boggles my mind.

And last, but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "Lily Tomlin used to have a routine where she suggested that insane people in New York who talk to themselves should be paired up so that it would like they were having a conversation. If she were alive today, she would probably update the bit to make it about yammerheads on their wireless cell phones talking into thin air. Now how does this relate to baseball? Surely Charlie Manuel had to be joking around on one of those things when he announced Brett Myers' demotion to the bullpen. He just didn't realize reporters and cameras were around when he said it out loud and now he's stuck with the decision.

From a real life baseball standpoint, there might be little sound logic to moving your Opening Day starter to the 7th inning - especially after you just gave him $25.75 million over the next 3 years. No one other than the Baltimore Orioles signs set-up pitchers to those kinds of deals. From a fantasy standpoint, Charlie Manuel may have done Myers owners a favor. If Myers is in the rotation, you can't bench him. Seeing as he looked horrible while racking up a 9.39 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP, benching him while he works out his problems in the pen might be a blessing in disguise. Stash him on your bench, wait this out for a month and insert someone who can keep his ERA under 9.00 in the process.

Felix Hernandez' recent elbow scare does not bode well for anyone banking on the phenom becoming an innings-eating monster this year. The Mariners have always been on the fence on treating him with kid gloves or letting him loose and this latest setback won't be any type of positive reinforcement for letting him throw deep into games. Seattle's brain trust surely recalls that not even a year ago, Francisco Liriano rode the roller coaster from most dominant pitcher in the AL to the Tommy John surgical table. If you own King Felix, follow closely how the Mariners handle him. If they think they can ride him for 7-8 innings a start, odds are he'll break down. Even with the injury issue looming over him, you can likely get full value for him based on his reputation. However, trading him will take a level of resolve and nerves of steel that, quite frankly, most fantasy owners don't have.

One last note, save your cards, letters and charming e-mails, I'm aware Lily Tomlin is still alive and that she is the star of a new HBO series as well as a charming non-leaked-by-George-Clooney youtube clip."

Response: Separating the wheat from the chaff and the sarcasm from the serious, there are a few nuggets here ? happy hunting.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

AL Future Callups
Instead of the traditional news and notes, the focus this week is on minor leaguers with the potential to help in fantasy leagues before the end of the year.

I do have some notes on a few of the major stories of the past week at the end of the column.

Up next week are the May player rankings.
Sports Betting at Eye On Gambling - Discuss Online Sportsbooks; Handicapping; and Free Picks
American League Minor Leaguers

Baltimore - Since most of the Orioles' top offensive prospects were at least a year away, the club made a big effort to bring in useful minor league free agents over the winter. Jon Knott, J.R. House, Jason Dubois and Terry Tiffee are all potential contributors. Knott, who was called up and sent down last week, is probably the best bet of the group to end the season with 200 at-bats and 8-10 homers. House has nearly as much offensive ability and is catcher eligible, so he has the most upside of the group. ? Right forearm stiffness took Hayden Penn out of the mix to replace the injured Jaret Wright in the rotation last week, but there's little doubt that he'll get a look within the next couple of months and he should prove to be better equipped to handle it at age 22. While he won't be worthy of an immediate pickup in AL-only leagues following his addition, he still possesses No. 3-starter potential. ? Reliever Jamey Hoey was rushed to the majors last August, and the Orioles determined ahead of time that he wouldn't be a candidate to win a bullpen spot this spring. Still, don't be surprised to see him in a seventh-inning role for the club by the middle of the summer. Sports Betting at Eye On Gambling - Discuss Online Sportsbooks; Handicapping; and Free Picks

Boston - In outfielders David Murphy and Brandon Moss and relievers Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen, the Red Sox have a few players in Triple-A that could make an impact in the event of trades. Murphy would fit best as a fourth outfielder, but there is a chance he could wind up as some team's center fielder come August. Hansen still has closer potential, though he's not nearly there yet and his lack of progress suggests he might end up as a first-round bust. No one in the group figures to have any fantasy value in Boston before 2008. ? Devern Hansack's terrific start at Triple-A Pawtucket has opened up the possibility that he might take Julian Tavarez's rotation spot. He could do a fair Bronson Arroyo impression his first time around the league. However, he's at risk of being overtaken by Jon Lester if he doesn't get his chance within the next few weeks. ? If Jason Varitek has to take his withered bat with him to the DL at some point, George Kottaras' on-base skills could make him a welcome addition to Boston's lineup. Still, he's probably a year away from being an asset. www.eogcontests.com
www.therx.ws www.therx.info
Chicago - Since Ozzie Guillen is showing so little interest in using him, it figures that [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1893"]Brian Anderson[/URL] will eventually be sent down and later recalled. But who really knows? It's better than 50/50 that the 25-year-old will be in another organization next spring. ? If not Anderson, then perhaps Ryan Sweeney will get a look later this year. He's beginning to show major league power, and he's a fine right fielder capable of playing center. Ideally, the White Sox would have him spend the entire year in the minors and then install him in right next season if Jermaine Dye leaves. ? Because of his speed, Jerry Owens can't be forgotten about. Still, he looks like a long-term reserve. ? Josh Fields will make a significant impact if Joe Crede gets hurt or is traded for pitching in July. Because he has 20-homer power and likes to steal bases, he's worth having stashed away now. ? The White Sox have plenty of intriguing starters on the farm, but no particularly good bets to be of value this year. Charlie Haeger, Heath Phillips and Gavin Floyd lack upside, and Gio Gonzalez and Adam Russell are probably a year away. Lance Broadway may be the best bet of the group for the second half.
www.sportspickwinners.com www.fantasysportspicks.com
Cleveland - Adam Miller pitched well enough in spring training to win a rotation spot, but the Indians decided to stick with Fausto Carmona as the replacement for the injured Cliff Lee. Miller hasn't been quite as outstanding since a demotion to Triple-A, but he's still in position to make an impact at some point. Of AL pitchers currently in the minors, only Phil Hughes, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4441"]Andrew Miller[/URL] and Matt Garza look like better bets for the second half of the season. ? Shin-Soo Choo was poised to be the Indians' primary right fielder before the late signing of Trot Nixon. Expect him to get another chance when either Nixon or David Dellucci lands on the DL. He still could end up with 300 at-bats, 10 homers and eight steals. ? Ed Mujica is worthy of a spot in the Cleveland bullpen right now after posting a 2.95 ERA in 18 1/3 innings for the team last year. He's back closing in Triple-A instead, but he should be up for good by the end of May or June. Don't rule him out as a sleeper saves candidate. ? Hector Luna disappointed the Indians by showing up to camp out of shape and then playing terrible defense last month. Still, he's a useful utilityman capable of amassing a little fantasy value if he ends up back in the NL.

Detroit - Even though [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4441"]Andrew Miller[/URL] opened the year back in the FSL, he's probably the team's best option as a fifth starter with Kenny Rogers out. Chad Durbin isn't getting the job done, fellow prospect Jordan Tata is sidelined with a sore shoulder and last year's surprise, Zach Miner, has been lit up in Triple-A to date. Since the Tigers haven't given any indication that they're willing to move Wilfredo Ledezma out of the pen, my guess is that Miller will have the job by mid-May. He'll be worth using immediately, even if he does figure to be inconsistent. ? If not Miller, perhaps sinkerballer Dallas Trahern will get a chance. He'd likely have problems once AL teams begin stacking left-handers against him, but he'd get enough grounders initially to give the Tigers some quality starts. He projects as a long-term No. 3. ? Sean Casey's slump will have to last at least a few more weeks before the Tigers consider going to Chris Shelton. While a Casey injury is always a possibility, Shelton's best hope for this year is a trade. ? The Tigers turned to Brent Clevlen last year even though he was struggling in Double-A, and he did an excellent job at first. He'd like be in line for another callup in the event of injuries to the outfield this year. Still, since they already have Marcus Thames in reserve and Gary Sheffield capable of playing right field, a couple of things would have to break right for Clevlen to have any fantasy value.

Kansas City - Nothing Mike Sweeney has done so far suggests he'll be a quality DH this year. The Royals still won't be quick to call up Billy Butler, but a Sweeney injury could get him to the majors, and if he hits up to his ability, it will be hard to send him back down. Butler has the potential to win a batting title and hit 25 or 30 homers per year in the majors. ? 2006 No. 1 overall pick Luke Hochevar figures to debut come August or September. He's unlikely to be a big asset initially, but he should be a fair middle-of-the-rotation starter in 2008. ? Brian Bannister is next in line for a spot and is expected to get his chance this week. He might be able to establish himself at the back of the rotation, but it's unlikely he'll have more than minimal fantasy value. ? Joey Gathright has been a walking machine in Triple-A so far, giving him a .467 OBP. The Royals will call him up if they ever find a taker for Reggie Sanders or Emil Brown. Though the plan will be to use him as a reserve, his speed will give him fantasy value. ? Angel Berroa is doing nothing more than hitting for an empty average while playing shortstop and third base at Omaha. He's a long way from convincing the Royals he's worthy of another shot.

Los Angeles - The Angels just called up Kendry Morales, picking him over [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] with Howie Kendrick sidelined. With a .291/.316/.382 line, Morales wasn't doing much in Triple-A, though one gets the idea the Angels did little but look beyond the average. If he's not going to play over Shea Hillenbrand now, the odds are against him having much value this year. ? Wood has warmed up after a weak start at Salt Lake and may be a factor in the second half. It's likely to be another year or two before he's ready to hit for average, but the converted third baseman already possesses 25-homer power. He'd be worth picking up if he's recalled. ? With Bartolo Colon and Jered Weaver back, the Angels are hoping they don't have to dip into the minors for another starter anytime soon. However, Nick Adenhart is solidifying his status as one of the game's elite pitching prospects and could be ready to contribute after the break. ? Terry Evans, who was acquired for Jeff Weaver last year, could be needed as a fourth outfielder or become trade bait in July. He has decent power and speed, so he is worth watching, even if he doesn't project as a regular. ? Long-time prospect Jeff Mathis is still waiting for his opportunity. He could start for another team if traded.

Minnesota - The Twins' top three prospects ? Matt Garza, Glen Perkins and Kevin Slowey ? all began the season in Triple-A Rochester's rotation. Perkins is up already, but he's in the pen and may have no better of a chance of joining the rotation anytime soon than the other two. Garza is still the most interesting of the pitchers from a fantasy perspective, though he hasn't matched Slowey's numbers this month. Slowey's pinpoint command and quality change could make him very effective the first-time around the league. Any of the three guys would be worth using right away in AL-only leagues if given a spot. ? Last year's fifth starter, Scott Baker, is also at Rochester. The Twins have soured on him, but he'd be a sleeper if traded, particularly if he goes to an NL team. ? Especially with Alexi Casilla up, the Twins have little in the minors capable of helping on offense. Denard Span and Matt Moses are at least a year away. So is Casilla, though at least his speed would give him value if he's forced into regular duty. ? Matthew LeCroy is probably the best bet of the Twins' hitters in Triple-A. He could serve as a DH against lefties if the club decides it'd make sense to have some power available off the bench.

New York - It's all about Phil Hughes, even if he wasn't the first starter called up by the Yankees. He probably won't even be the second, with Ross Ohlendorf and Tyler Clippard also available to fill in. Still, Hughes is the game's best pitching prospect and it'd be a surprise if he doesn't amass some fantasy value in the second half of the season. Expect 12-15 starts and an ERA below 4.00. ? The Bombers have already called up Chase Wright, though he could head back to the minors before the end of the week. The left-hander has better raw stuff than either Ohlendorf or Clippard and is probably the best sleeper of the trio for this year. Clippard remains the top long-term prospect of the Yankees' more advanced pitchers. ? The Yankees shouldn't have to turn to Triple-A for much offensive help this year. Kevin Thompson has already joined the team and is a perfectly serviceable reserve outfielder. However, he's due to return to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with Hideki Matsui (hamstring) getting activated on Monday. Shortstop Alberto Gonzalez would be a better option than Miguel Cairo in the event of a Derek Jeter injury, but there's little fantasy upside there. ? Andy Phillips will be available as a right-handed bat off the bench if needed.

Oakland - Travis Buck's surprise inclusion on the Opening Day roster has left the A's with few 2007 sleepers in the minors. First baseman Daric Barton remains an excellent prospect, but he doesn't yet have the power to be of a lot of help to the A's or to fantasy teams. In fact, the club could bypass him in favor of Jason Stokes if a first baseman or DH is required later on. Kurt Suzuki should be Oakland's catcher of the future, but he's probably not going to hit for average or power if brought up this year. In the outfield, veteran Hiram Bocachica looks like the leading candidate for a callup. He'd supply some power off the bench if the A's ever have the need. ? Similarly, the A's lack high-level pitchers with upside. Brad Halsey has rebounded from a poor spring and figures to be the first starter called up. Jason Windsor has fifth starter written all over him. Screwballer Dallas Braden is somewhat interesting because of his trick pitch. He probably won't last as a starter, but he could have some success until the league figures him out.

Seattle - The Mariners apparently have picked Cha Seung Baek over Jake Woods to made a couple of starts in place of Felix Hernandez. Both had some success in the rotation over the final two months of last year. While Woods has the better stuff of the two, he struggles to throw strikes too often. Baek can give a team five or six reasonable innings every five days, but his mediocre fastball makes it tough for him to get through lineups three times. Neither will be more than a spot starter in AL-only leagues. ? Jeremy Reed's poor spring cost him a roster spot, and he hasn't been any better at Triple-A Tacoma so far. If the Mariners had to replace Ichiro Suzuki, they might go to top prospect Adam Jones first. Reed could use a trade, but the Mariners asked for too much in return over the winter and his value is down now. ? Jones wasn't nearly ready when called on to play center field last year, but he likely is the future at the position and he should be able to make a modest contribution on offense if he gets another shot in the unlikely event of a Suzuki trade. ? First baseman Bryan LaHair would be an option if either Richie Sexson or Jose Vidro lands on the DL, but with Ben Broussard still on the roster, it seems unlikely that he'll be needed.

Tampa Bay - Jorge Cantu is the only hitter at Triple-A Durham likely to make an impact in the majors this year, and he'll probably do it somewhere outside of Tampa Bay. The problem there is that he's made it tough for any team to look at him as a second baseman. ? The Rays position prospects with the best chance of helping out in the second half are both in Double-A. Reid Brignac is likely to get an audition at short if Ben Zobrist keeps struggling, though it's doubtful it will happen before the All-Star break. Maybe he'll have some fantasy value come August. ? Evan Longoria's path to the majors isn't so clear, but the Rays could eventually move Akinori Iwamura to second base to make room for him, with B.J. Upton potentially going to the outfield. Since there's more that needs to happen in front of him, Longoria seems like a weaker bet for this year, though he'd likely outhit Brignac if the opportunity is there. ? In J.P. Howell, Jason Hammel, Jeff Niemann, Andy Sonnanstine and Mitch Talbot, the Rays have five youngsters with a real chance of joining the rotation in the second half. Niemann easily has the most upside of the group and would be the only one worthy of an immediate pickup. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sonnanstine pitch particularly well his first time around the league. ? Seth McClung and Chad Orvella remain sleepers for saves, though neither has done enough yet to prove the demotion was a bad idea.

Texas - The Rangers have outfielders aplenty to call on if they need to replace Sammy Sosa or Brad Wilkerson. Marlon Byrd, who should have made the team as Kenny Lofton's platoonmate, is batting .381 in 42 at-bats for Oklahoma. Victor Diaz and Jason Botts are capable of supplying ample power in part-time roles, and Freddy Guzman's speed means he can't be completely written off. Botts is the best fantasy sleeper of the group, even if Diaz is off to a much better start in the PCL. ? Josh Rupe is probably ahead of him in line for a rotation spot, but top prospect Eric Hurley is the lone starter in the minors of much interest for this year. He's 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA in 18 1/3 innings for Double-A Frisco. Only because of the ballpark would he not be worth using right away in AL-only leagues should he get a spot in June or July. ? Reliever Wes Littleton is on the verge of returning to the majors after overcoming some major difficulties this spring. He could have a little fantasy value while aiding the Rangers in a setup role.

Toronto - Adam Lind is already up to serve as a replacement for the injured Reed Johnson, leaving the Jays with very little of interest on the farm. John-Ford Griffin is crushing Triple-A pitching this year after a lousy 2006, but no one seems to think he's capable of doing it in the majors and he's a natural DH anyway. Ray Olmedo is no weaker of an option at shortstop than Royce Clayton, but he lacks any real fantasy upside. Russ Adams, who is playing second base regularly, is batting .217/.345/.283 in 46 at-bats. It's unlikely the Jays will go back to him anytime soon. ? With a 1.80 ERA and a 22/6 K/BB ratio in Triple-A, Dustin McGowan may finally be on his way to fulfilling his potential. Of course, he has teased before. The Jays will have to try him at the back of the rotation if he keeps this up for another month or so, but he wouldn't be recommended in AL-only leagues right away.

News of the Week

- As much as I'd love to blame Mike Hargrove for Felix Hernandez's early elbow injury, it'd hardly be fair to do so. Hargrove could have taken Hernandez out after eight in his shutout of the Red Sox, but it probably wouldn't have mattered. The important thing is that Hernandez's injury is supposed to be minor, and if it causes the Mariners to exercise more caution after he returns, it could end up being a blessing. Baek is expected to replace Felix in the rotation and start Monday in Texas. He's not worth using then, but he could be in his weekend start against the Royals. Jeff Weaver's terrible showing to date has created the possibility that Baek could stick around after Hernandez's return.

- The Angels dodged a bullet when Vladimir Guerrero avoided a broken hand on a HBP Monday. They weren't so lucky two days later, as their second best hitter, Howie Kendrick, suffered a non-displaced fracture when the same thing happened to him. The Angels declined to call up [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] to replace him, meaning both Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis will play regularly until Chone Figgins comes off the DL, something that could happen in about a week. Aybar is worth using in AL-only leagues this week. After Figgins is activated, Izturis figures to slide over to second and play fairly regularly. Kendrick could be back in late May.

- One horrendous appearance against the Yankees didn't cost Joe Borowski his job, but it seems doubtful that he'll remain the Indians' closer all year. Rafael Betancourt looks like the team's best reliever, and since he did get three late saves last year, maybe manager Eric Wedge won't be so afraid to go to him as he has been in the past. He's worth having on reserve even in shallow mixed leagues. Another sleeper is Fernando Cabrera, who has struck out 10 in 8 2/3 scoreless innings this season. He has the most upside of any of the Indians' relievers and shouldn't be left unowned in any AL-only leagues.
www.theplayersparadise.com www.tampabaybuccaneers.ws
- It happens every year: Mariano Rivera blows back-to-back save chances early on, gets "What's wrong with him?" columns written about him in every New York paper and then goes and converts 37 of 40 save chances the rest of the way. I'm still expecting the same to happen this year, but there really is more reason for concern now than ever before. He's lacked both movement and the ability to spot his pitches in losses to the A's and Red Sox. I'd be more worried if not for the fact that he was his usual dominant self in spring training. The lack of activity probably has had something to do with his early struggles. Maybe he's hurting, but I can't imagine the Yankees would let him pitch through it ? not in April -- if they thought anything was wrong. If Rivera does land on the DL, Scott Proctor figures to be the first option for saves, though Kyle Farnsworth would also likely be just fine in the role.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Return of the Big Unit
Chien-Ming Wang, Randy Johnson and Kelvim Escobar are all set to come off the shelf and get two starts in week four, while Hideki Matsui and Cliff Lee are also nearing their returns. Johan Santana, Roy Halladay and Mr. No-No Mark Buehrle headline this week's two-start hurlers. We'll get you caught up in this edition of the The Week Ahead.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Johan Santana MIN vs. CLE Fausto Carmona, @ DET Jeremy Bonderman
Roy Halladay TOR @ BOS Julian Tavarez, vs. TEX Vicente Padilla
Dontrelle Willis FLA vs. ATL Kyle Davies, @ PHI Jamie Moyer
Jeremy Bonderman DET @ LAA Kelvim Escobar, vs. MIN Johan Santana
Erik Bedard BAL vs. OAK Dan Haren, @ CLE Jeremy Sowers
Randy Johnson ARI vs. SD David Wells, vs. SF Matt Morris
Kelvim Escobar LAA vs. DET Jeremy Bonderman, @ CHW Javier Vazquez
Carlos Zambrano CHC vs. MIL Claudio Vargas, @ STL Kip Wells
Aaron Harang CIN @ STL Kip Wells, @ PIT Paul Maholm
Dan Haren OAK @ BAL Erik Bedard, vs. TB Casey Fossum
Scott Kazmir TB vs. NYY Chien-Ming Wang, @ OAK Rich Harden
Jered Weaver LAA vs. DET Mike Maroth, @ CHW Mark Buehrle
Rich Harden OAK @ BAL Jeremy Guthrie, vs. TB Scott Kazmir
Mark Buehrle CHW @ KC Gil Meche, vs. LAA Jered Weaver

More strong options:
Javier Vazquez CHW @ KC Brian Bannister, vs. LAA Kelvim Escobar
Chien-Ming Wang NYY @ TB Scott Kazmir, vs. BOS Julian Tavarez
Kevin Millwood TEX vs. SEA Brandon Morrow, @ TOR Tomo Ohka
Kei Igawa NYY @ TB Casey Fossum, vs. BOS Tim Wakefield
Gil Meche KC vs. CHW Mark Buehrle, @ SEA Brandon Morrow
John Maine NYM vs. COL Taylor Buchholz, @ WAS Jason Bergmann
Derek Lowe LA vs. SF Matt Morris, @ SD David Wells
Jeremy Sowers CLE @ MIN Carlos Silva, vs. BAL Erik Bedard
Tim Wakefield BOS vs. TOR Tomo Ohka, @ NYY Kei Igawa
Matt Morris SF @ LA Derek Lowe, @ ARI Randy Johnson
Vicente Padilla TEX vs. SEA Jarrod Washburn, @ TOR Roy Halladay
Jamie Moyer PHI vs. WAS Jason Bergmann, vs. FLA Dontrelle Willis
Kip Wells STL vs. CIN Aaron Harang, vs. CHC Carlos Zambrano
Claudio Vargas MIL @ CHC Carlos Zambrano, @ HOU Woody Williams
Adam Eaton PHI vs. HOU Chris Sampson, vs. FLA TBA
Mike Maroth DET @ LAA Jered Weaver, vs. MIN Carlos Silva
Chris Sampson HOU @ PHI Adam Eaton, vs. MIL Dave Bush
Jarrod Washburn SEA @ TEX Vicente Padilla, vs. KC Brian Bannister
Carlos Silva MIN vs. CLE Jeremy Sowers, @ DET Mike Maroth
Kyle Davies ATL @ FLA Dontrelle Willis, @ COL Taylor Buchholz
Woody Williams HOU @ PIT Paul Maholm, vs. MIL Claudio Vargas
David Wells SD @ ARI Randy Johnson, vs. LA Derek Lowe

Other two-starters:
Paul Maholm PIT vs. HOU Woody Williams, vs. CIN Aaron Harang
Jason Bergmann WAS @ PHI Jamie Moyer, vs. NYM John Maine
Julian Tavarez BOS vs. TOR Roy Halladay, @ NYY Chien-Ming Wang
Casey Fossum TB vs. NYY Kei Igawa, @ OAK Dan Haren
Tomo Ohka TOR @ BOS Tim Wakefield, vs. TEX Kevin Millwood
Brandon Morrow SEA @ TEX Kevin Millwood, vs. KC Gil Meche
Jeremy Guthrie BAL vs. OAK Rich Harden, @ CLE Fausto Carmona
Brian Bannister KC vs. CHW Javier Vazquez, @ SEA Jarrod Washburn
Taylor Buchholz COL @ NYM John Maine, vs. ATL Kyle Davies

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Seven-game schedule: BAL, BOS, CHW, CLE, DET, HOU, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, OAK, PHI, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
Six-game schedule: ARI, ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, MIL, NYM, LA, PIT, SD, SF, STL, WAS
Five-game schedule: none

Rain threatened games:
Monday, April 23: MIL @ CHC (40%)
Tuesday, April 24: CHW @ KC (40%), CIN @ STL (40%)
Wednesday, April 25: HOU @ PIT (40%), CIN @ STL (40%)
Thursday, April 26: CIN @ STL (40%), TEX @ CLE (40%), HOU @ PIT (40%), WAS @ PHI (40%), BOS @ BAL (40%), DET @ CHW (40%)
Friday, April 27: BOS @ NYY (40%), FLA @ PHI (40%), NYM @ WAS (40%)
Saturday, April 28: MIN @ DET (40%), BAL @ CLE (40%), CIN @ PIT (40%)
Sunday, April 29: LA @ SD (40%), MIL @ HOU (60%), FLA @ PHI (40%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN.com - MLB - Park Factor
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
1. Comerica Park (Tigers) 1.763 runs ? 3 vs MIN
2. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.634 runs ? 2 vs TOR
3. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.591 runs ? 3 vs ATL
5. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.445 runs ? 2 vs DET, 3 vs CHW
6. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.373 runs ? 2 vs TOR, 3 vs BOS

No Games: 4. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.493 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
1. Jacobs Field (Indians) 0.569 runs ? 2 vs TEX, 3 vs BAL
2. Camden Yards (Orioles) 0.630 runs ? 2 vs OAK, 2 vs BOS
3. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.656 runs ? 3 vs MIL
4. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.678 runs ? 3 vs TEX
5. Petco Park (Padres) 0.695 runs ? 3 vs LA

Caught Stealing %:
Toughest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. David Ross, CIN 0-for-2 (100.0%) ? 3 @ STL, 3 @ PIT
2. Bengie Molina, SF 1-for-3 (66.7%) ? 3 @ LA, 3 @ ARI
3. Yadier Molina, STL 3-for-8 (62.5%) ? 3 vs CIN, 3 vs CHC
4. Jason Kendall, OAK 4-for-10 (60.0%) ? 2 @ BAL, 2 vs SEA, 3 vs TB
5. Paul Lo Duca, NYM 3-for-6 (50.0%) ? 3 vs COL, 3 @ WAS

Facing these elite catchers is bad news for the following players in the stolen base category: Chris Duffy (2-for-2 SB), David Eckstein (2-for-2 SB), Juan Pierre (7-for-10 SB), Eric Byrnes (5-for-6 SB), Rafael Furcal (2-for-2 SB), Adam Dunn (4-for-4 SB), Ryan Freel (4-for-6 SB), Rocco Baldelli (2-for-3 SB)

Easiest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. Johnny Estrada, MIL 5-for-5 (0%) ? 3 @ CHC, 3 @ HOU
2. Brian Schneider, WAS 11-for-12 (8.3%) ? 3 @ PHI, 3 vs NYM
3. Ivan Rodriguez, DET 6-for-7 (14.3%) ? 2 @ LAA, 2 @ CHW, 3 vs MIN
4. Gregg Zaun, TOR 9-for-11 (18.2%) ? 2 @ BOS, 2 @NYY, 3 vs TEX
5T. Carlos Ruiz, PHI 11-for-14 (21.4%) ? 1 vs HOU, 3 vs WAS, 3 vs FLA
5T. Dioner Navaro, TB 11-for-14 (21.4%) ? 2 vs NYY, 2 @ LAA, 3 @ OAK
5T. Jorge Posada, NYY 11-for-14 (21.4%) ? 2 @ TB, 2 vs TOR, 3 vs BOS

Facing these catchers is good news for Chris Burke (5-for-5 SB), Jose Reyes (9-for-11 SB), Carlos Beltran (3-for-4 SB), David Wright (3-for-3 SB), Shane Victorino (4-for-6 SB), Darin Erstad (4-for-5 SB), Joe Mauer (3-for-3 SB), Luis Castillo (2-for-2 SB), Torii Hunter (4-for-4 SB), Kenny Lofton (4-for-5 SB), Hanley Ramirez (5-for-6 SB), Jason Kendall (3-for-3 SB), Julio Lugo (3-for-3 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Minnesota: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (3 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Twins and Athletics play against three-plus southpaws this week, while Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Toronto face six righties. That's good news for Joe Mauer (.360 vs LHPs), Travis Buck (.800 vs LHPs), Kevin Millar (.333 vs RHPs), Nick Markakis (.333 vs RHPs), B.J. Upton (.370 vs RHPs), Delmon Young (.333 vs RHPs), Royce Clayton (.391 vs RHPs), Aaron Hill (.342 vs RHPs), Adam Lind (.353 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Jason Bartlett (.167 vs LHPs), Luis Castillo (.200 vs LHPs), Michael Cuddyer (.185 vs LHPs), Jason Kendall (.056 vs LHPs), Eric Chavez (.227 vs LHPs), Jay Gibbons (.171 vs RHPs), Aubrey Huff (.205 vs RHPs), Brian Roberts (.227 vs RHPs), Carlos Pena (.211 vs RHPs), Ben Zobrist (.222 vs RHPs), Elijah Dukes (.154 vs RHPs), Frank Thomas (.136 vs RHPs), Lyle Overbay (.182 vs RHPs)

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

The Braves, Reds, Astros, Giants and Nationals play three lefties. That's good news for Chris Woodward (.417 vs LHPs), Chris Burke (.438 vs LHPs), Morgan Ensberg (.412 vs LHPs), Barry Bonds (.462 vs LHPs), Pedro Feliz (.417 vs LHPs), Felipe Lopez (.400 vs LHPs), Dmitri Young (.368 vs LHPs), Ryan Zimmerman (.333 vs LHPs)

That's bad news for [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3187"]Craig Wilson[/URL] (.238 vs LHPs), Ryan Freel (.148 vs LHPs), David Ross (.063 vs LHPs), Adam Dunn (.217 vs LHPs), Jason Lane (.214 vs LHPs), Carlos Lee (.167 vs LHPs), Omar Vizquel (.176 vs LHPs), Bengie Molina (.154 vs LHPs), Chris Snelling (0-for-10 vs LHPs), Brian Schneider (.059 vs LHPs), Austin Kearns (.176 vs LHPs), Ryan Church (.167 vs LHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 5:
Curt Schilling, Daniel Cabrera, Chad Durbin, John Danks, Odalis Perez, Sidney Ponson, Miguel Batista, Joe Blanton, Edwin Jackson, Joe Saunders, Brandon McCarthy, C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Tim Hudson, Scott Olsen, Bronson Arroyo, Kip Wells, Josh Fogg, Mike Pelfrey, Matt Albers, Zach Duke, Ben Sheets, Ted Lilly, Jake Peavy, Livan Hernandez, Noah Lowry, Mark Hendrickson, John Patterson, Jon Lieber

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Jeff DaVanon (shoulder) ? return late April
Juan Encarnacion (wrist) ? return early May
Chone Figgins (finger) ? return early May
Lew Ford (knee) ? return late April
Jeremy Hermida (knee) ? return early May
Reed Johnson (back) ? return July
Matt Kemp (shoulder) ? return late April
Mark Kotsay (back) ? return June/July
Nook Logan (foot) ? return late April
Hideki Matsui (hamstring) ? return April 23
Laynce Nix (ribs) ? return late April
Scott Podsednik (groin) ? return mid-May
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return July/August
Rondell White (calf) ? return late April

Infielders
Troy Glaus (heel) ? return early May
Cristian Guzman (hamstring) ? return late April
Dan Johnson (hip) ? return mid-season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? return mid-season
Howie Kendrick (hand) ? return mid-May
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Kaz Matsui (back) ? return early May
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return August/September

Catchers:
Toby Hall (shoulder) ? might be out for the season
Ramon Hernandez (ribs) ? return late April
Vance Wilson (ankle) ? return late April

Designated Hitters:
Jeff Cirillo (knee) ? return mid-May
Greg Norton (knee) ? return May

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? return early May
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return July/August
Lance Cormier (shoulder) ? return early May
Kelvim Escobar (shoulder) ? return April 24 vs TB
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) ? return April 24
Felix Hernandez (elbow) ? return early May
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? return late April
Jason Jennings (elbow) ? return early May
Josh Johnson (elbow) ? return mid-season
Randy Johnson (back) ? return April 24 vs. San Diego
Cliff Lee (abdomen) ? return late April
Jon Lester (cancer) ? return early May
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return May
Rodrigo Lopez (elbow) ? return early May
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return July/August
Sergio Mitre (finger) ? return early May
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return July
Mike Mussina (hamstring) ? return early May
Micah Owings (hamstring) ? return early May
Carl Pavano (elbow) ? return early may
Kenny Rogers (arm) ? return July
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) ? return early May
Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) ? might return April 24 @ TB
Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? return April 29 vs CLE

Important Relievers:
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (elbow) ? return mid-season
Octavio Dotel (ribs) ? return late April
John Grabow (elbow) ? return late April
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return mid-season
Jorge Julio (calf) ? return early May
Jose Mesa (groin) ? return early May
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3262"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3706"]Matt Miller[/URL][/URL] (elbow) ? return early May
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return early May
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? return late April
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? return late May
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return July/August
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return May

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

NL Future Callups
Instead of the traditional news and notes, the focus this week is on minor leaguers with the potential to help in fantasy leagues before the end of the year.

I do have some notes on a few of the major stories of the past week at the end of the column.

Up next week are the May player rankings.

National League Minor Leaguers

Arizona - The Diamondbacks kept Edgar Gonzalez and Micah Owings as their last two starters to begin the year, but they just as easily could have picked Dustin Nippert, Dana Eveland, Yusmeiro Petit or Enrique Gonzalez. Eveland, a product of the Doug Davis-Johnny Estrada trade with Milwaukee, has the best chance of making a modest contribution in NL-only leagues this season. He has a very good strikeout rate for a lefty and could settle in as a solid No. 3 or No. 4 if he's willing to dedicate himself to a conditioning program. ? Left-handed hitter [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=778"]Chris Carter[/URL] is batting .444 in 63 at-bats for Triple-A Tucson. He doesn't have a future in Arizona, but he could help another team as a first baseman or a DH against right-handers. He'll be trade bait this summer. ? Jamie D'Antona is off to an even better start at Tucson, hitting .500 with nine doubles and 10 walks in 54 at-bats. Once viewed as a quality third-base prospect, he's now a part-time catcher and corner infielder. He'd have to improve defensively in order to have a career as a bench player. ? Waiver claim Jeff Salazar is batting .311/.364/.574. He could help as a reserve outfielder if the Diamondbacks don't get Jeff DaVanon back.

Atlanta - Matt Harrison impressed the Braves enough this spring to turn himself into a candidate for a rotation spot later this season. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in Double-A. With three major league pitches and above average command, he projects as a long-term No. 3. He'd be worthy of an immediate pickup in NL-only leagues if called upon. ? In Yunel Escobar and Martin Prado, the club has a couple of middle infielders it really likes in Triple-A. Escobar is the better bet to help, as he could take over at third base in the event of an injury to Chipper Jones. Prado is pretty much limited to second base, and it doesn't look like Kelly Johnson will be going anywhere. ? Jarrod Saltalamacchia isn't looking at more than a September callup for the Braves, but if he's traded at the deadline, he might be another team's starting catcher in the final two months. At .375/.474/.646 currently in Double-A, he's on his way to a big bounce-back season after a down 2006. ? Reliever Joey Devine has a 3.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts in Double-A. His next opportunity to establish himself in the Atlanta bullpen should come this summer.

Chicago - The Cubs called up Felix Pie to replace an injured Alfonso Soriano and have given some indication they plan on sticking with him in center following Soriano's return Monday, though that would leave them with a huge crowd in right. Odds are that Pie is going to end up back in Triple-A unless he gets hot in a hurry. He has a better chance of making an impact come June or July, and because of his speed, he could be worth using in mixed leagues over the final two or three months. ? With Ryan Theriot further establishing himself as a fan favorite, second baseman Eric Patterson might not get a chance this year even if Mark DeRosa fails to cut it as a regular. ? Angel Guzman, who opened the year in the Cubs bullpen before being sent down, and Carlos Marmol are the top candidates to join the rotation should be an opening arise. Both are quality sleepers. Guzman is the better bet based on his performance this spring and in relief, but if Marmol's improved command holds up ? he has a 24/4 K/BB ratio in 16 1/3 innings in Triple-A ? he could be terrific. Just remember that he walked 59 in 77 innings in the majors last year.

Cincinnati - In Homer Bailey and Joey Votto, Cincinnati possesses two of the NL's top potential callups. Bailey won't necessarily be the first Reds starter called on ? lefties Bobby Livingston and Phil Dumatrait might be tried if the club needs someone within the next month or so ? but he's the only one that's particularly interesting for fantasy purposes. He just needs to do a little better job of throwing strikes with his mid-90s fastball. Possessing a curveball capable of racking up strikeouts, he'll be an asset in mixed leagues once he cuts down on the walks. ? Votto isn't as spectacular of a prospect as Bailey, but he should be a fair regular at first base, and with only Scott Hatteberg and Jeff Conine ahead of him, a starting job could be his for the taking by July. If he gets called up early enough, he'll be good for 10-12 homers. ? Mark Bellhorn is trying to prove he still has something to offer a major league team. He's batting .295/.436/.500 in 44 at-bats in Triple-A. ? Brad Salmon is unlikely to turn into a closer, but there's still enough uncertainty in the Cincinnati pen to make him a bit of a sleeper. He's allowed two runs and struck out seven in six innings as Louisville's closer.

Colorado - The Rockies have one of the game's best farm systems, but most of their youngsters are either in the majors or at least a year away. Ian Stewart, who is still playing third base despite Garrett Atkins' presence ahead of him, isn't yet showing major league power. First baseman Joe Koshansky could help if Todd Helton is injured or traded, but the Rockies might go to Jeff Baker first. An in-season trade for Helton is pretty unlikely anyway. Ubaldo Jimenez, easily the top pitching prospect in the Triple-A rotation, has a 15.09 ERA after three starts. There just aren't any prospects on the Sky Sox roster likely to be much of a factor in 2007. ? In Cory Sullivan, Ryan Spilborghs and Alexis Gomez, the Rockies do have three veteran outfielders in Triple-A capable of helping out. Sullivan should get another chance if Steve Finley's slump carries on into May. Spilborghs is too similar to Baker to be of much use to the Rockies, but he'd help a lot of teams as a fourth outfielder. ? Alvin Colina would be called up if it's decided Chris Iannetta would benefit from more Triple-A time. However, he'd likely play behind Yorvit Torrealba and possess little value. ? Juan Morillo, now a full-time reliever, is the best bet to be Colorado's closer in 2009. It's doubtful that he'll be of much use this year, but he does need to be watched.

Florida - The Marlins are in between waves of prospects, leaving them with little immediate help in Triple-A. What they do possess are veterans capable of serving as bench players in Chad Hermansen, John Gall, Val Pascucci and Scott Seabol. Also, Nate Field would likely be of help in middle relief or in a setup role. ? Beyond the veterans, the Marlins still have Reggie Abercrombie as a possibility in center field. Unfortunately, he's hitting .204 with an 18/0 K/BB ratio in 49 at-bats in the minors. Eric Reed, who is currently in the majors with Alejandro De Aza hurting, has a better chance of being of use as a reserve. ? Gaby Hernandez, arguably the club's top pitching prospect, has a 3.31 ERA and a 16/4 K/BB ratio in 16 1/3 innings in Double-A. It'd be for the best if he's not needed this year, but he could prove more capable than Rick Vanden Hurk of providing the team with some decent starts. ? 2005 first-round pick Chris Volstad is in A ball at the moment, but it's possible he'll debut during the second half. Like Hernandez, he'd be a poor bet to amass fantasy value early on.

Houston - Hunter Pence didn't win a job by hitting .571/.647/1.071 this spring, but he could be the Astros' center fielder by June 1 if Chris Burke fails to step up. He's currently hitting .328/.394/.547 for Triple-A Round Rock. If he gets 300 at-bats this year, expect him to hit .260-.270 with a dozen homers and a handful of steals. ? The Astros hope they won't need any other offensive help this year, but they do have a couple of useful utilitymen in the minors in Eric Bruntlett and Brooks Conrad. Bruntlett, who spent much of the previous three years on the roster, will be the first callup, though it's unlikely he'll get much playing time. Conrad, more of an offensive-minded reserve, needs a trade. ? Fernando Nieve was bypassed in favor of Matt Albers when the Astros required a starter last week, but he remains a good bet to have some value in NL-only leagues this year. His chance should come next month. ? Top prospect Troy Patton is less likely to get a shot, but he might be an option by July or August. He's well worth keeping an eye on. .. Paul Estrada could be a big factor in the bullpen later this year. He projects as a quality setup man for the club.

Los Angeles - Andy LaRoche didn't hit this spring and as atrocious defensively, but with Wilson Betemit continuing to struggle, the opportunity is still there for Adam's younger brother. LaRoche has more offensive upside than Betemit, and he has the range to be a fine third baseman. An opportunity could come if he can get hot for a few weeks. ? Like LaRoche, Loney has gotten off to a disappointing start, hitting .266/.319/.375 at Las Vegas while seeing time both at first base and in right field. Still, he's capable of helping the Dodgers now and he could receive regular playing time if Nomar Garciaparra gets hurt. He can't be left unowned in NL-only leagues. ? Tony Abreu was a great surprise this spring and has kept it going with a 1045 OPS in Triple-A. He'll be up if Jeff Kent goes on the DL. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the power or speed to be a major asset. ? Scott Elbert, one of the top lefties in the minors, has struck out 24 and walked 10 in 14 innings in Double-A. Command will be the key if he's going to make an impact in the second half. Right now, the Dodgers would go to Eric Stults or D.J. Houlton first if they required a starter. ? Jonathan Meloan is the club's new big-time relief prospect. He could end the year in a setup role.

Milwaukee - [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4768"]Ryan Braun[/URL]'s glove is the only thing keeping him in the minors. He's followed up a great spring by hitting .293/.379/.672 with five homers in 58 at-bats for Triple-A Nashville. With still no indication that Corey Koskie is coming back, Braun will have to get a look by June or July. Since he even likes to steal bases, he could have some value in shallow mixed leagues. ? Yovani Gallardo is the NL's No. 2 pitching prospect behind Bailey, and with Carlos Villanueva not off to a very good start in middle relief, he could be the first pitcher called on should the Brewers need a starter. Because of his command, he might have an even better chance than Bailey of excelling right away. He's allowed 13 hits, walked four and struck out 26 in 17 innings in Triple-A. ? No one has met the Milwaukee's asking price for Jose Capellan. He could have been a saves candidate in the right situation. That won't happen if the Brewers keep him and put him back in their pen next month.

New York - Lastings Milledge is still very much a top prospect and might yet prove to be the Mets' best option in right field, though Shawn Green's hot start has eliminated what chance there was of him getting an opportunity anytime soon. It might take a trade to make Milledge a regular for the final two months of the season. He could be good for 8-10 homers and steals if given 250-300 at-bats. ? With Jorge Sosa and Jason Vargas both off to very good starts for Triple-A New Orleans, it doesn't look like Philip Humber will be needed anytime soon. He's a better bet for 2008 anyway. Sosa and Vargas both have some upside, in no small part because they'd be in a great situation for wins if added to the rotation. Anyone starting games for the Mets has to be owned in NL-only leagues. ? Ben Johnson wasn't kept as a reserve outfielder after being acquired from the Padres and is now on the minor league DL, but he can't be completely forgotten about. He could flash 20-homer power if he lands with another team.

Philadelphia - With Michael Bourn wasting away on the team's bench, catcher Jason Jaramillo is the only offensive prospect the Phillies have in Triple-A. He probably wouldn't be much of a downgrade from Carlos Ruiz or Rod Barajas in the short-term, but he's not someone the Phillies want to have to turn to this year. ? Bourn figures to go down eventually, as he needs some at-bats if he's going to have a chance of helping out later on. The speedster would likely be a solid NL-only leagues outfielder if pressed into regular duty. However, the Phillies might go with Jayson Werth over him if Aaron Rowand or Shane Victorino gets hurt. ? Zach Segovia got to fill in for [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL] earlier this month, but left-hander J.A. Happ would be the superior option if another starter is needed. Unfortunately, his flyball tendencies wouldn't play well in Citizens Bank Park, leaving him with little fantasy upside. ? Reliever Joe Bisenius could be the Phillies' long-term closer. Expect him to be up for good within a couple of months. He should take over a setup role by August or September.

Pittsburgh - The Pirates have bench help in Triple-A in the form of Ryan Doumit, Luis Matos and Jose Hernandez. Doumit has been on a tear since getting sent down, batting .465/.556/.767. He should be in the majors over Brad Eldred and getting the occasional start behind the plate. Count on it happening if Ronny Paulino's slump lingers through the end of the month. Matos is an option as a fifth outfielder, but the Pirates have Nate McLouth to turn to if any starters go down. Hernandez can contribute more on offense than Don Kelly if the Pirates want to go back to him. ? The Pirates are rich in potential starters in Sean Burnett, Bryan Bullington, Shane Youman, Yoslan Herrera and Alay Soler. Still, none is a strong fantasy sleeper. Herrera, a Cuban defector, could be interesting if he shakes the rust after a long layoff. I like what I saw from Bullington this spring, but he might fit best in the bullpen. ? Josh Sharpless is better than a couple of the relievers the Pirates are currently employing. He could be the team's seventh-inning guy by the All-Star break. ? 2005 first-round pick Andrew McCutchen has to be mentioned here. He shouldn't be up until September, but maybe if Chris Duffy struggles, he'll make it to Pittsburgh a little earlier. The 20-year-old is one of the league's top fantasy prospects.

St. Louis - The rumor was that Blake Hawksworth would get the call when Chris Carpenter went down. Randy Keisler was chosen instead, but the Cardinals would like to get a look at Hawksworth later. The 24-year-old has overcome years of shoulder troubles to reemerge as one of the club's best prospects. He probably doesn't have more than No. 4-starter upside now, but he could possess a little value in NL-only leagues later on. ? Jaime Garcia is a level behind Hawksworth in Double-A, but he gets a lot of grounders and strikeouts, giving him a high ceiling. He's more of a prospect for 2008, but we may see him in the majors by July or August. ? Except for veteran John Rodriguez, the Cardinals don't have much in the way of offensive options in the minors. Rick Ankiel has five early homers, but he also has a .254 OBP in Triple-A. If the Cardinals need power, Ryan Ludwick would probably be a better choice. Either he or Rodriguez could serve as a reserve outfielder if the club gives up on Preston Wilson or So Taguchi.

San Diego - With Royce Ring, Scott Strickland, Andrew Brown, Leo Rosales and Justin Germano at Triple-A Portland, the Padres have a ton of bullpen depth. What they lack is potential rotation options and backup infielders. 2005 first-round pick Cesar Carrillo is back after missing the second half of last season with elbow troubles, but he has a 9.00 ERA in three starts for Portland. Tim Stauffer is currently struggling in middle relief. If the Padres need a starter, they'd probably go right back to Mike Thompson. He did OK last year, but he'd be a weak option in NL-only leagues even while being aided by Petco Park. ? Jack Cust is on the Padres' 40-man roster and is again pummeling PCL pitching to the tune of an 1140 OPS. However, he'd be scary bad in Petco's huge outfield and the team probably won't want to use him as more than a pinch-hitter. ? The Padres would have to turn to Craig Stansberry or Oscar Robles if they lose Khalil Greene or Marcus Giles to injury. Robles, an ex-Dodger, has little offensive upside, but would be a better solution at shortstop than Geoff Blum. Stansberry is hitting .375/.432/.547 in 64 at-bats for Portland. It's probably a fluke, but if he keeps it up, maybe he'd get a chance to start over Blum if Giles goes down.

San Francisco - Tim Lincecum only ranks behind Bailey and Gallardo as prospects because of the injury possibility. He's a better bet than either for this year, and he should be picked up immediately in mixed leagues when the Giants call him up. The 2006 first-rounder has allowed nine hits, walked five and struck out 28 in 18 2/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Fresno. He's the best bet to make a big impact this year of anyone currently in the minors. ? Kevin Frandsen is back in Triple-A because the Giants couldn't find any at-bats for him. That will change if Ray Durham or Omar Vizquel gets hurt. He could have a little value this season. ? The Giants wanted Brian Wilson to close if they traded Armando Benitez, but his lack of command got him sent back to Fresno, where he has an 11/8 K/BB ratio in 7 1/3 innings so far. He'll be back once he stops walking batters, and he'll be a candidate for saves when Benitez lands on the DL. ? Billy Sadler, who has fanned 13 and walked six in nine innings for Fresno, is a deep sleeper for saves. He projects as more of a seventh-inning guy. ? Fred Lewis would be the likely replacement if any outfielder lands on the DL. He might be good for a few steals while serving as a fourth outfielder.

Washington - The Nationals will go through a ton of players this year, but figuring out which ones will have fantasy value qualifies as a difficult assignment. Outfielder Kory Casto, who opened the season in the majors because of Nook Logan's injury, is probably the best bet. He's not ready to hit better than .250 in the majors, but he can post a respectable OBP anyway and he has 15-homer power. On the pitching side, Emiliano Fruto offers the best combination of upside and performance. He's walked 11 in 16 innings for Columbus, but he's given up just five hits in the process. It would be interesting to see what he could do as a starter after the Mariners were too quick to shift him to the bullpen. ? The Nationals also have Joel Hanrahan, Billy Traber, Tim Redding, Frank Diaz and Mike Bacsik in Triple-A. Hanrahan may get the first chance to fill a rotation spot. Behind them is Collin Balester in Double-A. The Nationals see him as their best pitching prospect and could give him a look in the second half. However, he's unlikely to be an asset before 2008 and maybe not then. ? Tony Batista, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2653"]Alex Gonzalez[/URL], Darnell McDonald and George Lombard are among the veteran hitters the Nationals have stashed away in Triple-A. Batista is hitting .340, so he may get another chance. However, it shouldn't happen in Washington. The Nats would happily part with him for a decent A-ball arm.

News of the Week

- Alfonso Soriano is expected back from a hamstring injury on Monday, but he'll be playing left field rather than center. The Cubs have been giving mixed signals on whether Pie will stay with the team to man center. He's not going to be a part-timer, so he'll either start regularly for the Cubs or head back to Triple-A. The latter seems preferable, at least unless the Cubs can get some good value back in return for Jacque Jones or Matt Murton. Having those two share time with Cliff Floyd in right field isn't going to work. My guess is that Pie will return to Iowa before the end of the week. Since it may not happen right away, Murton and Floyd look like fairly weak plays in NL-only leagues.

- Despite repeatedly saying he wasn't hurt, Jason Schmidt went on the DL last week with shoulder inflammation. Nobody is mentioning surgery, so it looks like he will be back in a couple of weeks to resume pitching with a damaged shoulder, just like he's done for years now. The Dodgers will hope the time off gives him some added velocity. Schmidt likely could succeed while working in the high-80s, but he's a fourth or fifth starter if he's averaging 85 mph with his fastball. Best-case scenario, he's back in the low-90s by June after rebuilding his arm strength.

- I've already written my Brett Myers rant, so I won't go there again. It seems highly unlikely that Myers will spend the rest of the year in a setup role. Either he'll move back into the rotation after Charlie Manuel is fired ? it could happen any week now ? or he'll eventually replace Tom Gordon as the Phillies' closer, perhaps after Gordon next tweaks his shoulder. There's no way he can be left unowned in mixed leagues, and I recommend trying to buy low on him. Jon Lieber has some value in NL-only leagues while serving as the fifth starter. The Phillies would likely still be open to trading him if it'd bring in a real setup man.

- The Marlins got Jorge Julio off the roster with the most conveniently timed calf strain in baseball history. Henry Owens hasn't had a save chance since Julio went on the DL, but manager Fredi Gonzalez named him the closer and figures to stick with him as long as he remains effective. Taylor Tankersley is also worth owning in most formats.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Harden Suffers Setback
In news that should surprise absolutely no one, Rich Harden has been scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday. Harden played catch Friday and threw a bullpen session Sunday, both without experiencing a clear setback, but Dallas Braden will make his major-league debut in his place against the Orioles anyway. Manager Bob Geren said that he thinks Harden will "be ready sooner rather than later" and added that the A's are "not going to put him on the disabled list."

Of course, the "sooner rather than later" coachspeak rings even more hollow than usual given Harden's track record with recovery timetables and the A's tend to initially avoid the DL at all costs in most cases. Meanwhile, Brad Halsey publicly criticized the team after learning that he was being passed over for the start in favor of Braden, saying that the A's avoided bringing him up because of arm soreness that dates back to spring training.

Halsey called the A's a "mom-and-pop organization" (among other things, some of them with words I can't print here) because he believes that the team is worried about potentially having to pay him big-league money if a disabled-list stint becomes necessary. General manager Billy Beane quickly denied Halsey's claims?saying, "We're sorry Brad's disappointed, but we're more worried about getting Bob Geren 25 healthy bodies"?but choosing to go with Braden over Halsey is certainly unexpected.

While A's fans and Harden's fantasy owners go from drooling over his strong start to wondering if he's becoming the AL's version of Mark Prior, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Alfonso Soriano's injured hamstring was healed enough for him to return Sunday, as he doubled down the left-field line as a pinch-hitter before leaving for a pinch-runner. He's expected to start Monday, but as manager Lou Piniella announced over the weekend, Soriano will be playing left field rather than center field. However, despite the quick hook on the plan to make Soriano a center fielder, Piniella seemed unsure when asked if Felix Pie would be staying in the majors.

Piniella did make it clear that if Pie does stay with the Cubs, he'll be doing so in a starting capacity. The other option is to send Pie back to Triple-A, where he can continue to play every day while the Cubs sort out their outfield. Under that scenario, Jacque Jones would take over in center field, at least against right-handed pitchers, with Matt Murton potentially getting some at-bats there against left-handers.

Jones has been primarily a corner outfielder since 2001, but does have plenty of past experience in center field and has enough range to hold his own out there. A Soriano-Jones-Cliff Floyd outfield alignment might hurt the Cubs a bit defensively, but by keeping Pie around they'd have to essentially find a way to work Jones, Murton, and Floyd into one spot in the lineup, which is a recipe for either a trade or a problem.

* Making his way back from two broken fingers, Chone Figgins is reportedly close to beginning a minor-league rehab assignment, perhaps as soon as Wednesday. Figgins said Sunday that he has concerns about how well he's able to throw after struggling some during workouts, which could mean a more lengthy rehab assignment than initially expected. However, the Angels are clearly planning to have him back soon.

Manager Mike Scioscia laid out his plan Sunday, saying that Figgins will step into the lineup at third base when healthy, with Maicer Izturis sliding over from third base to second base while Howie Kendrick is sidelined. Figgins will likely play nearly every day once he returns and Izturis has a clear leg up on regular at-bats over Erick Aybar and Robb Quinlan. If any player can maintain solid fantasy value while coming back from broken fingers, it's Legs Figgins.

* After three scoreless appearances to begin his comeback, Eric Gagne left Sunday's game one out into the ninth inning with what's being called either a strained "hip" or "gluteus maximus" depending on the source. Either way, given his other maladies and the Rangers' likely cautious approach with him in general, it wouldn't be surprising to see him land on the disabled list. Akinori Otsuka relieved Gagne Sunday and could step right back into the closer role if needed.

AL Quick Hits: Milton Bradley left Sunday's game after aggravating his hamstring injury and could be headed to the disabled list ? If his minor-league rehab start goes well Thursday, Cliff Lee (abdomen) could come off the DL as soon as Sunday ? With David DeJesus (ankle) getting the day off, Mark Teahen made his first career start in center field Sunday ? Coco Crisp (oblique) was scratched from Sunday's lineup, but entered the game as an eighth-inning defensive replacement ? Jeff Weaver gave up three runs on seven hits in three innings Sunday, yet managed to lower his ERA from 15.75 to 13.91 ? After hitting just .117 through the first 17 games, Gary Sheffield was given Sunday off and said his problem is "between my ears" ? Brian Roberts expects to play Monday after sitting out two games with flu-like symptoms ? With Jorge Posada (thumb) hurting, Josh Phelps made his first appearance at catcher since 2001 and picked up added fantasy value in some leagues ? With Andy Marte (hamstring) day-to-day, Casey Blake will take over at third base and Ryan Garko should pick up at-bats.

NL Quick Hits: After sitting out three games, Ryan Howard (knee) returned to the lineup Sunday with a two-run homer ? Miguel Cabrera (oblique) was also back in the lineup Sunday after missing two games ? Manager Manny Acta yanked Ryan Church from Sunday's game for "not running hard" on a ground out ? After getting knocked around for seven runs in 4.1 innings Sunday, Wade Miller may not be long for the Cubs' rotation ? Juan Encarnacion (wrist) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this week ? With a visit to Dr. James Andres scheduled for later this week, Mark Prior (shoulder) could be on the verge of surgery ? He has just one win to show for it, but Matt Cain has allowed opponents to bat .120 against him while posting a 1.55 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in four starts ? Once thought to be near completion, Carlos Zambrano's contract talks with the Cubs are now rumored to be on their last legs ? Ricky Nolasco (elbow) is hoping for a May 1 return following two upcoming minor-league rehab starts.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Countdown to Hughes
With their starting rotation in shambles and a sweep at the hands of the Red Sox fresh in the rearview mirror, the Yankees have decided that it's time for The Philip Hughes Era to begin. The consensus top pitching prospect in all of baseball, the 20-year-old right-hander is expected to come up from Triple-A to make his major-league debut Thursday against the Blue Jays. He's 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA and 17-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three starts at Scranton.

General manager Brian Cashman made it clear that calling Hughes up this soon is a change of plans for the Yankees and there's been some speculation that owner George Steinbrenner is behind the decision. As Cashman said Monday, "My exact goal ? was that hopefully we'd be able to keep him down all year, but reality kicks in when you play a season. We have a team need and we need a starter."

Cashman indicated that Hughes is being brought up to make just one start, but given the numerous health-related question marks throughout the rotation it's not difficult to imagine him staying for good with a strong first outing. With his unique combination of overpowering raw stuff and an amazing performance track record at such a young age, there's little doubt that Hughes is an elite prospect with tremendous long-term potential.

The question is whether he's ready to dominate big-league hitters immediately. My guess is that Hughes is capable of showing flashing of brilliance right now, but lacks the consistency to be a top-notch fantasy starter if he remains in the rotation. Toss in the possibility that he'll be headed back to Triple-A next week and he's not a strong mixed-league option. However, he's absolutely worth stashing away on the bench in mixed leagues and is a must-play in AL-only leagues.

While Yankees fans anxiously await their 20-year-old savior and say goodbye (for now at least) to Chase "back-to-back-to-back-to-back" Wright, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Yesterday in this space I suggested that Mark Prior appeared headed for shoulder surgery and both Rich Harden and Eric Gagne appeared headed for the disabled list. All three of those statements led to my e-mailbox being filled with some strongly worded notes from readers who rightly questioned my (non-existent) medical expertise, but 24 hours later all three statements have already come true.

After visiting with Dr. James Andrews, Prior will undergo what's being called "exploratory surgery" on his right shoulder, which could knock him out for the entire season. That news, combined with the Cubs also placing Wade Miller on the DL Monday, means that Angel Guzman has a legitimate chance to grab hold of a permanent spot in the rotation. For Prior, finally finding out what's truly wrong with him is likely for the best, even if it means going under the knife.

Interestingly, Harden was placed on the DL mere hours after manager Bob Geren told reporters "we're not going to put him on the disabled list," although that's sort of par for the course with the A's and injuries. The hope is that Harden can return next week, but his timetable has already been pushed back twice and his history with such things suggests that it's usually later rather than sooner. Dallas Braden will start in his place Tuesday and might have a little AL-only value.

Gagne's trip to the DL seems to be more about caution than legitimate worry, which is probably smart anyway given his own injury history. The Rangers will slide Akinori Otsuka back into the closer role that he filled well last season, calling up Frank Francisco to fill Gagne's spot in the bullpen. As was the case coming into the season, Otsuka is perhaps the most valuable setup man in the league thanks to his stellar track record and Gagne's health problems.

* With his trip to the disabled list backdated to April 19, Felix Hernandez is on track to return with a start against the Yankees on May 4. Hernandez began his comeback from a strained elbow by playing catch from 75 feet Monday and is expected take part in a series of bullpen sessions over the next week or so. Asked about the decision to place King Felix on the DL, general manager Bill Bavasi said that it "hopefully removes any pressure he may feel to try and rush back."

Called up from Triple-A, Cha Seung Baek stepped into the rotation for Hernandez Monday and got knocked around by the Rangers. However, after Baek gave up four runs in 4.1 innings, rookie Brandon Morrow picked up his first career win with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief. The Mariners don't seem quite sure what they want to do with Morrow and he could eventually be put into the rotation this season, but for now Baek figures to continue subbing for Hernandez.

AL Quick Hits: Transferred to the 60-day disabled list Monday, B.J. Ryan (elbow) is now out until at least mid-June ? Chone Figgins (fingers) is scheduled to begin a brief minor-league rehab assignment Wednesday and could return as soon as Monday if things go smoothly ... Hideki Matsui (hamstring) came off the DL Monday, starting in left field and batting sixth ? Bartolo Colon (ankle) may have his scheduled start Thursday pushed back, with Dustin Moseley likely taking his place ? Mark Buehrle followed up his no-hitter last week by tossing seven innings of three-run ball Monday to pick up a win against the Royals ? It took three weeks and four outs, but J.J. Putz notched his first save Monday ? Ramon Hernandez (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday and could come off the DL as soon as Thursday ? Coincidence? On the same day that he called into Bubba the Love Sponge's radio show to wish him a happy birthday, Aubrey Huff broke out of a season-long slump with a three-run homer.

NL Quick Hits: Tom Gordon remains the Phillies' closer, but manager Charlie Manuel indicated Monday that Brett Myers will be given save chances at some point ? The Cubs went with an Alfonso Soriano-Jacque Jones-Cliff Floyd outfield alignment against a right-handed pitcher Monday, but Felix Pie went 2-for-3 after coming in as a pinch-hitter ? With Francisco Cordero having worked four of the past five days, Derrick Turnbow picked up his first save Monday ? Mike Gonzalez (elbow) pitched Monday for the first time in a week ? Johnny Estrada (knee) is day-to-day after leaving Monday's game following a collision with teammate Prince Fielder ? After giving up three extra-base hits, Henry Owens was yanked from a save chance with one out remaining Monday ? Brian McCann (finger) appeared as a pinch-hitter Monday and could be back in the lineup Tuesday ?Daily Dose favorite Chris Sampson came into Monday's game with a sub-2.00 career ERA, but was knocked around for seven runs on 14 hits. www.tampabaybuccaneers.ws

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[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Prospects: Hochevar and Salty
As they almost always do, the Yankees and Red Sox took center stage in the baseball world over the weekend when they matched up for the first time this season. After the Red Sox swept the series and dropped the Yankees to a disappointing 8-9 start, New York reacted Monday by announcing that they would call up baseball's best pitching prospect, Phil Hughes, later in the week. The decision to promote Hughes is evaluated further below, but the short analysis is that it's a move the club would have liked not to make just yet. However, after Chase Wright looked like he still belonged in the minors, it was a move the club felt it had to make.

Even though he was off to a fine start in Triple-A, the Yankees would have preferred letting Hughes gain a little more experience and further distance himself from the control problems that dogged him this spring. Instead, he's up in the most intense market in the country and will be expected to act as the savior for a hurting pitching staff. There's nothing in his past that would indicate Hughes is in any danger while pitching in a pressure-packed environment, but it's still a lot to put on a 20-year-old. If he does struggle, you can bet the media will attribute the poor performance to the intense pressure. It's not something that should affect his long-term fantasy value either way, so a poor first trip around the league might help those in keeper leagues acquire him at a discount.


Callups


Matt Albers ? RHP Astros ? A 23rd round draft-and-follow out of a Texas high school in 2001, Albers looked like a worthy investment after an impressive 2003 campaign at Tri City of the New York-Penn League. Albers was a 20-year-old at the time, but little was expected and he came through with an ERA under 3.00 to go with strong ratios. A move up to Low Single-A Lexington the following year provided mixed results, as Albers struck out an incredible 11.3 batters per nine innings. However, the right-hander was still in Low Single-A at a more advanced age, and his walk rake also spiked to 57 free passes in just 111 1/3 innings.

Promoted to High-A Salem to begin the 2005 campaign, Albers all but fell apart. His strikeout rate dropped below one per inning, his walk rate remained too high, and he suddenly gave up 15 homers in 148 2/3 innings. Throw in some rumors regarding his drive and desire to succeed, and Albers ended up with a 4.66 ERA. Last season was an improvement for the right-hander, as he yielded just seven homers and induced a fair amount of ground balls. However, his 132/64 K/BB ratio in 156 innings between Double-A, Triple-A, and the majors was hardly encouraging and he did most of his work in pitcher-friendly parks.

Thanks to a moving, low-90s fastball and improved curveball, Albers still has a good deal of potential. If he can get the walks under control, his strikeout rate is strong enough to go with his groundball tendencies and ability to keep the ball in the park that he could be a No. 3 starter if everything breaks right. How his changeup develops will likely determine if he ends up in the bullpen or the rotation.

With Jason Jennings injured, Albers was called up and surrendered two runs on six hits and three walks in six innings against the Brewers. He'll get another start or two before Jennings is recalled, but he's not someone that's recommended at the moment. If he can show better control for an extended period of time, NL-only leaguers could consider him. Recommendation: Monitor in NL-only formats.

Dallas Braden ? LHP Athletics ? A 24th round selection out of Texas Tech in 2004, Braden surprised scouts his first two years after signing. The 6'1", 185-pound Braden looked strong at two Low Single-A levels after signing, posting a 3.89 ERA and 59/9 K/BB ratio in just 39 1/3 innings of work. The impressive debut gave the Athletics the confidence to assign Braden to High-A Stockton the following season, and he rewarded them with a 2.68 ERA and 64/11 K/BB ratio in 43 2/3 innings. The all-important Double-A test came next, with Braden recording a mediocre 3.90 ERA and diminished 71/32 K/BB ratio in 97 innings of work. While the promotion didn't go exceedingly well, it was still encouraging enough that Braden looked like a future big leaguer.

Unfortunately, Braden needed shoulder surgery after the 2005 season and was limited to just 37 1/3 innings last season. The left-hander was expected to make a full recovery, and it looked like he did after two strong outings for Midland and six shutout innings for Triple-A Sacramento to start the 2007 campaign. With Rich Harden hitting the DL, Braden will start against the Orioles on Tuesday and then the Devil Rays on Sunday. Harden could then come back and take back over, but AL-only leaguers could do worse than using Braden for the pair of starts. He has good command most often, and his screwball could work against weaker offenses at least initially. He's more likely to end up in relief in the longer term, however. Recommendation: Consider using in deeper AL-only formats.

Phil Hughes ? RHP Yankees ? With Alex Gordon and Delmon Young already in the majors, Hughes was the top prospect still in the minor leagues. The 2004 first round selection was absolutely dominant last year, posting an insane 168/34 K/BB ratio in 146 innings between Single-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton. There was some thought that the right-hander could break camp with the Yankees if injuries struck, but Hughes struggled with his command and was assigned to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre.

Indeed, Hughes started off poorly, giving up seven runs over 10 innings in his first two starts. He rebounded in his last outing however, throwing six scoreless innings while striking out 10 and yielding just two baserunners. Despite not turning 21 until late June, Hughes has the stuff and command necessary to succeed right away. His fastball sits in the mid-to-low 90s with excellent control, allowing him to induce more than his share of grounders. Hughes' curveball is also a plus offering to go with a passable slider and an above average changeup.

The Yankees could have gone to another prospect to start Thursday's game against the Blue Jays, but Hughes is already the club's best choice both in the short and long term despite his lack of continued success in the early going. AL-only leaguers will want to put in a significant bid, and even those in shallow mixed leagues will want to pursue him aggressively. He's quite capable of posting a strong strikeout rate and an ERA under 4.00. Also, if he starts off strong there will be no reason for the Yankees to send him back to the minors, and 14 wins could well be achieved. Even if he does head back to the minors after just one start, he'll be back soon enough to be worth stashing away. Recommendation: Bid aggressively in all leagues.

Felix Pie ? OF Cubs ? Signed as a 16-year-old free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Pie has long been touted as the Cubs' center fielder of the future. After several years of flashing a broad skill set in the low minors, Pie had a breakout 2005 campaign for Double-A West Tennessee. His .304/.349/.554 line was the best Pie had posted since a 55 game stint in Rookie ball, and that he was finally translating his 6'2" frame into some home runs was very encouraging. However, Pie managed to play in only 59 games that season, mostly due to a foot injury. Moved up to Triple-A Iowa for 2006, Pie wasn't able to show the same power he displayed the year prior. However, his .283/.341/.451 line was hardly embarrassing, and he was young for the league at just 21-years-old.

I'm pretty bearish on Pie, particularly in the short-term. His tools are excellent, but there are still too many areas where he's yet to turn them into baseball skills. His defense isn't quite as good as it should be, he still chases too many breaking pitches, he doesn't draw enough walks, he can't steal bases efficiently (62% success rate), and his power has yet to materialize for an extended period of time. Since he's still young, there's plenty of time for Pie to continue working on these areas, but he's unlikely to be even an average regular for another couple of years.

Pie, who was hitting .444 with a 5/9 K/BB ratio in 11 games for Iowa, was promoted to the majors with Alfonso Soriano hurting last week. He's gone 5-for-25 with six strikeouts since, and now the Cubs' outfield is rather crowded with Pie, a healthy Soriano, Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd, and Matt Murton. Since Pie still needs more time in the minors, it's likely that he'll be sent down within a few days to open up more at-bats for the rest of the group. Since he is capable of stealing a few bases, Pie could be a useful NL-only leaguer if he was to secure an everyday job, but expectations should be kept low for now. Recommendation: Monitor in NL-only leagues.

Danny Putnam ? OF Athletics ? A sweet swinging corner outfielder out of Stanford University, Putnam was a typical Athletics' selection in the supplemental first round of the 2004 draft. Possessing little speed or defensive value and standing just 5'10" tall, Putnam wasn't a favorite of most scouts. Since he also lacked ideal power, he fell to the Athletics at 36th overall.

Putnam's minor league career has been somewhat erratic thus far, failing to back up strong performances at multiple levels. He performed well in Vancouver after signing, but then looked overmatched after being promoted to Kane County. However, he then posted a fine 2005 season at High-A Stockton, batting .307 with 37 doubles, 15 homers, and a 92/66 K/BB ratio. Unfortunately, Putnam was off to a slow start before missing most of June and July with a strained knee ligament last year. He hit well in August after returning, batting .343 with six homers, so the injury didn't look like it was of any long-term significance.

With Milton Bradley going on the disabled list, Putnam will get a few weeks in the majors. He was off to a fine start, batting .327 with seven doubles and two homers in 13 games. The Athletics don't plan to use him much over the next few weeks, but he could become a useful regular in time. If things break right, he could be a better version of Frank Catalanotto. He's worth stashing away in leagues with deeper farm systems. Recommendation: Monitor in AL-only and keeper formats.


Prospect Profiles


Luke Hochevar ? RHP Royals ? Although he was selected just 40th overall by the Dodgers in the 2005 draft, Hochevar was seen as a much better talent than the draft position would indicate. Rumors of big contract demands and the presence of agent Scott Boras hurt the junior out of the University of Tennessee, and he predictably asked for $3.5-$4 million after the draft. Negotiations dragged out as Hochevar failed to start attending classes again at Tennessee, which would have ended his eligibility to sign, and the right-hander eventually changed agents to the Sosnick-Cobbe Sports agency. However, after all involved parties agreed to a $2.98 million bonus, Hochevar reneged on the deal and changed agents back to Boras.

After that, there was quite a bit of spin coming from all different angles and it was difficult to tell what exactly happened. Either way, the whole situation was an odd one, and figures to be just another reason why teams will shy away from Boras clients. The series of events doesn't shine particularly well on Hochevar either, but it's not something that figured to affect his perceived value much. After four strong outings in an independent league, the Royals selected Hochevar first overall last June and signed him to a major league deal that included a $3.5 million bonus. The lesson here, as always, is that Boras is going to win.

After signing in early August, Hochevar was assigned to Low Single-A Burlington of the Midwest League. He made just four starts and was allowed to throw only 15 1/3 innings, but he was successful having allowed just two earned runs with a 16/2 K/BB ratio. A stint in the Arizona Fall League followed, with Hochevar giving up eight runs on 13 hits in 8 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander was then shut down after his third appearance in the league, with the club citing a shoulder strain as the reason. The injury wasn't expected to be of any long-term significant, and there have been no reports of the shoulder acting up since.

A strong spring training allowed Hochevar to be assigned to Double-A Wichita to begin the season, and he's continued to impress while in the Texas League. The 23-year-old right-hander has posted a 3.21 ERA to go with a 27/7 K/BB ratio in 22 innings thus far. Three of the runs he's given up were on a pair of homers by streaking top prospect Sean Rodriguez, who was profiled here last week, and are the only homers he's given up in the four starts.

Hochevar was seen as someone who would advance quickly once reaching the minors, in large part due to his plus arsenal of pitches. His fastball reaches the mid-90s and his slider is also an excellent offering, but that he's able to mix in a quality changeup and a curveball add to his projectability. On the down side, Hochevar had a pension for walking too many batters in college and is an extreme flyball pitcher, so he's likely to top out as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter instead of a true ace. Still, he'll probably be ready for the majors late this season and is someone who could provide plenty of value in AL-only formats right away. He'll be worth pursuing aggressively when he's called up.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia ? C Braves ? When it comes to evaluating prospects, I'm a strong believer in exercising a great deal of patience when looking at a youngster's production. Sometimes players do indeed drop off and end up lesser prospects or fail to reach the majors altogether, but if the skill set and previous production are there they are more likely to revert to being productive than not. Additionally, if the player involved was struggling and has a reasonable excuse that was only of short-term concern, like a minor injury that isn't likely to come back or a personal issue, than that player's status should take even less of a hit after a series of poor performances. Since all of the above applies to Saltalamacchia, he was one player who needed to remain near the top of prospect rankings this winter.

A supplemental first rounder in the 2003 draft out of a Florida high school, Saltalamacchia was seen as a big kid with a promising bat and questionable defensive skills. The switch-hitter had a fine debut in the Gulf Coast League that season, in large part because he drew 28 walks in 165 plate appearances. The next season at Single-A Rome, Saltalamacchia hit for a higher average and showed more home run power, but his plate discipline slipped and the overall performance was nothing that suggested he was a top prospect. On the plus side, his defense was proving to be adequate behind the plate, and the Braves had resisted the urge to try him at a less demanding position to see if his bat would flourish.

That decision proved fruitful in 2005, as Saltalamacchia broke out in a big way at High-A Myrtle Beach. The then 20-year-old showed every skill that could be hoped for, batting .314/.394/.519 with a 99/57 K/BB ratio in 459 at-bats. The strikeouts were a bit high, but Saltalamacchia's plate discipline still graded out as above average and he wasn't all that bad at hitting breaking pitches either. Add in that he managed to post that kind of production at a pitcher's park in a pitcher's league, and Saltalamacchia looked like a star in the making.

Unfortunately, 2006 wasn't as kind to the Florida native. He struggled with a wrist injury early in the season, and ended up batting just .230/.353/.380 in 92 games played. That Saltalamacchia had increased his walk rate was the lone obvious improvement, but a closer look reveals a much less disappointing performance. After going on the disabled list with a sore wrist in early July, Saltalamacchia returned to slug .649 with a 13/21 K/BB ratio in 74 at-bats between July and August. That alone should be enough to keep prospect watchers intrigued, but he wasn't done impressing just yet.

The strong performance continued in the Arizona Fall League, where the switch-hitter went 13-for-23 with three homers and five walks before being shut down with a hamstring injury. Add in that he was throwing out a fair percentage of runners and that the club seemed content with the rest of his defense, and the 2006 season wasn't a wasted year. Back at Double-A Mississippi to start the 2007 campaign, Saltalamacchia is reminding everyone that he's a top prospect. Through 14 games he's batting .373 with four homers and four doubles to go with an impressive 9/10 K/BB ratio.
www.tampabaybuccaneers.ws
The strong early performance would seem to give the Braves some options when it comes to the now 21-year-old. Although he's still listed at just 195 pounds, Saltalamacchia and his 6'4" frame is likely much closer to 230 pounds. Since his defense still isn't exceptional, the club could decide to move the big youngster out from behind the plate. And as it seems likely that he'd hit enough to be at least an average regular at first base, it's a move they may well make. If not, Saltalamacchia could be traded with Brian McCann set to start for the Braves for the next five seasons. That the Braves aren't shy about being creative in trades makes it more likely that he'll indeed be dealt. Saltalamacchia has the potential to hit .280 with 25 homers and 60 walks annually, so there should be plenty of teams lined up if he becomes available.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Does Your League Suck?


This week I'll provide some indications that your league sucks. Then, I'll give my opinion on Adrian Gonzalez, Kelly Johnson, and others. Finally, we'll hear some fantasy goals from the Dumpsters.
[SIZE=+1]Topic of the Week: Signs Your League Sucks[/SIZE]
Pretty much all of us have played in some lame leagues. In fact, many of us play in them year after year after year. Why? Simple: Even a lousy league is infinitely better than no league! In case you're wondering if your league qualifies as pitiable, here are some telltale signs:

• The third-place team has Mark Prior in his starting lineup.
• If you were to congratulate another owner by saying, "Hey, what a week you had!" the response you'd be most likely to hear is, "Oh, did I?"
• Three owners attempted to draft Keith Foulke.
• The most obnoxious smack talk of the year thus far was, "I like my chances."
• When you heard Eric Gagne went back on the DL, you went to pick up Akinori Otsuka but then thought, "Oh, he'll be there tomorrow."
• You just snagged Michael Young off the waiver wire.
• Your league counts OBP and AVG.
• The best team name in your league is "Doug Outs."
• There's growing sentiment that the $10 entry fee is too steep.
• The most recent post on your league message board says, "Draft is tomorrow."
• The most active owner in the league has five transactions to date.
• Someone traded Ian Kinsler for Alfonso Soriano?and no one complained.
• Multiple owners in your league pronounce Teixeira, "TEE-ICKS-EE-ERA."

Got more? Send them to jgangi@rotoworld.com, and you might earn a spot in the Trash Dump.
[SIZE=+1]Players of Note[/SIZE]
Adrian Gonzalez ? Those who've been around for a while weren't completely shocked by Gonzalez' emergence last season, when he hit .304 with 24 homers and 84 RBI. After all, he was the first overall pick in the 2000 amateur draft. Still, his performance was somewhat surprising, given that he didn't exactly dominate in the minors. And for that reason, owners may be skeptical that he can continue on his current pace for 2007. (Right now, he's hitting over .300 with six dingers and 20 RBI.) Considering his background and last year's solid showing, though, I think he's a safe bet to produce for you.
Michael Young ? Waiting for slumping players to turn things around can be a tricky game in fantasy baseball, but if you invested a high draft pick in Michael Young, you really don't have much of a choice. At this point, his stock is way, way down, so you just have to hope he gets on track sooner rather than later. The fact that he's hit over .300 in each of the last four season is more than enough reason for optimism.
Aaron Rowand ? Hitting .374, Rowand is giving owners reason to hope he can match his career numbers from 2004, when he batted .310 with 24 HR, 17 SB, and 94 runs. Back then, many were talking about him as a poor man's Carlos Beltran or Bobby Abreu. The two years that followed killed that sentiment along with most of his fantasy value. Perhaps the hot start is a sign that Rowand has regained some of the magic, but the last two years supply ample cause for skepticism. Even is he does keep his average over .300, he's unlikely to provide much in the way of power or speed.
Corey Patterson ? Admittedly, Patterson is not off to a great start, hitting .263 with just one round tripper and three steals. However, it's tough to ignore the 45 bags he swiped last year. Despite rumors of a platoon with Jay Payton, it appears that Patterson has a fairly firm grip on a full-time role, so give him a long look if he's been dumped in your league.
Kelly Johnson ? Even with the eligibility at second-base and the hot start (.294 with four HR), I'm not a big fan of Johnson. With the exception of 2001, when he tallied 23 HR and 25 SB for Single-A Macon, his minor-league career was not all that impressive. Over seven years, he posted a decent .281 AVG, but never again displayed the speed and power from 2001. Sell high.
Akinori Otsuka ? Not that it took a genius, but I said at the beginning of the year that Otsuka would likely turn out to be a great bargain given Eric Gagne's tenuous situation and loss of velocity. With Gagne already on the DL for the second time this season, Otsuka's fantasy outlook just keeps getting brighter. The guy's a proven closer who boasts a lifetime ERA of 2.36 and racks up nearly a strikeout an inning. In other words, grab him if he is available!
[SIZE=+1]The Trash Dump[/SIZE]
To submit a question or comment to the Trash Dump, email jgangi@rotoworld.com.
The following emails are in response to my column on fantasy goals from two weeks ago.
I have three fantasy goals:
1. It is better to lose with players you like (and root for), than to lose with guys you hate. Thus, get players you like.
2. Not trade away all of my pitching for hitting. Just most of it.
3. Don't blow my whole FAAB by mid-June.
- Yokel GM
I don't think you're going to have much success with that first goal of yours...unless maybe you're a Boston fan.
{My goal is to} win sacrifice flies, a category inexplicably included in one of my leagues. Claim that this win was due to my vastly superior Sacrifice Flies Projection System. If other league members aren't sold, use fancy phrases like "regression to the mean" and "similarity scores" until they concede my superior intellect.
- David Marble
And I thought the games-played category in my hoops league was ridiculous!
1. Convince another owner to "build for next year" by trading me for Kerry Wood and Mike Hampton. Who I get in return is unimportant.
2. Find a "sleeper" who, for once, actually wakes up.
- Todd Dell
What are you doing with Kerry Wood and Mike Hampton???
1. Not to get married.
2. Drink more.
3. Not to listen to anymore awful suggestions in this article.
- Nick Palczak
Touch? I suppose, but I can't put too much stock in the opinion of a guy whose second-most-prominent goal is to increase his frequency of inebriation.
I have two goals this year:
1. Earn at least 300 Webkinz (if you don't know, don't ask) dollars for each of my children while I'm watching baseball games on the computer.
2. Be patient, don't trade my West Coast players because I have to wait until the morning to check their game stats.
- Chris Mason Now that is a good dad! For my part, I'm working on getting my daughter's PC setup with a wireless adapter, so she can do her Webkinz while I'm working on articles.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Randy Returns
With no huge stories to discuss today and a whole bunch of interesting notes to get to, I'll skip the usual top-story introduction and instead talk briefly about something new here at Rotoworld. Starting this week, you can sign up to have "Daily Dose" delivered directly to your e-mailbox each afternoon. It'll be the same content you've come to expect from me in this space, but now the news and notes come right to you.

Oh, and with the e-mail version of this column you won't have to stare at my ugly mug shot at the top of the page, which probably makes the whole thing worthwhile all by itself. To sign up, simply enter in your e-mail address on the little form that's located under "Sign Up For The Daily Dose" on the right-hand sidebar, a few inches below the sentence you're reading right now. While you go sign up, here are some notes from around baseball ?

* Akinori Iwamura was placed on the disabled list Tuesday and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a strained right oblique muscle. One of the league's best players for the first three weeks of the season, Iwamura suffered the injury while going 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, and three runs scored in Monday's game against the Yankees. He heads to the DL with a .339/.479/.482 hitting line, 15 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 18 games.

Jorge Cantu was recalled from Triple-A to fill Iwamura's spot on the roster, but manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday that Cantu will play exclusively first base and designated hitter. That means Ty Wigginton figures to see most of the playing time at third base with Iwamura out, giving him a nice value boost in AL-only leagues. Carlos Pena could also pick up some at-bats with Wigginton shifting to third base, although a platoon with Cantu would cut into his playing time.

It was only 18 games, but Iwamura's strong start is interesting in the context of the scouting reports that came along with him from Japan. He's shown a lot less power than he did in Japan, which was to be expected, but he's also shown significantly more plate discipline than anticipated. Beyond that, his speed?which was billed as merely "above average" by several prominent sources?is clearly great once you watch him get down the first-base line once.

The fact that Iwamura's top-notch speed wasn't more hyped when he signed is similar to the scouting reports on Kaz Matsui suggesting that he was a fantastic defensive shortstop. It immediately became apparent that Matsui was far from a great defender at shortstop, just as it's abundantly clear that Iwamura's speed is closer to Ichiro Suzuki-level than above average. I'm hoping that he makes a quick recovery, because Iwamura has been a lot of fun to watch.

* Randy Johnson started relatively strong in his return from the disabled list Tuesday, but the wheels came off in a four-run fifth inning. He gave up a total of six runs in five innings, serving up a pair of homers among the six hits he allowed. The good news is that Johnson's velocity looked pretty good despite an achy back and he struck out seven batters, so there's plenty of reason to think that he could quickly become a major fantasy asset once he works up a little more stamina.

* Chris Carpenter took the first step in his recovery from a right elbow impingement by playing catch Tuesday for the first time in two weeks. Asked about it afterward, Carpenter said, "I felt strong and my arm felt real good. My shoulder felt strong, so I was excited about that." Barring a setback between now and then, he's expected to progress to throwing off a mound over the weekend and remains on track for an early May return.

* The Yankees dropped their fifth straight game Tuesday and Chien-Ming Wang took the loss in his return from the disabled list, but he pitched reasonably well for a guy making his debut in late April. Coming back a spring hamstring injury, Wang gave up four runs in 6.1 innings, with two of the runs coming in to score on Carl Crawford's grand slam off reliever Mike Myers. Regardless of the injury Wang remains a good bet for a big decline this season, but he's safe to activate.

* Gregg Zaun is scheduled to visit a hand specialist after leaving Tuesday's game with what the Blue Jays fear is a broken hand. Zaun was struck by a foul tip while behind the plate and is likely headed to the disabled list regardless of how severe the injury turns out to be. He's off to a slow start, but Zaun has caught 138 of the Blue Jays' first 178 innings. [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3264"]Jason Phillips[/URL] will move into the starter's role, with Sal Fasano likely being called up from Triple-A to take over as his backup.

* The Lincecum Watch: Tim Lincecum continues to overpower Triple-A hitters, throwing 6.1 no-hit innings in his latest start Monday. However, despite allowing zero hits he gave up his first run of the season and showed a concerning lack of command in the process, walking six batters. Daily Dose's favorite pitching prospect is now 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA, 32-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and .113 opponent's batting average in 25 innings at Fresno.

AL Quick Hits: Derek Jeter left Tuesday's game in the first inning after being hit on the thigh by a Scott Kazmir pitch, but said afterward that he doesn't expect to miss any time ? Nick Swisher called his hamstring injury "no big deal" and said that he expects to avoid the disabled list ? Coco Crisp (oblique) sat out his third straight game Tuesday, with Wily Mo Pena going 0-for-3 with several misplays in center field while starting in his place ? Dan Johnson (hip) has begun a minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A and may be needed quickly to help the injury depleted A's ? Jim Thome was limited to pinch-hitting duties Tuesday because of sore ribs ? Rondell White (calf) is reportedly "doing much better" and is expected to be activated by Friday ? Alex Rodriguez's 23-game hitting streak was snapped Tuesday, but he did draw a walk while going 0-for-3 ? Todd Jones blew his second save Tuesday and then took the extra-inning loss.

NL Quick Hits: Felix Pie returned to the starting lineup Tuesday in center field, going 1-for-4 with both Cliff Floyd and Matt Murton on the bench ? X-rays on Carlos Delgado's sore hand came back negative Tuesday, but he went 0-for-5 against the Rockies ? On the same day that talk of Brett Myers eventually taking his job started up, Tom Gordon shook off a Wes Helms error to pitch a scoreless inning for his fourth save ? After catching in an extended spring training game Tuesday, Josh Bard (groin) is on track to come off the disabled list Friday ? Xavier Nady (hamstring) is expected to be out of the lineup until at least Friday ? Morgan Ensberg was a late scratch Tuesday because of an ankle injury ? Steve Finley started in center field over Willy Taveras or the third straight game Tuesday ? With his 564th career homer Tuesday, Ken Griffey Jr. moved past Reggie Jackson for 10th place on the all-time list and went deep for the first time this season.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Return of the Mack
Don't look now?especially if you're one of the many people rooting hard for his downfall?but Barry Bonds is on fire. Bonds smacked career homer No. 741 Wednesday to help the Giants win their seventh straight game and now leads the NL with an .808 slugging percentage and 1.277 OPS. After about 20 years of intentionally walking him in anything resembling a big spot, teams are pitching to Bonds and he's making them pay with a .346/.470/.808 hitting line through 17 games.

After sitting with a .192 batting average and just one homer through April 11, Bonds has homered six times in the past nine games while going 13-for-26 (.500) with 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored. During that stretch?in which he posted a ridiculous 1.857 OPS?Bonds was walked intentionally a grand total of one time, which is a dramatic change. He's now on pace for a .346-65-140-120 season. Oh, and Bonds turns 43 years old in about eight weeks.

While Bonds quickly closes to gap to Hank Aaron while once again carrying the Giants, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* The Brewers' hot start took a bad turn Wednesday when Ben Sheets left his start against the Cubs after three scoreless innings with a groin injury. Sheets said afterward that the injury wasn't "excruciating by any means" and indicated that he was simply being cautious by leaving the game. He's currently considered "day-to-day," but it seems relatively likely that he'll miss at least one turn through the rotation.

If Sheets merely needs to skip one start, the Brewers will likely turn to Carlos Villanueva to fill in. If a trip to the disabled list is needed, Villanueva may still get the call, but another option is calling up Yovani Gallardo from Triple-A. One of the best and most underrated pitching prospects in all of baseball, Gallardo tossed six innings of one-hit ball in his last start to make him 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 33-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23 innings.

* Wednesday night's promising Brandon Webb-Jake Peavy matchup lived up to the hype, with the two right-handers combining to toss 15 innings of two-run ball while racking up 22 strikeouts between them. Peavy stole the show by striking out nine batters in a row, narrowly missing tying Steve Carlton's all-time record when the would-be 10th straight strikeout of Eric Byrnes was ruled a checked swing by the first-base umpire.

Peavy had to settle for 16 strikeouts in seven shutout, two-hit innings, and saw his well-deserved win vanish when San Diego's reliable relief duo of Scott Linebrink and Trevor Hoffman coughed up the lead. Webb managed just six strikeouts in eight frames, but induced 16 ground-ball outs while giving up two runs and was taken off the hook for what would have been a tough loss by the Padres' bullpen. Two great performances and zero wins to show for them.

Webb has just one win despite posting a 3.60 ERA while going seven-plus innings in four of his five starts, but the Diamondbacks have a 4-1 record when he's on the mound. Meanwhile, Peavy remains stuck at 3-0 while sporting a fantastic 1.67 ERA and .197 opponent's batting average in 32.1 innings. After hyping Peavy as a strong bounce-back pick following a disappointing season?and drafting him in several leagues?it's nice to see him making me look good so far.

* The A's annual wave of injuries has left them in a tough spot, causing a series of surprising moves Wednesday. Dan Johnson was called up from Triple-A just days after beginning a rehab assignment for his hip injury, with Adam Melhuse demoted to make room on the roster. Melhuse is 35 years old and has spent much of the past five seasons in Oakland, so the demotion understandably caught him by surprise and led to some criticism of the team's management.

With Melhuse off the roster, Mike Piazza steps in as Jason Kendall's backup, although Piazza will continue as the everyday designated hitter and Kendall isn't expected to take any time off from catching duties. In other words, Piazza's catcher eligibility for 2007 is still in question. Johnson figues to get regular playing time at first base and, if healthy, should immediately have plenty of value in AL-only leagues.

The A's also let Shannon Stewart play center field for an inning Wednesday?after Danny Putnam started the game there out of position?which is mind-boggling after watching Stewart "play" left field for the Twins over the past few years. However, with Milton Bradley on the disabled list and Nick Swisher, Travis Buck, and Bobby Kielty also hurting, the A's have little choice but to improvise. Don't be surprised if Todd Walker gets some outfield time at some point.

AL Quick Hits: As expected, Gregg Zaun (thumb) is out for 6-8 weeks following surgery, with [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3264"]Jason Phillips[/URL] and Sal Fasano splitting catching duties in his absence ? Manager Joe Maddon officially named Brendan Harris the Devil Rays' starting shortstop Wednesday ? According to manager Ozzie Guillen, Jim Thome (rib) "should be ready to go in the next couple days" and Jermaine Dye (back) will likely return Thursday ? Even with a rainout Wednesday, Phil Hughes will make his big-league debut Thursday against the Blue Jays ?Rondell White (calf) suffered a setback Wednesday and is no longer close to returning ? With a 9.90 ERA following a blown save Wednesday, Joe Borowski is on thin ice with Rafael Betancourt waiting in the wings ?Troy Glaus (heel) is expected to return from the disabled list Saturday ? Coco Crisp (oblique) may need a trip to the DL, with a decision expected Friday ? Brad Wilkerson (knee) returned to the lineup Wednesday after sitting out eight straight games, but went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.

NL Quick Hits: There was plenty of skepticism surrounding Braden Looper's move from the bullpen to the rotation, but he's turned in five straight Quality Starts ? With Salomon Torres struggling and Matt Capps pitching well, the Pirates could be nearing a change at closer ? Sore legs or not, Albert Pujols hit a go-ahead two-run double Wednesday and now has 14 RBIs in 20 games ? Leading off Wednesday for the second straight game, Josh Hamilton smacked his sixth homer ? Tim Hudson struck out a career-high 12 batters and took a shutout into the ninth inning Wednesday, but Bob Wickman blew the lead ? Manager Lou Piniella indicated Wednesday that Ryan Theriot will continue to see time at shortstop if he keeps hitting well ? Despite back-to-back rough outings, general manager Omar Minaya said Wednesday that Mike Pelfrey will remain in the rotation ? Because of Mark Redman's struggles, Lance Cormier (shoulder) may cut his minor-league rehab assignment short and rejoin the rotation.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Bullpen Report: Week 4
The bullpen surprise of the early season has almost certainly been the Devil Rays' Al Reyes. The right-hander is 37-years-old, missed all of 2006 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and entered the year with a total of six big league saves. To say the odds were stacked against him having fantasy value was an understatement, but all Reyes has done is record seven saves with a 1.80 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10 innings thus far. Reyes isn't a big name, but he was dominant with the Cardinals in 2005 and looked promising in the minors for several years prior to that, so continued success is rather possible. It's unlikely he'll remain a closer for more than a year or two due to his age, but there's no reason to sell him at a discount right now.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Secure)

Key setup men: Brandon Lyon, Tony Pena, Brandon Medders, Doug Slaten

Valverde pitched just twice since the last column, recording a save with a scoreless inning in one outing and retiring one of two batters he faced in the other appearance. His long-term outlook remains risky, but he's looking fine right now. Two more weeks without him imploding or getting hurt and it'll be time to start sending sell-high offers. Lyon is still next in line with his big league closing experience, but Slaten has looked good thus far and had a little closing experience in the minors.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Secure)

Key setup men: Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano, Oscar Villarreal

What a mess of a game for the Braves on Wednesday night. Tim Hudson was excellent, striking out 12 through eight scoreless innings. The Braves had a 3-0 lead in the top of the ninth and thus let Hudson hit for himself. However, after Hudson put the first three batters on base to start the bottom of the inning, Wickman was called upon in an impossible situation. Given Wickman's lack of strikeout ability, it was a horrible spot for him to enter. He ended up allowing all three inherited runners to score, and also took a loss after throwing a wild pitch to end the game. The outing was the first poor one for Wickman this season and it isn't a reason for concern, but the situation highlights his limitations as a closer.

Since Soriano has struggled of late, Gonzalez is probably next in line at the moment even though he hasn't been exceptional himself. It's a situation that should change constantly throughout the season.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (Locked In)

Key setup men: Danys Baez, Chad Bradford, Jamie Walker

Ray has now thrown eight scoreless innings and recorded five saves after giving up a walk-off grand slam to Alex Rodriguez in week one. His 12/1 K/BB ratio in 10 2/3 innings is a big improvement over last year's modest 51/27 mark in 66 innings, and could be a sign of Ray taking a step forward in his third big league season.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Hideki Okajima, Joel Pineiro, Mike Timlin

Nobody's been able to touch Papelbon yet, as he has yet to give up a single run and has also allowed just one hit in 7 1/3 innings. With Papelbon having pitched on back-to-back days, manager Terry Francona went to Okajima in a save situation against the Yankees on Friday. Okajima recorded the save with a scoreless inning, and he's allowed just one run in 8 2/3 innings thus far. The club would prefer to keep him in middle relief and play the matchups, but Okajima is already the second best reliever on the team and would have to be the choice to close if Papelbon were unavailable.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (Secure)

Key setup men: Bob Howry, Kerry Wood (DL), Scott Eyre, Mike Wuertz

Dempster gave up his first runs of the season this week, blowing a tie game against the Cardinals after yielding three runs on three hits. As baseball analyst John Kruk will tell you, those runs aren't his fault because he's a closer and it wasn't a save situation. I'm sure the Cubs and Dempster's fantasy owners beg to differ, but it's not an outing that should have any lingering effects. The right-hander threw two innings of scoreless ball in a non-save situation the next night.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Secure)

Key setup men: Mike MacDougal, Matt Thornton, David Aardsma, Nick Masset

Although he's still not dialing it up to 100 MPH, Jenks had a strong week for the White Sox. He picked up five saves while allowing just one run, lowering his ERA to 3.09. Jenks' margin for error certainly decreases with his velocity "only" in the mid-90s, but he's still plenty capable of providing solid work in the closer's role. Should he begin to struggle, all four of the above mentioned setup men have closing potential. Since he's the veteran and has big league experience in the role, MacDougal is still first in line. Masset and Aardsma are better bets for future years, but both are intriguing if something happens to MacDougal.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Secure)

Key setup men: Mike Stanton, Todd Coffey, Jon Coutlangus

Despite a week in which he pitched just once and blew a save, Weathers gets the top billing for now. The right-hander entered a three-run game with a pair of runners on base against the Astros, but gave up a bases clearing double after an error and then allowed the go-ahead runner to score. Both runs were unearned and there was plenty of blame to go around for the blown save, so it shouldn't affect Weathers' status. That he has been given every save opportunity is still a reason for optimism, and it's time to bump him up a little in your rankings.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Shaky)

Key setup men: Rafael Betancourt, Roberto Hernandez, Fernando Cabrera, Tom Mastny

Although he recorded three saves this week, it wasn't a very encouraging time for Borowski owners. The right-hander gave up a run and brought the tying run to the plate against the Twins, entered with a four-run lead and gave up six runs to the Yankees, and finally blew a one-run lead against the Rangers on Wednesday. Although he's tied for the major-league lead with eight saves, Borowski's 9.90 ERA should start to give the Indians pause. I'd bet against the Indians making a move just yet, but another couple of bad outings could do the trick.

The interesting question is who is next in line. Hernandez is off to a decent start and has the most closing experience, but he'd be another retread capable of imploding in the role. It's more likely that the club would turn to one of the three younger pitchers. Betancourt earned the trust of manager Eric Wedge with a strong finish as a closer last year, and is the leading candidate after another impressive first few weeks. Cabrera was hailed as the club's closer of the future last spring and has the best stuff of the bunch, so that he's yet to allow a run in 8 2/3 innings makes him a contender as well. Mastny has long-term potential, but he failed when given a chance last year. Both Betancourt and Cabrera are worth speculating on in most leagues until Borowski rebounds, and those in keeper leagues will want to seriously look into stashing away Cabrera.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Brian Fuentes (Secure)

Key setup men: Manny Corpas, Ramon Ramirez (DL), LaTroy Hawkins (DL)

Another ho-hum week for Fuentes, who threw three innings, gave up one run, and picked up a save. He's a consistently average option. Ramirez and Hawkins both hit the DL, although neither injury is expected to be serious. Both are likely to return within 10 days, but the injuries serve to give Corpas a leg up in establishing himself as the closer in waiting. Since he's done fine work in middle relief, Corpas is looking like a better option for NL-only leaguers hoping Fuentes gets dealt.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya, Fernando Rodney, Wilfredo Ledezma

Jones botched a save opportunity last Wednesday versus the Royals, then blew a save in the ninth and took a loss in the tenth on Tuesday against the Angels. The 39-year-old's 2/5 K/BB ratio is much more concerning than the pair of blown saves, but Jones was able to success while walking more batters than he struck out last season. It will take some serious struggles for the club to consider turning to Zumaya.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Henry Owens (Shaky)

Key setup men: Taylor Tankersley, Matt Lindstrom, Kevin Gregg, Renyel Pinto

Owens had a poor outing against the Mets in a game the Marlins were already losing last Thursday, then almost blew a save versus the Braves on Monday. In that outing, Owens gave up a solo homer and two doubles before departing with two outs. Pinto then replaced Owens with the trying run on second. Thankfully for the Marlins, Pinto retired Brian McCann to end the rally and earn the save. Despite the pair of poor outings, Owens remains the favorite for saves in Florida. He's on thin ice, however, and Tankersley remains next in line and a good investment in all leagues.

Houston Astros

Closer: Dan Wheeler (Secure)

Key setup men: Chad Qualls, Brad Lidge, Trever Miller

Although he hasn't been pitching that often, Wheeler has done nothing to suggest he's going to relinquish closing duties back to Lidge any time soon. Wheeler's 4.00 ERA is misleading, as he has a 10/2 K/BB ratio and the four runs came bunched in a pair of outings. Lidge has pitched better of late, but still has work to do and isn't near returning to closing duties.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (DL), Joakim Soria (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Joel Peralta, David Riske

Apparently nobody likes Riske. The right-hander has spent time on four different teams in two years despite a career 3.64 ERA, and two weeks ago was pulled from the closer's role in Kansas City after blowing one-of-two save opportunities. I wrote last week that manager Buddy Bell should have gone directly to Soria instead of inserting Riske into a role he was going to lose with one poor outing, and the comment drew ire from quite a few readers. It's not that Soria is a bad choice or that Riske is some dynamite reliever, but any reliever will tell you they prefer defined roles and changing assignments at the drop of a hat isn't going to help a reliever's mental state. If one outing was going to change his mind, why would Bell make the move in the first place?

On to Soria, the Rule 5 selection recorded two saves and took a loss after entering a tie game. With Dotel's return being pushed back to mid-May at the earliest, Soria is looking like a better option. He's capable of doing an adequate job and is worth using in all but the shallowest of formats.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier, Darren Oliver

It wasn't a good week for Angel relievers, as K-Rod gave up two runs and blew a save against the Tigers while Shields has surrendered six runs in his last four innings of work. Shields has thrown a lot of innings the last few seasons and it's possible that they're catching up to him, but it's still going to take an extended period of poor performances before concern will become appropriate.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley, Rudy Seanez

Saito gets bumped up to Locked In this week, a ranking he may have deserved all along. The import still hasn't blown a save yet and has yielded just one run while striking out 10. More importantly, he's still making hitters look silly with his slider. Handcuffing him with Broxton remains a good idea, but Saito is a top-10 closer.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva

Is there a closer off to a better start than Cordero? In addition to not allowing a single run and striking out 17 batters in 9 2/3 innings, Cordero is tied for the major league-lead with eight saves. There's no reason to try and sell-high; he's a legitimate second-tier closer. Although he gave up three runs this week, Turnbow remains next in line with 18 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings. He's worth grabbing in deeper NL-only formats.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Juan Rincon, Jesse Crain, Pat Neshek

After a poor week prior to the last column, Nathan rebounded by posting two saves and not allowing a run in 2 1/3 innings of work. In fact, all seven batters he retired were via the strikeout this week.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Joe Smith, Ambiorix Burgos

Wagner yielded his first two runs of his season this week. The first run was of the unearned variety and was in a game the Mets were well ahead in. However, the second run resulted in a blown save in the 10th inning against the Marlins last Thursday. The Mets ended up winning that game in 12 innings anyway, so neither outing did much damage.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Kyle Farnsworth, Scott Proctor, Luis Vizcaino

Rivera blew a three-run lead and took a loss after entering the game with two runners on against the Red Sox on Friday. It seems every year he blows a game against the Red Sox early in the year, and then goes on to his usual dominating performance the rest of the year. There's more concern than in previous seasons given that he's now 37-years-old, but it's not something to worry about yet.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Huston Street (Locked In)

Key setup men: Justin Duchscherer, Kiko Calero, Alan Embree

A pair of outings in which he's struggled with his command has led to all four of Street's runs, as well as four of his seven walks. However, with 14 strikeouts in 12 innings, he's been as good as ever. That Duchscherer and Calero have struggled in setup roles if of much greater concern for the Athletics right now, although both are good bets to rebound.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Tom Gordon (Shaky)

Key setup men: Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

The Phillies have already made two poor decisions that were largely intertwined. Not dealing Jon Lieber this winter or spring was a mistake, and moving Myers to the bullpen after a pair of bad outings was a ridiculous decision. Now, there are already rumors that Myers could be forced into a closer's role to justify the move. Somehow, having him pitch the ninth instead of the eighth will make the move less dumb. Of course, removing the incumbent closer without him being injured or going through an extended slump would be another poor decision by a panicking management group. Given their recent history, I'm almost expecting them to do it.

There's no doubt that Myers could do an excellent job closing, but it'd be a monumental waste of his talents. While Gordon hasn't looked as strong as usual thus far, he's far from done as an effective reliever. Hopefully the club realizes its mistake and puts Myers back into the rotation. However, since it sounds like it's the rotation or at least partial closing duties for Myers, he's well worth holding on to. He might even be a strange buy-low candidate.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Salomon Torres (Shaky)

Key setup men: Matt Capps, Damaso Marte, Jonah Bayliss,

Torres figured to be on a short leash as the Pirates' closer despite his fine work for the club in middle relief the last few years. A strong start pushed those thoughts to the side, but Torres is struggling mightily of late. In his last six appearances he's blown three saves and taken a loss after entering a tie game. He's given up six runs ? five earned ? and has just three strikeouts during that span, so Torres is clearly off his game. The club will give him some more time in the role, but it's about time to pick up Capps in most leagues. The 23-year-old is better suited for a setup role, but he's given up just one run in 11 1/3 innings and is clearly next in line.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Cla Meredith, Heath Bell

It's a shame that Linebrink and Hoffman combined to blow a lead and take a loss after Jake Peavy struck out 16 batters in seven innings of shutout ball on Wednesday night. Linebrink gave up a solo homer to Diamondback catcher Miguel Montero, while Hoffman surrendered a two-run shot to Stephen Drew. Neither player should have their value affected by the game, but it was disappointing nonetheless. Meredith still hasn't given up a run in 11 1/3 innings of work and would be the backup if not for Linebrink. He's clearly the club's future closer.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Armando Benitez (Secure)

Key setup men: Kevin Correia, Steve Kline, Jonathan Sanchez, Brad Hennessey

Benitez entered the week with just two saves all season, but he threw three scoreless innings this week to record saves No. 3-5. That his command hasn't been at its best is of some concern, but the team lacks any other options and the job is Benitez's for quite some time. Hennessey is the only other reliever pitching all that well, and he's about as unexciting as they come for closing options.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Chris Reitsma, Julio Mateo, Brandon Morrow

It only took until April 23, but Putz finally has his first save of the season. A combination of blowouts and cancellations has kept Putz from receiving any chances until Monday, so the slow start is no fault of his own. His owners certainly would have preferred manager Mike Hargrove going to Putz instead of letting Jarrod Washburn finish a complete game shutout on Wednesday night, but Hargrove can hardly be blamed. Another week of no save opportunities and Putz is a buy-low option.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brad Thompson, Tyler Johnson, Russ Springer

Isringhausen blew his first save of the season on Monday after allowing two runs in the ninth inning against the Cubs. However, he picked up a cheap win after the Cardinals scored three times in the top of the 10th. Thompson's slow April might mean Johnson is next in line should something happen to Isringhausen, but Thompson is likely to rebound and would deserve the opportunity.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes (Secure)

Key setup men: Brian Stokes, Ruddy Lugo, Juan Salas

While Reyes looks good for the near future, Salas is establishing himself as the club's closer of the future. While the former third basemen hasn't been dominant, he has flashed his mid-90s fastball and developing slider enough to hint at closer potential. He's the best bet on the team for 2008 and beyond.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (DL), Akinori Otsuka (Filling-In)

Key setup men: Joaquin Benoit, C.J. Wilson

Just 10 days after being activated from the DL, Gagne returns there after straining his hip on Sunday. It's only supposed to be a short stay for Gagne and it's encouraging that it's not his back or arm, but the right-hander remains a risky option. Otsuka will fill in for now and likely perform better than many closers. Since Gagne is no sure thing, trying to turn a quick profit on Otsuka isn't encouraged.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: B.J. Ryan (DL), Jason Frasor (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Shaun Marcum, Jeremy Accardo

I wrote last week that the Blue Jays expecting Ryan to miss 4-to-6 weeks seemed on the low side. This week, Ryan was transferred to the 60-day DL, ensuring he'll miss at least two months. At this point, it's best to treat Ryan as a complete unknown. If you own Frasor, assume he's worth at least 15 saves to go with solid ratios. The right-hander hasn't faltered in the role yet and has closing experience, so he's well positioned to succeed.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Ryan Wagner, Jesus Colome

It was a rough week for Cordero, who gave up four runs ? three earned ? and blew two saves in three appearances. The right-hander has just one save to date, and with a team as poor as the Nationals, he'll be lucky to get 30 more opportunities this season.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Hughes Struggles in Debut
Phil Hughes' long-awaited, much-hyped debut was a relative bust Thursday, with the 20-year-old right-hander leaving after allowing four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings against the Blue Jays. Hughes predictably struggled with his command, but showed flashes of brilliance with a mid-90s fastball. He got Adam Lind?fresh up from Triple-A himself?to strike out swinging three times, and also got a swinging third strike past veterans Jason Smith and [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3264"]Jason Phillips[/URL].

Manager Joe Torre said afterward that he "certainly wasn't disappointed" by Hughes' debut outing despite the early exit, saying: "I didn't think he was out of his league, by any stretch of the imagination." No official word has been given on Hughes' status as of Friday morning, but Torre seemed to indicate that he could remain in the rotation. Meanwhile, Kei Igawa has been demoted to the bullpen just four starts into his Yankees career.

Thanks to Wednesday's rainout, Torre juggled the rotation and will go with Jeff Karstens Saturday against the Red Sox. That means Igawa?signed this winter for a total commitment of $46 million?will attempt to work out the kinks as a reliever after going 1-1 with a 7.84 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 13-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 20.2 innings as a starter. With Mike Mussina on the verge of beginning a minor-league rehab assignment, Torre likely isn't done shuffling the rotation.

While the Yankees look up at the rest of the division from their surprising home in the AL East basement, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* Bartolo Colon had a strong return from the disabled list last week, holding the Mariners to one run over seven innings, but recorded just one strikeout in the process. He made up for that Thursday in his second start since coming back from a partially torn labrum, using a mid-90s fastball he hasn't featured since mid-2005 to rack up 11 strikeouts in seven innings against the Devil Rays. Colon allowed two runs, improving to 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.

Prior to Thursday, his last double-digit strikeout performance came way back on June 4, 2005. Interestingly, the was the only time Colon notched 10-plus strikeouts in what was a Cy Young-winning season. Despite his reputation as a flamethrower, Colon also failed to reach double digits strikeouts in 67 total starts between 2002 and 2004, and did so only once while making 34 starts in 2003. In other words, not only has Colon come back strong, he may be stronger.

* Thrust into the closer role with Mike Gonzalez dealt to the Braves this winter, Salomon Torres got off to a great start this season by successfully converting a save in four of the Pirates' first six games. Unfortunately, he's been a complete mess since then, going 0-1 with three blown saves and a 10.50 ERA in seven appearances. Torres' latest struggles came Thursday when he entered the game with a four-run lead in the ninth inning.

He proceeded to allow three straight batters to reach and was yanked in favor of John Grabow, who converted the save chance that Torres had created. Manager Jim Tracy said afterward that Torres remains the team's closer, but added that he's now open to using setup man Matt Capps whenever the Pirates' next save opportunity presents itself. As Tracy put it, "We'll do what's necessary to win the game."

Capps has been great, going 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 7-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 12.1 innings. He was also one of the Pirates' most effective relievers last season, posting a 3.79 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 56-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 80.2 innings while remarkably going 9-1 for a team that was just 58-94 when he failed to record a decision. However, Capps doesn't possess typical "closer stuff" either, so he's no more of a long-term answer than Torres.

* Josh Beckett became the majors' first five-game winner Thursday, improving to 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA by tossing eight innings of two-run ball against the Orioles. After struggling to keep the ball in the ballpark while more than doubling his previous career-high by serving up 36 homers in 204.2 innings last year, Beckett has allowed just one long ball in his 32.2 frames. Of his balls in play, 50.5 percent have been on the ground, compared to just 45.1 percent last season.

Beckett won't be able to suppress homers that well for the long haul, but his keeping the ball on the ground significantly more often is a very positive sign. He continues to miss plenty of bats, with a 28-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and it also helps that the Red Sox have scored 40 runs in his five outings. The only two pitchers in Red Sox history to reach five wins in April are Pedro Martinez and Babe Ruth, so whatever happens from here on out Beckett is in amazing company.

AL Quick Hits: It looked ugly, but Torii Hunter escaped Thursday's beaning with little more than a busted lip and is considered day-to-day ? Coco Crisp (oblique) is expected to avoid the disabled list and return this weekend ? Nick Swisher (hamstring) will likely remain out of the lineup until at least Tuesday ? Rocco Baldelli (leg) is expected to sit out this weekend's games after colliding with the center-field wall Thursday, with Elijah Dukes taking over in center field ? Derek Jeter (thigh) remained out of the lineup Thursday after being a late scratch ? Playing through two sore wrists, Travis Buck is in an 0-for-12 slump that's dropped his batting average to .216 ? [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts Thursday in his big-league debut ? Sammy Sosa hit a pair of homers Thursday, becoming the first player in baseball history to go deep in 44 different major-league ballparks ? Manager Ozzie Guillen said Thursday that he doesn't expect Jim Thome (rib) to need a DL stint, but Thome may miss this weekend's games.

NL Quick Hits: Ben Sheets (groin) has been diagnosed with a mild groin strain, but is considered "probable" to make his scheduled start Tuesday ? John Smoltz's contract extension with the Braves is worth $14 million in 2008 and also includes vesting options for both 2009 and 2010 ? Jason Schmidt (shoulder) is still several weeks from throwing off a mound ? Ken Griffey Jr. was scratched from Thursday's game because of ongoing chest soreness and may require further testing before he can return to the lineup ? On the verge of returning, Lance Cormier (shoulder) was scratched from his scheduled minor-league rehab start Thursday because of arm soreness ? Lastings Milledge has been placed on the disabled list at Triple-A because of a sprained foot ? Jeremy Hermida (knee) is expected to begin playing in extended spring training games this weekend and could start a rehab assignment next week.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Rowand Is For Real
This week we've got a big-time callup, unexpected starters emerging, new closer candidates, and plenty of sleepers. Let's evaluate the players on your waiver wire.

American League

Wily Mo Pena, OF, BOS ? Coco Crisp's oblique is hurting, which is a shame because he was just starting to heat up. Watch to see if Crisp returns this weekend, sending Pena back to the bench. I don't know how Terry Francona will find Pena those 400+ at-bats, but he's worth owning in mixed leagues if he's playing regularly. AL: $11, Mixed: $1.

David Aardsma, RP, CHA ? Aardsma got a chance at a save a few days ago, as Bobby Jenks had been worked heavily. It was Aardsma's third day in a row pitching too, however, and it resulted in a blown save. With a K/9 over 14, Aardsma is finally living up to his first round draft pick status. He's yet another solid reliever stolen by Kenny Williams, and is worth owning in AL-only for the strikeouts even if he doesn't get to pitch the ninth. AL: $9, Mixed: $1.

Rafael Betancourt, RP, CLE ? With the recent implosion of Joe Borowski, I have to crown Betancourt the most likely successor. He's got experience and has pitched well this year, and is worthy of a speculative pickup. AL: $10, Mixed: $2.

Fernando Cabrera, RP, CLE ? Cabrera has been downright nasty this year, and he earned the win after Borowski blew it on Wednesday. 10+ scoreless innings and improved control could cause Eric Wedge to use Cabrera as the closer sooner rather than later. Most observers agree that he'll have the role by June. AL: $9, Mixed: $1.

Cliff Lee, SP, CLE ? Lee may join the Indians for his season debut Wednesday following his abdominal injury. He may be kind of a forgotten man in deeper mixed leagues, and should have his uses. He'll give you 27 starts in front of a strong offense, so he's worth owning. AL: $15, Mixed: $4.

Ryan Garko, 1B, CLE ? I've never been impressed with Garko as a starting first baseman, even after his fluke RBI-heavy stint in 2006. He'll play regularly with Andy Marte on the DL, and could help a little in deep mixed leagues. AL: $13, Mixed: $3.

Chad Durbin, SP, DET ? Durbin saved his rotation spot with eight scoreless innings against the White Sox this week. However, he was facing a lineup without Jermaine Dye or Jim Thome, one that had A.J. Pierzynski at cleanup and a mostly automatic out in Darin Erstad. Don't buy in AL-only. AL: $2, Mixed: No.

Jorge de la Rosa, SP, KCA ? The 26 year-old lefty has been surprisingly solid through four starts, validating the Royals' choice to give him a rotation spot. His vastly improved control has been key. He has a decent arsenal, so if the control is legit you have yourself a nifty AL-only find. AL: $7, Mixed: No.

Brian Bannister, SP, KCA ? Bannister should have a shot in the rotation at least until Luke Hudson and Scott Elarton are ready. He's a soft-tossing command guy, unlikely to provide much AL-only value this year. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

Alex Gordon, 3B, KCA ? You have to squint to see the progress, but Gordon is slowly coming around. Remember, this kid skipped Triple A. Keep Nick Markakis's month-by-month progression last year in your mind as you try to wait Gordon out. I think he's worth holding in most mixed leagues. AL: $16, Mixed: $3.

Alexi Casilla, 2B, MIN ? I told you about Casilla in a previous column ? he is a young Luis Castillo. He's got four steals in twelve games in his mini-audition. This guy is going to steal 50 in 2008, but for now he's a nice AL-only middle infielder. AL: $7, Mixed: No.

Phil Hughes, SP, NYA ? Plenty of debate about whether Hughes had anything left to learn in Triple A as a 20 year-old. His first start wasn't great but wasn't a disaster, as he settled down to pitch fairly well after the first inning against the Jays. It seems Hughes has needed a few starts to adjust to each level, and we have to allow him that. He'll probably get a second big league start against the Rangers, who are second to last in the AL in OBP and fourth to last in slugging. I'll probably start him in any format, but I'm a gambling man. AL: $22, Mixed: $12.

Dan Johnson, 1B, OAK ? Johnson's back from his hip injury already. He batted fifth as the first baseman last night and went 2 for 3. He's a must-start in AL-only leagues and could squeeze his way into the mixed league picture if he plays to his 75th percentile PECOTA projection (.286/.379/.491). AL: $17, Mixed: $3.

Dallas Braden, SP, OAK ? Braden throws a pitch that many Major Leaguers haven't seen much ? the screwball. His big league debut against the Orioles was a gem; he's worth a look Sunday against the Devil Rays. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3264"]Jason Phillips[/URL], C, TOR ? Gregg Zaun's thumb surgery could make Phillips the main starter at catcher for two months. Maybe he can rediscover that double-digit power; at the least he'll get semi-regular playing time. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

Jamie Shields, SP, TBA ? Shields's 12 strikeout effort against the Tribe resulted in many mixed league pickups. I'm on board ? he's added a few mph to his fastball, making his changeup that much better. A sub-4 ERA with an above average strikeout rate is possible, despite his tough division. AL: $24, Mixed: $12.

Jorge Cantu, 1B, TBA ? Cantu's back to help out at first base and DH with Akinori Iwamura out for a while. If you play in a daily AL-only league, you can consider activating him when the Devil Rays face a lefty. AL: $2, Mixed: No.

Carlos Pena, 1B, TBA ? Pena should be the main 1B in Tampa Bay for the next month or so, perhaps sitting against lefties. He's worth a look; you know what he can do. AL: $7, Mixed: No.

Akinori Otsuka, RP, TEX ? Aki is right back to closing, as Eric Gagne has proven shockingly fragile. It's certainly possible that Otsuka notches 25 saves this year. AL: $20, Mixed: $10.

Robinson Tejeda, SP, TEX ? With three quality starts in four tries, he's a popular add. Too many HRs and a K/BB under 2 tells me to stay away. I think he's too risky for mixed leaguers. AL: $14, Mixed: $2.

Frank Thomas, DH, TOR ? The Big Hurt is 7 for his last 16 with 7 RBIs. See if it's not too late to pry him away based on his slow start. AL: $36, Mixed: $18.

National League

Jon Lieber, SP, PHI - Liebs has looked pretty good in his first two starts of the season. I wonder if the low-WHIP innings eater could re-emerge and provide a little mixed league value. He faces the Braves on Monday; start him in a mixed league only if you're feeling lucky. NL: $10, Mixed: $1.

Ryan Theriot, 2B, CHN ? Theriot was recently anointed the Cubs' starting shortstop by Lou Piniella. He can hit .300, score 80 runs, and steal 40. Theriot could be Ryan Freel without the injuries; he might be better than your current mixed league 2B. NL: $26, Mixed: $13.

Conor Jackson, 1B, ARI ? It's a nice time to buy low on Jackson. He's missed some games with a mild hamstring strain, he was off to a terrible start, and Tony Clark hit two home runs last night. I'm pretty sure Jackson will remain the starter when he's ready to go, and the .300 hitter with 20 HR pop didn't go anywhere. NL: $20, Mixed: $9.

Yovani Gallardo, SP, MIL ? Gallardo is living in the shadow of Homer Bailey and Phil Hughes, but he could top them both in fantasy value this year. He's got a 4.7 K/BB in Triple A and the Brewers are doing him a disservice if they don't call him up soon. It'll be a lot easier to debut against the Pirates than the Blue Jays, by the way. Ben Sheets is feeling fine after a hamstring strain; it's a tough staff to crack. Just be ready when a spot opens up. NL: $23, Mixed: $12.

J.J. Hardy, SS, MIL ? Hardy is in the midst of the best month of his career ? 6 HR, 14 RBI, .535 SLG ? and it's not over yet. He's batting second between some pretty good hitters. For a player undrafted in most mixed leagues, he's providing incredible value. I think he has developed 20+ HR power now that he's finally healthy. Should be owned in all mixed leagues for HRs and runs. NL: $27, Mixed: $15.

Matt Morris, SP, SFN ? Four starts, three wins, no stinkers. Are we seeing the Morris of old? With a K/BB of exactly 1, I'm voting no. I don't suggest picking Morris up in mixed leagues, as his next start could demolish your ratios. NL: $9, Mixed: No.

Khalil Greene, SS, SDN ? Greene might never draw walks, but he does have four HR on the young season. Given that he had 4+ HR in three of his four full-time months in '06, it does seem that Greene has 25 HR potential. It's just that he hasn't topped 121 games since '04. It's good to roster him while he's healthy and hitting, but don't count on him. NL: $20, Mixed: $8.

Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, SDN ? Kouzmanoff has been awful for his new team, going just 7 for 56 with three extra-base hits. This is not what was expected from a guy many were picking as ROY. By the end of May we should know whether it's just a cold start or if he's a Quad A player. Feel free to drop him in mixed leagues, and bench him otherwise. NL: $5, Mixed: No.

Kevin Mench, OF, MIL ? I know Mench is rolling, but all the playing time and offense is related to the incredible amount of lefties NL Central teams have been employing against the Brewers. The Brewers seem to recognize his platoon splits, so don't mistake his recent playing time streak as a sign of regular duty. NL: $7, Mixed: No.

Orlando Hernandez, SP, NYN ? El Duque has had four great starts and one bad one, oddly against the Nationals. But be warned ? his hit rate is unsustainably low, and he's been prone to the longball. He is riskier in mixed leagues than you might think. NL: $15, Mixed: $3.

Aaron Rowand, OF, PHI ? Rowand is really mashing so far, and I think there's something to it. He's on pace to obliterate his career high of 32 walks ? he has 11 already. He walked only 18 times all of last year. His owners are hoping for 2004 again ? something close to 20/20 with a .300 average. It wouldn't shock me, and it's well-timed given his impending free agency. NL: $28, Mixed: $13.

Scott Thorman, 1B, ATL ? Thorman has shown pretty good power so far, and [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3187"]Craig Wilson[/URL] has done nothing. However, Thorman is still not getting the starts against southpaws. He wasn't awful against lefties in Triple A last year - .293/.365/.424. Bobby Cox, let this man play full-time already. NL: $16, Mixed: $3.

Paul Maholm, SP, PIT ? Maholm twirled a complete game shutout against the Astros this week. Houston's offense is in the bottom half of the NL but it was impressive nonetheless. I once wrote that Maholm could be a poor man's Jake Westbrook with decent defense behind him, and I still believe that. I had him at a 3.96 ERA and 1.37 WHIP going into this season, so he's worth considering in deep mixed leagues. NL: $12, Mixed: $2.

Tom Gorzelanny, SP, PIT ? Gorzelanny has been excellent through four starts, posting a 2.05 ERA and 0.99 WHIP while winning three. Obviously he can't sustain that level but his command has been strong (2.8 K/BB). If he can continue to limit the free passes I can see a sub-4 ERA. There is a health risk here, as his 161 innings last year was a pro career high. NL: $12, Mixed: $2.

Tim Lincecum, SP, SFN ? Everyone's watching Lincecum tear up Triple A, especially fantasy leaguers. His control has been good enough, and 3.24 hits per nine innings is just absurd. He's better than Russ Ortiz or Armando Benitez right now, and will be in the bigs by June at the latest. I can't really guess his role but I think he's worth stashing in mixed leagues. NL: $24, Mixed: $13.

Matt Capps, RP, PIT ? Salomon Torres has three blown saves and a loss and it's still not May 1st yet. Capps, with a 3.5 K/BB, is ready to take over, perhaps today. Still, there are plenty of reasons for caution: Capps doesn't miss bats, he's quite hittable, and he will allow home runs. He'll have his fair share of blown saves too. Put him below Henry Owens and Al Reyes right now even if he officially gets the gig. NL: $18, Mixed: $4.

Shawn Hill, SP, WAS ? He's allowed two runs in each of his five starts, netting a 2.76 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. His groundball rate is Westbrookian, but he doesn't get you Ks and his hit rate is headed way up. Imagine Westbrook on the worst team in baseball and you pretty much have Hill. I'd probably pass in a mixed league. NL: $11, Mixed: $1.

Taylor Buchholz, SP, COL ? Buchholz may only remain a starter until Rodrigo Lopez returns sometime in May. Buchholz's start against the Mets was rough, and he probably doesn't need to be owned in NL-only. NL: $2, Mixed: No.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Week That Was
Faltering closers, debuts of youngsters and the return of injured vets all in this week's Week That Was.

Trevor Hoffman: Trevor Hoffman blew his second straight save last night. The bad news is that Hoffman, like Mariano Rivera, sports an ERA over 7.00. The good news (if you own Hoffman) is that he looks fine and should rebound. What to do with this information? If you own Hoffman, chill and do not panic. If you feel the need to do something, get Scott Linebrink as insurance. On the other hand, if the Hoffman owner in your league is inclined to panic, encourage him/her and steal a solid source of saves cheap.

Tom Gordon: Like Trevor Hoffman and Mariano, Tom "Flash" Gordon has looked bad in the early going. Flash may not have an ERA of 7, but his WHIP is a rotund 1.92 ? way too many baserunners for a closer to allow. The difference between Gordon on the one hand, and Mo and Hoffman on the other, is that the latter two have been healthy and holding down the closer role for over a decade. Gordon continues to fight health problems, has that curve that puts so much pressure on the arm, and has not been a consistent closer in a class with Mo and Trevor. Oh, and add in the fact that the Phillies moved their number one starter to the pen and you have a closer in Gordon who looks destined to lose his role. Sell high as soon as he registers a couple more saves.

Hunter Pence: The Astros called up Hunter Pence from Triple-A, will install him as the everyday CF and move Chris Burke back to utility. Pence was hitting over .300 at AAA and hit over .500 this spring. For those in need of offense, Pence is a worthy gamble. When Lance Berkman starts to hit ? and he will ? and Biggio gets his 3000th hit (and thus gets more time off in favor of better hitters), Pence will benefit.

Francisco Cordero: Francisco Cordero notched save number nine last night. He is striking out nearly two batters an inning and has yet to allow a run. He is locked and loaded for a big season. If there is anyone in your league that is still smarting from Cordero losing his closer role in Texas last year, remind them of that and see if you can steal one of the best NL save options.

Chone Figgins: Chone Figgins should return from his finger injury in time to play Monday. He should be activated immediately. Figgins is still one of those rare sources of big time steal numbers. With Howie Kendrick on the shelf, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] not showing he is ready, and Vlad hitting everything in sight, Figgins is a good bet to put up solid counting numbers.

Josh Beckett: Josh Beckett surged to 5-0 with his win on Thursday. Beckett will have a huge year and his success will continue. First, the blister issues that plagued him in the past seem to be staying there ? in the past. Second, his 5.00 ERA from a year ago distorts other very solid numbers and was a result of an overly high HR rate. All that said, there is little substitute for first hand observation. I sat right behind home plate last Saturday at Fenway and saw Beckett gain strength as the game went on ? even hitting 98 on the gun in the 7th inning. Bottom line, he looks good, strong and confident. Buy if you can.

Phil Hughes: In what this writer believes was a panic move, the Yankees started Phil Hughes Wednesday against the Jays. Hughes gave up four runs and seven hits in less than 5 innings. Keeper leaguers should grab him immediately. His future is as bright as can be. However, those who want to win this year should only grab Hughes if they need to catch lightning in a bottle. In other words, if you already have a strong staff, Hughes is not your man for 2007.

Bartolo Colon: Bartolo Colon looked strong again this week, blowing down 11 Rays. While many believe he cannot keep it up, Colon is throwing hard, winning games, and looks strong. Ride the wave if you own him. However, if he is still looking strong on June 1, sell high. He is likely to break down again at some point this season.

Kei Igawa: In the ultimate vote of lack of confidence, The Yankees will bypass Kei Igawa in favor of Jeff Karstens on Saturday. Bottom line ? neither the Yankees nor your fantasy team can win with either Igawa or Karstens playing any kind of significant role. Look for the Yankees pen to be very busy today. If they can score 10, they might win.

Boof Bonser: In what can only be described as an odd outing, Boof Bonser walked seven and struck out eight in five scoreless innings this week. Run around your league crowing about the walks and see if some unsuspecting owner will deal Bonser. Boof is a very good pitcher who will post major strikeout numbers this year.

Last but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "For those in leagues with weekly transactions where Phil Hughes is still a free agent, take delight in the Yankee rookie's mediocre debut this past Thursday against the Blue Jays. Even the non-scholarly owners in your league - you know the type: the ones who confuse [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] with Kerry Wood - have heard of Hughes and were standing poised to pick up the young hurler. By not coming out of the gates with a 7 inning, 10K performance, he may be a bit more attainable than a week ago. As I'm sure Yankee fan Colton mentioned somewhere up above, Hughes has sick talent and considerable fantasy value if he remains in the Yankee rotation. As his competition answers to names like Pavano, Igawa, Karstens, Rasner, figure the kid becomes a fantasy asset before he's legally allowed into the New York sports bars where Yankee fans have been obnoxiously salivating over his arrival for weeks.

Kevin Kouzmanoff's first full season in the majors is off to a fairly horrific star. The minor league hitting machine is currently batting .125 and striking out on nearly every third at-bat. If you can afford to stash him on your bench until he comes around, he's worth waiting for. The Padres don't have any other attractive options at 3rd (Russell Branyan, Geoff Blum), so they have just as much an interest in seeing Kouzmanoff as his fantasy owners. Unless you are desperate need of the roster spot, hang on to "The Kooz" and tough out this rough patch.

The buzzards seem to be circling around the Midwest as the death watch on the closing careers of Pittsburgh's Salomon Torres and Cleveland's Joe Borowski captivates save junkies everywhere. While any closer has value, some closers really are more equal than others. Anyone hoarding Matt Capps with visions of greatness should talk a walk outside and clear their head. True, Capps' current ratios are miniscule but they are also WAY below his prior season averages. When you take into consideration that he also doesn't strike many batters out, this seems like a nightmare waiting to happen. If he replaces Torres, rejoice, but then be wary, be very wary.

As for the Indians' situation, before Borowski is removed from the closer's role, he's going to have to prove that he is completely ineffective in the role. Last year, Eric Wedge presided over one of the worst bullpens in the history of the sport and does not have fond memories of the rotating cavalcade of closers that followed Bob Wickman. While most are predicting Rafael Betancourt or Fernando Cabrera to slide into the spot, keep an eye on the progress of Tom Mastny, who finished last year as the "stopper." Mastny has been ridiculously tough to hit this year and Wedge could easily slide him back into the role. Should Borowski start to fall apart, don't forget about Mastny.

For those who recall my other gig as a music critic/reporter, check out Jambands.com - Get Your Groove On-Line where I have an article up on Larry Campbell, former Dylan, current Phil Lesh and Levon Helm guitarist. Just to make it more like The Da Vinci Code, if you go there you can find out my first name.

Response: Given some very cogent bullpen analysis, we will indulge Schultz the music man. As to Phil Hughes, he is an awesome talent. However, very few 20 year olds put up good fantasy numbers on the mound. Looking for Hughes to do that is a very risky move indeed.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

One Month in the Books
Mike Mussina, Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins and Felix Hernandez are set to come off the disabled list this week, while Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett and Jake Peavy are some of the best pitchers slated for two starts this week. The Week Ahead breaks down week five of the fantasy baseball season.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Roy Halladay TOR vs. TEX Vicente Padilla, @ TEX Vicente Padilla
Jake Peavy SD vs. WAS John Patterson, @ FLA Scott Olsen
Jeremy Bonderman DET vs. BAL Daniel Cabrera, @ KC Zack Greinke
Brandon Webb ARI @ LA Randy Wolf, vs. NYM Orlando Hernandez
John Lackey LAA @ KC Odalis Perez, vs. CHW Jon Garland
C.C. Sabathia CLE vs. TOR A.J. Burnett, @ BAL Daniel Cabrera
Rich Hill CHC @ PIT Zach Duke, vs. WAS Jason Bergmann
Cole Hamels PHI @ ATL Mark Redman, @ SF Russ Ortiz
Tim Hudson ATL vs. PHI Jon Lieber, vs. LA Randy Wolf
Curt Schilling BOS vs. OAK Joe Blanton, @ MIN Sidney Ponson
Ben Sheets MIL vs. STL TBA, vs. PIT Tony Armas
Bartolo Colon LAA @ KC Zack Greinke, vs. CHW Mark Buehrle
Bronson Arroyo CIN @ HOU Matt Albers, vs. COL Josh Fogg
A.J. Burnett TOR @ CLE C.C. Sabathia, @ TEX Kameron Loe

More strong options:
Randy Wolf LA vs. ARI Brandon Webb, @ ATL Tim Hudson
Ted Lilly CHC @ PIT Zach Duke, vs. WAS John Patterson
Orlando Hernandez NYM vs. FLA Scott Olsen, @ ARI Brandon Webb
Daniel Cabrera BAL @ DET Jeremy Bonderman, vs. CLE C.C. Sabathia
Braden Looper STL @ MIL Jeff Suppan, vs. HOU Matt Albers
Jeff Suppan MIL vs. STL Braden Looper, vs. PIT Zach Duke
Scott Olsen FLA @ NYM Orlando Hernandez, vs. SD Jake Peavy
Noah Lowry SF vs. COL Josh Fogg, vs. PHI Jon Lieber
Vicente Padilla TEX @ TOR Roy Halladay, vs. TOR Roy Halladay
Zack Greinke KC vs. LAA Bartolo Colon, vs. DET Jeremy Bonderman
Phil Hughes NYY @ TEX Kameron Loe, vs. SEA Cha Seung Baek
Zach Duke PIT vs. CHC Rich Hill, @ MIL Jeff Suppan
Livan Hernandez ARI @ LA Brad Penny, vs. NYM Mike Pelfrey
John Patterson WAS @ SD Jake Peavy, @ CHC Ted Lilly
Jon Lieber PHI @ ATL Tim Hudson, @ SF Noah Lowry

Other two-starters:
Mike Pelfrey NYM vs. FLA Ricky Nolasco, @ ARI Livan Hernandez
Jarrod Washburn SEA vs. CHW Javier Vazquez, @ NYY Jeff Karstens
Russ Ortiz SF vs. COL Taylor Buchholz, vs. PHI Cole Hamels
Sidney Ponson MIN @ TB Edwin Jackson, vs. BOS Curt Schilling
Josh Fogg COL @ SF Noah Lowry, @ CIN Bronson Arroyo
Matt Albers HOU vs. CIN Bronson Arroyo, @ STL Braden Looper
Tony Armas PIT vs. CHC Angel Guzman, @ MIL Ben Sheets
Kameron Loe TEX vs. NYY Phil Hughes, vs. TOR A.J. Burnett
Edwin Jackson TB vs. MIN Sidney Ponson, vs. OAK Dallas Braden
Odalis Perez KC vs. LAA John Lackey, vs. DET Mike Maroth

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Seven-game schedule: ARI, KC, LAA, MIL, NYM, PHI, PIT, SF, TEX, TOR
Six-game schedule: ATL, BAL, BOS, CHC, CIN, CLE, COL, DET, FLA, HOU, LA, MIN, NYY, SD, SEA, STL, TB, WAS
Five-game schedule: CHW, OAK

Rain threatened games:
Monday, April 30: FLA @ NYM (40%)
Tuesday, May 1: TOR @ CLE (40%), BAL @ DET (40%), NYY @ TEX (40%), FLA @ NYM (40%)
Wednesday, May 2: OAK @ BOS (40%), NYY @ TEX (40%)
Thursday, May 3: CIN @ HOU (40%), NYY @ TEX (40%), PHI @ SF (40%)
Friday, May 4: LA @ ATL (40%)
Saturday, May 5: LA @ ATL (60%)
Sunday, May 6: LA @ ATL (40%), TOR @ TEX (60%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN.com - MLB - Park Factor
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.539 runs ? 2 vs OAK, 1 vs SEA
3. Comerica Park (Tigers) 1.391 runs ? 3 vs BAL
4. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.258 runs ? 3 vs COL
5. Safeco Field (Mariners) 1.241 runs ? 2 vs CHW
6. Angel Stadium (Angels) 1.203 runs ? 3 vs CHW

No Games: 2. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.481 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
1. PNC Park (Pirates) 0.672 runs ? 3 vs CHC
2. Camden Yards (Orioles) 0.690 runs ? 3 vs CLE
3. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.711 runs ? 3 vs NYY, 3 vs TOR
5. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.748 runs ? 1 vs TEX
6. Petco Park (Padres) 0.755 runs ? 3 vs WAS

No Games: 4. McAfee Coliseum (Athletics) 0.716 runs

Caught Stealing %:
Toughest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1T. Bengie Molina, SF 3-for-7 (57.1%) ? 3 vs COL, 4 vs PHI
1T. David Ross, CIN 3-for-7 (57.1%) ? 3 @ HOU, 3 vs COL
3T. Joe Mauer, MIN 4-for-9 (55.6%) ? 3 @ TB, 3 vs BOS
3T. Yadier Molina, STL 4-for-9 (55.6%) ? 3 @ MIL, 3 vs HOU
3T. Paul Lo Duca, NYM 4-for-9 (55.6%) ? 3 vs FLA, 4 @ ARI

Facing these elite catchers is bad news for the following players in the stolen base category: Willy Taveras (5-for-8 SB), Shane Victorino (5-for-7 SB), Chris Burke (5-for-6 SB), Rickie Weeks (5-for-5 SB), Hanley Ramirez (6-for-8 SB)

Easiest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. Brian Schneider, WAS 13-for-14 (7.1%) ? 3 @ SD, 3 @ CHC
2. Ivan Rodriguez, DET 9-for-10 (10.0%) ? 3 vs BAL, 3 @ KC
3. Jorge Posada, NYY 20-for-23 (13.0%) ? 3 @ TEX, 3 vs SEA
4. Jason Varitek, BOS 6-for-7 (14.3%) ? 2 vs OAK, 1 vs SEA, 3 @ MIN
5. Gregg Zaun, TOR 10-for-12 (16.7%) ? 1 vs TEX, 3 @ CLE, 3 @ TEX

How things have changed ? last season, Bengie Molina threw out just 15-of-83 (18%) would-be base stealers, while Ivan Rodriguez led the league throwing out 51% (26-of-51) of stealers. They have basically switched spots in the leader boards this year.

Facing these catchers is good news for Marcus Giles (4-for-4 SB), Ryan Theriot (5-for-6 SB), Brian Roberts (8-for-8 SB), Corey Patterson (4-for-4 SB), Ian Kinsler (4-for-4 SB), Carl Crawford (6-for-9 SB), Kenny Lofton (9-for-10 SB), Grady Sizemore (7-for-7 SB), Rocco Baldelli (4-for-5 SB), Alexi Castillo (4-for-4 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (4 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Minnesota: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (3 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Orioles and Angels play three lefties, while the Twins face just righties. That's good news for Jay Gibbons (.400 vs LHPs), Miguel Tejada (.414 vs LHPs), Vladimir Guerrero (.429 vs LHPs), Shea Hillenbrand (.417 vs LHPs), Joe Mauer (.429 vs RHPs), Michael Cuddyer (.357 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Nick Markakis (.156 vs LHPs), Kevin Millar (.156 vs LHPs), Corey Patterson (.200 vs LHPs), Casey Kotchman (.071 vs LHPs), Robb Quinlan (.125 vs LHPs), Orlando Cabrera (.211 vs LHPs), Nick Punto (.176 vs RHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers) note: Tue vs STL (TBA)
New York Mets: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Pittsburgh: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
San Francisco: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)

Arizona, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and San Francisco face three southpaws. That's good news for Stephen Drew (.350 vs LHPs), Kevin Mench (.400 vs LHPs), Corey Hart (.375 vs LHPs), Prince Fielder (.313 vs LHPs), Chase Utley (.387 vs LHPs), Barry Bonds (.412 vs LHPs), Randy Winn (.438 vs LHPs), Pedro Feliz (.333 vs LHPs)

That's bad news for Eric Byrnes (.222 vs LHPs), Tony Graffanino (.208 vs LHPs), Geoff Jenkins (.182 vs LHPs), J.J. Hardy (.207 vs LHPs), Ryan Howard (.148 vs LHPs), Pat Burrell (.200 vs LHPs), Bengie Molina (.200 vs LHPs), Omar Vizquel (.143 vs LHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 6:
Steve Trachsel, Nate Robertson, John Danks, Miguel Batista, Ervin Santana, Jorge De La Rosa, Boof Bonser, Jae Seo, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Tejeda, Joe Kennedy, Josh Beckett, Josh Towers, Jake Westbrook, Doug Davis, Mark Hendrickson, Jason Marquis, Ian Snell, Kyle Lohse, Roy Oswalt, Jeff Francis, Barry Zito, Anibal Sanchez, Oliver Perez, [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL], Chuck James, Anthony Reyes, Chris Capuano, Matt Chico, Clay Hensley

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Milton Bradley (hamstring) ? return mid-May
Jeff DaVanon (shoulder) ? return early May
Juan Encarnacion (wrist) ? return early May
Chone Figgins (finger) ? return April 30
Lew Ford (knee) ? return late April
Jeremy Hermida (knee) ? return mid-May
Reed Johnson (back) ? return July
Mark Kotsay (back) ? return June/July
Nook Logan (foot) ? return early May
Laynce Nix (ribs) ? return early May
Scott Podsednik (groin) ? return mid-May
Jason Repko (groin) ? might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) ? return July/August
Rondell White (calf) ? return mid-May

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) ? out indefinitely
Cristian Guzman (hamstring) ? return early May
Dan Johnson (hip) ? return mid-season
Nick Johnson (leg) ? return mid-season
Akinori Iwamura (ribs) ? return early June
Howie Kendrick (hand) ? return mid-May
Corey Koskie (concussion) ? out indefinitely
Andy Marte (hamstring) ? return mid-May
Kaz Matsui (back) ? return early May
Dallas McPherson (back) ? return August/September

Catchers:
Toby Hall (shoulder) ? might be out for the season
Gregg Zaun (hand) ? return June

Designated Hitters:
Jeff Cirillo (knee) ? return mid-May
Greg Norton (knee) ? return mid-May
Jim Thome (ribs) ? return mid-May

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) ? return August/September
Chris Carpenter (elbow) ? return early May
Matt Clement (shoulder) ? return July/August
Lance Cormier (shoulder) ? return early May
Mike Hampton (ribs) ? out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) ? return early May
Felix Hernandez (elbow) ? return May 4
Luke Hudson (shoulder) ? return early May
Jason Jennings (elbow) ? return early May
Josh Johnson (elbow) ? return June
Jeff Karstens (leg) ? out indefinitely
Cliff Lee (abdomen) ? return May 3
Jon Lester (cancer) ? return early May
Francisco Liriano (elbow) ? out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) ? return May
Rodrigo Lopez (elbow) ? return early May
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) ? return July/August
Sergio Mitre (finger) ? return early May
Wade Miller (back) ? return mid-May
Mark Mulder (shoulder) ? return July
Mike Mussina (hamstring) ? return May 3
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) ? return May 1
Micah Owings (hamstring) ? return early May
Carl Pavano (elbow) ? return early May
Kenny Rogers (arm) ? return July
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) ? return late May
Ben Sheets (groin) ? might return Tuesday

Important Relievers:
Kris Benson (shoulder) ? likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (elbow) ? return late May
Octavio Dotel (ribs) ? return early May
Eric Gagne (hip) ? return mid-May
John Grabow (elbow) ? return early May
Eddie Guardado (elbow) ? return June/July
LaTroy Hawkins (elbow) ? return mid-May
Jorge Julio (calf) ? return early May
Brandon League (shoulder) ? out indefinitely
Jose Mesa (groin) ? return early May
[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3262"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3706"]Matt Miller[/URL][/URL] (elbow) ? return early May
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) ? out for the season
B.J. Ryan (elbow) ? return mid-June
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) ? return July/August
Kerry Wood (triceps) ? return May

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

May Starting Pitching Rankings

Below are the May Rankings for Starting Pitching. We'll be posting other positional ranks throughout today (4/30) and tomorrow (5/1).


Relief Pitcher ranks can be found by clicking here

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Team</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Johan Santana</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jake Peavy</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Roy Halladay</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Roy Oswalt</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Carlos Zambrano</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Brandon Webb</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>John Smoltz</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Daisuke Matsuzaka</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>C.C. Sabathia</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Ben Sheets</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Matt Cain</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Felix Hernandez</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Josh Beckett</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Curt Schilling</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Tim Hudson</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Chris Carpenter</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>John Lackey</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Jeremy Bonderman</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Dan Haren</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Bronson Arroyo</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Erik Bedard</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Cole Hamels</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL]</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Barry Zito</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Rich Hill</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Jered Weaver</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>A.J. Burnett</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Bartolo Colon</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Justin Verlander</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Mike Mussina</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Scott Kazmir</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Dontrelle Willis</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Rich Harden</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Ian Snell</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Randy Johnson</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Aaron Harang</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>John Maine</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Brad Penny</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Ted Lilly</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Roger Clemens</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Derek Lowe</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Jose Contreras</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Greg Maddux</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Kelvim Escobar</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Andy Pettitte</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Chuck James</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Jason Schmidt</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Chien-Ming Wang</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Daniel Cabrera</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Javier Vazquez</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL]</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Kevin Millwood</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Tom Glavine</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Mark Buehrle</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Anthony Reyes</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Scott Olsen</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Adam Wainwright</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Ervin Santana</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Chris Capuano</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>Cliff Lee</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>61</TD><TD>Jeremy Sowers</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>62</TD><TD>Randy Wolf</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>63</TD><TD>Tom Gorzelanny</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>64</TD><TD>Dave Bush</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>65</TD><TD>Anibal Sanchez</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>66</TD><TD>Gil Meche</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>67</TD><TD>Tim Lincecum</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>68</TD><TD>Oliver Perez</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>69</TD><TD>Nate Robertson</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>70</TD><TD>Clay Hensley</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>71</TD><TD>Jon Garland</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>72</TD><TD>Noah Lowry</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>73</TD><TD>Orlando Hernandez</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>74</TD><TD>Kyle Lohse</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>75</TD><TD>Josh Johnson</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>76</TD><TD>Jon Lieber</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>77</TD><TD>Jason Jennings</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>78</TD><TD>David Wells</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>79</TD><TD>Pedro Martinez</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>80</TD><TD>Jeff Francis</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>81</TD><TD>Jarrod Washburn</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>82</TD><TD>Adam Loewen</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>83</TD><TD>Adam Eaton</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>84</TD><TD>Jamie Moyer</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>85</TD><TD>Boof Bonser</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>86</TD><TD>Zack Greinke</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>87</TD><TD>Zach Duke</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>88</TD><TD>Braden Looper</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>89</TD><TD>Tim Wakefield</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>90</TD><TD>Jake Westbrook</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>91</TD><TD>Phil Hughes</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>92</TD><TD>Paul Byrd</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>93</TD><TD>Kip Wells</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>94</TD><TD>Matt Belisle</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>95</TD><TD>James Shields</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>96</TD><TD>John Patterson</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>97</TD><TD>Claudio Vargas</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>98</TD><TD>Joe Blanton</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>99</TD><TD>Matt Morris</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>100</TD><TD>Jon Lester</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>101</TD><TD>Chad Gaudin</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>102</TD><TD>Jeff Suppan</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>103</TD><TD>Ramon Ortiz</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>104</TD><TD>Kei Igawa</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>105</TD><TD>Angel Guzman</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>106</TD><TD>Matt Garza</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>107</TD><TD>Brandon McCarthy</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>108</TD><TD>Kevin Slowey</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>109</TD><TD>Yovani Gallardo</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>110</TD><TD>Jason Marquis</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Rising: Roy Halladay (6 to 3), Matt Cain (20 to 11), Josh Beckett (31 to 13), Tim Hudson (53 to 15), Dan Haren (28 to 19), Rich Hill (25 to 49), Bartolo Colon (94 to 28), Ian Snell (60 to 34), John Maine (64 to 37), Mark Buehrle (66 to 54), Tom Gorzelanny (84 to 63), Gil Meche (92 to 66), Tim Lincecum (140 to 67), Kyle Lohse (91 to 74), Braden Looper (121 to 88), Matt Belisle (156 to 94), Jon Lester (150 to 100), Chad Gaudin (129 RP to 101), Ramon Ortiz (199 to 103), Kevin Slowey (194 to 108)

Falling: Chris Carpenter (2 to 16), Rich Harden (18 to 33), Jose Contreras (32 to 42), Jason Schmidt (10 to 47), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL] (38 to 51), Kevin Millwood (41 to 52), Scott Olsen (56 to 43), Ervin Santana (44 to 58), Jason Jennings (63 to 77), Adam Eaton (65 to 83), John Patterson (50 to 96), Kei Igawa (54 to 104), Brandon McCarthy (73 to 107), Ricky Nolasco (77 to NR), Mike Pelfrey (88 to NR)

Notes
- Carpenter is on track to return in the second half of May and should be able to regain Cy Young form. However, there is the possibility that he'll experience a setback with the impingement in his elbow, forcing him to undergo surgery that would cost him two or three months. For that reason, he has to be dropped out of the top 10 for now.

- I never expected this kind of showing from Colon in his return from a partially torn rotator cuff. It's like he never missed a beat. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be in the hunt for the Cy Young Award, but 15 wins, an ERA in the 3.70-4.00 range and a strong WHIP seem likely.

- Igawa's six scoreless innings in relief against the Red Sox probably shouldn't be taken as an indication that big things are on the way, but he deserves a long look from the Yankees. There's a good chance he'll give them what Jaret Wright did last year, and with that lineup supporting him, he'll pick up wins while going five or six innings and allowing three runs. I still think he's worth owning in AL-only leagues.

- The broken fibula suffered by Jeff Karstens increases the chances that Phil Hughes will stick in the Yankee rotation beyond this week, though it's still not a given. Perhaps the club will make a trade, and there is a chance that Carl Pavano will return in three or four weeks. Hughes clearly isn't ready to dominate yet, though he'd mix in enough good ones with the occasional four- or five-inning start to amass some value in AL-only leagues. Mixed leaguers should have him reserved.

- When Maine was coming up through the Orioles farm system, it looked like he had a chance of making it as a fourth or fifth starter despite being rather hittable. Well, the league is batting all of .203 against him 116 1/3 innings since he arrived in New York in the Kris Benson deal. In 2007, his average against stands at 169. There's no way he can maintain that for a full season, but since he's in a pitcher's park and he has perhaps the NL's best offense supporting him, it's time to take him seriously as a top-50 pitcher.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

May Relief Pitcher Rankings

Below are the May Rankings for Relief Pitching. We'll be posting other positional ranks throughout today (4/30) and tomorrow (5/1).

Starting Pitching Ranks can be found by clicking here

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Team</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Francisco Rodriguez</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Joe Nathan</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Jonathan Papelbon</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Billy Wagner</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Huston Street</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Mariano Rivera</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Francisco Cordero</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>J.J. Putz</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Bobby Jenks</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Trevor Hoffman</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Takashi Saito</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Chris Ray</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Chad Cordero</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Brian Fuentes</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Ryan Dempster</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Bob Wickman</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Jason Isringhausen</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Todd Jones</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Jose Valverde</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Armando Benitez</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Al Reyes</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Brett Myers</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>B.J. Ryan</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Joe Borowski</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Dan Wheeler</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>David Weathers</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Salomon Torres</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Akinori Otsuka</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Tom Gordon</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Eric Gagne</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Henry Owens</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Octavio Dotel</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Jason Frasor</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Matt Capps</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Rafael Betancourt</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Jonathan Broxton</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Joel Zumaya</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Scott Linebrink</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Rafael Soriano</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Scot Shields</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Brad Lidge</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Derrick Turnbow</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Cla Meredith</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Justin Duchscherer</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Jon Rauch</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Hideki Okajima</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Joakim Soria</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Bob Howry</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Fernando Cabrera</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Taylor Tankersley</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Mike Gonzalez</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Pat Neshek</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Aaron Heilman</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Casey Janssen</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Tony Pe?a</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Kerry Wood</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Jeremy Accardo</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Juan Rincon</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Mike MacDougal</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>Chad Billingsley</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Rising: Jonathan Papelbon (5 to 3), Takashi Saito (15 to 11), Ryan Dempster (25 to 15), Jason Isringhausen (22 to 17), Armando Benitez (26 to 20), Al Reyes (30 to 21), Dan Wheeler (31 to 25), Henry Owens (104 to 31), Jason Frasor (81 to 33), Matt Capps (44 to 34), Rafael Betancourt (47 to 35), Derrick Turnbow (63 to 42), Hideki Okajima (76 to 46), Joakim Soria (Unranked to 47), Fernando Cabrera (58 to 49), Casey Janssen (177 SP to 54), Jeremy Accardo (159 to 57)

Falling: Mariano Rivera (3 to 6), Chad Cordero (10 to 13), Brett Myers (13 SP to 22), B.J. Ryan (6 to 23), Salomon Torres (23 to 27), Tom Gordon (14 to 29), Octavio Dotel (17 to 32), Brad Lidge (18 to 41), Kerry Wood (36 to 56), Chad Billingsley (76 SP to 60)

Notes
- Rivera isn't done, but he is off and it may take a couple of more weeks before he's back in form as one of the game's most dominant relievers. Go ahead and put together an offer for him if you need a closer. The Yankees are going to come through for him and generate about 35 save chances over the rest of the year.

- I'm ranking Myers over Gordon, as it seems like only a matter of time before the Phillies make the switch. There's probably no chance of Myers moving back to the rotation in the short-term unless Charlie Manuel is fired, something that is unlikely to happen anytime soon given the Phillies' recent play. Gordon remains a better pitcher than half of the closers in the NL, but the Phillies aren't paying Myers to function as a setup man.

- Borowski has nine saves, but it's not because he's pitching well at all. Betancourt should be next in line for saves in Cleveland, with Fernando Cabrera a possibility come July or August. While Cabrera has looked like the Indians' best reliever so far, it's hard to imagine that the team will be quick to go to him after what happened when fellow youngster Fausto Carmona replaced Bob Wickman last season. It's Betancourt who should take over if Borowski blows another couple of save chances within the next two weeks.
- I didn't think Torres would be this bad -- he's been scored on in seven of 10 appearances, including the last three -- but I have believed all along that the Pirates would be better off with Capps closing and Torres occupying the setup role he thrived in previously. A switch could come this month.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

We've Got Legs

The Angels prepared for Chone Figgins' return from the disabled list by optioning [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] back to Triple-A Sunday night. One of the elite hitting prospects in all of baseball, Wood started twice at third base during his brief first stint in the majors, going 1-for-8 with four strikeouts. A shortstop prior to this season, Wood will continue playing third base at Triple-A and will likely be back up with the Angels?perhaps for good?at some point in the second half.

Coming back from two broken fingers, Figgins is scheduled to make his season debut Monday against the Royals. With Howie Kendrick potentially out for another month with a fractured finger of his own, Figgins is expected to take over starting duties at third base, with Maicer Izturis sliding across the diamond to second base. Figgins has become sort of a forgotten man thanks to missing the first month, but he remains one of the AL's elite fantasy players.

While fantasy teams across the nation await the return of Legs Figgins to single-handedly boost their sagging stolen-base totals, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* With Milton Bradley, Nick Swisher, and Bobby Kielty sidelined, things are so bad in the A's outfield that Shannon Stewart has played 20 innings in center field. As Twins fans who watched Stewart butcher left field can tell you, that's 20 innings too many. Rather than continue running Stewart out there to misplay fly balls, general manager Billy Beane called up his counterpart in Atlanta, John Schuerholz, and acquired Ryan Langerhans for a Player to be Named Later.

Langerhans was off to a brutal 3-for-44 start, but it's curious that the Braves were so quick to ditch a player who was pretty solid for them in both 2005 and 2006. Langerhans is never going to be a great player, but he's an outstanding defender capable of playing all three outfield spots and came into this season with a career .254/.347/.399 hitting line in 758 plate appearances. He's essentially a perfect fourth outfielder, although until the A's get healthy he'll be a starter.

With Langerhans gone from the Braves' outfield, Matt Diaz should get a chance to play nearly every day in left field. Diaz is off to a slow start himself with a .259/.268/.389 hitting line in 56 trips to the plate, but batted .327 with an .839 OPS in 322 plate appearances for the Braves last season. Diaz is now a must-grab in NL-only leagues and could work his way into marginal mixed-league value if he begins to heat up with the added playing time.

* The long national (fantasy) nightmare may finally be over, because it looks like Felix Hernandez will be back this week. According to the Seattle Times, Hernandez is currently "penciled in" to return from the disabled list Friday with a start against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. However, it's still possible that the Mariners could decide to give Cha Seung Baek that start instead, with Hernandez being pushed back to Saturday.

The second scenario would give King Felix an extra day of rest, which is always a good idea in a situation like this. Beyond that, it would also mean that Jeff Weaver and his ghastly 18.26 ERA would be yanked from the rotation, which is an even better idea. Manager Mike Hargrove seemed unsure about what he plans to do with Weaver following his latest disastrous outing, but a trip to the bullpen seems more likely than an outright release given his $8 million contract.

* The Lincecum Watch: Tim Lincecum tossed six shutout innings Sunday, striking out 14 completely overmatched Triple-A hitters. Daily Dose's favorite pitching prospect is now 4-0 with a ridiculous 0.29 ERA, 46-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and .119 opponent's batting average in 31 innings spread over five starts. As Giants manager Bruce Bochy said after hearing of Lincecum's latest masterpiece, "We know how well he's throwing, but our pitching has been fine."

AL Quick Hits: After hitting just .229 in April, Johnny Damon is scheduled to see a doctor regarding his back problems ? Despite nearly shutting out the Orioles Sunday, Fausto Carmona is likely headed back to Triple-A once Cliff Lee (abdomen) returns later this week ? Rocco Baldelli (knee) returned to the lineup Sunday earlier than expected and homered ? Shoulder soreness kept Rich Harden from throwing this weekend, making another trip to the doctor more likely than a return to the mound this week ? In their ongoing effort to treat him like dirt, the White Sox demoted [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1893"]Brian Anderson[/URL] to Triple-A after giving him 17 at-bats in a month ? Minnesota's struggling offense is expected to get both Luis Castillo (quadriceps) and Jeff Cirillo (knee) back Tuesday, with Alexi Casilla likely headed down to Triple-A ? After throwing from flat ground over the weekend, Octavio Dotel (oblique) is hoping to pitch from a mound later this week ? Travis Hafner started at first base Sunday for the first time this season.

NL Quick Hits: After throwing off flat ground Saturday, Ben Sheets (groin) is on track to make his scheduled start Tuesday ? Making his second start since coming off the disabled list, Randy Johnson allowed two earned runs over six innings while striking out five batters against the Giants ? Troy Tulowitzki isn't hitting much yet, but he turned the 13th unassisted triple play in baseball history Sunday ? Already limited by a hamstring injury, Conor Jackson also has a laceration on his hand that could keep Tony Clark in the lineup for a couple more days ? Miguel Cabrera busted up Jamie Moyer's no-hit bid with two outs in the seventh inning Sunday, but Moyer improved to 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA thanks to 7.1 scoreless frames ? After going 0-for-4 at Double-A Sunday, Juan Encarnacion (wrist) has started 2-for-21 in his minor-league rehab assignment ? Ken Griffey Jr. (pleurisy) is expected back in the lineup Tuesday ? Mike Cameron went 0-for-7 in Sunday's 17-inning game, with my Rotoworld colleague Matthew Pouliot amusingly labeling Cameron's performance a "platinum fedora."
Note: If you enjoy reading the Daily Dose and would like it delivered directly to your e-mailbox each afternoon, you can sign up for delivery by filling out the short form that's located on the right-hand sidebar of this page.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

May Third Basemen Rankings

The May player rankings are presented this week. Players are ranked based on how much I believe they'll be worth in 5x5 leagues over the rest of the year. Included along with the position rankings is an updated top 250 list.

Click the links below to see the other positional and overall rankings for May.

Outfielders
Third Basemen
Shortstops
Second Basemen
First Basemen & DH
Catchers
Starting Pitchers
Relief Pitchers
Top 250 Overall

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Team</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Alex Rodriguez</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Miguel Cabrera</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>David Wright</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Aramis Ramirez</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Garrett Atkins</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Eric Chavez</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Chipper Jones</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Ryan Zimmerman</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Hank Blalock</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Scott Rolen</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Chone Figgins</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Adrian Beltre</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Edwin Encarnacion</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Troy Glaus</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Mark Teahen</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3586"]Chad Tracy[/URL]</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Aubrey Huff</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Melvin Mora</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Joe Crede</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Mike Lowell</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Alex Gordon</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Morgan Ensberg</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Shea Hillenbrand</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Brandon Inge</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Pedro Feliz</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Akinori Iwamura</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Wilson Betemit</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Wes Helms</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4768"]Ryan Braun[/URL]</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Andy Marte</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3803"]Jose Bautista[/URL]</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Kevin Kouzmanoff</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Maicer Izturis</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Russell Branyan</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Mike Lamb</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Andy LaRoche</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Scott Spiezio</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Josh Fields</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Aaron Boone</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Jeff Cirillo</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Rising: Aramis Ramirez (5 to 4), Chipper Jones (10 to 7), Chone Figgins (17 to 11), Mike Lowell (23 to 20), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4768"]Ryan Braun[/URL] (41 to 29), Russell Branyan (38 to 34), Andy LaRoche (43 to 36)

Falling: Scott Rolen (8 to 10), Edwin Encarnacion (11 to 13), Mark Teahen (12 to 15), Alex Gordon (19 to 21), Morgan Ensberg (21 to 22), Pedro Feliz (24 to 25), Wilson Betemit (25 to 27), Kevin Kouzmanoff (30 to 32)

- There was a big gap after the top five in the preseason and there still is now. The only member of the next tier to step up has been Chipper Jones, but Chipper was supposed to be this good during the four or five months in which he was healthy. His upwards movement is more about the other guys dropping than anything else.

- With as much downside as upside, Ensberg was definitely a better investment as a late-round choice in mixed leagues than he was in NL-only leagues this year. He's not off to a terrible start, but that his recent slump has coincided with a surge from Mark Loretta suggests that he's probably not going to have much value in the short-term.

- I think Iwamura's quick start was mostly a fluke, but he still would have moved up to 21st place if not for the oblique injury. As is, he remains right where I had him in the preseason.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

May Top 250 Overall Rankings
Sports Betting at Eye On Gambling - Discuss Online Sportsbooks; Handicapping; and Free Picks eog.com

The May player rankings are presented this week. Players are ranked based on how much I believe they'll be worth in 5x5 leagues over the rest of the year. Included along with the position rankings is an updated top 250 list.

Click the links below to see the other positional and overall rankings for May.

Outfielders
Third Basemen
Shortstops
Second Basemen
First Basemen & DH
Catchers
Starting Pitchers
Relief Pitchers
Top 250 Overall
<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Team</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Alex Rodriguez</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Jose Reyes</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Albert Pujols</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Johan Santana</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Carl Crawford</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Vladimir Guerrero</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Carlos Beltran</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Chase Utley</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Ryan Howard</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Miguel Cabrera</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Alfonso Soriano</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Jake Peavy</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Mark Teixeira</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>David Ortiz</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Grady Sizemore</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Derek Jeter</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Bobby Abreu</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Jimmy Rollins</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Roy Halladay</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Travis Hafner</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>David Wright</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Manny Ramirez</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Roy Oswalt</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Matt Holliday</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Derrek Lee</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Miguel Tejada</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Hanley Ramirez</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>Ichiro Suzuki</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Carlos Zambrano</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Lance Berkman</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Carlos Lee</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Joe Mauer</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Brandon Webb</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Vernon Wells</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Francisco Rodriguez</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Jason Bay</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Joe Nathan</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Justin Morneau</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>John Smoltz</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Jonathan Papelbon</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Aramis Ramirez</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Victor Martinez</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Billy Wagner</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Michael Young</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Daisuke Matsuzaka</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Adam Dunn</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Juan Pierre</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Huston Street</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Jermaine Dye</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Garrett Atkins</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Rafael Furcal</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Andruw Jones</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>C.C. Sabathia</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Paul Konerko</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>Ben Sheets</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>Matt Cain</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Johnny Damon</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Mariano Rivera</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>Jeff Francoeur</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>Brian Roberts</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>61</TD><TD>Felix Hernandez</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>62</TD><TD>Josh Beckett</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>63</TD><TD>Gary Sheffield</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>64</TD><TD>Curt Schilling</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>65</TD><TD>Carlos Delgado</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>66</TD><TD>Alex Rios</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>67</TD><TD>Tim Hudson</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>68</TD><TD>Nick Swisher</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>69</TD><TD>Todd Helton</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>70</TD><TD>Chris Carpenter</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>71</TD><TD>Francisco Cordero</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>72</TD><TD>Hideki Matsui</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>73</TD><TD>Mike Piazza</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>74</TD><TD>Bill Hall</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>75</TD><TD>John Lackey</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>76</TD><TD>Brian McCann</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>77</TD><TD>Jim Thome</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>78</TD><TD>Jeff Kent</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>79</TD><TD>J.J. Putz</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>80</TD><TD>Jeremy Bonderman</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>81</TD><TD>Prince Fielder</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>82</TD><TD>Robinson Cano</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>83</TD><TD>Michael Cuddyer</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>84</TD><TD>Dan Haren</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>85</TD><TD>Bobby Jenks</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>86</TD><TD>Jason Giambi</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>87</TD><TD>Eric Byrnes</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>88</TD><TD>Bronson Arroyo</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>89</TD><TD>Barry Bonds</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>90</TD><TD>Rickie Weeks</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>91</TD><TD>Erik Bedard</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>92</TD><TD>Trevor Hoffman</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>93</TD><TD>Torii Hunter</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>94</TD><TD>Adrian Gonzalez</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>95</TD><TD>Eric Chavez</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>96</TD><TD>Cole Hamels</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>97</TD><TD>Takashi Saito</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>98</TD><TD>Nick Markakis</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>99</TD><TD>Chipper Jones</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>100</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL]</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>101</TD><TD>Julio Lugo</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>102</TD><TD>J.D. Drew</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>103</TD><TD>Chris Ray</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>104</TD><TD>Magglio Ordo?ez</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>105</TD><TD>Ryan Zimmerman</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>106</TD><TD>Brandon Phillips</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>107</TD><TD>Barry Zito</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>108</TD><TD>Rocco Baldelli</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>109</TD><TD>Richie Sexson</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>110</TD><TD>Chad Cordero</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>111</TD><TD>Ian Kinsler</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>112</TD><TD>Hank Blalock</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>113</TD><TD>Felipe Lopez</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>114</TD><TD>Rich Hill</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>115</TD><TD>Lyle Overbay</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>116</TD><TD>Scott Rolen</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>117</TD><TD>Jered Weaver</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>118</TD><TD>Carlos Guillen</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>119</TD><TD>Dan Uggla</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>120</TD><TD>Ivan Rodriguez</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>121</TD><TD>Edgar Renteria</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>122</TD><TD>A.J. Burnett</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>123</TD><TD>Delmon Young</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>124</TD><TD>Brian Fuentes</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>125</TD><TD>Chone Figgins</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>126</TD><TD>Bartolo Colon</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>127</TD><TD>Justin Verlander</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>128</TD><TD>Adrian Beltre</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>129</TD><TD>Ryan Dempster</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>130</TD><TD>Chris Duffy</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>131</TD><TD>Jorge Posada</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>132</TD><TD>Mike Mussina</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>133</TD><TD>Scott Kazmir</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>134</TD><TD>Edwin Encarnacion</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>135</TD><TD>Curtis Granderson</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>136</TD><TD>Dontrelle Willis</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>137</TD><TD>Bob Wickman</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>138</TD><TD>Troy Glaus</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>139</TD><TD>Orlando Hudson</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>140</TD><TD>Rich Harden</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>141</TD><TD>Russell Martin</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>142</TD><TD>Corey Patterson</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>143</TD><TD>Jason Isringhausen</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>144</TD><TD>Orlando Cabrera</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>145</TD><TD>Frank Thomas</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>146</TD><TD>Marcus Giles</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>147</TD><TD>Todd Jones</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>148</TD><TD>Raul Ibanez</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>149</TD><TD>Howie Kendrick</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>150</TD><TD>Ian Snell</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>151</TD><TD>Jose Valverde</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>152</TD><TD>Randy Johnson</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>153</TD><TD>Pat Burrell</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>154</TD><TD>B.J. Upton</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>155</TD><TD>Adam LaRoche</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>156</TD><TD>Aaron Harang</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>157</TD><TD>Armando Benitez</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>158</TD><TD>Willy Taveras</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>159</TD><TD>Ramon Hernandez</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>160</TD><TD>John Maine</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>161</TD><TD>Brad Penny</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>162</TD><TD>Mark Teahen</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>163</TD><TD>Shane Victorino</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>164</TD><TD>Al Reyes</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>165</TD><TD>Moises Alou</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>166</TD><TD>Ted Lilly</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>167</TD><TD>Brett Myers</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>168</TD><TD>Nomar Garciaparra</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>169</TD><TD>Gary Matthews Jr.</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>170</TD><TD>Roger Clemens</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>171</TD><TD>Derek Lowe</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>172</TD><TD>Kelly Johnson</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>173</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3586"]Chad Tracy[/URL]</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>174</TD><TD>B.J. Ryan</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>175</TD><TD>Michael Barrett</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>176</TD><TD>Josh Willingham</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>177</TD><TD>Aubrey Huff</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>178</TD><TD>Tadahito Iguchi</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>179</TD><TD>Brian Giles</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>180</TD><TD>Jose Contreras</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>181</TD><TD>Joe Borowski</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>182</TD><TD>Brad Hawpe</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>183</TD><TD>Melvin Mora</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>184</TD><TD>Stephen Drew</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>185</TD><TD>Greg Maddux</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>186</TD><TD>Dan Wheeler</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>187</TD><TD>Jacque Jones</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>188</TD><TD>Kelvim Escobar</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>189</TD><TD>David Weathers</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>190</TD><TD>Coco Crisp</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>191</TD><TD>Kenji Johjima</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>192</TD><TD>Freddy Sanchez</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>193</TD><TD>Andy Pettitte</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>194</TD><TD>Salomon Torres</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>195</TD><TD>Ryan Freel</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>196</TD><TD>Chuck James</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>197</TD><TD>Jason Schmidt</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>198</TD><TD>Josh Barfield</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>199</TD><TD>A.J. Pierzynski</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>200</TD><TD>Chien-Ming Wang</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>201</TD><TD>Akinori Otsuka</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>202</TD><TD>Kenny Lofton</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>203</TD><TD>Kevin Youkilis</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>204</TD><TD>Daniel Cabrera</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>205</TD><TD>Tom Gordon</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>206</TD><TD>Javier Vazquez</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>207</TD><TD>Aaron Rowand</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>208</TD><TD>Ty Wigginton</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>209</TD><TD>Chris Duncan</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>210</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2739"]Freddy Garcia[/URL]</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>211</TD><TD>Eric Gagne</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>212</TD><TD>Austin Kearns</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>213</TD><TD>Dave Roberts</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>214</TD><TD>Conor Jackson</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>215</TD><TD>Kevin Millwood</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>216</TD><TD>Joe Crede</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>217</TD><TD>Tom Glavine</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>218</TD><TD>Henry Owens</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>219</TD><TD>Mike Cameron</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>220</TD><TD>Mark Buehrle</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>221</TD><TD>Gerald Laird</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>222</TD><TD>Ray Durham</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>223</TD><TD>Jim Edmonds</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>224</TD><TD>Octavio Dotel</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>225</TD><TD>Mike Lowell</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>226</TD><TD>Anthony Reyes</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>227</TD><TD>Aaron Hill</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>228</TD><TD>J.J. Hardy</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>229</TD><TD>Jason Frasor</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>230</TD><TD>Scott Olsen</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>231</TD><TD>Craig Monroe</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>232</TD><TD>Jhonny Peralta</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>233</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL]</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>234</TD><TD>Alex Gordon</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>235</TD><TD>Jason Varitek</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>236</TD><TD>Matt Capps</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>237</TD><TD>Khalil Greene</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>238</TD><TD>Adam Wainwright</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>239</TD><TD>Ervin Santana</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>240</TD><TD>Paul Lo Duca</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>241</TD><TD>Chris Capuano</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>242</TD><TD>Rafael Betancourt</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>243</TD><TD>Ken Griffey Jr.</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>244</TD><TD>Cliff Lee</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>245</TD><TD>Jose Vidro</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>246</TD><TD>David DeJesus</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>247</TD><TD>Jeremy Sowers</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>248</TD><TD>Geoff Jenkins</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>249</TD><TD>Mike Jacobs</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>250</TD><TD>Randy Wolf</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

April Fantasy MVPs
With the calendar flipping from April to May, let's hand out the Fantasy MVP Awards for the season's first month. The choice for AL Fantasy MVP is an easy one thanks to Alex Rodriguez's insanely good numbers, with one of his least-impressive stats being a .355 batting average. Along with that, Rodriguez smacked 14 homers to tie Albert Pujols' all-time record for April and drove in 34 runs to come one RBI short of matching Juan Gonzalez's all-time mark for the month.

ARod led the league in homers, RBIs, runs scored, slugging percentage, OPS, total bases, and extra-base hits, and through 14 percent of the season is on pace to hit .355 with 100 homers, 240 RBIs, 190 runs scored, 15 steals, 235 hits, and 50 doubles. Amazingly, he was intentionally walked just once and the Yankees are in fifth place at 9-14, which if the season ended now would surely be used as an excuse for many baseball writers not to give him their actual MVP vote.

Several huge months from shortstops make the decision for NL Fantasy MVP much tougher, but the best of the bunch is Jose Reyes. He batted .356 and drove in 18 runs with a 1.038 OPS out of the leadoff spot, pacing the league in runs scored (26) and steals (17). After a breakout 2006 season, Reyes is on pace to hit .356 with 175 runs scored and 115 steals while collecting 250 hits (including 100 of them for extra bases), 100 walks, and 120 RBIs. Not bad for a 24-year-old.

While April's Fantasy MVPs provide an interesting twist to the "who's the best shortstop in New York?" debate, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* The Mets finished April at 15-9, but couldn't escape the month without being hit hard by injuries. Orlando Hernandez was scratched from his start Monday and placed on the disabled list with what the team is calling shoulder tightness. Chan Ho Park was called up from Triple-A to replace El Duque against the Marlins and, after retiring the first eight batters he faced, gave up seven runs while recording just four more outs. The Mets are hoping Hernandez can return on May 11.

Meanwhile, Jose Valentin joined Hernandez on the DL with a slightly torn right ACL and is expected to miss 2-4 weeks. Former Royals prospect Ruben Gotay was called up from Triple-A to replace Valentin on the roster and will likely split playing time at second base with Damion Easley. Easley should get most of the at-bats against left-handed pitching and some of the starts against right-handers, with Gotay potentially working his way into more action with a good start.

Last but not least, Moises Alou is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his sore right shoulder after crashing into the left-field wall Monday night. If Alou also heads to the DL, Endy Chavez will see the bulk of the at-bats in left field and would receive a substantial value boost in NL-only leagues. Lastings Milledge would normally be first in line to replace Alou on the roster if needed, but is currently sidelined at Triple-A with an injury of his own.

* It took three bad outings in a row?including two blown saves?for the Braves to realize he needed it, but Bob Wickman was placed on the disabled list Monday with a strained back. After acquiring two dominant setup men this winter, manager Bobby Cox can now pick between left-hander Mike Gonzalez and right-hander Rafael Soriano as Wickman's ninth-inning replacement. However, Cox declined to officially name a replacement when asked Monday.

Gonzalez likely has the edge based on his previous closing experience with the Pirates?he saved 24 games with a 2.19 ERA last season, while Soriano has just five career saves?although Cox may choose to mix and match them based on lefty-righty matchups. Both Gonzalez and Soriano already had plenty of value in NL-only leagues, and Wickman's injury means that they are now potentially worthwhile pickups in mixed-league situations as well.

AL Quick Hits: Activated from the disabled list Monday, Chone Figgins (fingers) started at third base and batted ninth ? Frank Catalanotto (shoulder) is scheduled to undergo an MRI Tuesday and could be headed to the DL ? Roy Halladay tossed his second complete game of the season Monday, five-hitting the Rangers while improving to 4-0 for the first time in his career ? Scheduled to meet with Dr. Lewis Yocum later this week, surgery may be on tap for Jaret Wright (shoulder) ? Gustavo Chacin (elbow) was placed on the DL Monday, with Dustin McGowan replacing him in the rotation ? With Mike Napoli's batting average down to .192, the clock might be ticking on another Jeff Mathis call-up ? Already losing at-bats to Ross Gload, Ryan Shealy left Monday's game with hamstring tightness ? Despite sporting a 9.90 ERA after getting knocked around Sunday, Brandon McCarthy will remain in the Rangers' rotation ? Vernon Wells was scratched from Monday's game due to flu-like symptoms.

NL Quick Hits: Chris Carpenter (elbow) is set to throw a simulated game Tuesday and is on track to return next week ? As expected, Ben Sheets (groin) will make his scheduled start Tuesday against the Cardinals ? A bruised finger kept Rickie Weeks out of the lineup Monday for the second straight day ? Following a series of rough outings, Salomon Torres finished April with a scoreless ninth inning Monday to nail down his eighth save in 11 chances ? Brandon Webb improved to 2-1 with seven innings of one-run ball Monday against the Dodgers, with the Diamondbacks improving to 5-1 in his starts ? Taking a liking to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, Troy Tulowitzki went 4-for-4 with a walk Monday ? Marcus Giles was held out of the lineup Monday after bruised ribs knocked him out of Sunday's game ? Conor Jackson (hand) is expected to sit out until at least Wednesday ? Despite struggling for most of the month, Daily Dose favorite [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] finished April with a two-homer game and is on pace for 24 homers and 18 steals.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

May Outfielder Rankings

The May player rankings are presented this week. Players are ranked based on how much I believe they'll be worth in 5x5 leagues over the rest of the year. Included along with the position rankings is an updated top 250 list.

Click the links below to see the other positional and overall rankings for May.

Outfielders
Third Basemen
Shortstops
Second Basemen
First Basemen & DH
Catchers
Starting Pitchers
Relief Pitchers
Top 250 Overall

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=TableTopRed><TD>Rank</TD><TD>Player Name</TD><TD>Team</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>1</TD><TD>Carl Crawford</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>2</TD><TD>Vladimir Guerrero</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>3</TD><TD>Carlos Beltran</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>4</TD><TD>Alfonso Soriano</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>5</TD><TD>Grady Sizemore</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>6</TD><TD>Bobby Abreu</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>7</TD><TD>Manny Ramirez</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>8</TD><TD>Matt Holliday</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>9</TD><TD>Ichiro Suzuki</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>10</TD><TD>Carlos Lee</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>11</TD><TD>Vernon Wells</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>12</TD><TD>Jason Bay</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>13</TD><TD>Adam Dunn</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>14</TD><TD>Juan Pierre</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>15</TD><TD>Jermaine Dye</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>16</TD><TD>Andruw Jones</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>17</TD><TD>Johnny Damon</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>18</TD><TD>Jeff Francoeur</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>19</TD><TD>Gary Sheffield</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>20</TD><TD>Alex Rios</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>21</TD><TD>Nick Swisher</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>22</TD><TD>Hideki Matsui</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>23</TD><TD>Michael Cuddyer</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>24</TD><TD>Eric Byrnes</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>25</TD><TD>Barry Bonds</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>26</TD><TD>Torii Hunter</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>27</TD><TD>Nick Markakis</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>28</TD><TD>J.D. Drew</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>29</TD><TD>Magglio Ordo?ez</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>30</TD><TD>Rocco Baldelli</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>31</TD><TD>Chris Duffy</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>32</TD><TD>Delmon Young</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>33</TD><TD>Curtis Granderson</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>34</TD><TD>Corey Patterson</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>35</TD><TD>Raul Ibanez</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>36</TD><TD>Pat Burrell</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>37</TD><TD>Willy Taveras</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>38</TD><TD>Shane Victorino</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>39</TD><TD>Moises Alou</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>40</TD><TD>Gary Matthews Jr.</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>41</TD><TD>Josh Willingham</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>42</TD><TD>Brian Giles</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>43</TD><TD>Brad Hawpe</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>44</TD><TD>Jacque Jones</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>45</TD><TD>Coco Crisp</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>46</TD><TD>Ryan Freel</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>47</TD><TD>Kenny Lofton</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>48</TD><TD>Aaron Rowand</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>49</TD><TD>Chris Duncan</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>50</TD><TD>Austin Kearns</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>51</TD><TD>Dave Roberts</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>52</TD><TD>Mike Cameron</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>53</TD><TD>Jim Edmonds</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>54</TD><TD>Craig Monroe</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>55</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL]</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>56</TD><TD>David DeJesus</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>57</TD><TD>Geoff Jenkins</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>58</TD><TD>Carlos Quentin</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>59</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3797"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4378"]Luis Gonzalez[/URL][/URL]</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>60</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=2353"]Jose Guillen[/URL]</TD><TD>SEA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>61</TD><TD>Garret Anderson</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>62</TD><TD>Corey Hart</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>63</TD><TD>Milton Bradley</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>64</TD><TD>Xavier Nady</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>65</TD><TD>Shawn Green</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>66</TD><TD>Luke Scott</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>67</TD><TD>Josh Hamilton</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>68</TD><TD>Sammy Sosa</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>69</TD><TD>Ken Griffey Jr.</TD><TD>CIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>70</TD><TD>Brad Wilkerson</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>71</TD><TD>Andre Ethier</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>72</TD><TD>Scott Podsednik</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>73</TD><TD>Hunter Pence</TD><TD>HOU</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>74</TD><TD>Juan Encarnacion</TD><TD>STL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>75</TD><TD>Jay Gibbons</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>76</TD><TD>Jeremy Hermida</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>77</TD><TD>Casey Blake</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>78</TD><TD>Randy Winn</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>79</TD><TD>Ryan Church</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>80</TD><TD>Kevin Mench</TD><TD>MLW</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>81</TD><TD>David Dellucci</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>82</TD><TD>[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1390"]Nelson Cruz[/URL]</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>83</TD><TD>Frank Catalanotto</TD><TD>TEX</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>84</TD><TD>Jason Kubel</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>85</TD><TD>Travis Buck</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>86</TD><TD>Elijah Dukes</TD><TD>TB</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>87</TD><TD>Wily Mo Pe?a</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>88</TD><TD>Darin Erstad</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>89</TD><TD>Trot Nixon</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>90</TD><TD>Mark Kotsay</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>91</TD><TD>Felix Pie</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>92</TD><TD>Cliff Floyd</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>93</TD><TD>Reed Johnson</TD><TD>TOR</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>94</TD><TD>Jay Payton</TD><TD>BAL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>95</TD><TD>Jose Cruz Jr.</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>96</TD><TD>Shannon Stewart</TD><TD>OAK</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>97</TD><TD>Juan Rivera</TD><TD>ANA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>98</TD><TD>Terrmel Sledge</TD><TD>SD</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>99</TD><TD>Emil Brown</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>100</TD><TD>Marcus Thames</TD><TD>DET</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>101</TD><TD>Melky Cabrera</TD><TD>NYY</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>102</TD><TD>Endy Chavez</TD><TD>NYM</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>103</TD><TD>Matt Murton</TD><TD>CHC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>104</TD><TD>Reggie Sanders</TD><TD>KC</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>105</TD><TD>Matt Diaz</TD><TD>ATL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>106</TD><TD>Rondell White</TD><TD>MIN</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>107</TD><TD>Nook Logan</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>108</TD><TD>Jayson Werth</TD><TD>PHI</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>109</TD><TD>Alejandro De Aza</TD><TD>FLA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>110</TD><TD>Chris Snelling</TD><TD>WAS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>111</TD><TD>Brian N. Anderson</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>112</TD><TD>Ryan Klesko</TD><TD>SF</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>113</TD><TD>Shin-Soo Choo</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>114</TD><TD>Jeff Baker</TD><TD>COL</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>115</TD><TD>Eric Hinske</TD><TD>BOS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>116</TD><TD>Nate McLouth</TD><TD>PIT</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>117</TD><TD>Matt Kemp</TD><TD>LA</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>118</TD><TD>Jason Michaels</TD><TD>CLE</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW2><TD>119</TD><TD>Rob Mackowiak</TD><TD>CWS</TD></TR><TR class=TABLEALTROW1><TD>120</TD><TD>Scott Hairston</TD><TD>ARZ</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Rising: Grady Sizemore (7 to 5), Jeff Francoeur (21 to 18), Nick Swisher (32 to 21), Barry Bonds (30 to 25), Curtis Granderson (38 to 33), Shane Victorino (49 to 38), Gary Matthews Jr. (48 to 40), Aaron Rowand (62 to 48), Chris Duncan (64 to 49), David DeJesus (66 to 56), Geoff Jenkins (71 to 57), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3797"][URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=4378"]Luis Gonzalez[/URL][/URL] (75 to 59), Shawn Green (82 to 65), Josh Hamilton (119 to 67), Sammy Sosa (83 to 68), Hunter Pence (103 to 73), Kevin Mench (91 to 80), Travis Buck (114 to 85), Darin Erstad (107 to 88), Felix Pie (161 to 91), Jose Cruz Jr. (135 to 95)

Falling: Alfonso Soriano (2 to 4), Johnny Damon (14 to 17), Rocco Baldelli (22 to 30), Willy Taveras (26 to 37), Brian Giles (37 to 42), Coco Crisp (36 to 45), [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] (46 to 55), Corey Hart (45 to 62), Brad Wilkerson (57 to 70), Scott Podsednik (39 to 72), Jay Gibbons (63 to 75), Randy Winn (59 to 78), Reed Johnson (69 to 93), Emil Brown (85 to 99), Endy Chavez (86 to 102)

- Manny Ramirez isn't striking out anymore than usual, and while he has hit a disturbing number of routine grounders, his usual power seems be there when he gets the ball in the air. I don't think it's going to be long before he puts this slump in the past. He's had 30 homers and 100 RBI in nine straight years, and barring a lengthy DL stint, he should make it to 10.

- Magglio Ordonez can be viewed as a sell-high candidate with back-to-back strong weeks inflating his numbers. He'll probably hit right around .300 with 25 homers, like he did last year, but I don't think the Detroit lineup is strong enough to support the outstanding run and RBI totals he's currently amassing.

- I still don't see Josh Hamilton hitting for average, but it looks like he will get to 20-25 homers and maybe 10-12 steals. Just don't stick with him in mixed leagues if his current minislump lingers into mid-May.

- Pence's promotion came early enough for him to reach 15-18 homers, 65 RBI and a dozen steals as a rookie. Mixed leaguers need to keep a close eye on him.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Prospects: Pence and Harrison
The Devil Rays have been a laughing stock ever since entering the league back in 1998. The club generated some buzz and drew a few fans thanks to being an expansion team and adding some high-profile acquisitions, such as Greg Vaughn, Fred McGriff, Jose Canseco, and Vinny Castilla. However, even counting their glory days, the club has never topped 70 wins in nine seasons of play and has been last in the league in attendance for six years running. Throw in a boring ballpark and the daunting task of having to overtake the Yankees and Red Sox, and its easy to see why Tampa Bay is nothing but an afterthought.

Fortunately for their few remaining fans, hope is on the way. The Devil Rays have one of the best collections of young players both in the majors and minors. The knowledgeable fan recognizes the names on their big league squad, but there's also still plenty of help on the way in the form of lesser-known minor leaguers. The Devil Rays have an astonishing 10 prospects in our weekly updated Premium Top 100 listing, by far the most of any team. And with the majority of those prospects already in Double-A or above, this is going to be a very exciting and dangerous club in short order.

Starting pitching, which has often been cited as the biggest reason for their failings, could actually turn into one of their strengths. With Scott Kazmir and James Shields already in the majors and prospects ranging from Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis to Jacob McGee and one of this week's profiles, Andrew Sonnanstine, in the pipeline, the team is well-positioned to make some noise. A miniscule payroll is always going to be an issue for the club, but winning should bring in additional revenues and help augment, or at least retain, their strong base of developed players. Given all of the above, you'll want to use those Devil Ray jokes while you still can.


Callups


Kory Casto ? OF Nationals ? Already having bounced between the minors and majors once this year, Casto is up with the Nationals for a second time. In his first go-round, Casto batted a measly .172 with no extra-base hits in 29 at-bats. He was sent back to the minors with the club preferring to give Chris Snelling a chance. However, with Snelling now struggling himself, Casto is going to get another chance after batting .324 with four homers in ten games for Triple-A Columbus.

With a disciplined approach at the plate and average power, Casto has the ability to perform like a regular and thus have value in NL-only leagues. He'll get a handful of starts until Nook Logan returns in a week or two. Perhaps a strong performance will convince the club to make room for Casto once Logan returns, but he's likely headed back to the minors for a while. With a relatively poor and injury-prone outfield in front of him, it'd be surprising if Casto weren't able to amass 250 at-bats before the season is over even if he's sent down in a few weeks. Recommendation: Claim in deep NL-only leagues for the short-term, monitor for the long-term.

Hunter Pence ? OF Astros ? The prize callup of the week, Pence should be on everyone's radar with his excellent performance this spring. A second round pick out of the University of Texas-Arlington in 2004, Pence has done nothing but hit since joining professional baseball. He entered the year with a .302/.376/.556 line to go with 29 steals and a 229/139 K/BB ratio in 308 career games, never posting an OPS lower than 864 at any level. There was some thought to giving Pence a job in the majors right out of spring training after he hit .571 with eight extra-base hits in 28 at-bats, but the club decided against it. He went to the minors and hit .341 with 14 extra-base hits in 22 games before the promotion.

With Chris Burke failing to do an adequate job at the plate, the Astros have promoted Pence and handed him the starting center field job. That the club was also impressed with his defense in center field this spring afforded Pence this opportunity, so how his bat translates will determine if he keeps the job or not. At 6'4" and 220 pounds, Pence has the physical maturity to be a force at the plate right away. There's also nothing in his statistical profile to suggest he'll have trouble adjusting to big league pitching, and that he's adept at going the other way as well as hitting left-handers increases the chances for early success. Those in mixed leagues will want to monitor him closely, but NL-only leaguers and those in keeper leagues should bid aggressively. Recommendation: Claim in keeper and NL-only formats, monitor in mixed leagues.

Ryan Sweeney ? OF White Sox ? A second round pick in the 2003 draft out of Xavier High School in Iowa, Sweeney is a rangy outfielder with a broad range of skills. The 22-year-old has yet to fully realize his power potential and needs some work running the bases, but he's already developed good control of the strike zone and his defense is good enough to play center field. The 6'4" left-hander figures to add on muscle as he continues to mature and he'll start turning hard-hit line drives into more extra-base hits as a result. He's a highly rated prospect in large part because he held his own at Triple-A as a 21-year-old last year, but there are enough skills here that Sweeney isn't your typical toolsy prospect with a lot of development to go.

Sweeney is up with the White Sox sending Jim Thome to the disabled list on Saturday. He'll miss at least two weeks with a strained rib-cage muscle. There was some thought to calling up Josh Fields as his replacement, but Sweeney got the call instead with Scott Podsednik also on the disabled list. While not ready to be an impact player in mixed leagues, Sweeney is ready to hit for a decent average with a few homers and steals mixed in. He's a fine investment in long-term mixed leagues, but only AL-only leaguers should consider Sweeney for the next year or two. Recommendation: Claim in AL-only leagues.

[URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=1351"]Brandon Wood[/URL] ? 3B Angels ? The Angels were short bodies this past week and gave Wood a brief taste of the majors until Chone Figgins returned on Monday. It was somewhat of a bizarre move to bring Wood up for all of eight at-bats, but perhaps the club just wanted to give Wood some major league exposure before they're actually counting on him to produce. Unfortunately, Wood was demoted on Sunday night and prevented those with Monday free agent bidding a chance to acquire him. However, there are still plenty of leagues out there where Wood can be claimed, so I'll take a look here.

Wood is widely considered one of the top handful of prospects in the minors, so most readers will have a pretty good grasp of his prowess. The 6'3" right-hander simply oozes power, as his 172 extra-base hits the previous two years attest to. Despite being listed at just 185 pounds, Wood is already a very strong hitter that doesn't need to get all of a pitch to hit it hard. Since he's been moved from shortstop to third base, it's likely that Wood will bulk up considerably. It will be rather scary to see what kind of power he's capable of when that happens, and it'd almost be a disappointment if he never recorded a 40-homer season in the majors.

While his power is clearly the best in the minors, Wood is no lock for early successes in the majors. He's still just 22-years-old and his aggressive swing leads to a lot of swing and misses. Indeed, the right-hander struck out 149 times in 118 games last year and was punched out 28 times in 20 games to start the 2007 campaign. Striking out that often would make it difficult for Wood to bat even .250 in the majors, no matter how hard he's hitting the ball.

It may take Wood a few years to adjust his approach at the plate, but the sky is the limit once that happens. He's also so talented that you won't want to let him find his groove on another team, so claiming Wood and hoping he fully develops earlier than expected is recommended. Should he get an opportunity later in the year, expect 25-homer power and a few steals to go with a poor batting average and relatively low RBI totals. Recommendation: Claim in all keeper leagues, stash away in one-year AL-only formats.


Prospect Profiles


Matt Harrison ? LHP Braves ? The Braves lived off developing young pitching and spotting value in established pitchers for well over a decade, but they haven't been as successful in either category over the last few seasons. Tim Hudson has looked excellent thus far in 2007, Chuck James is promising, and Kyle Davies might eventually turn into a No. 3 starter, but that's a far cry from the impossible standards set by the club's previous successes. The Braves, though, are hoping some of their current minor league arms develop quickly to fill the void, and they have one such candidate in Harrison.

A third round pick in 2003 out of a North Carolina high school, scouts liked his 6'4" build, clean delivery, and polish on the mound. Assigned to the Gulf Coast League Braves after signing, Harrison acquitted himself nicely with a 3.69 ERA and above average ratios. The Braves decided to play it slow with the youngster, and he made just 12 appearances for Danville of the Appalachian League in 2004. Since he performed admirably again, the club moved Harrison up to Single-A Rome in 2005 and the left-hander started to gain a little momentum as a prospect. That year, Harrison posted a 3.23 ERA and 118/30 K/BB ratio in 167 innings of work. It was troubling that he gave up 17 homers in the low minors, especially in a park that favored pitchers, but it was the only flaw in an otherwise fine performance.

Continuing to climb the ladder in 2006, Harrison started at High-A Myrtle Beach and continued to post fine results. His ERA, strikeout rate, and walk rate were all very similar from their 2005 levels, but Harrison had cut down on the homers and it was impressive that he was maintaining his production against better competition. The Braves finally challenged Harrison at mid-season, giving him a promotion to Double-A Mississippi. Given his status as a control artist, Double-A would prove to be a big test for Harrison's prospect status. And pass he did, posting an ERA (3.61) and K/BB ratio (54/17) that were right in line with his established level of performance.

Despite the consistent results, Harrison's upside is limited with a fastball that's often right around 90-91MPH. Harrison's real strengths lie in his command, plus changeup, and ability to keep hitters off balance. He'll generate more than his fair share of grounders and popups as a result, limiting the damage done when the opposition does make contact. It's also interesting to note that Harrison has dominated right-handers, holding them to an OPS 200 points lower than left-handers the last two seasons. It's his great changeup that allows for that kind of pronounced split, and it means there's no point in shifting Harrison to the bullpen any time soon. Further developing a solid curveball will help to neutralize left-handers. If the pitch ever develops into an above average offering, maybe he'll beat his current projection as a No. 3 starter.

Harrison is back at Mississippi to start the season, posting a 2.45 ERA and 19/10 K/BB ratio in 25 2/3 innings thus far. He should be ready for a promotion to Triple-A Richmond before long, and that the Braves lack pitching depth at Richmond means he's a good bet for a stint in the Braves' rotation during the second half. While not an elite fantasy prospect either due to his mediocre strikeout rate, Harrison is capable of contributing fine ratios and durability once he reaches the majors. Since he's already pretty polished, Harrison could experience some success right away.

Andrew Sonnanstine ? RHP Devil Rays ? As discussed above, Sonnanstine is one of the new breed of intriguing Devil Ray pitching prospects. Once a workhorse at Kent State, Sonnanstine wasn't much of a prospect coming out of college and wound up 13th round flier by Tampa in 2004. The 6'3" right-hander did all he could to impress after signing, striking out 66 and walking just 10 in 57 2/3 innings between the New York-Penn League and the South Atlantic League. Still, since he was just a random 13th rounder, Sonnanstine was given little attention after the strong debut.

Assigned to Single-A Southwest Michigan to begin the 2005 campaign, Sonnanstine continued showing his trademark command and surprising results. He posted a 2.55 ERA in 18 starts at the level, striking out 103 and walking only 11 in 116 2/3 innings. The club decided to challenge Sonnanstine, moving him up to High-A Visalia later in the season. There, the then 22-year-old posted even better peripherals with a 75/7 K/BB ratio in 64 innings, but he gave up more than a hit per inning and recorded a 3.80 ERA as a result. The lone negative in the campaign is that Sonnanstine gave up almost as many homers (15) as walks (18).

To say that Sonnanstine's success was greeted with skepticism is an understatement, and he was still viewed as only a marginal prospect by most. The home run rate was troubling and there was good reason to doubt that Sonnanstine's repertoire would translate well to Double-A and above. However, the right-hander did his best to prove the doubters wrong, recording a 2.67 ERA and 153/34 K/BB ratio in 185 2/3 innings for Double-A Montgomery. That he gave up 15 homers in a pitcher's park was concerning, but the opposition's hit rate had regressed and he still had his excellent command.

Sonnanstine's durability, consistency, and continued results at multiple levels mean it's time to start treating him as a significant prospect. It's quite possible he'll turn into a pumpkin once reaching the majors and big league hitters will have no problem teeing off on his high-80s fastball, but he's been too good not to get that chance. Sonnanstine has excellent command of his fastball as well as his two plus secondary offerings in a slider and changeup. He's also been working on developing a splitter to augment his already strong arsenal, and good command of a fourth pitch would increase the chances of him translating well to the big league level. Sonnanstine predictably fares better against right-handed hitters, but he's had no problems handling left-handers in the past either.

The Devil Rays' stacked Triple-A rotation means Sonnanstine may not get a chance in the majors this season even if he keeps up his current 2.70 ERA and 37/6 K/BB ratio. It remains possible that he will get that chance, however, so he's someone to monitor. Either way, he'll be a sleeper in AL-only leagues for 2008, and someone worth stashing away in keeper leagues. Since Sonnanstine is a flyball pitcher with a mediocre fastball and a history of mild gopheritis, he'll struggle to post an ERA much below 4.00 in the AL even if his command and strikeout rate translate well. Still, he's capable of posting average production across the board and that has plenty of value to the Devil Rays and in deeper leagues.

 

[Hache Man]

Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007

Injury Ends Hughes' No-Hit Bid
After struggling with command in his major-league debut last week, Phil Hughes was at his best Tuesday night against the Rangers. Working with a mid-90s fastball, excellent off-speed stuff, and far better control than that first outing, Hughes racked up six strikeouts while holding Texas hitless through 6.1 innings. With a possible seventh strikeout looming, Hughes experienced "a little bit of a pop" in his left hamstring after delivering an 0-2 pitch to Mark Teixeira.

Manager Joe Torre and the training staff quickly made their way out to the mound, where whatever pleas Hughes may have offered to remain in the game were dismissed and he was pulled eight outs from a no-hitter. Asked afterward about Hughes' status, Torre described the hamstring injury as "significant" and guessed that the 20-year-old right-hander would miss 4-6 weeks after being placed on the disabled list.

I'm typically not very worried about the psyches of Yankees fans, but it must have been gut-wrenching to go from rooting for a no-hitter from a stud prospect making his second career start to watching him limp off the field. Plus, just as a baseball fan who's seen Francisco Liriano go under the knife last season and Felix Hernandez head to the DL already this year, watching the latest Next Big Thing go down is a shame.

Fortunately for everyone involved, even a significant hamstring injury is a whole lot better than any kind of elbow or shoulder injury when it comes to a young pitcher. The Yankees' rotation remains an injury ravaged mess, but the team can probably stomach actually using Kei Igawa after paying $46 million to get their hands on him just months ago, Darrell Rasner is a phone call away at Triple-A, and Hughes should be back by July.

While I remain highly skeptical that a 10-14 record and a whole bunch of injuries on May 2 mean that the Yankees will be any less of a factor down the stretch and into October, here are some other notes from around baseball ?

* With Ryan Shealy heading to the disabled list and the team predictably struggling, Royals general manager Dayton Moore decided to call up 21-year-old Billy Butler from Triple-A. The decision to call him up now is a curious one on several levels, but Butler is a former first-round pick who was off to a great start at Omaha and is without question one of the premiere hitting prospects in all of baseball.

Butler's long-term home will likely be designated hitter, but with Mike Sweeney around he'll be playing left field for now. He started there and batted seventh in his debut Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Rather than burn through Butler's service time so soon, the Royals might be better off actually giving Reggie Sanders some at-bats to see if he can create some trade value. With that said, Butler is a must-grab in AL-only leagues and has a very bright future.

* Jon Lester is scheduled to make his final minor-league rehab start Wednesday at Triple-A, but manager Terry Francona indicated that the Red Sox plan to keep him in the rotation at Pawtucket once the rehab assignment is over. Barring a sudden changes of plans, Julian Tavarez figures to continue starting until Lester can build up more stamina. The good news is that with a 1.50 ERA and 21-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 18 rehab innings thus far, Lester is pitching very well.

* The ongoing saga of Rich Harden's shoulder continued Monday, with a second opinion from Dr. Lewis Yocum agreeing with the original diagnosis of irritation rather than structural damage. Harden has been advised to "rest," with the San Francisco Chronicle indicating that he's likely to be shut down for at least 10 days.

* Adam Loewen left Tuesday's start after five innings with what manager Sam Perlozzo called a "nagging ache in his forearm" that has apparently been bothering him off and on all season. Perlozzo didn't seem overly concerned and guessed that Loewen would make his next start, saying that he removed him from the game because "I didn't want to take any chances." However, if it's true that the 23-year-old has been pitching through ongoing forearm tightness for weeks, the chance may have already been taken.

AL Quick Hits: Rumblings about the health of his arm are no doubt starting up again after Jonathan Papelbon looked iffy while blowing his first save of the season Tuesday ? Carlos Guillen (shoulder) will take a few days off to rest a shoulder injury that may be worse than the Tigers initially let on ? An MRI on Frank Catalanotto's injured shoulder showed no tears, but he's been put on the disabled list anyway ? According to manager Mike Scioscia, Garret Anderson (hip) is likely out until at least this weekend ? Johnny Damon (back) didn't start Tuesday, but said that he's "feeling great" and will play Wednesday ? Manager Terry Francona insists that Dustin Pedroia and Alex Cora aren't platooning, but said Tuesday that Cora will play "often" ? Bartolo Colon struggled Tuesday for the first time since returning from the DL, but improved to 3-0 thanks to run support ? With Cliff Lee set to rejoin the rotation Thursday, the Indians demoted Fausto Carmona to Triple-A ? Hayden Penn is expected to miss three months following surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow ... Playing for the first time since April 19, Luis Castillo (quadriceps) returned with three hits.

NL Quick Hits: Trevor Hoffman bounced back from a couple rough outings by combining with [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=194"]Chris Young[/URL] on a three-hit shutout of the Nationals ? Brian McCann gave the Braves a scare Tuesday when he left with a finger injury, but he's day-to-day ? Brad Penny tossed six shutout innings against the Diamondbacks Tuesday, but got stuck with his third straight no-decision when the bullpen blew a lead ? Micah Owings (hamstring) is expected to come off the disabled list to start Thursday against the Mets, with Edgar Gonzalez moving to the bullpen despite decent work as a starter ? After nearly a week off, Ken Griffey Jr. (pleurisy) returned to the lineup Tuesday by going 3-for-3 with a homer ? [URL="http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=3586"]Chad Tracy[/URL] left Tuesday's game after straining his lat muscle while diving for a ball defensively ? After leaving his last start with a groin injury, Ben Sheets picked up his second win by holding the Cardinals to two runs over six innings Tuesday ? Moises Alou was back in the lineup Tuesday after undergoing MRIs on his shoulder and knee ? With two homers Tuesday, Chipper Jones leads the NL with 10 long balls, all of them coming in the past 19 games.