By this time of the year everyone is watching free agency trying to plug that injury hole, or that guy we thought was going to be a star that didn’t pan out.These are a few guys that could help your roster and keep you on track toward the title.
Hitters
Mike Aviles, KC.The Royals Minor League Player of the Year in 2007, Aviles has been just what the doctor ordered in Kansas City since his call up.In 18 games, Aviles is hitting .336 with three homers and 13 RBI.At AAA last season, Aviles hit .296 with 17 homers and 77 ribbies, which means this production isn’t necessarily a fluke.Given his age and the fact he plays a middle infield position, I see no reason not to take a flier on the young shortstop, he has the everyday job for now.
Elijah Dukes, WAS.In his last six games, Dukes has nine hits, two homers and three ribeyes.He is currently hitting .264, and although he looks like someone worth owning, you have to be aware of his off the field problems.Dukes is always just a day away from a possible suspension or act that could cause him to be looked upon unfavorably in the organization.Take into account the time just a couple of weeks ago where he refused to slap his manager five, after Manny Acta took exception to Dukes and Milledge dancing.It doesn’t appear to have cost him this time, but the potential is always there.
Adam Lind, TOR.When Blue Jays Shawn Marcum got hurt, it came with the recall of one of their better hitting prospects, Adam Lind. Lind has been up with the big club before, but it has seemed on each one of his tours of duty that he was completely overmatched and might not be able to hit major league pitching. So far in his first time with the big club he has been hitting this time (although it is only three games). Lind connected on his second homer in three games, and he has the talent to be a great hitter, perhaps he will start to put it together.
Jorge Cantu, FLA.It might be too late for Cantu already, but he is certainly setting the fantasy world on watch in recent weeks.Bring back memories from 2005 when Cantu was a big hitting 2B, he is hitting .280 with 14 homers and 43 driven in.Even though he is now at third and not the shallow second base position, Cantu is proving to be someone who belongs on someone’s roster, if not their starting lineups.
Just coming to the majors:Chris Davis, 3B, TEX
Pitchers
Mike Pelfrey, NYM.Is this time that he starts living up to all the potential we have been hearing about?Take it easy, it is too soon to make that statement yet.Pelfrey has been pitching better as of late, in four of his last five starts he allowed two runs or less.If I had a spot at the end of my rotation, or an injury to someone like Carlos Zambrano, I would carry Pelfrey on my roster until I got healthy.Just temper your expectations and don’t expect an ace and you won’t be disappointed by Pelfrey.
Charlie Morton, ATL.The latest rookie to try to keep the Braves’ ship afloat, Morton was called up after he was posting some pretty impressive numbers at AAA.In three starts he has yet to allow more than three runs and his record is 1-1.He pitched pretty well his last time out despite battling the flu, and in the short term Morton isn’t a bad option.He was 5-2 with a 2.05 ERA (72 Ks in 79 IP also) at AAA Richmond, but those were by far his best numbers as a minor leaguer.I am not on the Morton bandwagon as of now, but as a band-aid, he looks to be a decent option.
Darryl Thompson, CIN.He is about to make his second start of the season, and if it is like the first, you might think about picking him up.Even though he walked four batters, Thompson threw five shutout innings in Yankee Stadium in his major league debut, and immediately got the attention of some fantasy owners.He had pretty good minor league numbers, as he was 3-2 with a 1.76 ERA and nearly a strikeout an inning.It is tough to make the transition from AA to the majors, but it has been done before and the Reds seem to have the knack with young pitching all of a sudden.
Luke Hochevar, KC.Hochevar has had a very up and down rookie season, and it is looking more like he is going to be a pretty good pitcher.In three of his last four starts he has allowed only two runs, but he is still walking too many batters and striking out too few.Hochevar was a former number one overall pick, so he has a world of potential, the Royals and fantasy players are just waiting for him to become a little more consistent.
Just Coming to the Majors:John Parrish, SP, TOR
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Mike Aviles, Kansas City Royals, SS In his first extended major league assignment, Aviles is certainly making a favorable impression. After taking over the shortstop job from the remotely hitting Tony Pena, Aviles has stepped in with 3 HRs and a .339 average in 16 games. Aviles success is not really too surprising, as he has improved consistently over the past three seasons at the AAA level. He had 8 HR and a .264 average in 2006, then improved to 17 HRs and a .295 average in 2007. Before his callup, he had hit 10 homeruns in 51 games for AAA Omaha. He looks like he could offer nice power at the SS position, so he makes sense even in a mixed league format. Available in 47% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Kevin Slowey, Minnesota Twins, SP Slowey is one of those underrated pitchers that can produce surprising good results, despite lacking an awe-inspiring fastball. This young hurler normally throws fastballs in the high 80's, and also throws a curveball, slider and a changeup. What makes Slowey a solid pitcher, is that no matter what he throws, they generally go exactly where he wants them to. He was knocked around a little during his short major league trial in 2007, but his minor league stats were very impressive that year - 133 innings, a 1.89 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and only 18 walks. He did get bombed for 8 runs versus the White Sox a few weeks ago, but over all, he has had 4 quality starts in his last six outings. Available in 59% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
David DeJesus, Kansas City Royals, OF After failing to crack single digits on the homerun scale from 2004 through 2007, it's easy to see why DeJesus has never been known for his power hitting prowess. For some reason he has been cranking out more dingers this year - he already has 8, and is finally on pace to exceed the magic singe-digit barrier. DeJesus is also delivering the solid batting average that was expected from him after last season's dropoff to .259. For the season, he is at .305, and has had equal success against lefties (.295 BA) and righties (.310 BA). Available in 43% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves, SP We know the Braves organization has a long history as a pitcher-producing factory, but even they have to be slightly surpised by the sudden turnaround in the fortunes of Charlie Morton. Before 2008, Morton was roming around the Braves minor league system walking everybody, and typically producing an ERA of around 5.00, with an ugly WHIP. After working on his mechanics, 2008 was a completely story. At AAA Richmond before his callup, Morton had a 2.05 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. He has decent stuff, including a 90 MPH sinking fastball, and a solid curveball, so Morton is worth keeping an eye on if he can prove that his improved command is not a fluke. Available in 75% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Jeff Clement, Seattle Mariners, C Clement was called up from the minors in May, and didn't accomplish much, but the Mariners say that they are sticking with him this time around. I guess we can believe that when we see it, but in any event, he is definitely worth considering for your fantasy squad right now if you are thin at the catcher position. Clement grades very high on the power scale, and has been an especially prolific HR hitter in the minors during 2008. After 20 HRs in 2007 for AAA Tacoma, the young catcher has 14 in only 47 games this year. (This translates into about 37 HRs over a typical minor league season.)
Available in 71% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider: Jeff Keppinger,Cincinnati Reds,SS Available in 64% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Kelly Shoppach,Cleveland Indians,C Available in 81% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Chris Iannetta,Colorado Rockies,C Available in 61% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Seth McClung,Milwaukee Brewers,SP Available in 80% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Chris DavisTexas Rangers,3B Available in 95% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
The big argument this week seems to be about whether or not Curt Schilling is a Hall of Famer? Schilling will undergo surgery shortly and that will all but guarantee the end of his playing days. I’ve never been a fan of the man - big mouth, seems to like to draw attention to himself - but it’s hard to argue with his talent. He certainly was a big game pitcher. It's somewhat surprising that he only has 216 career wins. Seems like he should have more, but injuries have bothered him off and on in his career. He has never won a Cy Young award, but has won at least 20 games in a season three times. It’s close, but I would probably give him the nod. He was dominant in his time. Most people assume Pedro Martinez is a shoe-in, so why not Schilling?
Did anyone else see Aramis Ramirez hammer the White Sox into submission over the weekend?
Chase Utley is in a horrendous slump, but don’t do anything rash, he will break out of it soon enough.
Edwin Encarnacion does not believe he will need to go on the DL for his sore back.
Jim Thome will probably not play the next three games, as the White Sox will not be allowed to use the DH.
Hank Blalock has once again been delayed in his return from the minors. He hurt his wrist diving for a ground ball. Maybe he’s back later this week. Problem is with Texas hitting so well, Blalock will probably bat lower in the lineup.
Gerald Laird will be out 4-6 weeks with a strained hamstring. Jarod Saltalamacchia should be owned in all leagues.
Might the Yankees actually re-sign Jason Giambi? Please say it ain’t so.
The CC Sabathia sweepstakes are about to heat up. Hard to forecast where he will end up. The Indians want at least 3 good players/prospects in return. They will not grant any teams a negotiating window, and CC himself has stated that he will test free agency this winter.
Mike Mussina actually called out manager Joe Girardi after his last start for the decision to intentionally walk Jay Bruce. Mussina thought he could more easily get out the left handed rookie rather than face the right handed Jolbert Cabrera. Somehow I don’t think Mussina should be complaining about that decision. We’re talking Jolbert Cabrera here, not Pete Rose.
One thing you could question Girardi about is why he didn’t leave Joba Chamberlain in the game to finish off the 7th inning is his last start. There were two outs, none on, and Joba was rolling. Joba was pulled and than the Yanks went on to score a few runs in the bottom of the inning, therefore leaving Joba with a no-decision.
Carlos Pena is still about a week away from returning to the Rays from a broken finger.
Butler started the season with the big club, but he struggled with the bat, showed almost no power, and was sent back to AAA.Butler obviously has nothing more to prove in the minors, as he went right back to ripping it up when he was sent down.It is just a matter of time before he is back in Kansas City, and he is certainly someone you want to have on your team when he does.Butler has the talent to be one of the best pure hitters in the majors, a high average and lots of power, he just needs to find a position.
The jewel of the trade that sent Miguel Cabrera to Detroit, Maybin could be a 30/30 player in the near future.The Marlins wanted him to start the season in centerfield, but he struggled in Spring Training, and was sent to AA to hone his skills.His batting average is lower than you might expect, and he is striking out at an alarming rate.Don't let this scare you away, particularly if you are in a keeper league.Maybin has mad skillz, and when he does come to the majors, he should have an immediate impact.
The Cardinals best hitting prospect since that Pujols guy, Rasmus will be held in the minors perhaps for most of the season.With the way the Cardinals outfield has been playing, coupled with Rasmus' struggles, there's no reason to rush their young prize to the majors.Any injury in the outfield in St. Louis (which is possible the way they are falling for the Cards), and you could see Rasmus with the big boys.Don't let the low average fool you, Rasmus has the tools to be a great player very quickly.
There's good news and bad news for Matt LaPorta.The good news is he is having one of the more impressive seasons in all of the minor leagues.The bad news?With Corey Hart, Mike Cameron, and Ryan Braun in the Brewers' outfield, it would take an injury to have him arrive in Milwaukee.More bad news?All three of those guys are under contract next year as well.LaPorta obviously has a ton of potential as a power hitter once he gets his opportunity, and a name to watch the news for because he should be on all fantasy teams when he arrives.
McCutchen is a rare, young talent.He has good power potential with the possibility of hitting 25+ homers and could easily steal 50 bases.The emergence of Nate McLouth has kept him at AAA, but at just 21 years old, McCutchen has an insanely bright future in front of him.He might not make the majors until September, but he is someone all keeper league players will want to own.
What really needs to be said about Liriano?In 2006, the greatest pitching prospect in a long time set the major league world on fire with an 11-2 record then was lost for a year with Tommy John Surgery.His attempted return in 2008 was halted by wildness and inconsistency and he was returned to the minors after being unable to get anyone out or throw the ball over the plate.Liriano has been much better of late, and a return to the majors after the All-Star Break seems likely. Will he return to his pre-surgery form? That is still up for debate.
Last year's minor league leader in strikeouts, Gonzalez has been struggling for most of the season.He was traded to the A's in the Nick Swisher trade, but so far this is one guy that Billy Beane might have missed on.Gonzalez has plenty of potential, and certainly knows how to miss bats, but he needs to work on being more consistent before he gets a sniff of the majors.He is someone to keep your eye on, but his shining star has dimmed some in 2008.
When Miller is healthy, he has been one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.Unfortunately for him, that hasn't been the majority of the time.Miller is currently out right now after undergoing surgery to repair a frayed tendon in his middle finger.This injury history will always follow him, and it will cause him to be overlooked in the future by fantasy players, but for those risk takers out there, Miller could be a great option if/when he reaches the majors.
The Angels top pitching prospect has nothing more to prove in the minors, but was less than stellar when he was called to the big leagues.Lately, however, Adenhart has been struggling at AAA as well.He has lost six of his last seven starts, and he has fallen to 5-6.It has gotten to the point where I would wait until he is called up AND had three or four quality starts before I thought of adding Adenhart to my roster.
This is one of the most dynamic pitching prospects to come around in some time. Price has dominating stuff, and although he is just in Single-A right now, it isn't out of the question that he could be in the majors before the end of the season.He is awesome at all things, he doesn’t walk many, his strikeout rate is just overone an inning, and he doesn't allow many runs.Now that the Rays are a team that actually scores runs and wins games, Price is probably the hottest commodity to get your hands on in those leagues that allow minor league players.
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Things are starting to look up for the Yankees' Joba Chamberlain.After a pretty disastrous first start, his last two have been encouraging, although not great.He is still having issues with walking batters, but he has lasted a little deeper into the game each time out.Joba went six innings and allowed only one run this past Friday, but he still walked four batters.Look for improvement each time he takes the mound, and I believe he will be a fairly reliable starter with good strikeout numbers by the end of the year.
How much hotter can Marcus Thames get?I can't remember the last time this happened, but his past seven hits have ALL been home runs.Now that the exciting part is over, let me tell you why you shouldn't go running to pick him up unless you are desperate for home runs.First, his total homers for the season is now up to 12.Do the math real quick, he's hit seven in the past week, and his season total is twelve.That means he hit five the other ten weeks of the season.I don't know about you, but that is not the kind of guy I want on my team.Not to mention he is 31 years old.If anyone can tell me the last time a guy that age, all of a sudden got really, really good, I’d be happy to hear.Thames has been a part time player his whole career, don't buy into this recent power surge.
Willy Taveras has been stealing bases like it is his job.After a career high five thefts on Saturday, Willy took another one on Sunday and is now at 30 for the season.I am not a huge fan of Taveras, and would sell high on him if I had him.He really only helps you in one category.Perhaps you can get a steal needy owner to overpay for Taveras.
After a couple of poor outings and a sprained ankle, it looked as though the impressive rookie season of Jair Jurrjens might have been taking a turn for the worse.But then he went out and threw a gem of 7.2 shutout innings with seven strikeouts and it looks like he is still in the running for the ROY.Keep patient with Jurrjens through some tough times when they come again, he looks to be a very talented pitcher.
Injury News
Following a successful rehab outing in which he allowed two runs and three hits over five innings, Daisuke Matsuzaka will rejoin the Red Sox and start this Saturday.Dice still has the perfect 8-0 record, so be sure you have him active in time for his start then.
Rockies' SS Troy Tulowitzki has been on a rehab assignment and may rejoin the team as soon as Friday.Tulowitzki tore his left quad on April 29th in an ugly looking play, and after nearly two months he looks to be just days away from returning.He has to improve over his horrendous start, so get him active if you stashed him away. If his previous owner was stupid enough to drop him, snatch up the youngster immediately.
Arizona OF Eric Byrnes will go on a rehab assignment over the weekend and is due to return to the D-Backs lineup on Monday against the Red Sox.Although he struggled mightily this season, Byrnes has been the catalyst for the Arizona offense the last couple years with his bat and his legs.I see him having a big turnaround once he gets back on the field, so be sure to have him back in your lineups upon his return.
It has been a long time coming but Joel Zumaya will rejoin the Tigers on Friday.He will go back to his setup role, so don't go grabbing him expecting a shot at the closers' job.However, he needs just an injury to an ancient Todd Jones to get that chance.Even in middle relief Zumaya can help you in strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP and is a good pickup in most leagues.
David Ortiz had his cast removed from his injured wrist on Monday, a great sign in his recovery from injury.The doctors had said they wouldn't remove the cast until he was pain-free, so it appears that surgery will not be necessary.Ortiz is targeting a return after the All-Star Break, as he still needs some time to rehab and get his strength back.
Brad Penny is headed to the DL after finally admitting to shoulder discomfort.Turns out Penny has been dealing with this pain for most of the season.This is good news in a way, as it starts to explain this horrible start that Brad got off to.Manager Joe Torre is optimistic that he might be able to return in two weeks, but it is possible that he won't be back until after the Mid-Summer Classic.Stash Penny away until he returns, he is a better pitcher than what he has shown this year.
Victor Martinez had surgery on June 13th to clean out his injured elbow and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.The hope of his fantasy owners is that he will be able to return a little sooner as the DH, but that might be a false hope, it isn’t like you don’t use your elbow when up to bat.A crushing blow to his fantasy teams, as the depth at catcher is horrible.
Prospect News
Mariners top prospect Jeff Clement has been promoted back to the majors, and this time manager John McLaren has said that Clement will catch at least three out of five days.I expect Clement to be more focused and relaxed in his second stint in the majors and start to show that great power that he was flexing in the minors.Unless you have one of the top couple options at catcher, he is worth taking a flier on.
Reds' pitcher Homer Bailey was demoted back to AAA after absolutely laying another egg in his latest trip to the majors.Bailey allowed five runs in two of his three starts, and only got out of the fourth inning once. At this point, I have lost faith that Bailey will live up to the great expectations that have been hoisted on to him, and I wouldn't own him even in a keeper league.
Braves pitcher Charlie Morton made his major league debut the other day in successful fashion for the injury riddled Braves.Morton allowed three runs over six innings and struck out four.After just an average career in the minors, Morton was having a great year at AAA with a 5-2 record and 72 Ks in 79 innings.I need to see more from Morton before I recommend picking him up.Prior to this year he never had a winning record in the minors or an ERA under 4.50, so I find it hard to believe he will be shutting down major league hitters consistently.
OK, so I'm sure you all know by now that I am a proponent of closers. I think they hold a special value to any fantasy team. In a H2H league format they are priceless. In the FBSEL that I'm playing its your typical 5x5 Roto H2H format, which saves is of course one of the categories. I drafted 3 closers because my strategy was to shorten the contest to winning 5 out of 9 to win the week, while my opponent has to win 6 out of 9. Better than that having 3 or 4 closers also allows you to focus your attention away from saves and keep you focus on the categories you still need to win. That can be an advantage if your opponent is trying to muster up saves to compete with you.
Another advantage of having several strong closers is their ability to help your strikeouts, get occasional wins, and keep your ERA and WHIP lower in most cases. Again, this relaxes your need for several dominant starters allowing you to focus more picks and energy on offense. Many closers average 1+ strikeouts per appearance so you are likely to gets extra strikeouts along with some of your setup guys.
The final advantage is what that win does for your team week in and week out. In the FBSEL, after 11 weeks I am 8-0-3. I have never been beat in that category. Those 8 wins out of my 70 are 11% of my total wins and attribute nothing to losses. My lead right now in my division is only 12 games, I've picked up 9.5 of those 12 in the 11 weeks with just saves. Let's say I finish the season 16-2-5 in saves. Wow, that could be the difference of me making the playoffs or not.
What's even better is I told you they can have a positive impact on a pitching staff right? Well, my pitching staff as a whole in 11 weeks has a dominant 38-13-4 record in the expert league. Whether the stats will back up that I'm doing that well because of closers is not known, but it allows me to not have to invest so much time and effort into improving my pitching when I'm clearly dominating.
So I grab offense in free agency and trades. How has my offense responded? 33-17-5. Again, one of the best and certainly very good.
My overall record in the Fantasy Baseball Search Expert League is 71-30-9, which is the best record in the league. Now I'm not saying it all has to do with Valverde, Wood, Fuentes, and a small cast of setup men. What I'm saying is that is where your team can develop its strength, keep for getting wiped out in a week, and give you a head start nearly every week.
Brandon Marrow, Seattle Mariners, RP JJ Putz has been getting himself injured more often than a rodeo clown this season, and at this point, fantasy owners who drafted Putz in the early rounds this year would probably appreciate seeing him drop-kicked over a fence by an irate wild horse. Even when Putz has been 'healthy' he's been pretty damn awful anyway, with a 5.21 ERA, and 3 blown saves. But enough about Putz's sorry situation, the good news is that the Mariners have a replacement closer in Brandon Marrow, who looks to have some real potential. Marrow can overpower hitters with his 98 MPH fastball, and has enough control over his off-speed pitches to effectively close games and is worth an immediate pickup. Available in 53% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Andy LaRoche, LA Dodgers, 3B/1B Baseball has it's subtle mysteries like 'how does Tim Wakefield even get anyone out throwing 35 MPH?', and 'why is it that when Bobby Cox is captured on camera during a TBS Braves game broadcast, is he always spitting something out onto the dugout floor ?'. Another such mystery is of course, 'who will get regular playing time for the rest of 2008 at the Dodgers corner infield spots ?' If Andy LaRoche, called up recently from AAA Las Vegas, can finally deliver on the potential he has shown as a top prospect, then he should eventually be a significant factor. Blake DeWitt is also a good young player, but LaRoche offers the advantage of switch-hitting versatility, and also should emerge as a better source of HR power. Available in 83% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Chase Headley, San Diego Padres, OF/3B After bouncing him back to the minors for no apparent reason in April, the Padres have finally recalled Chase Headley this week. Given that Justin Huber and Paul McAnulty failed to distinguish themselves as household names out in left-field, that is probably where the Padres will stick the young prospect for now. Chase Headley, who also plays 3B, looks like a natural .300 hitter, with possible 30 HR power (realistically 20-25 HR given the Petco Park curse), so he is definitely worth a pickup, especially in NL-Only leagues. Available in 77% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Armando Galarraga, Detriot Tigers, SP Galarraga doesn't have spectacular stuff- he usually brings his above-average fastball at around 92-94 MPH, and has a decent slider and change-up. Regardless, he has demonstrated that he belongs in the Tigers rotation, with a 6-2 record, a 3.31 ERA and an impressive WHIP of 1.03. The young righty probably won't keep up his current pace, but there is no reason to believe he will be a liability in mixed leagues, and his spot in the rotation seems fairly secure now that Jeremy Bonderman has been lost for the season. Available in 52% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox, 2B Despite having that distinctive look of a #87th ranked 145 lb welterweight contender from a country you can't pronounce, evidently Ramriez was a 20 HR hitter down in Cuba. In the 3rd week of May, he was hitting about .195, but after some unspecified revelation, he has boosted his average up to around .290. Juan Uribe has recently returned from the D.L. to attempt to reclaim his stake to the White Sox 2B job, but he is hitting .198. Odds would have it that Ramirez has earned significant playing time, so he makes a solid mixed-league pickup if he can continue to hit with decent power.
Available in 55% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider: Jose Castillo,SF Giants,3B Available in 84% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ramon VazquezTexas Rangers,3B Available in 85% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Maicer Izturis,LA Angels,2B Available in 61% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Yuniesky Betancourt,Seattle Mariners,SS Available in 58% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ricky Nolasco,Florida Marlins,SP Available in 78% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ah, young pitching.We all love it, but just like that girl in 10th grade that we swore was "the one", it breaks our hearts.Most pitchers under the age of 24 are about as reliable as the cable guy (we will be there between 8am-4pm?).However, since the league has just been watered down with just OK pitchers we are all forced to take a chance on the "next big thing" with one, or perhaps two spots on our roster.This generally leads to a lot of adding and dropping as everyone keeps throwing darts at the wall, until they hit that bulls-eye.Trouble is, that bulls-eye is about the size of the eye of a needle.Most rookie or second year pitchers are train wrecks and do more to hurt your ERA, and especially your WHIP than they help at all.
Young pitchers generally fall into four categories:
Awesome from the start
Solid, yet go through some rough times
Inconsistent, but show flashes of brilliance
A scout is getting fired for that one
Very few pitchers ever fall into the "awesome from the start" category. In fact, some like Jered Weaver and Francisco Liriano start out there, but in their second year slide back down to category two.The three young pitchers that seem to fall into this group right now are Cole Hamels, Tim Lincecum, and Justin Verlander.Even though he has been struggling this season, Verlander has given up two runs or less in four of his last six starts and I predict by the end of the season he will have great stats considering the start he had.
Candidates to join this group in the future:Joba Chamberlain, NYY; David Price, TB; Rick Porcello, DET; Adam Miller, CLE; Gio Gonzalez, OAK; Ross Detwiler, WAS;
The guys who are "solid from the start, but have some rough times" are the ones that you have to target for your team.Obviously you want the guys in the first group, but the chances are pretty slim, so you have to be realistic.If you can land a pitcher that is good three out of five times out, that is someone worth holding on to.Because the alternatives, like Carlos Silva for instance, are pretty ugly.Not to mention that these guys have the chance to develop into strong major league pitchers in the long run.In the recent past this group includes Scott Kazmir, Felix Hernandez, Matt Cain, and Josh Beckett.Three or four years later, these are the All-Stars in Major League Baseball.But when they first started out, there were some major bombs on their game logs.
Guys who are in this group that are worth owning:Clayton Kershaw, LAD; Johnny Cueto, CIN; Edinson Volquez, CIN (duh); Chad Billingsley, LAD; Yovani Gallardo, MIL; Dustin McGowan, TOR; Aaron Laffey, CLE; Adam Wainwright, STL; Micah Owings, ARI
Next, we come to the biggest group of them all, and the one we pick out of the most.The "Inconsistent, but shows flashes of brilliance."These are the guys with the 5.50 ERAs, yet come within two outs of throwing a shutout next time out.This is followed by a mad dash to the waiver wire as everyone figures that this is the new hot guy.And the next time out, you remember why he was a free agent to begin with.
Current members of this group that are passed around like a hot potato:Andrew Miller, FLA; Zach Greinke, KC; Manny Parra, MIL; Mike Pelfrey, NYM; Luke Hochevar, KC; Scott Olsen, FLA; Clay Buchholz, BOS; Matt Garza, TB; Jon Lester, BOS
Possible future members of this group:Every young pitcher that enters the majors!
Finally, those who have a bunch of hype, but never seem to put it together.The "Some Scout Got Fired For That" group.It is always very disappointing to get someone from this group for two reasons.One is, you had very high hopes for this individual, and second, since he had such potential, you usually hold on to him for way too long.This group is not usually top prospects, but guys who are thought to have solid major league careers in front of him.
Current members of this group to stay away from are:Homer Bailey, CIN; Ian Kennedy, NYY: Edwin Jackson, TB; Ubaldo Jiminez, COL; Franklin Morales, COL; Ian Snell, PIT
Young pitchers yet to be categorized
Nick Adenhart, LAA--Adenhart is the top pitching prospect for the Angels, but in his short stint in the majors he was AWFUL.It looks like he is going to fall into the huge "inconsistent, but shows flashes" category, although given his performance in his three starts when called up there was no brilliance to be found.Keep tabs on Nick in the minors, he should be a fairly productive major league pitcher sometime in the future.
Phil Hughes, NYY--Unfortunately, Hughes hasn't stayed healthy enough in his short major league career in order to classify him yet.He didn’t look TOO bad in his late season callup in 2007, but his 2008 starts were horrible.I am willing to give Hughes the benefit of the doubt that his ineffectiveness had something to do with his hamstring injury last year, and his strained oblique this year, but he is in danger of being classified in one of the two lower categories.
Jo-Jo Reyes, ATL--based on his ten starts in 2007 you would think that Jo-Jo was in danger of being a total flame out.But this season he has shown signs of living up to his potential as one of the better pitching prospects in the Braves system.In six of his last ten starts Reyes has allowed three runs or less and he has started to last deeper into games.He is also getting closer to that coveted ratio of a strikeout an inning, making him someone worth taking a chance on.
Max Scherzer, ARI--Scherzer's arrival in the major leagues came with all the celebration of a 4th of July parade, and for his first few appearances he lived up to the hype before being shipped to the bullpen with the return of Doug Davis.Scherzer was effective pitching in relief, but the D-Backs decided to send him back to the minors to keep him on a schedule of starting.Any injury to a starter in Arizona will get him a ticket punched back to the majors.He could have a major fantasy impact if given the chance to start regularly.
Justin Masterson, BOS--With injuries to Curt Schilling, Clay Buchholz, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Red Sox appeared to be in trouble with their starting pitching.But Masterson stepped in and stabilized their troubles and has pitched very effectively each time to the mound.I don't believe he has the stuff to be lights out every time out, but as long as he is in the rotation, it appears he will be someone you can count on more times than not.
Radhames Liz, BAL--Liz is a solid young pitcher for the Orioles that reminds me of one of their veterans, Danny Cabrera.Liz has a bunch of talent and strikes out a good number of batters, but it is the big inning and walks that seem to get in his way.If he could ever be consistent and keep his focus, he could be a valuable major league pitcher, but as for now he seems to be his own worst enemy.He has been pretty decent his first two starts in the majors, but I wouldn’t get too excited about him yet.
The Fantasy Sports Forum.com We’re now almost two and a half months into the season and it’s time to evaluate if your draft day investments are paying off - or if it’s simply time to cut your losses on an investment gone bad. Anyone who has ever played the stock market and thought, “it’s too good of a stock to not bounce back”, and then waited too long before seeing that investment become equivalent to a share of Enron, knows the lesson. It’s time to identify which players are not going to fulfill their original value and decide to either cut, trade or relegate to the bench before their lack of production negatively compounds to the point of no return for your team. The time wasted waiting for a player to “get hot”, or “come around” could cost you a free agent pick-up or trade opportunity. Obviously, every league’s rules on roster size, bench depth and number of teams will depend on a player’s value, so with that in mind, here is our list of starting pitchers to decide on before it’s too late: Justin Verlander, Tigers Coming off an 18-6 season and a no-hitter, Verlander was drafted to be the staff Ace for many fantasy teams. What he’s given his owners is a disastrous first ten weeks with a 2-9 record and a 5.05 ERA. His recent performances have been a little better, but he’s still has only recorded one win in his last seven starts. Consider this season to be a step back for the talented righthander. SEEK TO: TRADE OR BENCH.
Roy Oswalt, Astros The Astros ace is looking more like a 5th starter with his 4-6 record and 5.38 ERA. His strikeouts have decreased in three consecutive seasons, and this season his 1.46 WHIP should tell you that he does not have the command of past years. SEEK TO: TRADE OR BENCH
Oliver Perez, Mets Anyone who owns Perez knows how maddening it can be anticipating which guy you’ll get – the one who can make hitters look foolish or the guy who can’t find the strike zone if his career depended on it.While his 4-4 record has not killed you if you’ve been starting him, his 1.59 WHIP and 5.37 ERA should tell you that only his inconsistency will remain consistent. SEEK TO: CUT
As the General said on our show several weeks ago, we will see where teams stand and where teams fall after week 11. So far we know a few things.
1. Roto Authority and Fantasy Baseball Search are the real deal, and currently have 17.5 and 21.5 game leads on playoffs spots.
2. The West Division, which was thought to be the weaker division at opening day, through 10 weeks has a 140-127-24 record against the East Division
3. Rotodoc.com and Fantasy Baseball Generals have to change their strategy if they want to get back into a playoff run.
The good thing is there is still 13 weeks left and anything can happen. The critical matches for week 11, the final week the the rotation of playing every team in the league, are as follows
Fantasy Baseball Search Vs Fantasy Baseball Mafia - The Mafia was rated the top team on opening day and has under performed since then, but this JD Drew type team has played well enough to be considered dangerous and holds 2nd place. If he can beat Fantasy Baseball Search he gets a huge win going into the second half of the season . If FBS wins, its closer to clinching a playoff berth and he will complete the first rotation 10-1.
Roto Authority at Melnick&Greco - This one is more critical for M&G. They are in a tailspin and currently out of a playoff spot. They are playing one of the best teams in the league and a win against a big team like Roto Authority will quickly cure any sicknesses this team has from its losing streak.
Fantasy Baseball Generals at Fantasy Baseball Geeks - Fabulous match up with two super genII. The General needs to end this rotation with a win, and Fantasy Baseball Geeks is on a tear and wants to continue it as he chases The True Guru for 1st place.
Mock Draft Central at Rotodoc.com- Both teams need a win. If Rotodoc loses he could crash and burn. MDC just needs to pull out of his funk and this is the week to do it.
Fantasy Fanatics at Baseball Geeks - Same as the match up above. Baseball Geeks is hot and needs the momentum going into next weeks match against The True Guru. Fantasy Fanatics is just trying to stay above the water.
Pedro Feliz, Philadelphia Phillies, 3B There is absolutely nothing exciting about Pedro Feliz, he is sort of like your accountant friend that will show up on time every year sometime in March and does a competent job on your taxes. Same kind of thing with Feliz. You can plug him into your fantasy lineup and be somewhat confident that he will get you 20 HRs, 80 RBIs, and a BA somewhere around .260. Not exciting, but a good complementary player to round out your lineup. Available in 53% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Cody Ross, Florida Marlins, OF His .217 batting average is a little frightening, but that is because he batted a pathetic .159 in April, with zero HRs. During the month of May, Ross turned it around with 10 HRs and a .280 average. Realistically, we can probably expect his average to settle in around the .260-.275 area, but his real value is in his power potential, and he will also contribute a fair amount of stolen bases. Ross is worth using in NL-Only formats for sure, and he could have mixed league appeal for as long as he is the preferred option in CF over Jacque Jones. Available in 91% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Alexi Casilla, Minnesota Twins, 2B Casilla is currently on a nice little tear that has him batting .347. While that probably won't last, as long as he holds down the 2nd base job in Minnesota, he is definitely worth using for his stolen base potential. Over his minor league career, Casilla compiled a healthy 177 SBs in 396 games, so he has serious wheels. Think of him as a Juan Pierre-type .285 slap-hitter without the inflated fantasy (or actual baseball salary) price-tag. Available in 83% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Mike Gonzalez, Atlanta Braves, RP The Atlanta Braves bullpen has been a virtual minefield over the first 2 months of the season and as we are patiently awaiting the next diaster, it probably wouldn't hurt to speculate on Mike Gonzalez as a possible source for saves in the 2nd half. Smoltz is obviously out of the picture with season-ending shoulder surgery, the Acosta experiment should be over, and Soriano is still injury-prone and unproven. Gonzalez is due to rejoin the Braves this week, and reportedly has his fastball back in the low 90's. Who knows, he could leverage his former closer experience into a significant role over the next month or so. Available in 98% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
David Price, Tampa Bay Rays, SP The obvious disclaimer here is that Price is nowhere close to being considered for a major league callup, but he is one of those rare pitching prospects that is worth keeping track of. Price shows great location with a high 90's fastball that he complements with a nasty slider and developing changeup. If you have some vacant space on your roster after you drop John Smoltz or you are tired of waiting for Boof Bonser to get his ERA under 5.00, then Price is worth picking up and stashing away. Available in 71% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider: Manny Parra,Milwaukee Brewers,SP Available in 66% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Michael Cuddyer,Minnesota Twins,OF Available in 76% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Fred Lewis,San Francisco,OF Available in 74% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ryan Doumit,Pittsburgh Pirates,C,OF Available in 49% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Scott Baker,Minnesota Twins,SP Available in 76% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Brewers' SP Manny Parra has gotten on a little bit of a roll lately.He was one of the big stories coming out of Spring Training, but immediately fell on his face when the season started.But the young fireballer has gotten his groove back, and has won three of his last four decisions.In fact, Parra has allowed one earned run or less in four of his last five starts.He is worth a look in all formats, and definitely grab the 25-year old in keeper formats.
Don't give up on Yankees' pitcher Joba Chamberlain after one horrible start.The Yankees put him on a very public pitch count and the Blue Jays took advantage by working the count, drawing four walks, and getting him out of the game in the third inning.Joba does have a ton of talent, and although I can’t say for sure that he will be a dominant starter, he has the tools needed to be successful.
Zach Greinke has had a couple of shaky outings now, and I believe that he will end up with a record under .500 by the end of the season.In two of his last three starts, Zach has given up six or more runs.His record still looks good, so I would try to sell high on him before it is too late.
Prospect News
Carlos Gonzalez was called up by the A's, and even though he is struggling so far, he is a big time prospect.Gonzalez was one of the main pieces that brought Dan Haren to Arizona, and if he sticks in the majors he is worth adding.In fact, if you are in a keeper league, and somehow he isn’t owned already definitely pick him up.Gonzalez has 25 HR/20 SB capabilities, and is one of the top 15-20 prospects in baseball.
The Rockies' Ian Stewart was in the competition for the 2B job in Spring Training, which he didn’t win, but with the injuries in Colorado he is getting a second chance.Stewart has huge offensive potential.He had 12 homers and 43 RBI in just 46 games at AAA this season, and if he gets this job for the season in Colorado, he could be a huge sleeper for the second half.
Homer Bailey made his first start of the season in the majors on Thursday, and although it wasn't great, it wasn’t horrible either.The Reds committed three errors, and of the five runs he allowed, only two were earned.However, he did walk four batters in 6.1 innings and only struck out one.I am starting to lose faith in Bailey as a top prospect, but you have to keep an eye on him, as he has the talent to be a great pitcher.But, will he ever put it all together? I'm not sure anymore.
Injury Notes
John Smoltz will be having season ending, and perhaps career ending, surgery by Dr. James Andrews. It is time to let go of Smoltz in all formats, yearly and keepers. We thought we would get a cheap source of saves from Smoltz when he returned from the DL, but after one outing he called it a season.
Jacoby Ellsbury injured his wrist diving for a ball Thursday night, and although the x-rays came back negative and the MRI came back clean, he is still day-to-day. Keep the young speedster on your bench until you see that he is back in the lineup. Ellsbury has shown to be quite a source of steals for fantasy teams as he leads the majors in steals. In his absence, is Carlos Gomez or Michael Bourn available? They won't fill all the categories, but could replace some of Ellsbury's SBs.
Carlos Pena will miss the next two to three weeks with a broken finger after being hit by a pitch by the Red Sox Justin Masterson. Pena has been a major disappointment after his breakout season in 2007, but he had been at least to start providing some power with his 11 HRs. Eric Hinskewill most likely see some at-bats at first.
Jorge Posada finally returned to the Yankee lineup on Thursday night after missing over a month with tendonitis in his rotator cuff.His injury was a crushing blow to not only the Yankees, but to fantasy teams as well.Have you looked at your free agent pool for catchers lately?It isn’t pretty I’m sure.Those who have Posada, happily put him back into your lineup.
After spending a week on the bench the Nationals finally put Ryan Zimmerman on the Disabled List, and it is unsure how long he will be out.Zimmerman has a small tear in his shoulder, and this is the kind of injury that has a way of lingering.It is conceivable that Zimmerman could be out until the All-Star Break, but this kind of injury could hinder his performance all season long.He was a disappointment this season to begin with, but if you own Zimmerman you have to stash him on your injury spot, he is too talented to drop.
Reigning Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy is very close to a return to the mound.Peavy threw 45 pitches from a mound on Wednesday and is due to throw either a minor league game or simulated game on Saturday.Peavy said he will pitch in the majors before the end of the current homestand which ends on June 12th, so be ready to activate the ace when he is ready to pitch.Those who don’t own Peavy, see if you might be able to get him cheap before he returns.
Vernon Wells is well ahead of his schedule of returning from a broken wrist, in fact he entered the game on Saturday as a pinch hitter and went 2-3 with an RBI. It is now safe to get Vernon back in your lineup. However, I offer you this word of caution. Broken wrists have a way of lingering with a player and sapping his power long after he returns from the disabled list. Keep your expectations in check for Vernon and you won't be disappointed.
Rockies’ MVP Matt Holliday is very close to a return, in fact he is already on a rehab assignment.Friday night Holliday was 0-2 in a game for Colorado Springs and he should be activated in time for Tuesday’s game against the Giants.Those of you (and I) who own Holliday, begin your dance of joy as you get to put your first round pick back into your lineup.Perhaps with Holliday’s imminent return, and the return of Brad Hawpe, the Rockies can get back on track on their mission to defend their National League Championship.
Breakout candidate Ryan Doumit returned to the Pirates’ lineup on Friday, and although he didn’t get a hit, it is nice to get another catcher into the game who can actually hit.If you have a garbage catcher and he was dropped, give Doumit a chance.He has the potential to hit 20+ homers from a position that is crying out for offensive production.
Check out fightingchancefantasy.com for more news and notes daily as well as two start pitchers, minor league stats, and other great lists and fun things.If you have any questions, email us at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com.
Sometimes a trip to minors doesn't help a young player, and then there are cases like Jason Bergmann where the tedious bus trips and bad dining evidently rejuvenates your ability to pitch strikes and avoid 7 run innings. Bergmann was a disaster in April, as he compiled an ugly 11.68 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and opponents batted .364 against him. After returning from his banishment to the minor leagues, he has been a completely different pitcher, with a 1.30 ERA, .90 WHIP and BAA of .190 during his May appearances.
Available in 70% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ian Stewart, Colorado Rockies, 2B,3B
There is reason to believe that Stewart isn't quite as good as his minor league stats would suggest, and that is because he has benefited from the fluffy, friendly environs of Colorado. Specifically in 2007, he hit .357 at home w/ 9 HRs, and only .251 on the road w/ 6 HRs. Still, he has shown enough this year at the AAA level to like him alot, with 12 HRs and 43 RBIs in only 46 games. He is considered a 3rd baseman, but the Rockies say they are going to give him a look at 2nd base. His value would explode if he gets eligibility and regular playing time at 2nd base, so this is a situation worth watching.
Available in 71% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Salomon Torres, Milwaukee Brewers, RP
Apparently, many fantasy owners were so exasperated by the 'insane clown posse' Milwaukee closer situation during the early season, that when psycho manager Ned Yost finally started using Torres on a consistent basis over the past week, nobody really cared anymore. Torres has been the regular closer since Eric Gagne went on the D.L., and in five appearances since May 24th, he has 4 saves, and has yielded just one hit. Who knows what happens when Gagne returns, and maybe Prince Fielder gets a shot at closing games at some point, but Torres could be the guy until he blows it.
Available in 60% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Jack Cust, Oakland A's, DH,OF
He is not going to help you in the batting average category, and although there is nobody that formally keeps track of it, he probably leads the league in strikeouts during batting practice (He strikes out once per approximately 2.5 at-bats during actual games). However, you can't deny his power potential, and that is obviously where his value lies. After only 1 HR in April, he blasted 7 during May, so he could be ready to deliver on his potential, which is anywhere between 25 and 40 HRs per year, depending on how many hot streaks he can ride.
Available in 61% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Jonathan Sanchez, San Francisco Giants, SP
After an excellent April, where Sanchez struck out 40 in 33 innings, and held opposing batters to a .218 average, the young lefty has regressed slightly. In May (5 starts, 5.20 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, .274 BAA) he was much less impressive, or occasionally appalling if you want to be honestly insulting about it. That said, in the absence of a complete meltdown, it is worth sticking with Sanchez. He has great movement on his two primary pitches, a 90-95 mph fastball and changeup, and he is a legitimate strikeout pitcher who averaged 1.3 K's per inning during his minor league career.
Available in 43% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Other Players To Consider: Carlos Gonzalez,Oakland A's,OF Available in 83% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Chase Headley,San Diego Padres,3B,OF Available in 84% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Ben Francisco,Cleveland Indians,OF Available in 76% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Pedro Martinez,NY Mets,SP Available in 49% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
Andrew Miller,Florida Marlins,SP Available in 39% of all CBSSportsline leagues.
