RotoBuzz -- Fantasy Baseball

New Site Created

2007-03-12T19:46:00.000-05:00

If you're looking over here for fantasy baseball advice, we've moved...

Check out the all new RotoBuzz.com!!!!

It's everything we gave you last year.....and so much more!!!!

See you all in the money this year!!!

Blog Update

2006-11-17T01:03:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have checked back here during the offseason, I apologize for not updating you sooner.

This blog will be discontinued as we launch our own fantasy sports website under the name Rotobuzz.com

The site is currently under construction, but will be fully up and running by the start of Spring Training 2007.

The RotoBuzz -- Fantasy Football blog is still going but will be absorbed by the new website in the Spring as well.

Thanks for reading and we'll see you next year.

What's the Buzz? 10/1/06

2006-10-01T22:59:00.000-05:00

And there you have it folks...

The 2006 season has officially come to an end.

A little craziness there...

The Dodgers tie the Padres for the division but lose the tie breaker, so they go to New York to face the Mets as the NL Wild Card winner.

The Cardinals hold off the Astros as they back door into the NL Central title with another loss today. They get the Pods in the first round.

Remember when everyone was talking about the Tigers being a lock? Barely! The Twinkies overtake them for the division and send Detroit to the Yankees for the first round. The Twins get the A's. Did the Tigers really get swept by the Royals in the final 3 games?

Anyway, thank you to all of who who stayed with me this season. I hope I was of some help to you this year. Next year looks to even better!

Stay tuned as I'll be writing some other stuff throughout the playoffs and I'll definitely be doing a "Year in Review" by the end of it all.

Here's to hoping that you all finished in the money!!!

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/30/06

2006-09-30T20:32:00.000-05:00

Early one for you all!!!

Once again, my apologies for the sketchy Buzz article, but there's just one more day left in your fantasy season and nothing I say is going to make it or break it for you.

So with that, I am going out to get drunk!!!

The wife's club is closing and and we're also dealing with the faltering health of our beloved Aurora -- our 17 year old feline daughter.

Good luck tomorrow and may all of your players send you off with a bang!

I'll be back throughout the playoffs with a Year in Review and some commentary as I root on my Yankees for another championship.

Thanks for reading.

What's the Buzz? 9/29/06

2006-09-29T22:52:00.000-05:00

So the playoff picture is taking a little more shape, yet still clear as mud in the NL.

Both the Twins and the Tigers lost today which keeps them tied for first place in the AL Central. If they remain tied, then the tiebreaker goes to season series which is won by Detroit. Apparently though, it doesn't matter for Minnesota. According to their owner, Carl Pohlad, he'd rather see them face the Yankees because he, "knows that we can beat them." Seriously? Bring on the Yanks is your rallying cry? Someone needs to up the voltage on his shock treatments.

In the NL, with Houston losing and St. Louis winning, there's a little more breathing space for the Cards who now own a 1 1/2 game lead. The Dodgers won their game as the Padres lost putting them in atie for the NL West. Since the Pods own the season series, they would get the tie breaker leaving the Dodgers as the wild card winners. No sense in getting into all the tie breakers just yet...the Phillies and Astros are still fighting but need lots to happen over the next 2 days in order to get to the nex t step.

The rest are highlights...

If you're at the top, keep hangin' on. You're almost there.

Good luck over the weekend.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/28/06

2006-09-28T22:58:00.000-05:00

Sorry again for yesterday...

Since we're at that point right now where even the daily updates of who's doing what and who will play when are sort of pointless. You've got what you've got. Nothing left for you to do. If you're still making a daily pickup, well God bless you. Hope you're brain isn't too fried. Let me guess...you're also 0-3 in football? Micro-managing is rough on the brain.

So in the meantime, I'll go through some news, but just general thoughts and ramblings rather than what kind of fantasy impact it has.

So here we go...

I'll start it off with what's on every New Yorker's mind right now. Pedro Martinez. Done for the entire post-season with a torn tendon in his calf. Sorry Mets fans. Now I know that I've dogged you guys in the past, but not here. Never for this. This is very unfortunate and you really don't wish it on any baseball team. The road to the World Series is tough enough as it is. I wish you all the luck in the world for the playoffs.
Now really...what kind of a joke was that Dodgers/Rockies game? James Loney with the game of his life tonight with 2 HR (one a grand slam) and 9 RBI. 16 total pitchers used and it looks like everyone who started got a hit. This was like old school Coors Field tonight.
Nice. A franchise record for Francisco Rodriguez with his 46th save tonight. They keep lining 'em up, he keeps knockin' 'em down. 95 strikouts in 71 innings. So good.
Seriously. Are the Cardinals going to blow this??? They lose, Houston wins and BAM!!! The lead is only 1/2 game. If Houston pulls this one out they could do some serious damage. Oswalt, Pettitte and Clemens in a 5 game series??? I'm loving this NL battle right now. Throw in the Dodgers and some possibilities of a Monday playoff game. Crazy!! Every game counts right down to the end.
The AL's doing it too with this battle between Minnesota and Detroit. Detroit's pulling a St. Louis and now it's all tied up after tonight. The Tigers get a 3 game series against the Royals while the Twins face off against the downtrodden defending champs, the White Sox. Who gets to be the big spoiler and send someone off to play the Yankees in the opening round?
Which mind you doesn't look so bad right now, does it? I mean c'mon...if a guy that walks in with a 5.05 ERA and has almost as many walks as he does K's can one hit the Yankees, well then I guess anyone can right? Daniel Cabrera!!! Dammit all to hell if you weren't one of the most frustrating guys this whole year. So much potential and just so inconsistent. Congrats on your performance tonight. I'll be looking for you at the draft next year.
In case you missed it, Mike Jacobs is done for the year. He's leaving the team for personal reasons and there were no details as to why. We wish nothing but the best for him and his family.
I'm sure I can speak for everyone who writes for this blog that our thoughts are with Buddy Bell and his family right now. The growth on his tonsils was found to be cancerous. Apparently, though, it can be removed cleanly and should enable a full recovery.
Wow. A 191 strikeouts for Adam Dunn this year. 4 shy of his own record. I wonder how many fantasy owners he's pissing off this past month. I'd say it was unreal, but the fact that it's already his record...

And lastly...

Joe Mauer, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano. Good luck boys!! Batting title coming. They're coming down the home stretch...

Thanks for reading.

Catch you next time...

Final Thought

2006-09-28T02:40:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

I know that it is VERY late in the game. I also realize that you haven't heard from me in a long time. Lets give some props to Mr. Howard Bender for keeping up on this sport long after most of us have only looked at the standings for our leagues for the last two months. I know that I really only look at rotobuzz in order to get relevant info for weekly moves.

I do, however, fell it necessary to acknowledge certain players for their contribution to various fantasy team which might otherwise go overlooked.

Eric Byrnes-- "SO HOT IT BYRNES" is what the signs say in the stands in Arizona. This guy get absolutely NO respect. Yet for two season out of the last three, he has given quality numbers in all categories. Personally, I have to say that he is responsible for a good amount of my team's success.

Willy Taveras -- Lets give is up. This guy was written off by most GMs as a one year wonder. Look at his post all-star break numbers. Hitting .311 with 20 sbs. He is definately paying huge dividends for those who took a gamble on him. I hate to say it. Really, you have no idea how much this hurts. But David Graeber called this. This makes him 1-10 on his calls for the second half.

Raul Ibanez -- He has been so lo-pro for the last couple year despite his really good numbers. He stepped it up and went from being a 20-80 guy to a premier fantasy player. Dont get me wrong. . .for next year i wouldnt boost his value. But going 30+ and 100+ instead of 20-80 is huge.

Garrett Atkins -- Unreal!!!! this guys numbers are better than his biggest supporters could have dreamed. I dont know if it was Coors Field or what!! He is going to command much more next year in auctions.

Michael Cuddyer -- I drafted this guy as my second 3B in the deepest league I am in. Laughter filled the room. WOW! Over 100 rbi?!?! That is nuts. He was huge for those of us who have had him active from day one.

Chris Duffy -- I loved this guy before the season started. He laid a big fat egg in the beggining of the year. Come the second half, he stole 20 bases in 198 ABs. THAT IS HUGE!!!!!!

There are many more low key players that helped countless teams. I just feel it is good to give it up to the Baseball Gods for these guys that get no love, yet give us so much.

buy low, sell high.

keith

What's the Buzz? 9/27/06

2006-09-28T01:57:00.000-05:00

You know what folks...

I'm sorry. It's super late here and I have to get up super early. I just don't have it in me for a recap tonight.

You know who to start....no real surprises out there anymore.

check the boxscores for the highlights

I'll be back tomorrow.

Thanks for understanding.

What's the Buzz? 9/26/06

2006-09-26T22:56:00.000-05:00

Some banged up players, pitchers missing starts, whatever screws you over the most...check it out here: Brian Giles (leg -- could miss a game or two), Hayden Penn (back -- was already done for the season after today anyway), Adam LaRoche (hamstring -- should be back on Wednesday), Chipper Jones (foot -- may miss another game), Randy Johnson (back -- missing rest of season to rest for the playoffs), Mark Kotsay (groin -- may be back on Wednesday, depending on whether or not the A's clinch), Marcus Thames (flu -- should be back Wednesday), Kenjii Jojihima (back -- may miss one more game), Ryan Shealy (hives -- should be back on Wednesday), Jason Giambi (wrist -- may return Wednesday), Magglio Ordonez (back -- may miss another game or two), Justin Verlander (arm -- being rested until the playoffs, so done for the season), Aramis Ramirez (quad -- should miss only a game or two), Manny Ramirez (knee -- may return on Wednesday, outlook still not so good), and Paul Konerko (back -- may be in and out of the lineup the rest of the way...possibly more out than in).

In other news...

Congrats to Natiionals rookie 3B Ryan Zimmerman whose 3 RBI night tonight put him over 100 for the season makin ghim just the third NL rookie to do so in the last 50 years. The other too are Mike Piazza and Albert Pujols. It's a shame he has to lose the Rookie of the Year award to Dan Uggla.
Career high in RBI tonight for Indians 1B Ryan Garko. 3 hits tonight, 5 RBI...including a 3 run bomb in the 5th inning. He'll be a highly coveted youngster in next year's draft as he should be the Tribe full time first baseman.
Rumors out of San Diego and Minnesota have David Wells starting on Sunday and Brad Radke starting on Thursday. Radke's coming back from a shoulder injury and I don't recommend him. Wells? They say Sunday, but who knows with this guy. I wouldn't rely on him.
And finally, congrats to Andruw Jones. Everyone knew he wasn't going to hit over 50 HR again, but he did hit his 40th of the season tonight and became the only Atlanta Braves player in history to record atleast 40 HR in back to back seasons. Two players did it back when they were in Milwaukee; Hank Aaron in 1962 and '63 and Eddie Matthews did it back to back to back from 1953-55.

That's really all I've got for you tonight. Let's hope you're finishing strong this week!!!

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-09-26T22:17:00.000-05:00

Since it's the last week, there's really no sense in continuing this particular article.

Especially since the only thing picking up is my competition and the only thing dropping off is my team.

C'mon roto Gods...help a brother out!!!

What's the Buzz? 9/25/06

2006-09-25T22:57:00.000-05:00

Well, now all you fantasy owners can experience what Yankees fans felt when fat ol' David Wells quit on them in the 2003 World Series. If you were expecting 2 starts out of him this week you got screwed today as he was scratched from tonight's game with gout in his right foot. What's worse is that he may not even make a start this week depending on his condition and the Padres playoff possibilities [wow...say that 3 times fast...Padres playoff possibilities]. Did no one in the San Diego front office know about this recurring condition? Did any of them do some research into his health? C'mon guys...gout, a bad back, obesity, stupidity....the list goes on...

In other news...

I almost had a heart attack and died today as both Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Edmonds not only came back to play today, but they each had pinch hit 3 run homers!!! Griffey proceeded to ice down his toe afterwards, Edmonds popped some Excedrin Migraine, and I swiped a couple of nitro pills from my elderly neighbor so that we could all sit back and enjoy the moment.
And speaking of guys you were 3 seconds away from writing off for good, Brad Radke had a good side session today and apparently will start for the Twins on Thursday against Kansas City. I still don't recommend using him.
Happy birthday David Weathers!!! Your 12th save on your birthday...does it get any better than that for a 37 year old journeyman middle reliever?
Some day to day/injured guys to keep your eyes on include: Rondell White (hamstring -- probably out a few games), Orlando Hudson (personal -- probably back on Tuesday), and Randy Johnson (back spasms -- missing his start this week).
And finally, congratulations to the Minnesota Twins who clinched a playoff spot today with a victory over the Royals (congrats to Torii Hunter and his career high 30th HR tonight). The teams are all set for the AL playoffs, but the matchups aren't just yet. The Twins and Tigers are only a game apart to take the honors of winning the Central division and avoiding a first round matchup with the Yankees. Neither should really worry about it too much as both will end up facing and losing to the Yanks in the end. I say it goes Yankees vs. Minnesota and Oakland vs. Detroit in the divisional series and then the Yanks over Detroit for the AL pennant. Wish I could say it leads to a Subway Series but I don't see it going down that way. But that's a conversation for another day.

Quiet news night...what can you do?

Catch you next time...

Power Performers

2006-09-25T11:56:00.001-05:00

Last edition of Power Performers here. Lots of NL guys I could put here, so keep that in mind when making decisions. Let's see who's hot going into the final week of the season. As always, the batting lines go AVG.-R-HR-RBI-SB.

AL Hitters

1. Magglio Ordonez, OF DET: .370-8-4-7-0 Couldn't have caught fire at a better time for Tigers fans. They've clinched a playoff spot and are now fighting for the division. A nice power boost for your stretch run.

2. David Ortiz, DH BOS: .348-4-4-5-0 Deep down he knows he's not winning the MVP so he's going to try and go out with a bang. He's already got the franchise record for HR but he'll still be swinging for the fences every time he gets to the plate.

3. Torii Hunter, OF MIN: .423-6-3-9-1 The Twinkies are surging better than ever lately and the veteran is showing he can still hit with the best of them. They've got a big lead over the White Sox, but they're thinking division more than wild card.

4. Raul Ibanez, OF SEA: .424-8-3-7-0 Once again, one of the most underrated outfielders out there. 30 HR with 117 RBI and he's still going. Expect solid numbers for his final week.

5. Paul Konerko, 1B CHW: .385-6-3-8-0 May be too late here for the Sox to make the wild card but they're not mathematically eliminated just yet. He needs 5 dingers this week to reach the 40 mark again.

Honorable Mention: Ichiro Suzuki, Carl Crawford, Luis Castillo

AL Pitchers

1. Freddy Garcia, SP CHW: 2 wins-8 K-2.45 ERA-0.818 WHIP The White Sox may be out of the hunt, bu tthey're still trying to play competitive ball. They're not rolling over just yet. Freddy's got on emore start towards the end against a tough Twins team though.

2. Kenny Rogers, SP DET: 2 wins-5 K-0.64 ERA-1.00 WHIP The Tigers have clinched a playoff spot and, again, are fighting to hold the division lead. No one wants to face the Yankees in the first round. He gets one more against Toronto this week.

3. A.J. Burnett, SP TOR: 1 win-15 K-3.21 ERA-1.357 WHIP Who da thunk it? Still pitching at this time of the year? Nice to see if you're looking for a final push in strikeouts. He gets the Gambler and the Tigers his final time out.

4. J.J. Putz, RP SEA: 2 saves-6 K-0.00 ERA-0.333 WHIP The Mariners are still looking to finish the season with respectability and Putz has been a great option at closer all season long.

5. Erik Bedard, SP BAL: 1 win-14 K-2.31 ERA-1.629 WHIP Quite the season for the third year guy out of Baltimore. His WHIP has been a little high for my taste, but you have to go with him as he goes for his 16th win of the season this week.

Honorable Mention: Chris Ray, Joe Nathan, Francisco Rodriguez

NL Hitters

1. Luke Scott, OF HOU: .333-6-4-13-0 Getting a bunch of playing time in Houston and he's taking full advantage of it. Will see full time action the rest of the way so keep him active.

2. Andruw Jones, OF ATL: .409-12-5-12-0 A huge power surge this past week and he isn't going quietly as the Braves fade away this year. Doesn't hurt that he's hitting in front of Brian McCann either.

3. Matt Holliday, OF COL: .400-12-4-12-0 A sleeper on most experts lists at the start of the season and he's finishing up hot here. He gets 3 at home and 3 at Wrigley to end the season so he should be solid for you at the close.

4. Kaz Matsui, SS COL: .400-4-0-4-5 Widely suspected that once he got out of New York he would find his groove. He's been solid since his call up to the Rockies and should continue to flash his speed around for the last week.

5. Jeff Baker, 3B/OF COL: .400-8-4-11-1 Great power numbers as he's auditioning for a spot next year. He won't supplant Garrett Atkins at third, but if he continues to hit like this, they'll find a spot for him somewhere.

Honorable Mention: Moises Alou, Aramis Ramirez, Brian McCann, Carlos Lee

NL Pitchers

1. Aaron Harang, SP CIN: 2 wins-14 K-3.24 ERA-0.840 WHIP Once again, a great play all year. His strikeout totals have been great and his ratios have been solid. He gets the Pirates next for his chance at win #16.

2. Clay Hensley, SP/RP SD: 2 wins-12 K-2.25 ERA-1.417 WHIP The converted reliever has put up impressive numbers this year for San Diego. He'll be pitching at Arizona this week, so he should find some success here at the end.

3. Trevor Hoffman, RP SD: 4 saves-4 K-3.60 ERA-0.600 WHIP How can you possibly go wrong with the new all time saves leader. The Padres are in a dogfight right now and they need to win the division if they want the playoffs this year.

4. Brett Myers, SP PHI: 1 win-12 K-2.00 ERA-1.000 WHIP A must start this week as he'll get 2 favorable matchups in Washington and in Florida. His strikeouts are always great and the Phillies are playing hard. The wins will come and he'll help the Phils into the wild card.

5. Roger Clemens, SP HOU: 1 win-12 K-0.82 ERA-1.000 WHIP Old Man River here squeezed out an extra start this past week to get an extra outing in at home. Final matchup in Atlanta, so you'll want him active.

Honorable Mention: Francisco Cordero, Jake Peavy, Brian Fuentes

2006 MVP Awards

2006-09-25T00:46:00.000-05:00

David Ortiz is stirring up trouble in the AL with his big mouth and his home run barrage. Can he overtake Derek Jeter, Jermaine Dye or the Minnesota crew for the honors?

Is Ryan Howard primed for his first MVP award in only his second season or will the award go to ol' reliable Albert Pujols? Can people really ignore Alfonso Soriano's 40-40-40 season?

Check out 2006 MVP Awards on Addict Fantasy Sports and check out who I think will receive the honors this year.

What's the Buzz? 9/24/06

2006-09-24T22:38:00.000-05:00

How about the day to day list to start? We're going into the last scoring period here, so if you need to set your lineup for the week, you should check the status of these guys. Some could just miss a game, maybe two, and some could just miss the whole rest of the week. Start these guys at your own risk: David Eckstein (hamstring -- just got back from DL with an oblique problem -- sounds like maybe a game or two here), Andres Blanco (shoulder -- possibly out all week), Manny Ramirez (knee -- should play atleast four games in this week), Russell Branyan (hand -- maybe a game or two), Chad Tracy (knee -- maybe a game or two), Orlando Hudson (personal -- should miss a few games), Jason Giambi (wrist -- should get 3 or 4 starts this week), Carlos Beltran (quad -- should play this whole week), Ray Durham (knee -- he should only miss a game or two), Eric Chavez (hamstring -- if the A's clinch, he'll sit the rest of the way), and Freddy Sanchez (wrist -- should only miss a game or two).

And here's a few starters you should know about if you were relying on them at all this week: Dontrelle Willis (only 1 start this week -- will not pitch on the last day), Felix Hernandez (will get one start this week), Cha Seung Baek (done for the year), Mike Mussina (will make his last start this week), and Mike Gonzalez (shoulder -- should return to the Pirates' pen this week; possible save chances).

Some other fantasy notes:

Royals SS Andres Blanco looks like he might be out all week. If that's the case, then Angel Berroa would play every game this week. Activate at your own risk, but it's better than having no one.
Congratulations to Trevor Hoffman who recorded his 43rd save of the season which was his 479th career save which breaks the all time saves record held by Lee Smith. Hoffman's 43 for 48 this year and has been one of the most dominant closers in the game for some time. He should get some good time in this week as the Padres and Dodgers are battling down to the wire.
Today's win put the Phillies a game up in the wild card race and some of their best are getting pretty hot again. It looks like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell are going to carry some fantasy teams to the championship.
I find it odd that today was Grady Sizemore's first career multi-homer game, but sure enough...it was. One of the few Indians that are probably helping you out down the stretch here.
Tigers rookie Justin Verlander got his 17th win today and helped the Tigers clinch their first playoff berth since 1987. Hold out for as long as you can before leaving him in this week. He's been getting tired and there is a possibility that Jim Leyland will rest him this week before the playoffs start.
There could be more competition for the AL batting title to join Joe Mauer (.344) and Derek Jeter (.338). Apparently Robinson Cano (walked in tonight hitting .339 and went 2 for4) needs just 19 at bats this week to qualify. Even if he gets a game off this week for rest, he should still clear the at bats needed. As a Yankees fan, it would be nice to see one of them unseat Mauer for the title.
After stealing 2 bases today, Mets SS Jose Reyes left himself one homer shy of finishing 20-60 on the year. Something tells me, if he doesn't think about it too much, he's gonna get it. Stud shortstop...stud fantasy player.
Toronto's Lyle Overbay set career highs with 21 homers and 89 RBI today. That's probably just about where he should plateau for the next few years. Nothing drastically higher, nothing much lower than that. Just a steady guy. Think of him as sort of a modern day John Olerud, except he doesn't run like a duck.
And finally, David Ortiz hit a career best 53 home runs and he's still going. You swing for those fences, fatty. Empty home runs. Go ahead and try to pad those numbers. You're still not winning the MVP.

Good luck down the home stretch. As long as you're not passing me in the standings, I hope you all move up and win your championships this week.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/23/06

2006-09-23T22:24:00.000-05:00

Well, whether it's the beginning, the middle, or the very end of the season, the injury bug always finds a way to bite Nationals 1B Nick Johnson in the ass. Nick the Stick (in the midst of a solid and healthy year) was carted off the field after a collision with teammate Austin Kearns. Diagnosis? How about a broken right femur? Ouch!! Johnson will have surgery tonight and the Nats are hoping he'll be back for Spring Training 2007. In the meantime, Jose Vidro should be shifted over to first, occasionally being spelled by Robert Fick.

In other news...

Remember when Brian Roberts had his arm broken and elbow dislocated last year? Well Baltimore almost got the same, but on the giving end rather than the receiving after Corey Patterson ran into Phil Nevin during a play at first base today. Nevin was immediately sent for x-rays, which fortunately came back negative. He is now considered day to day with a bone bruise on his wrist.
Joining Nevin on the day to day list are: Manny Ramirez (knee), Jermaine Dye (hamstring), Adrian Beltre (hamstring -- way to jinx him, Brody!), Jose Contreras (hamstring -- shut down for the year), Melvin Mora (stomach virus), Edwin Jackson (concussion), Jim Edmonds (concussion -- some positive reports came in but don't get overly-excited just yet), Yuniesky Betancourt (knee), Paul LoDuca (thumb), Carlos Beltran (quad), Brad Radke (shoulder -- rumors say he could make a start next week), Nomar Garciaparra (quad), Ray Durham (knee), Todd Greene (thigh), and Chipper Jones (toe/foot).
Don't worry about Anthony Reyes missing his start today. He was scratched and sent to the bullpen only because Jason Marquis was actually healthy enough to pitch. Reyes shoul dstill get another start before season's end.
This just in...Mark Buehrle sucks!!! Well, that was in earlier this season, but I felt the need to re-iterate.
And finally, congrats to Barry Bonds who hit his 734th home run tonight. The homer breaks Hank Aaron's NL record and puts Bonds just 21 dingers shy of Aaron's MLB record of 755. Way to go juice head!!! I hope you get out of baseball as soon as you pass it next year. And for all you Bonds fans out there....again....you're only angry because you know I'm right.

Some late games on the West Coast still going...if any relevant news breaks, I'll be back with it in the morning while I prep for football.

Catch you next time....

2006 Cy Young Awards

2006-09-23T20:02:00.000-05:00

If you really take the 3 seconds you need to think about it, the choices this year for the Cy Young awards seem pretty obvious. Well, a no-brainer in the AL and a nice toss up in the NL, I should say.

Want to know my picks?

Check out 2006 Cy Young Awards on Addict Fantasy Sports today.

What's the Buzz? 9/22/06

2006-09-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well, here we go...the season winds down and yet another player (of mine) is officially done for the season. The Red Sox announced today that center fielder Coco Crisp will have season ending surgery on the index finger that has caused him so many problems all season long. He broke it early on in the year, missed somewhere in the neighborhood of 42 games, and has been out more often than not in the past few weeks again. Dunzo!!! What a waste! I know injuries happen and all, but Crisp was primed for a breakout season with his move to Fenway. He had 20-20 potential written all over him and now the only thing being written is the word "sucker" on mine and everyone else's foreheads that bought into the "possibilities". Ugh!!

On to the news...

The Cardinals are learning the hard way when it comes to closing out games again. With long time closer Jason Isringhausen done for the year with a hip problem, the Cards had to turn to Braden Looper and Adam Wainwright to finish out games. Not so good. Manager Tony LaRussa was expected to play the matchups for saves and tonight he went with Looper who went a quick 2/3 of an inning with 2 earned runs. Wainwright didn't fare much better with his 2 earned runs in 1 1/3 innings earlier in the game. Now it might not have much in fantasy implications, what with just a week to go, but for the upcoming playoffs, this could be a big problem for St. Louis.
How about some day to day guys with some season ending possibilities? Here's a quick look: Jose Contreras (hamstring -- could be done for the year if the White Sox remain so far behind), Cesar Izturis (hamstring -- probably done for the year), Roy Halladay (forearm -- done for the year), Placido Polanco (shoulder -- being activated from the DL by the end of this weekend), Johnny Damon (hand), Jason Marquis (back spasms), David Eckstein (oblique), Yuniesky Betancourt (knee), Paul Maholm (shoulder), Chipper Jones (toe), Carlos Beltran (quad), and Roy Oswalt (neck -- should still make 2 more starts this season).
Do I even need to still list Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Edmonds here in the day to day? Probably not as I don't see either one returning...again. Nothing would make me happier than to eat my words here....got the knife and fork ready....got my A-1 sauce...c'mon guys!!!
Welcome back Mariano Rivera!!! The Yankees will keep his workload light, but he'll grab a few more saves before the year is out.
Let's see who notices this one....I'm thinking about protecting Cole Hamels for next year...
Ryan Howard!!! 58 and counting...MVP!! MVP!! Where would the Phillies be without this guy?
Hey...here's a first. As if you need to be sold on this guy some more, but with his 40th double of the season tonight, Nationals OF Alfonso Soriano became the first 40-40-40 guy in the history of baseball. Good job Sori!!! We knew you'd keep it going. Remember when some people were bitching about him being on the Nats and playing in that ballpark? Um, yeah....those numbers suffered [it's called sarcasm, fool].
And finally, better late than never...congrats to Seattle's Raul Ibanez on his 1000th career hit; a home run off of Javier Vazquez. Once again, another productive season for Ibanez as he flies under the radar with the quietest 29 HR and 114 RBI in the majors.

Catch you next time...

Apples and Oranges

2006-09-22T21:49:00.000-05:00

The following article was written by part-time blog contributor and full-time fantasy agitator, David Graeber. Enjoy...

Apples and Oranges

This widely used idiom evokes the apparent differences between items which are popularly thought to be incomparable. At the beginning of the season, many drafters found a huge gap between David Wright and Garrett Atkins at the hot corner; and between Victor Martinez and Brian McCann at the thinnest of all fantasy spots—catcher.

Apples and oranges? I don’t think so!

Well, as it turns out, as some lucky teams found out, the comparison was much closer than people think! Before we analyze the draft positions, let’s consider the stat lines of all four players:

Atkins: 564 AB .328 AVG. 27 HR 108 RUNS 114 RBI 3 SB
Wright: 543 AB .307 AVG. 24 HR 90 RUNS 110 RBI 19 SB
Martinez: 533 AB .315 AVG. 16 HR 75 RUNS 86 RBI 0 SB
McCann: 404 AB .327 AVG. 20 HR 55 RUNS 77 RBI 2 SB

All of these players’ numbers are respectable from both positions for any fantasy squad. The only glaring differences between any of these numbers are the 17 steals that separate Wright from Atkins and the 55 runs that separate McCann from Martinez.

At the beginning of the year on draft boards, David Wright was the 17th ranked player overall taken and the 2nd third baseman chosen. Whereas Atkins was the 223rd pick in most drafts and the 23rd overall third baseman. And, at season’s start, this was completely realistic given Wright’s prospects and the idea that Atkins was only really a place saver for Ian Stewart. Now, at the season’s end, they are almost identical players minus the steals. Considering Atkins is hitting 20 points higher, it shrinks that deficit some as well, further inching them closer on the ranking sheet. The real story here for fantasy owners is that if they chose Atkins later over Wright they got incredible value on their pick and probably scored a stud with their first or second rounder as well! Edge to the Atkins drafter!

The same story applies to the Martinez/McCann splits (McCann taken on average at the 290th pick and Martinez at the 25th). The real difference here is in the at bats and offensive lineups each plays in every night. While Martinez DHed (and played first) his way to over a hundred more at bats than McCann, McCann still definitively came out of nowhere to outslug Martinez—who was the clear cut number 1 catcher in most drafts. Not only that, but his OBP was almost identical AND, McCann hit 15 points higher.

None of these players are busts by any means and if you drafted any of them, you most likely placed well in the standings. However, in a game where finding value means making a race of it, if you chose Atkins and McCann and avoided the crush to get on the Wright and Victor bandwagons, you probably found your way to a title or close to it because you were able to use those higher picks on bona fide sluggers or hurlers.

So apples may not be oranges, but they certainly both taste like fruit!

What's the Buzz? 9/21/06

2006-09-21T22:30:00.000-05:00

Not your normal Buzz update tonight as I'm a little crabby here today. Just getting sick of watching my players get hit with these stupid injuries in all of my leagues at all the wrong times. It all gets very frustrating and I see my grip on certain money spots slipping away. So I'm not going to be such a nice guy here.

Let's start it off...

First of all, let's acknowledge "Big Papi" David Ortiz for his record breaking home runs tonight. His first of the night (#51 on the year) broke the franchise record set by Jimmie Foxx in 1938. The second homer of the evening gave him his 44th as a DH which broke his own record he set last year. Woo hoo. Big friggin deal. If I have to hear one more idiot say this guy should be the MVP, I'm gonna shoot myself. Ortiz for MVP? Pfffffft!!! Maybe if that fat bastard could go out and play the field regularly he would impress me a little. It's called the game of baseball, not the game of hitting. Like I've said before...the best incomplete player out there today.
All you Roger Clemens owners are getting a fat little bonus as he's now also starting on Sunday (3 days rest) so he can get one more start at home in Houston. Give the fans a last look before he leaves, I suppose. Maybe he's going to announce retirement again so the team'll give him a nice Hummer to drive to the next city he decides to come back for.
What's up with Mets fans being so impressed with Pedro Martinez throwing 4 innings of no-hit ball? He still gave up 4 runs (3 earned) in the 5th inning and ended up taking the loss. So what? He threw 4 innings of no hit ball. I've seen a ton of pitchers in just the last month do that. Is it because he's coming back from a calf injury? Yeah...good job....you folks can enjoy this now, because if you see him do this in the playoffs, you're gonna seee the Mets on the losing end of the first round of the playoffs. You fans better learn to temper your excitement a little here or you're in for a HUGE fall. Maybe you should turn your focus to the fact that your right fielder hasn't had a single RBI in the last 15 days. If your best pitcher is giving up 4 runs in 5 innings, you're gonna need a little offense to counter it.
Here's the day to day list...make sure you watch these guys before you leave them active and they screw you over by not playing: Eliezer Alfonzo (concussion), Willy Taveras (shoulder -- should miss the whole series vs. STL), Paul LoDuca (finger), Carlos Beltran (fear -- Willie's afraid of not having him at 100% for the playoffs), Coco Crisp (finger -- probably re-injured it picking his ass on the bench), Pablo Ozuna (head), Miguel Cabrera (shoulder), Jason Giambi (wrist -- should miss the whole series vs. TB; at this rate, we're gonna make you re-earn those pinstripes too, buddy -- shut up about A-rod and get your HGH lovin' ass back in the lineup), Paul Maholm (shoulder), Brandon Phillips (eye), Eric Chavez (hamstring), and all N.Y. Yankees starters (Torre wants them to rest), and Roy Halladay (forearm -- likely done for the season).
Looks like Rich Harden should be back in your lineups. His little 3 inning, 55 pitch outing was considered a success. He threw most fastballs and changeups, had good command and solid velocity. He'll get another start next week, so you'll want him active. Don't get too excited A's fans. You're gonna put him on your post-season roster just to watch him throw out his elbow in the first round of the playoffs. Damn, I really hope my league idiot tries to protect him for next year.
Ryan Freel, fractured thumb, done for the year...'nuff said.
If either Jim Edmonds or Ken Griffey Jr. comes back to play this season for an entire game, I might have a heart attack and die. Think I need to put 911 on my speed dial? I doubt it.

That's all I got in me for now. Thanks for letting me vent. If I offended anyone, too bad...suck it up and send me a hate email if you have to. You're only mad because you know I'm right...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/20/06

2006-09-20T22:34:00.000-05:00

Another division locked up today as champagne sprayed all over the visitor's clubhouse in Toronto. After losing a squeaker to the Blue Jays, the New York Yankees sat in their clubhouse and watched as the Twins defeated the Red Sox, turning the Bronx Bombers into AL East divisional champions again. It marks the Yankees 9th straight divisional championship and 10th out of the last 11 years. Unless the defending champion White Sox make a move, it looks like the Yanks will face either the Twins or the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs. Congratulations boys!!! You've done your fans and George Steinbrenner proud.

In other news...

How about that clinic Dontrelle Willis put on against the Mets? Not only did he pitch 8 1/3 solid innings for his 12th victory, but he also had the first 2 homer game of his career. It was the first multi-homer game for a pitcher since Randy Wolf hit two in a game back in 2004. The D-Train finished out the day 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.
The day to day list grows some more. Here are the latest casualties you'll need to start checking up on: David DeJesus (thumb), Maicier Izturis (hamstring), Eric Chavez (hamstring), Chipper Jones (toe), Roy Halladay (forearm strain -- could be a season ender here), John Buck (hamstring), Manny Ramirez (knee), Miguel Cabrera (shoulder), Ken Griffey Jr. (toe), Chris Denorfia (ankle), Ryan Freel (wrist), Brandon Phillips (eye), Brian Schneider (groin), Eliezer Alfonzo (headaches), Jeremy Hermida (ankle -- will not play the field the rest of the season but will pinch hit), and Jason Giambi (wrist -- likely to miss 3 more games),
After making yesterday's day to day list, the Royals are saying that 2B Mark Grudzielanek is done for the year. Since he signed a big contract extension, and the team not even remotely close to contention, there's no reason to push him for a fast recovery. He'll be back in full mediocrity in 2007.
Also done for the year: Jarrod Washburn (calf), Rick Helling (knee), and Carl Pavano (shoulder/rins/stupidity)
Anyone notice that Milwaukee outfielder Geoff Jenkins is batting .477 with 6 HR and 10 RBI for the month of September? He may have sucked all year, but he's really helping out some fantasy teams for the final month of the season.
He may not know the true meaning of what an MVP is, but David Ortiz still knows how to hit home runs. Tonight he hit his 50th which breaks a 66 year old franchise record held by Jimmie Foxx. Good job Papi...you and your 50 dingers should have fun watching the playoffs from your living room.
And finally, our thoughts are with Royals manager Buddy Bell who announced today that he will be taking a leave of absence to seek treatment for a growth found on his left tonsil. Let's hope it's nothing too serious and that he has a very safe and speedy recovery.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/19/06

2006-09-19T22:58:00.000-05:00

With the Mets clinching the NL East yesterday, manager Willie Randolph took the immediate opportunity to rest his players. In a victory over the Marlins, the Mets served up a lineup that looked more Norfolk than it did New York. Every regular sat today with the exception of some 8th inning pinch hit appearances by Jose Reyes and Jose Valentin. Neither one got a hit. On the other hand, Anderson Hernandez was so excited for the opportunity, he smacked his first major league home run. Go get 'em, kid.
Now, Willie isn't going to keep them out until the playoffs start, but they will get more rest than usual. He wants to keep them fresh without breaking their momentum. You're going to have to start tracking this daily if you're moveable in any offensive categories. You don't want to lose a point because you're getting less at bats now.

In the news today...

Some bad news for the Marlins as pitcher Josh Johnson will probably miss the rest of the season with a strained right forearm. Just sad to see another great young arm go down with an injury; Rich Harden, Francisco Liriano, Jonathan Papelbon just to name a few. It's probably for the best for Johnson. It would have been tough to grab the wild card this year, so there's no reason to risk further damage to a pitcher with such potential. Nothing's etched in stone yet, but we're like 99.9% sure.
So how about the day to day list now? Some guys whose condition you're going to need to check before activating include: Reed Johnson (legs), Jason Frasor (leg), Torii Hunter (foot), Bill Hall (back), Brandon Phillips (eye), Jarrod Washburn (calf), Kevin Youkilis (neck strain/shoulder), Williy Taveras (shoulder), Ken Griffey Jr. (toe), Chris Widger (shoulder), Johnny Damon (hand), Derek Jeter (hand), Jason Giambi (wrist), Joe Borowski (elbow), Stephen Drew (groin), John Buck (hamstring), and Mark Grudzielanek (leg).
So the Braves did rebuild him after all. Today the Braves activated 3B Chipper Jones (a.k.a Col. Steve Austin) from the disabled list. He went 1 for 3 tonight and looked pretty good swinging the bat. Traditionally, Chipper comes off the DL strong, so you will probably want to activate him.
Also activated today was Yankees OF Gary Sheffield. With Bobby Abreu entrenched in right, look for Sheff to flip flop with Jason Giambi at first base and DH. Hideki Matsui will also be in the mix, so someone's gonna be left out somewhere. But these are not guys you sit. Even in a smaller number of at bats, these three are capable of generating some great numbers over the next two weeks.
It looks like the Astros should have both Andy Pettitte (elbow) and Roger Clemens (groin) on the mound this week. Well maybe. Clemens threw a side session yesterday and said he was ready to go on Wednesday. Pettite, who already had his start pushed back to tonight due to elbow stiffness, actually missed it so that he could be with his father during a surgical procedure. He is slated for Thursday, but you should keep your eye on his condition. I'm sure his father actually had a procedure, but to push him back to that day, probably just meant they were looking to buy him some more time. I say yes to starting Clemens, no to Pettitte.
Once again, some great power out of Rockies 3B Garrett Atkins who had 4 hits tonight, the second 4 hit night in a row. Two of his hits tonight were home runs and he also had a triple. He's got 10 RBI in the last 2 games. He has most definitely established himself as a top of the line third baseman with his 27 home runs and his 114 RBI. He should be higher up on draft boards next season than he was this year.
Pretty funny that two of the pitchers in my Rookie of the Year article got rocked tonight. Murphy's Law, I guess. My pick for the AL, Justin Verlander got tagged for 6 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings while NL runner up Matt Cain gave up 7 runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. At this point you just have to throw your hands up in the air. really...what can you do?
And finally, a big night for Padres closer Trevor Hoffman tonight. Not only did he record his 40th save of the year which marked his 8th 40 save season (an extension of his own MLB record), but it gave him career 476 saves just 2 behind all time saves leader Lee Smith. Looks like a safe bet that he's going to move into the career lead by season's end.

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-09-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

Picking Up:

1. Gary Sheffield, OF NYY: Successful rehab, multiple home runs in simulated games, he's ready to be back. The Yankees will give him some time at first base, so if you've held onto him for this long, you better activate him immediately.

2. Chipper Jones, 3B ATL: He was activated from the DL today as expected. Anyone else remember what he did the last time he was activated from the DL? Don't let the oblique thing fool you. He's ready to take some big cuts for the next two weeks.

3. Adam Wainwright, RP STL: With Izzy down for the remainder of the season, it looks like the bulk of the saves will come his way....maybe a few to Braden Looper, but the majority of games should be closed out by Wainwright.

4. Gary Matthews, Jr., OF TEX: Looks like a huge oversight on my part for not including him in this week's edition of Power Performers. He hit for the cycle on Wednesday, made some great catches in the outfield...oh yeah...and he hit .522 for the week. Looks like a must start for the remainder of the season.

5. Dan Wheeler, RP HOU: Again, what took them so long? The Astros finally announced that Brad Lidge will not be getting all of the save opps from here on in. Wheeler picked up the save the other night and looks like a nice option for some cheap saves.

Also on the rise: Ryan Shealy

Dropping Off:

1. New York Mets hitters: A great time for Mets fans, but not so much for their fantasy owners. The regulars will get a lot of time off to rest and stay healthy for the next 2 weeks. Have you seen tonight's lineup card? Yeesh!! You might have to make some lineup adjustments so you don't drop off in any offensive categories.

2. Ken Griffey, Jr., OF CIN: An all too familiar sight here. Last year he thought he would beat his injuries to finish out the season and he never came back, missing all of September. This year he dislocates a toe and says he's the same thing. I don't think we're seeing him anytime soon.

3. Andre Ethier, OF LAD: The kid could have made for a nice NL Rookie of the Year possibility, but he couldn't sustain the momentum. Not that he would ever beat out the Uggla-ist man in baseball. But now, Marlon Anderson is finding his groove which will put Ethier on the bench a lot more than expected. Time to find a new flavor of the month.

4. Jim Edmonds, OF STL: Once again, did not make the road trip with the team and hasn't taken a regular cut at the plate without looking like he just finished a Dizzy Izzy marathon race. You gotta love that he keeps trying, but not at the expense of your fantasy team. Give up hope and find a better bat.

5. Placido Polanco, 2B DET: He says he's done for the year, his GM says he's not. I don't know about you, but playoff race or not, it doesn't sound like he's going to be too effective down the stretch. What are you still reading this for? Go get a new middle infielder!!! Stat!!!

Also on the decline: Andy Pettitte

2006 Rookies of the Year

2006-09-19T18:31:00.000-05:00

Francisco Liriano, Jered Weaver, Justin Verlander, Jonathan Papelbon, Kenjii Johijima, Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Prince Fielder, Matt Cain...

So many guys to choose from...

But who's going to be named the 2006 Rookies of the Year?

Check out my predictions in my latest article for Addict Fantasy Sports.

What's the Buzz? 9/18/06

2006-09-18T22:23:00.000-05:00

I can't believe this is still an issue with 2 weeks left to go in the season, but if you're looking for some cheap saves help for the stretch run, Dan Wheeler is getting the opportunities these days. He grabbed one tonight, albeit he gave up a solo HR, but the Astros had no problem bypassing Brad Lidge after his last 2 outings. Not really what you wanted from your closer when you drafted Lidge, huh? With the exception of the saves category, he has probably done more harm than good for you this year.

In other news...

Well, the Devil Rays made it official today. Manager Joe Maddon announced that Scott Kazmir is done for the remainder of the season. We figured as much. No sense in risking further injury this year. Be careful drafting him next year though. At the rate MLB pitchers are going, this injury could come back to haunt you next season.
Well, when I'm wrong I say I'm wrong. I was wrong about Aramis Ramirez. After belting two more homers tonight and driving in a career best 7 RBI, he is once again looking like a bona fide stud. I really thought losing Derrek Lee would hurt his numbers, but with him just being 1 HR shy of his career best, it obviously hasn't hurt him a bit.
How about the day to day list: David Eckstein (oblique/ribs), Jim Edmonds (concussion -- didn't make the road trip...again), Brian Schneider (groin), Rod Barajas (back), Placido Polanco (arm -- may be back this weekend; claims he was just confused yesterday. Hmmm.), David Wells (ankle), Jason Schmidt (back --should make his start on Wednesday), Brad Radke (shoulder), Anibal Sanchez (wrist), Kevin Gregg (back), and once again...Ken Griffey Jr. (toe).
Unreal....he should really think about changing his name to Col. Steve Austin. Rumors out of Atlanta say that Chipper Jones may be back on Tuesday from his oblique strain. Talk about a gamer. He goes down, comes back, goes down again, and wants to come back again. What's going on in Atlanta? Did they re-build him? Did they have the technology? If he does come back, activate him immediately. He always goes on a tear when he comes back from the DL.
While it sucks that he was hurt and slumped badly in the second half, White Sox DH Jim Thome reached the 40 HR mark for the sixth time in his career. Sure the Phillies are happier with Ryan Howard, but can anyone say AL Comeback Player of the Year?
And finally, congratulations to Willie Randolph and the New York Mets who became the first team to clinch their division this year when they shutout the Marlins 4-0 tonight. Good job, boys. Breathe a little easier and get ready for October baseball again.

Catch you next time...

Power Performers

2006-09-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

Sorry folks...thought this was published earlier in the day...

AL Hitters:

1. Adrian Beltre, 3B SEA: .393-5-3-9-1 This one's for you Brody! It looks like a new bouncing baby boy in the Beltre household has inspired daddy to do some hitting. I actually think this past week's numbers are better than last year's entire September.

2. Ryan Shealy, 1B KC: .318-5-3-12-0 Does anyone besides me think that the Rockies are still wonderin gwhat they hell they did? Unfortunately for Shealy he got traded to the worst possible team. And despite that, I still guarantee that he'll have a spot on atleast one of my fantasy teams next year.

3. Rocco Baldelli, OF TB: .304-6-3-4-0 With all the talented youth being flashed in Tampa, Baldelli is playing for his job next year. He needs to show that he can stay healthy and play every day and he'll use these last 2 weeks as a starting point.

4. Robinson Cano, 2B NYY: .321-5-2-14-0 The RBI leader for the week! Thankfully he has no idea what a sophomore slump is. If you factored in his averages in place of the time he missed with the hamstring injury, this kid put together a monster season. I'd even go so far as to say he a serious protect possibilities.

5. Alex Rodriguez, 3B NYY: .375-6-2-9-2 What every fantasy lineup needs. 33 HR, 114 RBI and 14 SB in a down season? I'll take that from my third baseman anywhere, anytime.

Honorable Mention: Torii Hunter, Frank Thomas, Carl Crawford

AL Pitchers:

1. Ted Lilly, SP TOR: 2 wins-8 K-2.08 ERA-1.00 WHIP Rebounded nicely after a rough week before. He's a quality lefty and should do well for you in his last 2 starts of the year.

2. Carlos Silva, SP MIN: 2 wins-3 K-1.29 ERA-0.857 WHIP Looked real good this past week and the Twins are surging towards a possible divisional title. Careful though. Before Francisco Liriano went down with the elbow, Silva was a candidate to lose his spot.

3. Mike Mussina, SP NYY 1 win-12 K-1.46-1.054 WHIP He's worked through his injury recovery period and is now warming up for the playoffs. Still one of the most reliable pitchers you can find.

4. Joe Nathan, RP MIN: 3 saves-5 K-2.70 ERA-0.900 WHIP The way the Twins are fighting for the division right now, it's possible that he hits the 40 saves mark for a third year straight. They're going to need to rely on him and he's definitely up for the challenge.

5. Huston Street, RP OAK: 3 saves-2 K-0.00 ERA-0.667 WHIP Another on ewho needed to shake off the rust after an injury. The A's are headed for the playoffs and they couldn't be any happier with their bullpen situation right now.

Honorable Mention: Gil Meche, Randy Johnson, A.J. Burnett

NL Hitters:

1. Dan Uggla, 2B FLA: .429-7-3-5-0 Seriously. I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but...beep beep! If you listened to me before the season started, then you're psyched. You've enjoyed it as much as I have. I said to get him late in the draft. NL Rookie of the Year. No question.

2. Cody Ross, OF FLA: .478-6-3-8-0 Who doesn't love a 3 homer night? He won't do it again for you, but he's getting the playing time and he might give you some decent pop down the stretch.

3. Geoff Jenkins, OF MIL: .471-3-3-6-0 If you read "September Vets" you would have seen that this guy thrives (for whatever reason) in the month of September. Some injuries helped him get back off the bench and he hasn't stopped hitting since.

4. Scott Rolen, 3B STL: .316-3-2-10-0 Finally waking up and realizing that Albert Pujols can't do it alone. He's getting hot at just the right time so ride him through the end of the season.

5. Jason Bay, OF PIT: .375-5-2-5-2 If only they could put some better hitters around him. I still don't understand why he signed that contract extension. Either way, he continues to put up spectacular fantasy numbers and should be a great pick for years to come.

Honorable Mention: Rafael Furcal, Chris Duffy, Aramis Ramirez

NL Pitchers:

1. Chris Carpenter, SP STL: 2 wins-15 K-0.56 ERA-0.938 WHIP Making another stron gpush for the NL Cy Young award. He's in a nice groove right now as he makes his way towards the playoffs. A must start in all leagues.

2. Zach Duke, SP PIT: 2 wins-13 K- 1.13 ERA-1.000 WHIP A little inconsistent this year, but should be a nice play down the stretch. Careful with his next start though as he'll square off against Jake Peavy and playoff hopeful San Diego.

3. Rich Hill, SP CHC: 2 wins-16 K-0.61 ERA-0.750 WHIP A nice bright spot down the stretch in a terrible season for the Cubs this year. He's got great stuff and could be a decent play for the next 2 weeks. He'll get the Reds in his next time out, so he should be a decent play.

4. Salomon Torres, RP PIT: 4 saves-6 K-2.25 ERA-1.500 WHIP The Pirates are actually playing well, and with Mike Gonzalez still out, Torres has been a fantastic option for saves. Even when Gonzo comes back this week, Torres will remain in the mix for saves.

5. Anibal Sanchez, SP FLA: 1 win-12 K-3.00 ERA-0.933 WHIP Love that Marlins pitching. He even looks good while losing. The Marlins are still making a push for the wild card, so He'll make a nice play for the season.

Honorable Mention: Cole Hamels, Tom Gordon, Chad Cordero

What's the Buzz? 9/17/06

2006-09-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

Big buzz out of Detroit today as we've gotten conflicting reports on the condition of 2B Placido Polanco. While Polanco himself said that he was done for the year, and possibly spring training 2007, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said that he received a cortisone shot and was on schedule for BP on Monday. Obviously you have to go with the player here. If he says he's done, then he's not pushing himself in rehab enough to get back early from an injury. It just looks like Dombrowski is circling the wagons, trying not to give his potential first round playoff opponents too much information. Yeah, Polanco off the bench is what other managers are thinking about. Could be a moot point. If the Tigers continue to play as poorly as they have, they might not even have a first round playoff opponent. And what a collapse that would be. Of course, the White Sox don't seem to want to even make this interesting.

In other news...

Padres reliever Cla Meredith had his scoreless inning streak stopped at 34 today by a Russell Martin home run. He had gone 28 straight appearances without allowing a run and currently sits with a 0.83 ERA, a 0.690 WHIP with 29 K's. Do you think the Red Sox are regretting their move now? Meredith was the pitcher sent to the Pods in the Doug Mirabelli re-trade. Doh!!
Speaking of the Sox, congrats to OF David Murphy who hit his first career big league homer today. Always nice to see them trot the bases for the first time.....they always go so fast. they're so excited. Can't blame him though. Maybe he'll make a decent September call up next year, but he's not going to be on the roster come next April.
Let's take a look at the day to day list here: Stephen Drew (groin), Rod Barajas (back), Paul Konerko (back), Alex Rios (hand), Ichiro Suzuki (leg), Kevin Youkilis (shoulder), Ray Durham (knee), Royce Clayton (bone bruise), David Eckstein (ribs), Mariano Rivera (elbow), and Damion Easley (wrist).
Worried if your pitcher's gonna start this week? Here's a few that are throwing sessions and are expected to pitch this week: Safe to start -- Andy Pettitte (elbow), David Wells (ankle), Rich Harden (elbow), Anthony Reyes (tired arm). Best to avoid -- Rodrigo Lopez (bicep tightness), Josh Johnson (will miss start due to forearm stiffness).
Pitchers that are done for the year? The guys who won't be helping you out include Eric Milton, Chad Orvella, Scott Kazmir (it's not official, but we know it's coming), Mike Pelfrey (another high probability), and Kason Gabbard (also not official but highly probable).
Hey, how about September Sleeper Scott Baker today? He pitched great against the Indians, going 6 innings and only allowing 1 earned run. With Francisco Liriano's injury and today's quality start, he just might have bought another start this week against Baltimore. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about keeping him in my active lineup this week, but c'mon....it's Baltimore. I say go ahead....but maybe that's just fantasy pride talking. Start him at your own risk, but I'm gonna take one more shot with him.
Special sorry to Derek Jeter whose 25 game hit streak came to an end tonight after going 0-4 in the second game of the doubleheader against the Red Sox. Perhaps David Ortiz will use tonight's performance against Jeter as he continues to campaign for himself for the AL MVP.
Ryan Howard -- 57 HR on the year and with 13 games left to play the Phillies are within 1 game of the wild card. Everyone say it together...MVP!!! MVP!!!
Dan Uggla -- 26 HR and 89 RBI Let's get another chant going...R.O.Y!!! R.O.Y.!!!
And finally, let's give it up for the Big Hurt!! A little revenge for Frank Thomas, I suppose, as he led the charge for the A's to seep the White Sox in the 3 game series. He smacked his 38th of the season (his 10th in the month) tonight after providing 4 RBI the night before. Lots of bad blood between the Sox organization and Thomas -- Thomas playing the nice guy, loyal to the team, innocent victim and the Sox are portraying him as Stan Ross. Either way...love him or hate him...the Big Hurt is having a spectacular year.

Catch you next time...

Our Best Wishes to Derrek Lee and his family

2006-09-17T22:36:00.000-05:00

On behalf of those that contribute to RotoBuzz, I would just like to send our best wishes to Derrek Lee and his family. Lee's daughter has an undiagnosed illness right now and has apparently lost vision in one of her eyes. Major tests are being run and we'll know more later.

Lee has left the team to be with his family and he will not finish the season with the Cubs.

Our thoughts and prayers are with him.

What's the Buzz? 9/16/06

2006-09-16T22:59:00.000-05:00

Let's start it off with the day to day list and see who is questionable for Sunday's games: Wily Mo Pena (strained quad), Kason Gabbard (lat muscle), David Wells (ankle), Cesar Izturis (hamstring), Royce Clayton (bone bruise), Orlando Hudson (knee), and Mariano Rivera (elbow -- maybe back by Friday). Watch 'em carefully. You're almost at the end and you don't want to be careless now.

In other news...

Congratulations to Texas SS Michael Young who bcame just the 4th player since 1940 to record atleast 200 hits in a season for 4 straight years. He joins Wade Boggs (7), Ichiro (6 -- after tonight, officially), and Kirby Puckett (4) for the honors. His power may not have been what you were hoping for, but you can't deny that he has and will continue to produce solid numbers for fantasy teams.
And speaking of Ichiro...congrats to him for setting the AL record for most consecutive steals without getting caught -- 33. The major league record is 44 set by Vince Coleman, but don't for a moment think that it's safe. Although he's had a less than stellar second half, Ichiro remains one of the top outfielders to get come draft day.
Well, it's been officially declared now...Jason Isringhausen is done for the year. This doesn't really come as much of a surprise here. The hip's been bothering him for a while and there was constant talk of offseason surgery. This clinches it. Braden Looper and Adam Wainwright will share the closing duties from here on in.
It finally happened for Alfonso Soriano. He finally joins the elusive 40-40 club as he stole his 40th base in the first inning tonight. He already had the 45 dingers. He was so close back when he was a Yankee, but it's just nice to see him finally get it done. He joins Barry Bonds, Vladimir Guerrero and everyone's favorite, Jose Canseco.
It looks like Carlos Zambrano will pitch for the Cubs on Sunday after all. His back has been a mees, but he doesn't want to end the season like this. Unfortuantely, he could end up like Francisco Liriano or Chad Billingsley and hurt himself even worse. And for what? The Cubs have zero shot this year. Save yourself for another time.
And finally, speaking of coming back too soon...it looks like the A's Rich Harden who re0injured himself earlier this year when he came back too soon, is scheduled to pitch this week on Thursday against the Indians. If he's going to be considered for the post season, he is going to need to show he's ready. Don't activate him though. Consider this start and the next as rehab starts. He probably won't have his best stuff for a little while.

That's all I got in me today....feel free to add in the comments section.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/15/06

2006-09-15T22:52:00.000-05:00

So the truth finally comes out about Pedro Martinez, huh? A torn calf muscle? Sorry....partially torn? How is that being hidden from the public? Was it really that serious an injury or was that just an excuse because he was pulled from his first start back today after giving up 4 runs in 3 innings? Pedro now claims that he is only at about 80% and he just wanted to get back in to show his teammates that he will be ready for them come playoff time. Yeah...I don't know about this one, folks. It all sounds a little strange to me. Either Pedro, himself, or the team needs to just come right out and say exactly what's going on. We don't need the gamesmanship, if that's what's happening here. The bottom line that we all want to know is whether or not he's going to be pitching all out for his next two supposed starts or if they're going to be these short little "rehab" outings. For now, keep him active, but keep your ear to the ground on this one when making lineup decisions. If it were me, I wouldn't count on anything truly worthwhile from him for the next 2 weeks. If there's someone else you can be using, use them. This whole Pedro situation could come back to bite you in the ass at the worst possible time.

In other news...

Some major disappointment for Jason Schmidt owners -- especially for those needing him for their fantasy playoffs. He was scratched from his start due to a sore back and it looks like he'll just miss the turn outright rather than just have it pushed back. Atleast if it were pushed back he'd stand the chance of being a 2 start pitcher next week, but again...doubtful.
Royals first baseman Ryan Shealy continues to impress as he smacked another hom erun tonight, a grand slam in the first inning. That gives him 7 homers and 33 RBI in 165 big league at bats this year; numbers that surely have the Colorado Rockies wondering what they were thinking. Shealy should be a nice "sleeper" for next year amongst first basemen.
No tthat you should be using him at this point, but Brewers pitcher Tomo Ohka will now probably miss the next 2 weeks with a hamstring injury he suffered in tonight's game. He has officially been rendered useless to you for the end of the year.
And speakin gof injuries, here's the day to day list for you: Alex Rios (hand), Jason Isringhausen (hip), David Bell (migraines), Mike Sweeney (oblique), Joel Zumaya (wrist), Andy Pettitte (elbow -- start has been pushed back from Sunday to Tuesday), Carlos Zambrano (back -- a Saturday decision will be made to see whether or not he can start this Sunday), Corey Lidle (finger tendonitis), Mariano Rivera (elbow), Manny Ramirez (knee -- could be done for the year), Corey Patterson (shoulder), Jeff Kent (oblique), John Mabry (wrist), Brad Radke (shoulder), and Juan Mateo (back).
Not day to day anymore, and just out for the year now is Atlanta's Chipper Jones. He has not recovered fully from the oblique strain, and the team can get back some money based on the insurance policy they took out on him. They can recover any monies lost due to his time spent on the DL. I bet Chipper's fantasy owners are real happy that the Braves financial situation has been made better.
The fanfare just keeps on going for Marlins rookie Dan Uggla. With his 25th home run of the year tonight, Uggla has set the MLB rookie record for second baseman in home runs (breaking Joe Gordon's record from 1938) and has tied teammate Josh Willingham in homers, which is just one shy of the franchise's rookie record set by Preston Wilson. I defy you to find me someone more deserving of the Rookie of the Year award. Defy.
OK then....Hayden Penn...not ready for the majors, is he? In his longest major league outing of the year, the rookie went 3 2/3 and gave up 7 runs. I can't imagine he's getting another start this year, and this certainly will devalue him come next year. Hmmm....anyone say 2007 super sleeper?
It looks like my September sleeper is going to get another chance here. The Twins have put Scott Baker back in the rotation again and he'll pitch this weekend against Cleveland. If all goes well, and I'm hoping it does, the team should leave him in for another start or two after that.
After watching Francisco Liriano re-injure his elbow the other day, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has decalred himself out for the rest of the season. That's it...no chance of returning. Looks like you're going to have to deal with either Mike Timlin or Keith Foulke if you need saves. On another note, this definitely brings up the question: does this hurt him in his bid for AL Rookie of the Year? Will Detroit's Justin Verlander walk away with the honors now?
And finally, speaking of the Tigers, did you see they picked up Matt Stairs off of waivers from Texas? While he's not eligible for the post season roster, he is now eligible to steal at bats away from guys like Craig Monroe and Marcus Thames. And you thought your problems were over when they released Dmitri Young...ha!

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/14/06

2006-09-14T22:57:00.000-05:00

Short slate of games today and a late night here for me...let's just get to it.

How about some day to day listings here? As always, check their stauts before activating any of these guys. They may be sitting out a game or two...or three or four: Jorge Posada (elbow), Coco Crisp (finger), Kelvim Escobar (knee), Mike Lieberthal (back), Jason Schmidt (back), Ray Durham (hip), Rod Barajas (back), Manny Ramirez (knee -- out for the whole weekend), Curt Schilling (lat muscle), Ken Griffey Jr. (toe --expected to miss the whole weekend; here we go again), and Corey Patterson (shoulder).
It's not so much a day to day thing...maybe a little more than that, but Cubs catcher Michael Barrett insists that his surgically repaired balls will not keep him out for the rest of the season. He hopes to be back sometime by the end of next week. We'll have to wait and see about that. It still hurts to think about it.....but I may have to make a few jokes soon.
Congratulations to Braves 2B Martin Prado who hit his first career major league home run tonight; a three run shot off of Jamie Moyer. Prado should get some more action lately as the team should give him a few more looks over Willy Aybar down the stretch.
Reports out of Tampa say that it is "highly unlikely" that Scott Kazmir will return this year. I sure hope you weren't pinning your hopes on a few possible starts for him were you? And just a note here.....I will remind you of all this next season when it comes time to draft. It's getting more and more dangerous picking up these young "phenoms". Unfortunately, they keep blowing out their shoulders and elbows. While on draft day you were probably envious of the guy who drafted Kazmir, Mark Prior, and Rich Harden, who's laughing now? Don't go wasting your bid money and draft picks here.
And finally, congrats to Lance Berkman who joined the legendary Mickey Mantle as the only switch hitters in history to record multiple 40 HR seasons. While he may not reach that mark consistently next season or the season after, he's still a solid option in an era that seems to be losing the big power hitters we saw in the late 90's/early turn of the century. LOL. Turn of the century....so weird using that phrase. Feels like I'm going panning for gold in Sutter's Mill or something.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/13/06

2006-09-13T22:46:00.000-05:00

I have to apologize to all you Freddy Garcia owners out there (including my wife). While sitting in fron tof the computer I saw that Garcia had a perfect game through 7 innings. When he was at 7 2/3, I walked around and grabbed the remote to see if ESPN was giving us a little bonus coverage. Against my wife's wishes (she didn't want to jinx it by watching), I turned it on and BAM!!! Adam Kennedy hits his single into center and breaks up the whole thing. I have been thoroughly yelled at, so this is my formal apology to you all. I'm sorry. Freddy did not toss a perfect game/no hitter because Howard Bender turned on a television set.

In other news...

Some real bad news in Minnesota as Francisco Liriano was removed from the game in the third inning after "hearing a pop" in his elbow. Any playoff hopes the Twins had must be pinned on someone else. He's going to be examined and put through a barrage of tests, but more importantly, Liriano is done for the year. It looks like a little more action for Matt Garza. He should get another start or two. Scott Baker anyone? Anyone?
A change in the condition of Red Sox starter Curt Schilling as he has now been ruled out for his scheduled start on Saturday. He's had the lat problem and now he's complaining of a "sluggish" arm. He may be shut down for the season. No wonder David Ortiz is spouting off like a moron. His whole team seems to have just quit on the season.
A few pitchers out there that are on the mend; here's a list of those who will make their starts this week: Chad Billingsley LAD, Pedro Martinez NYM, Eric Milton CIN, John Smoltz, ATL, and Nate Robertson DET.
Some day to day guys also worth noting: Mike Cameron (foot), Jay Gibbons (back), Ken Griffey Jr,. (toe), Brad Radke (shoulder), Adam Everett (groin), Andy Pettitte (elbow), and Mariano Rivera (elbow).
That Mike Stanton pickup is looking better and better as it was announced today that Giants closer Armando Benitez will miss the remainder of the season with inflammation in his right knee. Keep Stanton active. The Giants still think they're in this one.

Some nice highlights today, but not much on the fantasy news front...

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-09-13T16:37:00.000-05:00

Picking Up

1. Hideki Matsui, OF NYY: The return of Godzilla to the Bronx was a nice one as he went 4 for 4 with a walk in his first game back. With Jason Giambi back, Matsui should see plenty of time at DH. Don't worry about when Gary Sheffield returns, they'll still find a way to keep him in the lineup.

2. Ryan Garko, 1B CLE: When the Tribe's big slugger, Travis Hafner, was lost for the seaon with a fractured hand, the team inserted their first baseman of the future into the cleanup spot. In the past week, he's hitting .304 with 6 RBI. He'll continue to see some good opportunities and his power will start to come along more over the next 3 weeks.

3. Jose Valverde, RP ARI: The team finally tired of Jorge Julio and brought back Valverder from the minors. He should be a nice source of saves along the way and manager BobMelvin has already said that if he succeeds through the end of the year, then the closer's job his his to lose next spreing.

4. Esteban German, 2B/OF KC: Actually, he's going to start qualifying all over soon enough. The team has been hit with some injuries, some guys have been benched, and manager Buddy Bell says he will get German into the lineup somewhere every game from here on in. He could be a nice stopgap through the end of the season.

5. Chris Iannetta, C COL: He's not going to put up crazy numbers, but if you need a catcher for the end, he will be the primary backstop for the Rockies through the end of the season. He's 5 for 11 with a home run (first of his career), 3 RBI and 6 runs scored in his last 3 games and should be a solid play in NL only leagues.

Dropping Off

1. Jim Edmonds, OF STL: Looks like the concussion could wipe away the whole rest of the season for the veteran slugger. The team won't push him, especially if it means losing his bat for the playoffs.

2. Angel Berroa, SS KC: It's a wonder it took this long. The once heralded Rookie of the Year has been nothing but a disappointment ever since he was handed the award in 2003. He's been officially benched and probably won't be seen too much from now until the season ends.

3. Francisco Liriano, SP MIN: He was removed today in the third inning with what the team is calling elbow stiffness. We know the playoffs could be riding on it, but the team knows it can't be stupid about it. Expect him to be shut down for the rest of the year. Maybe we'll see him out of the bullpen if they make the playoffs.

4. Mike Timlin, RP BOS: Just another load of garbage piled onto the heap we call the Red Sox. He's been awful since taking over for the injured Jonathan Papelbon and the other day he gave up 4 runs in 2/3 of an inning when he came in to a 6-1 game. The Sox should remove him from any pressure situations....maybe I should have put Keith Foulke in the "Picking Up" section, but let's not get crazy here.

5. Jhonny Perralta, SS CLE: Someone needs to hit this guy in the head with a brick. He thought last week's benching was just to get him some rest? Puh-leeeeeeeze!! This guy walked into this season being labeled as a top 10 shortstop by most and is walking out like...well, Angel Berroa.

What's the Buzz? 9/12/06

2006-09-12T22:59:00.000-05:00

Here's the day to day list: Manny Ramirez (knee), Kason Gabbard (oblique), Jay Gibbons (pinched nerve), Joel Zumaya (wrist), Mike Sweeney (oblique), Jason Isringhausen (hip), Jim Edmonds (concussion), David Eckstein (oblique), Ken Griffey Jr. (toe), and Chipper Jones (oblique). As always, check their status daily to see if/when they'll be playing next.

On to the rest of the news...

Tough luck today for Frank Thomas as his streak of consecutive games with a home run came to an end tonight at six. He served up a big 0 for 4. I bet it's even money that he starts up another one tomorrow. Thomas is a solid play in all leagues right now.
Here you go...a little history in the making as Arizona's Luis Gonzalez became the oldest player in history to hit 50 doubles in a season. He is 39 years old. Too bad the achievement doesn't get you fantasy points because Gonzo's big whoop 15 home runs aren't really helping you out either.
Congrats to Rockies catcher Chris Ianetta who hit his first career major league HR tonight. He's got a little bit of value in deep NL only leagues as he takes over the primary duties for injured Yorvit Torrealba.
Keep you reye on the Red Sox closing situation if you're in need of some last minute saves. With Mike Timlin sucking again tonight (4 ER in 2/3 of an inning), there's a good chance you'll start seeing more of Keith Foulke in the ninth inning. He's done it before and there's really no pressure with Boston more or less out of it. He could be worth a look.
Reds pitcher Eric Milton is being shipped off for an MRI after leaving tonight's game with a sore elbow. Neither Milton nor the organization seem optimistic about it, so prepare to lose him for the remainder of the season. We'll see what the tests reveal.
A little bit of the same for Astros' Andy Pettitte as he was pulled in the third inning with elbow stiffness. The elbow has always been a problem, dating back to when he left the Yankees. He'll probably be in for an MRI as well, so we'll wait and see here too.
So Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano is still out, but the news on his back is somewhat encouraging. Reports are that there's a little damage, but with some exercise and strengthening he might be OK. He threw a side session today, but there were no reports on his condition afterwards. He still could pitch on Thursday or Friday, so just check on him daily.
And finally, a big night for the Yankees! They learn they may get Gary Sheffield back by the end of this week, they get Jason Giambi back into the lineup tonight and then go on to demolish Tampa Bay 12-4. Bobby Abreu had a career high 7 RBI with 6 of them coming in the first inning -- first Yankee to do that since Gil McDougald in 1951, Mike Mussina threw 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball for his 14th win of the season, Hideki Matsui returned and went 4 for 4 with a walk, and Derek Jeter's hit streak was kept going due to a technicality. While he got up 4 times, he walked in three of those appearances and was hit by a pitch in the other, therefore, he did not record a single at bat. The streak remains at 21 and counting. I'm sure David Ortiz will have something to say about that. Which reminds me...big article coming on that. His comments are ridiculous.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/11/06

2006-09-11T22:58:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Frank Thomas for setting a franchise record for the A's with his 6th consecutive game with a home run and is just 2 shy of the MLB record. It's been a great September for the Big Hurt, hitting 8 home runs with 19 RBI in just 10 games. Barring the annual injury, which doesn't look like it's happening, he'll be a great power source down the stretch.

In other news...

Big day for Marlins OF Cody Ross who hit 3 homers tonight with 7 RBI. He becomes only the second player in Marlins history to hit 3 homers in one game (Mike Lowell is the other guy) and he also ties the franchise record for RBI in a game with 7 set by Gary Sheffield in 1995. He's been splitting time with Joe Borchard since Jeremy Hermida went down for the season, but if he can build some momentum with this, the job should certainly be his.
Also for the Marlins, with his 24th home run of the season, Dan Uggla tied the major league record for home runs by a rookie second baseman in a season. The record was set by the Yankees' Joe Gordon in 1938. Something tells me he's going to crush that record and solidify himself as the NL Rookie of the Year.
Word out of St. Louis is that Jim Edmonds has been experiencing fewer headaches, but still has no timetable for his return...he should remain benched; David Eckstein took some swings and may be back by the end of the weekend, and Jason Isringhausen has been ruled out until late this weekend at the best. Hopefully the late release of the news didn't hurt too many people in setting their lineups for the week.
Just to let you know where you Edmonds owners may be headed, it was announced that Brewers 3B Corey Koskie is done for the year as he hasn't been able to fully recover from post-concussion syndrome. Following in the footsteps of Mike Matheny...
Some day to day guys here: Willy Aybar (upset stomach), Adam LaRoche (hamstring), John Smoltz (groin), Nate Robertson (ribs), Kris Benson (strep throat), Gabe Gross (hamstring), Coco Crisp (finger/shoulder), and Rod Barajas (back).

Short slate of games...light news day today...

Catch you next time...

Last Minute Decisions?

2006-09-11T17:14:00.000-05:00

While updates are usually abundant between here, and RotoWorld and MLB.com, etc., there are still some that slip through the cracks and you don't know whether or not to get them in your lineup--especially if you make weekly roster moves rather than daily. Here's a look at a few question marks:

Carlos Zambrano, SP CHC: waiting on a bullpen session, but he wants to go; looks like Thursday or Friday

Curt Schilling, SP BOS: will pitch Saturday vs. Yankees

Jonathan Papelbon, RP BOS: probably done for year

Jim Edmonds, OF STL: no reports, activate at your own risk; still dealing with concussion

David Eckstein, SS STL: no reports but should return by the end of the week

Jason Isringhausen, RP STL: out this week, probably next as well

Mariano Rivera, RP NYY: out again for this week; keep reserved

Jason Giambi, 1B NYY: should return by mid-week

Hideki Matsui, OF NYY: should take over DH duties by mid-week

Mike Gonzalez, RP PIT: should return this week but not a lock for all save chances

Francisco Liriano, SP MIN: should return to pitch on Wednesday

Brad Radke, SP MIN: not coming back for some time

Kris Benson, SP BAL: missing today, maybe entire week; strep throat

Ken Griffey, Jr., OF CIN: may be ready on Tuesday, risky, but you can activate him

Adrian Beltre, 3B SEA: ready to go this week

Pedro Martinez, SP NYM: should be pitching this weekend, safe to activate

Chad Billingsley, SP LAD: should start this weekend

Chipper Jones, 3B ATL: another week on the bench, may be ready for next scoring period

I'm sure I'm missing some, but I hope this helps.

Good luck down the stretch!!

Trade Central and Analysis

2006-09-11T16:05:00.000-05:00

Elliot Madison is on vacation this week, so I'll be handling this section for the week.

Not much action going on lately, but there are a few little things that may be good to know...

1. The Cincinnati Reds acquire pitcher Sun-Woo Kim and cash from the Colorado Rockies for future considerations

Another mediocre arm for the Reds as they try to make a final push for the wild card. Kim's last spot start on Sept. 6th wasn't bad -- 5 innings with 2 ER -- and he may get another opportunity at some point. Chances are, though, that he will remain in the bullpen as a long reliever. I don't recommend him even if he does get another start for the Reds.

2. The Milwaukee Brewers claim reliever Chris Spurling off waivers from the Detroit Tigers

The Tigers were done with him, having designated him for assignment, but the Brew Crew, in need of another arm in the pen, picked him up. He'll take over the spot vacated by the injured Matt Wise and should have about as equal value in NL only leagues. And by that, I mean none.

3. The Oakland A's claim pitcher Jerome Williams off waivers from the Chicago Cubs

The A's are just keeping themselves covered down the stretch. Williams was a spot starter for the Giants and Cubs who never really seemed to make an impact. He should stay in Oakland's pen for mop up duty and may get a spot start if they become super desperate. No fantasy value here.

Power Performers

2006-09-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

AL Hitters

1. Frank Thomas, DH OAK: .462-8-5-13-0 The Big Hurt is in the midst of a late season surge and barring injury, should give your power numbers a nice boost as the A's walk away with the AL West crown.

2. Jorge Posada, C NYY: .421-5-3-9-0 Showing almost no signs of wearing down, a rarity amongst catchers, he is helping keep the power surging in the Bronx while teammate Jason Giambi is ailing.

3. Nick Swisher, OF OAK: .533-6-3-7-0 Apparently fully recovered from mono, his power numbers are creeping back to wehre they were in the first half. He hit his career high 32st HR of the season yesterday too.

4. Paul Konerko, 1B CHW: .423-4-2-6-0 It's a dogfight in the AL Central and the White Sox first baseman is pickin gthe perfect time to get hot again. He should be strong down to the wire as he goes for another season of 40 HR.

5. Derek Jeter, SS NYY: .407-1-1-7-0 In the midst of a career high 20 game hit streak. What more can you say about him? Love him or hate him, this should be baseball's choice for AL MVP.

Honorable Mention: Grady Sizemore, Tadahito Iguchi, Rocco Baldelli

AL Pitchers

1. Johann Santana, SP MIN: 2 wins-23 K-0.00 ERA-0.488 WHIP Say hello to another Cy Young here for the Twins lefty ace. He's leading the AL in wins again and he leads all of the majors with his 230 strikeouts. The Twins will lean on him even more for the next few weeks.

2. Boof Bonser, SP MIN: 2 wins-11 K-1.35 ERA-0.900 WHIP Feeding off of the energy from Santana and not wanting to lose his spot when Francisco Liriano returns, he has turned his game around at the perfect time. If the Twinkies make it to the post-season, he'll surely be on the roster.

3. Javier Vazquez, SP CHW: 0 wins-21 K-1.80 ERA-0.800 WHIP The hard luck loser in one game and a no-decision in the other, yet the strikeouts are pouring in. He'll go out there every 5 days and while the White Sox are battling, so is he.

4. Francisco Rodriguez, RP ANA: 3 saves-5 K-0.00 ERA-0.750 WHIP Became the youngest pitcher in the history of baseball to reach the 100 career save mark. It's like a human 9th inning valium for manager Mike Scioscia.

5. Jered Weaver, SP ANA: 2 wins-13 K-2.13 ERA-1.263 WHIP This is not your older brother's Weaver here. While he won't contend for the Cy Young, he will definitely warrant strong consideration for Rookie of the Year with his 11 wins, 2.30 ERA, and 87 K's.

Honorable Mention: B.J. Ryan, Joe Nathan

NL Hitters

1. Ryan Howard, 1B PHI: .526-6-4-5-0 If .316 hitting with 56 HR and 138 RBI isn't enough for you, how about the fact that he had a streak of reaching base in 11 consecutive plate appearances come to an end yesterday in the 7th inning? Ladies and gentlemen, your NL MVP.

2. Corey Hart, OF MIL: .435-5-4-12-0 Taking full advantage of Gabe Gross' injury, Geoff Jenkins' time in the doghouse, and Brady Clark's sudden ineptitude at the plate. He probably won't ever amount to being anything more than a 4th outfielder, but ride him while he's hot.

3. Jose Reyes, SS NYM: .308-4-3-5-2 If it wasn't for Ryan Howard, this could very well have been an MVP year for the young shortstop. He's currently on pace for 22 HR and 66 SB and shows no signs of letting up.

4. Juan Pierre, OF CHC: .400-5-0-4-6 Probably the only bright spot for the Cubs right now as he continues to be a strong fantasy asset in the steals department. His average is almost back to the .300 mark and he's cleared 50 steals extending his streak to 6 consecutive years with 45 or more stolen bases.

5. Garrett Atkins, 3B COL: .400-9-3-9-0 Sure he's a Rockie, but he is slowly establishing himself in the upper tier of third sackers with his 25 HR and 104 RBI. As long as he keeps hitting in the top 4 of that lineup, he should keep seeing great pitches to hit all year.

Honorable Mention: Scott Spiezio, Matt Holliday, Chris Duffy

NL Pitchers

1. Bronson Arroyo, SP CIN: 2 wins-14 K-1.06 ERA-0.529 WHIP I guess making my 2006 All Bargain Team wasn't enough for him. The move to the NL was great, despite the hitter's park he calls home. He'll be quite valuable down the stretch as the Reds continue to compete for the wild card.

2. Dave Bush, SP, MIL: 2 wins-15 K-1.65 ERA-0.857 WHIP He's always had the upside, it's just been a little inconsistent this year. He's in a solid groove right now, so he should make for a nice play for the rest of September.

3. Salomon Torres, RP PIT: 4 saves-5 K-0.00 ERA-0.923 WHIP He's filled in so beautifully for the injured Mike Gonzalez that he probably will remain in the mix for saves even when Gonzalez comes back.

4. Mike Stanton, RP SF: 1 win-2 saves-4 K-0.00 ERA-0.600 WHIP Armando who? The savvy veteran lefty has been the brightest spot in this bullpen since the trade of Jeremy Accardo. Keep him active for the remainder of the season.

5. Dontrelle Willis, SP FLA: 1 win-16 K-1.80 ERA-0.800 WHIP Not the ideal season for him, but his 10 wins, 3.75 ERA and 146 K's still show that he's a top flight starter. The surging Marlins are still pushing for the wild card, so expect some great outings before the year is done.

Honorable Mention: Chuck James, Brad Lidge

What's the Buzz? 9/10/06

2006-09-10T22:40:00.000-05:00

Here's the day to day list, including pitchers. If it's a pitcher, then he may or may not be making his next start. Always best to check it out daily to make sure: Mike Sweeney (oblique), Brian McCann (hand), Angel Berroa (complete inability to play even half decently), Anthony Reyes (tired arm), Roy Halladay (elbow), Jay Gibbons (muscle spasms), Manny Ramirez (knee), Coco Crisp (finger), Armando Benitez (arthritis), and Nate Robertson (ribs).
A little mor ethan day to day as you should note that Mariano Rivera will likely miss the entire upcoming scoring period. He should be benched until he's back in another week.

And now for the news...

It looks like some damage to the Phillies' bullpen as the final diagnosis on Arthur Rhodes is a strained tendon and sprained ligament in his throwing elbow. He's done for the year.
Congratulations to Francisco Rodriguez who became the youngest player to reach 100 career saves when he grabbed his 41st of the season. He is only 24. K-Rod also grabbed his 400th and 401st career strikeouts tonight. A no-brainer start in any league.
Another mini-milestone -- well, for me, not for him -- as Toronto's Adam Lind hit his first career home run. That's definitely one of the better aspects of the September call ups. Watching the kids' expressions when they do something like this. Lind is an OK play in AL only leagues, so long as he continues this hitting.
It was just a matter of time, and not really much of a fantasy impact at all, but the Devil Rays released Travis Lee today. Maybe he'll pick up somewhere else, but he's not likely to have any value. If it makes him feel any better, my wife still thinks he's handsome.
New career high for David Ortiz who hit his 48th HR of the season tonight. It's just good to see him back playing. Hope the heart's OK.
And the milestones keep on going as Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter extended his hit streak to a career high 20 games today. Love him or hate him, you've got to respect this guy's game. I'll cast my vote for him for MVP.
Check out manager Willie Randolph lighting a fire under Cliff Floyd's ass today. He told the ailing outfielder that if he expects to play in October, he better start playing now. Bottom line: We know the Achilles is still sore, but you need to suck it up. You're not reaping the October benefits without putting in a little action during the regular season. Maybe this will help as Floyd remains an injury prone disappointment for yet another season.
Keep an eye on the Royals' Esteban German. He's turned in to favorite of Buddy Bell's, and they will keep him playing everyday for the remainder of the season. He's got solid position versatility and could be a decent play in AL only leagues.
And finally, reports out of St. Louis say that Jason Isringhausen is questionable for the rest of the season. No word on his potential October status. The team is leaning towards Adam Wainwright to take over with Braden Looper remaining as a fallback option. Wainwright could be a decent pickup in NL only leagues for the rest of the way.

Catch you next time...

2006 All-Bust Team

2006-09-10T00:41:00.000-05:00

Last week I went through my 2006 All-Bargain team. Well now it's time to call out those disappointments.

Who was that guy that you picked up in the early rounds of your draft only to watch helplessly as he turned in the worst season ever? Did your first round draft choice cost you your fantasy championship?

Check out my 2006 All-Bust Team on Addict Fantasy Sports.

What's the Buzz? 9/9/06

2006-09-09T22:46:00.000-05:00

Jumping right it again today...

Why don't we just start with the day to day list here first: Macier Izturis (hamstring), Alex Rios (hand), Arthur Rhodes (elbow), Edgar Renteria (flu), Stephen Drew (groin), Kaz Matsui (thumb), Damien Miller (concussion), Chipper Jones (oblique), Adrian Beltre (personal), Joe Crede (back), Alex Rodriguez (stomach virus), Corey Patterson (shoulder), Johnny Estrada (forearm), Rod Barajas (back), Jason Isringhausen (hip), and Ramon Hernandez (ankle). As always, check their status in the morning before allowing them into your active lineup.

And now for the rest of the news...

Keep your eyes on Mets starter Pedro Martinez. He had another successful side session today and it looks like this is the week he gets activated. Probably around Friday or Saturday. If you make weekly roster moves, it should be safe to get him in for the upcoming scoring period.
It looks like the Yankees should have Hideki Matsui back in the lineup on Monday. He won't be taking over for Melky Cabrera in left, but rather he will take over for the ailing Jason Giambi at DH. Once Giambi comes back from his wrist problem, he should move back to first leaving Matsui where he is. The only ones suffering from this are Craig Wilson and Aaron Guiel.
A bittersweet day for Royals closer Joe Nelson as he pitched 4 outs for his first career major league win today. Unfortunately, while covering first for the final out in the 11th inning, he got his ankle stepped on by Alex Cora. He's now being called day to day so we have a couple of more opportunities this week to hear how Ambiorix Burgos blew another save.
Congratulations to Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia for hitting his first career major league HR today. He's not the best with the stick, but he's pretty slick with the glove. He is Boston's second baseman of the future.
Also congrats to Alfonso Soriano who just broke the Nationals/Expos franchise record for single season home runs with his 45th of the year tonight. The previous record was set by Vladimir Guerrero in 2000 when he hit 44.
The official word came out of Colorado today that Yorvit Torrealba is done for the season. Chris Ianetta will remain the team's primary backstop and warrant's a look in deep NL only leagues.
The Indians got some bad news when they learned today that Travis Hafner actually has a hairline fracture in his hand and will not return for the rest of the season. Just an awful mis-diagnosis from the earlier x-rays for fantasy owners. How do you miss a broken hand on your best hitter? Let's just hope you still have a chance to get Kevin Kouzmanoff. He'll remain the DH from here on in and has good value in AL only leagues. 2 for 4 with a homer and 3 RBI tonight...not a bad replacement for the next three weeks.
And finally, so much for my September Sleeper...officially now. The Twins are pulling Scott Baker from the rotation and replacing him with Matt Guerrier. It's really only for one start as apparently the team, in the heat of a pennant race, will bring back Francisco Liriano next week. Baker will get stuck with some mop up duty maybe if he's lucky. Sorry if you picked him up. If only he didn't screw up that last start against the Tigers. Oh well...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/8/06

2006-09-08T22:54:00.000-05:00

Just getting right to it today...

As if we had any doubt who the studs were in Cleveland, but even while losing, Grady Sizemore plays like a champ. In the loss to the White Sox tonight, Sizemore still went 3 for 4 with an RBI, 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases. One more SB and he beats last season's total, but he's already surpassed his mark in HR and runs scored. 20-20 with 100+ RBI? What more could you want?
Sizemore's teammate, Travis Hafner had x-rays taken on his hand today, but they came back negative. Looks like it's just a deep bruise. He remains day to day.
Others on the day to day front include: Joe Crede (back), Kaz Matsui (thumb), Johnny Estrada (hand), Stephen Drew (flu), Armando Benitez (arthritis), Felipe Lopez (ankle), Mariano Rivera (elbow), Damien Miller (concussion), and Jason Giambi (wrist). Monitor their status before game times to see when they'll be back.
It's a little more than day to day as the Cardinals announced that closer Jason Isringhausen will miss atleast the next week due to a strained hip. It's something that has gotten gradually worse and the Cards don;t want to take any chances what with the playoffs coming and all. Izzy will be re-evaluated after resting for a few days. It looks like Tony LaRussa will go with a Braden Looper/Adam Wainwright committee for the time being.
And speaking of the Cards, anyone catch Anthony Reyes do his best Mark Mulder impersonation tonight? Yeesh...7 earned runs in 2 1/3 innings. I wouldn't worry here....he still looks like a good play in NL only leagues.
Welcome back Huston Street. The A's activated him today and watched as he pitched a scoreless ninth for his 30th save of the season. He looks like a safe bet for the remainder of the season.
Another returning closer was Tom Gordon tonight. It wasn't a scoreless ninth, but he did pick up the save in a game that featured the 55th and 56th HR for super stud Ryan Howard tonight. The Phillies are surging and could come out on top for the wild card this year. The race is gonna be a close on to watch.
Back to the A's here....it looks like Nick Swisher is fully over the whole mono thing. After a great first half, he completely fell apart in June and July, but came back strong in August. 8 HR and 28 RBI since Aug. 1. He cracked his 30th HR tonight and looks like a good play through the end of the year. Now if he could just do something about that .253 average for next season...
For those that grabbed Willy Aybar this season, hold onto him for now. Chipper Jones announced that if he's not ready to play by the end of the Braves' current homestand (Sept. 17th), he's done for the year. Aybar will obviously fill in for the duration of the year and has some value in NL only leagues still.
Anyone remember my call for super sleeper at catcher for 2006? Well if not, then good. He's hurt again. Colorado backstop Yorvit Torrealba left tonight's game with a shoulder injury (yes, the one that hurt all this year) and will have an MRI done to determine whether or not it's a season ender. Chris Ianetta should get the starts the rest of the way and may also have a little value in NL leagues.
Congratulations to Dodgers rookie Hong-Chih Kuo for nailing down his first career MLB victory tonight when he shut down the Mets for six scoreless innings tonight. 3 hits, 3 walks and 7 K's in the game and with Mark Hendrickson bumped from the roation, Kuo should probably get another start or two. He might be worth a look if the matchup is right. The Cubs next time out would be considered favorable.
Well, it doesn't look like the Devil Rays will be bringing back Scott Kazmir after all. He had a side session today that he, himself, cut short after feeling some discomfort in his throwing shoulder. Now I'm all for giving him a shot next year, but just like with every pitcher with injury problems, you need to be cautious when you're drafting him. Do the research next year and check his prognosis over the winter.
Astros pitcher Roger Clemens will miss his next start on Saturday due to a groin problem. It looks like Jason Hirsh will get the start in his place and may be worth a look again if he's going to get some regualr starts. No word yet on whether or not the Rocket's start will just be pushed back or if he's being skipped entirely.
Watch out for Mike Mussina again, as it was reported that his upcoming Sunday starts has been pushed back to Tuesday. Not because of his groin problem though, but because of arm stiffness. If the Yankees maintain their dominant lead over Boston, they may just skip him this week and let rookie Jeff Karstens take the start.
And speaking of the Red Sox, they officially released catcher/DH Javy Lopez today. Apparently he was released out of kindness. The Sox are giving him a chance to pick up elsewhere as he was doomed for major bench time with the return of Jason Varitek. Now the only question is...who wants him?
And finally, congrats to Mariners 1B Richie Sexson who set a franchise record with his 5th grand slam of the year. Th eprevious record of four was set by Edgar Martinez back in 2000.
Oh yeah....one more thing. Mariners 3B Adrian Beltre will be out indefinitely as he is staying at home to be with his wife who gave birth last Thursday. Maybe some time off with his new kid will be just what he needs to get himself out of the September doldrums from which he suffers.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/7/06

2006-09-07T22:46:00.000-05:00

Well, my September Sleeper is looking more like a September Stinker as Scott Baker got smacked around for 5 earned runs in 5 innings tonight against the AL Central leading Tigers tonight. To add insult to injury, since the Twinkies are in the heat of a wild card race, they should probably go back to Francisco Liriano for the stretch and will also continue going with the hot arm, which currently looks like Carlos Silva. Baker should get atleast one more start, so I'm not jumping off the bandwagon just yet. Even if I'm the only one on it.

Now how about some news here on a short baseball day...

Some day to day guys to watch out for: Johnny Estrada (forearm), Scott Rolen (shoulder), Travis Hafner (hand), Joe Crede (back), Austin Kearns (back), David Eckstein (oblique), Mariano Rivera (elbow), and Ken Griffey, Jr. (toe). As always, check the morning news daily to see if they'll be playing.
I wish I could still list him as day to day, but apparently Jeremy Hermida's ankle problem is a stress fracture. On goes the protective boot, off he goes from your active lineup.
Also out indefinitely is Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. His shoulder is still giving him problems, so he said he will only pitch again this season if the Sox are in contention. Looks like he's done for the year.
The Phillies welcomed back Tom Gordon today as he pitched a scoreless ninth tonight. No save for him though as Jeff Conine's 3 run shot put the game out of a save situation. Still, it was good to see Gordon back.
Mental note: Bench Brad Penny when he starts against the Mets. Nuff said.
Only 2 more homers before Jose Reyes becomes a 20-50 guy this year. Mets fans are never going to shut up now. C'mon boys...act like you've been there.
And finally, how about the career day for Pirates OF Chris Duffy? The center fielder went 4 for 4 with 2 HR and 2 SB. Too bad this offensive display didn't come back in April when he was handed the starting job right out of Spring Training. He would've made a nice little sleeper.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/6/06

2006-09-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Marlins rookie pitcher Anibal Sanchez who threw a no hitter tonight against the Diamondbacks. He struck out 6 and walked 4. It was the leagues' first no-hitter since Randy Johnson's perfect game back in May 2004, apparently the longest no-hitter drought ever. Ironically, while this was all going on, the Big Unit was throwing no-hit ball into the seventh against the Royals. He didn't get the no-no, but it would have been nice to see. Back to the kid, though, Sanchez has been yet another bright spot on the Marlins pitching staff this year. Their whole rotation is going to be a hot commodity in next year's fantasy drafts.

Onto the other news...

Owners of Carl Crawford need to be wary as he was sat tonight and could spend some quality bench time more often. Mired in a 4 for 37 slump, he was just being given a night off. But word out of Tampa says that the tema is worried he's wearing down and could be rested more and more since they're not in any playoff contention. Nothing worse than contending for a fantasy championship and watching one of your guys sit for no other reason than that his team stinks every year. Keep your eyes on this in daily leagues.
Some more day to day names for you: Arthur Rhodes (shoulder), Travis Hafner (hand), Carlos Guillen (hamstring), Aaron Fultz (shoulder), Gabe Gross (hamstring), Laynce Nix (turf toe), Juan Rivera (hand), and Randy Winn (elbow). Check their status daily to see whether or not they're starting.
Nice to see Derrek Lee celebrate his 31st birthday with his seventh career grand slam to give the Cubbies the lead over the Pirates tonight. As a present to Lee, pitcher Rich Hill made the lead stand as he broke a Cubs' record for most strikeouts by a lefty with 11. The party in that clubhouse was fierce, I'm sure.
The Jeremy Sowers ride is over in Cleveland as he'll get one more start next week on Tuesday and be shut down for the year. Quite a ride as he was 6-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last six starts. The team, whether fantasy geeks like it or not, is doing the right thing. He'll climb up the draft boards next spring.
Some closer action going on as Huston Street is expected back on the Friday while Reds closer Eddie Guardado is officially lost for the season with a torn ligament in his elbow. 35 years old and he's having Tommy John surgery because he think he can still pitch. Gotta admire the heart. We won't even remotely see him until the second half of the 2007 season.
And speaking of surgery...not that you expected to use him in September...Mark Mulder is having shoulder surgery next week to repair his rotator cuff. See you next spring Mark...wherever you end up.
Oliver Perez is looking a little better today than he has before huh? If he stays up and gets to pitch regularly with no pressure, he could be a strong asset down the stretch. And to think, he was a throw-in in the Xavier Nady/Roberto Hernandez deal. There's a lot of upside here.
An dfinally, congratualtions to Orioles 2B Brian Roberts for his first career multi-homer game as he banged 2 solo shots tonight. While he's been on a nice tear in the second half, he'll never put up numbers like he did in the first half of 2005.

Catch you next time...

Late Night Buzz Addition -- Teahen Lost!!

2006-09-06T02:04:00.000-05:00

Wow!!!

Talk about coming out of left field!!

Well...third base actually...

After a second half of .325 hitting with 11 HR, 40 RBI and 7 stolen bases, Royals 3B Mark Teahen will undergo season ending shoulder surgery. He's had a little bit of a chronic problem in his right shoulder -- he missed some time back in the first half of the season with it -- and the club decided it was best to shut him down now, open it up and fix the problem. Obviously it's the smart thing to do, baseball wise, but fantasy owners are bumming right now.

If you can still make pickups, it looks like Jeff Keppinger and Esteban German will see most of the time at third. We'll probably see more of Keppinger though.

For those still hanging onto the thread of hope that the club will bring up prized prospect Alex Gordon, cut the string. If it wasn't happening when rosters expanded, it's not happening now.

What's the Buzz? 9/5/06

2006-09-05T22:42:00.000-05:00

Just a quickie tonight...if I miss anything more than a highlight or some useless September call-up's name, I'll catch it first thing in the morning. Or you are more than able to help out in the comments, as always.

In case you were wondering who wants the AL Cy Young Award this year the most, check out Johann Santana's pitching line tonight: 8 IP 2 H 1 BB 12 K. He grabbed his major league leading 17th win tonight.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said that it should be atleast another week before we see Mike Lieberthal back behind the plate. He's been down with back spasms again so it looks like Chris Coste will see the bulk of the time for now.
Congratulations to Indians 3B Andy Marte who hit his first career grand slam tonight. Maybe this is the spark he needs to get hot, because a .204 average ain't gonna cut it.
Diamondbacks SS Stephen Drew sat out again and is still day to day with a bruised hand. Damion Easley go the start tonight and he and Craig Counsell should switch on and off. Out of the three, the only one with potentially legit value down the stretch is Drew and he should only be out for maybe another game or two at the most. Forget the other two guys; no value to be found.
Also still day to day are Jermaine Dye (back), Juan Encarnacion (hip flexor), Chad Billingsley (oblique), Ken Griffey, Jr. (dislocated toe), Curt Schilling (strained lat muscle) and Chipper Jones (oblique). Always check their status before thinking about starting them this week. Well, Billingsley and Schilling are out anyway thsi week, so check for their status for next week's starts.
Bronson Arroyo threw his first career shutout tonight to prove my point with his selection to my 2006 All Bargain Team. He got his 12th win and he struck out 7 all on just three days rest.
While the MRI on Jonathan Papelbon's shoulder revealed no damage, the Red Sox are saying that he is expeiencing slippage in the shoulder joint. He'll rest now and will probably miss the next two weeks. If Boston continues its descension, he could just be shut down for the year.
Also possibly lost for the season is Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano. The MRI on his back revealed nothing significant, he is still in pain and has already said that he's not risking his career over whether or not to continue this year. He'll stop throwing altogether and then re-evaluate after the pain subsides. I'd look for help elsewhere.
The Eddie Guardado situation isn't looking too good as now he'll be injected with dye and have an MRI on his elbow on Wednesday. He still says he can pitch but it doesn't look like the Reds believe him. There is a chance we won't see him for the rest of the season.
And finally, Houston/Philadelphia and Atlanta/NY Mets both washed out today. Check when they're being made up, but chances are with the Phillies and the Braves having played 4 in 2 days this past weekend, I can't imagine the games won't wait until later.

Lots of new faces out there with call ups being done these past few days. Still no one that really stands out, so stick with your guys that are playing. Don't go fishing on the waiver wire for some no-name that has one good game at some point in the week unless he's replacing a guy of yours that's out for the year.

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-09-05T12:36:00.000-05:00

Picking Up:

1. Scott Baker, SP MIN: With Brad Radke's health and return for this season in question, Baker gets the spot in the rotation for September. He looked good against the Yankees in his return and there is great strikeout potential. He won't be a lights out kind of guy, but he should turn in a few quality outings before season's end. I'm still calling him my September Sleeper.

2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS COL: Nerves had him start off a little slow and sloppy at the plate, but the team is still high on him and Clint Hurdle is sending him out every day. He's responded as of late by going 6 for 8 in his last 2 games and hit his first big league homer the other day.

3. Endy Chavez, OF NYM: Talk about nine lives...every time you think he's headed back to the bench, he ends up being needed most. After filling in for the injured Cliff Floyd he will move over to center for a few games to replace the recently injured Carlos Beltran. He's been a great bench player all year, and should still see some decent at bats.

4. Mike Stanton, RP SF: It's all about career ressurrection here in the Bay Area. With the inconsistencies and injuries of Armando Benitez, Stanton has turned into quite the bullpen asset. He's grabbing saves lately and even when Benitez comes back...again...manager Felipe Alou will probably still keep Stanton in the mix to close games.

5. Barry Bonds, OF SF: Like I said, career ressurrection. After turning in an incredibly underwhelming year, everyone's favorite steroid target is hitting .471 with 5 dingers in the past week. He should finish the year with a bang as the Giants make a run for the playoffs. You might as well take advantage of it while you can.

Dropping Off:

1. Carlos Zambrano, SP CHC: Still no word on this morning's MRI, but apparently the back pain could be finishing his season early. Once the results are in, the team will make a decision; but don't be surprised if they put him on the shelf as their playoff hopes diminish further and further. Too much work in the WBC and perpetual mismanagement by Dusty Baker makes for a troublesome September.

2. Curt Schilling, SP BOS: With the Red Sox season spiraling out of control, the team will not push their ace for a return before he is ready. He's already missed one start with a strained lat muscle and will probably miss atleast one more. He belongs on your bench for now.

3. Ken Griffey, Jr., OF CIN: If it's not a hammy, it's a knee. If it's not a knee, it's a hip. If it's not a hip it's a foot. And it's still a foot...sort of. A disloacted toe puts the slugger on the shelf again. The team is saying that he could return either this coming weekend or the beginning of next week. Either way, this is Griffey we're talking about so injurues are nothing to take lightly.

4. Chad Billingsley, SP LAD: The youngster was putting together a nice debut season (well, half a season) until this strained oblique he's battling. It'll cost him his lone start this week and depending on his recovery -- we've all seen the oblique injury before -- it could affect the rest of his season.

5. Adrian Beltre, 3B SEA: Sorry, guy...this was just too difficult to pass up. After a stellar August, the one time great third baseman has turned in a 2 for 23 performance in his last 5 games. Both of those hits were meaningless singles. His last game featured an 0 for 5 performance with 4 K's. Check the past two years...for Beltre, September is the cruelest month.

What's the Buzz? 9/4/06

2006-09-04T22:53:00.000-05:00

Just a quick Buzz today...hope you all had a great holiday weekend.

A few guys with some day to day issues here. Nothing substantial but enough to watch out for in leagues with daily moves allowed: Jermaine Dye (back), Kevin Youkilis (hand), Mariano Rivera (elbow), Cliff Floyd (Achilles tendon), Ken Griffey, Jr. (dislocated toe), Marcus Giles (acid reflux), Eliezer Alfonzo (wrist), Roger Clemens (groin), Coco Crisp (shoulder), Lyle Overbay (flu), Jeremy Hermida (ankle), Juan Encarnacion (hip flexor), Neifi Perez (thumb), and Travis Hafner (hand).
Perhaps a little more than day to day will be Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano who left today's game after 1 1/3 innings today with a sore back. The trainer says it sounds muscular, but Zambrano himself requested the MRI. That never sounds good. We'll know a little more on Tuesday.
And speaking of MRI's Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon's MRI on his shoulder was put off until Tuesday. I guess no one informed the Sox that Monday was a holiday. We should get results on his shoulder either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
Cardinals SS David Eckstein will not make the first half of the team's road trip with his strained oblique. His status for the rest of the week is in question as well, so it looks like you need to bench him if you can.
It looks like Chad Billingsley will miss his next start on Friday due to an oblique strain. The Dodgers haven't announced an official replacement, but I don't think it's anyone you're going to need to know about. Don't go dropping Billingsley just yet. He's had some real nice outings since his call up and while his WHIP is a bit high (1.54), his 3.02 ERA is nice. Remember, at the beginning if the year the big three coming were Billingsley, Jered Weaver and Cole Hamels, so he's got the ability to succeed.
Barry Bonds hit number 730 today....this goes a little beyond just heating up now. If he's healthy, he's hitting.
Congratulations to Texas OF Nelson Cruz for hitting 2 homers today, the first being an inside the parker and the second a 3 run blast. He has tremendous upside and should be a starting outfielder for the Rangers in 2007.
And finally, the Nationals have finally settled on center fielder as Frank Robinson announced that Nook Logan is being given the job for the remainder of the season. If that's the case, then Logan might be worth a pickup in NL only leagues if you need some cheap steals. He's always had great speed. It's getting on base that he has trouble with. Ryan Church owners walk away from another season of disappointment.

Catch you next time...

Trade Central and Analysis

2006-09-04T17:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Labor Day to you all. I hope you're all relaxing rather than laboring today in celebration of the Monday off from work.

Even with rosters expanding on September 1st, there was still plenty of waiver action this past week. Some with some fantasy ramifications, most without. Let's take a look.

1. The Philadelphia Phillies get 1B Randall Simon from the Texas Rangers for cash considerations.

Aside from the fact that Simon may in fact see a pinch hitting attempt here or there, there is no fantasy value to be found. I'll try and refrain from any sausage beating jokes here. They're as old and useless as Simon is a player.

2. The New York Mets acquire catcher Mike Nikeas from the Texas Rangers for OF Victor Diaz.

I guess it became obvious that Diaz was never cracking the lineup in New York, so rather than letting him rot away in their minor leagues system, the Mets pitched him off to Texas. They might as well have received a bag of baseballs and some rubbing mud, because that has more long term value than Nikeas. I don't expect to see him in the majors anytime soon. Diaz won't have any value this year, but he'll get the chance to compete next spring for a spot in the Rangers' outfield. Unfortunately, I don't see him beating out Nelson Cruz in right.

3. The Baltimore Orioles claim catcher Danny Ardoin off waivers from Colorado and receive 3B Angel Chavez from the Phillies as the player to be named later in the Jeff Conine deal.

Ardoin was grabbed to act as a temporary fill in for the banged up Ramon Hernandez, and doesn't have any fantasy value here. Unless of course you're in a 20 team league that strats 3 catchers, but I doubt that. As for Chavez, well, he's not much of a hitter and he doesn't really swipe any bases. His glove is decent, but nothing spectacular. Maybe we'll see him in 2 or 3 years as a utility guy.

4. The Washington Nationals acquire pitcher Jhonny Nunez from the Los Angeles Dodgers for IF/OF Marlon Anderson.

The Nationals are looking to replenish the arms in their farm system while the Dodgers get yet another guy who can play all over the place. Nunez is looking pretty good in the Gulf Coast League where he's averaging a strikeout per inning. But that's short season Single-A ball. So far so good, but we'll have to wait atleast another few seasons in the minors before projecting to where his career could turn. Anderson should get some starts in the outfield in L.A, but his value is extremely minimal. He'll probably be used more as just a pinch runner. The team is more committed to giving Matt Kemp a shot unless they make a stronger push for the wild card.

5. The Washington Nationals acquire pitcher Luis Atilano from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for 1B/OF Daryle Ward

Glomming arms is all the Nationals seemed concerned with as they pick up another mediocre pitcher in Atilano. He's been average in advanced Single-A ball and really doesn't project as anything more than a middle reliever at best. We probably won't hear his name again. Daryle Ward? He's Randal Simon without the sausage jokes.

6. The San Diego Padres acquire pitcher David Wells in exchange for a player to be named later.

I couldn't agree more with Howard's comments when this trade was reported last week. I just don't see it either. Not with all of his injury problems. I was a fan of his 5 years ago. Not anymore. Pick him up at your own risk. He might have a little value if he stays healthy and gets a great matchup at home, but I don't see him helping you in September.

7. The Boston Red Sox acquire pitcher Kevin Jarvis from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a player to be named later.

So they get rid of Wells and pick up a 37 year old journeyman whose journey ended like 3 years ago? While the Sox rotation remains in shambles, Jarvis will get a few opportunities. He wasn't awful in his first start (5 IP 2 ER), but I don't see him helping your fantasy team at all.

8. The Minnesota Twins acquire 1B Phil Nevin from the Chicago Cubs for either cash or a player to be named later.

This is now Nevin's 3rd team this season and he still hasn't been able to recapture what he once had back in 2001. Hell he can't regain his 2004 form even. He does, though, have some value in AL only leagues now. With Rondell White struggling and the Twins looking to boost their offense, Nevin should get the time as the regular DH. Don't expect a barrage of power here, but he should give you some decent numbers for a couple of weeks.

Power Performers

2006-09-04T03:13:00.000-05:00

Some crazy power hitting from the NL this past week capped off with an explosive Sunday. I only wish I could name them all. Remember, the batting lines go: AVG.-R-HR-RBI-SB

AL Hitters

1. Alex Rodriguez, 3B NYY: .375-6-5-11-1 After a dismal West Coast road trip there's nothing better than getting hot on a home stand. He's found his stroke again and should close out the season in style. Suddenly cracking the 40 HR barrier doesn't seem so far away, does it?

2. Frank Thomas, DH OAK: .381-5-3-8-0 Looks like the Big Hurt wants to go out with some flair. He cracked the 30 HR barrier for the ninth time in his career and for the first time since 2003. Barring the usual injury, he should give you a nice power boost in September.

3. Mark Teixeira, 1B TEX: .250-5-4-7-0 It's nice to see the biggest bust of 2006 get a spot here. He's having a fantastic second half and should continue the rest of the way, but it just won't be enough to make him worthy of where he was drafted. Next year, however, he's going to return to monster form.

4. Grady Sizemore, OF CLE: .333-8-3-5-0 In a lost season for the Indians, Sizemore still finds a way to shine through. He'll clear that 20-20 mark that everyone said he would...again. Look for him to continue and set a winning example for the youngsters up with the club now.

5. Derek Jeter, SS NYY: .476-5-0-3-3 How much more do you need to say about the Yankees captain? Red Sox fans hate him so much because they know just how good and how invaluable a player he is. It's been a great season so far and will continue as he battles Joe Mauer for the AL batting title.

Honorable Mention: Jermaine Dye, Travis Hafner, Delmon Young

AL Pitchers

1. Esteban Loaiza, SP OAK: 2 wins-8 K-0.60 ERA-1.000 WHIP It's like a time machine back to 2003 here. He gave up his first run in 28 2/3 innings on Sunday and has found his groove as the A's try to run away with the AL West. Ride him while he's hot.

2. Kevin Millwood, SP TEX: 2 wins-18 K-2.12 ERA-0.647 WHIP At the suggestion of his pitching coach he's been using the curveball more effictively lately. The result? 18 K's in 17 innings. He's looked great this past week and has a great matchup in Seattle this week.

3. Bobby Jenks, RP CHW: 3 saves-4 K-0.00 ERA-0.333 WHIP It's lights out again for the Chicago closer. He's had a solid season and easily put that early season talk about closing committees to rest. The Sox will rely heavily on him if they plan to make a move this month.

4. Kelvim Escobar, SP ANA: 1 win-16 K-1.13 ERA-0.688 WHIP A little inconsistent in the win/loss department, but the one thing that remains constant are the strikeouts. He seems to be healthy and should provide you with solid pitching numbers the rest of the way.

5. Mark Redman, SP KC: 2 wins-9 K-0.56 ERA-0.812 WHIP Look at that...the Royals only all star makes the list this week. Even more impressive is that he put up these numbers against the White Sox and the Twins. He's still a little too risky for me.

Honorable Mention: Francisco Rodriguez, Seth McClung, Justin Duchscherer

NL Hitters

1. Ryan Howard, 1B PHI: .571-11-6-12-0 He just doesn't stop. Breaks the team record set by Mike Schmidt, leads the majors with 52 HR and 129 RBI, brings the batting average over .300 for the year. Just an amazing hitter who's gonna do it for years to come.

2. Albert Pujols, 1B STL: .286-6-4-7-0 Wasn't going to make it here if not for Sunday's 3 HR performance. He's still one of the greatest hitters around and remains the envy of all fantasy owners who don't have him.

3. Barry Bonds, OF SF: .539-7-4-5 With him being out of the ridiculous scrutiny he faced in the first half, Bonds is quietly (do you believe that?) putting together a very solid second half. He'll still never give you what he used to, but he could be fairly serviceable down the stretch.

4. David Wright, 3B NYM: .522-6-2-15-2 Just like his crosstown counterpart, Wright was having an atrocious August before turning it back on this past week. He's back to where he belongs as he lead the majors in RBI for the last scoring period. An all-around fantasy stud.

5. Hanley Ramirez, SS FLA: .500-8-1-7-3 He's bringing that batting average back up again, hitting .282 for the year now. This past week he scored his 100th run of the year and became only the eighth rookie in history to score 100 runs and steal 40 bases for their debut season. He has more than lived up to the prospect hype he received.

Honorable Mention: Adam LaRoche, Garrett Atkins, Jimmy Rollins

NL Pitchers

1. John Maine, SP NYM: 2 wins-5 K-2.84 ERA-0.789 WHIP The rookie has been the feel good story for the rotation over in Flushing. He was given the opportunity and ran with it; more than you can possibly hope for in a 5th starter. He should be a nice option in September as he auditions for a post-season roster spot.

2. Scott Olsen, SP FLA: 2 wins-11 K-0.60 ERA-0.467 WHIP Clearly on a mission to make everyone forget who was on the Marlins staff a year or two ago. He is making his way towards being the staff ace and should have great value for years to come. Atleast until they trade him like all those before him. Get him while he's still in Florida.

3. Brett Myers, SP PHI: 1 win-17 K-2.57 ERA-1.000 WHIP From beating down his wife back to beating down the batters. 17 K in 14 innings. Solid work and he is re-establishing himself as the Phillies make a push for the wild card. Meets the aforementioned Olsen in Florida thsi comin gweek so that should be fun.

4. Roy Oswalt, SP HOU: 1 win-16 K-1.84 ERA-0.614 WHIP The perrennial all star is getting hot again and Houston is only 3 1/2 games out of the wild card. It should be a nice fight to the finish with Oswalt leading the charge for the defending NL champs.

5. Mike Stanton, RP SF: 2 saves-2 K-0.00 ERA-0.600 WHIP Just when you think a guy is over and done he finds new life in the Bay Area. Stanton has really bolstered this bullpen and has filled in very nicely for the inconsistent Armando Benitez. He will continue to be a nice source for some cheap saves down the stretch.

Honorable Mention: Trevor Hoffman, Jake Peavey, Salomon Torres

2006 All Bargain Team

2006-09-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

With the season winding down, it's time again to look at who some of the biggest bargains were in 2006.

Take a look at who makes the list this year as I revisit an earlier column from the first half of the season with "2006 All Bargain Team Revisited" on Addict Fantasy Sports.

Love to know your thoughts...whether you agree or disagree.

What's the Buzz? 9/3/06

2006-09-03T22:48:00.000-05:00

Outstanding!! 2 players, 6 HR, 9 RBI and 6 runs scored. What a day for Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols. And all of this in just two games. Howard was actually in a doubleheader, but he did all his damage in the first game only. These two guys are just unbelievable machines. I could go on and on and on, but I'll spare you. I think they're both great...I like Howard a little better. But above all, the fans got some show today.

In the news...

Back to the bench for Chipper Jones as the Braves third baseman aggravated his oblique strain and has been declared out for the upcoming series against the Mets. We won't know if/when he'll be back this week, so if you have a worthy and healthier alternative, you might want to use him. Recently activated Willy Aybar will get the starts in his place.
Word out of Detroit is that SS Carlos Guillen could miss the entire upcoming week with the hamstring pull he suffered on Saturday. He's another one you probably should bench.
And since we're talking about benching guys for the week, let me just remind you that Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds will not be making the road trip this week, so he should also be benched. The trip is all week long so there's absolutely no chance he'll see any time for the upcoming scoring period.
Some other day to day guys you'll need to watch include: Angels' Garrett Anderson (hamstring) and Macier Izturis (quad), Reds closer Eddie Guardado (forearm), Jacque Jones (infected tear duct), Mike Lieberthal (back spasms), Armando Benitez (knee arthritis), Jeremy Hermida (ankle), and Gabe Gross (hamstring). None of them appear headed to the DL -- Guardado is actually just coming off -- but they could miss some time here or there this week.
Word out of Boston says that Manny Ramirez will be back this week. The Sox are in need of some serious juice here, so Ramirez and David Ortiz rejoining the team this week could be make or break for them at this point in the season. It appears safe to get both of them back in your lineups this week.
And it sounds like the cavalry is coming to back them up as the Red Sox activated Alex Cora, Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon today. If it wasn't for the lack of starting pitching in Boston, I'd say I almost feel sorry for the White Sox in the upcoming series. Get em all active folks!! It's gonna be a slugfest!
Do I really have to offer congrats to Blue Jays 1B Kevin Barker for hitting his first big league home run since 2000? 31 years old, career minor leaguer, zero fantasy value. Congrats, big guy!
Nothing official out of the Rockies organization, but it looks like they're leaning towards this whole middle infield overhaul as Kaz Matsui and Troy Tulowitzki seem to have supplanted Jamey Carroll and Clint Barmes respectively. Matsui is hitting .425 in 40 AB since his call up and Tulowitzki is a guy the organization has been pretty high on lately, especially with Barmes sitting in a season long slump. Both should have some decent value in NL only leagues throughout September.
All I can say for those who picked up Hayden Penn is "Ouch!!!" 8 earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. It won't be like that every time, but the Baltimore rookie is still a risky pick.
And speakin gof ouch, apparently Cubs catcher Michael Barrett will be out for two to three weeks now as he will have surgery to repair the bleeding in his scrotum. Remember that foul tip from yesterday? My legs are crossed just typing this. No jokes please. "Blood" and "scrotum" are two words that should never be in the same sentence. Never.
Hmmmmm. I know it seems like we've all forgotten about him, but Barry Bonds seems to be waking up a bit. He's hitting .500 with 5 dingers in his last 11 games, and with today's shot (#729) he sits just 26 behind Hank Aaron. At this point I'm sure his owners will take anything they can get.
Kevin Kouzmanoff = Travis Hafner? Probably not. But the kid did hit his second HR in as many games while playing in place of the Tribe's regular DH. It's good to see him up and hitting as he has always showed great promise. I wouldn't start betting the farm on him though. He'll probably go for more than he's really worth if he makes the bigs in 2007, but keep an eye on him anyway.
The revolving door of closers continues to spin, this time in Arizona where Jorge Julio has officially been removed after blowing another save on Saturday. Jose Valverde will step in and warrants waiver consideration if you're looking for bullpen help.
Also on the closer front, the Phillies welcomed back Tom Gordon today from the DL. He will immediately get his job back so expect some good save opportunities over the next month.
And finally, here's a little tidbit of info for you...did you know that with today's victory over the Brewers, the Marlins became the first team since the 1899 Louisville Colonels to return to .500 after falling 20 games below that line earlier in the season? Thank you to our friends at the Elias Sports Bureau.

Catch you next time...

Would You Rather...?

2006-09-03T18:11:00.000-05:00

I'll do one here...

inspired by, not one, but two 3 HR performances today and the expectation of the third guy coming back this week...

Would you rather own Albert Pujols, David Ortiz or Ryan Howard?

I'll start with the numbers....

Ryan Howard: .306 avg. 52 HR 133 RBI 88 runs 0 SB
Albert Pujols : .321 avg. 42 HR 114 RBI 100 runs 5 SB
David Ortiz : .287 avg. 47 HR 121 RBI 99 runs 1 SB

First of all, let me just admit the absolute ridiculousness of this comparison as all three are unbelievable. Having one of these guys on your team is a HUGE advantage. Simple fact that they do the work of atleast 2 hitters on your opponent's team. Right? Craig Monroe + Nick Swisher = Big Papi? Probably not even, just based on the hit you'll take in batting average.

But if you had to make the choice who would it be? Pujols has to be given an edge just based on the numbers, right? After all, you have to take into consideration his injury and the 60 odd fewer at bats he received this year. What would his power totals look like today had he played every game -- which mind you, he has in years past. This was really his first significant injury. But an injury nonetheless and something you now need to take into consideration.
In this whole "post-steroids/present HGH" era we are currently in, that was the first thing people cried when Albert went down with his oblique strain. All those comparisons to Sammy Sosa's coughing that put him on the DL? I guess it's not something that you can ignore when making your decision. Could he turn into the injury prone, body breaking down due to steroid/HGH abuse kinda guy? Will he spend the next few seasons on and off the DL with the various tweaks and pulls? He's done what he's done now for 6 straight seasons. Your body doesn't work the same today as it did six years ago. It's something to consider when making your choice.
So if we're talking potential injuries, how about we address present ones? As much of a beast as Ortiz is, as much of a clutch player (and I don't ever use that term lightly) as he is, does this current heart/chest condition bring down his value? His numbers are outstanding. Always have been since coming over to Boston. But now we're looking at time missed and a condition that still is undefined. It could be nothing, but it could be something. Maybe medication will do the trick, maybe he just needs a "relaxation therapist" in the clubhouse. I'm sure we'll find out soon, but for now, it's all up in the air.
Also with Ortiz, you have the whole position eligibility question. He's a DH, pure and simple. Sure there are some leagues (one of mine, in fact) where you can use a DH at first base, but in most he qualifies in one slot and one slot only. I mean, don't get me wrong, having him as my DH would be an absolute joy...maybe not at this moment, but overall, sure. But you can't ignore the fact that it limits your flexibility for your roster; that is unless you have a 10 games or under eligibility requirement.
So that brings us to Howard. 26 years old, plays first base every day, current leader in home runs and RBI. And to be honest here, I don't think we're going to hear his name in doping rumors. He's a big guy with a huge power swing. He's the real deal. Think of it as a rich man's Adam Dunn...better power and a MUCH better batting eye. Obviously someone can always say, "well what if he gets hurt?", but even if you go back to the days in the minors he never (knock wood) has missed any extended time due to an injury. Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it? The only "flaw" I can see is the lack of stolen bases that you would see if you picked Pujols over him. But that's about it.

So after all that I'm picking Ryan Howard. He's got the power, the average, the roster flexibility, the youth and c'mon.....he's gonna be 27 next year. All of this and he's not peaking until next season? What I wouldn't give to see him chase the single season record.

What's the Buzz? 9/2/06

2006-09-02T22:34:00.000-05:00

Owners of Mariano Rivera...don't panic. Reports came out that the closer was being shut down immediately, but didn't say for how long. But manager Joe Torre came out afterwards and said he just wanted to rest him over the weekend. The MRI on Rivera's elbow only showed inflammation; no structural damage. Torre just wants him to cease throwing for a couple of days and see if that takes away the discomfort. We'll see what happens over the next few days, but I don't think you need to bench him for the upcoming scoring period.

Onto the rest of the news...

Congratualtions to Indians call up Kevin Kouzmanoff who hit a grand slam off the first pitch he saw as a major leaguer to help the Tribe beat the Rangers today. He'll have a little bit of value as he fills in for Travis Hafner who is day to day with a bruised hand.
Some good news out of Boston today as the club said it expects David Ortiz back in the lineup by Tuesday. The doctors are saying that they are 97% sure there is nothing wrong with his heart, but won't give him the full 100% until they can track him for a few more days while he resumes baseball activities. Risk/reward here. I say activate him this week.
Also for Boston, it looks like Jonathan Papelbon will be out for about a week while he gets his shoulder examined further. He left his last outing with what was described as a burning sensation in his shoulder. Too high up on the body for an STD, I think. The MRI will be on Monday so we'll know more then, but for this week atleast, it looks like the return of Keith Foulke.
Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco will miss his next scheduled start on Monday due to Hamstring tightness. He's skipping the start altogether, but since he was supposed to be a two-start pitcher this week, we'll still get a game out of him for the upcoming scoring period.
Cubs catcher Michael Barrett is being called day to day after he was hit in the groin with a foul tip. There's a joke in there somewhere, but for all of us that have been hit in that area, we know there's nothing funny about it. He may miss Sunday's game, but he should be fine after that.
I said yesterday that Ty Wigginton will get the at bats once he comes back from the DL and D-Rays manager Joe Maddon backed me up by saying that he doesn't expect to see 1B Travis Lee getting much playing time the rest of the way. Wiggy won't hit like he did before he got hurt, but it's good to know he'll get the opportunity to try. He might be a nice boost for your AL only league stats.
Another boost, maybe for you NL only leaguers, in the offense department is the return of Mets outfielder Cliff Floyd. He went 1 for 3 in his return with a pair of RBI. He should resume left field duties which pushes Endy Chavez over to center to take over for the injured Carlos Beltran. Word is, after a preliminary examination, that after crashing into the fence, Beltran could not bend his knee. There doesn't appear to be any ligament damage, but he should be out for the next few days. We'll keep you posted when we know more.
Unfortunately, Maddon also said he wants to try out Edwin Jackson as the closer by giving him a few opportunitites. Unreal. This closer situation has been a disaster all season long. Now I'm not saying go out and drop Seth McClung in favor of Jackson, but just prepare yourself for a little annoying disappointment.
Speaking of closer situations, it appears that Pirates manager Jim Tracy is going to use Salomon Torres for his temporary closer rather than Matt Capps. We knew it would be a matchup thing but showing concern may be all for naught as Mike Gonzalez is expected back when his 15 days are up.
What are the chances that Tigers 1B Chris Shelton can do with his recent call up what he did at the start of this season in April? Yeah, wishful thinking. He'll get some at bats and may start against some lefties, but Sean Casey, bad hammy and all, still remains the teams first option.
Twins lefty Francisco Liriano threw a successful and pain free 12 minute bullpen session today and will probably throw BP on Wednesday. If all goes well, he could be back at some point this month. Maybe out of the bullpen, but that's where he started this year. This should be fun to watch if the Twins stay in contention here.
Also on the comeback trail is Phillies closer Tom Gordon. He threw another two scoreless innings today and should be activated by Monday or Tuesday. If he's on your bench, get ready to activate him.
While he has not been put on the DL, Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds will not travel with the team on it's upcoming 7 game road trip. We saw this with Mike Matheny earlier in the season, so it doesn't look promising. However, Edmonds has always been a gamer, so maybe after some rest, we'll get to see him for the final two weeks of the season. Not sure if I would count on it though.
Diamondbacks call up Chris Young is looking like a nice pick up in the outfield right now. He's hitting .409 in 22 at bats since coming up and had 5 of the D-Backs RBI today. He could help you down the stretch if he stays hot and will definitely be a solid option in 2007.
Bad news for you Felix Hernandez owners. Following his first career shutout, he will be shut down....for atleast 2 starts. The team doesn't want him to go over 200 innings for the season. He may not miss consecutive starts, but it looks like he'll be out this coming week.
And finally, September Sleeper Scott Baker today against the Yankees? 5 innings, 2 hits, 1 earned run in a rain shortened victory. Maybe a few more K's the next time huh? He should get the Tigers his next time out.

Busy Labor Day Weekend here, but I'll try and stay on top of things.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 9/1/06

2006-09-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

O.K. really....it has to come to an end soon doesn't it? Even as a die-hard Yankees fan, I just can't take enjoyment in the demise of a team when the proverbial ship sinks this bad. It's like it never ends for the Red Sox. I'm almost willing to accept the fact that someone in the organization sold every Bostonian's soul for the 2004 World Series title. It's not even going from bad to worse at this point. It's going from horriffic to absurdly atrocious. Today, all star rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon left tonight's game in the ninth with a right shoulder injury. He was pitching for his third straight day and it looks like his heavy work load may be catching up to him. Preliminary reports are downplaying it as just a pinched nerve, but we'll wait for test results. For now consider him to be day to day.
But wait...there's more...apparently Curt Schilling has a strained lat muscle and he will miss his next scheduled start. Looks like the recently acquired Kevin Jarvis is going to get a start in the bigs after all.
Also for the Sox, the preliminary diagnosis is in for Jon Lester and it looks like anaplastic large cell lymphoma. It is treatable, probably through chemotherapy, but Lester's season is over. Let's just hope all goes well with his treatment. The doctor's are optimistic about its treatment which is good. Still, our thoughts are with him and his family.
And there's no new news on David Ortiz. He's out of the hospital but has not been cleared by doctors to play just yet. There's still a chance he could miss the rest of the year.

In other news...

Don't worry too much about Blue Jays 3B Troy Glaus and his leaving tonight's game after 4 innings. It was only a sinus infection and he'll probably be back on Saturday.
If you picked up and held onto Rangers OF Nelson Cruz still, you might get a chance to play him a little more. Word out of Texas is that Buck Showalter plans to play him a littl emore regularly which will definitley give his value a boost.
The official word on Twins starter Brad Radke is that he has a stress fracture in his shoulder, on top of the partially torn labrum. He has been advised to not throw for a minimum of two weeks. He still claims he wants to come back, but he may not even get the opportunity given his need for rest and recovery time. It is September, isn't it? As reported yesterday, Scott Baker will take his rotation spot. Now it's just a matter of whether or not he lives up to my September Sleeper hope...um...I mean hype.
The Yankees could be getting a little power surge soon as Hideki Matsui took BP today outside for the first time and could be back with the team (probably as a DH) sometime late next week. They also are waiting on Gary Sheffield to return from his wrist surgery. He'll meet with doctor's lat enext week and if all goes well with his examination he could be cleared to take batting practice soon. There is a chance he could rejoing the tema for the final 2 weeks of the season.
The perpetually battered and bruised Eric Chavez sat out tonight after an MRI revealed a minor ankle sprain. They say he could be back as early as Saturday, so if you can wait until the last minute to activate him, then check back for reports.
So far, so good for Phillies closer Tom Gordon's rehab. He's thrown two scoreless innings, and should get some more work on Saturday. It looks like he could be back by the end of the weekend, so get ready to put him back in your lineup next week.
Also for the Phillies, they picked up Randall Simon from the Texas Rangers for cash in a little waiver deal. I don't think Simon has any value unless there's a road trip to Milwaukee in the future and you get fantasy points for hitting a giant sausage.
In another waiver deal, the Nationals picked up OF Nook Logan from the Tigers for a player to be named later. Center field has been a pretty consistent problem for the Nats this year and I don't think Logan solves it. Even if you're in need of some cheap steals, he won't be your guy.
The Dodgers brought back a few familiar faces, 1B James Loney, OF Matt Kemp, and catcher Einar Diaz. The only one who looks liek he could have any fantasy value is Kemp who should probably find a place somewhere in the outfield when opponents throw a lefty.
The Braves activated OF Brian Jordan, SP Kyle Davies and IF Willy Aybar from the DL today. Jordan should pinch hit a little, Aybar goes to utility duty, but Davies should go right into the rotation. He'll get the start on Saturday and should get a look in NL only leagues.
An dfinally, the Devil Rays activated 3B Ty Wigginton from the DL today and he could have some value in AL only leagues. He'll get time at various positions, probably at first mostly, and could be a decent stopgap if you are desperate.

Tropical Storm/Hurricane Ernesto wreaking havoc along the east coast causing some rainouts so there's some doubleheader action tomorrow. Make sure you adjust your lineups.

Lots of call ups and activations today but so many without any fantasy meaning right now, I just don't have it in me to list them all. Sure I may be missing some "notables" like Darin Erstad or Vinny Castilla or Lance Niekro, but so far only Delmon Young looks like the big one worth singling out.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/31/06

2006-08-31T22:51:00.000-05:00

A little waiver trading going on today as yesterday's rumors about David Wells heading to San Diego became reality as the teams pulled the trigger. Wells goes from the Red Sox to the Padres for a player to be named later. A little odd if you ask me. San Diego's still in it...they're making a play for the division....and they get Wells? His health is suspect at best and who can forget that time in the World Series against the Marlins where he left in the first with a bad back? Maybe the Padres see something I don't. We'll see come the end of September.
Also on the trade front, the Nationals got involved with a pair of deals as they sent IF/OF Marlon Anderson to the Dodgers for minor league pitcher Jhonny Nunez and they sent OF Daryle Ward to the Braves in exchange for minor league righty Luis Atilano. The Dodgers get a little bench help, although I see Anderson getting very little playing time and the Braves get a power bat for their bench as Ward will find a home as a pinch hitter. The Nationals get a couple of guys who may or may not ever see time in the bigs. Nunez has looked pretty good in short season Single-A ball, but you can't really tell until he goes full season against better players. Atilano is just coming off of Tommy John surgery, so who know's with that one. I cannot recommend picking any of these guys up at any point in time.
In another deal, Phil Nevin moves to his third team of the season as the Twins picked him up from the Cubs for a player to be named later. A much better situation for Nevin here as he has the chance to be the primary DH for a team that is pushing for the playoffs. Really...who is he competing with for the job? Rondell White? Jason Kubel? I like Nevin for the month of September if they leave him in the lineup.
Had enough? Well how about the Red Sox acquiring pitcher Kevin Jarvis from the Diamondbacks for a player to be named. O.K., you can stop laughing now. Who knows if this is for Boston or for Pawtucket, but if it is for the big club, stay away.

In other news...

Besides dealing for Boomer, the Padres did a little bench tweaking as they sent down righty Mike Thompson and brought back OF Termell Sledge to give themselves an additional hitter over the extra reliever for the time being. Sledge should sit on the bench most of the time and give us maybe a bi-weekly plate appearance.
Giants 2B Ray Durham is day to day with a strained lower back. He'll probably miss Friday's game, and we'll see how he's feeling after that. He's having a great year hitting .295 with 20 HR and 80 RBI.
Congratulations to Astros closer Brad Lidge for recording his 100th career save tonight. Hell, congratulations for still getting the opportunity to close out games there Brad.
Hey, remember when I told you two days ago that Ryan Howard tied Mike Schmidt's HR record for the Phillies with his 48th HR? Um..yeah he broke it today. 49 for the season so far. Big surprise, I'm sure. The league leader in home runs and RBI is now in the middle of a 9 game hitting streak which has pushed his average back up to .299. I wish I owned him in a keeper league.
And that's all she wrote for Mark Mulder folks. The Cardinals put him on the DL today with a left shoulder injury and should bring back Anthony Reyes to take his rotation spot. I don't know about you, but for the Cards sake, let's hope this is a permanent move.
A little good news as David Ortiz was released from the hospital today. There's no word on if/when he will return this year, but atleast he's well enough to be out of Massachusetts General.
Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera underwent a precautionary MRI today on his elbow which revealed a minor muscle strain but no structural damage. He'll pitch through it, so don't worry about him missing any time. Maybe he doesn't pitch on back to back days at the worst, until he feels better. Oh...and he picked up his 33rd save today.
Ladies and gentlemen...The Delmon Young Experience!!! 4 for 5 today? Oh baby!!!
And finally, the Twins are bringing back Scott Baker to join their ailing rotation this weekend. Perfect timing as he'll get the Yankees for his first time back. With the possibility of Brad Radke being done for the season, Baker could be a candidate to stay in the rotation until the end of the season. He's had a rough year thsi year in the majors, but you should remember that he did make the rotation out of spring training and he does have great strikeout potential. I'm going to call him my September Sleeper. We'll see where he ends up...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/30/06

2006-08-30T22:56:00.000-05:00

Sorry to start here on a solemn note, but I just want to send some good thoughts towards Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester who is back in Boston undergoing tests for various medical issues, including cancer. According to an article in the Boston Herald, Lester has been diagnosed with enlarged lymph nodes which can be a symptom for many things, cancer being one of them. I'm sure reports will come out over the next few days, so all I'm gonna do is hope for the best. He's a promising young pitcher and I look forward to heckling him at Yankees games in the near future.

And now for the rest of the news...

Some more Red Sox news...well actually a rumor...as reports have the Sox close to a deal with the Padres that would send David Wells over to San Diego in exchange for prospect George Kottaras. It would be a nice deal for Boston as Kottaras is considered a top prospect, and it's not like Wells is carrying them anywhere this season.
A bittersweet day for Curt Schilling as he records his 3,000th career strikeout in a losing effort against the A's today. He struck out Nick Swisher in the first inning to reach the milestone that only 14 others have attained.
Congratulations to Marlins 2B Dan Uggla who, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is only the 4th player in history to reach the 20 HR-75 RBI plateau in his debut season. He joins Albert Pujols, Orlando Cepeda and Frank Robinson for the distinction. It's just gets better and better. I love hyping this guy still.
The White Sox finally got Jim Thome back into the lineup. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI tonight in a new look batting order that kept Jermaine Dye hitting third, Thome at cleanup and bumped Paul Konerko down to fifth. We may not get a consistent look at the new lineup though as Thome apparently aggravated the hamstring again. He's back to day to day, but probably won't miss more than just Thursday's game...unless it turns out to be more serious. Bench him for tomorrow but check back for reports for the weekend.
So far so good for Delmon Young. Backing up all that talk with another solid performance tonight going 2 for 3 with a sac fly. He's got 4 RBI in his first two games and should continue to produce throughout the rest of the season.
After getting hit on the forearm with a pitch, Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera left the game and is being called day to day. I'm sure precautionary x-rays but no results were released. I don't think it's anything serious, but I'm no doctor. We'll keep you updated.
Twins 2B Luis Castillo is being called day to day after he left today's game with a sprained ankle. It looks like he'll just need a few days off, so the team will just patch up the infield over the next few games with Nick Punto, Terry Tiffee and Luis Rodriguez. Castillo should be benched in daily leagues, but should be fine for the next scoring period in leagues with weekly roster moves.
Also for the Twins, it looks like starter Brad Radke will miss his next start due to his ongoing shoulder problems. He got a cortisone shot this past weekend, and will probably rest for a few days before he tries to pitch again. There is also a possibility that he may not even come back this season, but let's wait a few days before throwing that out there again. If you have him, you should be benching him immediately. They'll call up Scott Baker to start on Saturday and if he does well, he could remain in the rotation until the end of the year.
Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth is, once again, day to day with a sore back. It's been a chronic problem for him all year, so don't expect anything more to come out of it. He may sit out a few more opportunities, but it's nothing to freak out about...atleast not until the playoffs.
Also for the Yankees, one of the first things told to Carl Pavano by the New York doctors was that he couldn't even resume throwing for atleast 2 weeks. He will not return to the team this season.
While it has absolutley zero fantasy impact this year, it's still news. So I'll tell you the Mets traded minor league OF Victor Diaz to the Texas Rangers for minor league catcher Michael Nickeas. Possible meaning for next season, but not enough to get into.
Apparently Cardinals pitcher Mark Mulder is now contemplating season ending shoulder surgery as his return to the rotation has been nothing short of disastrous. Decisions will be made in the next few days, but this has to be a good sign for Anthony Reyes' owners. He should be recalled soon to replace the ailing Mulder in the rotation.
Also for the Cardinals, it has become more likely that Jim Edmonds may not return this season as he is still battling the effects of post-concussion syndrome. After he got hurt he sat out for 10 days and then tried to get back into the lineup. It was obvious that it was too soon as he looked lost at the plate and now his status is unclear. He should be benched in all leagues until further notice.
Reds closer Eddie Guardado is hoping for a Monday return from the disabled list. He'll throw again on Friday and see how it feels then. If all goes well he could be back in the mix for saves next week.
A little waiver move for the Orioles as they picked up catcher Danny Ardoin from the Rockies today. Someone in the organization has psychic powers as Ramon Hernandez becomes day to day after straining a rib cage muscle in tonight's game. It isn't likely that Ardoin will have any value whatsoever. Chris Widger remains the primary backup.
And finally, is Jason Marquis not the worst 14 game winner you've seen? His victory tonight was five innings of 7 hits, 3 walks, 5 earned runs and a pair...yes 2...strikeouts. His ERA is currently sitting at 5.89 and batters have been hitting somewhere around .310 against him since the All Star Break. And yet he continues to win. Now that's a sunburnt dog's ass!!

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-08-30T12:18:00.000-05:00

Picking Up:

1. Delmon Young, OF TB: Finally called up to the big club and immediately inserted into right field. Debuted with a 2 for 3 performance with a 2 run shot. Should remain in the starting lineup for the rest of the season...atleast until he bad-mouths the organization again.

2. Kaz Matsui, 2B/SS COL: Recently called up to aid an infield that uses a mediocre jamey Carroll and a once again slumping Clint Barmes. He seems to be playing like a man out to prove something and manager Clint Hurdle is going to give him every opportunity to do so. Solid stolen base threat.

3. David Ross, C CIN: Has steadily hit his way into the primary catching job for the Reds. Incumbent Jason LaRue will only backstop for Aaron Harang while Javier Valentin gets relegated to pinch hittin gduties.

4. Marco Scutaro, SS OAK: His numbers won't dezzle, but once again Bobby Crosby sits on the disabled list. He'll get the occassional day off, but manager Ken Macha loves his work ethic and effort. If you need someone who plays regularly, he could be a nice stopgap.

5. Florida Marlins pitching: Scott Olsen, Ricky Nolasco, and Josh Johnson? The team went from having one of the most coveted staffs in the fantasy world to the least desirable, right back to coveted again. Maybe dismantling a team after a World Series isn't such a bad idea after all. This team is loaded with prospects.

Also on the rise: Kyle Davies, Mark Teahen, Geoff Jenkins

Dropping Off:

1. Casey Blake, 1B/OF CLE: Returned to the team after a lengthy DL stint only to find another youth movement for the Tribe. Ryan Garko has looked solid at first and the team is happy with the performance of Shin Soo Choo in the outfield. Looks like Blake will platoon from here on in.

2. Ryan Theriot, 2B CHC: Never had eye-popping stats, but he was set as the Cubs everday second baseman. The activation of Freddie Bynum has caused a bit of a logjam and rather than crowd up the outfield again, they're givin ghim at bats at second. Looks like a platoon here for the rest of the season.

3. The Boston Red Sox: David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Wily Mo Pena all sent back to Beantown for medical examinations. There's no timetable for any of their returns and the team is gradually sliding out of contention. Ever see one of those old WWII movies where the fighter jet is plummetting to the ground in a fiery tailspin?

4. David Dellucci, OF PHI: The trade of Bobby Abreu opened the door for him to play regularly and was incredibly hot starting off the second half. A minor quad injury, a slight cold spell and the new acquisition of Jeff Conine puts him back into a platoon.

5. Justin Verlander, SP DET: Has never pitched this many innings in his career and it's starting to show as he finished out the month of August with a 6.83 ERA. Opposing batter spent the month hitting .359 against him and he's showing signs of wearing down. He slumped like this in June just before the All Star Break, so the outlook isn't good for him to fully pull himself out of this. Rookie stamina is not something you can rely on.

Also on the decline: Jason LaRue, Jonny Gomes, Jim Edmonds

What's the Buzz? 8/29/06

2006-08-29T22:46:00.000-05:00

You know...I didn't get a chance to watch him play, but how about that debut for Delmon Young tonight? Tampa Bay's top prospect for, what...3 years now finally gets the call up and doesn't disappoint those that had faith and held onto him. In case you missed it, while hitting in the 8 hole, he went 2 for 3 with a home run, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored against the White Sox. He started in right field and looks to be a solid play for both you and the Devil Rays. If you can, pick him up. I know he's available in some leagues. Hell, I picked him up early this morning in one of mine. He goes right into the starting lineup.

And now for the rest of the news...

Nothing makes me happier than the chance I get to report that the longest homer hit at the new Busch Stadium was a 449 ft. bomb by none other than Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla. The rookie is now hitting .296 with 21 HR and 79 RBI. Oh yeah...chuck in a half dozen steals too. I love having him on my teams and I hope some of you took my advice and picked him up in the later (probably the last) rounds of your draft this season. Smells like Rookie of the Year to me!!!
How sad is it that Barry Bonds' first multi-homer game in two years (to the day) is news? Big 19 HR on the year. I think I actually forgot he was still playing.
If you're looking for pitching help, the Braves are activating Kyle Davies in time to pitch one of the games of the Saturday double header against the Phillies. Not the best of matchups, but he's looked great in his rehab starts and has some real solid strikeout potential. He might be worth a look.
For those of you waiting patiently for Tom Gordon to return, it looks like Friday or Saturday. He threw well in a 30 pitch session today and reported no pain. He'll make a rehab start on Thursday, and if all goes well we will see him this weekend.
Pirates SS Jack Wilson will remain sidelined atleast until the end of this week, according to manager Jim Tracy. Wilson has been out with an inner ear infection since last Thursday. Keep him reserved until he shows he is at full strength. He's been relatively mediocre when healthy; can you imagine how ugly it would be with him hurt?
Someone get me some condiments!!! I have a little hat eating to do from when I said Aramis Ramirez was going to struggle without Derrek Lee in the lineup. He's hitting .341 since the All Star Break and just looks like a beast up at the plate. He reached base 6 times tonight! 6 times.
The White Sox are expecting Jim Thome to return to the lineup on Wednesday, so get him in if you can. He was actually slated to play tonight but with the wet field, manager Ozzie Guillen didn't want to take any chances.
Just how many records is Ryan Howard going to break this year? With his 48th HR of the season tonight, he tied the all time mark in Phillies history set by Mike Schmidt in 1980. Tonight's shot also breaks the record for most home runs in a month for the Phillies. It was his 13th of August which breaks the previous record, 12, also held by Mike Schmidt. Albert who? Who's Papi? Keeper leaguers who own him...rejoice!!!!!
Speaking of Papi actually, David Ortiz returned to Boston today and was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for tests to determine the cause of his irregular heartbeat. We probably won't know anything for a few days but our thoughts are with him for a speedy recovery.
Also sent back to Boston were outfielders Manny Ramirez (knee) and Wily Mo Pena (wrist). Both will have test run as well. With the Red Sox falling 7 1/2 games behind the Yankees and further down in the wild card race, they might not even bother rushing any of these guys back. Could they actually be thinking about giving up? This is potentially huge in the fantasy world. Losing either Ramirez or Ortiz at this point in the season could be seriously damaging to a team trying to climb up the standings or maintain at the top. Let's hope it's not you.
Another strong outing for Matt Garza tonight. He didn't get the win, but he only allowed 2 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings while striking out a career high seven batters. He's looked better and better with each start and should be a fine play for the rest of the season.
Orioles outfielder Corey Patterson is being called day to day after crashing into the wall tonight chasing down a fly ball. It looked a lot worse than it is, but he should only be out for a few games. Recently activated David Newhan will grab some extra at bats in the meantime.
Career highs all around as Indinas DH Travis Hafner hit his 40th HR tonight; the most he's ever hit in a season. With 40 HR and 114 RBI, Hafner continues to be one of the more dominant hitters around.
And finally,the Carl Pavano saga continues as he was scratched by the team from his next scheduled rehab start. Instead, the team is sending him to New York to visit with team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon for a full run of tests. For those who don't know, when it was discovered he had 2 broken ribs the other day, Pavano revealed that he had been in a car accident about a month prior. He did not alert the team to his accident or his injuries. Hmmm. Sounds like a little self-sabotage to me. Maybe Pavano just doesn't want to pitch anymore. His time spent in New York hasn't been good at all and he's constantly dogged by people for his perpetually nagging injuries. Maybe his spirit has been broken. Whatever the outcome, don't expect much out of him at all this year.

Catch you next time...

Morning Buzz Update

2006-08-29T08:17:00.000-05:00

Just a couple of quick notes from last night, as I took and early leave...

Reports out of Boston say that David Ortiz was not out of the lineup last night due to a stomach virus, but due to a recurrence of the irregular heartbeat from which he suffered last week. He is headed back to Boston and will undergo tests to see what is going on. Fantasy owners of Ortiz should bench him immediately if you make daily roster moves. I don't even want to speculate, so let's just say he's out until further notice.

Congratulations to Felix Hernandez for tossing his first career shutout last night against the Angels. His strikeouts were low, only four, but it was a great performance in what has been a sea of mediocrity for the ultra-hyped pitcher. He was supposed to be a lights out guy who was the next big thing, but sits right now with a sub-.500 record (11-12) and a 4.54 ERA. Probably not worth what you paid for him on draft day.

What's the Buzz? 8/28/06

2006-08-28T22:47:00.000-05:00

Well, what's good news for some is bad news for others. The bad news is that after a second opinion, Tampa Bay OF/DH Jonny Gomes will be put on the DL on Tuesday and have season ending shoulder surgery. The good news? No, it's not that he won't drain your batting average. It's the fact that the D-Rays are finally bringing up Delmon Young to take his spot on the roster. Young should probably see regular playing time for the rest of the season, so it would be wise to try and pick him up immediately.

In other news...

If we want to talk "sinking ships", how about the Boston Red Sox. Manager Terry Francona said that David Ortiz was being scratched today due to a stomach virus and that Manny Ramirez might not even play in the 3 game series vs. the A's. Ortiz should be fine in a day or so, but the Manny thing is getting a little troubling. Bench him in daily leagues and wait to see what happens. There is now a chance that he could find his way onto the DL.
And to add insult to injury, how about more injury woes for the Sox as rookie starter Jon Lester has been put on the DL with a sore back. It was bad enough to scratch him from last night's start and it was bad enough to put him on the DL. Unless the Sox can gain ground in either the divisional or wild card race, it's probably bad enough to shut him down for the year. The team brought up 1B Carlos Pena to take his roster spot and he should fill in while Kevin Youkilis is still hurting. Just don't expect results that are going to be a difference-maker.
The word on Carl Pavano is that it's not an oblique strain, but it's two broken ribs he apparently suffered in a car accident earlier in the month. They say he's still scheduled to make a start in Triple-A this week, and I guess if he's done so thus far, there's not much more you can do for the ribs. He still may come up in September, but really...is he going to even be worth your time?
Hmmm. 30 dingers for Brewers SS Bill Hall. Anyone see that one coming? I didn't.
Marlins rookie SS Hanley Ramirez is getting a day off today and is listed as day to day with a bruised finger. He probably won't miss much more than a game or two, so you shouldn't be too concerned. Ramirez has given his owners so much this season that they can afford to allow him a game off here or there.
Once again the Blue Jays are playing musical infielders as they sent down Ryan Roberts to bring up Russ Adams for a third try. Adams will serve as the backup to Aaron Hill, so don't expect him to have any significant fantasy value. Like you ever did...
Some pitching problems for the Pirates as they lost their closer and a starter to the DL today. Both closer Mike Gonzalez and rookie call up Tom Gorzelanny are down with elbow tendenitis and it looks like Gorzelanny will be shut down for the remainder of the season. Gonzalez could be back when his 15 days are up. In the meantime, Jim Tracy will probably play the matchups with the bulk of the load going to Matt Capps. You might see John Grabow get a save here or there depending on whether or not the lineup they are playing is stocked with lefties, but Capps looks like the guy you should pick up.
And finally, if you're looking for some help behind the dish, you might want to check on the availability of Reds backstop David Ross. Word out of Cincinnati is that he will be the primary catcher for the remainder of the season while Jason LaRue will only catch for Aaron Harang. It looks like Javier Valentin has been relegated to pinch hitting duties from here on in.

A pair of late games still going so if there's any breaking news, I'll hit you with it first thing Tuesday morning!

Catch you next time...

Power Performers

2006-08-28T18:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay today...technical difficulties and all. So let's just get right into it...

AL Hitters

1. Jermaine Dye, OF CHW: .393-8-5-10-0 And people were worried, myself included, that he was doomed to have a bad second half. Pffffft!!!!! He continues to mash the ball and has maintained his place in the AL MVP consideration.

2. Torii Hunter, OF MIN: .320-5-4-6-0 The surging Twins continue to battle for the AL wild card. If Hunter continues to play like this, not only would they be able to topple the White Sox, but they are scarily coming close to the slumping Tigers these days.

3. Nick Markakis, OF BAL: .435-6-4-6-0 He was quietly hitting for average at the start of the week, and then exploded with power towards the end, including a 3 HR performance in one night. He'll continue to play regularly with Jeff Conine out of the picture and can hopefully continue with this momentum.

4. Adrian Beltre, 3B SEA: .308-5-3-4-0 I don't know what my "left coast commentator" would do if I left him off this week. Beltre is having a fantastic August as he continues to produce here in the second half. The only question is whether or not he can keep his play up to these levels throughout September. He hasn't in the past, so we'll wait and see.

5. Mark Teahen, 3B KC: .423-6-2-5-3 Funny, isn't it? That Teahen finds himself here with Beltre after the comparison made by my colleague a few days ago? The Royals youngster has also been on a great second half surge and he's doing it all right now with a great mix of power and speed. My aforementioned friend is having a field day here.

Honorable Mention: Joe Crede, Johnny Damon, Jason Kendall

AL Pitchers

1. Kenny Rogers, SP DET: 2 Wins-5 K-0.64 ERA-1.17 WHIP The Tigers have been slumping lately, but leave it up to the veteran to help right the ship. The Gambler, who usually doesn't fare too well in the second half, is providing stability and veteran leadership to this staff.

2. Josh Beckett, SP BOS: 1 Win-3 K-1.50 ERA-1.00 WHIP Had the best outing the Sox have seen in some time from their rotation and was the only bright spot in a stretch where the team has lost 11 of the last 14 games. The alleged blister is being called a cut, so the team expects him to make his next start. If he can perform the way he should, Boston may just be able to climb back into the playoff race.

3. Justin Duchscherer, RP OAK: 2 Saves-3 K-0.00 ERA-0.00WHIP Doing a fantastic job filling in for the injured Huston Street. And when Street returns, Duchscherer will just go back to being one of the top set-up men in the AL anyway.

4. Tom Mastny, RP CLE: 2 Saves-4 K-0.00 ERA-1.00 WHIP While the Tribe is auditioning new closers since the Bob Wickman trade, dark horse Mastny has pitched his way into the role. Manager Eric Wedge gave a ringing endorsement, and barring any Carmonian like meltdown, he should remain there for the season.

5. Seth McClung, RP TB: 2 Saves-3 K-3.00 ERA-3.00 WHIP Another favorite of the West Coast RotoBuzz following. If you take away yesterday's disaster, he's been as solid a closer as you can find. The organization has wanted him in this role for a little while, so don't expect them to move him out unless yesterday becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Honorable Mention: Danny Haren, Vicente Padilla, Cha Seung Baek

NL Hitters

1. Carlos Delgado, 1B NYM: .389-6-4-11-0 Is someone a little excited that his best friend is on the same team now? Not that he wasn't performing well before, but since the arrival of Shawn Gree, the veteran first baseman is on a tear. It should only get better as the team is now firing on all cylinders.

2. Miguel Cabrera, 3B FLA: .409-8-3-9-0 A fantastic second half for the longest tenured Marlin position player. While he's not matching his usual power numbers, he remains one of the top choices in fantasy baseball for third basemen. Look for him to play like this through the end of the season.

3. Jose Reyes, SS NYM: .375-7-1-5-4 Has established himself as one of the premier leadoff hitters in the game today. He continues to run the bases like a madman and the power displays this year have been a huge bonus.

4. Alfonso Soriano, OF WAS: .346-4-1-2-4 Like the annoying little pink Energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going and going. A relatively quiet week for power easily made up with the action on the basepaths. Most definitely re-established as a first rounder again.

5. Willy Taveras, OF HOU: .400-5-0-0-4 C'mon! You didn;t think I was going to leave off a guy in the midst of a 30 game hitting streak did you? There's really no power to be had, but he's hitting for a tremendous average and his 28 steals on the year are outstanding...especially when you consider the lack of playing time he received earlier in the year.

Honorable Mention: Gary Bennett, Brad Hawpe, Omar Vizquel

NL Pitchers

1. Noah Lowry, SP SF: 2 Wins-9 K-0.53 ERA-0.706 WHIP Picking a great time to get hot as the Giants are starting to pull themselves out from the sub-.500 ditch they are currently in. What's even better is that they're just 3 1/2 games out of first in the ridiculously weak NL West.

2. Matt Cain, SP SF: 1 Win-16 K-0.64 ERA-1.00 WHIP See above for the big picture for the team. If the Giants do contend, Cain should prove to be a very valuable asset down the stretch and complements the like of Lowry and Jason Schmidt. Him and Schmidt? Talk about some strikeouts!!

3. John Smoltz, SP ATL: 2 Wins-17 K-0.56 ERA-0.438 WHIP I know the bullpen is in trouble but how could you think about taking this out of your starting rotation. The veteran continues to dazzle down the stretch. Just a shame he won't make it to the postseason for the first time in who knows how many years.

4. Mike Gonzalez, RP PIT: 3 Saves-6 K-0.00 ERA-0.00 WHIP Just lights out in all three appearances this past week. It's a shame he overdid it on three straight days and currently finds himself on the DL with elbow tendenitis. He should be back closing out games again by mid-September.

5. Trevor Hoffman, RP SD: 3 Saves-2 K-0.00 ERA-1.29 WHIP One of the game's best out there. He will continue to be an integral part of the Padres this year as they too, find themselves in the heat of a race -- only 2 games out of first in the NL West.

Honorable Mention: Chris Capuano, Joe Borowski, Andy Pettitte

Trade Central and Analysis

2006-08-28T16:06:00.000-05:00

Just 3 waiver trades this past week; one with some big impact and two little ones. Here they are.

1. The New York Mets acquired OF Shawn Green and cash from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league pitcher Evan MacLane

It was the move Mets fans were waiting on for some time now. Understanding that Lastings Milledge just wasn't ready for the show, the Mets needed to make a move for a veteran and with some probable help from longtime friend Carlos Delgado, they convinced Green to waive his no trade clause and come to New York. Green's fantasy value takes a nice boost as he is locked in as the regualr right fielder as opposed to fighting off eager rookies in Arizona. So far he's just 4 for 15 with 4 RBI, but he has played well in the field and isn't expected to put up eye-popping numbers. They just need him to be consistent, which is all his fantasy owners are hoping for too. Going the other way is MacLane, but this is really a money move. The D-Backs needed to clear some salary. MacLane doesn't figure to be anything more than a low level prospect.

2. The San Diego Padres acquired IF/OF Russell Branyan from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Evan Meek and either a player to be named later or cash.

This doesn't really have much fantasy impact as Branyan is just supposed to be a utility guy/bench player who may get the occasional start while Khalil Greene remains sidelined. He wasn't getting much time lately with Tampa and it really doesn't seem like he'll get much time in San Diego either. You might hear Meek's name at some point in the future, but considering he's now going to be in the Tampa organization, it might not be for good reasons.

3. The Philadelphia Phillies acquired 1B/OF Jeff Conine from the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named.

You gotta love the Phillies. After trading away Bobby Abreu and Corey Lidle, the team found itself on a winning streak and back in contention for the NL wild card. They pick up Conine here to act as the platoon partner for David Dellucci in the outfield. Conine will probably have about the same fantasy value back in the NL as he did with the O's, and that really isn't much. He's one of those guys you have on your bench in deep mixed leagues to act as an injury replacement if one of your starting players goes down. What this does do is de-value Dellucci somewhat. He was having a great second half up until his quad injury a little while ago, but now that he's splitting time again he may not be as useful as he once was.

Probably back later tonight with another "Would You Rather...?

CBS Sportsline

2006-08-28T13:59:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are using CBS Sportsline as your fantasy baseball website, you should know that the site seems to be having some problems. Stats arent updating correctly. I'm sure that it will be fixed over time, but it is prudent to keep track of your league.

What's the Buzz? 8/27/06

2006-08-27T22:59:00.000-05:00

A little waiver trading today as the Phillies acquired OF Jeff Conine and some cash to cover his contract from the Orioles in exchange for the infamous player to be named later. It's probably better for Conine's value as he'll move from a seriously crowded Orioles team to being the sole platoon partner for David Dellucci. Sucks for those that picked up Dellucci, but that's the way it goes for a guy who's a perpetual 4th outfielder. He had been doing real well after the Break, but has since cooled down and is still nursing a sore quad. On just a baseball note, it's just good to see the Phillies making some moves to show that they're still fighting this year even after trading off Bobby Abreu.

On to the news...

I have to start it out today with congrats to Astros OF Willy Taveras who extended his hitting streak to 30 games today. He went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and stole another 2 bases today to give himself 28 on the season. This has been a crazy second half for Taveras and you should be riding this wave for a while. No he won't break the record, but his fantasy owners are going to be reaping the benefits while he tries.
So here go...Derrek Lee take two!! Reports are confirmed that the Cubs will activate the first baseman in time for Monday's game against the Pirates. Sure you won't get the same hitter we saw last year, but he should be a huge help for the final month of the season. It looks like Phil Nevin and John Mabry will start seeing less at bats now.
Also for the Cubs, it looks like Ryan Theriot has got himself a platoon partner. Recently activated Freddie Bynum, who was getting at bats earlier this season in the outfield, is now getting time at second base. The two will probably share the time equally until one of them outshines the other.
Congratulations to A's starter Danny Haren who struck out a career high 12 batters in 7 innings tonight. Unfortunately he also gave up 3 runs to take the loss. Haren remains a solid option for your team the rest of the way. He's always had good strikeout potential, so let's hope he rolls with this momentum for his next start.
Apparently Dodgers starter Derek Lowe is saying that his bruised thumb from last night is fine and he and the team expect him to make his next start this week. He should be fine to keep active.
Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez is suffering from a tired arm -- a direct result of throwing three staright days this past week. He'll probably get another day or two off, but should be fine by the middle of this week.
Another ailing closer is Cardinals Jason Isringhausen. He is experiencing some shoulder stiffness, but just like Gonzalez, should be ok for the rest of the week after a day or two off.
Tampa Bay's Rocco Baldelli is day to day with cramps in his hamstring. It's the same one that put him on the DL for most of the first half so keep a close watch here.
Since I'm just doling out the congratulations tonight, let's hit Miguel Cabrera here. The Marlins third baseman broke a club record tonight with his 31st RBI here in August. He breaks the record of 30 that was held by both Gary Sheffield and Moises Alou. So far in August, Cabrera is hitting .400 with 6 HR and 15 runs to go along with his ever increasing RBI total.
The Red Sox are still without Manny Ramirez who sat again tonight due to his knee problems. He's still being called day to day, but I wonder what's really going on with him. Does the team think he's not hurt? Check out the tirade manager Terry Francona went on in this Boston Herald article.
Also for the Sox, catcher Doug Mirabelli is still out with an ankle injury. He's day to day and Javy Lopez is getting some work behind the plate more and more, but it should be all for naught as the team expects Jason Varitek to return very soon.
If you were waiting for Yankees starter Carl Pavano to come back this week you are sorely mistaken. An oblique strain is the latest setback, so he will probably be a little longer still.
And finally, the Rockies infield is getting a little crowded as manager Clint Hurdle is trying to get Kaz Matsui plenty of playing time. Clint Barmes took a seat again as Matsui played short, but expect to see Jamey Carroll be the guy to lose the most time. Matsui will probably play mostly at second for the remainder of the season. An interesting pickup if you need the help. Sure he stunk with the Mets, but this is Colorado baby!!! How could it be bad?

Sorry if I missed anything...feel free to add in the comment s area. It was a long and grueling football draft and visions of wideouts are still dancing through my head.

Catch you next time...

September Vets Who Can Help

2006-08-27T16:01:00.000-05:00

Last week, in my column on Addict Fantasy Sports, I warned you off of trusting the September call ups to help you towards the end.

But that doesn't mean there aren't still guys out there who can help you in the final month of the season.

Check out this week's column, "September Vets" for a quick analysis of which veteran players can help and which you should avoid.

Good luck down the stretch!!!

What's the Buzz? 8/26/06

2006-08-26T22:56:00.000-05:00

My apologies to all the baseball heads out there, but I have to prepare for my fantasy football draft which is on Sunday, so let's just get right to it...

The Padres are calling infielder Geoff Blum day to day after he was scratched from tonight's game due to tightness in his upper body. He had been getting regular playing time ever since SS Khalil Greene went on the DL and had been contributing with 7 RBI in the past 5 games. He was replaced by Manny Alexander and may not even miss another game, so if you have a hole to fill, he should still get the playing time.
Well, it's official in Cleveland...again. Today manager Eric Wedge announce that Tom Mastny is the official closer for the Indians. He came out today and pitched a perfect ninth to earn his third save. Rafael Betancourt and Jason Davis will remain as set up men with maybe the occasional chance if Mastny pitches a few days in a row. Former closer Fausto Carmona has been sent back down to the minors. For now, it looks like Mastny should have decent value in AL only and deep mixed leagues.
Also for the Indians, it appears that rookie Jeremy Sowers will be shut down for the remainder of the season. He has already thrown over 165 innings, more than he has ever thrown, and with the Tribe out of contention, they don't want to overwork him now. He should be on a lot of peoples' radar for next season. Carmona, the former closer, is working as a starter in the minors and should be recalled in September to take Sowers' rotation spot.
And speaking of closing situations, it appears that Brad Lidge is back...again. After being told he was officially in a committee, Lidge has gone 4 scoreless innings with 8 K's while allowing only one hit and no walks. He was given the save chance tonight, excelled and will probably be given the next few save opps as well. Obviously you need to take this with a grain of salt. I'm sure Phil Garner has him on a pretty short leash. Look for Lidge to get the majority of work down the stretch, but if he struggles again (a very good chance), Dan Wheeler will be right there to pick up the pieces.
Tigers rookie Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander continues to show signs of wear and tear as he was pounded for 8 runs in 4 2/3 innings. He started off strong but then struggled in the month of June with a 4.17 ERA. After some time off during the All Star Break he rebounded with a 1.01 ERA in 4 July starts, but has now posted a 5.09 ERA in August. Simple fact: He hasn't thrown this many innings, this many pitches in a season ever in his career. If the Tigers are smart, they will rest him some in September and get him ready for the playoffs. Be careful if you own him. He is definitely breaking down.
Giants starter Noah Lowry is once again showing that he's the guy you want to trade for going into the month of August. After today's victory over the Reds, he's allowed on erun in 17 innings this past week and now has an ERA of 1.91 in 5 starts this month. Last year in August he went 5-0 with a 0.69 ERA. Mental note for 2007.
Moises Alou will continue to remain sidelined, probably until atleast Tuesday. The Giants' outfielder still hasn't recovered from his latest injury, a calf problem, and should remain day to day for the rest of the season.
Also banged up for the Giants is "closer" Armando Benitez. While it had been announced earlier that the closer situation would go to a committee, the team said that the only reason he didn't get the save opp tonight was due to elbow inflammation and a head cold. I'm sure it had everything to do with the fact he got blown out of the water on Tuesday and then completely over did it on Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. Mike Stanton got another save in Benitez' absence.
Congratulations to Mets OF Carlos Beltran who hit his 200th career home run tonight. It was his 38th of the season which ties his career high. Throw in 108 RBI (tying another career high)and, unlike last year, he has been well worth the price the Mets paid for him in free agency. He should finish the season pretty strongly and remains a must start in all leagues.
Another positive for the Mets was the performance from Oliver Perez tonight. Atleast encouraging. Before unraveling in the 5th inning, where the capper was a Ryan Howard grand slam, he threw 4 no hit hittings to start the game. He'll need to grab a few more chances before you can even think about picking him up, but I'd say that wasn't too bad for a throw-in in the Xavier Nady/Roberto Hernandez deal.
We're still waiting on confirmation from manager Terry Francona, but Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett said that he was going to be able to make his next start. He says the blister...I mean....cut....on his finger won't hold him back. Management should make the decision and announcement by the time the next scoring period begins.
After pitching through injuries, Padres reliever Scott Williamson ended up on the DL today with a right elbow strain. It's the same problem he suffered from in June with the Cubs and it is uncertain whether he will return this season or not.
If you're waiting for Eddie Guardado to come back from his latest DL stint, you may have to wait a little longer than expected. He was still experiencing soreness in his forearm after a throwing session and the club may wait for a little while longer until he is closer to 100%.
With today's 2 run shot, Chipper Jones moved to third on the all time homer list for switch hitters with his 351st. He passed Chili Davis and now sits behind only Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray who have 534 and 504 respectively.
Putting another injury blemish on a decent season for himself, Nick Johnson left today's game with whiplash after a collision with Braves OF Jeff Francoeur. He is listed as day to day and will probably miss Sundays' game at the least.
After jumping back into the lineup yesterday and striking out all 5 times he was up, Jim Edmonds was back on the bench again today. He came in as a pinch hitter and struck out, yet again. The road to recovery from a concussion seems to be long and bumpy these days. He'll probably stay on the bench Sunday when the Cubs throw another lefty at the Cards.
Dodgers starter Derek Lowe is being called day to day after he left today's game with a bruised thumb he suffered when he was hit with a line drive. The x-rays were negative but he will be re-evaluated in a few days to see if he can make his next start. If not, Aaron Sele will probably take his place.
And finally, good news for Stephen Drew owners. Arizona manager Bob Melvin says that he will use returning veteran Craig Counsell as a utility player rather than removing Drew from the starting shortstop position. Counsell should still eat into some of Drew's at bats, but atleast he's not moving him to the bench. Drew remains a viable middle infield option in NL only leagues.

By the way, some real nice pitching duels today between Roy Halladay and Runelvys Hernandez in Toronto and Chris Carpenter and Rich Hill in St. Louis. Halladay and Carpenter are always solid options. Hernandez and Hill? Well, the sun shines on a dog's ass atleast once.

And speaking of the sun shining on a dog's ass...yes, I saw Adrian Beltre hit another home run today. We'll wait and see what he does once September officially starts. Ride him now while you still can.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/25/06

2006-08-25T22:36:00.000-05:00

We'll start it off with congratulations to Alfonso Soriano who became the fastest player ever to reach 200 HR and 200 SB. He did it in his 929th game which beat the previous holder, Eric Davis who did it in 1,053 games. And people were worried about Soriano hitting in that ball park. He remains one of the league's top hitters and as always, remains a fantasy stud.

There are quite a few players on the mend who could impact your team when they return over the next couple of weeks. Here's a look at some of them:

Craig Counsell, SS ARI: expected to return August 26
Derrek Lee, 1B CHC: sometime early next week
Tom Glavine, SP NYM: scheduled to start next Friday's game
Cliff Floyd, OF NYM: by the end of next week
Tom Gordon, RP PHI: Sept. 1
Jason Varitek, C BOS: possibly a week away...more likely 10 days minimum
Casey Blake, 1B/OF CLE: activated from DL today
Kyle Davies, SP ATL: looks like a week and a half away
Carl Pavano, SP NYY: a week maybe...probably more like two

There's also a few day to day guys that you'll need to watch if you're in a league that allows daily roster moves:

Orlando Cabrera, SS ANA: split nail -- possibly out for a game or two
Jack Wilson, SS PIT: viral syndrome -- possibly out for a game or two
Manny Ramirez, OF BOS: knee -- could be back by the end of the weekend
Kevin Youkilis, 1B BOS: stomach virus -- out maybe a game or two
Jim Thome, DH CHW: hamstring -- could be used as pinch hitter this weekend
Pat Burrell, OF PHI: wrist/foot -- could be back on Saturday
Orlando Hernandez, SP NYM: general soreness -- should be ready for next week's start
Chad Cordero, RP WAS: ingrown toenail -- probably just a few day off needed

It looks like it's the end of the road for Royals OF Reggie Sanders. After battling injuries all year long, he will wrap it up with surgery to repair the torn patellar tendon in his left knee. He was put on the 15 day DL and will be out for the remainder of the season. The team brought up 2B Jeff Keppinger to take his roster spot, but don't expect any fantasy value out of him.
The closer by committee situation seems to be working for the Phillies right now as Ryan Madson picked up tonight's save, his second. It should be about another week until Tom Gordon returns, so expect Charlie Manuel to continue to play the matchups while using Madson, Geoff Geary and Arthur Rhodes out of the pen to close games.
The Cleveland closer situation is also starting to take shape. While Rafael Betancourt got the save today, he was only in there because Tom Mastny had pitched the previous two days. Mastny should be the number one option there with Betancourt getting the occassional opportunity during times like this.
If you've been following the Josh Beckett story lately, youve learned that they are now saying it was a cut, not a blister, that forced his removal from yesterday's game. Either way, the "injury" is now leaving his next start in question. I'm sure the Sox will anounce his status before the next scoring period begins.
Be careful with Jim Edmonds right now. While it was nice to see him return to the lineup after a 10 day absence, it wasn't so nice watching him strike out all four times he was up. And apparently those were the only 4 K's for the Cubs' staff tonight. Edmonds might still be a game time decision over the next week again.
It looks like Brad Radke is going to be a liability down the stretch if you have him. He was pulled from tonight's game after giving up 3 runs in only 2 innings. No injury has been reported, but Radke has been battling a sore shoulder for some time. You might want to consider reserving him for now if you have a healthier alternative.
The Devil Rays again put Scott Kazmir on the 15 day DL with soreness in his shoulder and could more than likely, put him on the shelf for the remainder of the season. Wait until official notice is given, but the Rays have no reason to take a chance with their top pitcher. J.P. Howell was called up, but I don't recommend him.
After striking out 7 in 7 shutout innings, Daniel Cabrera is looking a little better these days. He's had 3 great outings in his last 4 starts and has 27 K's in that span. If you can afford to take a little hit in ERA every so often, you might want to think about picking him up. His strikeout potential is almost too good to pass up this time of year.
The Diamondbacks activated Tony Clark from the DL today. He'll probably spell Conor Jackson once a week and serve as a pinch hitter for the most part. His value is very limited. Alberto Collaspo was sent down to make room.
As expected, the Braves put Danys Baez on the DL after his emergency appendectomy and brought back pitcher Lance Cormier. The Braves will give Cormier a start some time next week, but it looks like he'll get bumped from the rotation when Kyle Davies comes back.
The A's were once again forced to put SS Bobby Crosby on the 15 day DL with a lower back strain. The team brought up D'Angelo Jimenez for some depth but it looks like Marco Scutaro will see the majority of playing time in Cosby's absence. Regardless of when/if Crosby comes back, it's pretty safe to dump him, if you haven't already, and look for someone better on the waiver wire.
It looks like Nationals OF Alex Escobar is done for the year after he dislocated his shoulder diving back towards first base tonight. Poor kid just hasn't been able to put it together for a full healthy season. This definitely increases the value of Ryan Chrurch who now becomes the primary centerfielder. He might be a nice option to look into.
Damian Jackson's tenure with the Nationals is over as the team released him today. There is a chance he catches on somewhere else as a bench guy, but really...why bother?
And finally, congrats to Barry Zito who picked up his 100th career win tonight against the Texas Rangers. He took a no hitter into the 8th, but ended up giving up a single to Mark DeRosa to start the inning. He then retired the next three and was allowed to come out for the ninth. It ended after getting just one out as he was removed after then giving up 3 runs. Still, a nice quality outing from him is good to see. Congratulations Barry.

Dodgers/D-Backs, Yankees/Angels still going late. Any news breaks from there I'll get it to you first thing in the morning.

Catch you next time...

Would You Rather...?

2006-08-25T20:36:00.000-05:00

Ever play that game? Usually turns into a series of juvenile questions and dares leaving atleast one person either embarrassed, angered or even nauseous. Well this is a little different. Inspired by Howard's comments the other day to an anonymous commentator, I found myself asking the question, "Would you rather have Mark Teahen or Adrian Beltre?" Interesting question. Let's take a look at them both.

Adrian Beltre -- .266 avg. 15 HR 59 RBI 68 Runs 10 SB

Mark Teahen -- .299 avg. 16 HR 62 RBI 66 Runs 9 SB

They seem pretty close right there, but I'm giving the edge to Teahen to finish up stronger for the season. Sure, Beltre is having a great second half -- 8 HR in 150 AB in the second half compared to the 7 HR in 339 first half at bats. But it is true that he has disappeared in September the past two seasons and if you look at his career numbers (removing the 1998 rookie call up and 2004 eye-popping, never to be seen again stats) they look pretty similar to what you see above -- .264-19-76-77-9. It doesn't look like you're getting too much more.

Teahen, on the other hand, has drastically improved his game since being recalled from the minors. He hit .305 in June when he came back up and so far in the second half he's been hitting .346 with a .434 OBP. His numbers are solid, he's hitting both lefties and righties the same -- although most of his power comes vs. righthanders -- and he's playing with the confidence of an experienced veteran. Will he keep it up? Who can say for sure? He took that earlier demotion like a champ and seems to have used it as a learning experience. He's become a better hitter and he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.

Beltre has the experience, Teahen has the momentum. Since I know I'm not getting much more out of Beltre, I'd just assume go with the hot young "rookie" with slightly better numbers and hope for that huge upside to pay off.

I'd rather have Mark Teahen.

RotoBuzz -- Fantasy Football is here!!!

2006-08-25T15:43:00.000-05:00

The fantasy baseball season is almost coming to a close, but don't worry. You can get your RotoBuzz fix all through the fall and winter as we take on the world of fantasy football. That's right...

RotoBuzz -- Fantasy Football is here!!!

You can get to it via the links over on the right, or you can just click right here.

What's the Buzz? 8/24/06

2006-08-24T22:42:00.000-05:00

As if being swept by the Yankees in Fenway wasn't bad enough, there are more problems mounting for the Red Sox. After throwing 6 scoreless innings tonight, starter Josh Beckett was removed from the game due to a blister on his finger. Hmmm. Really? A blister? Did anyone see this coming? And what's worse for the team is that it has now been revealed that David Ortiz was held overnight in the hospital last weekend after experiencing an irregular heartbeat. He didn't miss any time, but it's something the team will be monitoring very closely. Big Papi is the heart and soul of this team right now. Losing him would be devastating. If they were to lose him for any length of time down the stretch and lose their #2 starter to the usual issues, the team would probably have to pack it in for the season. Their depth is already lacking. This would be too much to overcome. Atleast they got some good news when the MRI on Manny Ramirez' knee came back negative. He should be back in a game or two.

Now for the news...

While he might not help you in the wins department, Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn looks like he can definitely help your ratios. After defeating the Yankees tonight, Wasburn has a 3.50 ERA in ten starts since the All Star Break. He may hit a few bumps in the road, but he looks like he could be very helpful through a September run.
It's looking like a September 4th return for Cincinnati closer Eddie Guardado. Of course, nothing is being etched in stone as we'll know more after he throws on Saturday; the first time he's thrown since going on the DL.
So the Mets say goodbye to OF Lastings Milledge and hello to pitcher Brian Bannister today. Milledge, relegated to bench duty with the arrival of Shawn Green, was sent back down the minors and Bannister was activated from the 60 day DL. Bannister was looking pretty good before he got hurt this year, but I would still keep him reserved until after we see him pitch a game. He'll be taking Orlando Hernandez' (being skipped this week) spot on Friday against the Phillies, so that should be a good barometer.
Also for the Mets, it was a short run for Ricky Ledee as he was designated for assignment today. He may pick up as a bench player elsewhere, but he really doesn't have any fantasy value at all.
To bolster the infield reserves, the Padres acquired 3B Russell Branyan from the Devil Rays today for Single-A right hander Evan Meek. Branyan goes from platooner in the AL to bench guy in the NL again. While it may give the Padres a decent left handed bat off the bench, this really does nothing for fantasy owners.
Joe Mauer owners can stop worrying now. He's got his average back above .360 again. Whew!!! Thought he was done there for a second.

::hands readers a towel to wipe sarcasm from their faces::

Astros OF Willy Taveras extended his hit streak to 27 games today, a club record. In that time he's hit .340 and stolen 11 bases as well -- he has 25 on the year now. The streak will certainly come to an end, but for now, and probably through the end of the season, he remains a must-start.
Not that you should have been waiting on him, but Royals 1B Doug Mientkiewicz will undergo season ending back surgery next week.
Careful if you were giving up on Brewers OF Geoff Jenkins. He got his second straight start in right today and has started to hit with the opportunity. If he continued to see more time his owners may be able to recoup some of his lost value.
And finally, it could be all she wrote for Braves reliever Danys Baez. He had an emergency appendectomy and will probably be out for longer than just the minimum 15 days. Kenny Ray and Chad Paronto should take over the set up duties, but unless you're unbelievably desperate for holds, I'd stay away.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/23/06

2006-08-23T22:58:00.000-05:00

Still a little crowded in Dodgertown these days. Wilson Betemit got the start tonight after sitting yesterday in favor of Julio Lugo and responded by going 1 for 3 with a solo shot, his 15th, in the third inning. Lugo, starting in right field for J.D. Drew (a day off) still played but was ejected in the 4th inning. Manager Grady Little has his hands full trying to get everyone in, but so far, his rotation hasn't been awful. While fantasy owners would rather their players start every day, you can't say that any of these three have lost significant value in NL only leagues since Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent came back from the DL. All are still valuable role players coming down the stretch.

Onto the news...

Well it looks like Kansas City closer Joe Nelson has used up his first "get out of jail free card" as he came in and proceeded to blow a 4 run lead tonight giving up a walk and 3 RBI doubles. He was pulled before he was actually given the blown save, though, as those honors went to...why Ambiorix Burgos of course. Nelson had pitched well previously, so we'll call this just strike one for him. He remains the closer, but tread lightly.
The Padres have moved to within 1 game of first in the NL West and a lot of the credit has to go to pitcher Woody Williams. After another solid performance tonight, Williams is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA and 11 K's in his last 3 starts. Ride him while he's hot.
Ryan Howard and David Ortiz continue to battle for the HR lead as Howard hit his 44th to stay within 1 of Ortiz who hit his league leading 45th tonight.
Manny Ramirez should still be considered day to day, whether it's a hamstring cramp or a sore knee as the team reported today. He was pulled in the 4th inning of tonight's game again. Regardless of his condition, if the Sox aren't putting him on the DL then you can't really bench him. Even if he doesn't get a start tomorrow, he is always a candidate to pinch hit. 34 HR and 100 RBI are hard to bench.
The Twins activated Rondell White from the DL today and should have him in a DH platoon with Jason Kubel. White will face lefties only for now, but if he hits well enough, he could see some time against righties. Minimal value in AL only leagues. Josh Rabe was sent down to make room on the roster.
Jim Thome owners need to be wary of the slugger's current health issue. While manager Ozzie Guillen expects him only to miss a game or two, Thome doesn't sound as confident about his strained hamstring. He was removed from tonight's game and will be re-evaluated on Wednesday. Consider reserving him if you have a healthier alternative.
Congratulations to Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera who hit his career 100th HR tonight. He smacked 2 tonight and while it's a down year from him in the power department, he continues to have a fantastic second half.
If you want a good September addition, see if someone in your league dropped Derrek Lee -- or if you can still make a trade, see who's got him. There's a possibility he could return to the lineup next week and should make a decent contribution for the final month. A better corner option for the stretch than say...Adrian Beltre.
Another 2 homers for White Sox 3B Joe Crede tonight (27 now?) and his BA is up at .295 for the season. Not only is he having a great breakout season for himself, his average isn't screwing over his fanatsy owners. Way to go Joe!
Six innings of shutout ball tonight against the Orioles? Now that's the Matt Garza we know and love. Sure, we'd like more than just one K, but if he's settling in, now is the time to grab him for the final month of the season. He could prove to be a solid addition and help you with your ratios and wins.
The Angels were without OF Garrett Anderson again today as he sat out with a sore hamstring. He's being called day to day, but his health has been an issue all year. Juan Rivera will continue to play left and Tim Salmon should get the at bats at DH while Anderson is hurting.
The Yankees put starter Mike Mussina on the 15 day DL with his strained groin today. It's been bothering him for some time now so maybe the rest and some treatment will do the trick. Rookie Jeff Karstens will stay on as the 5th starter for now and the team brought back reliever Brian Brunney to take Moose's roster spot. Why not Sidney Ponson you may ask? Well definitely not as 1. he's terrible and 2. he was released today. Maybe an NL team will take a shot on him, but they would have to be super desperate to pick up the Aruban Nightmare.
Also for the Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez is day to day after he missed today's game with a throat infection. He could be out again tomorrow, so check his status if you can make daily moves, but it doesn't look like it will keep him out much longer.
Cardinals starter Mark Mulder returned to get pounded by the Mets tonight, giving up 9 runs in a littl emore than 3 innings of work. Keep him reserved for now, but there's still a chance he can be productive over the final month. Be patient for now, but not at the expense of your ratios. If he doesn't perform better his next outing (how could he get worse?) you should probably cut him loose. and look for help elsewhere. On a related note, the demoted Anthony Reyes struck out 9 in six scoreless innings in his Triple-A start today.
Also for the Cards, and not to be repetitive, but as reported the other day, the team officially put SS David Eckstein on the DL today with his oblique strain. It looks like Aaron Miles and the recently signed Jose Vizcaino will platoon at short for atleast the next three weeks.
And finally, the Devil Rays put starter Jae Seo on the 15 day DL with a strained groin. He should be back in the minimum time, but what a shame. He was putting together a real nice August until this injury after getting pounded all through July.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/22/06

2006-08-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

The Mets are making their move. While maintaining a double digit game lead in the NL East, the boys from Queens are still showing that they can always improve. Understanding that Lastings Milledge just isn't ready for full time major league duty, the Mets acquired OF Shawn Green from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for lefty pitching prospect Evan MacLane. Solid deal for the D-Backs as they've been looking to get rid of Green for some time. Carlos Quentin's and Chris Young's stocks just jumped a bit. Also, Arizona is off the hook for more than half of Green's salary, their main incentive. They'll only pay $6.3 million of the $13.25 million he's owed. Green waived his no-trade clause so one would have to assume that he's happy about playing in New York. He should do well in the New York lineup and, don't worry Mets fans, Yom Kippur does not overlap with the playoffs this year.

Now for the news...

The Phillies also made a move as they picked up infielder Jose Hernandez from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a fistful of cash. I guess they don't trust Abraham Nunez at third all by himself as they try to sneak their way back into contention. The two will likely platoon with Nunez getting the better end.
Also, as expected, the Phillies placed OF Aaron Rowand on the DL with a fractured ankle. They say four to six weeks, so it's pretty much season ending for Rowand. Shane Victorino becomes the new centerfielder and it's definitely recommended that you pick him up in NL only leagues. He's been solid for them all year and he thrived as Rowand's replacement earlier in the year.
And going back to player movement, guess who's not going anywhere...again. That's right, Alfonso Soriano. Apparently he had been claimed of waivers by the Astros and when the two sides broke off negotiations, the Nationals pulled him back. Soriano is officially ineligible to be traded this season.
Well if you're a Ryan Garko owner, look out. You might need a replacement soon. It looks like Casey Blake, who's been out almost this whole month, is coming back on Friday according to manager Eric Wedge. Blake will also play the outfield some , so Garko should still see some at bats. Just not as many as we'd all like.
As suspected, the Padres put pitcher Chan Ho Park on the 15 day DL with his...intestinal bleeding. I still can't believe this was almost not an option.
Orioles OF Nick Markakis gave his stock a bit of a boost today when he jacked 3 home runs in his first 3 at bats. He's having a nice second half so far and may warrant some consideration if he remains consistent over the next week.
It became official today as the Red Sox put SS Alex Gonzalez on the DL with his strained oblique and called up rookie Dustin Pedroia. He should definitely have some value playing regularly in the Sox lineup...how much value should depend on his bat and Gonzalez' recovery time.
The Sox also swapped out some relief help as they sent down Javier Lopez and brought up Kason Gabbard. While normally a starter, they will begin Gabbard in the bullpen and maybe try him out for a start in a week or two if he performs well.
Since the move will be retroactive, the Cardinals will wait to put David Eckstein (strained oblique) officially on the DL on Wednesday when they call up pitcher Mark Mulder who will get the start against the Mets. This is a potential matchup for the NL Pennant so both teams should be on their game -- round 1 to the Mets tonight on Carlos Beltran's game winning home run.
The Admiral's back!! The A's recalled lefty Brad Halsey today and gave him the start against the Blue Jays tonight. He went 6 innings giving up 4 runs in the loss, but it wasn't a terrible start by any means. If he stays in the rotation, and he most likely will, he should have some decent value in AL only leagues.
And lastly, I almost forgot....more good news for the Mets as it was learned that Tom Glavine's got a blood clot in his shoulder and it can be treated with aspirin and a blood thinner. He should only miss a little more than a week which means he should only miss one start. Baseball aside, it's good to see that it wasn't the worst end of the spectrum. Season ending surgery may have been career ending as well. Good to see Glavine can still go out the way he wants.

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-08-22T17:11:00.000-05:00

Picking Up:

1. Shane Victorino, OF PHI: Will remain in center field for probably the remainder of the season as Aaron Rowand breaks his ankle in on-field collision. Solid combination of power, speed, and now...consistent at bats. Should be picked up in all NL only and most mixed leagues.

2. Neifi Perez, 2B DET: Traded over to Detroit after the Placido Polanco injury and manager Jim Leyland says he's starting over Omar Infante. He won't give you very much but if you're desperate for middle infield help, he'll probably be playing every day.

3. Kaz Matsui, 2B COL: The team waited until after the Mets series in Shea to bring him up to help his transition. They also sent Jason Smith down so it looks like Matsui should get most of the starts at second base. It'll probably take him a little time to get into a groove, but the Colorado air should be a nice help.

4. Joe Nelson, RP KC: The revolving door continues, but until he blows a few opportunities, the closer's job for the Royals is his. He's got decent stuff to make it work for the next month and a half, and really...who's his competition? Are the Royals really going to give Ambiorix Burgos a third chance to screw up?

5. Willy Taveras, OF HOU: Currently in the midst of a 24 game hitting streak and he swiped 4 bags last week. With Preston Wilson gone and Chris Burke coming back down to earth, Taveras is getting the playing time and making the most of it. Nice cheap steals here.

Also on the rise: 2B Dustin Pedroia, 2B Ryan Theriot, RP Arthur Rhodes, RP Justin Duchscherer

Dropping Off:

1. Coco Crisp, OF BOS: Went 1 for 19 in the series against the Yankees while watching Johnny Damon steal the show. Was hitting around .300 going in as the leadoff guy, but with that performance, we're sure to see him back down in the 7 hole.

2. Josh Johnson, SP FLA: Posted a 2.21 ERA in the first half, but only a 4.17 ERA in 7 starts since the All Star Break. He'll still be better than a lot out there, but the amount of innings and the general workload are wearing on him.

3. Stephen Drew, SS ARI: With the imminent return of Craig Counsell and the current slump, Drew could be looking at some lost at bats. There's even a strong chance he goes from regular player to platoon/utility status.

4. Moises Alou, OF SF: Missing another stretch of games due to a leg injury this time. He'll be day to day for the rest of the season, I'm sure, so you might want to look elsewhere for a regular outfielder. Hmmm. Maybe check out that Victorino character.

5. Tom Gordon, RP PHI: Suffering from shoulder soreness he took a few days off. When he came back and tested his shoulder, it still wasn't looking good. He's now on the 15 day DL and the club isn't entirely sure of exactly when he could return.

Also on the decline: OF Aaron Rowand, RP Huston Street, SS Cesar Izturis

What's the Buzz? 8/21/06

2006-08-21T22:48:00.000-05:00

So let's see if I have this straight here...a little ways back Shea Hillenbrand was portrayed as a selfish baby who was mad at the organization for not recognizing the adoption of his daughter. Unprovoked, he wrote "this is a sinking ship" on the blackboard and the next thing you know manager John Gibbons is challenging him to a fist fight. Today, unprovoked (apparently mad at himself for lousy pitching), Ted Lilly says something to Gibbons on the mound and we have a heated exchange. The next thing you know, Gibbons and Lilly are in a fist fight in the tunnel to the clubhouse. Coincidence? I think not. Some Canadian photographer says Gibbons charged at Lilly once they were in the tunnel together.
Someone in the Toronto front office needs to either change managers or get Gibbons some anger management classes. What is he, the schoolyard bully? You ever see this guy get worked up just from the dugout? Eyes come popping out, forehead veins bulge, gets all flushed in the face. If the ship is really sinking in Toronto I bet is has everything to do with the guy steering the boat.

On to the news...

Seth McClung officially became Tampa Bay's flavor of the month when he pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season. Grab him now while you can. His value is probably at it's highest. Just make sure you're ready to grab Dan Miceli if McClung stumbles in a little while.
In a somewhat surprising move, Tigers manager Jim Leyland says he'll be using recently acquired Neifi Perez as his starting second baseman over Omar Infante. This should boost Perez' value, but did his value really have anywhere to go but up? He's still not really worth too much. Ramon Santiago was sent down to make room for Perez on the roster.
Phillies OF Aaron Rowand is day to day right now after a collision with Chase Utley in today's game. It looked like he hurt his ankle the most, but it just looked like it hurt all over as he flipped over after impact. We'll get test results tomorrow but expect to see Shane Victorino back in center field on Tuesday and possibly longer.
The Cubs made a few small moves today first by activating OF Freddie Bynum (Matt Murton and Angel Pagan owners are thrilled) and secondly by putting pitcher Chris Marmol on the DL with shoulder fatigue. The team brought back...wait....you better sit down....Glendon Rusch... to take Marmol's spot. There aren't enough bells, whistles or sirens for me to set off to say don't even think about it. Don't!!

::rolls up newspaper, hits guy who picks up Rusch on the nose::

Also for the Cubs, the team will be going with Ryan Theriot at second and Ronny Cedeno at short for a little while as Cesar Izturis is being called day to day after straining his hamstring. Now talk about a sinking ship...
Apparently Chan Ho Park was scratched from today's start with intestinal bleeding. Really??? Intestinal bleeding? Now normally you'd think a DL stint and probably some hospitalization, but not in San Diego. The club doesn't think it's that serious and he should be fine within a few days. Did anyone hear it? I'll say it again...intestinal bleeding!!!
Once again the injury prone Marcus Giles is hurting. He didn't start today's game and apparently the club is calling up Martin Prado as insurance. Not a good sign. Here's to another bust of a year for Giles. With Prado's call up, the team sent down pitcher Lance Cormier. When they need to fill that hole in the rotation, Kyle Davies will probably be ready to be called up. I've always liked Davies...good strikeout potential...so keep an eye on him.
Problems still arising for Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds. He missed another start today after experiencing more post-concussion symptoms shortly after pinch hitting on Sunday. No word yet, but a DL stint seems likely.
The Red Sox were a little reluctant to do this, but the injury to Alex Gonzalez (strained oblique -- possible DL stint) has forced the team to call up rookie Dustin Pedroia. Since he should be seeing most of the starts at short for a little while so he could be a nice pick up in AL only leagues.
Also for the Red Sox, Manny Ramirez is day to day after he left today's game in the 4th inning with a hamstring cramp. If he misses tomorrow, Gabe Kapler should fill in, but my hunch is that he didn't want any part of today's losing effort. Just Manny being Manny, right?
And finally, it appears that Mike Mussina will miss his next start due to the sore groin that kept him from returning to the game the other day after the rain stopped. It's actually something that's been bothering him for some time or it's just a coincidence that this always happens when he needs to stop his routine because of a rain delay. He's a creature of habit and any deviation from his routine upsets the balance in his universe.

Catch you next time...

O.K., fine.....really...I'm only human here so...

5 game sweep!!!! Woooo Hoooo!!!!

O.K., I'll stop now.

Trade Central and Analysis

2006-08-21T15:02:00.000-05:00

Looks like some teams have finally taken action and are using the waiver trades to tweak their rosters.

1. The Cincinnati Reds acquire reliever Scott Schoeneweis from the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later.

This went down fairly early last week and I gave you my take on it. Not a bad deal for the Reds, but a bad deal for those waiting to see Homer Bailey. Check it out.

2. The Boston Red Sox acquire 1B/3B/OF Eric Hinske from the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later.

The Sox needed a left handed bat off the bench and Hinske fits the bill pretty well. He was hitting .296 against right handed pitching at the time of the trade and debuted with 3 doubles in Friday's contest against the Yankees. Unfortunately, he hasn't done much since. From a fantasy standpoint, he probably takes a hit in value as he will primarily be used as a pinch hitter with the occasional start at either corner infield spot or in right field. However, he is a defensive downgrade from what the Sox already have. If he does start getting playing time, then obviously we have a decline in fantasy value for Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis and even Wily Mo Pena.

3. The Philadelphia Phillies acquire SP Jamie Moyer from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league pitchers Andrew Barb and Andrew Baldwin.

What a weird move. I guess. I suppose after the recent hot streak, the Phillies think they're back in contention for the NL Wild Card. After taking a page from the Reds "owner's manual" the Phils went fishing in the AL for a veteran arm. Problem is they picked up Moyer. You can't get much more veteran than that. Moyer should enjoy a little success when he first starts out -- no DH to deal with and he gets to face a pitcher here or there. The problem here is that the wiley veteran is no longer the ground ball specialist he used to be and the junk he throws is turning into fly balls. His 2-7 record with a 5.29 ERA on the road shows that he's needed the help of Safeco Field. Citizen's Bank Ballpark won't be so kind.

4. The New York Mets acquire reliever Guillermo Mota from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for a player to be named later.

Still reeling from the season ending injury to Duaner Sanchez, the Mets continue to look for bullpen help. Obviously they aren't 100% comfortable with Roberto Hernandez and they feel that Mota is an upgrade from Heath Bell. I'm not so sure about that one. Mota has had his ups and downs in his well travelled career so we'll see how he reacts to pitching in New York. Atleast Mike Piazza isn't there anymore so we won't see any clubhouse brawls (remember when Piazza drove to the other side of the stadium to go pick a fight at the visitors' clubhouse?). There really is no fantasy value to be found here.

The last thing I want to mention, although not a trade, is the signing of OF Preston Wilson by the St. Louis Cardinals. He should have a little more value than he did in Houston as he'll see some playing time while manager Tony LaRussa rests regulars like Jim Edmonds and Juan Encarnacion. But what's worse is that he'll probably eat into the at bats for youngster Chris Duncan. I don't see how LaRussa can sit Duncan with the way he's swinging the bat (.345 AVG with 14 HR in 168 AB), but stranger things have happened.

Good luck the rest of the way.

Power Performers

2006-08-21T05:11:00.000-05:00

A big week all around for a lot of guys, I wish I could name them all. The AL this week reads like an All-Star roster while the NL looks like you should be doing some diving into the waiver wire pool. Check out who finished strongest for this last scoring period.

AL Hitters

1. Johnny Damon, OF NYY: .390-11-4-12-1 Just finished out the week showing Boston exactly what they're missing this year. The catalyst for the Yankees lineup is already a 20-20 guy.

2. Carl Crawford, OF TB: .583-3-0-6-7 Flipped on the speed switch this week, let's hope next week the power gets turned on too. How does a guy with a .630 OBP for the week cross the plate just 3 times? He needs help.

3. Mark Grudzielanek, 2B KC: .433-5-2-6-0 A nice way to say thank you to the club for his new contract extension. Strong play and a great attitude are keeping the Royals from auditioning up and comer Jeff Keppinger.

4. Travis Hafner, DH CLE: .364-5-3-6-0 Just a hitting machine. He gives to the Indians what David Ortiz gives to the Red Sox. The only thing that could make him stronger is better position eligibility.

5. Robinson Cano, 2B NYY: .306-5-2-13-1 Comes off the DL and plays just as strong as he did before he went on. If it wasn't for the injury, we'd be talking about him with Alfonso Soriano and Chase Utley as the big 3 at second base.

Honorable Mention: Vladimir Guerrero, Bengie Molina, Bobby Abreu

AL Pitchers

1. Jon Garland, SP CHW: 2 Wins-10 K-0.61 ERA-0.955 WHIP The White Sox pitching is turning it up for their late season Wild Card push and Garland is leading the way. Big divisional matchup with the Tigers next week.

2. Roy Halladay, SP TOR: 2 W-5 K- 2.57 ERA-0.857 WHIP Sure the strikeouts could be higher, but his continued dominance shows why he's the league's first 16 game winner this season.

3. Johann Santana, SP MIN: 2 W-14 K-0.60 ERA-0.667 WHIP Someone needs to get his number over to Josh Beckett and fast. Even with a blister Santana continues to prove why he's the best in the game right now.

4. Francisco Rodriguez, RP LAA: 4 Saves-5 K-0.00 ERA-0.900 WHIP While the Angels continue their pursuit of an AL West title again, K-Rod continues to be there to shut the door for them.

5. Todd Jones, RP DET: 3 S-3 K-0.00 ERA-0.333 WHIP Like every closer he's had his ups and downs. Right now he's up and the oldest closer in the game is looking sharper than ever.

Honorable Mention: Akinori Otsuka, Joe Nelson, Nate Robertson

NL Hitters

1. Chris Duncan, 1B/OF STL: .583-6-4-6-0 Platooning his way right into the starting lineup until the arrival of Preston Wilson. But we all know how Tony LaRussa likes to ride the hot bat and keep his regulars freshwith rest. Duncan will see plenty of time from now until season's end.

2. Kenny Lofton, OF LA: .471-6-0-1-4 Making the most of his playing time and will continue to run the bases for the Dodgers. Even if he's platooning, he'll be the first one off the bench when the team needs a pinch runner to swipe a bag or two.

3. Willie Taveras, OF HOU: .286-4-0-1-4 With the departure of Preston Wilson and the cooling down of Chris Burke and Luke Scott, Taveras is getting the at bats in center he's needed to get you those cheap steals you thought you were getting when you picked him up. He'll continue to steal as long as he continues to play.

4. Shane Victorino, OF PHI: .310-5-2-9-0 Outstanding when he filled in earlier this year and doing great when given an opportunity to play. With David Dellucci's quad problem and Pat Burrell's foot ailment the Phillies won't have trouble getting this kid some at bats. Now if they could just trade Burrell away...

5. Corey Hart, OF MIL: .333-7-3-4-0 With Geoff Jenkins riding the pine, Hart is getting a solid amount of playing time and he's not disappointing. The club should keep him in the everyday lineup from here on in.

Honorable Mention: Carlos Delgado, Abraham Nunez, Edwin Encarnacion

NL Pitchers

1. Chris Carpenter, SP STL: 2 W-13 K-1.06 ERA-0.647 WHIP Pitching lights out when the Cardinals need him most right now. Complete game against the Reds, a solid win against the Cubs and he gets the softies from Wrigley again his next time out.

2. Cole Hamels, SP PHI: 2 W-16 K-1.29 ERA-0.714 WHIP So all the hype was legit after all. If you stuck with the young phenom, you're reaping the benefits well in the second half. Careful though...a stron gfinish puts him on everyone's radar next year.

3. Chuck James, SP ATL: 2 W-10 K-2.08 ERA-1.385 WHIP We'd obviously like to see him give up less hits and walks, but for a guy who was only supposed to fill in every once in a while, he's had himself quite a nice little August.

4. Derek Lowe, SP LAD: 2 W-8 K-1.20 ERA-0.800 WHIP Injuries have hampered him a bit this year, but he's healthy now and doing what he does best. A very consistent ground ball pitcher. As long as the defense stays strong he's going to win a bunch of games down the stretch.

5. Francisco Cordero, RP MIL: 3 S-3 K-0.00 ERA-1.500 WHIP He'll always make it interesting for you but for now he's still closing out the games for the Brewers. He's established himself there well enough to not have to worry about Derrick Turnbow anymore.

Honorable Mention: Billy Wagner, Chad Cordero, Doug Davis

What's the Buzz? 8/20/06

2006-08-20T22:40:00.000-05:00

Wow!!! This Yankees/Red Sox series is keeping me up all night again! With the Yankees taking their 4th straight from Boston in Boston, I'm going to put aside my attempt to remain an unbiased journalist and say, "Wooo hooo!!!!! The only thing better than great late season baseball is watching the Yankees beat down the Sox during great late season baseball! Putting it together when it counts!!! 2005 was a glich in the system!!!! Go Yanks!!!

::washes off blue and white face paint::

::takes off #20 pinstripe jersey::

::clears extremely hoarse throat::

And now for the news...

Once again, Giants OF Moises Alou is day to day after leaving today's game with tightness in his calf. Alou's constant nagging injuries will impede his production from now until the end of the year. If you can find a healthier alternative to him, one who plays regualrly, you might want to consider making a change.
It appears that Astros hurler Roy Oswalt, who was scratched from Saturday's start, is slated to take the mound on Wednesday. Too bad...one day sooner and he might have been a two-start pitcher this week.
Also for the Astros, we knew it was turning into a closer by committee, but with Dan Wheeler getting the save opportunity over Brad Lidge, it became official today. Lidge has been a huge bust this year and there's no guarantee he'll even have the opportunity to reclaim the job either this year or next. Wheeler might be a good option if you're looking for some relief help.
And speaking of closing out games, with Tom Gordon ailing and not coming back until the end of the week, the Phillies have turned it over to Arthur Rhodes who may be worth a short term look.
After getting pasted for 5 runs in one inning, it appears that Brian Meadows' run as the Devil Rays' closer has come to an end. Seth McClung should get the save opps for now...possibly some chances for Dan Miceli, but if you're looking to pick someone up, McClung is the guy.
If you're hanging on waiting for Francisco Liriano to come back and save your pitching staff, it doesn't look like you'll have him for another two to three weeks. He was evaluated today by team doctors and they will start him on a throwing program on Tuesday. Although, for him to be back in three weeks, he can't have any serious setbacks at all.
It looks like Padres starter Chris Young could be heading back to the disabled list after he left today's game with a strained back, after only facing 3 hitters. Mike Thompson may be recalled to take his place, if necessary, but we'll wait for another evaluation from team doctors. A real shame he can't stay healthy as he has shown some flashes of brilliance in between DL stints.
In a little deal, the Mets picked up Guillermo Mota from the Indians in exchange for cash. Mota should slide right into the bullpen, an area the Mets have been concerned with since Duaner Sanchez' injury. His value is pretty limited though.
Even worse for the Mets though is Tom Glavine is scheduled for a CT scan on Monday and an angiogram on Wednesday to determine if he has a blood clot or a "knot" in the artery near his left shoulder. If it's a clot, then it may be treatable with a blood thinner and he'll only miss a few starts. If it's a "knot" though, then season ending surgery will probably be the course of action. The Mets will probably call up Oliver Perez to take his place in the rotation. Now that'll be the true test for that Xavier Nady trade. If Perez succeeds, then the trade was an absolute steal for New York.
The Mariners have swapped out relievers as they recalled Sean Green from the minors to take the place of Mark Lowe who was put on the DL with tendenitis in his left elbow.
In the wake of the Placido Polanco injury, the Tigers picked up infielder Neifi Perez from the Cubs in exchange for catcher Chris Robinson (guess he left the Black Crowes to fufill his baseball dream). Perez may see some action, maybe a game or two a week as he should sit behind Omar Infante on the depth chart.
It looks like the elbow tendenitis and the forearm stiffness has caught up to Eddie Guardado finally as he went on the 15 day DL today. Word is that he should be back after the minimum 15 days and resume his role then. In the meantime, Bill Bray looks like the guy to pick up for saves right now. David Weathers may see a chance here or there, but manager Jerry Narron has already said that he will leave Todd Coffey in his set up role.
And finally, as expected the A's put closer Huston Street on the DL with his strained groin. Justin Duchscherer will be the choice for saves with Kiko Calero maybe getting a chance or two.

Catch you next time...

Looking for Some September Help?

2006-08-20T20:01:00.000-05:00

We're a little more than a week away from rosters expanding on Sept. 1 and fantasy owners everywhere are gearing up for the next wave of players to arrive on the waiver wire.

Think you're getting someone to really help your team? I'm not so sure.

Check out my latest article, "September Call Ups? Who Needs 'Em!!" on Addict Fantasy Sports.

What's the Buzz? 8/19/06

2006-08-19T22:59:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Greg Maddux for cracking the top 10 on the "all-time wins" list after getting his 329th to tie Steve Carlton. It wasn't the prettiest of outings, but with 10 runs of support from the Dodgers he was able to walk away with the win over the Giants. He should be getting the Diamondbacks his next time out so maybe he can continue to climb the ladder.

In the news today...

Just when you thought the Phillies were selling off this year, they go and take 3 of 4 from the Mets and are suddenly back in contention for the wild card. So what do they do? They go for some pitching help and pick up Jamie Moyer from the Mariners in exchange for two prospects, Andrew Baldwin and Andrew Barb. It appears that Seattle didn't really care what they were getting back as neither Baldwin nor Barb are expected to even break into the majors, which then poses the question, "How bad is Moyer these days?" He's a fly ball pitcher moving to a great hitter's park. AL to NL move aside, this doesn't look good for his overall numbers.
Rumors out of Cincinnati have closer Eddie Guardado as a possible candidate for the disabled list. He came in for some mop-up duty to get a little work in but only faced 2 batters, one a K and the other a single. He is likely still bothered by the forearm soreness and the Reds may not believe that just a few days off will help. Keep your ears open if you are using Everyday Eddie. Kansas City's Joe Nelson is looking better and better as an option these days.
And speaking of the Royals, 1B/DH Mike Sweeney is being called day to day already with soreness in his knee. These past few years have been marred with injuries. If the Royals were smart, they'd start bringing up and playing some of their rookies. Justin Huber would look great at DH right now while Ryan Shealy continues to play a solid first base.
A's manager Ken Macha says that he expects closer Huston Street to avoid the DL with his sore right groing. He says he won't pitch on Sunday and may need a few days off, but not the mandatory 15 if he went on the DL. Once again, Justin Duchscherer remains the next option for saves for, apparently, just the next few days.
There could be a little closer controversy in Arizona as the Diamondbacks were forced to pull closer Jorge Julio from the game after issuing 3 walks when he came in with a 4 run lead. Tony Pena was then brought in to replace him. Sure Pena let two inherited runnes score, but he finished off the ninth and grabbed his first save. Pena may be an interesting option if Julio continues to struggle.
It looks like Tomas De La Rosa is the new utility infielder with the Giants as the team put Kevin Frandsen on the DL today. For now De La Rosa has minimal value as a backup, but you know how old and frail that Giants infield can be.
So with Brandon Backe going back on the DL with a sprained UCL and rumors of Tommy John surgery circulate, it looks like rookie Jason Hirsh will continue to stay in the Astros rotation for the year. The team has also brought up Wandy Rodriguez again to do the emergency start today, but that didn't last too long. Not sure what's up with Wandy....he started the year so strongly. Maybe watch him if they use him again, but only if you're desperate for a starter at this point.
Hey, by the way...if you stuck it out and left Cardinals starter Mark Mulder on your bench all this time, he's coming back on Wednesday of this week. He didn't have very strong rehab starts and he looked like his command was off, but he should always be considered, especially if he comes back decently this week. He gets the Mets his first time out, so maybe keep him benched on emore week and see how he fares. After all, you waited this long...
The Yankees mad ea few minor moves today as they brought back OF Aaron Guiel and reliever Jeff Karstens. To make room the team sent down reliever Brian Brunney and "starter" Sidney Ponson. Brunney wasn't going to be available to pitch anyway for a few days due to his immense workload on Friday, and Ponson wasn't going to be available because the Yankees have a desire to win.
And finally, it's official...again. Padres SS Khalil Greene is back on the DL with his sprained middle finger. This guy just can't catch a break....well maybe a break, but not the one he was really looking for. His brittle fingers are keeping him out way too much for him to remain an everyday ball player. Geoff Blum's stock just shot up as he will take ovewr at short for atleast a month.
Oh yeah...one more thing....watch out for Johann Santana's next start. His blister problem, while it won't hold him out, hasn't fully healed and could affect him on his next start.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/18/06

2006-08-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

Now that was some marathon baseball tonight. Two double headers, one game -- the Yankees/Red Sox second game -- broke the record for the longest 9 inning game in MLB history. Nothing like walking into a pitchers' duel with rookie Jon Lester and perrenial punching bag Sidney "Chubbs" Ponson. Ugh-lee!!!
Anyway, K.C. took both games of their double header to grab a sweep against Oakland while the Yankees took both from Boston by a combined score of 26 to 15. Great offensive fantasy days from all Yankees and Red Sox not named Coco Crisp or Wily Mo Pena and a nice 5 for 8 night for Royals' 3B Mark Teahen.

Now for the news...

Staying with the Yanks for a second here...the team got quite a scare when a Wily Mo comebacker hit Kyle Farnsworth on the shin and put him out of the game after only recording one out. Fortunately the x-rays were negative and it's just a bruise, however, he probably won't be available tomorrow afternoon once it has the night to swell.
Also for the Yanks, 1B Andy Phillips was put on the 15 day DL with a strained oblique. He really doesn't have much value at all since the acquisitions of Craig Wilson and Bobby Abreu. He'll get a spot in September, but probably stay relegated to pinch running duties.
Astros starter Roy Oswalt has been officially scratched for Saturday's start. The team will keep him on his regualr schedule afterwards, so it doesn't look like he'll be a 2 start guy next week after all. Dave Borkowski will take the ball in his place.
The Mets are calling up Dave Williams to take the start for Pedro Martinez this weekend. It doesn't look like he'll hang around for much after so he really has about the same fanatsy value as Borkowski...none.
It looks like A's closer Huston Street is day to day after suffering a strained groin in tonight's second game of the doubleheader against the Royals. If Street needs some time off, which he probably will, then Justin Duchscherer should take over as the closer. Wait to see Street's condition after a weekend evaluation before thinking about picking up his replacement.
Also for the A's, the team activated shortstop Bobby Crosby and sent D'Angelo Jimenez back to the minors. Crosby, another fantasy disappointment this year, remains a strong injury risk every time he steps onto the field.
And speaking of infielder who can never stay healthy anymore, the Nationals activated 2B Jose Vidro from the DL today. They'll probably play him as much as possible with the hopes of sliding him through waivers and into a trade somewhere else. If he's still available, tread lightly. No sense in wasting waiver priority on a guy like Vidro.
No doubt tonight's meltdown again has cost Brad Lidge any chance of re-establishing himself as the team's closer. Dan Wheeler's value is slowly climbing.
Minor bullpen adjustment for the Dodgers as they activated Elmer Dessens from the disabled list today. He is not recommended though. To make room the team sent down 1B James Loney, who should be back again when rosters expand. He won't have much value though unless another injury hits the Dodger infield.
Braves 2B Marcus Giles, who missed another game today with a bruised hand is being listed as day to day. He may miss Saturday's game as well. Giles, who should be back by the end of the weekend, has once again disappointed his fantasy owners this year.
It looks like Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton will be sidelined for the entire weekend with the shoulder strain he suffered yesterday. So far Upton has been a disappointment since his call up, but we're still keeping our fingers crossed.
Congratualtions to Indians rookie 3B Andy Marte for hitting his first home run tonight. Hopefully this is the spark he's needed to get going. If he gets on a roll, he could be very helpful over the next month and a half.
Keep an eye on the Diamondbacks outfield situation. They called up prospect Chris Young today and the team is still looking to trade Shawn Green. If Young can supplant journeyman Eric Byrnes in center, we could see a nice preview of the D-Backs' 2007 outfield with Young and fellow rookie Carlos Quentin. We'll leave the third up to the team and/or your imagination. If these two kids can get some quality playing time, they both would be worth a look, especially in keeper leagues with rookie clauses.
The Cardinals might be losing SS David Eckstein who left today's game with a strained left oblique. He'll be out tomorrow for certain, and will be re-evaluated over the weekend to determine if a DL stint is necessary or if a few days off are all he needs. Aaron Miles should fill in, but your team and the waiver wire would have to be hurting pretty badly to pick him up.
Cubs SS Cesar Izturis is day to day after leaving today's game with tightness in his hamstring. He'll probably just miss a game or two, so picking up his replacement, Neifi Perez, is not necessary.
After being hit by a pitch on the left shoulder, Royals SS Angel Berroa left the game and was rushed to the hospital for x-rays. No results yet, but does it really matter? Please don;t tell me you were using Berroa on your team. It just isn't right. The newly recalled Andres Blanco took over for him today. If you lose Berroa to the Dl, you might as well take a chance on Blanco. How much worse than Berroa could he be?
And finally, Preston Wilson has finally found a home and that home is St. Louis. While Jim Edmonds is out with post-concussion syndrome and Juan Encarnacion is filling in at center field, Wilson will play left field with So Taguchi and Chris Duncan platooning in right. When Edmonds comes back, look for Taguchi and Duncan to hit the bench as Wilson takes over in left and Encarnacion moves back to right. He was struggling in Houston, but you would have to think that with a move to St. Louis and a move to the middle of a more powerful lineup, would help increase Wilson's overall fantasy value right now. It's almost a shame though. Duncan was looking like a real nice pickup for outfield help. Oh well. To make it worse for fantasy owners, to make room for Wilson, the Cards sent down pitcher Anthony Reyes. They get Mark Mulder back next week, but really...isn't Reyes a better option than say...Jason Marquis? Once again...oh well.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/17/06

2006-08-17T22:29:00.000-05:00

Not that it has any kind of fantasy impact this season, but did anyone else see Yankees prospect Tyler Clippard throw a no-hitter for AA-Trenton tonight? He had 9 strikeouts and walked four in his victory over Harrisburg. All the focus has been on Phillip Hughes that it has allowed Clippard to relax and enjoy a season of 10 wins, a 3.54 ERA, a 1.051 WHIP and 155 K's in 149 1/3 innings. Solid numbers across the board. He's 21 years old and listed as the Yankees #2 pitching prospect, so we can maybe expect him in a year or two.

And now the news...

So MLB handed out suspension today for the Angels/Rangers basebrawl extravaganza. For the Angels, manager Mike Scioscia received 3 games while Adam Kennedy, Brendan Donnelly and Kevin Gregg each received 4 games. Kennedy and Gregg began serving immediately so you'll want to put them on the bench in daily leagues. No word on when Donnelly will serve his. For the Rangers, manager Buck Showalter received 4 games while Vicente Padilla got 5 and Scott Feldman received 6. Padilla will serve immediately and Feldman should serve his shortly thereafter. Some got more than they should and some got less. It pretty much balances out. It's not like this is going to deter them from doing it next time but you have to do something.
For all of you daily league people, the Mariners activated 1B Richie Sexson from the bereavement list today, so he should be "fine" for you to re-activate. By "fine" I mean if you can eat that batting average. Yuck!
So Matt Garza and Jason Hirsh looked better today than they did in their first starts of the season. If either is still available and you have the bench space, you might think about grabbing one of them. Even though Hirsh got the better end tonight and walked away with his first win, I still like Garza better for the long haul.
Hmmm. Carl Crawford. 6 stolen bases in his last 2 games. Not too shabby. Good to see him earning that first round draft selection.
Speaking of the Devil Rays, 3B B.J. Upton is being called day to day with a shoulder strain he suffered swinging at a pitch tonight. He was removed after the at bat and will likely miss a game or two. Maybe the rest will wake him up and he'll start hitting and stealing bases like he's supposed to do.
Also, it goes from bad to worse for D-Rays' DH Jonny Gomes. He started of super hot and has continued to suck every month since April. Now they're talking season ending shoulder surgery. If you're still going with him, then not only is batting average a huge problem for you, but so is the hole that is soon to be in your outfield.
And lastly in Tampa, the closer-go-round might be making another switch as Brian Meadows has now been beaten up in consecutive outings. It appeared that they were just waiting for this while Seth McClung lurked in the wings. If now is the time for the switch, then McClung might be worth a look.
There's no official word yet, but there stands a possibility of the Cardinals having Jim Edmonds back in the lineup on Friday against the Cubs. It's a day to day thing with post-concussion syndrome, but he had an encouraging workout today and seemed ready to play. While this weekend may still be in question, it looks like he should be ready to go for the next scoring period.
Consider Mets 2B Jose Valentin day to day after he left today's game with tightness in his hamstring. If he misses any time, Chris Woodward will fill in, but manager Willie Randolph didn't seem too concerned. Willie knows that he wants a healthy team to go into the playoffs, so expect the somewhat "newbish" manager to be a little cautious. No different than what Ozzie Guillen did last year.
And finally, Saturday's start for Astros starter Roy Oswalt still may be in jeapordy. He had a workout today, but nothing was reported on his wrist, which he took a line drive off of in his last outing. If he can't go, Dave Borkowki will take his spot. Wait for the results in the next day or two, but if he misses this weekend and doesn't go on the DL, then he could be a nice 2 start option for next week.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/16/06

2006-08-16T22:45:00.000-05:00

So Toronto continues to deal off players today (the Scott Schoeneweis trade was reported earlier) as they have sent 1B/3B Eric Hinske to the Red Sox in exchange for a prosepect to be named. Looking at it through real baseball eyes, it gives the Sox an additional option at the corners and gives them better depth in the outfield than say, Gabe Kapler. Through fantasy baseball eyes it just says that if you own Kevin Youkilis or Mike Lowell, you just got screwed. Hinske will get a few starts per week at their expense, so you're going to have to start watching the matchups on a regular basis. On top of that, there are reports that the Sox also signed 1B Carlos Pena to a minor league contract, shortly after he was released by the Yankees. If he shows he can hit, he could be called up in September and create an even worse logjam.
If you own either Lowell or Youkilis, my suggestion is you start checking the waiver wire for corner guys. If there's a guy available with decent (for this time of year) numbers and plays everyday, he'll probably be a better option than any of these guys right now.

Onto the news...

If you're looking for relief help, then keep an eye on Octavio Dotel. He was activated from the DL today and the Yankees immediately got him into a game tonight. He gave up one hit, one walk and recorded one out. Not the most stellar return, but he didn't give up any runs. He should only get better with more action and could be a valuable commodity down the stretch for your team.
All of you Curtis Granderson owners should take notice of the fact that he could find his way into a straight platoon with Brent Clevlen, who is hittin .412 with 3 HR and 4 RBI since his call up. Clevlen started in place of Granderson tonight because he [Grandy] is only hitting .205 against lefties. The Tigers mean business here and if you're not hitting, you're not playing. Just ask Chris Shelton. If Granderson doesn't watch it, he could be finding himself on the bench more than he would like.
The Angels/Rangers series got a little out of hand tonight as Kevin Gregg, Brendan Donnelly, Adam Kennedy and Scott Feldman were all tossed tonight in a series of hit batmen and mound charging. The Angels were retaliating for Vicente Padilla's outing yesterday when he hit two guys and almost a third while he was being drubbed for 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings. Tomorrow's game should be interesting, but be careful if you own any of these guys. Suspensions are definitely a possibility.
Not that he should have been active for you, but you can drop Joel Pineiro as the Mariners are dropping him from the rotation. Reliever Jake Woods will get the opportunity to claim the vacated spot, but he doesn't look good for the long haul.
Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds is day to day with post-concussion syndrome. He left yesterday's game with dizziness and had an MRI today which showed normal brain function. It looks like he just needs a few days off, but be careful. We've already gone through this with Mike Matheny. He should be reserved in all leagues right now.
The Rangers put Brad Whifferson (I mean, Wilkerson...sort of) on the DL today as he is having season ending shoulder surger this week. ::shakes head in disgust:: So many people had him down for a great sleeper pick with his move to Texas, including myself. What a bust! I'd almost rather have Angel Berroa on my team.
So the Mets put Pedro Martinez on the DL today, but according to manager Willie Randolph, the move was more of a precaution. For the fantasy players this sucks, but you have to admit that it's the right decision for the team right now. The last thing you want is for your ace to be out for the playoffs.
And finally, it looks like Astros manager Phil Garner has had enough of Brad Lidge's blown saves as it only took him four months to decide that he is now going to a closer by committee situation. It looks like Dan Wheeler and possibly Chad Qualls will get some save opportunities.

Catch you next time...

Quickie Trade Update

2006-08-16T13:44:00.000-05:00

Just in case no one scours the sports web pages during their lunch hour like I do, here you go:

The Reds continue to acquire arms for their bullpen as they just acquired lefty reliever Scott Schoeneweis from the Blue Jays for cash considerations. While it clearly shows that Toronto does not consider themselves playoff contenders, the Reds are showing that they really want it this year.

Schoeneweis is an interesting pick up for the Reds. He's been doing relief for the past few years, but he used to be a starter with Anaheim and actually started 19 games for the Chicago White Sox in 2004. The Reds should start him off in the pen, but don't be surprised if they use him as an emergency starter rather than bring up Double-A phenom Homer Bailey. Schoeneweis' numbers really haven't looked that great lately, a 6.51 ERA in 37.1 innings, but as we've seen before -- guys who have moved from the AL to the NL seem to be doing pretty well for Cincinnati (Bronson Arroyo, Eddie Guardado).

He's not a guy you should be picking up for NL only league today. Maybe just someone to keep in mind to track for a little while. If he does well, you'll probably be the first to notice.

What's the Buzz? 8/15/06

2006-08-15T22:58:00.000-05:00

::opens up window, sticks head out::

DAVID DELLUCCI!!!!!

::puts head back in, closes window::

There you go. I've shouted it out to the world. If you haven't been reading some of the comments lately, then you missed a David Dellucci fan take issue with the fact that I left him off the first edition of "Power Performers". It wasn't that I was slighting him, it was just for that particular week he wasn't as productive as some of the other guys I listed. Well here we are and after another home run tonight, a 3 run jack off Orlando Hernandez, I will give a nod to my anonymous commentator and let you all know that, before tonight, Dellucci was hitting .357 with 5 HR, 13 RBI, 20 runs scored and a stolen base since the All Star Break. Throw in a 1 for 3 tonight with a home run, a run scored and 3 RBI and you've got some pretty sweet stats. If you're looking for a pretty solid bet for the duration of the season, Dellucci may be your man.

Now for the news...

O.K. wait....one more plug. And it's for Dellucci's partner in crime Shane Victorino. He's also been on a little bit of a tear lately (another HR today) and the Phillies are trying to keep the sparkplug in the lineup. He was great for the team when he filled in during Aaron Rowand's injury, but with Rowand in center and Dellucci and Pat Burrell in the mix, it may be difficult to get Victorino enough time...unless of course the team finds a trading partner for a deal involving Burrell. You never know...

All right...now really the news...

Is it just me or did things just get a little interesting when the Nationals put Alfonso Soriano on waivers today? If he goes through, then a trade can be worked out, but I think that's highly doubtful. If he gets claimed he can always be pulled back so he may stay in Washington for atleast the season. This could be nothing, or....we'll just have to wait and see.
It looks like Orioles 3B Melvin Mora is day to day with a bruised thumb. He was forced from the game after injuring it diving for a line drive. Chris Gomez took over for him and will probably do so on Wednesday unless Mora wakes up and says he's ready to go.
In sort of an unfortunate way, Ivan Rodriguez just got some eligibility at second base today. In the seventh inning infielder Placido Polanco separated his shoulder (going on the 15 day DL on Wednesday) and with the team out of infield options, they let Pudge loose in the infield. If your league has a one game eligibility requirement, Pudge at second could be an interesting option.
So to put some of the Francisco Liriano confusion behind us, let us just say that despite earlier reports from within the Twins organization, Liriano will not throw at all until this coming weekend. He will undergo a barrage of tests then to determine the exact injury and to what extent the damage is. If the Twins don't like what they see, they could shut him down for
It looks like Mets SS Jose Reyes thinks he's a power hitter again as he cracked 3 home runs tonight against the Phillies, the first 3 HR game of his career. Good job, Jose. Maybe Willie will let you bat cleanup one game this year.
Speaking of the Mets, if you're awaiting news on test results for Pedro Martinez, you'll have to wait a few more days. The team announced that they will not reveal anything until atleast Wednesday.
O.K. one more Mets thing....but it's a good one. How about a little 3 team drama? With the Mets still looking to upgrade their right field situation, it was learned that Diamondbacks OF Shawn Green has said he would waive his no trade clause for a move to New York. But not so fast...the Mets still would need to work out a trade. Enter Houston...inadvertantly. They put Preston Wilson on waivers with the purpose of granting him his unconditional release. They couldn't trade him so if he clears waivers, he becomes a free agent. That obviously wouldn't cost the Mets any players but I don't know how much of an upgrade Wilson is right now. Keep your eyes on this one. If either Green or Wilson ends up in Shea, their values could take an nice little increase.
Back to the Phillies real quick....the MRI results on Tom Gordon came back to reveal only inflammation in the shoulder; no structural damage. The team will continue with it's plan to sit him over the next few days. He may not be back until the end of the weekend but atleast it's not a DL stint.
Watch out for Braves OF Andruw Jones. He was scratched from today's lineup and he's now being called day to day with left knee tendenitis. It might no tbe too serious, but you always need to be cautious with a knee.
X-rays on Astros starter Roy Oswalt's wrist came back negative, but it is bruised enough that he will probably miss his next start. The bruise is pretty deep. We'll just call him day to day, how about that?
One guy who's not day to day is Texas hurler Kip Wells. He's full blown DL today. It was discovered that he has a stretched ligament in his foot and he will be in a boot for atleast the next three weeks. It will probably be atleast a month before he's even ready for a quick rehab assignment. The team will probably call up either John Kerplunka (I mean, Koronka) or Robinson Tejeda. If you're in contention, then neither one should be picked up.
It looks like Pirates OF Jason Bay won't be back in the lineup until atleast Friday. He missed his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury and with the off day on Thursday, Pittsburgh can afford to be a little cautious with their all star.
And finally, the closer carousel in Kansas City continues as manager Buddy Bell has officially removed Ambiorix Burgos from the closer's role and replaced him with Joe Nelson. Not everyone's first choice, but he still came through tonight with a perfect ninth for his first save of the season. Who knows how long this will last, but for now, he should now be picked up in AL only leagues and probably some mixed ones too if you need relief help.

Marathon in Houston. Mini-marathon in Colorado. If any serious news breaks from either of those games, I'll hit you with it first thing Wednesday. Until then...

Catch you next time...

Shame on you!

2006-08-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

You should feel ashamed of yourself! Shame on you for putting yourself in this position. BAD! BAD GM!!! I am sorry if you feel like I’m talking to you like a dog that has just messed the floor, but you just have to trust me when I say that it’s for your own good. How many years have you been doing fantasy baseball?? If the answer is more than 2 years, then SHAME ON YOU. Fantasy baseball is a game of numbers, patterns and predictability. Whoever can look at the numbers, see the patterns and predict the future best is going to usually win, or at least do very well. This is why I say to the many of you reading this SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT SEEING THESE INJURIES COMING! To be honest, I made the same mistake too.

Injury prone players seem to fall into two different categories. In the first category, you have those players that have been around for several years and seem to always go down with injuries. These are definitely players that you want to avoid depending on unless you have no choice in order to fill out your roster. Nothing hurts a team worse than integral parts being injured down the stretch. If you know that a player spends time on the DL every year, the risk is just too great. It is folly to rationalize having these guys on your roster if you have to say to yourself, “If he can manage to stay healthy, he’ll be great.” Once you say that, its up to you to realize that the player probably won’t have that kind of year and seek other alternatives. Bringing these guys on board is like going out with Paris Hilton; you know eventually they are going to blow.

The second group of injury prone players are those that haven’t been around long enough to say that they get hurt every year, but in their short careers have spent significant time on the DL. Yes, they have huge potential in many cases, but like my high school baseball coach used to say, “potential means hasn’t done shit yet.” Thanks Coach Rowe.

GROUP 1

Mark Prior- Please, do I really have to explain either of the Cubs SPs?

Kerry Wood- See above.

Shannon Stewart- Once upon a time, this guy would steal a bunch of bases. Now, desperate GMs take him in the hope that he will just hit for a decent average and steal 10. This should be the last year ANYONE makes that mistake.

Jose Vidro- This is the guy that I am currently being burned with. I needed a .300 hitting IF that would give me just a little pop and play every day. So much for the play every day part.

Ben Sheets- When you are talking about SPs, the worst thing you can do is bet your team’s season on one to recover. Hope you didn’t trade for him.

Cliff Floyd- He had his first full season in a couple years in ’05, so maybe some people took a gamble on him. Right on cue, back to business as usual.

GROUP 2

Khalil Greene- This guy should just travel with a hand specialist.

Rich Harden- He has electric stuff. A power pitcher on a team known for developing good starting pitching, lots of GMs bid high on him expecting to gain an ace. This doesn’t do much good when he is sitting on the DL again much like at the end of last season.

Dallas McPherson- Both his rookie year, and now his second year have been ruined because of injuries. Back problems tend to stay with a player so if you made this mistake this year, avoid it next year.

Rickie Weeks- This guy is sooooooo temping. I would definitely have tried to get him if I could have. Second year ruined down the stretch.

Francisco Liriano- ??????????????????

Good luck and remember, buy low sell high!

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-08-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Picking Up:

1. Chris Duffy, OF Pirates -- He's 9 for his last 15 with a pair of walks and with the injury to Nate McLouth, he's being given the chance to leadoff and play centerfield everyday. It's a second chance for him after a rocky debut this year, so perhaps he's a bit more motivated.

2. Cole Hamels, SP Phillies -- Proving he's worth the hype after all, he's allowed only 2 runs in his last 21 innings (3 starts) with 27 K's. He's also got a 52/8 K/BB ratio in 39 1/3 innings since the All Star Break. He's in a groove right now and should continue straight through to the end.

3. Chipper Jones, 3B Braves -- Once again showing that he can be one of the most resiliant players, he comes back from the DL and gives a 3 HR performance. Ride the wave until it breaks again in a few weeks. The production is still there.

4. Homer Bailey, SP Reds -- Since being promoted to AA-Chatanooga he's 5-0 with a 1.03 ERA; 59 K's in 52.1 innings. He's making it very hard for the Reds to ignore, especially with some of their pitching concerns. It's a name to keep in the back of your mind.

5. B.J. Upton, 3B Devil Rays -- His punishment for mouthing off was a call-up to the majors. His punishment for hitting .241 since that call-up was a move to the leadoff spot. You have to think that after all this time, he's gotten everything he's wanted. It's time to produce.

Dropping Off:

1. J.D. Drew, OF Dodgers -- Recent quad strain opened the door for the team to try out Julio Lugo in the outfield and they like what they see. They'll probably go with a rotation for a little while and ride the hot bat...which isn't Drew's right now.

2. Pedro Martinez, SP Mets -- After leaving his last start (1 inning, 6 ER) with a calf injury, there is speculation that missing a start or even a DL trip is upcoming. He'll be re-examined soon, but the Mets will not want to take any chances as they are most certainly playoff bound.

3. Francisco Liriano, SP Twins -- Pain in the shoulder or pain in the forearm? No one is entirely sure here. Not telling your coach that you're hurt is a bad move. Currently on the DL with conflicting reports all over the place about when he will resume throwing.

4. Jason Marquis, SP Cardinals -- Not that he was doing wonderful things for your ratios, but the 12 game winner is a strong candidate for the bullpen once Mark Mulder returns. He'll get one more start to prove himself.

5. Shawn Green, OF Diamondbacks -- He just couldn't keep rookie call-up Carlos Quentin down. Swinging a cold bat and watching as manager Bob Melvin bumps him around in favor of getting Quentin playing time. Rumored to be going to the Mets, but very doubtful.

What's the Buzz? 8/14/06

2006-08-14T22:55:00.000-05:00

You know...just when you think Father Time has caught up with someone and the latter years of their career is marred with injury...BAM!!!! Out pops Chipper Jones. How many times have we seen him have a ridiculous week after being activated from the DL? Just unreal sometimes. For the record, he was activated on Sunday and today he finished 4-5 with 3 HR and 5 RBI. If you chose not to activate him this week...oops!!!

Now onto the news...

The Phillies are going to be without closer Tom Gordon for a few days as he rests his shoulder. He complained of soreness today which could be the reason behind the blown saves in the last 2 outings. He'll have an MRI done, but manager Charlie Manuel seems to think that it's nothing a few days of rest won't fix. We'll wait for results before speculating on who would take over, but if a fill in is needed, a committe will probably be the answer.
Mets ace Pedro Martinez said he felt a twinge in his calf during his pasting tonight and will have tests run on his leg on Tuesday. Another wait and see here. Either he's making an excuse for a bad outing or he's really hurt and could miss his next start. Like I said, wait and see.
Pirates SS Jack Wilson is day to day after leaving today's game with a bruised hand, but he did already declare himself ready to go on Tuesday. We'll let him sleep on it and see if there's swelling, but it doesn't appear to be anything serious.
Also for the Pirates, OF Nate McLouth went on the DL with a sprained ankle so it looks like Jose Bautista and Jeromy Burnitz will platoon right field while Chris Duffy gets the full time job in center. This should be a good test for Duffy who blew this opportunity already once this season. If he can hold down the job he could be a decent pickup in NL only leagues as he should also hit leadoff. But be careful. If he screws the pooch again, recent call-up Rajai Davis could jump into the mix.
Bobby Crosby will not be returning to the A's lineup on Tuesday, his target date for return. The team won't activate him until he can run through all of his drills while his back remains pain free and it looks like it's still going to be a few days extra.
It looks like Rockies OF Matt Holliday is day to day with a bruised wrist. He left tonight's game after getting plunked by a Claudio Vargas pitch. If he needs to miss any time, Corey Sullivan should see a start or two.
The Giants swapped out utility infielders as they sent down Jose Vizcaino and brought back up Kevin Frandsen. No real value here unless someon ein the infield gets hurt.
And finally, the countdown begins on the next great pitching prospect as the Reds Homer Bailey continues to tear up Double-A ball since his promotion. Today it was 11 K's in 5 innings and he's now 5-0. He won't be up immediately, but if he continues like this, the Reds just may do it. Considering what rookie call ups in pitching have looked like this season, you might want to keep an eye on him come September.

Catch you next time...

Trade Rumor?

2006-08-14T16:43:00.000-05:00

It looks like I'm going to have to find a different weekly topic. This year's waiver trading is not even close to the way it's been in the past 2 years.

For now, the only thing possibly going on is Diamondbacks OF Shawn Green going to the Mets. This is all just specualtion as Mets reps deny anything is imminently happening and Green still would have to waive his no-trade clause. The Mets happen to be one of the teams on his no-trade list.

If that's the case then why even think about it? If the guy doesn't even want to play in the Big Apple, then why go after him? Yes. He is a solid upgrade over Lastings Milledge, but we've all seen what happens to guys who can't take the pressure of the New York stage.

No word on who Arizona would be getting back. Moot point as it probably won't even happen.

Oh yeah. The Reds did pick up Todd Hollandsworth from the Indians in exchange for cash, but that only bones Howard and anyone else that thought Chris Denorfia should have been playing regularly. Hollandsworth has about as much value in the NL as he did in the AL. None.

Maybe I'll have better luck writing about rookie pitchers. We'll see pretty soon.

Power Performers

2006-08-14T04:35:00.000-05:00

If it's all about going with the hot bat or the hot arm, then these guys definitely make the grade. Here's a look at the top performers this past week, and I'm sure that some of them are available on your waiver wire. The batting lines go: AVG-R-HR-RBI-SB

AL Hitters:

1. Mark DeRosa, IF/OF Tex : .433-8-4-15-0 The biggest bat in Texas has eligibility all over the place and will continue to see regular playing time.

2. Vladimir Guerrero, OF Ana: .346-6-3-3-3 Always a safe bet this time of year and the steals are a huge plus. Too bad all those dingers were solo shots.

3. Gary Matthews, Jr., OF Tex: .321-10-3-9-0 He just keeps on going this year and hasn't shown any sign of slowing back down.

4. Doug Mirabelli, C Bos: .400-3-3-5-0 Making the most of his time while assuming a primary role. Should continue to put up solid numbers until Varitek returns.

5. Wily Mo Pena, OF Bos: .375-7-3-9-0 A hot bat will certainly keep him playing even after Trot Nixon returns, even if it's at the expense of Coco Crisp in center.

Honorable Mention: Brian Roberts, Bobby Abreu, Lyle Overbay

AL Pitchers:

1. Esteban Loaiza, SP Oak: 2 Wins-9 K- 3.07 ERA- 1.091 WHIP Streaky starter who has shown some flashes of ability this year. Really depends on the matchup.

2. Brad Radke, SP Min: 2 W-5 K-1.29 ERA-1.143 WHIP Up and down this season but traditionally a solid ratios guy. Some vintage performances still left.

3. Francisco Rodriguez, RP Ana: 4 Saves-5 K-0.00 ERA-0.545 WHIP What more can you say about one of the most dominant closers these days? K-Rod is solid.

4. A.J. Burnett, SP Tor: 1 W-10 K-1.29 ERA-1.143 WHIP When healthy he can be a lights out strikeout machine...when healthy.

5. Bobby Jenks, RP ChiW: 3 S-6 K-0.00 ERA-0.750 Anyone remember when he was in Ozzie's doghouse this spring. No danger of losing the job, is there?

Honorable Mention: Huston Street, Freddy Garcia, C.C. Sabathia

NL Hitters:

1. Edwin Encarnacion, 3B Cin: .440-7-4-8-1 Has returned to the power hitting form we witnessed before his injury. Platooning no more.

2. Ryan Howard, 1B Phi: .400-5-3-7-0 Just a beast. Will probably be highlighted here every week for the rest of the season.

3. Hanley Ramirez, SS Fla: .280-4-0-1-4 Even after the bump down in the order, he continues to show he's a serious stolen base threat.

4. Garrett Atkins, 3B Col: .250-6-3-8-0 The average has taken a dip but the move to the 3 hole in the order means more power.

5. Jimmy Rollins, SS Phi: .387-7-3-9-1 Just one of those weeks where he shows you the power to blend with his speed.

Honorable Mention: Dan Uggla, Chris Duncan, Jose Reyes

NL Pitchers:

1. Takashi Saito, RP L.A.: 2 Wins-2 Saves-2.08 ERA-0.923 WHIP As the Dodgers shoot for the division they'll continue to play close games. This guy will be involved a lot down the stretch.

2. Brad Penny, SP L.A.: 2 W-11 K-3.21 ERA-0.857 WHIP Has been a beacon of consistency for the club this year and the talent is shining.

3. Ricky Nolasco, SP Fla: 2 W-7 K-3.29 ERA-0.878 WHIP Quietly having a solid rookie campaign. A little up and down, so check the matchups.

4. Billy Wagner, RP NYM: 4 S-6 K-2.25 ERA-1.250 WHIP The Mets continue to roll through the NL and this guy just keeps closing 'em out.

5. Jason Schmidt, SP SF: 1 W-11 K-1.84 ERA-1.023 WHIP Having a fantastic free agent season. His record would be much better if he had the run support.

Honorable Mention: Joe Borowski, Tim Hudson, Francisco Cordero

What's the Buzz? 8/13/06

2006-08-13T22:52:00.000-05:00

Well, the Dodgers saga of who plays and who doesn't is starting to unfold a little bit more. Starting in right field tonight was Julio Lugo and not J.D. Drew. It was Lugo's first start in the outfield. Whether it's because of Drew's current quad strain or if it's just about getting a more consistent bat in the lineup, Lugo playing regularly does good things for the Dodgers. Obviously if you're a Drew owner, you're bumming. He's just too inconsistent and Lugo and Wilson Betemit are hitting too well to keep on the bench. Watch how it ends up, but something tells me tonight's starters will remain as such for most of the rest of the season.

So now the news...

Looks like Khalil Greene is back to day to day status due to an injury to his...wait...sit down....you might not believe this....his hand. That's right. Just days after returning from a sprained middle finger, Greene was his on the hand by a pitch this afternoon. The x-rays were negative, but it looks like he'll still miss a game or two.
Consider Blue Jays 3B Troy Glaus day to day after he left today's game in the 4th inning with a knee injury he got swinging at a pitch. There's no word on the results of his x-rays or MRI, so assume that Eric Hinske should get a few games at third this week.
Cardinals 3B Scott Rolen returned to the lineup today and went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Since reports came out that he was expected to miss today with back spasms, this is obviously a good sign. Rolen is having a great year in his return from last season's shoulder injury and should be active in all formats.
If Carlos Quentin is still available in your league, you might consider picking him up. Manager Bob Melvin said he was ready to play him regularly which means one of two things. Either Shawn Green is going to be traded soon or Shawn Green should be cut from your fantasy roster immediately. If Quentin really is going to be a regular, then Green's minimal value, unless traded, is gone.
Congratulations to Alfonso Soriano for hitting his 200th career HR today. Now I'm not sure...and no one else seems to be either...but maybe, just maybe the Nationals front office didn't hold on to Soriano out of stupidity. Could they really be investing some money in payroll to keep him and build the team around him and Ryan Zimmerman and Nick Johnson? Maybe not, but it would be sensational if they did.
More congratulations, this time for Indians DH Travis Hafner for tying the major league record held by Don Mattingly, with his 6th grand slam of the season. See...this is the type of guy you can get away with calling a "professional hitter". That's his only job and he does it very well. ::bows head and shakes with disgust:: "Professional Hitter", pfffffft!!! What a stupid expression.
Rookie pitching has just been eye-popping this year as both Jered Weaver and Jeremy Sowers were outstanding once again. Weaver was sharp in beating the Yankees and Sowers shut down the hapless Royals. The 2006 rookie class of pitchers has been beautiful to watch in the wake of the disastrous not-so-super studs like Mark Prior, Rich Harden, and Ben Sheets.
And finally, how about a little more out of B.J. Upton? After hitting a whopping .214 with a killer .250 OBP in 42 at bats, Upton is moving up to the leadoff spot. Well, he was there tonight (went 0-4) and manager Joe Maddon says that's where he will hit in the lineup for the foreseeable future. If he can go on a little bit of a hot streak you could see that burst of stolen bases we've all been waiting for.

Catch you next time...

To Protect or Not to Protect...

2006-08-13T20:39:00.000-05:00

...that is the question.

If you're a loyal RotoBuzz reader then you're either in the running for a championship and looking for advice to gain an edge or you're just really dedicated. So for those of you that are simply dedicated and not in the running, this week's Addict Fantasy Sports article is an added bonus for you.

When you're making deals or waiver pickups, the idea of whether this guy could be the next big thing will sometimes come up. But how do you sift through the contenders and the pretenders? Are you thinking about protecting the next Ryan Howard or are you thinking about protecting the next Angel Berroa?

Check out "Is This Guy Keeper Material" and see for yourself...

What's the Buzz? 8/12/06

2006-08-12T22:57:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or does the rookie impact this year look a lot greater than in years past? Everywhere you look there's another name popping up where you can hear the rejoicing of the owner that grabbed him and the groans from the guys that didn't. Whether it's Jered Weaver throwing another 6 shutout innings or Dan Uggla hitting another home run or Carlos Quentin hitting like a machine in Arizona, the number of producing rookies seems higher than normal. Think I just found an article for another day. Maybe I'll set you up with it tomorrow or Monday. But in the meantime...

Here comes the news...

Just like Matt Garza's, the debut for Astros rookie hurler Jason Hirsh was more hype than substance. After dangling the carrot (Hirsh) in front of the horse (the fans) for a few weeks, the team brought up the rookie for his first start this today and he was promptly removed after giving up 4 runs in 4 innings. He looked decent until the home run barrage he succumbed to in the 4th inning, posting 4 K's and 2 walks. This looks like another "give him another chance before laying judgment" scenario just like Garza, so watch his next outing. If today was just nerves, he could be useful in NL only leagues.
Get yourself ready for the next scoring period if you own Chipper Jones. The Braves will be activating him on Sunday and it should be atleast a few more weeks before he gets hurt again. The numbers he'll provide in that time span should prove to be very helpful down the stretch. Pretty nice for the Braves considering x-rays revealed a break in Willie Aybar's hand today. Aybar had been handling the hot corner since he arrived from L.A. via trade and has pretty much served his purpose.
Whew!!! All you Kip Wells owners can breathe a sigh of relief as x-rays came back negative on the foot he twisted the other day. He should be ready to make his next start. On the other hand, if you're using Wells on your team, perhaps a broken foot would've helped you out a little more than you think.
The latest on the ongoing Mark Prior saga has our hero, Mark, going on the DL yet again, with rotator cuff tendenitis. Looks like an immediate three week shutdown before we even start talking rehab assignment, so my guess is that he's done for the season. The Cubs aren't going to contend for a playoff spot this year, so maybe they'll just wait a while before ruining his 2007 season as well.
Hmmm. Seems like only yesterday that people (sorry, Mets fans) were hyping good ol' Preston Wilson as a potentially great 30-30 guy. A fixture for their outfield future one day. Well, since then injuries have done him in nowadays he's been working on bench duty for the Astros. Well those days are over...bench days for Houston that is as they cut Wilson and designated him for assignment. They'll probably try to trade him somewhere, but the market for underachieving, injury prone outfielders is saturated already. Besides, someone's only taking him if the Astros pick up the majority of his contract.
A few more tweaks in the Cincinnati pen as the Reds put old timer Kent Mercker on the DL with inflammation in his elbow and brought up 35 year old reliever Chris Michalak. I didn't even know that guy was still around. Who knows what this will do, someone's got a plan over there and the Reds are still looking like a playoff hopeful.
And finally, if you're a Rocco Baldelli owner, it looks like you're going to have to be very concious of your lineup moves. Manager Joe Maddon says that he plans to rest Baldelli regularly for the remainder of the season. If he's getting steady play, then he's a great option for you in the outfield, but if he's missing 3 games a week for no reason but rest, then you might want to find a healthier alternative.

Oh yeah. And the daily over/under for the number of bookies hanging out at Shea Stadium waiting to "talk" to Paul LoDuca is 7.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/11/06

2006-08-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

Wow!!! So some disappointment today huh? A little while ago I asked if Matt Garza was that good and damned if I didn't get my answer tonight. 7 earned in 2 2/3 innings??? I could get that from Jose Lima. What's wrong with Matt Garza, I should've been asking. Kidding actually. I'm still a big fan of his and I definitely think he will put it together on the major league level. Look...big expectations for him tonight. With Francisco Liriano down, the Twins and their fans had a lot riding on Garza's start tonight. Even the rookie admitted to being a little over-excited when he was trying to play it cool. His velocity was there and his fast ball was solid. Problem was, he couldn't hit with his curveball or his slider. And if you can't mix it up, you're going to get pounded. This is, after all, the major leagues. If the Twins stick with him, he'll start to show you what the hype is all about. He's going to be big in 2007 and that Minnesota rotation is going to be scary.

As for the news...

A little change in San Francisco's rotation as manager Felipe Alou pulled Jamey Wright from starting duties and is replacing him with Brad Hennessey. A risky move, but Hennessey is pitching well as of late. He has moderate strikeout potential and may be useful down the stretch in deeper NL only leagues.
I suppose Khalil Greene isn't going on the DL with his sprained middle finger after all. He was in the lineup tonight but went 0-3. It's an injury that has and will hamper him for the rest of the season. I'd look elswhere if you need middle infield help.
The Diamondbacks put OF Jeff DaVannon on the DL, retro to August 6, with a sprained ankle. It looks like we could get more of a regular look at Carlos Quentin as he should see a few starts in center field now. It's a great audition for him, but unfortuantely it could also raise the price on him for next year.
Looks like the Cardinals will be starting Scott Spiezio at third for the whole weekend. Apparently Scott Rolen's back spasms are still bothering him and will need to take the next few games off. If you're in a daily move league you should bench him. He should be fine for next week's scoring period though.
As expected, the Braves put pitcher Horacio Ramirez on the DL with a partially torn ligament in his middle finger. Now I won't say he's done for the year, but when they throw the "indefinitiely" tag on you for how long you'll be out for, you may as well call it a year. Kevin Barry will be called up to take his spot in the rotation, but I wouldn't use him if I were you.
It looks like it's a one way ticket to Pine City for Brewers OF Geoff Jenkins as manager Ned Yost has decided to sit him in favor of using Gabe Gross and Corey Hart. It may just be a motivational thing for Jenkins as I don't see them just using him for pinch hitting the rest of the year, but for now his value is garbage. Gross and Hart will platoon too much to do anything big for your team, but if you don't have anyone to replace Jenkins with, Gross would be my choice.
And finally, with the return of Mike Sweeney and a healthy Reggie Sanders, the Royals no longer needed to keep Shane Costa around. He was sent down to Triple-A again, but we still may see him in September. Another audition for 2007 if you will.
Short news day today for me...

Catch you next time...

Won't You Please Help?

2006-08-10T23:01:00.000-05:00

Please give generously; these boys of summer need your help. With your help our organization can alleviate the suffering of many helpless men that have thrown their lives, or at least their legacies, away. Our group, S-R.O.I.D. the Supporters for Retards Overtly Injecting Dope is looking for giving people to provide for these poor souls that have suffered the effects of steroid use. For less than a price of a cup of coffee a day, you can adopt a S-ROID superstar.

The dangers of steroid use are many and seem to vary greatly from user to user. Just looking at examples of those who have used or are widely suspected of using them. You can see several types of behavioral side effects that were clearly not listed on the side of the bottle, needle, or cream. These side effects manifest themselves in both mental and physical ailments, which unfortunately take over the user’s lives.

Millions of viewers witnessed the testimony of several baseball players in front of Congress. Several of these players were suspected of steroid use, which presented a unique opportunity to observe the phenomenon. In the case of poor Sammy Sosa the steroids seeped into his brain, specifically the portion dealing with memory. The entire English language was erased from his mind as you would delete spam email selling Viagra. In the end, he couldn’t answer any question that didn’t require a response of “Baseball has been bery, bery, good to me.” You will receive a brief bio, a picture, and even regular letters from your superstar updating you on his progress.

Perhaps no baseball figure has fallen further than Mark McGwire. Once the MLB home run king, now a shadow of his former self. In front of Congress, his ‘roid-begot autism was in plain sight. Repeating the same phrases over and over his plea for help cant be ignored. Every time he said, “I’m not here to talk about the past” it was surprising he didn’t follow it with “Uh-oh! 12 minutes to Wapner” or “71 home runs. . . . Definitely, 71 home runs.” Reach deep in your pockets and hearts to help this shell of a man.

The latest example of the tragic and wide range of side effects steroids can cause comes from Baltimore where Miguel Tejada has developed a case of turrets syndrome. His case has manifested in the form of a violent upwards motion of the middle finger directed specifically at Canadians. It’s unfortunate, but hey, they had no snow at Whistler last year, so we can give him a pass here. He must have gotten a bad batch of “B-12” shots that he was taking along with another ‘roid sufferer, Raphael Palmeiro. Evidence of this was seen when Mr. Palmeiro also developed a finger spasm during his Congressional testimony. Luckily, he didn’t use the 3rd digit as Mr. Tejada did. What hope do these people have of living productive lives without the help of those who are more fortunate? Give ‘til it hurts.

Sure they have millions of dollars in the bank, but they will be forever mocked as “cheaters” and “liars” and called such heartless, foul names such as “Cow-Juicer” or “Barry Bonds”. Ouch that hurts. Sportswriters can be so cruel. They need our help in order to survive in this situation which their own greed and jealously has brought upon themselves. Remember the SROID motto, “They’ve already defrauded us for millions, why stop now?” Operators are standing by 24 hours a day. Major credit cards accepted.

What's the Buzz? 8/10/06

2006-08-10T22:58:00.000-05:00

Before I get to the news, I just want to announce the beginning of another weekly addition to the blog that will start this weekend. It's going to be called "Power Performers" and will highlight the top hitter and top pitcher for each league. We'll also throw in a few honorable mentions to keep you posted on who's been hot as of late -- it should help you out with waiver pickups and, if you still have time, trades. Thanks again for joining us this year. I hope it's been a successful one for you.

Now for the news...

Well, he may not be a "Power Performer" this week, but you have to take your hat off to Angels starter Ervin Santana. Did you see him get hit on the knee with that line drive in the first inning (I'll link the video as soon as I get it)? Ugly just doesn't even describe it. But after all that he still told Mike Scioscia that he wanted to stay in to pitch. Now that's being a gamer. Obviously Scioscia did not let him and sent him out immediately for x-rays, which, fortunately, came back negative. He's being called day to day and will be re-evaluated in the next day or so to see if he needs to miss a start. My guess is they should hold him out for one, but will be fine for the rest of the season.
Luis Matos moves on yet again, as the Nationals released him today. He'll probably find some bench work somewhere and Seattle seems a likely destination. Regardless though, he's not doing much of anything to warrant being on your fantasy team.
More problems for Rondell White as his hamstring aches continue to plague him. He'll probably go back on the DL when the Twins activate Lew Ford on Friday. Josh Rabe and Jason Tyner will continue to see some playing time at DH and left field, atleast until Jason Kubel is back at 100%. Very minimal value in AL only leagues...for any of these guys.
And if things weren't bad enough for the Twins with injuries this year, how about Francisco Liriano? An MRI showed that he has a mild chronic strain of his ulnar collateral ligament, and a clinical exam revealed weakness and stiffness in his shoulder that is causing the soreness in his forearm near his elbow. Arm problems have always been a concern for him and now his staus for the rest of the year is up in the air. Don't expect the Twins to push him into coming back too early, regardless of where they sit in the wild card standings.
Indians 2B Jason Inglett is day to day after leaving today's game with a sprained foot. He'll have some tests done on Friday to determine how long he could be out but for now it looks like Hector Luna should be seeing some regular playing time in the next few games. Aaron Boone, who made an appearance at second tonight could also see a little action. Something tells me, if I had to start one of them, Luna would be the guy.
It's happening all over again for Padres SS Khalil Greene. He's now missed 6 straight games with his sprained middle finger and is going to be seeing a hand specialist on Friday. A stint on the DL seems very likely.
And finally, as expected, the Reds optioned Chris Denorfia to the minors today to make room for Todd Hollandsworth. Tough break being a young kid off to a slow start in a pennant race, but I'm sure we'll be hearing from him again, either in September when rosters expand or Spring Training 2007. Keep your eye on him.

Personal satisfaction moment of the day: Kansas City Royals sweep the Boston Red Sox!!!!!

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/9/06

2006-08-09T22:53:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are now 2/3 of the season done. The crazy summer heat and grueling schedule seem to be wearing down some players as everywhere I look, there's injury upon injury. This is not what you want at this time of year. So tough to replace an injured guy at this point in the season. Sometimes you even have to leave a hole in your lineup and hope he's only out for the minimum 15 days. No fun at all and just an outright fantasy nightmare. Try and hang in there.

And now for the injury report...er...um...I mean the news...

So the Dodgers activated Nomar Garciaparra today and the debate began on who to start between Julio Lugo and Wilson Betemit. Tonight Lugo got the call at third pushing the hot hitting Betemit to the bench. Luckily, this debate shouldn't last too long as J.D. Drew left the game today with a strained quad. He'll probably take a seat tomorrow and allow the club to try Lugo out in right. If you own these guys, be careful.....unless you can make daily moves, you might be losing a few games played here and there.
Yankees OF Johnny Damon is being called day to day after he left tonight's game with stiffness in his groin. There's a joke in there somewhere, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna do it. Depending on how Damon feels in the morning, Bernie Williams may see some action in center for a game or two.
The Cardinals may be without 3B Scott Rolen for a game or two as he left today with back spasms. Expect to see Scott Spiezio in the lineup for a game or two, so if you have an alternative to Rolen, you might want to use him.
Brewers 2B Rickie Weeks will undergo season ending wrist surgery sometime in the beginning of next week. Unbelievable that he did it playing around with a bat in the dugout. This is the second year in a row he's had a season ending injury. Last year the thumb, this year the wrist. He's developing quite the reputation for being the guy you don't want to hold onto for the second half. Keeper material? I think not.
The Mets put OF Cliff Floyd on the DL today with tendenitis in his Achilles. It's actually been an ongoing problem all year and he really just needs the two weeks off to relax and get better. He pinch hit last night, so don't expect to see him before the last week in August. Endy Chavez will get the starts in his place, and may actually be worth a look if you need some short term OF help.
The Twins expect to put rookie sensation Francisco Liriano on the DL Thursday with his continued arm troubles. He will have an MRI done immediately as it is unclear whether it is his elbow or his forearm and apparently he hasn't been honest or forthcoming with his injury. The team is calling up Boof Bonser to take his spot in the rotation and pitch on Saturday. I don't recommend Bonser as he'll be getting Toronto and the White Sox his first two outings. Now Matt Garza, on the other hand...he gets to start for the Twins on Friday and I think he is most definitely worth having.
And finally, it looks like it could be the end of the road for one of my hopefuls, Chris Denorfia. The Reds acquired Todd Hollandsworth for either cash or a player to be named later, which means that they need to open up a roster spot for him. With the way the team has been acquiring arms, I don't think they're dropping a pitcher for him. Regardless, neither is worth owning anymore.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 8/8/06

2006-08-08T22:26:00.000-05:00

So how's this for one team trying to screw over another. Apparently the Devil Rays were upset with Boston management and have accused them of illegal contact with pending free agent Julio Lugo, who has since been dealt away. To get even, the Rays put in a waiver claim for Sox OF Adam Stern to block his move to Baltimore as the player to be named in the Javy Lopez deal. Stern was pulled back and will remain on Boston's roster for the season. He'll still probably move in the offseason, but Tampa still wanted to disrupt things right now. Good job keeping it petty, guys. Love to see the gamesmanship.

In other news today...

More injury woes for the Red Sox as 2B Mark Loretta went down with a bruised elbow today. He's being called day to day and it looks like Alex Cora will fill in for the next game or two. It doesn't look like a DL stint is necessary, so don't worry too much.
The Yankees also got hit with the mini-injury bug as Jason Giambi was removed from the game after he was hit on the elbow tonight. He too will probably only miss a game or two at the most.
The good news for the Yanks, though is the return of 2B Robinson Cano. He started tonight and went 3 for 5. He looks like a safe bet to produce for the rest of your season. Miguel Cairo was put on the 15 day DL with a strained left hamstring to make room on the roster.
The Mets swapped out reserve outfielders today as they sent Eli Marrero down to the minors and claimed Ricky Ledee off of waivers from the Dodgers. Neither one has any real value right now and it's in question whether or not Marrero accepts the assignment. If he does, he should be back as a reserve in September.
The Blue Jays made a minor roster move as they put reliever Justin Speier on the DL with forearm tightness and recalled Jason Frasor. Speier may not be back this season, and Frasor's value is fairly limited as Jeremy Accardo and Brandon League have been getting the majority of the important set up appearances.
It's official...both Jason Hirsh (Astros) and Matt Garza (Twins) were both called up today and should make starts this week. Hirsh should go on Saturday while the Twins will re-shuffle their rotation to see exactly where Garza will fit in once they settle on a decision to put Francisco Liriano on the DL. Both should be worth more than just a look for the stretch run.
The Brewers are playing a dangerous game with Ben Sheets right now as he is scheduled to start on Saturday. He's still experiencing soreness in his arm, but supposedly the doctors told him he could still pitch with it. Easily a recipe for disaster. If you have Sheets, I wouldn't recommend starting him this week. See how he responds after (maybe even if) he throws on Saturday.
The oft-injured Mike Sweeney was activated by the Royals today and is set to begin DH duties. Keep an eye on him as he could start off hot making him a power hitter you'd like to have in your lineup. 1 for 3 with a run scored is atleast a decent way to start back up, but tread lightly though as he is always a risk to re-injure himself.
As expected, the Indians put 1B/OF Casey Blake on the DL with an ankle sprain. Ryan Garko was called back up and he should split some time with Victor Martinez at first base. Hopefully, the team will genuinely give him an opportunity and he'll be able to take over at first full time. Just wait and see though.
And finally, the Braves look like they'll be sifting through the bargain bin in their roster and farm system as they learned they could be without lefty Horacio Ramirez for the duration of the season. The results of his MRI revealed a partially torn ligament in his middle finger and manager Bobby Cox didn't soun dvery optimistic about his return. It looks like Lance Cormier and Kevin Barry could be headed into the rotation this week. So much for that late season Atlanta surge.

Catch you next time...

Picking Up and Dropping Off

2006-08-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

Picking Up:

1. Ryan Garko, 1B Indians -- The injury to Casey Blake has opened up the door once again for Garko. He didn't get much of an opportunity his first trip up so he's going to want to make this one count. He'll begin in a platoon with Victor Martinez, but if he starts to hit the team will want to put Martinez back behind the dish and leave Garko in full-time. When Blake returns from the DL the team can use him out in right field if they want to leave the youngster in at first.

2. Matt Garza, SP Twins -- Do I really need to say much more? If so then take a look here. Oh yeah...and he was called up today.

3. Randy Wolf, SP Phillies -- Kind of a longshot here, but he may be worth a look soon. He's had two starts since returning from surgery and has looked about average right now. But, his second start looked a little bit better than his first, and it was against a better team. Baby steps, folks. Baby steps.

4. Coco Crisp, OF Red Sox -- injuries in the Sox lineup has forced the team to use Kevin Youkilis further down in the order to protect David Ortiz. Crisp has since been moved back into the leadoff role and has hit over .300 in that time. If he gets hot, you can expect a few home runs to go along with some decent stolen bases. Remember how well he started off the season?

5. Francisco Cordero, RP Brewers -- It wasn't too difficult, but he has apparently won manager Ned Yost's confidence and it the official closer in Milwaukee. Derrick Turnbow should stay as a set up man for the duration of the season, which leaves pretty much no competition for Cordero.

Also on the rise: Blue Jays SS John McDonald and Devil Rays RP Seth McClung

Dropping Off:

1. Julio Lugo/Wilson Betemit, IF Dodgers -- It's one or the other, so you'll have to keep a close eye on this situation. Jeff Kent has already returned to the lineup to play first and Nomar Garciaparra apparently isn't too far behind. Once he comes back, Kent moves back to second, Nomar goes in at first and with Rafael Furcal entrenched at short, one of these guys may be headed for utility duty.

2. Fausto Carmona, RP Indians -- Three straight blown save opportuinities and 4 losses has him already losing the closer's job. Manager Eric Wedge says he needs to just clear his head, so there is a slight chance he returns to closing duties. However, for now and probably the next few weeks, Jason Davis and Rafael Betancourt will carry the load.

3. Juan Cruz, SP Diamondbacks -- The acquisition of Livan Hernandez meant that someon ehad to be bumped from the rotation and with his ineffectiveness as of late, Cruz gets middle relief duty. He needs to string together a few good outings before he gets the opportunity to return, and even then, might be suspect since he's been having trouble getting out of the 5th inning. While tonight's outing looked promising, it was by no means a guarantee that he would retain his spot.

4. Preston Wilson, OF Astros -- Some lackluster play has pushed him into a platoon for now with the hot hitting Luke Scott and it might stay that way for the rest of the season. The 'Stros have a full plate with Morgan Ensberg, Lance Berkman and Aubrey Huff all vying for playing time and since they like Mike Lamb's bat in the lineup, Wilson seems to be the odd man out.

5. Mark Bellhorn, 3B Padres -- He looked like he was getting the starts at third, but his bat has gone super cold while platooning with newly acquired Todd Walker. If he doesn't turn it up soon, Geoff Blum could take his spot in the starting lineup and push Bellhorn to the bench for good.

Also on the downslide: Twins SP Francisco Liriano

The Post Deadline Blues

2006-08-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

The trading deadline comes and the trading deadline goes
A GM doesn’t know a whole lot, but there is one thing he knows.
The decisions were made and strategy crafted for the oh-so-long season ahead
Yet if these calls he has made were wrong his dreams of winning are dead

With benches deep and studs abundant into the fire we go
A rotation with Ks, whip and era there is not a save we can blow
We stare at the standings with anticipation waiting for our points to rise
But it is hard to get wins when your pitchers come out with the games’ score always in ties

It is sad, this time, when we are helpless, we can do naught for our team
With injuries, trades, and benchings all over, it’s coming apart at the seam
All we can do is manage our pitching or maybe the occasional subs
But that won’t help if you have Wood or Prior, their arms worn way down to nubs.

“Oh wait” you cry in disbelief, “please don’t trade Javy Lopez!”
The baseball gods look down and speak, and here is what they sez
“We are shipping him out to Boston, you see, so they can rent a player”
“Mirabelli’s no good and Varitek’s hurt, so we think he that must go there

With batting average down and era going up your team is causing you pain
You play the matchups, week by week, your brilliant moves all in vain.
“A TRADE A TRADE, my kingdom for a trade” into the dark you cry
Yet all the fantasy-bid bucks in the world, not another player can you buy

And then, like a gift, your team picks it up! a huge turn through the rotation
Five wins this week, and 10 SBs, such wonderful sense of elation.
We fight and claw for every point we get, each one we lose so sad
It would be, for us, much easier to win if Gathright wasn’t so bad.

Yet he is, and Gomes too, even after such a wonderful start
Both go to the plate 4 times a game and stink up the field like a fart
That’s 8 at bats with a zero in front coming at you every day
“Just hit .250! you’re killing my team!” is all you can think to say

There is good news coming, however, like a light at the end of a tunnel
As the hopes of winning your league flow down like water running thru a funnel
Training camp has started for the men who wear pads and throw around a pigskin
At last, at last, football season is here, perhaps this year I can win.

Stay tuned to the Buzz for fantasy football too!

And remember, buy low, sell high!

What's the Buzz? 8/7/06

2006-08-07T22:54:00.000-05:00

Since the trade reporting was already done today, I guess all I have left about it is my own commentary. How about Gary Majewski turning around and saying that he's been dealing with his current shoulder problem ever since returning from the World Baseball Classic? He also added that he's been on anti-inflammatory drugs since April and received a cortison eshot in his shoulder just before the All Star Break. And what's worse for the Reds is that GM Wayne Krivsky says this is the first he's ever heard about it. He can't be happy about this and we might hear more about it depending on Majewski's recovery. If you're going to pay the price of Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns, the least you can get back is full injury disclosure. Chalk up another reason to not have your players go to the WBC.

And for the rest of the news...

Speaking of the Reds, it looks like we won't see Brandon Claussen anymore this season as he will have season ending surgery to repair his rotator cuff and labrum. There's also a chance that he won't be ready for the strat of 2007 either. Kyle Lohse and Elizardo Ramirez should remain the Reds 4th and 5th starters for the remainder of the season. Neither one is really worth much, but Ramirez may have some value in NL only leagues with his strikeout potential if he can keep his ERA respectable.
Good news for the Yankees as Hideki Matsui was cleared for hitting drills after an examination of his wrist today. The team is still probably looking at a late August/early September return for their left fielder so don't go rushing out to grab him just yet. Also, keep in mind that wrist injuries are tough to come back from and certainly will have an effect on his hitting; see Derrek Lee.
The Blue Jays were forced to scratch Ted Lilly from his start today with a sore neck. To keep everyone else on their regular rest, he won't pitch again until atleast Thursday which pushes rookie Francisco Rosario back. Lilly should be fine and you can probably leave him active.
Some off the field problems for Mets catcher Paul LoDuca as his wife filed for divorce citing adultery as the main reason. LoDuca has said that he will no longer talk to the media to avoid making a public issue of it, but hey...this is New York, Paul....it's all fair game in this town. Let's see how it goes for a week or so before reaching a verdict as to whether or not this is affecting his on-field performance.
Looks like the Astros will finally bring up pitching prospect Jason Hirsh this week. They only have 4 starters on their roster and it's either Hirsh or Dave Borkowski. Hirsh has been outstanding at Triple-A so far with a 13-2 record with a 2.13 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 116 K's in 135.1 innings. If he does get a call up, he will have some solid value in NL only leagues. Keep an eye on him if you're looking for last minute pitching help.
It looks like some potentially bad news fo rthe Braves as Horacio Ramirez left his start tonight after only 4 innings. The original speculation was that it was just a blister, but now they're saying that it is a soft tissue injury and have him scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. Ramirez himself thinks it may be a problem with the tendon in his middle finger. We'll wait for the results before giving him any kind of a timetable. If it is serious, and if the Braves really think they can make a run for the playoffs, they might end up in a waiver deal for some of the available pitchers such as Tony Armas, Mark Redman or even Rodrigo Lopez.
Keep your eyes on Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera. He was just called up today and looks like he will start on Tuesday. He's been very inconsistent both in the majors and minors, but if he's fixed some of his control problems, he could help you out in strikeouts. His ratios may be a little too tough to take on, so see how he fares after a start or two.
Word out of Tampa Bay is that the D-Rays will activate Scott Kazmir form the DL on Tuesday and slate him to start on Friday. He's been risky here in the second half with the neck and shoulder stiffness, but if the Rays are activating him now, you have to believe that he is ok to pitch. I'd take the risk and start him.
It's getting crowded in the L.A. infield as the Dodgers activated Jeff Kent from the DL today. He'll play first until Nomar Garciaparra comes back, at which time the team will have to make a decision on the usage of Julio Lugo and Wilson Betemit. My guess is an outfield move for one of them. Left field and center field could be a new home for one of them, maybe center for Lugo.
Both Chad Tracy (back spasms) and Conor Jackson (bruised forearm) of the Diamondbacks should be considered day to day after they both left today's game; Jackson after getting hit by a Jason Schmidt fastball. I wouldn't worry though. At the most they'll miss a game or two.
Ryan Howard!!! 39 HR with 101 RBI as of today. I'd say it was unbelievable, but if you've watched him over the past couple of years you'd know it's totally believable. What do you think Sam? Him or Big Papi?
And finally, careful with Francisco Liriano. Today's less than stellar start is now being attributed to a soreness in his forearm. They're saying it's muscular and not the elbow so that may alleviate some concerns, however you can't be too careful. Tests will be run on Tuesday so we'll know more then, but a DL stint looks more likely than not. On the good side, this may expedite the promotion of Matt Garza who has been ridiculously strong at every level he's pitched at. I posted something here a little while ago, so maybe you should refresh your memory. If you want to check his numbers as of today, check this out. When he gets called up, you should grab him.

Catch you next time...