Archive for May, 2010

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 9

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 30th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the diamond to help you set your fantasy baseball lineup for week 9.

American League:

Max Scherzer returned to the major leagues after two starts in Triple-A and proceeded to strike out 14 of 17 hitters on Sunday, while working 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Oakland A’s. His next start will come against Kansas City next weekend so I would have him active in a mixed league format.

Outfielder Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers is headed back to the 15-day disabled list again, meaning David Murphy will see more at bats over the next two weeks. Craig Gentry was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding roster move but he is nothing more than a backup outfielder.

Third basemen Mark Teahen of the Chicago White Sox possibly suffered a broken finger on Sunday and will have X-Rays on Monday, making it unlikely he will see action next week. Jayson Nix took over Sunday and hit a pinch-hit grand slam and should see additional starts in week nine.

With Kendry Morales likely lost for the remainder of the fantasy baseball season after getting injured Saturday in the winning celebration, Mike Napoli got the start at first base on Sunday. Robb Quinlan was recalled from the minor leagues and could see time there as well, although neither of those options is necessarily long term. With Lyle Overbay heating up the last few weeks and Brett Wallace ready in the minor leagues, Overbay could be a possible trade target for the Los Angeles Angels.

National League:

Buster Posey was called up by the San Francisco Giants and got starts at first base over the weekend. He should see five to six starts per week between first base and catcher so he should be active in all formats going forward.

Carlos Zambrano and Tom Gorzelanny are flip-flopping roles between the starting rotation and bullpen this week with Zambrano getting the start on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With Randy Wells also struggling, I would still hold onto Gorzelanny for another week or two to see how that shakes out.

With Joey Votto missing another game this week due to a stiff neck, his status is questionable for next week. It seems a long period of time to miss for a stiff neck and with some of the personal issues he went through last season, hopefully there is nothing more to the situation that is not being reported at this time. Miguel Cairo has done a good job filling in for him this week and is a decent option in NL only leagues for next week.

Andre Ethier is expected to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, sending Xavier Paul back to the bench.

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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 9

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 28th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 9. Obviously the top tier pitchers are going to be left in your line up, but here is a look at some of the more border line pitchers for mixed league starts and who they face in those starts.

Two-start pitchers week 9: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category.

American League:

Start them:

John Lackey (BOS) ~ OAK (Gonzalez), at BAL (Matusz)
Justin Verlander (DET) ~ at OAK (Cahill), at KC (Hochevar)
Jeremy Bonderman (DET) ~ CLE (Westbrook), at KC (Bannister)
Ervin Santana (LAA) ~ at KC (Hochevar), at SEA (Fister)
Francisco Liriano (MIN) ~ at SEA (Fister), at OAK (Cahill)
Andy Pettitte (NYY) ~ CLE (Talbot), at TOR (Morrow)
Doug Fister (SEA) ~ MIN (Liriano), LAA (Santana)
Matt Garza (TB) ~ at TOR (Marcum), at TEX (Harden)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) ~ TB (Garza), NYY (Vazquez)

Roll the Dice:

Mark Buehrle (CHW) ~ TEX (Harden), CLE (Westbrook)
Brian Bannister (KC) ~ LAA (Pineiro), DET (Bonderman)
Luke Hochevar (KC) ~ LAA (Santana), DET (Verlander)
Joel Pineiro (LAA) ~ at KC (Bannister), at SEA (Vargas)
Nick Blackburn (MIN) ~ at SEA (Vargas), at OAK (Gonzalez)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) ~ at BOS (Lackey), MIN (Blackburn)
Trevor Cahill (OAK) ~ at DET (Verlander), MIN (Liriano)
Jason Vargas (SEA) ~ BAL (Blackburn), at TOR (Pineiro)

Bannister has run off three good starts, allowing eight runs in 18 1/3 innings. He has faced Detroit already twice this year, allowing three runs in 12 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Blackburn has run off five straight wins, but if you look at the numbers, there is nothing especially impressive to see, with a 4.28 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP and a .305 batting average against. Add to it only 17 strikeouts in 61 innings and it makes his win streak all the more amazing.This will be Buehrle’s 4th start of the year against Cleveland already. He has allowed three earned runs in 15 1/3 innings against them. In an earlier start against Texas, he allowed four runs in seven innings.As I mentioned in an article several weeks ago, Pineiro has been good in all of his starts against a team for the first time this season, except for St. Louis who knew him since he pitched there last season. He gets KC and SEA each for the first time this year. Hochevar gets two home starts where he has a 3.45 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP this season.

Sit Them:

Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ at NYY (Vazquez), BOS (Lackey)
Jake Westbrook (CLE) ~ at DET (Bonderman), at CHW (Buehrle)
Mitch Talbot (CLE) ~ at NYY (Pettitte), at CHW (Peavy)
Javier Vazquez (NYY) ~ BLA (Matusz), at TOR (Marcum)
Rich Harden (TEX) ~ at CHW (Buehrle), TB (Garza)

Matusz has a 7.50 ERA in May and has allowed 38 hits in 24 innings. Westbrook has faced Chicago three times this year already and got hit hard in two of those starts.

National League:

Start them:

Tim Hudson (ATL) ~ PHI (Hamels), at LAD (Ely)
Tommy Hanson (ATL) ~ PHI (Blanton), at LAD (Billingsley)
Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) ~ at SF  (Lincecum), at ARI (Lopez)
Ricky Nolasco (FLA) ~ MIL (Bush), at NYM (Pelfrey)
Roy Oswalt (HOU) ~ WAS (Atilano), CHC (Dempster)
Chad Billingsley (LAD) ~ ARI (Lopez), ATL (Hanson)
John Ely (LAD) ~ ARI (Haren), ATL (Hudson)
Mike Pelfrey (NYM) ~ at SD (LeBlanc), FLA (Nolasco)
Hisanori Takahashi (NYM) ~ at SD (Correia), FLA (Robertson)
Tim Lincecum (SF) ~ COL (Jimenez), at PIT (Ohlendorf)
Jaime Garcia (STL) ~ CIN (Arroyo), MIL (Bush)

Roll the Dice:

Carlos Zambrano (CHC) ~ at PIT (Ohlendorf), at HOU (Myers)
Bronson Arroyo (CIN) ~ at STL (Garcia), at WAS (Stammen)
Brett Myers (HOU) ~ WAS (Stammen), CHC (Zambrano)
Joe Blanton (PHI) ~ at ATL (Hanson), SD (Correia)
Kevin Correia (SD) ~ NYM (Takahashi), at PHI (Blanton)

Arroyo has picked up wins in 5 of his last 6 starts and has cut his ERA by a full run over his last four outings. Despite losing three of his past four starts, Correia has not pitched that badly. Tossed six shutout innings in his last start against St. Louis.

Sit Them:

Rodrigo Lopez (ARI) ~ at LAD (Billingsley), COL (Jimenez)
Nate Robertson (FLA) ~ MIL (Narveson), at NYM (Takahashi)
Dave Bush (MIL) ~ at FLA (Nolasco), at STL (Garcia)
Chris Narveson (MIL) ~ at FLA (Robertson), at STL (Wainwright)
Ross Ohlendorf (PIT) ~ CHC (Zambrano), SF (Lincecum)
Craig Stammen (WAS) ~ at HOU (Myers), CIN (Arroyo)
Luis Atilano (WAS) ~ at HOU (Oswalt), CIN (Leake)

Hopefully if you are in a mixed league you don’t have any of these pitchers on your team so you don’t even have to think about starting any of them.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 9

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 27th, 2010

Here is a look at some potential players to target in your fantasy baseball league that might be out there on the waiver wire in week 9.

American League only:

SP – Chris Tillman – I wrote about Tillman in the minor league report earlier this week. To me he is strictly an AL only play until he proves he can pitch in the major leagues the second time around. Until he is able to string together four or five good starts in a row, he should remain benched in mixed league formats.

2B / SS – Maicer Izturis – takes over at third base for the Los Angeles Angels with Brandon Wood going on the disabled list and has a good chance to keep the job for the rest of the season in that role. He has always put up solid numbers in limited at bats, as he can hit for average and steal a few bases as well.

National League only:

SP – P.J. Walters - Walters worked five shutout innings in his start Thursday night while striking out four in his 2010 major league debut. With Brad Penny on the disabled list and Kyle Lohse now out of action for the next two months, Walters will get a a chance in the rotation over the next several weeks.

SP – Sam LeCure – LeCure makes his major league debut on Friday against the Houston Astros, replacing Homer Bailey in the rotation. LeCure had a 2.55 ERA in 9 starts in Triple-A with a 1.20 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 60 innings. His career minor league numbers stand at a 3.67 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.

12 /15 mixed league:

SP – Hisanori Takahashi – I had Takahashi in the NL only section last week, but after two stellar starts against top offenses in the Yankees and the Phillies, it is time to start using him in mixes leagues. Averaging more than a strikeout an inning on the season, Takahashi currently has a 2.13 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 38 innings on the year.

RP – Will Ohman – it looks like Ohman will step into the role as the Baltimore closer with Alfredo Simon going on the disabled list and Mike Gonzalez still far away from returning to action after experiencing a setback in his rehab.   Ohman has only three saves in 349 games in 10 chances so there is no guarantee of success for him, especially after serving as a lefty specialist.

RP – Frank Mata – if you don’t believe in Ohman, than Mata is a fall back option. Mata was recalled from Triple-A after serving as closer there, racking up eight saves in 19 1/3 innings with 14 strikeouts and a 1.86 ERA. At age 26, his numbers have not been too impressive in the minors, with career numbers of a 4.08 ERA and a 1.437 WHIP.

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The Minor League Report – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 25th, 2010

Baltimore announced that starting pitcher Chris Tillman will replace David Hernandez in the bullpen starting on Saturday against Toronto. I was hoping to see Jake Arrieta get a shot at the spot, but it looks like Tillman will have the first crack at it. Tillman had a 3.12 ERA in Triple-A with a 1.16 WHIP ratio and 47 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings. His batting average against was higher tan what you would like to see for a Triple-A starter at .250.

Arrieta on the other hand at the same level has a 1.86 ERA to go along with a 1.14 WHIP ratio and 55 strikeouts in 63 innings. He is holding hitters to a measly .181 batting average which is almost 70 points lower than that of Tillman. He still needs to harness his control as evidenced by his 4.6 walks per nine innings. He has worked scoreless outings in four of his 10 starts so far this season.

Jeremy Hellickson continues to carve up Triple-A hitters and sits ready for a call up to Tampa Bay. Hellickson tossed a one-hit gem on Monday with eight shutout innings and five strikeouts. He has a 2.79 ERA after 10 starts with a 1.22 WHIP ratio and 60 strikeouts in 58 innings. He has allowed more than three runs in only one start so far this year.

If you break down the numbers of Daniel Hudson in Triple-A it has been really a tale of two different months. He was bombed in April to the tune of a 9.37 ERA with six home runs allowed in 16 1/3 innings. He has completely righted the ship in May and gotten back on track with a 1.97 ERA in five starts with 41 strikeouts in 32 innings. The man ahead of him in the major leagues, Freddy Garcia has been inconsistent with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. With the Chicago White Sox struggling and possible changes around the corner, Hudson should be seeing his ticket punched to the majors early this summer.

Desmond Jennings has returned to action in Triple-A after missing time the first part of the season with various injuries. He has not shown much power in three weeks of at bats, but his speed has been on display. Jennings is hitting .260 with no home runs, five RBI and 11 stolen bases.

Mike Moustakas is punishing Double-A pitching and could be looking at a bump up to Triple-A very shortly. Moustakas is hitting .390 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI with 17 walks against only 18 strikeouts in 118 at bats. He could finally be the long term solution the Kansas City Royals are looking for at third base.

Lars Anderson was promoted to Triple-A several weeks ago by the Boston Red Sox and has slowed down at the plate after a scorching start at Double-A. Anderson is hitting .243 in 70 at bats in Triple-A with two home runs and nine RBI. His overall numbers have him with a .295 average, seven home runs and 25 RBI on the season.

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The Closer Report – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 24th, 2010

Here is a look at the closer report for week 8. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

It is a guessing game in Baltimore who will get the next save opportunity with Alfredo Simon day-to-day with a hamstring injury and Koji Uehara likely headed to the disabled list. Cla Meredith with one save this season and a 5.79 ERA and 1.43 WHIP or situational lefty Will Ohman (14 2/3 scoreless innings, 1.23 WHIP) are the leaders for save chances this week.

Charlie Manuel has shown he is not afraid to let multiple guys close in Philadelphia as both Jose Contreras and lefty J.C. Romero picked up saves last week based on matchups. Injured closer Brad Lidge is still at least two weeks away from returning so Contreras and Romero are still good plays until then.

John Axford picked up a save for Milwaukee on Sunday with interim closer Carlos Villanueva unavailable. Former closer Trevor Hoffman worked the eighth and did not allow a run. Villanueva is the guy to own for now with Hoffman eventually working his way back into that role if he has a few more clean outings.

If you are looking for a possible save candidate at the end of the season, keep an eye on Sergio Santos of the Chicago White Sox. If the team continues to play sub .500 baseball and trades away Jenks and or Thornton, Santos could see some saves late in the season. The former position player turned pitcher  has been tough to hit this season, holding hitters to a .163 average and currently boasts a 0.55 ERA and a .98 WHIP.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon Cla Meredith, Mike Gonzalez (DL)
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Bobby Jenks Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz
CLE Kerry Wood Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Ryan Perry
KC Joakim Soria Josh Rupe
LAA Brian Fuentes Fernando Rodney
MIN Jon Rauch Matt Guerrier
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Andrew Bailey Brad Ziegler
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Grant Balfour
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Chad Qualls Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol John Grabow
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street (DL)
FLA Leo Nunez Burke Badenhop
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL Carlos Villanueva Trevor Hoffman, John Axford
NYM Francisco Rodriguez Pedro Feliciano
PHI Jose Contreras J.C. Romero, (Brad Lidge DL)
PIT Octavio Dotel Evan Meek
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Matt Capps Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen
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2010 Lineup Planner – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 23rd, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the diamond to help you set your fantasy baseball lineup for week 8.

American League:

The return of Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Cameron in Boston means that Darnell McDonald goes back to being a bench player or possibly sent back to Triple-A so make sure he is not in your starting lineup in week 8. Same goes for Jeremy Hermida and Bill Hall. Who would have guessed we would see Bill Hall get 20 at bats in a week in 2010?

Since Edwin Encarnacion returned from the disabled list this week, he has hit five home runs with nine RBI in five games. Needless to say it is safe to get him active for week 8. The return of Encarnacion pushes Jose Bautista back to the outfield which means Toronto will have a glut of outfielders when Travis Snider returns from the disabled list next week.

The rise of David Ortiz from the ashes has pushed Mike Lowell back into a reserve role in Boston. Lowell only gets starts against left-handed pitching and with no southpaws on the Red Sox schedule this week, he will likely sit for the majority of the games.

Jason Donald and Trevor Crowe have both moved into the starting lineup in Cleveland due to injuries and are players to start in American League only formats if you are in need of stolen bases.

The combination of Jack Cust coming up from the disabled list and Coco Crisp returning from the disabled list means Eric Patterson will return to the bench. Crisp should be active for AL leagues and possibly mixed leagues if you are desperate for stolen bases.

Michael Saunders had one week of nice stats for the Seattle Mariners and then immediately returned to the bench upon the return of Milton Bradley. Mike Sweeney has quietly taken over for Ken Griffey Jr. as the designated hitter and immediately added a jolt to the Seattle lineup with five home runs and 11 RBI in his last seven games.

Hank Blalock was a hot pickup in free agent pools last week, but the fact remains with all of the options that Tampa Bay has to pick through for their daily lineup, Blalock will sit against left-handed pitching, meaning he likely misses two games in week 8.

National League:

Seth Smith has taken over in the starting outfield in Colorado in place of Dexter Fowler and becomes a nice play for the rest of the season for his batting average and power upside as he gets the majority of starts. He is tough to start in shallow mixed leagues because Fowler will still get starts, bu if you are in a deep mixed league format, it should be okay to roll with him in the starting lineup.

Shortstop Rafael Furcal is expected to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup by the weekend from the disabled list. If you have been using Jamey Carroll in NL only leagues, be aware he might only see at bats for the first half of the week in week 8.

Reed Johnson is a sneaky play in week for the Dodgers with a chance to possibly start four games against left-handed pitching with Andre Ethier out of the lineup. Johnson is hitting .333 against southpaws this season.

NL only leagues looking for outfield help could find some value in San Diego with Kyle Blanks and Scott Hairston both on the disabled list. Tony Gwynn, Oscar Salazar and Chris Denorfia are three players rotating in two spots with Will Venable being the only full-time player for now.

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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 22nd, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 8. Obviously the top tier pitchers are going to be left in your line up, but here is a look at some of the more border line pitchers for mixed league starts and who they face in those starts.

Two-start pitchers week 8: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category.

American League:

Start them:

Jon Lester (BOS)  – @TB (Shields), KC (Meche)
Clay Buchholz (BOS)  – @TB (Davis), KC (Greinke)
John Danks (CHW)  – @CLE (Masterson), @TB (Davis)
Dallas Braden (OAK)  – @BAL (Guthrie), @DET (Porcello)
James Shields (TB)  – BOS (Lester), CHW (Peavy)
Wade Davis (TB)  – BOS (Buchholz), CHW (Danks)

Roll the Dice:

Jeremy Guthrie (BAL)  – OAK (Braden), @TOR (Cecil)
Jake Peavy (CHW)  – @CLE (Talbot), @TB (Shields)
Justin Masterson (CLE)  – CHW (Danks), @NYY (Burnett)
Joe Saunders (LAA)  – TOR (Cecil), SEA (Hernandez)
Scott Baker (MIN)  – NYY (Burnett), TEX (Wilson)
A.J. Burnett (NYY)  – @MIN (Baker), CLE (Masterson)
Brett Cecil (TOR)  – @ANA (Saunders), BAL (Guthrie)

Peavy has already thrown twice against Cleveland this year, allowing five runs in 12 1/3 innings. He struggled in his lone start against Tampa Bay, giving up six runs in six innings and five walks. Guthrie has won two of his last three starts while allowing five runs in 20 2/3 innings. Saunders overall numbers don’t look great, but he has allowed only two runs in his last 22 1/3 innings and pitched well against Seattle and Toronto in his two starts earlier this season.

Sit Them:

Gil Meche (KC)  – TEX (Harden), @BOS (Lester)

National League:

Start them:

Ian Kennedy (AZ)  – @COL (Chacin), @SF (Wellemeyer)
Mike Leake (CIN)  – PIT (Maholm), HOU (Paulino)
Jon Garland (SD)  – STL (Garcia), WAS (Hernandez)
Jaime Garcia (STL)  – @SD (Garland), @CHC (Gorzelanny)
Livan Hernandez (WAS)  – @SF (Wellemeyer), @SD (Garland)

Roll the Dice:

Tom Gorzelanny (CHC)  – LAD (Ortiz), STL (Garcia)
Aaron Harang (CIN)  – PIT (Burres), HOU (Norris)
Jhoulys Chacin (COL)  – ARI (Kennedy), LAD (Ortiz)
Anibal Sanchez (FLA)  – ATL (Kawakami), PHI (Moyer)
Randy Wolf (MIL)  – HOU (Paulino), NYM (Dickey)
Jamie Moyer (PHI)  – @NYM (Dickey), @FLA (Sanchez)

Sanchez has quietly been on a roll since mid April, running off six starts with two runs allowed or less in each of them. Moyer is on pace to give up 40 home runs this season, but his Maddux-like control has kept his WHIP ratio close to one. He allowed five runs in starts against New York and Florida earlier this season, although those were both at home.

Sit Them:

Kenshin Kawakami (ATL)  – @FLA (Sanchez), PIT (Maholm)
Felipe Paulino (HOU)  – @MIL (Wolf), @CIN (Leake)
Ramon Ortiz (LAD)  – @CHC (Gorzelanny), @COL (Chacin)
R.A. Dickey (NYM)  – PHI (Moyer), @MIL (Wolf)
Brian Burres (PIT)  – @CIN (Harang), @ATL (Medlen)
Paul Maholm (PIT)  – @CIN (Leake), @ATL (Kawakami)
Todd Wellemeyer (SF)  – WAS (Hernandez), ARI (Kennedy)

Wellemeyer may be pulled from the rotation in favor of either Madison Bumgarner or Eric Hacker so his two-start week is in jeopardy.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 21st, 2010

Here is a look at some potential players to target in your fantasy baseball league that might be out there on the waiver wire in week 8.

American League only:

OF – Coco Crisp – Crisp comes off the disabled list Friday and immediately moves into the lead off spot in the batting order. Definitely a guy to grab in AL only leagues with the potential to steal 20 bases over the remainder of the season.

OF – Trevor Crowe - Crowe took over in the Cleveland outfield when Grady Sizemore was placed on the disabled list. He doesn’t offer much in the way of average or power, but he brings some speed to the table so if your team is short on steals, he is someone to target. Crowe was hitting .244 in 199 at bats with 13 RBI and six stolen bases at Triple-A.

SS – Jason Donald – Donald takes over at shortstop for Cleveland Indians for the next two months of the season with Asdrubal Cabrera going on the disabled list. Donald was hitting .277 with two home runs, 17 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 137 at bats with the Columbus Clippers.

SS - Trevor Plouffe – Plouffe was called up by the Minnesota Twins with J.J. hardy still out of action and is starting and hitting eight against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight. Plouffe, a first round pick back in the 2004 draft, was hitting .303 with four home runs and 21 RBI in 152 at bats in Triple-A

National League only:

RP / SP – Hisanori Takahashi – with members in the New York Mets rotation dropping like flies, Takahashi had his first start of the season Friday night against the New York Yankees, which is no easy task. Takahashi passed the test with flying colors, tossing six shutout innings with five strikeouts in a no decision.

C – Jonathan Lucroy – Lucroy got the call up from Triple-A this week with Gregg Zaun going on the disabled list. Lucroy was hitting .311 between two levels in the with two home runs and 16 RBI in 122 at bats.

OF – Eric Hinske – various injuries and lack of performance in the Atlanta Braves outfield has given Hinske a permanent role the last seven games. Hinske has collected 11 hits in those contests to go along with tow home runs and five RBI.

12 /15 mixed league:

RP – Carlos Villanueva – the new interim closer of the Milwaukee Brewers as Trevor Hoffman works on his mechanics, Villanueva picked up a save Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

C - Francisco Cervelli – if you are in a deep league, Cervelli is an option if you have to start two catchers with Jorge Posada going on the disabled list this week. Cervelli is hitting .357 on the season for the New York Yankees with 17 RBI in 70 at bats.

RP – Daniel Bard – if you are desperate for saves and have the bench space, just on the off chance the Boston Red Sox stay out of the playoff race making it more likely that Jonathan Papelbon gets moved at the trade deadline.

2B - Freddy Sanchez – Sanchez returned to the San Francisco Giants line up after starting the year on the disabled list and should hit second for the foreseeable future, making him a good choice to make up ground in rounds scored and to help support your team batting average.

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The Minor League Report – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 18th, 2010

There is good news for San Francisco Giants fans as Madison Bumgarner seems to have right his ship in Triple-A. After reports of a drop in velocity in spring training and in the regular season, it was determined that the loss of speed was not an injury but mechanical issues with his delivery. With the appropriate changes made and the addition of a cutter, Bumgarner has been back on track. His overall numbers have rebounded from his first two Triple-A starts in which he allowed 11 runs in seven innings. After eight starts, Bumgarner now has a 3.64 ERA and has racked up 32 strikeouts in 42 innings, including eight in his last start. With 5th starter Todd Wellemeyer sporting a 5.25 ERA and 1,42 WHIP, it is only a matter of time before Bumgarner is in the major leagues if can string together another few successful starts in the minors.

If you are in a one year league and you still are carrying Aroldis Chapman on reserve, it is getting toward crunch time for how much longer you can carry him. I dropped him in my 15-team mixed league this past weekend in order to grab another starter. Chapman has been hit hard in two of his last three starts, allowing 15 runs in 14 innings. Yes, he does throw hard and can rack up strikeouts, but his lack of control (21 walks in 35 innings) means he won’t be lasting too long in games if he was called up to the major leagues.

Jay Jackson looked like he was going to be first in line in Triple-A to fill a spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation. Instead, with relief pitching hard to come by and the failure of the Carlos Zambrano experiment, Jackson has been shifted to the bullpen which kills his value for 2010 if he remains in that role.

Kyle Gibson of the Minnesota Twins was promoted to Double-A last week and sparkled in his debut, tossing 7 1/3 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. Gibson was the Twins first round pick in 2009 and has a 1.60 ERA through eight starts with 50 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

Yonder Alonso was promoted to Triple-A by the Cincinnati Reds despite having less than stellar stats in AA. Alonso was hitting .267 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 101 at bats. Alonso has seen time at first base and in the outfield since he is blocked in the major leagues by Joey Votto.

Kyle Drabek continues to chug along in Double-A with five wins and a 3.06 ERA after eight starts. Drabek has struck out 45 in 47 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .236 batting average.

For those of you in deep dynasty leagues, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels has lived up to his top prospect billing after being a first round pick in 2009. In Single-A, Trout is hitting .372 with five home runs, 15 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

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The Closer Report – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 17th, 2010

Here is a look at the closer report for week 7. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

The Washington Nationals promoted Drew Storen to the major leagues over the weekend. Storen will start off as a seventh inning set up man and will eventually take over as closer the last half of this season when/if Matt Capps is traded or else will start 2011 as the Nationals closer. Washington is living the dream now, with the team hanging in the race and Capps pitching lights out which will only serve to boost his trade value. Storen had a 1.08 ERA between two levels with 15 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings.

Jose Contreras takes over as the third closer of the season for the Philadelphia Phillies with Brad Lidge headed to the disabled list. Lefty J.C. Romero picked up a save Sunday night but that was based more on match ups rather than performance. Scott Mathieson has six saves in Triple-A with a .96 ERA and could be up at some point in the near future.

Manuel Corpas remains as closer for the Colorado Rockies for the next week as Huston Street tweaked his groin while out on rehab.

Bobby Jenks and Matt Thornton each recorded saves last week for the Chicago White Sox. While there has been no official announcement about a permanent change, this week should be telling as to who is the lead dog.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon Cla Meredith, Mike Gonzalez (DL)
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Bobby Jenks Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz
CLE Kerry Wood Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Ryan Perry
KC Joakim Soria Josh Rupe
LAA Brian Fuentes Fernando Rodney
MIN Jon Rauch Matt Guerrier
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Andrew Bailey Brad Ziegler
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Grant Balfour
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Chad Qualls Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol John Grabow
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street (DL)
FLA Leo Nunez Burke Badenhop
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL Trevor Hoffman Carlos Villanueva
NYM Francisco Rodriguez Pedro Feliciano
PHI Jose Contreras JC Romero, (Brad Lidge DL)
PIT Octavio Dotel Evan Meek
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Matt Capps Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 16th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the diamond to help you set your fantasy baseball lineup for week 7.

American League:

The Detroit Tigers waited as long as they could for Max Scherzer to turn it around, but after getting bombed again in his last start and allowing three more home runs, he was sent to Triple-A ad will be replaced in the rotation by Armando Galarraga. Galarraga had a 3.92 ERA in seven starts with 38 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings in the minor leagues.

The Detroit Tigers were not demoting players on Saturday as they also sent down second basemen Scott Sizemore. Danny Worth was recalled from the minor leagues as a temporary stop gap measure. Worth was hitting .274 with two home runs and 10 stolen bases. The real news is the announcement that Carlos Guillen will be going back to second base when he returns from the disabled list. This also solidifies Brennan Boesch’s role in the outfield since he had been filling in for Guillen while he was out of action.

Jack Cust (waiver wire – week 7) of the Oakland A’s was promoted from Triple-A and should see the majority of at bats at designated hitter moving forward as the A’s look to add some punch to their lineup. If your team is short on Power, Cust could give your team a boost in home runs while hurting your team batting average.

Javier Vazquez was on the week 7 two-start pitchers list until the New York Yankees decided to push him back to Friday against the New York Mets. Despite his good start this week, it seems like the Yankees brass did not trust him to throw in a divisional game against Boston or Tampa Bay earlier in the week.

The Tampa Bay Rays recalled Hank Blalock from Triple-A and sent out Pat Burrell. Blalock should take over the primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching. Blalock was hitting .349 with four home runs and 24 RBI in 109 at bats in Triple-A.

Justin Duchscherer just back from the disabled list was scratched from his start on Saturday with problems with his hip again and is headed to the doctor to see if surgery will be needed. Watch for news later today to see if you need to reserve him in your lineup for next week.

National League:

Xavier Paul could be back on his way to the Los Angeles Dodgers, depending on the fate of Andre Ethier’s fractured pinkie and if he can play through the injury. Paul would have value in NL only leagues as he can give your team some stolen bases when he gets playing time.

Just when it looked like Huston Street was close to returning, he was pulled from his minor league outing on Saturday. Manny Corpas who picked up a save Saturday night will continue on as closer for another week it looks like.

With Brad Lidge headed back to the disabled list, Jose Contreras takes over as closer in Philadelphia. Contreras picked up a save Saturday night and should be owned in all fantasy baseball leagues moving forward.

John Baker was put on the 15-day disabled list by the Florida Marlins and will be replaced in the line up by Ronny Paulino for the next two weeks.

The Atlanta Braves swapped players on the disabled list, bring off shortstop Yunel Escobar and placing Matt Diaz there. Escobar was back in the lineup on Saturday and wet 0-for-3 with a walk.

Read More »

2010 Two Start Pitchers – week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 15th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 7. Obviously the top tier pitchers are going to be left in your line up, but here is a look at some of the more border line pitchers for mixed league starts and who they face in those starts.

Two-start pitchers week 7: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category. Unlike in week 6, there are a ton of two-start pitcher options in week 7.

American League:

Start them:

John Danks (CHW) – @ DET (Bonderman),  FLA (Johnson)
Zack Greinke (KC) – @ BAL (Millwood),  COL (Chacin)
Jered Weaver (LAA) – @ TEX (Wilson), @ STL (Carpenter)
Phil Hughes (NYY) -  BOS (Matsuzaka), @ NYM (Santana)
Felix Hernandez (SEA) – @ OAK (Sheets),  SD (Latos)
David Price (TB) -  CLE (Huff), @ HOU (Norris)
Jeff Niemann (TB) -  CLE (Carmona), @ HOU (Rodriguez)
C.J. Wilson (TEX) -  ANA (Weaver),  CHC (Silva)
Derek Holland (TEX) -  ANA (Kazmir),  CHC (Wells)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) – vs. MIN (Pavano), @ ARI (Valdez)

Roll the Dice:

Brad Bergesen (BAL) -  KC (Davies), @ WAS (Stammen)
Fausto Carmona (CLE) – @ TB (Niemann),  CIN (Cueto)
Rick Porcello (DET) -  CHW (Garcia), @ LAD (Ely)
Carl Pavano (MIN) – @ TOR (Marcum),  MIL (Gallardo)
Kevin Slowey (MIN) – @ TOR (Eveland),  MIL (Bush)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) -  SEA (Rowland-Smith),  SF (Cain)
Ben Sheets (OAK) -  SEA (Hernandez),  SF (Sanchez)

Bergesen’s overall stats do not look pretty, but he has been solid in his last two starts with one run allowed in 14 1/3 innings and will be facing two of the weaker teams in the major leagues. Even with two starts though he is not likely to rack up a lot of strikeouts, with just 10 in 29 2/3 innings on the year. Sheets has turned it around in his last two starts, striking out eight in each of them with three runs allowed in 12 1/3 innings.

Sit Them:

Kevin Millwood (BAL) -  KC (Greinke), @ WAS (Lannan)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) – @ NYY (Hughes), @ PHI (Halladay)
Josh Beckett (BOS) – @ NYY (Vazquez), @ PHI (Kendrick)
Freddy Garcia (CHW) – @ DET (Porcello),  FLA (Volstad)
David Huff (CLE) – @ TB (Price),  CIN (Bailey)
Jeremy Bonderman (DET) -  CHW (Danks), @ LAD (Kuroda)
Kyle Davies (KC) – @ BAL (Bergesen),  COL (Cook)
Scott Kazmir (LAA) – @ TEX (Holland), @ STL (Lohse)
Javier Vazquez (NYY) -  BOS (Beckett), @ NYM (Pelfrey)
Ryan Rowland-Smith (SEA) – @ OAK (Gonzalez),  SD (Richard)
Dana Eveland (TOR) – vs. MIN (Slowey), @ ARI (Jackson)

Matsuzaka had a good start in his last outing with seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts, but faces the red-hot Phil Hughes and gets Halladay, so he not only faces two of the games top pitchers right now, but two heavy offenses as well. Beckett has been battered this season as he has battled through back problems. In his two starts against New York this season, Beckett has allowed 14 runs in 10 innings.

National League:

Start them:

Johnny Cueto (CIN) -  MIL (Bush), @ CLE (Carmona)
Josh Johnson (FLA) -  ARI (Valdez), @ CHW (Danks)
Hiroki Kuroda (LAD) -  HOU (Norris),  DET (Bonderman)
Yovani Gallardo (MIL) – @ CIN (Bailey), @ MIN (Pavano)
Johan Santana (NYM) – @ ATL (Medlen),  NYY (Hughes)
Roy Halladay (PHI) -  PIT (Duke),  BOS (Matsuzaka)
Mat Latos (SD) -  SF (Sanchez), @ SEA (Hernandez)
Jonathan Sanchez (SF) – @ SD (Latos), @ OAK (Sheets)
Matt Cain (SF) – @ SD (Richard), @ OAK (Gonzalez)
Chris Carpenter (STL) -  WAS (Lannan),  ANA (Weaver)

Roll the Dice:

Derek Lowe (ATL) -  NYM (Pelfrey), @ PIT (Morton)
Randy Wells (CHC) -  COL (Cook), @ TEX (Holland)
Carlos Silva (CHC) -  COL (Chacin), @ TEX (Wilson)
Aaron Cook (COL) – @ CHC (Wells), @ KC (Davies)
Jhoulys Chacin (COL) – @ CHC (Silva), @ KC (Greinke)
Chris Volstad (FLA) -  ARI (Jackson), @ CHW (Garcia)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) – @ LAD (Ely),  TB (Niemann)
John Ely (LAD) -  HOU (Rodriguez),  DET (Porcello)
Dave Bush (MIL) – @ CIN (Cueto), @ MIN (Slowey)
Mike Pelfrey (NYM) – @ ATL (Lowe),  NYY (Vazquez)
Clayton Richard (SD) -  SF (Cain), @ SEA (Rowland-Smith)

Wandy Rodriguez has seen his overall ERA rise a full run in the month of May, allowing 11 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings. It goes to show you how hard he has been getting hit to allow that many runs with only four walks and one home run allowed in that time period. Chacin looks to bounce back from his bad start at home by getting two road starts, although one of them is against top American League pitcher Zack Greinke.

Sit Them:

Kris Medlen (ATL) -  NYM (Santana), @ PIT (Duke)
Cesar Valdez (AZ) – @ FLA (Johnson), TOR (Marcum)
Edwin Jackson (AZ) – @ FLA (Volstad),  TOR (Eveland)
Homer Bailey (CIN) -  MIL (Gallardo), @ CLE (Huff)
Bud Norris (HOU) – @ LAD (Kuroda),  TB (Price)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) -  PIT (Morton),  BOS (Beckett)
Charlie Morton (PIT) – @ PHI (Kendrick),  ATL (Lowe)
Zach Duke (PIT) – @ PHI (Halladay),  ATL (Medlen)
Kyle Lohse (STL) -  WAS (Stammen),  ANA (Kazmir)
Craig Stammen (WAS) – @ STL (Lohse),  BAL (Bergesen)
John Lannan (WAS) – @ STL (Carpenter),  BAL (Millwood)

It is tempting to roll with Medlen and his two starts if you own him since you are only going to get three to four weeks of starts out of him before Jair Jurrjens is back. Facing Santana in his first start does not help, plus his numbers were much better last season as a reliever than a starter, although he did post great numbers in Triple-A last season in the rotation.

When it comes to two-start pitchers, you are usually going to plug in an average or lower average pitcher for two reasons, to either pick up extra wins or strikeouts. The majority on the pitchers above are soft-tossers that even in two starts will rack up k’s equivalent to a one-start pitcher. The only exception to that is Bud Norris or Homer Bailey. If you want to take a chance on two extremely inconsistent pitchers and are desperate for strikeouts, then you may be forced to try Norris or Bailey depending on the rest of your rotation and hope for the best.

Read More »

2010 Waiver Wire – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 14th, 2010

Here is a look at some potential players to target in your fantasy baseball league that might be out there on the waiver wire in week 7.

American League only:

1B – Juan Miranda - Miranda will give the New York Yankees a left-handed hitter off the Nick Johnson on the disabled list. Miranda was hitting .260 in 96 at bats in Triple-A with five home runs and 15 RBI.

2B – Joaquin Arias – Arias returns from the disabled list this weekend for the Texas Rangers, although he has a lot less value now than Ian Kinsler is back and healthy.

2B – Mark Grudzielanek – not a sexy name by any means, but with Luis Valbuena struggling in Cleveland, Grudzielanek can help give a boost to your team batting average.

UT – Jack Cust – at some point Jack Cust is going to be back up with the Oakland A’s. You can get ahead of your league mates by claiming him now if you have room on your bench. Cust is hitting .286 in 105 at bats with four home runs and 19 RBI.

National League only:

RP - Scott Mathieson - if you are looking for a sleeper candidates in saves. Mathieson could be your guy. With Brad Lidge hurting and Ryan Madson on the disabled list, Mathieson could be thrust into the Philadelphia bullpen picture sooner rather than later. Mathieson has five saves in Triple-A with a 0.54 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings.

SP – John Ely – if Ely is still somehow out there on the waiver wire, he is definitely worth grabbing. Ely has a 3.86 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in three starts with 17 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings. Ely’s career minor league numbers show him with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.254 WHIP with 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

12 /15 mixed league:

SP – Derek Holland – I wrote about him in Rising / Falling in week 6.

SP – Kris Medlen – with Jair Jurrjens re-injuring his hamstring, Medlen should remain in the rotation for the next four weeks. He will get a start next week against the New York Mets and will have the opportunity to use the next few weeks to showcase himself as a better starting pitcher option to the Atlanta Braves than Kenshin Kawakami.

OF – Fred Lewis – he still strikes out way too much for a lead off hitter with little power, but as long as he is hot and hitting for average it is worth riding him for as long as you can. Lewis is hitting .296 with two home runs 13 RBI and three stolen bases on the season.

OF – Corey Patterson – he is bound to score runs hitting lead off for the Baltimore Orioles. His batting average will hurt your team, but if you pick him up, you are hoping for a couple of home runs and some stolen bases.

OF – Brennan Boesch – has been sitting against left-handed pitching, but his RBI rate per at bat makes him an intriguing option going forward, especially since Jim Leyland has been giving him props on a regular basis based on his performance.

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Rising / Falling – Week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 14th, 2010

Remember that the key to free agency is determining what player is going to have value down the line and picking up that player a week or more before his value changes. That is what is going to make your FAAB money last the most throughout the season, buying a playing for $4 the week before his value changes, compared to spending $250 on that same player once the manager announces his new role.

Here is a look at players that are rising or falling in value in week six.

Rising:

OF – Michael Saunders – with Milton Bradley suspended, Saunders is taking advantage of some extended playing time in the outfield. After starting off the season slowly in Triple-A, Saunders has hit two home runs with five RBI in 18 at bats. With the Seattle Mariners struggling to score runs, Saunders could see quite a few at bats if he stays hot at the plate.

OF – Corey Patterson – takes over in the outfield with Nolan Reimold going down to Triple-A. Patterson was hitting .368 in 57 at bats with three stone bases for the Norfolk Tides.

OF – Brennan Boesch – Boesch looked like nothing more than a part-time fill in a few weeks ago when he was called up for the injured Carlos Guillen, but with an RBI in every 2.8 at bats, Boesch is making a care to keep his job when Guillen returns. Boesch is hitting .368 with three home runs and 16 RBI in 57 at bats and Jim Leyland seems to be growing more fond of him every day. Boesch had been hitting .379 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 58 at bats in Triple-A when he was called up.

OF – Fred Lewis – Lewis has been on a roll since coming over from San Francisco, and is hitting .345 in the last two weeks with eight runs scored, two home runs and 12 RBI.

SP - Derek Holland – Holland threw a gem in his first start, working six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and only walking one hitter. Holland was 4-1 with a .93 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP ratio with 37 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings before being recalled from Triple-A.

Falling:

RP – Manuel Corpas – in his first game as unofficial closer, Corpas surrendered four runs in one inning. With Huston Street quickly working his way back from rehab appearances, Corpas will soon fall back into a set up role.

SP – Max Scherzer - Scherzer started the season as one of the top young pitchers many were expecting a breakout for. He is currently getting pounded tonight with three home runs allowed in five innings which will allow him to take over the major league lead in home runs allowed this season with a whopping 12.

RP – Brad Lidge – Lidge has been struggling with a sore pitching elbow, opening the door for Jose Contreras to possibly get some saves. Even if Lidge resumes throwing, there is a good chance he won’t be used in back-to-back games for awhile giving Contreras some decent value.

SP – Jair Jurrjens - Jurrjens re-injured his hamstring while jogging in the outfield and is likely now out until the end of June. It has been a tough season for Jurrjens who battled through shoulder problems in spring training as well.

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The Minor League Report – week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 11th, 2010

In week 5, there were several more prospects recalled from the minor leagues, including Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs and Michael Saunders by the Seattle Mariners. Some of the promotions from Double-A to Triple-A included Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen (WAS) as well as Andrew Cashner (CHC).

Cashner, with a 2.75 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 36 innings could be facing a similar fate as Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays. Each pitcher has been dominating in the minor leagues, but with no spots currently open in the major league rotation, there is a very good chance that when they are recalled to the big leagues, they will each be working in relief roles.

I have created a Minor League Tracker spreadsheet that shows all of the year-to-date stats for players that I highlighted in my team-by-team Triple-A minor league reports so you can easily keep an eye on possible players to target on the waiver wire in future weeks.

I have added additional columns that list the rank of the player in the overall top 100 by Baseball America and by Keith Law of ESPN as well as added the major league team names, plus included all Triple-A and Double-A hitters and pitchers that qualify to be among the league leaders so there is a ton of information you can now filter through.

Hitters:

Outfielder Michael Stanton (FLA) continues to lead the way with 15 home runs and 33 RBI through 28 games, although he is striking out in 31% of his at bats. Management is on record that Stanton will be up some time this summer, but if he jumps past Triple-A right to the major leagues, I think he is going to struggle to hit for average with his high ratio of strikeouts.

Third basemen Mike Moustakas (KC) is off to a great start in Double-A, hitting .392 with six home runs and 21 RBI, with only nine strikeouts in 74 at bats.

For all the hype that Carlos Santana (CLE) gets and rightfully so, Buster Posey (SF) is matching him stat for stat in Triple-A. Santana is hitting .314 with five home runs and 25 RBI compared to Posey at .345 with five home runs and 21 RBI.

Pitchers:

Martin Perez (TEX) has a 2.45 ERA in six starts with 29 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings to go along with a 1.44 ERA.

Simon Castro of the San Diego Padres has been holding his own on Double-A with a 2.10 ERA and 1.02 WHIP ratio. Castro has struck out 26 in 34 1/3 innings.

Jordan Lyles (HOU) has been superb in Double-A with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 35 innings with 31 strikeouts. I would expect to see him promoted to Triple-A by the middle of this summer.

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The Closer Report – Week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 10th, 2010

Here is a look at the closer report for week 6. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

Manuel Corpas takes over as closer for the Colorado Rockies for the next two weeks as Huston Street works his way back from rehab. I wrote about Corpas in the Waiver Wire report for week 6.

Bobby Jenks blew his first save of the season and manager Ozzie Guillen is now mulling a change at closer. While Jenks is 5-for-6 in save opportunities, his ERA of 6.75 and a 2.17 WHIP ratio are not the type of peripherals you want to see from a stud closer. Matt Thornton would be next in line to take over, with 25 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings and a 2.35 ERA. If Guillen decides he would rather have the left-handed Matt Thornton stay in the set up role, J.J. Putz could see some save opportunities. Putz has 16 strikeouts in 11 innings with a 4.91 ERA.

Kerry Wood has returned to his role as closer now that he is back from the disabled list for the Cleveland Indians. No surprise here since Chris Perez was less than stellar when he had a chance to lock down the job with Wood out. I still think Perez has some value for later in the year if Wood gets traded so if you need saves and have the reserve spot for him, I would keep him on the bench.

Brad Lidge is back in the saddle again as closer in Philadelphia with his return from injury coupled with Ryan Madson going on the disabled list. Jose Contreras would be next in line if Lidge falters in any way.

Dynasty league owners should keep an eye on closer of the future Craig Kimbrel in Atlanta. With Billy Wagner going on record that 2010 will be his last season, Kimbrel could be in the mix for saves next year.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon Cla Meredith, Mike Gonzalez (DL)
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Bobby Jenks Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz
CLE Kerry Wood Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Ryan Perry
KC Joakim Soria Josh Rupe
LAA Brian Fuentes Fernando Rodney
MIN Jon Rauch Matt Guerrier
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Andrew Bailey Brad Ziegler
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Grant Balfour
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Chad Qualls Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol John Grabow
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street (DL)
FLA Leo Nunez Burke Badenhop
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL Trevor Hoffman Carlos Villanueva
NYM Francisco Rodriguez Pedro Feliciano
PHI Brad Lidge Jose Contreras
PIT Octavio Dotel Evan Meek
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Matt Capps Tyler Clippard
Read More »

2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 8th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 6. Obviously the top tier pitchers are going to be left in your line up, but here is a look at some of the more border line pitchers for mixed league starts and who they face in those starts.

Two-start pitchers week 6: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category

American League:

Start them:

John Lackey (LAA) – TOR (Morrow), @DET (Porcello)
Cliff Lee (SEA) – @BAL (Hernandez), @TB (Garza)
Matt Garza (TB) – @LAA (Pineiro), SEA (Lee)
Colby Lewis (TEX) – OAK (Cahill), @TOR (Morrow)

Roll the Dice:

Rick Porcello (DET) – NYY (Pettitte), BOS (Lackey)
Joel Pineiro (LAA) – TB (Garza), OAK (Cahill)
Brandon Morrow (TOR) – @BOS (Lackey), TEX (Harrison)

Pineiro is on the fence from the sit category, but if you look at his six starts this season, he has been bombed the second time he faced a previous team. The teams he faced for the first time he fared well against. Since this is his first start of the season against Tampa (although facing a tough Garza) and Oakland I think it gives him a chance for success. Morrow has rolled off four straight solid starts with eight or more strikeouts in each appearance.

Sit Them:

David Hernandez (BAL) – SEA (Lee), CLE (Westbrook)
Jake Westbrook (CLE) – @KC (Bannister), @BAL (Hernandez)
Dontrelle Willis (DET) – NYY (Vazquez), BOS (Lester)
Brian Bannister (KC) – CLE (Westbrook), CWS (Danks)
Javier Vazquez (NYY) – @DET (Willis), MIN (Baker)
Trevor Cahill (OAK) – @TEX (Lewis), @LAA (Pineiro)

I wrote in the pres-season how I thought Vazquez was rated too high, especially coming back to the American League and to New York where he struggled in his previous season there, although I did not expect him to be this bad. By name alone he would be a roll the dice guy but based on his past performances, it is tough to put him in that category.

National League:

Start them:

Tommy Hanson (ATL) -  @MIL (Davis), ARI (Haren)
Ted Lilly (CHC) – FLA (Robertson), PIT (Duke)
Ricky Nolasco (FLA) – @CHC (Wells), NYM (Niese)
Chad Billingsley (LAD) – @ARI (Lopez), @SD (LeBlanc)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) – @SF (Zito), LAD (Billingsley)
Barry Zito (SF) – SD (LeBlanc), HOU (Myers)
Brad Penny (STL) – HOU (Myers), @CIN (Arroyo)

Roll the Dice:

Bronson Arroyo (CIN) – @PIT (Ohlendorf), STL (Penny)
Aaron Cook (COL) – PHI (Halladay), WAS (Olsen)
John Maine (NYM) – WAS (Atilano), @FLA (Robertson)
Jon Niese (NYM) – WAS (Olsen), @FLA (Nolasco)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) – @COL (Smith), @MIL (Davis)

Cook and Kendrick are both on the border line of rolling the dice and sitting. Cook faces Halladay which is a good chance for a loss the way Halladay has been pitching. Kendrick goes on the road to Colorado and Milwaukee, although with the Philly offense behind him, he should have a chance for two wins although the potential for damage to your team ERA and WHIP exists.

Sit Them:

Rodrigo Lopez (AZ) – LAD (Billingsley), @ATL (Hanson)
Greg Smith (COL) – PHI (Kendrick), WAS (Atilano)
Nate Robertson (FLA) – @CHC (Lilly), NYM (Maine)
Brett Myers (HOU) – @STL (Penny), @SF (Zito)
Doug Davis (MIL) – ATL (Hanson), PHI (Kendrick)
Ross Ohlendorf  (PIT) -  CIN (Arroyo), @CHC (Wells)
Luis Atilano (WAS) – @NYM (Maine), @COL (Smith)
Scott Olsen (WAS) – @NYM (Niese), @COL (Cook)

Ohlendorf is just back from the disabled list and was knocked around in spring; I would wait a few starts by getting him back into your active line up. Olsen has been pitching well of late but has two road starts including one in Colorado. Nate Robertson has turned back into the old Robertson and should be avoided for now.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 8th, 2010

Here is a look at some potential players to target in your fantasy baseball league that might be out there on the waiver wire in week 6.

American League only:

C – Frank Cervelli – with the various New York Yankees falling down to injury, Cervelli is getting some time behind the plate with Jorge Posada moving over to designated hitter. Cervelli is hitting .345 over the last two weeks with four runs scored and four RBI.

C – Jason Varitek – who would have guessed that at this point of the season that Varitek would have more home runs than starting catcher Victor Martinez? Varitek is seeing minimal time, but has flashed power in his small sample of at bats. Varitek has two home runs and six RBI in 16 at bats the past 14 days.

C – Wilson Ramos – has short term value with Joe Mauer sidelined due to injury. Ramos, one of the top prospects in the Minnesota Twins organization has hit .400 in 20 at bats since being recalled from Triple-A.

1B – Kila Ka’aihue – recently called up by the Kansas City Royals, with Ka’aihue, it is always a question of how many at bats the Royals are going to give him. Despite putting up good minor league numbers in years past, the Royals have never fully commuted to him 100% in giving him an opportunity. Ka’aihue was hitting .304 with seven home runs and 20 RBI in 79 at bats before his promotion.

SS – Mike Aviles – Aviles was the odd man out in the Royals infield when spring training ended despite putting up stellar stats. Now he has been recalled and will have the chance to grab the starting job from Yuniesky Betancourt. Aviles was hitting .271 with a home run and eight RBI in Triple-A.

National League only:

SS - Starlin Castro - despite all the talk by Chicago Cubs management about keeping Castro in the minor leagues, Castro was just called up and immediately made an impact in his first game, going 2-for-5 with a home run and six RBI. His promotion moves Ryan Theriot to second base with Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot going to the bench.

1B/OF - Steve Pearce – with Jeff Clement struggling at first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pearce was recalled and could see some spot starts. He has started one of three games since the promotion and is 0-for-5. In his career, he has shown to be nothing more than a Quad-A player, someone that performs well in Triple-A but not in the major leagues so he is stuck somewhere in the middle.

RP – Manuel Corpas – looks to have moved ahead of Franklin Morales in the Colorado Rockies bullpen and should see some save opportunities until Huston Street returns to action. Corpas has a 1.66 ERA on the season with a .88 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.

SS – Ryan Rohlinger – could see a few starts at shortstop for the San Francisco Giants with Edgar Renteria going on the disabled list and Freddy Sanchez still out of action. Rohlinger was hitting .333 with two home runs and 13 RBI in Triple-A in 87 at bats.

12 /15 mixed league:

Utility – Jim Thome – I wrote about him in Rising / Falling in week 5.

RP – Alfredo Simon – has converted all three save opportunities and is still unscored upon in five innings.

SP – Wade LeBlanc – gets two starts in week 6 against San Francisco and the LA Dodgers. LeBlanc has a 1.16 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in four starts with 20 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings.

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Rising / Falling Week 5

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 5th, 2010

Remember that the key to free agency is determining what player is going to have value down the line and picking up that player a week or more before his value changes. That is what is going to make your FAAB money last the most throughout the season, buying a playing for $4 the week before his value changes, compared to spending $250 on that same player once the manager announces his new role.

Here is a look at players that are rising or falling in value in week five.

Rising:

RP – Alfredo Simon – see the closer report for week 5

SP – Jhoulys Chacin – if you have been following the weekly minor league tracker, hopefully you had been tracking Chacin. With recent injuries to the Colorado Rockies rotation, Chacin stepped in and looked good in his first start, tossing seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts. He still needs to work on his control and I would watch how he does in his start at home before activating him, but he does have upside and the ability to get strikeouts.

SP - Brett Cecil – Cecil has been impressive in his three starts since being recalled from Triple-A, compiling a 2.61 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings. The caveat of course is running through the American East gauntlet on a weekly basis, but the strikeout numbers are worth owning if you can sport start him.

SP – Kris Medlen – takes over for Jair Jurrjens, who was placed on the disabled list, and should get three to five starts over the next few weeks in the Atlanta rotation. Definitely worth a pick up in NL only leagues although he faces Philadelphia in his first start on Saturday.

2B – Reid Brignac – has value in American League only leagues, collecting 30 at bats over the last two weeks compared to only 20 for Sean Rodriguez, hitting .200 with one home run and 10 RBI.

2B - Chris Getz - back from the disabled list so he still might be sitting out on the waiver wire in your league. Good guy to grab if your team is short on stolen bases.

DH – Jim Thome – those that missed out on designated hitter Andruw Jones the last two weeks in free agency might want to snatch up Thome if you are looking for some power in your line up. Although he only qualifies at utility, he has hit five home runs with 15 RBI in only 57 at bats this season.

OF – Nate Schierholtz – he has assumed a starting job in the San Francisco outfield thanks to a .350 batting average in 60 at bats. The power has not translated in his limited time in the major leagues over the past few seasons in part-time work as he has worked to reduce his strikeouts and make better contact.

Falling:

RP – Franklin Morales – with Huston Street a week or two away from returning to action, Morales is running out of time to rack up saves for your fantasy baseball team. By no means drop him, as Street still has to prove he is healthy, but set realistic expectations for saves going forward for your team.

OF – Milton Bradley - it was only a matter of time until he imploded. It is funny how major league teams still want him each season (again, goes to my thoughts on why teams need a common sense executive in the front office to stop these type of signings) and think they are going to be able to change him around. The Seattle Mariners are in desperate need of some offense. With Bradley and Ken Griffey Jr. not getting it done, keep an eye out for Jermaine Dye.

SP – Justin Duchscherer - another season, another injury for Duchscherer who cannot seem to stay healthy. An injury to his left hip that is similar to the injury to his right hip that he twice underwent surgeries on is not a good sign. Knowing his injury history, hopefully he was the last guy in your rotation or else a swing starter when he had two start weeks so there is little impact to your team.

Middle infielders – not a good week if you own Everth Cabrera, Rafael Furcal or Yunel Escobar as all three shortstops are currently on the disabled list.

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The Minor League Report – Week 4

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 4th, 2010

The call ups continued last week as Wilson Ramos was promoted by the Minnesota Twins from the minor leagues in week 4. Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg received a promotion to Triple-A and while Mike Stanton has been going nuts at the plate, the Florida Marlins are keeping him at Double-A for now.

Stanton is hitting .360 on the season with 13 home runs and 29 RBI, despite striking out in 29% of his at bats. His slugging percentage is currently .884 with an OPS of 1.388 thanks to 25 walks drawn. It is only a matter of time before he is patrolling the outfield for the Marlins.

I have created a Minor League Tracker spreadsheet that shows all of the year-to-date stats for players that I highlighted in my team-by-team Triple-A minor league reports so you can easily keep an eye on possible players to target on the waiver wire in future weeks.

Hitters:

With A.J. Pierzynski struggling at catcher for the Chicago White Sox, keep an eye on Tyler Flowers in Triple-A. Flowers is hitting .284 with four home runs and 21 RBI on the season.

Outfielder Jose Tabata (Pitt.) has shown little power in 2010, but is hitting .340 with 10 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He should become a permanent fixture in the Pirates line up the second half of the season.

Ryan Strieby (Det.) and Desmond Jennings (TB) have both been out of action the past week due to injuries.

Pitchers:

Jeremy Hellickson (TB) carries a 5-0 record in Triple-A with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. With the way the Tampa Bay Rays rotation is going, Hellickson might end up pitching the second half of the season in relief barring an injury to a starter like David Price did in 2008.

Jay Jackson (Cubs) has a 1.50 ERA through six starts with a .90 WHIP ratio. Jackson has struck out 20 in 29 innings while allowing only seven walks.

Jake Arrieta (Balt.) has slowed down a little bit in his last two starts, walking nine in 11 innings with seven strikeouts. Despite those two games, he is still holding opposing hitters to a .165 batting average on the season with a 1.50 ERA.

The Toronto Blue Jays have more young pitchers on the way with Kyle Drabek in Double-A and Brad Mills in Triple-A coming up through the system. Mills has struck out at least six hitters in each of his five starts this season and now has 38 punchouts in 29 2/3 innings on the season to go along with his 3.03 ERA.

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