Archive for June, 2010

2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 13

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 25th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 13. 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 13: 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:

Fausto Carmona (CLE) ~ TOR (Morrow), OAK (Braden)
Jeremy Bonderman (DET) ~ @MIN (Liriano), SEA (Lee)
Francisco Liriano (MIN) ~ DET (Bonderman), TB (Davis)
Cliff Lee (SEA) ~ @NYY (Hughes), @DET (Bonderman)
James Shields (TB) ~ @BOS (Lackey), @MIN (Blackburn)
Ricky Romero (TOR) ~ @CLE (Westbrook), @NYY (Pettitte)

Roll the Dice:

Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ OAK (Braden), @BOS (Lester)
Joel Pineiro (LAA) ~ TEX (Feldman), KC (Lerew)
Dallas Braden (OAK) ~ @BAL (Matusz), @CLE (Carmona)
Brandon Morrow (TOR) ~ @CLE (Carmona), @NYY (Hughes)

Matusz had been on a good roll until his last in which he allowed six runs in 6 1/3 innings. In his previous four starts to that outing, he had allowed seven runs in 26 1/3 innings with 20 strikeouts. He has faced both Boston and
Oakland twice already this season, with a 3.86 ERA versus Boston and a 7.15 ERA against Oakland. Pineiro has ripped off four straight wins, posting a 2.08 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. He has yet to face Texas this season and allowed six runs in eight innings against Kansas City earlier in the year. Morrow has been one of the hotter pitchers in baseball since mid-May, with a 1.85 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 40 innings. He has shaved a full two runs off of his ERA during that time.

Sit Them:

Mark Buehrle (CHW) ~ @KC (Lerew), @TEX (Nippert)
Jake Westbrook (CLE) ~ TOR (Romero), OAK (Gonzalez)
Anthony Lerew (KC) ~ CWS (Buehrle), @LAA (Pineiro)
Nick Blackburn (MIN) ~ DET (Galarraga), TB (Shields)
Scott Feldman (TEX) ~ @LAA (Pineiro), CWS (Floyd)

Buehrle has been better in his last three starts with a 1.80 ERA and a surprising 17 strikeouts in 20 innings. He has been hammered in two starts against Texas with a 7.30 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP and allowed five runs in six innings in his lone start against Kansas City this season. After winning all five of his starts in his May, Blackburn has lost four of his five starts in June, while seeing his ERA rise almost a full two runs. In two of his starts this month, he failed to register any strikeouts. Feldman becomes a two-start pitcher in week 13 with Texas bypassing the fifth-starter spot. Feldman has pitched better in two of his last three starts, chalking up two wins and 19 strikeouts in 19 innings so he could be someone you roll the dice on depending on the makeup of your staff.

National League:

Start them:

Dan Haren (AZ) ~ @STL (Carpenter), LAD (Ely)
Tim Hudson (ATL) ~ WAS (Atilano), FLA (Nolasco)
Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) ~ @SD (Correia), SF (Zito)
Yovani Gallardo (MIL) ~ HOU (Rodriguez), @STL (Wainwright)
Barry Zito (SF) ~ LAD (Ely), @COL (Jimenez)
Matt Cain (SF) ~ LAD (Haeger), @COL (Hammel)
Chris Carpenter (STL) ~ ARI (Haren), MIL (Parra)
Adam Wainwright (STL) ~ ARI (Willis), MIL (Gallardo)
Stephen Strasburg (WAS) ~ @ATL (Lowe), NYM (Takahashi)

Roll the Dice:

Bronson Arroyo (CIN) ~ PHI (Kendrick), @CHC (Wells)
Johnny Cueto (CIN) ~ PHI (Blanton), @CHC (Lilly)
Jason Hammel (COL) ~ @SD (LeBlanc), SF (Cain)
Ricky Nolasco (FLA) ~ NYM (Dickey), @ATL (Hudson)
John Ely (LAD) ~ @SF (Zito), @ARI (Haren)
Manny Parra (MIL) ~ HOU (Norris), @STL (Carpenter)
R.A. Dickey (NYM) ~ @FLA (Nolasco), @WAS (Atilano)
Hisanori Takahashi (NYM) ~ @FLA (Robertson), @WAS (Strasburg)
Paul Maholm (PIT) ~ @CHC (Wells), PHI (Kendrick)
Kevin Correia (SD) ~ COL (Jimenez), HOU (Norris)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) ~ COL (Hammel), HOU (Rodriguez)

LeBlanc has been solid in his last five starts with a 2.37 ERA while picking up two wins. He allowed two runs in six innings against Colorado earlier this season and has yet to battle Houston this year. From an ERA standpoint, Parra has been decent and will rack up some strikeouts. If your team can afford to carry his 1.57 WHIP for two starts, then he is worth starting, although he will have a tough second start in St. Louis against Carpenter. Dickey has helped solidify a New York Mets rotation that was in shambles, winning six consecutive starts while allowing only two home runs in 46 1/3 innings so far this season. Maholm had been rolling until he ran into the Texas offense in his last start. Prior to that, he had a 3.00 ERA in his last seven starts, while giving up two runs or less in five of the. Hammel has not lost since May 21st, picking up four wins thanks to a 1.39 ERA that included three straight scoreless starts.

Sit Them:

Randy Wells (CHC) ~ PIT (Maholm), CIN (Arroyo)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) ~ @MIL (Gallardo), @SD (LeBlanc)
Bud Norris (HOU) ~ @MIL (Parra), @SD (Correia)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) ~ @CIN (Arroyo), @PIT (Maholm)
Joe Blanton (PHI) ~ @CIN (Leake), @PIT (Karstens)
Jeff Karstens (PIT) ~ @CHC (Lilly), PHI (Blanton)
Luis Atilano (WAS) ~ @ATL (Hudson), NYM (Dickey)

Wells has given up five or more runs in three of his last five starts and has not won since April 30th. Rodriguez has been too inconsistent this season, always following a win with two or three consecutive losses. Since he just
won on June 24th, the pattern would seem to be he will get shelled next week. Norris is just coming off of a stint on the disabled list and should be kept on reserve until he has several good starts in a row.

Read More »

2010 Waiver Wire – Week 13

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 24th, 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 13.

American League only:

3B – Jarrett Hoffpauir has taken over as the starting third basemen in Toronto with the demotion of Edwin Encarnacion. Hoffpauir was hitting .328 in 235 at bats with 9 home runs and 43 RBI to go with three stolen bases. His plate discipline means he should be able to carry over a decent batting average in the majors, after walking 21 times and striking out in only 15 at bats in Triple-A.

SP – Erik Bedard – if Bedard is still on the waiver wire, it looks like he is close to returning to action in the major leagues with a tentative start the week of July 5th. He has had one rehab start so far, going 2 2/3 innings, with four hits allowed and three strikeouts in the Rookie Arizona League.

C – Wilson Ramos – if you are looking for a catcher in a dynasty league, Ramos is a decent option since he is most likely to be the center piece of any trade involving the Minnesota Twins with Joe Mauer signed to a long term contract. He has had a rough year at Triple-A, hitting .218 in 188 at bats with four home runs and 18 RBI, compared to hitting .317 in 2009 with 7 home runs and 35 RBI in 224 at bats in Double-A.

National League only:

SP – Edison Volquez – much like Bedard in the American League, Volquez should be returning to the major leagues around the same time for the Cincinnati Reds. Volquez has worked 13 innings on rehab with one run allowed on six hits with eight strikeouts.

C – Jason Castro – one of the minor league call ups by the Houston Astros last weekend, Castro has started each of the Astros games this week and collected his first home run off of Matt Cain today. Castro hit .265 in Triple-A with four home runs and 26 RBI in 211 at bats.

3B  – Chris Johnson – Johnson was promoted along with Castro and will see the majority of starts at 3B going forward for the Astros. He has hit sixth in the line up in both of his starts but was out of the line up on Thursday. Johnson hit .329 in 149 at bats in Triple-A with eight home runs and 33 RBI.

SP - Josh Banks – with Felipe Paulino headed to the disabled list for the Houston Astros, Banks will have a chance to start this Saturday against Texas. Banks was 8-5 with a 2.97 ERA in 97 innings with 24 walks and 34 strikeouts. Only if you are in a deep 15-20 team NL only league would you want to take a chance on him.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 12

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 23rd, 2010

If you are looking for a great showcase to get a look at some of the top talent in the minor leagues, check out the All-Star Futures Game on July 11th. The rosters were announced today, here is a look at the USA and the World teams.

USA

Pitchers:

Zach Britton – BAL – AA
Jarred Cosart – PHI – A
Christian Friedrich – COL – AA
Jeremy Hellickson – TB – AAA
Dan Hudson – CHW – AAA
Jordan Lyles – HOU – AA
Shelby Miller – STL – A
Mike Minor – ATL – AA
Andy Oliver – DET – AA
Tanner Scheppers – TEX – AAA

Catchers:

Austin Romine – NYY – AA
Tony Sanchez – PIT – High A

Infielders:

Lonnie Chisenhall – CLE – AA
Drew Cumberland – SD – High A
Danny Espinosa – WAS – AA
Dee Gordon – LAD – AA
Grant Green – OAK – High A
Eric Hosmer – KC – High A
Logan Morrison – FLA – AAA
Mike Moustakas – KC – AA

Outfielders:

Domonic Brown – PHI – AA
Brett Jackson – CHC – High A
Desmond Jennings – TB – AAA
Ben Revere – MIN – AA
Mike Trout – LAA – A

WORLD

Pitchers:

Henderson Alvarez – TOR – High A
Simon Castro – SD – AA
Jeurys Familia – NYM – High A
Liam Hendriks – MIN – High A
Trystan Magnuson – TOR – AA
Hector Noesi – NYY – AA
Stolmy Pimentel – BOS – High A
Eduardo Sanchez – STL – AA
Julio Teheran – ATL – High A
Phillippe Valiquette – CIN – AAA

Catchers:

Chun-Hsiu Chen – CLE – A
Wilin Rosario – COL – AA

Infielders:

Yonder Alonso – CIN – AAA
Pedro Baez – LAD – High A
Pedro Ciriaco – ARI – AAA
Luis Jimenez – LAA – High A
Brett Lawrie – MIL – AA
Hak-Ju Lee – CHC – A
Alex Liddi – SEA – AA
Osvaldo Martinez – FLA – AA

Outfielders:

Gorkys Hernandez – PIT – AA
Carlos Peguero – SEA – AA
Francisco Peguero – SF – A+
Eury Perez – WAS – A
Wilkin – DET – AAA

The top pitching prospect in the Seattle Mariners organization, Michael Pineda was promoted to Triple-A this week. Pineda was 8-1 in Double-A with a 2.22 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 78 strikeouts in 77 innings. If Cliff Lee is traded next month, Pineda could possibly see some time in the Mariners rotation this year.

Read More »

The Closer Report – Week 12

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 22nd, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 12. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

It took only one blown save from David Hernandez and Alfredo Simon was back in the closer role for Baltimore.  Simon picked up a save on Saturday against San Diego despite allowing a run in his inning of work.

New Arizona closer Aaron Heilman allowed two run in a non-save appearance on Thursday before picking up a save on Saturday, despite allowing a run. His past struggles in save situations makes him a questionable closer going forward, but given how many chances Chad Qualls got before being removed from the role, Heilman should be given a little bit of leeway if he blows a save or two.

Another blown save and another vote of confidence from the manager for Los Angeles Angels closer Brian Fuentes. If you own Fuentes, hopefully you have been preparing yourself in case he loses his job which could come with the next blown save. With a 6.23 ERA and 1.44 WHIP, eventually the numbers just speak for themselves. Fernando Rodney has allowed runs in two of his last three appearances, but would likely get first crack at the job if Fuentes is removed.

Huston Street was activated from the disabled list by the Colorado Rockies and will work his way back into the closer role. He was less than stellar in his rehab in Triple-A as I wrote about in the lineup planner.

If you are in a keeper league, now is the time to start looking toward next year if you have not already started planning on how to rebuild your team. Here is a look at some of the top options to become closers in 2011 that are not currently serving in that role now.

1. Daniel Bard – 2.21 ERA and .90 WHIP make it easier for the Boston Red Sox to consider trading Jonathan Papelbon.

2. Evan Meek – .68 ERA and .83 WHIP will have him closing sometime this season in Pittsburgh once Octavio Dotel is moved.

3. Drew Storen – closer of the future for the Washington Nationals who likely get a shot at the job in spring training next season.

4. Takashi Saito – a free agent next season, he could very well re-sign with Atlanta with Billy Wagner scheduled to retire. He has less value in true dynasty leagues since he turned 40 this year.

5. Jason Motte – he might have to wait another year for Ryan Franklin to retire before he closes, but he has been much better this season, with a 2.17 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.

6. Joe Nathan – he might not be ready for the start of 2011, but at just 36-years-old to be in November, he is far from washed up. He is still under contract for $11.25 million in 2011 with a club option for 2012.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon David Hernandez, Mike Gonzalez (DL)
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Bobby Jenks Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz
CLE Kerry Wood Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Joel Zumaya
KC Joakim Soria Kyle Farnsworth
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 Aaron Heilman Chad Qualls
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Andrew Cashner
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Huston Street
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL John Axford Trevor Hoffman
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, Drew Storen
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 12

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 20th, 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 12.

American League:

The Toronto Blue Jays sent down Edwin Encarnacion to Triple-A, which pushes recent call up Jarrett Hoffpauir or DeWayne Wise into the starting line up. It is interesting the Blue Jays were quick to demote Encarnacion, but they left Lyle Overbay in the majors all season when he was struggling and hitting under .200 for a good portion of the year. Hoffpauir was hitting .328 in Triple-A with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 235 at bats with three stolen bases.

Nelson Cruz is expected to come off the disabled list on Tuesday for the Texas Rangers and resume his starting spot in the outfield which will push David Murphy back to the bench.

Detroit starting pitcher Rick Porcello was sent to Triple-A and the Tigers will hope a short stint in the minor leagues will help him like it seems to have for Max Scherzer.

Shortstop Erick Aybar of the Los Angeles Angels will be re-examined on Tuesday and could still be facing a trip to the disabled list. With him out, Kevin Frandsen and Brandon Wood will see additional at bats in week 12.

Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to return from the disabled list and get the start on Thursday against Colorado.

National League:

Humberto Quintero of the Houston Astros left Sunday’s game after being hit in the head when catching and could be out of action next week. Rookie Jason Castro was called up from Triple-A and could see some starts next week.

The Astros also called up third basemen Chris Johnson from Triple-A where he was hitting .329 with eight home runs and 33 RBI in 149 at bats. His promotion poses a threat to playing time for Pedro Feliz who is hitting only .221 on the season.

Colorado closer Huston Street could be back from the disabled list on Tuesday, but he will likely serve only as a set up man to Manny Corpas initially so there is no rush to get him active in your line up. Street has a 10.29 ERA on rehab in Triple-A with 11 hits and eight runs allowed in seven innings.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will likely use Charlie Haeger or Claudio Vargas to fill in the rotation next week in place of Carlos Monasterios who was placed on the disabled list.

Read More »

2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 12

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 19th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 12. 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 12: 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) ~ @COL (Chacin), @SF (Lincecum)
John Danks (CHW) ~ ATL (Hanson), CHC (Dempster)
Justin Verlander (DET) ~ @NYM (Niese), @ATL (Hanson)
Ervin Santana (LAA) ~ LAD (Kershaw), COL (Chacin)
A.J. Burnett (NYY) ~ @ARI (Lopez), @LAD (Kershaw)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) ~ CIN (Leake), PIT (Duke)
Jason Vargas (SEA) ~ CHC (Dempster), @MIL (Bush)
Tommy Hunter (TEX) ~ PIT (Duke), HOU (Oswalt)
Brett Cecil (TOR) ~ STL (Garcia), PHI (Moyer)

Roll the Dice:

Scott Baker (MIN) ~ @MIL (Bush), @NYM (Niese)
Wade Davis (TB) ~ SD (Latos), ARI (Lopez)

Baker maybe got things turned around with his seven innings of shutout ball last week against Colorado when he recorded 12 strikeouts. His numbers have not been that far off from 2009 except for a few more hits and walks. It has been a disappointing 2010 for Davis who has failed to capitalize on his 2009 end of the year success. With Jeremy Hellickson ready in Triple-A, this two-start week may tell the tale of where Davis is pitching the second half of the season. What has been most discouraging for owners has been the sharp drop in his strikeout rate from last year, falling by almost 2.5 whiffs per game. With all that said however, at home against a light hitting San Diego team and a second home start gives me hope he can pull out two good starts.

Sit Them:

Jeremy  Guthrie (BAL) ~ FLA (Sanchez), WAS (Hernandez)
Mitch Talbot (CLE) ~ @PHI (Moyer), @CIN (Leake)
Bruce Chen (KC) ~ @WAS (Hernandez), STL (Garcia)

Guthrie has lost four in a row, allowing four runs in three of his last four starts. If you are in a deep league, he could be worth the two starts next week. Chen fared much better as a reliever and although he has won two of his last three starts, he has a 5.29 ERA in those appearances and a 1.53 WHIP.

National League:

Start them:

Tommy Hanson (ATL) ~ @CWS (Danks), DET (Verlander)
Ryan Dempster (CHC) ~ @SEA (Vargas), @CWS (Danks)
Mike Leake (CIN) ~ @OAK (Gonzalez), CLE (Talbot)
Anibal Sanchez (FLA) ~ @BAL (Guthrie), SD (Latos)
Roy Oswalt (HOU) ~ SF (Lincecum), @TEX (Hunter)
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) ~ @LAA (Santana), NYY (Burnett)
Mat Latos (SD) ~ @TB (Davis), @FLA (Sanchez)
Tim  Lincecum (SF) ~ @HOU (Oswalt), BOS (Lester)
Jaime Garcia (STL) ~ @TOR (Cecil), @KC (Chen)

Roll the Dice:

Jon Niese (NYM) ~ DET (Verlander), MIN (Baker)
Livan Hernandez (WAS) ~ KC (Chen), @BAL (Guthrie)
Jamie  Moyer (PHI) ~ CLE (Talbot), @TOR (Cecil)

Niese has won three in a row, allowing four runs in 23 innings in those starts with 15 strikeouts. Hernandez was a dud in his last start, allowing eight runs in 6 2/3 innings against Detroit. Previous to that, he had allowed three runs or less in every start this season except for a four run start against San Francisco on 5/25. Moyer has earned a decision in every start so far this season. Take the chance that the Philadelphia offense is going to get him the win as much as his pitching will.

Sit Them:

Jhoulys Chacin (COL) ~ BOS (Lester), @LAA (Santana)
Rodrigo Lopez (AZ) ~ NYY (Burnett), @TB (Davis)
Dave Bush (MIL) ~ MIN (Baker), SEA (Vargas)
Zach Duke (PIT) ~ @TEX (Hunter), @OAK (Gonzalez)

Bush has pitched reasonably well in his last four starts with a 2.96  ERA and 12 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings. In his last start against Minnesota back on 5/21, he allowed seven runs in 1/3 of an innings. I looked for any type of positive news on Duke and could not really find any. He has lost four straight starts, allowing a whopping 38 hits in 22 innings in those games. Lopez always gives the Diamondbacks innings, the problem is the negative stats have a much bigger impact to your fantasy baseball team because he stays in the game so long.  Lopez has not won since 5/15 and was pounded in his lone interleague start against Boston last week, allowing six runs in seven innings. Chacin’s ERA has been steadily on the rise over the last month and he has dropped four straight decisions.

Read More »

2010 Waiver Wire – Week 12

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 18th, 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 12.

American League only:

OF – Conor Jackson should give a boost to the Oakland A’s offense after being traded from Arizona earlier this week. Jackson slots in nicely as the number three hitter and should be able to put up a decent amount of RBI the rest of the season.

SP – Felix Doubront got the start for the Boston Red Sox on Friday and went five innings, allowing three earned runs with two strikeouts. Between 12 starts at Double-A and Triple-A, Doubront was 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings while allowing zero home runs. He may get one more start before Daisuke Matsuzaka returns from the disabled list.

3B – Dayan Viciedo got called up by the Chicago White Sox. I wrote about him earlier this week in the minor league report. He did not play on Friday as veteran Omar Vizquel started at third base. Since Chicago has not thrown in the towel officially yet on the season, I am not sure how much time he is going to see, especially with some holes still in his swing.

OF – Daniel Nava is getting time in the Boston outfield thanks to a lot of injuries. Nava is hitting .381 in 21 at bats with a home run and six RBI. He could definitely give a boost to your teams batting average with a career minor league batting average of .342.

National League only:

3B – Pedro Alvarez was called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates this week moved into the starting line up hitting sixth. He should offer some power and RBI with a low batting average the rest of the way.

2B – The injury to shortstop Troy Tulowitzki opens a hole at second base for Jonathan Herrera. This would have been a spot for Eric Young Jr. were he also not injured. Herrera was hitting .286 with a home run and 11 RBI in 168 at bats in Triple-A with two steals. The Colorado Rockies also recalled shortstop Chris Nelson from Triple-A. Nelson, the ninth overall pick back in the 2004 draft, was hitting .311 with five home runs and 20 RBI in 132 at bats. Both he and Herrera could see time in the infield with Clint Barmes swinging back and forth between shortstop and second base.

C – Jonathan Lucroy has taken over the starting catcher role from George Kottaras in Milwaukee. Lucroy is hitting .314 in 35 at bats with stolen bases on the year. Between two levels in the minor leagues this season, he hit .311 with two home runs and 16 RBI in 122 at bats.

OF – Gerardo Parra figures to be the winner in the outfield in Arizona with Conor Jackson getting traded this week. His numbers have not been that great with sporadic playing time this season, but there is no reason he cannot post similar numbers to what he did last year the rest of the way in 2010.

RP – I wrote about Sam Demel earlier this week in the closer report. He could be in the mix for saves at some point this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

12 /15 mixed league:

OF – Tyler Colvin seems on the cusp of turning into a full-time player and with the numbers he has put up in limited at bats, there is no reason the Chicago Cubs should not throw him out there every day and let him see what he can do.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 16th, 2010

Pedro Alvarez became the latest top prospect in the minor leagues to be promoted when he was recalled by the Pittsburgh Pirates today. Alvarez started at third base and hit 6th, going o-for 2 with a walk and a strikeout against the Chicago White Sox. Alvarez was hitting .277 in Triple-A with 13 home runs and 53 RBI in 242 at bats. As much talk as there was about him learning to hit southpaws, he was hitting .323 against them in 62 at bats.

His number one issue that he will encounter in the major leagues will be his plate discipline and his strikeouts rate. His strikeout rate of 28% is somewhat high so his average will likely fluctuate some from year-to-year based on luck, but he will be a solid producer in home runs and RBI for years to come.

With the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox closing in on the Tampa Bay Rays and Wade Davis struggling, there is a good chance we will see Jeremy Hellickson some time in the second half. Hellickson is 8-2 in Triple-A with a 2.42 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 84 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings. He has worked scoreless outings in four of his last seven starts and has allowed only three home runs on the season.

With Jake Peavy struggling with injuries for the Chicago White Sox, Dan Hudson may be getting a call up soon to fill a role in the rotation. He has continued his strong run from May into June, where in three starts this month he has a 2.00 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 18 innings while holding hitters to a .175 batting average.

Third basemen Dayan Viciedo of the Chicago White Sox still has some work to do on his plate discipline before he is ready for a promotion to the major leagues. Viciedo is hitting .288 with 13 home runs and 31 RBI in 233 at bats to go along with only eight walks and 52 strikeouts.

First basemen Chris Carter of the Oakland A’s has struggled for most of the year with hi batting average, which currently stands at .249. In 233 at bats, Carter has 15 home runs and 47 RBI. Like most young power hitters, he needs to work on making contact as a 30% strikeout rate is going to make it hard to maintain a good batting average in the major leagues.

Jay Jackson of the Chicago Cubs started the season in the rotation in Triple-A, switched to relief for a short time as the club got him ready in case they needed bullpen help, but he has now gone back into the rotation. For the season, Jackson has a 2.90 ERA with a .98 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings.

If the San Diego Padres trade Heath Bell at some point, Triple-A closer Ernesto Frieri could be in the mix for saves down the line. Frieri moved to closer in 2010 after being in the starting rotation  in 2009 and part of 2008. Frieri has a 2.00 ERA and a .93 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 27 innings while holding hitters to a .122 average.

Read More »

The Closer Report – Week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 15th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 11. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

Alfredo Simon returned from the disabled list yesterday and will eventually move back into the closer role according to interim manager Juan Samuel.  I am not sure that is an automatic given has Simon had skirted trouble in several outings despite a 1.54 WHIP ratio and his walk total will eventually lead to some blown saves. Combine that with David Hernandez now in a relief role which his stuff seems more suited too, plus the starting pitchers that Baltimore has coming up in the system that are better than him and I don’t think Simon is guaranteed to hold the job for the rest of the season.

It looks like Chad Qualls of the Arizona Diamondbacks has finally wore out manager A.J. Hinch with his inability to close out games. With a 8.46 ERA and a 2.19 WHIP, including allowing two or more runs in four of his last eight outings, Hinch will most likely turn to Aaron Heilman for saves. Heilman has a 2.83 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP ratio so far this season. His past history though does not bode well in terms of filling the closer role full-time with a career save percentage of just 29%. Recently acquired Triple-A closer Sam Demel from Oakland is a sleeper at some point to close. Demel currently has six saves in 28 2/3 innings with 28 strikeouts, to go along with a 1.26 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.

With the Pittsburgh Pirates making a flurry of transactions over the past few weeks, it would not be a surprise to see a change soon at closer where Octavio Dotel has allowed runs in three straight appearances. Dotel has a 5.70 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP in 23 2/3 innings with 33 strikeouts. Evan Meek is ready to assume the role as soon as Dotel is moved. Meek has greatly improved the one flaw in his game from the previous years, that being his lack of control. With a 0.74 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 36 2/3 innings this year, Meek has been one of the more dominant non-closers in baseball this year.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL David Hernandez Alfredo Simon, 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 Kyle Farnsworth
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 Aaron Heilman Chad Qualls
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Andrew Cashner
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street (DL)
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL John Axford 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, Drew Storen
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 13th, 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 11.

American League:

Rich Harden of the Texas Rangers is headed to the disabled list and will be out of action for the next two weeks as will Dice-K of the Boston Red Sox with a forearm strain. Magglio Ordonez could find himself going on the DL soon after missing action this week with an oblique injury. Orlando Hudson is expected to come of the disabled list and be in the Minnesota Twins lineup on Tuesday after missing time with a sore hand.

Daniel Nava became the latest new Boston Red Sox outfielder this week, starting in right field and batting ninth in the order. It is quite a rise for Nava who was just playing in an Independent League back in 2007. His career minor league batting average is .342 so he can definitely swing the bat so he could see some time if he is over to carry that over against major league pitching.

National League:

Joe Martinez will get the start on Tuesday for the San Francisco Giants, against Baltimore filling in for Todd Wellemyer on the disabled list. Martinez was 5-2 with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 67 1/3 innings with 52 strikeouts. in Triple-A.

Jon Garland becomes a two-start pitcher in week 11 after the San Diego Padres decided to bump him up in the rotation and have him go on three days rest. He will face Toronto and Shaun Marcum and then Chris Tillman and Baltimore at the end of the week.

Catcher Miguel Montero was activate from the disabled list by the Arizona Diamondbacks and is safe to activate for your fantasy baseball lineup next week. Montero went 2-for-4 on Sunday hitting sixth in the line up with a run scored and a RBI.

Read More »

2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 12th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 11. 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 11: 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:

Clay Buchholz (BOS) ~ ARI (Kennedy), LAD (Billingsley)
CC Sabathia (NYY) ~ PHI (Halladay), NYM (Santana)
Trevor Cahill (OAK) ~ @CHC (Zambrano), @STL (Garcia)
David Price (TB) ~ @ATL (Kawakami), @FLA (Johnson)
C.J. Wilson (TEX) ~ @FLA (Johnson), @HOU (Paulino)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) ~ @SD (Latos), SF (Sanchez)

Cahill becomes a two-start starter with Dallas Braden pushed back to Thursday.

Roll the Dice:

Freddy Garcia (CHW) ~ @PIT (Lincoln), @WAS (Lannan)
Joe Saunders (LAA) ~ MIL (Wolf), @CHC (Zambrano)
Carl Pavano (MIN) ~ COL (Cook), @PHI (Halladay)

Pavano has put up pretty similar stats through 12 starts as he did after coming over to Minnesota last season. What is amazing about this season, besides the 1.17 WHIP is that he has gotten a decision in every single one of his starts so far this season, so if you are looking for wins for your team, that is a good thing, although he will have two tough tests against Colorado and at Philadelphia. Garcia has been on a good run, winning six of his last seven starts, allowing three runs or less all but one time.

Sit Them:

Chris Tillman (BAL) ~ @SF (Sanchez), @SD (Latos)
Justin Masterson (CLE) ~ NYM (Santana), @PIT (Lincoln)
Rick Porcello (DET) ~ WAS (Lannan), ARI (Kennedy)
Kyle Davies (KC) ~ HOU (Paulino), @ATL (Kawakami)
Luke  French (SEA) ~ @STL (Wainwright), CIN (Harang)

Luke French became a two-start pitcher in week 11 when he replaced Ian Snell in the rotation. French was 6-2 in Triple-A with a 1.93 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings. Nothing has changed in my opinion regarding Tillman this time around in the majors. He has not shown the ability to strike out hitters on a consistent basis and his control takes a nosedive upon reaching the major leagues.

National League:

Start them:

Ian Kennedy (AZ) ~ @BOS (Buchholz), @DET (Porcello)
Josh Johnson (FLO) ~ TEX (Wilson), TB (Price)
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) ~ @CIN (Harang), @BOS (Buchholz)
Johan Santana (NYM) ~ @CLE (Masterson), @NYY (Sabathia)
Roy Halladay (PHI) ~ @NYY (Sabathia), MIN (Pavano)
Jon Garland (SD) ~ TOR (Marcum), BAL (Tillman)
Jonathan Sanchez (SF) ~ BAL (Tillman), @TOR (Marcum)
Adam Wainwright (STL) ~ SEA (French), OAK (Cahill)

Roll the Dice:

Kenshin Kawakami (ATL) ~ TB (Price), KC (Davies)
Aaron Harang (CIN) ~ LAD (Kershaw), @SEA (French)
Felipe Paulino (HOU) ~ @KC (Davies), TEX (Wilson)

Kawakami’s 0-8 record does not inspire much confidence, but has thrown better at home where he has two starts next week, with an ERA a full run lower. He has also allowed three runs or less in five of his last six starts. Harang is 3-0 in his last five starts and has allowed five runs in his last 19 innings of work. Paulino has been on a roll with a 1.75 ERA over his last five starts. After allowing 20 home runs in 97 2/3 innings last season, Paulino has allowed only two in 75 1/3 innings in 2010 so I would expect to see a small correction coming soon.

Sit Them:

Carlos Zambrano (CHC) ~ OAK (Cahill), LAA (Saunders)
Aaron Cook (COL) ~ @MIN (Pavano), MIL (Wolf)
Randy Wolf (MIL) ~ @LAA (Saunders), @COL (Cook)
Brad Lincoln (PIT) ~ CHW (Garcia), CLE (Masterson)
John Lannan (WAS) ~ @DET (Porcello), CWS (Garcia)

Zambrano has only had two starts since moving back into the rotation and struggled in both, walking 8 in 9 1/3 innings with only five strikeouts. His batting average against on the year is also 50 points higher than it was in 2009. It has been a dismal year for Wolf with a jump in home runs allowed, a decrease in strikeouts per nine and an increase in walks. He has really been too inconsistent to start on a weekly basis and faces a tough road test in his second start at Colorado.

Read More »

2010 Waiver Wire – Week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 10th, 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 11.

American League only:

1B – Mike Carp – Carp was called up by the Seattle Mariners at the beginning of the week and has moved into the starting line up at first base as the Mariners look to add some juice to their offense. Carp was hitting .250 in Triple-A with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 184 at bats before being recalled.

SS – Omar Vizquel – Vizquel has moved into the starting line up for the Chicago White Sox thanks to the injury to Mark Teahen. He should score a few runs and steal a couple of bases during his time as a full-time starter. He hit second Thursday night and delivered his first home run of the season.

SP – Jake Arrieta – I wrote about Arrieta earlier in the minor league report this week.  His control issues make him a risky play in a mixed league format, especially starting against American League East teams, but in an AL format, his strikeouts give him some value going forward.

OF – Ryan Raburn – with Magglio Ordonez sidelined with an oblique injury, Raburn could see some additional at bats over the next week or two. His numbers have been less than stellar this season with a .179 batting average and no home runs in 78 at bats, but he does have some thump in his bat.

National League only:

OF – Roger Bernadina - Bernadina seems to have found a home in right field for the Washington Nationals. He does not have any standout skills, but he has been quietly consistent since moving into a starting role. If you project his stats out over 500+ at bats, his line reads 10 home runs, 80 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

12 /15 mixed league:

OF – Jose Tabata – with so few stolen base options available on the waiver wire at this time of the season, a player that gets called up from the minor leagues with speed immediately becomes a top target for free agent budgets. Hitting lead off in Pittsburgh, Tabata should be able to score a decent amount of runs and could steal 15-20 bases over the course of the remainder of the season.

OF – Mike Stanton – after tearing up Double-A pitching Stanton debuted in the Florida Marlins line up this week, hitting seventh and playing in right field. Definitely worth picking up if you need home runs and can support what is to be an expected lower batting average with his propensity for striking out.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 9th, 2010

For fantasy baseball owners that have been holding onto minor league players on their reserve in order to get a mid-season boost to their teams, their patience is about to pay off. This week marked the debut of Stephen Strasburg and Mike Stanton on Tuesday with Brad Lincoln and Jose Tabata getting called up today by Pittsburgh and pitcher Jake Arrieta expected to arrive tomorrow to start against the New York Yankees.

Lincoln was 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 68 1/3 innings with 55 strikeouts. It has been a long journey to the major leagues for Lincoln who was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 draft and then missed the entire 2007 season following Tommy John surgery in April of that year. Lincoln got the start against Cincinnati on Wednesday night and allowed five runs on six innings with three strikeouts.

Jose Tabata was also promoted today and started in left field and hit lead off for Pittsburgh, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Tabata was hitting .308 in 224 at bats with three home runs, 19 RBI and 25 stolen bases. He has already stolen more bases so far this year than in any other season in the minor leagues with a high of 22 occurring back in 2005. He show far has not shown the ability to hit for power, but if your team is in need of stolen bases, he could be a good addition to your fantasy baseball team.

The one name missing from the list of Pittsburgh promotions was third basemen Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez started off slow in April and has been working to improve his plate discipline and performance against left-handed pitching. He was much better in May with a .294 batting average and six home runs and 30 RBI in 102 at bats. He is hitting .417 over his last 10 games and I would expect to see him promoted by the end of the month.

It looks like the Minnesota Twins might have a Denard Span clone in Double-A in the form of Ben Revere. Revere is hitting .303 with one home run, 16 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 208 at bats. A first round pick in 2007, Revere has hit over .300 at four different levels while stealing over 40 bases in both 2008 and 2009.

Outfielder Ryan Kalish was promoted to Triple-A by the Boston Red Sox after hitting .293 with eight home runs, 29 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 150 at bats. Even more impressive was his plate discipline with 28 walks against only 21 strikeouts at the age of 22.

Pitcher Michael Pineda of the Seattle Mariners is off to a great start in Double-A with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 64 1/3 innings with 70 strikeouts. He still has some work to do against left-handed hitters who are hitting .286 against him compared to right-handed batters hitting only .161 before he moves up to the next level.

Second basemen Reese Havens has New York Met fans dreaming about about an infield of David Wright, Jose Reyes, Havens and Ike Davis around the diamond in 2011. Havens, a first-round pick in the 2008 draft is hitting .344 since being promoted to Double-A with six home runs and 12 RBI in 61 at bats.

Read More »

The Closer Report – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 8th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 10. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

While Matt Capps has blown four of his last six save opportunities, he is still the closer in Washington. Fantasy baseball owners blew some of their FAAB budget this weekend on Tyler Clippard when news surfaced about a possible change in roles, but Capps picked up the save for Stephen Strasburg’s first major league win on Monday night. From a front office perspective, it is best to leave Capps in the closer role to try to maintain his trade value if the team falls out of the race. Manager Jim Riggleman has presented a united front so far in keeping the course with Capps, although another blown save or two could eventually force a change.

Alfredo Simon is supposed to return as the Baltimore closer when he returns from the disabled list sometime this week. Will Ohman has been blasted in three of his last four outing since taking over as closer, allowing seven runs in three innings.

David Aardsma has not been getting the job done for the Seattle Mariners lately, blowing two of his last three save opportunities and allowing three runs in each of those outings which leaves his ERA at 5.21. There has been no news about him possibly losing his role, but with the recent changes the Mariners have been making to their line up anything could be possible if he blows another game in the next week or two.

Brian Fuentes has faced a similar demon as has Aardsma with an inflated ERA thanks to five home runs in 14 2/3 innings. He has a 5.52 ERA and has converted 8 of 11 saves plus he received a vote of confidence from manager Mike Scioscia so he looks to be safe. Back up Fernando Rodney has converted five saves in six chances but a 1.46 WHIP thanks to 17 walks in 23 1/3 innings does not make him a much better option than Fuentes at this point.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon 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 Kyle Farnsworth
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 Aaron Heilman
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Andrew Cashner
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street (DL)
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL John Axford 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, Drew Storen
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 6th, 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 10.

American League:

The Detroit Tigers called up Danny Worth and sent down Adam Everett, so if you still have Worth reserved in an AL only format from earlier in the year, he should see time over Ramon Santiago at shortstop next week. Worth was hitting .287 in Triple-A with two home runs, 18 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

Orlando Hudson, out of action since May 30th is expected to go on the disabled list sometime in the next few days. Also at risk to go on the disabled list is shortstop J.J. Hardy who was out of action just a short time ago and is still experiencing pain in his wrist. It was not a pretty sight to see the Minnesota infield on Sunday with a combination of Brendan Harris at first base, Matt Tolbert at second base, Nick Punto at shortstop and Danny Valencia at third base, with all four hitters batting under .225.

Doug Fister is headed to the disabled list for the Seattle Mariners and will be replaced in the rotation by either recently recalled Luke French or by Ryan Rowland-Smith.

Minor league pitcher Jake Arrieta was scratched from his start on Saturday and could be headed to the major leagues in either a starter or relief role. If your league allows for daily transactions, I would watch the news on him closely this week as he could have in impact if he gets some starts. I wrote more about him in the minor league report earlier this week.

With Macier Izturis hobbled by a sore knee, Kevin Frandsen could see some additional at bats at third base this week for the Los Angeles Angels. Frandsen is hitting .452 in 31 at bats in a limited role so far in 2010.

National League:

The big news in the National League is the arrival of two rookies on Tuesday with Stephen Strasburg arriving for the Washington Nationals and Mike Stanton coming up for the Florida Marlins. Strasburg is a two-start starter in week 10 which makes him obviously a player to activate. Stanton should move right into the starting line up and hit seventh. Stanton is still a major risk to your fantasy baseball team’s batting average with his high strikeout rate, but if your team needs home runs and RBI, then I would have him active for this week.

Third basemen David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals is likely out of action until next weekend in order to rest his ankle. He did get one at bat on Sunday in a pinch-hit appearance and could fill that role for half of next week.

Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves is expected to miss the first game or two and possibly more next week as he continues to battle an injured finger which means Omar Infante will see additional time in week 10.

Read More »

2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 4th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 10. 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 10: 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:

Zack Greinke (KC) ~ @MIN (Slowey), @CIN (LeCure)
Jered Weaver (LAA) ~ @OAK (Open), @LAD (Kuroda)
Phil Hughes (NYY) ~ @BAL (Bergesen), HOU (Moehler)
Cliff Lee (SEA) ~ @TEX (Feldman), @SD (LeBlanc)
Felix Hernandez (SEA) ~ @TEX (Lewis), @SD (Richard)
Jeff Niemann (TB) ~ TOR (Marcum), FLA (Volstad)
Colby Lewis (TEX) ~ SEA (Hernandez), @MIL (Gallardo)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) ~ @TB (Niemann), @COL (Francis)

Roll the Dice:

Gavin Floyd (CHW) ~ DET (Galarraga), @CHC (Lilly)
Fausto Carmona (CLE) ~ BOS (Matsuzaka), WAS (Stammen)
Armando Galarraga (DET) ~ @CWS (Floyd), PIT (Karstens)
Kevin Slowey (MIN) ~ KC (Greinke), ATL (Medlen)
Ben Sheets (OAK) ~ LAA (Kazmir), @SF (Zito)

Floyd has been wildly inconsistent this season as opposing hitters are betting 60 points higher against him than in 2009. He had two good starts at the end of May before allowing six runs in 2 2/3 innings against Texas in his last start.  Slowey has been on a roll and hasn’t loss in his last four starts, while allowing a total of seven runs during that time frame. He allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings against Kansas City back on April 25th. Sheets was a much different pitcher in May once the team determined he was tipping his pitches. Sheets has a 3.31 ERA over his last six starts with 36 strikeouts in 38 innings.

Sit Them:

Tim Wakefield (BOS) ~ @CLE (Huff), PHI (Kendrick)
Brad Bergesen (BAL) ~ NYY (Hughes), NYM (Pelfrey)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) ~ @CLE (Carmona), PHI (Hamels)
David Huff (CLE) ~ BOS (Wakefield), WAS (Strasburg)
Scott Kazmir (LAA) ~ @OAK (Sheets), @LAD (Ely)
Scott Feldman (TEX) ~ SEA (Lee), @MIL (Bush)

Wakefield has been bombed his last two starts, allowing 15 runs in 9 2/3 innings. He did throw nine shutout innings against the Phillies on May 23rd so if you feel lucky…I don’t think you can ever spot start Dice-K because he is just so inconsistent. Either you ride him in your line up all year long when healthy or leave him on the bench. If you try to pick the times when you decide to start him, you are going to guess wrong more often than not.

National League:

Start them:

Kris Medlen (ATL) ~ @ARI (Lopez), @MIN (Slowey)
Ted Lilly (CHC) ~ @MIL (Gallardo), CWS (Floyd)
Johnny Cueto (CIN) ~ SF (Zito), KC (Bannister)
Yovani Gallardo (MIL) ~ CHC (Lilly), TEX (Lewis)
Mike Pelfrey (NYM) ~ SD (Richard), @BAL (Bergesen)
Cole Hamels (PHI) ~ SD (LeBlanc), @BOS (Matsuzaka)
Clayton Richard (SD) ~ @NYM (Pelfrey), SEA (Hernandez)
Barry Zito (SF) ~ @CIN (Cueto), OAK (Sheets)
Matt Cain (SF) ~ @CIN (LeCure), OAK
Chris Carpenter (STL) ~ @LAD (Monasterios), @ARI (Lopez)
Stephen Strasburg (WAS) ~ PIT (Karstens), @CLE (Huff)

Roll the Dice:

Edwin Jackson (AZ) ~ ATL (Lowe), STL (Garcia)
Derek Lowe (ATL) ~ @ARI (Jackson), @MIN (Blackburn)
Jeff Francis (COL) ~ HOU (Moehler), TOR (Marcum)
Chris Volstad (FLA) ~ @PHI (Kendrick), @TB (Niemann)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) ~ @PHI (Hamels), SEA (Lee)

Lowe has won 4 of his last 5 starts since allowing seven runs against Philadelphia back on May 7th. In that stretch, he has allowed three runs or fewer in all of those starts. Volstad has lost four of his last five starts despite not surrendering more than three runs in any of them. His ERA of 3.43 in May was 2 1/2 runs lower then what is was in April. LeBlanc is on the fence for me with a road start against Philadelphia and a home start against Cliff Lee. He gave up eight runs in three innings when he faced Seattle almost three weeks ago.

Sit Them:

Rodrigo Lopez (AZ) ~ ATL (Lowe), STL (Carpenter)
Sam LeCure (CIN) ~ SF (Cain), KC (Greinke)
Jason Hammel (COL) ~ HOU (Rodriguez), TOR (Morrow)
Brian Moehler (HOU) ~ @COL (Francis), @NYY (Hughes)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) ~ @COL (Hammel), @NYY (Vazquez)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) ~ FLA (Volstad), @BOS (Wakefield)
Zach Duke (PIT) ~ @WAS (Strasburg), @DET (Galarraga)

Lopez was much better in May than in April with a 4.17 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. With two home starts at Coors Field, I would steer clear of Hammel this week. Kendrick is a tough call, with two good decent starts in a row. He tossed six scoreless innings against the Marlins on 5/28 and allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings against Boston on 5/22. Wandy Rodriguez has two tough road starts, where his ERA is 1.70 higher than at home. His strikeout rate on the road also has taken a hit this year at 4.7 per nine vs. 8.7 at home.

Read More »

2010 Waiver Wire – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 3rd, 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 10.

American League only:

3B – Danny Valencia – Valencia was called up by the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday and will see time at third base. His stay could be a short one if the team is looking for a hitter with Michael Cuddyer out a few days on bereavement leave, or his stay could be longer if the Twins actually give him at bats and a chance to win the job from Nick Punto. Valencia was hitting .292 with no home runs and 24 RBI on 185 at bats with two stolen bases. His career minor league average is .299 and he hit 14 home runs between two levels last year so he is not a light hitter by any means, but for some reason the home runs have not been there this year.

SP – Tommy Hunter – Hunter is ready to return to the Texas Rangers and with Derek Holland going on the disabled list, there is a spot open for him in the rotation to make a couple of starts. Hunter has a 4.05 ERA in six starts in Triple-A this year with a 1.46 WHIP and 14 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings.

National League only:

SP – Carlos Monasterios - it has been quite a journey for Monasterios who just last season was repeating High-A in the minor leagues while pitching mostly in relief at the age of 23. He has already been with several organizations, starting with the New York Yankees before being traded to Philadelphia in the Bobby Abreu deal back in 2006. He was selected by the New York Mets in the Rule V Draft this past off season but then traded to the Dodgers where he seems to have found a home so far.  He has been filling in for Vicente Padilla on the disabled list so there is no guarantee he will stay in the rotation, but for now the results make him worthy of a claim if he is still a free agent. Monasterios has a 1.87 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP through 33 2/3 innings with 17 strikeouts.

OF - Xavier Nady – with rumors of Derrek Lee possibly being on the trade block in Chicago, the Cubs are going to need a first basemen if he is moved. The most likely scenario is that Nady or even someone like Alfonso Soriano is moved to first base. If Soriano is moved, that would open up additional at bats for Nady or Tyler Colvin.

12 /15 mixed league:

RP – John Axford – as long as Axford keeps getting the job done, it looks like he will remain in the closer role.He has picked up three saves and a win in his last four appearances and has a 2.79 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. Trevor Hoffman was bombed in his last outing and Carlos Villanueva has allowed three runs in his last 2/3 of an inning so there is no else stepping forward in the bullpen.

3B – Mike Lowell – several weeks ago it looked like Lowell was going to get additional time with David Ortiz struggling in Boston. Since then Big Papi has been on fire and Lowell has been relegated to a bench role. With injuries and players under performing, teams are now starting to assess trade possibilities. There is a good chance that Lowell could be on the move somewhere in the next month and would turn into a full-time player.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 9

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 2nd, 2010

Hopefully if you have been reading previous articles, you have been rostering select minor league players to your reserve spots on your fantasy baseball team in preparation of June when we should start seeing more call ups from the minor leagues.  While you should know almost all of the names on the list below, in case you have been busy this summer, here is a look at the next wave of players that should be coming up.

1) Stephen Strasburg (WAS) – not much to say about him as he as lived up to the hype. Is expected to get his first major league start on June 8th. It looks like the Washington Nationals are going to limit him to around 100 innings or so in the minor leagues. The only number that is potentially impacted is his win total. For example, if he were to theoretically throw 11 complete games, then he hits the mark and is done in August. If he say averages 6 innings per start, then he would get roughly 16 starts the rest of the way which would give him a chance for five additional wins. His minor league numbers to date show a 1.43 ERA with a .79 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings with a .157 batting average against.

2) Carlos Santana (CLE) – There has been very little chatter out of Cleveland as to when Santana may be recalled but with only Lou Marson in front of him, it should be any day now. Santana is hitting .316 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI in 51 games. He has also walked 42 times and struck out 34 which is pretty incredible for a switch-hitting 24-year-old. On top of that, he has also stolen six bases without being caught.

3) Mike Stanton (FLO) – it seems like every day there is news on when Stanton is coming to the major leagues. While the power is legit, there are still questions I have with a strikeout rate of 28% in Double-A. Jumping Triple-A to the majors gives me concern for his batting average, but not his power numbers. He is not going to steal any bases so home runs and RBI is what he is bringing to the table. Stanton is currently hitting .300 with 20 home runs and 50 RBI in 49 games.

4) Aroldis Chapman (CIN) – Chapman has run off three solid starts in a row after struggling in mid-May. He now sports a 3.42 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP with 60 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings. His control and pitch counts are what is keeping him in the minor leagues and with the Cincinnati Reds rotation pitching decent and the team winning there is no need to rush him despite the talent he possesses. I think with another few starts like his last three in succession though would make it easier for the team to promote him with some momentum.

5) Madison Bumgarner (SF) – it looked like Bumgarner was getting close to a call up but the San Francisco Giants have stuck with Todd Wellemeyer as the 5th starter and he has come up with two solid starts in a row. Bumgarner is pitching tonight in Triple-A and has run off 25 1/3 scoreless innings. His season numbers stand at a 2.04 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 40 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings. With Brian Sabean taking forever to promote Buster Posey and his love of veteran players, Bumgarner might be down on the farm a little longer than he should be.

6) Jake Arrieta (BAL) – there are many holes in the Baltimore rotation so he could be called up at any point this season. He has a 1.91 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP to go along with 60 strikeouts in 66 innings. He has improved his control in his last three starts with two walks per start so he is getting closer to getting the call up. He has also held opposing hitters to a .183 batting average so far this season.

7) Brett Wallace (TOR) – with Lyle Overbay starting to hit a little bit and the Blue Jays banging out home runs every night, there has not been much of a swell of support for Wallace despite his performance in Triple-A. Wallace is hitting .282 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI  in 209 at bats. He still needs a little bit of work on his plate discipline, but he could be called up at anytime and up some decent numbers for your team.

8) Desmond Jennings (TB) – Jennings may have been higher on the list had he not suffered through several injuries to start the season. As it is, with Tampa Bay rolling and the versatility of so many players on the major league team, it is easier to give him more at bats in Triple-A and let him get in a groove which he has yet to find so far this season. Jennings is hitting .248 with 12 stolen bases in 101 at bats.

9) Dan Hudson (CHW) – every time it seems like Freddy Garcia is on the verge of getting bounced from the rotation, he goes out and throws a gem, leaving Hudson to work more in Triple-A. Outside of a bad April, Hudson has turned it around with a solid May, going 4-0 with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, including 44 strikeouts in 37 innings.

10) Tanner Scheppers (TEX) – not sure how much of a fantasy impact he will have as a set up pitcher, but with all of the volatility we have seen this season at the closer position, you can never go wrong with a power arm in the bullpen. Scheppers has pitched in relief at two levels this year and has a 1.00 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with 42 strikeouts in 27 innings. He could serve a set up role for the Texas Rangers the second half of the season.

Read More »

The Closer Report – Week 9

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 1st, 2010

Here is a look at the closer report for week 9. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

John Axford has taken control of the closer spot in Milwaukee with Carlos Villanueva falling into a secondary role. Axford has converted both of his save chances this season and has 13 strikeouts in eight innings. Trevor Hoffman had been working his way back toward the role with three scoreless innings before giving up three runs and five base runners in an inning of work on Tuesday night against Florida.

Brad Lidge was activated from the disabled list by the Philadelphia Phillies, but with the way that Jose Contreras is throwing, Lidge will serve in a set up role for the foreseeable future.

The Chicago Cubs recalled Andrew Cashner from Triple-A and will have him work out of the bullpen. Cashner started nine of 11 games in the minor leagues this season with a 2.05 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 57 innings. His power stuff should work well in one or two inning spurts, although he does not have much value unless Carlos Marmol would go down with an injury. Cashner is not a closer of the future, but with no one else stepping up besides Marmol, there would be a slight chance he could see some save opportunities if an injury were to strike.

Matt Thornton picked up a save last week when Bobby Jenks injured his calf in warm ups. No permanent change has been announced by Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen so I would assume Jenks will get the ball health permitting in the next save chance. Thornton still has quite a bit of value as a lefty to pick up a situational save, or even steal the job outright from Jenks based on performance. With the standings now starting to shape up and scouts looking at potential trade targets, there is a good chance that Jenks, Thornton or even both would get moved at some point this season.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Will Ohman Alfredo Simon, 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 Aaron Heilman
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Andrew Cashner
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Manny Corpas Rafael Betancourt, Huston Street (DL)
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Ramon Tronosco
MIL John Axford Carlos Villanueva
NYM Francisco Rodriguez Pedro Feliciano
PHI Jose Contreras J.C. Romero, Brad Lidge
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 »

 

Designed by: Free Cell Phones | Thanks to Highest CD Rates, Domain Registration and Registry Software