Archive for August, 2010

The Closer Report – Week 22

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 30th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 22. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

The trade of Brian Fuentes from the Los Angeles Angels puts Fernando Rodney in the closer role in LA with Fuentes moving to a set up role in Minnesota behind Matt Capps. Although Fuentes picked up a one-out save Saturday based on a lefty matchup, Capps is still the closer to own for the Twins.  For keeper leagues, it means Fuentes will be trying to win a job on a new team next season as a free agent and Rodney should be the closer in LA as he is under contract for 2011 at $5.5 million. Dynasty owners should keep an eye on recent call-up Jordan Walden who could figure into the mix for saves down the line, but he still has some work to do on his control with 24 walks in 49 2/3 innings in the minor leagues.

Koji Uehara tied for the American League lead with three saves last week in Baltimore and is firmly in control of the closer role for the Baltimore Orioles with Mike Gonzalez serving in a setup role. Gonzalez is due to earn $6 million in 2011 so he could get a crack at regaining the job next spring.

With J.J. Putz on the disabled list and Matt Thornton out with a forearm injury the last two weeks, Bobby Jenks should see the majority of saves for the Chicago White Sox. Of course having said that, Jenks allowed three runs in the ninth against the Cleveland Indians to send the game into extra innings.

Brandon Lyon led the National League with three saves last week and has entrenched himself as closer in Houston with Matt Lindstrom out of action. With Lyon under contract through 2012, if he closes out the year as closer like has been pitching the last few weeks, he will head into 2011 as the main guy.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Koji Uehara Mike Gonzalez
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Bobby Jenks Matt Thornton
CLE Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Phil Coke
KC Joakim Soria Robinson Tejada
LAA Fernando Rodney John Walden
MIN Matt Capps Brian Fuentes
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Andrew Bailey Michael Wuertz
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Dan Wheeler
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Aaron Heilman Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Rafael Betancourt
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Brandon Lyon Wilton Lopez
LAD Hong-Chih Kuo Octavio Dotel
MIL John Axford Trevor Hoffman
NYM H. Takahashi Pedro Feliciano
PHI Brad Lidge Jose Contreras, Ryan Madson
PIT Joel Hanrahan Evan Meek
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Drew Storen Ty Clippard
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2010 Lineup Planner – Week 22

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 29th, 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 22.

American League:

The trade of Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins leaves Fernando Rodney in the closer role in Los Angeles so make sure he is active in your lineup next week.

Outfielder Nelson Cruz is expected to return from the disabled list for the Texas Rangers on Monday. Coming off of his third trip to the disabled list, he might be rested a game or two more going forward with the additional depth the Rangers now have.

Outfielder Matt LaPorta of the Cleveland Indians exited Sunday’s game with a strained hip. It was the same hip he had surgery on last year and his status is in question so make sure you have him replaced in your lineup for next week.

Second basemen Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles missed action over the weekend with a strained hip and is questionable for the start of the week. With the amount of middle infielders likely available in your league in free agency, I would plan on starting one of them over Roberts next week.

National League:

Manny Ramirez looks like he is on his way out of Los Angeles and headed to the Chicago White Sox. Details are still sketchy whether it is a straight waiver claim or a trade which could delay his arrival a day or two, meaning he should remain benched for next week still.

Aroldis Chapman is expected to make his major league debut for the Cincinnati Reds early next week in the bullpen. NL only owners in need of strikeouts should look to add him into their active lineup.

Troy Tulowitzki is day-to-day with a strained groin for Colorado and is questionable for Monday’s game. Chris Denorfia of the San Diego Padres is day-to-day after missing some action over the weekend with a sore back.

Platoon Roles:

For those players in platoon roles, below you will find the number of games that each player might play based on the current pitching matchups for week 22.

Team Vs. Righty Vs. Lefty
Boston – 2B Jed Lowrie (3) Bill Hall (3)
Boston – OF Daniel Nava (3) Darnell McDonald (3)
Texas – 1B Mitch Moreland (5) Jorge Cantu (1)
Arizona – OF Gerardo Parra (4) Rusty Ryal (2)
Atlanta – OF Eric Hinske (3) Matt Diaz (4)
Atlanta – OF Rick Ankiel (3) Melky Cabrera (4)
Colorado – OF Seth Smith (4) Ryan Spillborghs (3)
Houston – 1B Brett Wallace (4) Jason Michaels (2)
San Diego – OF Will Venable (4) Scott Hairston (2)
St. Louis – OF John Jay (3) Allen Craig (3)
Washington – 2B Adam Kennedy (4) Alberto Gonzalez (2)
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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 22

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 27th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 22. 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.

2 start pitchers week 22: 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:

Brian Duensing (MIN) ~ DET (Galarraga), TEX (Lee)
Phil Hughes (NYY) ~ OAK (Mazzaro), TOR (Cecil)
Trevor Cahill (OAK) ~ @NYY (Moseley), LAA (Santana)
Felix Hernandez (SEA) ~ LAA (Santana), CLE (Masterson)
C.J. Wilson (TEX) ~ @KC (Davies), @MIN (Duensing)

Roll the Dice:

Josh Beckett (BOS) ~ @BAL (Matusz), CWS (Buehrle)
Mark Buehrle (CHW) ~ @CLE (Talbot), @BOS (Beckett)
Armando Galarraga (DET) ~ @MIN (Duensing), @KC (Davies)
Dan Haren (LAA) ~ @SEA (Pauley), @OAK (Mazzaro)
Dustin Moseley (NYY) ~ OAK (Cahill), TOR (Rzepczynski)
Vin Mazzaro (OAK) ~ @NYY (Hughes), LAA (Haren)
David Pauley (SEA) ~ LAA (Haren), CLE (Talbot)
Wade Davis (TB) ~ TOR (Cecil), @BAL (Matusz)
Brett Cecil (TOR) ~ @TB (Davis), @NYY (Hughes)
Ervin Santana (LAA) ~ SEA (Hernandez), @OAK (Cahill)

Beckett has been rocked in three of his past four starts, allowing 22 runs in 22 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs in seven innings in his lone start against Baltimore and has yet to face the White Sox this season. If you are trying to catch up in stats, then you probably have to take your chances and hope for two good starts. If you are trying to protect your team ERA and WHIP, it is probably best to have him on the bench. Buerhle is 6-3 in his last 10 starts, allowing three runs or less in eight of those starts. Galarraga has been better the second half of the season despite only one win in eight starts. ERA of 3.60 with 1.28 WHIP plus uptick in his strikeout rate gives him the benefit of the doubt for now. Haren’s numbers haven been slightly better in the American League with a drop in strikeouts as he now faces a designated hitter. His batting average against in both leagues has been much higher than in 2009 giving some cause for concern for his value in keeper leagues. Moseley is good for wins but allowing a home run every five innings does not bode well for long term success. Mazzaro has not won since July 24th despite allowing three runs or less in five straight starts. Pauley has two home starts where he has a 2.66 ERA and 1.10 WHIP vs. 5.40 and 1.54 on the road. Davis has not lost since June 27th and has allowed two runs or less in five of his last six starts. Cecil has carried over his performance from the first half to the second with a slightly lower ERA and a slightly higher WHIP. His start on August 14th when he allowed seven runs was the only time in his last nine outings that he allowed more than three runs. Santana has not been as sharp since the All-Star break and faces two tough opposing starters next week making him a tough start.

Sit Them:

Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ BOS (Beckett), TB (Davis)
Justin Masterson (CLE) ~ CWS (Jackson), @SEA (Hernandez)
Mitch Talbot (CLE) ~ CWS (Buehrle), @SEA (Pauley)
Kyle Davies (KC) ~ TEX (Wilson), DET (Galarraga)

Talbot has not won since June 27th and is 1-6 in his last 10 starts. Masterson allows too many hits and too many walks to have success as a starter on a consistent basis. Matusz has been better of late, but has a 6.06 ERA vs. Tampa Bay with a 1.53 WHIP, his second start next week. Against Boston, his numbers are 2.41 and 1.18.

National League:

Start them:

Mike Minor (ATL) ~ NYM (Niese), @FLA (Sanabia)
Travis Wood (CIN) ~ MIL (Wolf), @STL (Carpenter)
Hiroki Kuroda (LAD) ~ PHI (Halladay), SF (Sanchez)
Jon Niese (NYM) ~ @ATL (Minor), @CHC (Zambrano)
Roy Halladay (PHI) ~ @LAD (Kuroda), MIL (Bush)
Jonathan Sanchez (SF) ~ COL (De La Rosa), @LAD (Kuroda)

Roll the Dice:

Jair Jurrjens (ATL) ~ NYM (Misch), @FLA (Johnson)
Carlos Zambrano (CHC) ~ PIT (Maholm), NYM (Niese)
Jorge De La Rosa (COL) ~ @SF (Sanchez), @SD (Richard)
J.A. Happ (HOU) ~ STL (Westbrook), @ARI (Saunders)
Randy Wolf (MIL) ~ @CIN (Wood), @PHI (Kendrick)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) ~ @LAD (Monasterios), MIL (Wolf)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) ~ @ARI (Saunders), COL (Rogers)
Jake Westbrook (STL) ~ @HOU (Happ), CIN (Wood)

Throw out Jurrjens last start at Colorado and he had went four straight starts with three runs allowed or less. Allowed four runs in seven innings in his start against Florida back on July 25th. Zambrano has been good in the ERA department but his control has been Carlos Marmol like with 16 walks in 24 innings.  De La Rosa has been on a roll, allowing three runs or less in seven straight starts while striking out five or more in six of those outings. Happ has had only one really bad start since the All-Star break and it was against St. Louis, allowing seven runs in one inning. The same team he happens to face in his first start next week. Other than that start, the other six starts were all three runs or less. Wolf has won three of his last four starts and allowed two runs or less in four or his last six appearances. Kendrick has been streaky, either pitching very well or getting hit hard. He has been much better on the road with a 3.87 ERA and 1.28 WHIP vs. 5.50 and 1.46 at home. If you have daily or bi-weekly transactions, keep that in mind. LeBlanc walks a fine line to get wins in San Diego, usually needing to surrender three runs or less to get a decision. He has allowed four or more runs in four of his last 10 starts. He just faced Arizona this week, allowing three runs in 6 2/3 innings.  The move to the National League has agreed with Westbrook, sporting a 1.10 WHIP and striking out a batter per inning.

Sit Them:

Joe Saunders (AZ) ~ SD (LeBlanc), HOU (Happ)
Esmil Rogers (COL) ~ @SF (Bumgarner), @SD (LeBlanc)
Alejandro Sanabia (FLA) ~ WAS (Marquis), ATL (Minor)
Paul Maholm (PIT) ~ @CHC (Zambrano), WAS (Marquis)
Jason Marquis (WAS) ~ @FLA (Sanabia), @PIT (Marquis)
Pat Misch (NYM) ~ @ATL (Jurrjens), @CHC (Coleman)

Saunders was supposed to see a drop in his numbers with the move to the National League, instead, his ERA and WHIP have both gone up. He has allowed a home run in eight straight starts. Maholm is 2-6 in his last 10 starts and with little strikeouts to speak of, not much incentive to have him in your rotation. Sanabia is too unpredictable to use at this point of the season in mixed leagues unless you are desperate for wins.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 22

Posted by Tony Mancini on August 26th, 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 for upcoming week 22.

American League:

OF/DH  Marcus Thames – With Lance Berkman on the DL, Thames is seeing all at-bats versus lefty pitching for the Yankees.  Thames is hitting .316 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 117 plate appearances.

RP Chris Sale – Sale is another first round draft pick from this year’s draft that has reached the majors.  Currently pitching in relief for the Chicago White Sox, Sale was drafted as a starter and could be a potential keeper.

3B  Danny Valencia – Minnesota has finally decided to give Valencia the full time job at third after trying a slew of players; even Michael Cuddyer has a few games at third. Valencia is nothing flashy in terms of power since he only has one home run since being called up, but Minnesota has a great line-up and he will see his share of runs scored.  Valencia is hitting .329 on the season.

SP  Ivan Nova – It’s hard not to recommend a starting pitcher for the New York Yankees.  He showed some spunk in his first start for the Bombers going 5+ innings while only giving up two earned runs.  Nova was 12-3 in Triple-A with a 2.86 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 145 innings.

National League:

OF Seth Smith – With Brad Hawpe out of the picture in Colorado, Smith is going to see more at bats for the Rockies as they are only 4.5 games out in the NL West.  Smith who is 27-years-old has 14 home runs with 45 RBI while batting .265 in limited action.

OF Cameron Maybin – Florida called Maybin up again after they moved Cody Ross.  Maybin will see regular playing time in center field for the Marlins for the remainder of the season.  Maybin is 4 for his last 9 plate appearances.

Mixed Leagues:

OF Ryan Raburn – Magglio Ordonez is done for the season as the Detroit Tigers have decided to proceed with ankle surgery.  Raburn is hitting .333 with 5 home run over the last 17 games.

SP Bud Norris – Don’t look at Norris’s over numbers.  Norris has not allowed more than 2 runs over his last 3 starts and had 14 strikeouts in one of those outings.  Norris also hasn’t lost a game since July 17th.

OF Chris Denorfia – Denorfia has been also getting regular at bats for the Padres in the month of August.  He is hitting .339 this month and has 9 home runs with 31 RBI.  Denorfia is more know for having some speed with six steals on the season but ride him while he’s hot.

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2010 Buy / Sell – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 25th, 2010

With only six weeks left in the fantasy baseball season and most trade deadlines past, now is the time to focus on getting players that may be trending hot and looking to drop those players that are turning ice cold as the season winds down. Here is a look at some hitters to buy or sell in week 21.

Buy:

Will Rhymes – all Rhymes has done when he has gotten the chance is hit in Detroit, to the tune of a .318 batting average after Wednesday’s game. Should be able to score some runs hitting second in the order and can help a team batting average down the stretch. Has multi-hit games in six of his last eight starts.

Ryan Raburn – Rhymes teammate in Detroit, Rayburn is a good source of power at middle infield or in the outfield. Is currently hitting .321 in August with six home runs and 16 RBI in 78 at bats.

Coco Crisp - despite his injury tag which is warranted, he has been one of the top players in the American League over the last three weeks. He has a lot to play for with a $5.75 million club option looming for 2011. Crisp is hitting .350 in August with three home runs, 11 RBI and 9 stolen bases, giving him 19 stolen bases the last two months.

Chris Denorfia – despite the over crowded situation in the San Diego outfield, Denorfia has maintained a good stat pace in August, hitting .339 with three home runs, 11 RBI and two stolen bases.

Jamey Carroll – another middle infielder that has decent value as long as Rafael Furcal is out for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Caroll is hitting .350 in his last 60 at bats with seven runs scored and four stolen bases.

Sell:

Jack Cust - he was hitting home runs for awhile but has dropped off lately with 22 strikeouts in his last 48 at bats with a .188 batting average. The damage his batting average can still do to your team at this point of the season is not worth the trade off for the power.

Brennan Boesch – on the whole his numbers don’t look too bad when you first see them, but a closer look reveals second half numbers of a .156 batting average with only two home runs and 12 RBI in 135 at bats.

Jeff Mathis – with prospect Hank Conger a possible September call up combined with the performance of Mathis of late, .079 batting average with 15 strikeouts in 38 at bats means you should be looking for another catcher if you own him.

Brett Wallace – it looks like Wallace is going to have little impact down the stretch, rotating at firs base in Houston and still adjusting to major league pitching. Wallace is hitting .188 in 55 at bats with a whopping 22 strikeouts and no home runs.

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The Minor League Report – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 24th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 21 minor league report. With September 1 right around the corner, here is a look at some potential call ups that could have an impact for your fantasy baseball team the last month of the season.

C Hank Conger (LAA) – Conger has been solid at Triple-A with a .287 average, nine home runs and 42 RBI. He has good plate discipline with 50 walks and 55 strikeouts and could give your team a batting average boost the last month as his .287 mark this year is the lowest of his minor league career.

C J.P. Arencibia (TOR) – he was called up a few weeks ago and cost some owners a lot of their free agent money. For some reason Toronto reverted back to John Buck at catcher to give J.P. more time in the minor leagues. It remains to be seen how many at bats he might get the last month. If the team really wanted to give him time, they had the perfect opportunity with Buck injured. I would expect J.P. to get a couple of starts per week if he is brought back up.

1B Mark Trumbo (LAA) – The 24-year-old Trumbo has enjoyed a power breakout in Triple-A with 30 home runs and 104 RBI while hitting .294. He is blocked by Kendry Morales at first base next season, but he should see some at bats next month for the Angels.

2B Dustin Ackley (SEA) – The second overall pick from the 2009 draft, Ackley has made a successful transition to second base.  Across two levels this year, Ackley is hitting .276 in 439 at bats with five home runs, 43 RBI and nine stolen bases. The Mariners will likely look to move either Jose Lopez or Chone Figgins in the off-season to find a spot for Ackley in their 2011 line up.

3B Jared Goedert (CLE) – The Cleveland Indians have several third basemen in their pipeline with Goedert likely to get first crack since he is currently in Triple-A. Through two levels this year, he is hitting .295 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI.

3B Mat Gamel (MIL) – The forgotten prospect is back and healthy in Triple-A, hitting .319 to go with 12 home runs and 65 RBI in 285 at bats. With Casey McGehee locked in at third base, Gamel could see time at first base next season if Prince Fielder is traded.

OF Desmond Jennings (TB) – Despite the fact that he has not been called up this season does not diminish his appeal in long term keeper leagues. With Carl Crawford a free agent after this season, Jennings will be a full-time player in Tampa next year. He could impact the stolen base category the last month of the year. He is hitting .287 with three home runs, 36 RBI and is 34-for-37 in stolen bases.

OF Lucas Duda (NYM) – Duda has been on a power binge in AAA with 17 home runs and 53 RBI in just 230 at bats to go along with a .322 batting average. He could see a few at bats the last month of the year for the Mets.

SP – Michael Pineda (SEA) – Pineda has been solid since being promoted to Triple-A halfway through the season. His ERA at 4.14 is a little inflated with eight home runs allowed in 58 2/3 innings. His 71 strikeouts with a .210 batting average against though shows he could make an immediate impact once he is recalled.

SP – Zachary Britton (BAL) – The Baltimore Orioles have talked about a possible 6-man rotation with Chris Tillman and Britton looking at September call ups. Across two levels, Britton has a 2.70 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old lefty has only allowed five home runs while holding hitters to a .237 average.

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The Closer Report – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 23rd, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 21. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

Hisanori Takahashi had little problem last week in his first week as new closer for the New York Mets in place of Francisco Rodriguez. Takahashi picked up a save and worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings. With a 3.21 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP in his first 15 pitches on the season, he should be good in that role for the rest of the season.

Koji Uehara picked up a save last week for the Baltimore Orioles although manager Buck Showalter was not ready to annoint him the full-time closer yet. With a 1.73 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, Uehara has been more reliable in the pen than Mike Gonzalez or Alfredo Simon.

With Matt Lindstrom going on the disabled list, it finally confirmed what we have known for several weeks, that Brandon Lyon is officially the closer in Houston.  Lyon has been a perfect 4-for-4 in saves the last two weeks without allowing a run in his last six innings. NL only league players should grab Wilton Lopez as he may be able to snag a save or two over the next few weeks.

The month of August has been unkind to Huston Street in Colorado as he has converted only four of seven saves and has a 7.15 ERA to go along with a 1.85 WHIP.  Manny Corpas who picked up 10 saves the first half of the year has not been great after the All-Star break with a 1.79 WHIP. Street still looks to be the man though at Coors Field as there have been no rumblings yet of an impending change.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon Mike Gonzalez, Koji Uehara
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW J.J. Putz Matt Thornton
CLE Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Phil Coke
KC Joakim Soria Robinson Tejada
LAA Brian Fuentes Fernando Rodney
MIN Matt Capps Jon Rauch
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Andrew Bailey Michael Wuertz
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Dan Wheeler
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Aaron Heilman Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Manny Corpas
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Brandon Lyon Wilton Lopez
LAD Hong-Chih Kuo Octavio Dotel
MIL John Axford Trevor Hoffman
NYM H. Takahashi Pedro Feliciano
PHI Brad Lidge Jose Contreras, Ryan Madson
PIT Joel Hanrahan Evan Meek
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Drew Storen Ty Clippard
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 22nd, 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 21.

American League:

Francisco Liriano lost his status as a two start pitcher in week 21 when the Minnesota Twins decided to push him back to Thursday and instead moved up Nick Blackburn to start on Monday. Liriano will instead face Cliff Lee and Texas on Thursday.

Oakland A’s closer Andrew Bailey came off of the disabled list on Sunday and worked a scoreless innings with two strikeouts. He should immediately go back into the closer role so he should be active in all formats next week.

If you are looking for batting average in the infield in AL only leagues, Will Rhymes has been doing a good job filling in for the injured Carlos Guillen at second base in Detroit.Rhymes is hitting .310 on the season and has multi-hit games in four of his last five starts.

Bill Hall and Jed Lowrie will see additional at bats going forward in Boston with Dustin Pedroia going back on the disabled list. Hall has homered four times in his last 10 games and Lowrie is hitting .302 on the season.

With Lance Berkman going on the disabled list in New York, Austin Kearns should see additional at bats the next week or two.

Infielder Macier Izturis is headed to the disabled list for the third time this season for the Los Angeles Angels with pain in his shoulder.

National League:

Geovany Soto was supposed to be activated from the disabled list by the Chicago Cubs today, but was instead held back another day. Check the news early Monday for an update as it would reduce the number of at bats for his fill in Koyie Hill.

Eric Young looks to be the man at second base in Colorado and should see the majority of playing time over Clint Barmes. The release of Brad Hawpe earlier in the week should give some extra at bats to Dexter Fowler, Seth Smith and Ryan Spillborghs.

The decision by the Florida Marlins to release outfielder Cody Ross means that Cameron Maybin is headed back to the major leagues and should be a full-time player the last six weeks of the season. Maybin was hitting .300 over his last 10 games with two home runs, six RBI and a stolen base. He was 24-for-29 on stolen bases for the season in Triple-A.

The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up catcher Rod Barajas this week and he could see some playing time over Brad Ausmus at catcher going forward. If you are in a deep NL only league and in need of some power, he is a player to take a look at.

Read More »

2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 20th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 21. 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.

2 start pitchers week 21: 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:

Gavin Floyd (CHW) ~ BAL (Guthrie), NYY (Moseley)
Francisco Liriano (MIN) ~ @TEX (Harden), @SEA (Fister)
Carl Pavano (MIN) ~ @TEX (Lewis), @SEA (Pauley)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) ~ @CLE (Carmona), @TEX (Lewis)
Colby Lewis (TEX) ~ MIN (Pavano), OAK (Gonzalez)

Roll the Dice:

Jeremy Guthrie (BAL) ~ @CWS (Floyd), @LAA (Kazmir)
Fausto Carmona (CLE) ~ OAK (Gonzalez), KC (Chen)
James Shields (TB) ~ @LAA (Kazmir), BOS (Lackey)
Brandon Morrow (TOR) ~ NYY (Moseley), DET (Bonderman)

Guthrie is 4-2 in his last seven starts, allowing three runs or less in all of them except his last outing when he allowed five runs. Guthrie won each of his starts against Chicago and the Angels earlier this year. Morrow is 5-1 in his last 10 starts and has been racking up the strikeouts, fanning seven or more in six of those 10 outings. Carmona has been hit hard of late, making him less of a lock for your line up. He is 1-4 in his last five starts, allowing five runs or more in three of those outings.

Sit Them:

John Lackey (BOS) ~ SEA (Pauley), @TB (Shields)
Jeremy Bonderman (DET) ~ KC (Chen), @TOR (Morrow)
Rick Porcello (DET) ~ KC (Davies), @TOR (Rzepczynski)
Bruce Chen (KC) ~ @DET (Bonderman), @CLE (Carmona)
Scott Kazmir (LAA) ~ TB (Shields), BAL (Guthrie)
Dustin Moseley (NYY) ~ @TOR (Morrow), @CWS (Floyd)
David Pauley (SEA) ~ @BOS (Lackey), MIN (Pavano)
Rich Harden (TEX) ~ MIN (Liriano), OAK (Braden)
Mike Rzepczynski (TOR) ~ NYY (Hughes), DET (Porcello)

No reason to start Lackey unless you are a Red Sox fan at heart. Walks are up and strikeouts down from last season. Batting average against is close to 30 points higher and he has allowed five or more runs in three of his last four starts. Yes, Chen has won three of his last four starts, but his WHIP is of concern, allowing more than a hit per inning and a 1.51 WHIP for the season. Moseley has alternated wins and losses in his last five starts with nothing much to add in any other fantasy baseball category. Harden is coming off the disabled list on Monday to get the start. He has really only had two good outings in his last 10 appearances. Rzepczynski has been inconsistent since returning to the major leagues, including walking five in 4 1/3 innings in his last outing with no strikeouts. Bonderman has been too home run prone this year with 20 allowed in 130 2/3 innings, including five in his last two starts. Porcello is 1-6 in his last 10 appearances and has been too mediocre to star at this point of the season.

National League:

Start them:

Tim Hudson (ATL) ~ @COL (Hammel), FLA (Johnson)
Josh Johnson (FLA) ~ @NYM (Dickey), @ATL (Lowe)
Brett Myers (HOU) ~ @PHI (Blanton), @NYM (Santana)
Hiroki Kuroda (LAD) ~ @MIL (Bush), @COL (Hammel)
R.A. Dickey (NYM) ~ FLA (Johnson), HOU (Norris)
Cole Hamels (PHI) ~ HOU (Norris), @SD (Richard)
Clayton Richard (SD) ~ ARI (Lopez), PHI (Hamels)
Matt Cain (SF) ~ CIN (Volquez), ARI (Lopez)
Adam Wainwright (STL) ~ @PIT (Maholm), @WAS (Lannan)

Roll the Dice:

Edinson Volquez (CIN) ~ @SF (Cain), CHC (Coleman)
Jason Hammel (COL) ~ ATL (Hudson), LAD (Kuroda)
Joe Blanton (PHI) ~ HOU (Myers), @SD (Garland)
Ross Ohlendorf (PIT) ~ STL (TBD), @MIL (Bush)
St. Louis TBD ~ @PIT (Ohlendorf), @WAS (Hernandez)
Livan Hernandez (WAS) ~ CHC (Coleman), STL (TBD)

Volquez has been all or nothing in seven starts with one run allowed in four of them and 15 runs allowed in the other three.  Hammel has been a much better pitcher at home where he has a 3.36 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP where he gets two starts next week. Blanton has allowed three runs or less in five of his last seven starts and has not lost since July 21st. Ohlendorf has not won since June 2nd, despite good numbers in July 2.86 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and August 2.45 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Livan has been strong the last month and a half allowing three runs or less in seven straight starts and has only given up one home run in his last 10 outings.

Sit Them:

Rodrigo Lopez (AZ) ~ @SD (Richard), @SF (Cain)
Casey Coleman (CHC) ~ @WAS (Hernandez), @CIN (Volquez)
Bud Norris (HOU) ~ @PHI (Hamels), @NYM (Dickey)
Dave Bush (MIL) ~ LAD (Kuroda), PIT (Ohlendorf)
John Lannan (WAS) ~ CHC (Zambrano), STL (Wainwright)

Norris is on the bubble to start with a 4-0 mark in his last six outings. Because he gives up a few more runs than most pitchers, his wins are often dependent on the team scoring a lot of runs, for example the Astros scored 36 for him over a three game stretch recently. Lopez is 2-5 in his last 10 starts despite allowing three runs or less in seven outings. His inability to go deep into games ends up costing him wins which makes him difficult to start since he doesn’t really help out in any other category. Bush has alternated good and bad starts his last six outings, but when he is bad, he can kill your team stats for the week. Lannan has won three straight starts and has allowed exactly two runs in four straight outings, but with more walks than strikeouts on the season, there is no room for error for him to succeed.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 20th, 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 for upcoming week 21.

American League

OF Ryan Kalish – with Mike Cameron done for the season and Jacoby Ellsbury going back on the disabled list, Kalish is going to see regular playing time in Boston’s outfield. Kalish is hitting over .300 in 15 games with two home runs and eight RBI.

OF Matt Joyce – Joyce has been getting most of the time in Tampa Bay against right-handed pitching and could give your team some power down the stretch though his .216 batting average hurts. He makes a nice fourth or fifth outfielder for your fantasy baseball team.

SP Kevin Millwood – yes, you heard it here first. New manager Buck Showalter has the O’s playing like a real team. Millwood threw eight innings of one-run ball on Tuesday and his next two opponents are the Seattle Mariners and the Cleveland Indians. I like those match-ups.

National League

1B  Xavier Nady – with Derrek Lee traded to Atlanta, Nady should see quite a bit of time at first base for the Chicago Cubs

Mixed Leagues

OF  Lorenzo Cain - the trade of Jim Edmonds to Cincinnati opened a regular spot in center field for Cain in Milwaukee. Known for his defense and speed, Cain is a definite option in mixed league formats if your team is in need of stolen bases the rest of the year.

SP Travis Wood – Wood has returned to the Reds rotation with Mike Leake being shifted to the bullpen to limit his innings. Wood is 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA and a.88 WHIP in eight big league starts.

2B Bill Hall – with Dustin Pedroia being placed back on the disabled list in Boston, Hall has some value over the next few weeks. He has hit four home runs and driven in eight over his last 10 games. Qualifies at 2B, 3B or in the outfield and possibly at shortstop if your league has a five game minimum.

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The Closer Report – Week 20

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 16th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 20. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

As if the season could get any worse for the New York Mets, today the team learned they will likely be without closer Francisco Rodriguez for the remainder of the season  after he suffered torn ligaments in his pitching hand from a fight with the dad of his girlfriend.  KO-Rod managed to pitch Saturday before the injury came to light on Sunday. The Mets will likely go with a committee for saves with Hisanori Takahashi a could bet to emerge from the pack.

Hong-Chih Kuo has taken over as the closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers with Jonathan Broxton being removed from the role. Kuo has been dominant this season with a .88 ERA and a .80 WHIP while holding hitters to a .140 batting average against, although he blew the save tonight in Atlanta, allowing three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Broxton’s ERA was under one back on June 26th before allowing four runs against the New York Yankees the following day and it has been downhill ever since. With him due to earn $7 million next season, you can bet the Dodgers will try to get him back in the closer role once he has a few good outings under his belt.

Filling in for injured and beleaguered closer Bobby Jenks, J.J. Putz blew back-to-back saves for the Chicago White Sox last week, allowing two runs in both appearances. Matt Thornton could be next in line for saves, although as the top left-handed option in the bullpen, the team seems to prefer him in a set up role if possible. Sergio Santos also could be in the mix although as a recently converted position player, he lacks the experience of the other two candidates.

It has been a bad month of August for Houston Astros closer Matt Lindstrom as he tries to battle through back issues. Lindstrom has blown two saves this month and has not earned a save since back on July 16th. Brandon Lyon meanwhile has picked up three saves already in August and has been solid outside of a five run outing on August 11th that was his third straight outing. Although manager Brad Mill stills has Lindstrom listed as the closer, the stats say otherwise and that Lyon looks to be the man for the foreseeable future.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon Mike Gonzalez
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW J.J. Putz Matt Thornton
CLE Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Phil Coke
KC Joakim Soria Robinson Tejada
LAA Brian Fuentes Fernando Rodney
MIN Matt Capps Jon Rauch
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Michael Wuertz Andrew Bailey (DL)
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Dan Wheeler
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Aaron Heilman Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Manny Corpas
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Brandon Lyon Matt Lindstrom
LAD Hong-Chih Kuo Octavio Dotel
MIL John Axford Trevor Hoffman
NYM Francisco Rodriguez Pedro Feliciano
PHI Brad Lidge Jose Contreras
PIT Evan Meek Joel Hanrahan
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Drew Storen Ty Clippard
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 20

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 15th, 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 20.

American League:

Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers will have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his hamstring injury. With this being the third time he has injured his hamstring, I would plan on finding a replacement for him in your line up next week.

Teammate Rich Harden was placed on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis and will miss the next few weeks. Derek Holland is expected to be recalled in time to start Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner returned from the disabled list on Sunday

Ex-closer Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox looks like he will be out for the early part of the week due to recurring back issues. J.J. Putz remains in the closer role despite blowing a save on Sunday.

With Jacoby Ellsbury hitting the disabled list for the third time for the Boston Red Sox, outfielders Darnell McDonald and Ryan Kalish will continue to see at bats in the outfield.

Dustin Pedroia, out for the last seven or so weeks with a fractured foot is scheduled to return to the line up on Tuesday for the Red Sox. Unless you have a stud at second base, I would go ahead and get him back in your line up and take the chance he is back and ready.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy of the Minnesota Twins missed time this past week due to a sore wrist, the same injury that already landed him on the disabled list earlier in the year. If you own him, I would reserve him for next week. Those owners with Alexi Casilla will probably want to have him active next week.

National League:

Jhoulys Chacin was promoted from Triple-A to take the rotation spot of Jeff Francis who was placed on the disabled list by the Colorado Rockies.

Brooks Conrad has filled in at third base for Atlanta with Chipper Jones lost for the season, but he could lose out on some at bats at the end of the week with Martin Prado soon to return from the disabled list and Omar Infante likely sliding over to third base.

If you are looking for a fill in at catcher, Koyie Hill has done a reasonable job filling in for Geovany Soto (disabled list). While he doesn’t produce a ton of stats, it is hard finding a catcher that might be out on the waiver wire this late in the year that can give you a full week worth of plate appearances.

With Shane Victorino back in the outfield in Philadelphia, rookie Domonic Brown is likely headed back to Triple-A at some point.

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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 20

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 13th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 20. 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 20: 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) ~ LAA (Weaver), TOR (Marcum)
John Danks (CHW) ~ @MIN (Baker), @KC (Greinke)
Justin Verlander (DET) ~ @NYY (Sabathia), CLE (Tomlin)
Zack Greinke (KC) ~ CLE (Tomlin), CWS (Danks)
Jered Weaver (LAA) ~ @BOS (Buchholz), @MIN (Baker)
CC Sabathia (NYY) ~ DET (Verlander), SEA (French)
Brett Anderson (OAK) ~ TOR (Marcum), TB (Garza)
David Price (TB) ~ TEX (Lee), @OAK (Anderson)
Matt Garza (TB) ~ TEX (Harden), @OAK (Braden)
Cliff Lee (TEX) ~ @TB (Price), @BAL (Bergesen)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) ~ @OAK (Anderson), @BOS (Buchholz)

Roll the Dice:

Josh Tomlin (CLE) ~ @KC (Greinke), @DET (Verlander)
Max Scherzer (DET) ~ @NYY (Vazquez), CLE (Masterson)
Scott Baker (MIN) ~ CWS (Danks), LAA (Weaver)
Javier Vazquez (NYY) ~ DET (Scherzer), SEA (Fister)
Dallas Braden (OAK) ~ TOR (Cecil), TB (Garza)

Tomlin has been quietly effective in his four starts since being promoted. Just don’ expect a lot of strikeouts from him if you own him or pick him up. Scherzer has been a much better pitcher since returning from a stint at Triple-A, posting a 2.31 ERA in July and holding a 1.93 ERA through two starts in August. Baker is 3-0 in his last four starts and has a 3.46 ERA in two starts vs. the White Sox and allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Angels earlier this season. Vazquez can say what he wants about his velocity being down (which it is) from last season but the biggest problem for him this season has been his lack of control. With 48 walks, he has already surpassed his walk total from last season in 96 less innings. Braden has got back on the win train, going 3-1 in his last four starts and has allowed less than four earned runs in six of his last seven outings.

Sit Them:

Brad Bergesen (BAL) ~ SEA (French), TEX (Lee)
Kevin MIllwood (BAL) ~ SEA (Fister), TEX (Harden)
Luke French (SEA) ~ @BAL (Bergesen), @NYY (Sabathia)
Rich Harden (TEX) ~ @TB (Garza), @BAL (Millwood)

Bergesen has been much better in his last three outings with four runs allowed in 23 innings of work. He has a tough second start match up against Texas and Cliff Lee. Millwood had six straight starts of allowing exactly five runs before allowing four runs combined in his last two starts. He has not picked up a win since back on June 24th. Harden has only gone six innings or more in three of his last 10 starts and now has 50 walks in 74 1/3 innings. His ERA and WHIP can kill your fantasy baseball team in a two-start week at a time when you can least afford it.

National League:

Start them:

Tommy Hanson (ATL) ~ WAS (Olsen), @CHC (Wells)
Chad Billingsley (LAD) ~ @ATL (Jurrjens), CIN (Cueto)
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) ~ COL (Francis), CIN (Arroyo)
Jon Niese (NYM) ~ @HOU (Happ), @PIT (McDonald)
Johan Santana (NYM) ~ @HOU (Rodriguez), @PIT (Duke)
Roy Oswalt (HOU) ~ SF (Zito), WAS (Hernandez)
Jon Garland (SD) ~ @CHC (Wells), @MIL (Parra)
Barry Zito (SF) ~ @PHI (Oswalt), @STL (Wainwright)

Roll the Dice:

Daniel Hudson (AZ) ~ CIN (Arroyo), COL (Francis)
Jair Jurrjens (ATL) ~ LAD (Billingsley), @CHC (Gorzelanny)
Tom Gorzelanny (CHC) ~ SD (Correia), ATL (Jurrjens)
Randy Wells (CHC) ~ SD (Garland), ATL (Hanson)
Bronson Arroyo (CIN) ~ @ARI (Hudson), @LAD (Kershaw)
Jeff Francis (COL) ~ @LAD (Kershaw), @ARI (Hudson)
Ricky Nolasco (FLA) ~ @PIT (Duke), HOU (Rodriguez)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) ~ NYM (Santana), @FLA (Nolasco)
James McDonald (LAD) ~ FLA (Volstad), NYM (Niese)
Kevin Correia (SD) ~ @CHC (Gorzelanny), @MIL (Narveson)

Arroyo is somewhat of a conundrum with his strikeout rate decreasing yet at the same time he has improved his batting average against the last several seasons. He always seems to get bombed every fifth or sixth start, but in between that, he is usually pretty solid. Ignore the overall stats for Wandy and check out his recent body of work, in which he has allowed one run or less in seven of his last 10 starts, including striking out six or more in seven of those outings. Jurrjens has been basically the same pitcher as last season with a slighlty elevated home run rate which has pushed his ERA higher. Gorzelanny went 4-0 in July despite a 1.63 WHIP and is 0-1 in August with a 4.85 ERA. Can help out with strikeouts but your ERA and WHIP could get dinged next week. Nolasco is 8-2 in his last 10 starts and has dropped his batting average against by 40 points since the All-Star break. Maybe the pressure is off McDonald now that he is out of Los Angeles. He can rack up some good strikeout numbers but has been inconsistent as a starter in his career. Correia has won four of his last five starts, although he has been hit or miss in the strikeout category with zero strikeouts in two of those appearances.

Sit Them:

Chris Volstad (FLA) ~ @PIT (McDonald), HOU (Happ)
J.A. Happ (PHI) ~ NYM (Niese), @FLA (Volstad)
Zach Duke (PIT) ~ FLA (Nolasco), NYM (Santana)
Scott Olsen (WAS) ~ @ATL (Hanson), @PHI (Oswalt)

Volstad has had a WHIP close to two the past two months and has 13 walks against 11 strikeouts in his last 24 2/3 innings. With more walks than strikeouts, I don’t want Happ anywhere near my rotation this late in the season. Outside of July when Duke had a 3.18 ERA in three starts with a 1.06 WHIP, he has been of little use to fantasy baseball teams this season. Olsen was fooling us for awhile with two runs or less allowed in six of seven outings before giving up 12 runs in his last 7 1/3 innings.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 20

Posted by Tony Mancini on August 12th, 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 for upcoming week 20.

American League

OF  Gregor Blanco – Acquired from Atlanta as part the Rick Ankiel/Kyle Farnsworth deal, Blanco is playing everyday for Kansas City’s depleted outfield.  Blanco has never hit for power but will grab you a handful to a dozen steals for the rest of the season.

1B  Chris Carter – One of Oakland’s top prospects, Carter was called up earlier this week to give the team some much needed power.  Although he is hitless in his first nine at-bats in the majors, he had 27 home runs with 89 RBI in Triple-A while batting .261

C  Jarod Saltalamacchia – Salty was traded to the Red Sox at the deadline and with Jason Varitek and now Kevin Cash on the DL, Salty will back-up Victor Martinez for a few weeks and will start when V-Mart plays first base.  Martinez is a free agent at the end of the year so Salty could be the starter next year if you are in a keeper league.

National League

2B/3B  Mike Fontenot – With Edgar Renteria hitting the disabled list, the Giants traded for Fontenot last night.  He has made four starts at short this year along with 33 games at second and 13 at third.  He played 50 games at third last year.  He will be a nice fill in until Renteria comes back and then will likely be a super utility guy after that.  He could give you some power over the next couple of weeks as he hit nine home runs each of the last two years in limited at bats.

2B/3B/SS/OF  Jamey Carroll – another super utility guy for the Dodgers having played 40 games at second, 10 at third, 45 at short and five in the outfield.  Playing regularly all over the field, Carroll is hitting .276 with 40 runs scored and seven stolen bases and will see extended playing time with Rafael Furcal on the disabled list.

Mixed Leagues

SP  Jeremy Hellickson – The Rays do not seem to be too worried even though then placed 40% of their starting rotation on the disabled list this week with shoulder problems.  Hellickson has made two starts this season and has gone 14 innings with 13 strikeouts and a 1.28 ERA.  He’s going to be starting for at least the next two weeks and is a great keeper for next year as well.

2B/3B/SS/OF  Jerry Hairston – Hairston has been playing regularly for the Padres all over the field.  He has 37 games at second, two games at third, 60 at shortstop and 11 in the outfield.  Hairston has shown some nice power this year hitting his 10th home run last night and has eight steals on the year.

You can also find additional players to consider in the fantasy baseball buy or sell report for week 19.

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2010 Buy / Sell – Week 19

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 11th, 2010

With many top players going down to injury this week already as well as some rookie call ups, here is a look at some players that should be on your fantasy baseball buy or sell list via trade or free agent pickups in week 19.

Buy:

Dan Hudson – Hudson is a perfect 3-0 in three starts since being traded to the National League. The control problems he had in the American League seem to have disappeared and he has worked at least seven innings in each of his three outings.

David Murphy – he has been getting consistent playing time against right-handed pitching this month while filling in for a struggling Julio Borbon and has responded with three home runs, nine RBI and a stolen base in just 28 at bats. When he is able to get consistent at bats, he is good for a little bit of power and speed. He might be one of the few outfielders that are still a free agent in your fantasy baseball league at this point of the season depending on how deep your league is.

Lorenzo Cain - if your team is in need of steal, look no further than the recent call up of the Milwaukee Brewers. The trade of Jim Edmonds coupled with the injury to Ryan Braun should give Cain some good value of the next few weeks at least and possibly the rest of the season. With the Carlos Gomez experiment a failure, Cain is poised to open 2011 as the likely starting center fielder. Cain was 26 for 29 in stolen base attempts in the minor leagues before being recalled.

Brian Roberts – with fingers crossed, Roberts has hit in eight of ten games since returning to action with two home runs and a stolen base for the Baltimore Orioles. If you find another owner that is willing to move him, talk up his previous injury and see if you can get him cheaper than usual. It is players like this that if you can get at a discount can make the difference between a first or second place finish.

Sell:

Domonic Brown – in one year leagues is a sell candidate with Shane Victorino set to return soon from the disabled list and Raul Ibanez has picked up the pace lately, hitting .337 in July with four home runs and is batting .370 in August so far. Brown still has some work to do on his plate discipline with one walk and 13 strikeouts in 38 at bats.

Carlos Beltran – those owners that held a spot all season on their reserve for Beltran have to be disappointed with the results so far. In 81 at bats, he is hitting .185 with only one home run and no stolen bases and still seems to be uncomfortable in the field and at the plate. If your team is in the hunt for a money finish in your fantasy league, I would cut bait sooner rather than later with only 1/3 of the season left to go.

Lance Berkman - I like Lance Berkman, I have owned him for many years on multiple teams, but it seems like it is time to write him off until 2011. The late start to the season with the knee problem, now coupled with a move to the American League gives me little hope for optimism the rest of the way. Not too likely you will find someone better on waivers to replace him unless you play in a very shallow league, but in a deep league I would be looking to trade for a replacement rather than expecting a turn around to his season.

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The Minor League Report – Week 19

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 11th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 19 minor league report.

I had a chance to attend Jordan Lyles Triple-A debut Tuesday night for the Round Rock Express, the affiliate for the Houston Astros. Lyles has made a quick ascent after being a first round pick in 2008 and now is one step away from the major leagues at the age of 19. He was featuring a fastball, a knuckle-curve and circle change as his three main pitches and despite some of his numbers he still has some work to do before he reaches the major leagues, which should not be a surprise given his age.

For the game, he went six innings, allowing eight hits, four runs and nine strikeouts. He did give up two long home runs and saw pitches pulled down each of the lines at a higher ratio than what I would like to see, but given his age and knowing how he is likely to still grown into his 6’4″ frame over the next few years, dynasty league owners should be all over him if they haven’t already.

I would expect him to finish the year in Triple-A and then pitch maybe half of next season there as well before getting a call up mid-summer barring any regression or injury. Since the Astros are several years away from contending and given his age, there is no reason to rush him to the big leagues.

Christopher Archer of the Chicago Cubs has been dominant since being promoted to Double-A, now featuring a 0.58 ERA after eight starts with 44 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings while holding hitters to a 1.69 batting average. On the season, he is now 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA with 126 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings.

Matt Packer was promoted to Double-A by the Cleveland Indians after toying with Class A hitters. Packer was a 32nd round pick last year and has faced little adversity in his first full season. Between two levels, he has a 1.58 ERA in 102 2/3 innings with 14 walks allowed and 98 strikeouts.

Also moving up to Double-A was John Lamb (Baseball America #7 for KC) of the Kansas City Royals, making it his third different stop in 2010. Although he struggled in his last start, for the season he has a 1.73 ERA in 124 2/3 innings with 137 strikeouts while limiting opposing hitters to a .223 average.

Also at Double-A for Kansas City is Mike Montgomery, their first round pick from 2008. It is also the third stop for Montgomery this season who has  a 1.76 ERA in 71 2/3 innings with 73 strikeouts and is holding hitters to a .197 average with only one home run allowed for the year.

Kyle Gibson of the Minnesota Twins looks like he is going to be ready to compete for a spot in the 2011 rotation. Now at Triple-A, the team’s first round pick from last season has put together a 3.10 ERA between two levels with 117 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings with two complete games.

Read More »

The Closer Report – Week 19

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 9th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 19. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

The Milwaukee Brewers and manager Ken Macha created a stir over the weekend by giving Trevor Hoffman a save opportunity, which he converted in place of John Axford. With the Brewers under their attendance goal and on the verge of losing money it was thought that Hoffman now three saves away from reaching 600 in his career would likely draw some more fans to games. The company line though was Hoffman had been pitching well and deserved a shot to close games again. With the Brewers 11 games out of first, it really makes no sense for Hoffman to get saves chances again unless it was to break the record. The unfortunate part from a fantasy baseball aspect is it makes it hard to place Axford now in mixed leagues if this holds true going forward.

That being said, lets pick up the action from tonight in Milwaukee against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Axford blew the save in the ninth inning (perhaps the pressure of Hoffman is affecting him) sending the game into extra innings. Hoffman came in and allowed three runs and five baserunners in the 10th inning then to take the loss. If you own Axford, I would reserve him until the situation plays itself out. Once Hoffman hits 600 saves, I would think Axford would get the lions share of opportunities going forward. Again though, this is the Brewers we are talking about so logic does not always dictate the moves they make.

While we are on the subject of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Aaron Heilman picked up his sixth save of the season, working a scoreless inning despite allowing three hits. This comes on the heels of blowing a save on Saturday after allowing two home runs. The blown save was the first time he had been scored upon after eight scoreless outings. He is the best they have in the desert so he should continue as closer.

Bobby Jenks still seems to be the closer in Chicago despite J.J. Putz getting the last save for the team. Jenks last pitched on August 5th when he blew the save against the Detroit Tigers while allowing three runs in an inning of work. Despite his save percentage of 89% which makes it seem like he is doing a good job, his peripheral numbers of a 5.13 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP tell a different story.

Alfredo Simon lasted only one third of an inning Monday night, allowing a hit and a walk before being replaced by Mike Gonzalez. Simon has struggled of late, getting scored on in six of his last 10 outings and now has a 4.62 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Gonzalez has allowed two runs in nine innings since coming back from the disabled list and is poised to take back the closer role in Baltimore.

Leo Nunez was rolling along in Florida before hitting a bump in the road in his last three appearances, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs in three innings with no strikeouts.  If Florida moves Nunez out of the role, they would likely look at several people to fill in based on match ups with Clay Hensley getting possibly the most action.

Michael Wuertz has done a solid job in Oakland filling in for the injured Andrew Bailey. His numbers were much better in July and August compared to the first part of the season.  Bailey is likely to be out another two to four weeks making Wuertz a good target in mixed leagues if you need saves.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Alfredo Simon Mike Gonzalez
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Bobby Jenks Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz
CLE Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Phil Coke
KC Joakim Soria Robinson Tejada
LAA Brian Fuentes Fernando Rodney
MIN Matt Capps Jon Rauch
NYY Mariano Rivera Joba Chamberlain
OAK Michael Wuertz Andrew Bailey (DL)
SEA David Aardsma Brandon League
TB Rafael Soriano Dan Wheeler
TEX Neftali Feliz Frank Francisco
TOR Kevin Gregg Jason Frasor
AZ Aaron Heilman Juan Gutierrez
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Manny Corpas
FLA Leo Nunez Clay Hensley
HOU Matt Lindstrom Brandon Lyon
LAD Jonathan Broxton Octavio Dotel
MIL John Axford Trevor Hoffman
NYM Francisco Rodriguez Pedro Feliciano
PHI Brad Lidge Jose Contreras
PIT Evan Meek Joel Hanrahan
STL Ryan Franklin Jason Motte
SD Heath Bell Luke Gregerson
SF Brian Wilson Sergio Romo
WAS Drew Storen Ty Clippard
Read More »

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 19

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 8th, 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 19.

American League:

A.J. Burnett (back spasms) was scratched from his Sunday start for the New York Yankees and pushed to Tuesday, making him a two start pitcher in week 19 against the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals.

Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann are both questionable for their starts next week for the Tampa Bay Rays. If Davis does not go, Jeremy Hellickson will likely be recalled to start for Davis on Tuesday against Detroit. If Niemann is out, he will likely be replaced again by Andy Sonnanstine against Baltimore.

Kevin Slowey will have his start skipped for the Minnesota Twins next week due to a sore elbow and will be replaced in the rotation by Glen Perkins.

Orlando Hudson is expected to return from the disabled list for the Minnesota Twins which sends Alexi Casilla back to the bench. Casilla sprained his ankle over the weekend and was going to be sitting on the bench regardless but it serves as a reminder to make sure you reserve him for next week.

Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays suffered a dislocated toe in Sundays game against Tampa Bay and should be benched for next week. His long term status has still not been updated.

Also coming back from the disabled list next week is Carlos Guillen of the Detroit Tigers. His return sends Will Rhymes back to Triple-A.

National League:

Manager Ken Macha of the Milwaukee Brewers decided to give Trevor Hoffman a save opportunity on Saturday and it looks like he could get more chances in the future in some what of a time share with John Axford. With the Milwaukee Brewers struggling in the standings, they are likely trying to ensure that Hoffman can rack up three more saves to get to 600 in his career.

Despite being a two start pitcher in week 19, Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs  should still remain on your bench as he will be on a 75 to 80 pitch count meaning it may be tough for him to get in five innings to qualify for a win.

Recent call up Fernando Martinez of the New York Mets looks like he will serve in a platoon role with Jeff Francoeur and see at bats against right-handed pitching.

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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 19

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 7th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 19. 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 19: 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) ~ @NYY (Hughes), @TEX (Lee)
David Price (TB) ~ @DET (Galarraga), BAL (Arrieta)
Ricky Romero (TOR) ~ BOS (Matsuzaka), @LAA (Haren)
C.J. Wilson (TEX) ~ NYY (Burnett), BOS (Matsuzaka)

Roll the Dice:

Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) ~ @TOR (Romero), @TEX (Lewis)
Edwin Jackson (CHW) ~ @BAL (Matusz), DET (Porcello)
Freddy Garcia (CHW) ~ MIN (Baker), DET (Galarraga)
Ervin Santana (LAA) ~ KC (Sullivan), TOR (Romero)
Scott Baker (MIN) ~ @CWS (Garcia), OAK (Mazzaro)
Phil Hughes (NYY) ~ BOS (Lester), @KC (O’Sullivan)
A.J. Burnett (NYY) ~ @TEX (Wilson), @KC (Bullington)
Vin Mazzaro (OAK) ~ @SEA (Fister), @MIN (Baker)
Doug Fister (SEA) ~ OAK (Mazzaro), @CLE (Masterson)

If you look at Fister’s year-to-date numbers it looks like he is doing okay, but in reality he has not won a game since May 14th. He has yet to face Cleveland this year and has allowed two runs in 12 innings vs. Oakland this season. I always start Dice-K when he has two starts, who always seems to get wins for Boston collecting eight so far in 16 starts, although he will have two tough match ups next week. Likewsie for Garcia who has 10 wins and is 5-1 in his last 10 starts. He has allowed three runs or less in eight of his past 10 outings. Santana had been on a roll with three runs allowed or less five of six starts before stumbling in his last two outings. He has a 2.93 ERA in two starts vs. the Royals and a 2.00 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays.Baker is trying to get his season turned around with three solid outings in a row, allowing five runs in his last 20 1/3 innings pitched. Mazzaro has allowed two runs allowed or less in six of his last eight starts while going 4-2.

Sit Them:

Jake Arrieta (BAL) ~ @CLE (Masterson), @TB (Price)
Justin Masterson (CLE) ~ BAL (Arrieta), SEA (Fister)
Bryan Bullington (KC) ~ @LAA (Haren), NYY (Burnett)
Sean O’Sullivan (KC) ~ @LAA (Santana), NYY (Hughes)
Armando Galarraga (DET) ~ TB (Price), @CWS (Garcia)
Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ CWS (Jackson), @TB (Niemann)

Matusz has won only twice in his last 10 starts and is just too inconsistent to be counted on this season. No reason to start O’Sullivan with his pedestrian numbers. He has allowed seven runs in 11 innings in start against the Yankees this season. Since the near perfect game Galarraga has only picked up one win. In his last start, he allowed 13 baserunners in 7 2/3 innings. Too many crooked numbers allowed by Masterson from week to week to trust him with two starts. He has given up six runs or more in four of his last 10 starts.

National League:

Start them:

Ryan Dempster (CHC) ~ @SF (Lincecum), @STL (Carpenter)
Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) ~ @NYM (Pelfrey), MIL (Parra)
Anibal Sanchez (FLA) ~ @WAS (Strasburg), @CIN (Cueto)
Madison Bumgarner (SF) ~ CHC (Diamond), SD (Latos)
Tim Lincecum (SF) ~ CHC (Dempster), SD (LeBlanc)
Chris Carpenter (STL) ~ @CIN (Leake), CHC (Dempster)
Stephen Strasburg (WAS) ~ FLA (Sanchez), ARI (Enright)

Roll the Dice:

Ian Kennedy (AZ) ~ @MIL (Narveson), @WAS (Olsen)
Barry Enright (AZ) ~ @MIL (Parra), @WAS (Strasburg)
Mike Leake (CIN) ~ STL (Carpenter), FLA (Sanchez)
Vicente Padilla (LAD) ~ @PHI (Kendrick), @ATL (minor)
Mike Pelfrey (NYM) ~ COL (Jimenez), PHI (Kendrick)
Jeff Karstens (PIT) ~ @SD (LeBlanc), @HOU (Norris)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) ~ LAD (Padilla), @NYM (Pelfrey)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) ~ PIT (Karstens), @SF (Lincecum)
Mike Minor (ATL) ~ @HOU (Norris), LAD (Padilla)

LeBlanc is 2-6 in his last 10 starts but has been a victim of little run support, allowing four runs or less in each of those appearances. I would roll the dice on Kennedy but if you are on the fence, his ERA on the road is a full run higher than at home and his WHIP is almost a quarter of a point higher as well. Leake is getting close to the bench line as June and July were much different months than April and May. Batters hit 50 points higher against him and his home runs allowed increased as well. Padilla has allowed two runs or less in eight straight outings while going 4-2. His WHIP for the season is .97 and batters are hitting only .203 against him. Karstens has not fared too badly despite going 1-5 in his last 10 starts, despite allowing three runs or less in seven of 10 outings. He has yet to face Houston this season and allowed two runs in six innings in his lone start against the Padres. Kendrick has allowed two runs or less in three of his last four starts, with a seven run shellacking at the hands of the Cardinals. Minor is getting called up for his major league debut in place of the injured Kris Medlen. Definitely worth a start if you are trying to pick up some strikeouts as he averaged more than a K per inning in the minor leagues.

Sit Them:

Carlos Zambrano (CHC) ~ @SF (Bumgarner), @STL (Westbrook)
Bud Norris (HOU) ~ ATL (Minor), PIT (Karstens)
Manny Parra (MIL) ~ ARI (Enright), @COL (Jimenez)
Chris Narveson (MIL) ~ ARI (Kennedy), @COL (Cook)

Parra has allowed four runs or more in six of his last seven starts while going 1-4. Zambrano hasn’t been stretched out and last started back on June 20th. He allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings while working in the bullpen. Narveson seems to alternate good and bad starts and with a second start at Colorado, I would keep him on reserve for next week. Norris is hit or miss, allowing four runs or more in seven of his last 10 starts.

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Waiver Wire – Week 19

Posted by Tony Mancini on August 5th, 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 for upcoming week 19.

American League:

OF – Shelley Duncan:   With Austin Kearns being dealt to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline and Travis Hafner on the disabled list with a shoulder ailment, Duncan has been seeing regular playing time.  He has hit safely in six of his last eight games and has 6 home runs with 20 RBI on the season.

RP – Mike Gonzalez:  Gonzalez has only given up one run in his last nine innings of work with the Orioles.  Gonzalez was brought in prior to the season to be the teams’ closer before suffering injuries.  He will reclaim closer duties shortly as Alfredo Simon has not looked solid in that role.

1B – Kila Ka’aihue:  He has been a top prospects for the Kansas City Royals for a number of years now.  With Jose Guillen designated for assignment this afternoon, he is finally going to be given some playing time.  A great source of power as he hit 24 home runs in AAA this season.

OF – Felix Pie:  Pie is getting a chance to play regularly in Baltimore since coming off the DL and has hits in his last four games.  He’s a great 4th or 5th outfielder especially if he is able to show off his speed.  Everyone is currently playing for a job for next year with Buck Showalter in town.

National League:

RP – Aaron Heilman:  Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson has stated Heilman will see a majority of save opportunities now that Chad Qualls was traded.

SS – Paul Janish:  With Orlando Cabrera on the disabled list, Janish is playing everyday at shortstop until the O-Dog is back.  Janish is a lite hitter but not a player who is going to hurt you statistically if you need a replacement.

1B – Mike Sweeney:  The Phillies quietly picked up Sweeney in a trade from Seattle yesterday.  Ross Gload is still in the mix and Sweeney just came off the DL himself with back spasms but the Phillies are on record as saying that Sweeney will be given the majority of the playing time at first base until Ryan Howard returns from the DL with an ankle injury.

SP – Mike Minor:  Atlanta is going to call up the 2009 first round pick with Kris Medlen now done for the year with the likelihood that he will need Tommy John surgery.  Minor has a 3.41 ERA, 1.15 WHIP with 144 strikeouts over 118 minor league innings.  I would prefer to see how he does in his first start or two before making him a part of your regular fantasy baseball rotation.

Mixed:

C – J.P. Arencibia:  Toronto placed John Buck on the DL with a hand laceration.  Arencibia is going to get a chance to play over the next two weeks and has unreal power for a catcher hitting 31 home runs in the minor leagues this year.

RP – Chris Perez:  Perez is now the closer for the Indians with Kerry Wood now in Pinstripes.  I like him the best out of the other closers listed earlier.

1B – Brett Wallace:  Wallace has been traded twice in as many seasons and is not the regular first baseman for the Astros.  Wallace was hitting .301 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI for Toronto’s AAA team in Las Vegas.

3B - Chris Johnson:  Johnson has been given the majority of the playing for the Houston Astros at third base since the All-Star break, while Pedro Feliz has only played in three games since the break.  Johnson has responded well and currently has five home runs and 28 RBI with a .349 batting average.

OF – Peter Bourjos:  Speed, speed and more speed.  Did I mention he is fast? Definitely a guy to target as the new center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels.

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