Archive for September, 2010

2010 Lineup Planner – Week 26

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 26th, 2010

With the final week of the season now upon us, here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the diamond to help you set your fantasy baseball lineup for week 26.

American League:

Those owners in the American League looking foe a starting pitching could go with Tony Pena of the Chicago White Sox that will draw the Cleveland Indians in his start next week with pitcher Gavin Floyd shut down for the remainder of the season.

Cliff Lee lost his two-start status for next week when the Texas Rangers decided to bump him from Tuesday to Thursday to set their rotation for the playoffs. Scott Feldman will take his start on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners.

Jose Valverde returned to action for the Detroit Tigers after missing time with an injury to his elbow. If you are in need of saves for the last week of the season, get him back in your line up.

Catcher Joe Mauer is expected to return to action for the Minnesota Twins at the start of the week after missing weekend action with a sore knee.

Brandon League may be able to snag a save or two next week for Seattle with closer David Aardsma day-to-day with a strained oblique.

National League:

It looks like Jimmy Rollins will see most of the starts at shortstop in Philadelphia after missing the previous two weeks with a hamstring injury. With the Phillies getting ready for the playoffs, Rollins needs to get his at bats in to be ready.

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera is day-to-day after leaving Sunday’s game with an injury to his left side. After missing action in August with a strained oblique, and the Cincinnati Reds heading for the playoffs, Paul Janish could see most of the starts next week.

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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 26

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 24th, 2010

Well we are down to the last week of the season, who you start next week could win or lose you your fantasy baseball league in week 26, good luck to all of you.

2 start pitchers week 26: 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) ~ @CWS (Buehrle), NYY (Hughes)
Max Scherzer (DET) ~ @CLE (Talbot), @BAL (Matusz)
Ervin Santana (LAA) ~ OAK (Anderson), @TEX (Wilson)
Dan Haren (LAA) ~ OAK (Braden), @TEX (Lee)
Brett Anderson (OAK) ~ @LAA (Santana), @SEA (Pauley)
Dallas Braden (OAK) ~ @LAA (Haren), @SEA (Hernandez)
Felix Hernandez (SEA) ~ @TEX (Lee), OAK (Braden)
David Price (TB) ~ BAL (Bergesen), @KC (O’Sullivan)
C.J. Wilson (TEX) ~ SEA (Pauley), LAA (Santana)
Cliff Lee (TEX) ~ SEA (Hernandez), LAA (Haren)

Roll the Dice:

Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ @TB (Davis), DET (Galarraga)
John Lackey (BOS) ~ @CWS (Jackson), NYY (Burnett)
Mark Buehrle (CHW) ~ BOS (Buchholz), CLE (Carmona)
Edwin Jackson (CHW) ~ BOS (Lackey), CLE (Carrasco)
Carlos Carrasco (CLE) ~ DET (Galarraga), @CWS (Jackson)
Armando Galarraga (DET) ~ @CLE (Carrasco), @BAL (Matusz)
Scott Baker (MIN) ~ @KC (Davies), TOR (Rzepcynski)
Nick Blackburn (MIN) ~ @KC (O’Sullivan), TOR (Drabek)
David Pauley (SEA) ~ @TEX (Wilson), OAK (Anderson)
Wade Davis (TOR) ~ BAL (Matusz), @KC (Davies)

Lackey has picked up his strikeout rate the second half of the season and his numbers have improved with a 4.18 ERA and 1.26 WHIP since the All-Star break. Buehrle has gone winless in his last six starts and recently faced both Boston and Cleveland, allowing seven runs in 13 innings. Outside of a six-run shelling at the hands of the Royals three starts ago Jackson has pitched well back in the American League with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Carrasco has allowed three runs or less in all five of his starts since being promoted from Triple-A although he is going to need to improve hims home run rate for continued success in 2011. Galarrage has gone 1-4 in his last 10 starts, thanks to a lethargic Detroit offense that scored three runs or less in six of those starts for him. Pauley has been better at home with a 3.46 ERA and 1.22 WHIP than on the road with at 4.75 and 1.44. If you have the chance to sub him in and out, it would be best to stick with only his home start. Blackburn has turned it around the second half with a 3.08 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, aided by only two home runs allowed in 52 2/3 innings. Davis has not lost since June 27th, sporting a 3.26 ERA and 1.27 WHIP since the break. Matusz has picked it up the second half, going 5-1 in his last 10 starts and had a 2.443 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in August. Baker has gone 5-1 in his last 10 starts and has posted an ERA a full run lower the second half of the season.

Sit Them:

Kyle Davies (KC) ~ MIN (Baker), TB (Davis)
Sean O’Sullivan (KC) ~ MIN (Blackburn), TB (Price)
A.J. Burnett (NYY) ~ @TOR (Rzepczynski), @BOS (Lackey)
Marc Rzepcynski (TOR) ~ NYY (Burnett), @MIN (Baker)
Kyle Drabek (TOR) ~ NYY (Sabathia), @MIN (Blackburn)

Making the jump from Double-A and facing two good hitting teams is not the time to put Drabek into your rotation. Burnett is 1-6 in his last 10 starts and allowed eight runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start against Toronto.

National League:

Start them:

Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) ~ LAD (Lilly), @STL (Lohse)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) ~ @CIN (Volquez), CHC (Zambrano)
Mat Latos (SD) ~ CHC (Wells), @SF (Sanchez)
Jonathan Sanchez (SF) ~ ARI (Lopez), SD (Latos)

Roll the Dice:

Carlos Zambrano (CHC) ~ @SD (Stauffer), @HOU (Rodriguez)
Edinson Volquez (CIN) ~ HOU (Rodriguez), MIL (Bush)
Alejandro Sanabia (FLA) ~ @ATL (Minor), PIT (Morton)
Anibal Sanchez (FLA) ~ @ATL (Hanson), PIT (Burres)
Ted Lilly (CHC) ~ @COL (Jimenez), ARI (Lopez)
Jon Niese (NYM) ~ MIL (Bush), WAS (Maya)
Tim Stauffer (SD) ~ CHC (Zambrano), @SF (Cain)
John Lannan (WAS) ~ PHI (Halladay), @NYM (TBD)

Zambrano has been one of the hottest pitchers since the All-Star break going 6-0 with a 1.63 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Volquez has bounced back in September with a 1.66 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in three starts with more than a strikeout per inning. Sanabia is on the fence whether to start or not, struggling in two starts against Atlanta earlier and with a good start at Pittsburgh, allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings. Sanchez has run hot or cold in his last few starts with four runs allowed or more in three of his last six outings. After rolling off five straight wins to start August, Lilly has gone 0-4 over his last five appearances, in part to getting a total of 14 runs of support. Niese rolled through August with four consecutive starts of one run allowed per outing before the wheels came off, going 1-5 in his last six outings. His control has deteriorated, walking three or more in four of those appearances. Stauffer just recently moved back to the rotation where he has performed well enough to keep active for next week in your rotation. Lannan suddenly discovered out to strike hitters out the second half of the season which has helped him to a 3.16 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.

Sit Them:

Mike Minor (ATL) ~ FLA (Sanabia), PHI (Kendrick)
Rodrigo Lopez (ARI) ~ @SF (Sanchez), @LAD (Lilly)
Jeff Francis (COL) ~ LAD (Kuroda), @STL (Suppan)
Dave Bush (MIL) ~ @NYM (Niese), @CIN (Volquez)
Charlie Morton (PIT) ~ @STL (Lohse), @FLA (Sanabia)
Brian Burres (PIT) ~ @STL (Suppan), @FLA (Sanchez)
Kyle Lohse (STL) ~ PIT (Morton), COL (Jimenez)
Jeff Suppan (STL) ~ PIT (Burres), COL (Francis)

The only way you start Lopez is if you are playing a hunch based on his September stats of a 3.70 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Minor started out strong but has tailed off the last five starts, going 0-2 with five home runs allowed. Francis has gone 2-4 in his last 10 starts and has not made it to five innings in four of them. Until Morton’s last start, the Pirates had lost eight starts in a row from him. Burres is much like Lopez if you want to go just off September numbers, 3.22 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.

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Waiver Wire – Week 26

Posted by Tony Mancini on September 23rd, 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 the final week of the season, week 26.

American League:

RP Craig Breslow:  With Andrew Bailey seeing Dr. James Andrews with his continued elbow problem, Breslow picked up the latest save for the A’s this week and will likely split save opportunities with Michael Wuertz.  Breslow has pitched in 71 games this year with 4 wins and 3 saves with an ERA of 3.11

OF Jarrod Dyson:  Kansas City is checking out their future centerfielder for the last two weeks of the season.  Dyson is hitting .363 in 22 at bats with four stolen bases.  He doesn’t have power but can be a source of runs and steals for the last week of the season.

3B Robert Andino:  Andino has been seeing regular playing time at third based for the Baltimore Orioles with Josh Bell struggling badly in his 150+ at-bats audition.  Andino had 12 home runs with 66 RBI and 15 steals in Triple-A this year.

National League:

OF Jay Gibbons:  With Scott Podsednik out the rest of the year,  Gibbons has been seeing regular starts in left field for the Dodgers. Gibbons is hitting .270 with two home runs and seven RBI over his last 10 games.

OF Jason Bourgeios:  Houston has been using Bourgeois lately against left-handers and is a stolen base guy stealing three bases in the last two days.   Looks for a few more steals from Bourgeios in the final week of the season with Michael Bourn out of the lineup.

1B Lucas Duda:  Duda has started to heat up at the plate for the New York Mets, hitting .500 with two home runs and six RBI over his last seven games.

OF John Bowker:  Bowker has been seeing more at bats of late in Pittsburgh and has hit .400 with two home runs and six RBI over his last 20 at bats.

Mixed Leagues:

1B Dan Johnson:  Johnson has four home runs over his seven games to go with eight RBI.  Tampa Bay needs a DH for the playoffs and will likely ride the hot hand.

It’s been a pleasure writing this article each week. I hope most of you enjoyed it and that the information was useful to you. I look forward to continuing next season.  Good luck in your final week.

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The Closer Report – Week 25

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 20th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 25. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

It is nice that Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia wants to keep giving votes of confidence to closer Fernando Rodney, but with another blown save last week, Jordan Walden looks like he will have a definite shot to claim the job next spring unless the team acquires another closer. Walden has struck out 18 in 10 1/3 innings since being promoted from Triple-A and has a 1,74 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. Walden’s control has been better in the majors than it was in the minor leagues when he walked 24 in 49 2/3 innings.

Jose Valverde is still out of action for the Detroit Tigers and the team could use one of three options in the bullpen for saves the rest of the way. Daniel Schlereth picked up a save last week, but the team can also turn to Ryan Perry or Phil Coke as well.

Drew Storen blew his second save of the season in epic fashion last week, allowing four runs without recording an out against the Philadelphia Phillies. In his two blown saves for the season, he has allowed eight runs in one inning. If you are in a keeper league, you can use this to try and see if you can get Storen cheaply for next year. His second half numbers of a 5.32 ERA and 1.48 WHIP are something you can also use to help string a deal. He is still a closer that you want to own in 2011 and going forward.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Koji Uehara Mike Gonzalez
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Chris Sale Matt Thornton, Bobby Jenks
CLE Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Ryan Perry, 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 Juan Gutierrez Aaron Heilman
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Rafael Betancourt
FLA Clay Hensley Leo Nunez
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 25

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 19th, 2010

With only two weeks left in the fantasy baseball season it becomes critical to have players that are healthy and getting at bats in your lineup. With several pennant races close to decided, there could be some players missing time over the next two weeks that could impact your standings. Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the diamond to help you set your fantasy baseball lineup for week 25.

American League:

Going Up:

Scott Baker, out the last two weeks with tendinitis, is slated to start on Tuesday for the Minnesota Twins vs. the Cleveland Indians as the team moves to a six-man rotation over the next two weeks. This makes Brian Duensing now a one-start pitcher instead of two in week 25.

Out for two months, Andy Pettitte returned to action for the New York Yankees on Sunday, allowing one run in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles. He should be active in your lineup the next two weeks.

Going Down:

Joe Mauer exited Sunday’s game early with pain in his knee which has been an ongoing problem of late. With the Minnesota Twins holding a comfortable lead in the standings, there is a good chance Mauer could miss several games next week.

Coco Crisp is out after breaking his pinkie on Saturday on a slide. He is scheduled to see a hand specialist in the early part of the week which means you need to find a replacement for him next week.

Jason Kubel missed the latter part of this week with a sore wrist and sat against on Sunday, leaving his playing time in doubt for next week. With the Twins holding a nice lead in the AL Central, there is no need to rush him back to action.

National League:

Going Down:

Tylyer Colvin is done for the remainder of the season for Chicago Cubs after part of a broken bat got stuck in his chest on Sunday. The Cubs also lost Geovany Soto as he will undergo surgery on his shoulder Monday putting him out for the rest of the year as well.

Homer Bailey is questionable for his start on Monday for the Cincinnati Reds after he left his last start with dizziness. It looks like a final decision will not be made until Monday when manager Dusty Baker checks with the trainers. It could possibly put his two-start status in jeopardy so if you league allows transactions on Monday before the first game is played, be sure to check for updates on Bailey before putting him in your lineup.

Michael Bourn left Houston’s game early on Sunday with a strained oblique muscle and will likely miss a few days next week. If you have another outfielder option on your team, you might want to start him unless you are absolutely desperate for stolen bases since Bourn could miss half the week or more in week 25.

Two of the top shortstops, Hanley Ramirez and Jimmy Rollins continue to miss time and could be out for some of next week as well. Unless you play in an extremely shallow league, there are likely no real could options to play so you might have to ride them out, but if you do have a decent alternative on your bench, I would get them active. Ramirez has a better chance to see time than Rollins who has been out since September 8th with a strained hamstring.

Garrett Jones of the Pittsburgh Pirates missed games over the weekend with a hurt shoulder and is likely out the first few games to start week 25 as well.

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2010 Two-Start Pitchers – Week 25

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 18th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 25. 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 25: 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 (CHC) ~ @OAK (Gonzalez), @LAA (Weaver)
Zack Greinke (KC) ~ @DET (Porcello), @CLE (Gomez)
Jered Weaver (LAA) ~ TEX (Holland), CWS (Floyd)
Brian Duensing (MIN) ~ CLE (Gomez), @DET (Porcello)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) ~ CWS (Floyd), TEX (Holland)
Trevor Cahill (OAK) ~ CWS (Buehrle), TEX (Lewis)
Colby Lewis (TEX) ~ @LAA (Santana), @OAK (Cahill)

Roll the Dice:

Fausto Carmona (CLE) ~ @MIN (Pavano), KC (Chen)
Rick Porcello (DET) ~ KC (Greinke), MIN (Duensing)
Phil Hughes (NYY) ~ TB (Shields), BOS (Matsuzaka)
Matt Garza (TB) ~ @NYY (Nova), SEA (Fister)
James Shields (TB) ~ @NYY (Hughes), SEA (French)
Derek Holland (TEX) ~ @LAA (Weaver), @OAK (Gonzalez)

Porcello has turned it around since the beginning of August, going 5-1 in seven starts. Since the All-Star break, he has a 4.09 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and is holding hitters to a .232 batting average. Hughes has two tough divisional starts next week and has been scuffling the second half of the season with a drop in strikeouts and a jump in his home run rate (13 allowed in 62 innings). Garza has faded lately, allowing six runs in each of his last two starts, one against the Yankees whom he faces next week. His has also struck out four or less in five straight starts as well. Despite Shields unimpressive overall numbers, he has been money against the Bronx Bombers this year with a 2.51 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in five starts. In two starts vs. the Mariners, he has a 2.25 ERA and a .088 WHIP. Holland is borderline, having made it two five innings in two of his last five starts. He has allowed one run in 10 2/3 innings in two starts vs. the A’s this season. Carmona has turned it back around his last four starts with six runs allowed in 30 2/3 innings.

Sit Them:

Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) ~ BAL (Matusz), @NYY (Hughes)
Jeanmar Gomez (CLE) ~ @MIN (Duensing), KC (Greinke)
Bruce Chen (KC) ~ @DET (Galarraga), @CLE (Carmona)
Luke French (SEA) ~ @TOR (Hill), @TB (Shields)
Shawn Hill (TOR) ~ SEA (French), BAL (Tillman)

Gomez started out winning three of his first four starts, but since that time is 0-4 in his last five outings. His ERA has been okay for the American League, but his stuff is average, leading to a .298 batting average against and a 1.53 WHIP which leaves him little margin for error. Dice-K has three wins in his last 10 starts and has given up four runs or more in six straight starts. Chen has faced Detroit twice in his last five starts with not much success, allowing 9 runs in 9 innings. Against the Indians whom he has faced twice in his last six starts, he has surrendered 6 runs in 11 2/3 innings. Stay away from French on the road where he has a 5.67 ERA and 1.44 WHIP vs. 2.58 and 1.04 at home. What you need to know about Shawn Hill, his last win was back on April 10, 2009.

National League:

Start them:

J.A. Happ (HOU) ~ @WAS (Lannan), @PIT (Maholm)
Chad Billingsley (LAD) ~ SD (Richard), @ARI (Saunders)
Cole Hamels (PHI) ~ ATL (Jurrjens), NYM (Dickey)
Matt Cain (SF) ~ @CHC (Wells), @COL (de la Rosa)
Chris Carpenter (STL) ~ @FLA (Banedhop), @CHC (Samardzija)

Roll the Dice:

Randy Wells (CHC) ~ SF (Cain), STL (Westbrook)
Homer Bailey (CIN) ~ @MIL (Capuano), @SD (Richard)
Jorge de la Rosa (COL) ~ @ARI (Saunders), SF (Cain)
Bud Norris (HOU) ~ @WAS (Hernandez), @PIT (Duke)
Chris Capuano (MIL) ~ CIN (Bailey), FLA (Volstad)
Clayton Richard (SD) ~ @LAD (Billingsley), CIN (Volquez)
Jake Westbrook (STL) ~ @PIT (Maholm), @CHC (Wells)
Livan Hernandez (WAS) ~ HOU (Norris), ATL (Lowe)
John Lannan (WAS) ~ HOU (Happ), ATL (Jurrjens)

Richard has one road start next week where he has a 4.85 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP vs. 2.77 and 1.19 at home. He has allowed two runs or less in six of his last seven starts. Wells has been a mixed bagged this year with much inconsistency. He allowed one run in eight innings against the Cardinals in his last start and in his lone start agains the Giants this season, he allowed six runs in five innings. Bailey has been much better in his second trip to the major leagues this season, posting a 4.02 ERA and 1.24 WHIP since the All-Star break. He also has two road starts next week where he has been slighlty better than pitching at home. Norris has been better the second part of the year with a 4.07 ERA and 1.33 WHIP since the break. He has allowed two runs or less in five of his last seven starts and is 6-1 in his last 10 outings. Capuano has been solid over his last three starts with five runs allowed in 18 1/3 innings, despite a 1-2 record. Westbrook has been stellar since coming to the Cardinals, posting a 3.26 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP. His lack of wins has been due to a lack of run support and not a lack of performance. Lannan has allowed two runs or less in seven of his last nine starts, going 6-2 in those outings while dropping his ERA by a full run for the season.

Sit Them:

Joe Saunders (ARI) ~ COL (de la Rosa), LAD (Billingsley)
Jair Jurrjens (ATL) ~ @PHI (Hamels), @WAS (Lannan)
Dave Bush (MIL) ~ CIN (Volquez), FLA (Mendez)
Paul Maholm (PIT) ~ STL (Westbrook), HOU (Happ)

Saunders has not shown any increase in performance since the move to the National League, leaving you with no real reason to start him. Jurrjens has faded down the stretch with a 4.67 ERA and 1.56 WHIP between August and September. Bush’s ERA has been 1.5 runs higher since the All-Star break and he has been even easier to hit. Maholm is 0-6 in his last eight starts and allowing a .308 average to opposing hitters.

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Waiver Wire – Week 25

Posted by Tony Mancini on September 16th, 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 25.

American League:

SP Brad Bergesen - Bergensen has been on fire since August for the Baltimore Orioles going 4-1 over his last eight starts with an ERA of 2.37 during that time frame.

1B Lars Anderson - In 15 at-bats for the Boston Red Sox since being called up after September 1, Anderson is hitting .266 with a couple of RBI.  Anderson has long term potential and should see regular starts at first for the Red Sox the rest of the season.  Anderson hit .274 with 15 home runs in the minors this season.

C Hank Conger - The Los Angeles Angels 2006 first round pick may not make an impact this year but could be a nice keeper in 2011 for deep AL only leagues.  Conger hit .300 with 11 home runs in 387 at-bats in Triple A.

National League:

SP Chris Narveson - Narveson has been solid over his last four starts for the Milwaukee Brewers.  He’s only allowed six runs over 26 innings during that stretch with an ERA just over 2.

S, Chris Capuano - Capuano has also been effective over his last three starts for the Brewers giving up five runs over his last 18 innings with an ERA of 2.45.

Mixed Leagues:

3B Melvin Mora – Mora has really stepped up since Ian Stewart was placed on the DL for the Rockies.  Mora is hitting over .310 since playing everyday.  He has not produced a lot of RBI as of yet, but can help you in runs scored and batting average and has had some power as well.

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The Closer Report – Week 24

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 14th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 24. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

After much indecision, manager Ozzie Guillen of the Chicago White Sox has officially named rookie Chris Sale as the closer, for the time being. Sale has been impressive since rocketing through the minor leagues this year and now has a .58 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP to go along with 21 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.

Jose Valverde has been out of action in Detroit for the past week or so with inflammation in his pitching elbow, a problem that seems to have been bothering him longer than he has let on. His numbers since the All-Star break have been brutal, with a 7.29 ERA and 1.86 WHIP. Ryan Perry will see saves if Valverde continues to be unable to pitch.

Fernando Rodney has not been getting the job done for the Los Angeles Angels since taking over for the departed Brian Fuentes. Last week, Rodney was 2-for-4 in save chances, with a 8.31 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP. I think the Angels are going to need to bring someone into close next season if they expect to contend in the American League West.

Francisco Cordero seems to be pitching on fumes for the Cincinnati Reds. Last week he blew both save chances, ending up with a 19.29 ERA and a 3.43 WHIP ration. He still is due $12 million in 2011 so it looks like he will start the year as closer once again.

Team Closer Handcuff
BAL Koji Uehara Mike Gonzalez
BOS Jonathan Papelbon Daniel Bard
CHW Chris Sale Matt Thornton, Bobby Jenks
CLE Chris Perez
DET Jose Valverde Ryan Perry, 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 Juan Gutierrez Aaron Heilman
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Rafael Betancourt
FLA Clay Hensley Leo Nunez
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 Two Start Pitchers – Week 24

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 10th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 24. 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 24: 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) ~ @SEA (Fister), TOR (Rzepczynski)
John Danks (CHW) ~ MIN (Liriano), DET (Verlander)
Francisco Liriano (MIN) ~ @CWS (Danks), OAK (Gonzalez)
CC Sabathia (NYY) ~ @TB (Price), @BAL (Matusz)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) ~ @KC (Bannister), @MIN (Liriano)
David Price (TB) ~ NYY (Sabathia), LAA (Bell)

Roll the Dice:

Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ TOR (Rzepczynski), NYY (Sabathia)
Justin Masterson (CLE) ~ LAA (Bell), @KC (Bannister)
Doug Fister (SEA) ~ BOS (Lester), TEX (Lee)

Masterson has rattled off three quality starts in a row with four runs allowed in 20 2/3 innings with 15 strikeouts. He allowed one run in seven innings against the Angels and two runs in five innings against the royals in his lone starts against each of them. Fister has been much better at home where he has two starts next week and owns a 3.21 ERA and 1.07 WHIP vs 4.96 and 1.61 on the road. On the downside, his ERA is 4.87 and WHIP 1.54 since the All-Star break and he has two tough teams to face. Start him only if you have to. Matusz had a 2.43 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in August and has won four straight starts.

Sit Them:

Brian Bannister (KC) ~ OAK (Gonzalez), CLE (Masterson)
Marc Rzepczynski (TOR) ~ @BAL (Matusz), @BOS (Lester)
Trevor Bell (LAA) ~ @CLE (Masterson), @TB (Price)

Bannister has lost six straight starts and has not won since June 23, also the last time he allowed less than four runs in a start. Rzepczynski has only made it to five innings in two of his last five starts and has not collected a win since August 13th. Bell has three straight starts with two runs or less allowed but there is nothing else in his past to suggest success next week.

National League:

Start them:

Travis Wood (CIN) ~ ARI (Hudson), @HOU (Myers)
Brett Myers (HOU) ~ MIL (Narveson), CIN (Wood)
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) ~ @SF (Zito), COL (Chacin)
R.A. Dickey (NYM) ~ PIT (McDonald), ATL (Lowe)
Jon Garland (SD) ~ @COL (Hammel), @STL (Wainwright)
Jaime Garcia (STL) ~ CHC (Silva), SD (Luebke)
Adam Wainwright (STL) ~ CHC (Wells), SD (Garland)

Roll the Dice:

Barry Enright (ARI) ~ @CIN (Arroyo), @PIT (McDonald)
Dan Hudson (ARI) ~ @CIN (Wood), @PIT (Duke)
Bronson Arroyo (CIN) ~ ARI (Enright), @HOU (Figueroa)
Chris Narveson (MIL) ~ @HOU (Myers), @SF (Zito)
Joe Blanton (PHI) ~ @FLA (Miller), @WAS (Maya)
James McDonald (PIT) ~ @NYM (TBD), ARI (Enright)
Barry Zito (SF) ~ LAD (Kershaw), MIL (Narveson)

McDonald is still too inconsistent for my tastes to start on a weekly basis, but he has some value with two starts if you are looking to pick up extra strikeouts. Narveson has made some strides the second half of the season with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Couple that with his strikeout rate and I am rolling the dice on him this week. I think Blanton is trending in the right direction with a 3.67 ERA and 1.38 WHIP since the break with an up tick in his strikeout rate. Throw out his recent start at Coors Field and the numbers get even a little better. Zito is morphing back into the Zito we have grown accustomed to the last few years. He has not won in almost two months so I guess you could start him on the fact he may be due, but then again he has lost six straight starts. He does have the benefit of pitching at home next week where his ERA is a run and a half lower than on the road.

Sit Them:

Derek Lowe (ATL) ~ @WAS (Maya), @NYM (Dickey)
Carlos Silva (CHC) ~ @STL (Garcia), @FLA (Miller)
Andrew Miller (FLA) ~ PHI (Blanton), CHC (Silva)
Zach Duke (PIT) ~ @NYM (Dickey), ARI (Hudson)
Cory Luebke (SD) ~ @COL (Francis), @STL (Garcia)
Yunesky Maya (WAS) ~ @ATL (Lowe), @PHI (Blanton)

Maya has very little background in the U.S. so far with only 21 1/3 innings in the minor leagues before he was promoted and now one start in the major leagues. He is facing two teams in a fight for a post season berth so unless your only other option is Brian Bannister in a mixed league, then I think you have to sit Maya. I think Luebke has some value but a start at Coors Field plus a tough road start against St. Louis and Garcia is enough to keep him reserved for the week. Nothing in Lowe’s numbers says to start him though he has been better against the Mets with a 2.95 ERA and 1,25 WHIP in three starts. On the flip side, the Nationals have hung a 6.11 ERA on him. Miller has too little control of the strike zone to ever see a start in a mixed league. Silva since the All-Star break, 23 hits and 14 runs allowed in 11 1/3 innings.

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2010 Waiver Wire – Week 24

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 9th, 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 24.

American League:

OF Casper Wells – enjoy the good start for Wells in Detroit because he is out performing his minor league numbers so far. His .320 batting average with two home runs and 10 RBI in 50 at bats pales in comparison to his numbers at Triple-A where he hit .233 and struck out once every 3.5 at bats.

OF Julio Borbon / Jeff Francoeur – each guy should see some at bats for Texas over the next week with Josh Hamilton out of action with Borbon seeing more time as the left-handed hitter in the platoon.

C Brayan Pena – lots of fantasy baseball owners seem to be looking for a catcher over the final few weeks and Pena has been somewhat hot, boosting his batting average 50 points over his last 10 starts to go along with seven RBI.

National League:

2B Danny Espinosa – he has not been getting full-time action since being recalled, but when he has been in the lineup, he has been hitting with three home runs and 10 RBI in just 22 at bats.

OF Luis Durango – he doesn’t get a lot of playing time in San Diego, but still has value because he pinch-runs and can steal a base. Has picked up four steals in his last 10 games.

Mixed Leagues:

2B Eric Young Jr. – The Colorado second basemen had been struggling with his batting average until the last six games when he knocked out two hits apiece in four of them. Forecast his stolen bases out over the course of the entire season and he would have close to 60 in 145 games.

RP Juan Gutierrez – Gutierrez has been solid the last two months and if you are looking for saves in a deep league, he might be the only guy left out on the free agent market.

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The Closer Report – Week 23

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 7th, 2010

Here is a look at the fantasy baseball closer report for week 23. It contains all of the most recent closer news, plus the current closers and the current handcuffs.

The big news last week was Florida closer Leo Nunez being pulled from the job in favor of Clay Hensley. August was a brutal month for Nunez that saw him go 3-for-6 in saves with a 9.31 ERA and a 2.48 WHIP. It has been a breakout year for Hensley in 2010 with a current 2.54 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. With an 0-for-5 in save chances in his career, this is more of a short term fix than a long term plan.

The Chicago White Sox bullpen was busy in week 22 collecting five saves between three different pitchers. Bobby Jenks went 3-for-4 in saves, while rookie Chris Sale and Matt Thornton each picked up one. Sale has been dominating as the second left out of the bullpen with 19 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings and has good value in keeper leagues as either a starter next year or as a possible closer. Jenks is still the guy to own the rest of 2010 as manager Ozzie Guillen seems committed to him as long a he is healthy.

Chris Perez has been dominant since the All-Star Break for the Cleveland Indians with a 0.81 ERA and .94 WHIP while converting 12-of-13 save chances. He has struck out 26 in 22 1/3 innings while holding hitters to a .173 average.

The ever changing Arizona bullpen was in flux again last week as Juan Gutierrez picked up three saves. Gutierrez has turned things around the last two months with one run allowed in 10 1/3 innings and no home runs surrendered.

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 Juan Gutierrez Aaron Heilman
ATL Billy Wagner Takashi Saito
CHI Carlos Marmol Sean Marshall
CIN Francisco Cordero Arthur Rhodes
COL Huston Street Rafael Betancourt
FLA Clay Hensley Leo Nunez
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 23

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 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 23.

American League:

Alex Rodriguez returned to the New York Yankees lineup on Sunday, going 2-for-5 with an RBI. He should be active in all formats for next week.

Cliff Lee has been scratched from his Tuesday start for the Texas Rangers and could possibly be skipped the entire week depending on how his back feels. Scott Feldman will take the hill on Tuesday at Toronto. Also for the Rangers, shortstop Elvis Andrus is likely to miss the first part of next week with hamstring issues. Cristian Guzman will get starts in his place.

Josh Hamilton is expected to miss a week of action for the Texas Rangers with sore ribs. The team will go with a platoon of Julio Borbon and Jeff Francoeur in his place.

National League:

Johan Santana has been scratched from his Tuesday start by the New York Mets; instead the team will turn to Dillon Gee from Triple-A.  Gee had a 4.96 ERA with 165 strikeouts in 161 1/3 innings, with opposing hitters batting .275 against him.

Clay Hensley has supplanted Leo Nunez as closer in Florida for the time being so if you are looking for saves next week, get Hensley in your active line up.

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 23.

Team Vs. Righty Vs. Lefty
Boston – 2B Jed Lowrie (4) Bill Hall (2)
Boston – OF Daniel Nava (4) Darnell McDonald (2)
Texas – 1B Mitch Moreland (5) Jorge Cantu (2)
Arizona – OF Gerardo Parra (3) Rusty Ryal (3)
Atlanta – OF Eric Hinske (6) Matt Diaz (1)
Atlanta – OF Rick Ankiel (6) Melky Cabrera (1)
Colorado – OF Seth Smith (5) Ryan Spillborghs (2)
Houston – 1B Brett Wallace (4) Jason Michaels (3)
San Diego – OF Will Venable (4) Scott Hairston (3)
St. Louis – OF John Jay (4) Randy Winn (3)
Washington – 2B Adam Kennedy (5) Danny Espinosa (1)
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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 23

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 4th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 23. 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 23: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category.

American League:

Start them:

Jon Lester (BOS) ~ TB (Niemann). @OAK (Anderson)
Max Scherzer (DET) ~ CWS (Jackson), BAL (Guthrie)
Justin Verlander (DET) ~ CWS (Garcia), BAL (Arrieta)
Brett Anderson (OAK) ~ SEA (Vargas), BOS (Lester)
Jason Vargas (SEA) ~ @OAK (Anderson), @LAA (Haren)
Ricky Romero (TOR) ~ TEX (Hunter), TB (Niemann)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) ~ TEX (Lee), TB (Price))

Roll the Dice:

Edwin Jackson (CHW) ~ @DET (Scherzer), KC (Davies)
Carlos Carrasco (CLE) ~ @LAA (Haren), MIN (Slowey)
Dan Haren (LAA) ~ CLE (Carrasco), SEA (Vargas)
Kevin Slowey (MIN) ~ KC (O’Sullivan), @CLE (Carrasco)
Tommy Hunter (TEX) ~ @TOR (Romero), NYY (Burnett)

Slowey returns to action after a stint on the disabled list. Before the injury, he had went 3-1 in his previous five starts, allowing one run or less in three of them. Jackson has been riding a hot streak since coming back to the American League, going 3-0 in five starts with a 1.47 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Haren has had two good starts in a row and faces Seattle again, a team he tossed seven shutout innings against in his last start. Hunter is always on the fence for me with his fringe stuff that can lead to some explosive outings. He has failed to make it to the fourth inning in three of his last 10 starts. He has yet to face either Toronto or New York this season.

Sit Them:

Jake Arrieta (BAL) ~ @NYY (Burnett), @DET (Verlander)
Freddy Garcia (CHW) ~ @DET (Verlander), KC (O’Sullivan)
Sean O’Sullivan (KC) ~ @MIN (Slowey), @CWS (Garcia)
A.J. Burnett (NYY) ~ BAL (Arrieta), @TEX (Hunter)
Jeff Niemann (TB) ~ @BOS (Lester), @TOR (Romero)

Burnett has been too inconsistent and a win in his last start was his first since July 28th. I don’t want any part of Niemann in my rotation until he shows he is healthy. He has been bombed in his two starts since coming off of the disabled list, allowing 17 runs in 8 1/3 innings. Garcia has slowed down after a nice first half, now sporting a 5.80 ERA and 1.64 WHIP since the All-Star break. Arrieta is 0-3 in his last four starts and his inability to throw strikes makes it hard for him to get wins because he can barely make it through five innings in a start.

National League:

Start them:

Tommy Hanson (ATL) ~ @PIT (Karstens), STL (Westbrook)
Tim Hudson (ATL) ~ @PIT (Karstens), STL (TBD)
Ryan Dempster (CHC) ~ HOU (Rodriguez), @MIL (Gallardo)
Johnny Cueto (CIN) ~ @COL (Chacin), PIT (Karstens)
Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) ~ CIN (Harang), ARI (Saunders)
Anibal Sanchez (FLA) ~ @PHI (Oswalt), @WAS (Zimmermann)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) ~ @CHC (Dempster), LAD (Kershaw)
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) ~ @SD (Correia), @HOU (Rodriguez)
Roy Oswalt (PHI) ~ FLA (Sanchez), @NYM (Pelfrey)
Tim Lincecum (SF) ~ @ARI (Enright), @SD (Correia)

Roll the Dice:

Ian Kennedy (ARI) ~ SF (Bumgarner), @COL (Chacin)
Jhoulys Chacin (COL) ~ CIN (Cueto), ARI (Kennedy)
Nelson Figueroa (HOU) ~ @CHC (Gorzelanny), LAD (Padilla)
Yovani Gallardo (MIL) ~ STL (Westbrook), CHC (Silva)
Mike Pelfrey (NYM) ~ @WAS (Zimmermann), PHI (Oswalt)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) ~ LAD (Monasterios), SF (Bumgarner)
Madison Bumgarner (SF) ~ @ARI (Kennedy), @SD (LeBlanc)
Jake Westbrook (STL) ~ @MIL (Gallardo), @ATL (Hanson)
Jordan Zimmermann (WAS) ~ NYM (Pelfrey), FLA (Sanchez)

Kennedy has been up and down in his rookie season, but his strikeout rate plus his 6-2 record over his last 10 starts gives him the nod for rotations next week. Figueroa has been solid in his four starts since moving into the Astros rotation, with only five runs allowed in 23 innings. Westbrook has lost three in a row but still pitched well enough to win two of them. The Cardinals gave him only five runs of support in those three outings. Zimmerman has had one good start and one rough start since coming back to the major leagues. He faces Florida again next week, after tossing six shutout innings with nine strikeouts against them on 8/31. LeBlanc is teetering on the edge of benching after coming down from his hot run in July and allowing 16 runs in his last 13 innings. Getting two home starts where he has a 2.71 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP should help. Chacin has run off three straight solid starts, allowing two earned runs in 20 innings with 19 strikeouts. Gallardo’s overall numbers seem okay, but a 7.23 ERA and 1.70 WHIP after the break with hitters batting 90 points higher against him tells me there may be something wrong with him. Pelfrey has gone 3-3 in his last six starts, allowing three runs or less in five of those outings. Hitters have started to catch up to Bumgarner the second part of the year. Luckily for you, he gets two road starts next week where he has a 2.62 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP vs. 5.24 and 1.49 at home.

Sit Them:

Aaron Harang (CIN) ~ @COL (Jimenez), PIT (Morton)
Chris Volstad (FLA) ~ @PHI (TBD), @WAS (Olsen)
Carlos Monasterios (LAD) ~ @SD (LeBlanc), @HOU (Figueroa)
Jeff Karstens (PIT) ~ ATL (Hanson), @CHC (Cueto)
Kevin Correia (SD) ~ LAD (Kershaw), SF (Lincecum)
TBD (STL) ~ @MIL (Narveson), @ATL (Hudson)

Monasterios has not picked up a win since May 28th and has not gone five innings in a game since back on July 30th. Karstens win in his last start was his first since June 19th, sandwiched around eight losses. Correia always seems to run in streaks and unfortunately for his owners, he is in a run right now, allowing 20 runs over his last 12 innings. Harang’s first start in two months in the major leagues was not a success and pitching at Colorado next week does not bode well for your team’s stats. Volstad faces a six game suspension which could impact his two starts next week depending on if he appeals the ruling.

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2010 MLB September 1 Callups

Posted by Todd Lammi on September 2nd, 2010

With September 1 here, here is a look at some of the more interesting names that were called up today and they impact they might have in fantasy leagues over the course of the next five weeks. Keep in mind that there will be more players coming up and they still might be in Double-A or Triple-A if there team is in the playoffs.

1B / OF Brandon Allen (ARI) – Allen got the start in left field on Wednesday with Justin Upton out of the lineup and day-to-day. Allen went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs, thanks to a grand slam in the seventh innings. Allen was hitting .261 in Triple-A with 25 home runs and 86 RBI to go along with 14 stolen bases. He should see a good amount of playing time the last five weeks between the outfield and first base.

1B Freddie Freeman (ATL) – Freeman got the start at first base in place of Derrek Lee and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout while hitting sixth in the order. He could see spot starts the rest of the way since Lee has been injury prone this year, but Freeman’s real value won’t come until 2011. He hit .319 in Triple-A with 18 home runs, 87 RBI and six stolen bases.

2B Daniel Espinosa (WAS) – Espinosa should see a good amount of starts at seconds base for the Washington Nationals over the remainder of the season. Espinosa hit .268 at two levels in the minor leagues with 22 home runs, 69 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 481 at bats and is the favorite to start at second base in 2011. He came off the bench Wednesday to go 1-for-2 with an RBI.

OF Nolan Reimold (BAL) – It has been a disappointing season for Reimold who started the year as a strong sleeper candidate in Baltimore, but did not seem recovered enough from surgery to his Achilles to ever get untracked. Reimold was hitting .249 in Triple-A with 10 home runs, 37 RBI and 9 stolen bases in 337 at bats. He got the start Wednesday at designated hitter with the lefty Jon Lester on the mound and went 1-for-3 with an RBI. It looks like he could platoon with Luke Scott at DH and fill-in periodically in the outfield.

OF Lucas Duda (NYM) – With Jason Bay still out of action, Duda could get an extended look in left field for the New York Mets. Duda was in the lineup Wednesday night and hit seventh going 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He hit .304 between two levels in the minor leagues with 23 home runs and 87 RBI in 425 at bats.

OF Desmond Jennings (TB) – Jennings got the start in right field hitting second for Tampa Bay on Wednesday. He went o-for-3 with a strikeout and his playing time for the rest of the season is still in question, unless the Rays decide to give Ben Zobrist more time at second base. The addition of Brad Hawpe also takes away some possible at bats from the DH spot. Jennings hit .278 in Triple-A with 37 stolen bases in 41 attempts.

RP – Aroldis Chapman (CIN) – The Reds cheated the a little by getting him to the major leagues a day early so he would be eligible for the playoffs and he has pitched both days, working two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He has some value in NL leagues for K’s but is not worth owning in mixed leagues. For keeper leagues, his long term outlook is still in the Cincinnati rotation

SP – Cory Luebke (SD) – Luebke is expected to get the start on Friday for the San Diego Padres against the Colorado Rockies. Luebke was 10-1 between two levels in the minor leagues with a 2.68 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 114 innings.

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