Posts Tagged ‘Justin Smoak’

2010 Waiver Wire – Week 4

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 24th, 2010

Here is a look at some potential players to target in your fantasy baseball league that might be out there on the waiver wire in week 4.

American League only:

1B – Justin Smoak – got the call up from Triple-A this week by the Texas Rangers replacing Chris Davis. Smoak has hit 6th in the line up and is currently 0 for 5 with three walks and one strikeouts.

2B – Adam Rosales – Rosales takes over at second base for the Oakland A’s with Mark Ellis going on the disabled list. Rosales is hitting .244 on the season with one home run and seven RBI. Played 57 games at third base in 2009 and 11 games at first base so if your league has a 10 game limit, he would currently qualify at three positions. If the limit is 20 games, then he can only be used at first base.

SS – Matt Tuiasosopo – currently filling in for Jack Wilson at shortstop for the Seattle Mariners. Although the x-rays on Wilson’s thumb did not show a fracture, Tuiasosopo could be good insurance just in case Wilson tweaks it again when he comes back.

C - John Jaso – Jaso will see a few at bats each week as the back up catcher in Tampa Bay with Kelly Shoppach sidelined for four weeks. Jason has a career minor league batting average of .290 with good plate discipline so he should not harm your team’s batting average like most second catchers would.

OF – Brennan Boesch – getting the start in the outfield for the Detroit Tigers with Carlos Guillen going on the disabled list this week. Boesch hit .275 with 28 home runs and 11 stolen bases in Double-A last season.

OF – Austin Kearns - with little production from the Cleveland outfield this season, Austin Kearns has been getting more time in the last two weeks. Kearns is hitting .355 with four RBI and a stolen base on the season.

OF – Darnell McDonald – filling in for Jacoby Ellsbury / Mike Cameron, McDonald is hitting .417 in 12 at bats with two home runs and four RBI.

National League only:

1B - Ike Davis – probably owned in almost every NL only league but just in case he isn’t. Should see the majority of starts until Daniel Murphy returns and even then he has a good chance of staying on as the starter throughout the end of the season. Seems to have give the New York Mets a spark as the team has won 5 of 6 games since his promotion from Triple-A. Currently hitting .350 in 20 at bats with one home run and two RBI.

OF – Brett Carroll – has shown a little bit of power and is getting some extra at bats in Florida with Chris Coghlan off to a slow start. Carroll is hitting .350 in 20 at bats with two home runs and four RBI.

OF – Gerardo Parra – will see the majority of at bats in the outfield for Arizona while Conor Jackson is on the disabled list.

SP – Nelson Figueroa – should get another start or two with J.A. Happ on the disabled list. Figueroa got the start on Saturday and allowed two runs in five innings with four strikeouts.

12 /15 mixed league:

1B – Justin Smoak and Ike Davis - see above

SP – Barry Zito – Zito picked up his third win of the season on Saturday and is off to a great start, currently 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP ratio. Batters are only hitting .161 against him.

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The Daily Dirt from Thursday

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 22nd, 2010

I wrote just a few days ago in the Minor League Report that Chris Davis had maybe three more weeks until we saw Justin Smoak. It turned out to be actually only three more days as the Texas Rangers have recalled Smoak and designated Davis for assignment. No real big surprise with Davis hitting .188 with no home runs and striking out 35% of the time.  Smoak was hitting .326 with two home runs, but more importantly 16 walks with only five strikeouts.

Speaking of non-hitting first basemen, Troy Glaus has to be next up on the possible cut block. Freddie Freeman has started to heat up in Triple-A for the Atlanta Braves with three home runs in his last two games and six RBI and will be eventually knocking on the door if Glaus continues to struggle. Glaus went 0-for-4 Thursday with three strikeouts and is now hitting .170 on the season.

On the other side of the diamond, it is time for Brandon Wood to also go pretty soon I think. Wood is hitting .087 with zero home runs or RBI and only two runs scored in 46 at bats. Not helping matters is still his lack of plate discipline with two walks and 15 strikeouts. If Maicer Izturis is a free agent in your league and you need middle infield help, I would pick him up in advance of something happening.

Daisuke Matsuzaka is supposed to return from the disabled list and could get the start either Monday or Tuesday in Toronto, making him potentially a two-start starter in week 4 with the second start coming at Baltimore. In three starts in Triple-A, Matsuzaka had a 1.62 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings.

Ubaldo Jimenez picked up a win Thursday night with 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts. He is now 4-0 with a 0.95 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. While all that is well and nice, he has rang up pitch counts of 115, 128 and 121 in his last three starts. Those are some awfully high numbers and we’re not even into May yet. His trade value is never going to be higher and with his recent pitch count numbers, there is no better time to trade him.

Aroldis Chapman worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings in Triple-A, allowing three hits with five walks and striking out eight. Until he gets his control in order which is going to enable him to pitch past the fifth inning and not blow out the bullpen on days he pitches, he is going to be stuck in Triple-A for awhile.

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The Minor League Report – Week 2

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 19th, 2010

We have seen two minor league top prospects get promoted in the past week with Justin Maxwell getting recalled by the Washington Nationals and first basemen Ike Davis getting the call up from the New York Mets today and starting at first base. Davis went 2-for-4 in his major league debut with an RBI and should see the majority of starts at 1B until Daniel Murphy returns.

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

Here is a look at some of the top hitters and pitchers through week 2 in Triple-A. I have color coded them green (good start) and red (bad start) so you can quickly glance through to get an update on how your player may be doing.

Hitters:

Catcher Carlos Santana (Clev.) looks like he is ready now, although I am sure the Indians will hold off on promoting him for awhile. Santana is hitting .375 with four home runs and 14 RBI.

First basemen Brett Wallace (Tor.) is off to a good start hitting .289 with four home runs and five RBI. With Lyle Overbay hitting only .115, Wallace may not be that far away from making an impact.

First basemen Justin Smoak (Tex.) has to be making Chris Davis owners a little nervous, as Smoak is hitting .342 with two home runs and five RBI, but more importantly 11 walks against only five strikeouts. Davis is currently hitting .222 with one RBI and is already being platooned with Ryan Garko so he might have another three weeks or so to turn it around or risk being sent down.

Third basemen Pedro Alvarez (Pitt.) has some work to do with his batting average but is showing power, with four home runs and 11 RBI. With Jeff Clement hitting .103 and Andy LaRoche hitting .222, it is only a matter of time before Alvarez appears.

Second basemen Eric Young Jr. (Col.) has gotten off to a slow start, hitting .083 with no RBI or stolen bases so far this year.

Third basemen Josh Bell (Balt.) has found Triple-A pitching difficult so far, hitting .186 with 15 strikeouts in 43 at bats.

Pitchers:

Jeremy Hellickson (Tampa) has been dealing in his three starts with a 1.42 ERA and a .79 WHIP, He has struck out 21 hitters in 19 innings. With Tampa Bay off to a great start and all of the pitchers throwing well, he won’t be up for awhile barring injury despite his talent.

Brad Mills (Tor.) racked up nine strikeouts in each of his first two starts, compiling a .79 ERA and .88 WHIP ratio.

Jake Arrieta (Balt.) in what seems like a long line of good young Baltimore pitching has started the year with 12 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.

Something has to be wrong with Madison Bumgarner (SF). After his drop of velocity in spring combined with his first two starts at Triple-A, 21 hits allowed in seven innings and 11 earned runs, maybe he is hiding an injury.

Trevor Reckling (LAA) has been having some control problems leading to a 6.28 ERA and 1.95 WHIP. Reckling has walked 10 in 14 1/3 innings while allowing 18 hits.

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2010 Texas Rangers Team Preview

Posted by Todd Lammi on March 14th, 2010

This is the second part our series of 2010 fantasy baseball team previews looking at the American League West. The team previews will include the projected batting order, projected rotation, rookies that could make an impact in 2010 as well as each players current ADP for a 15 team mixed fantasy baseball league.

2010 Texas Rangers Projected Batting Order:

1.  CF Julio Borbon (ADP 151)
2.  3B Michael Young (ADP 90)
3.  LF Josh Hamilton (ADP 53)
4.  DH Vladimir Guerrero (ADP 134)
5.  2B Ian Kinsler (ADP 16)
6.  RF Nelson Cruz (ADP 63)
7.  1B Chris Davis (ADP 158)
8.  C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (ADP 409)
9.  SS Elvis Andrus (ADP 149)

2010 Texas Rangers Projected Rotation & Bullpen:

1.  Rich Harden (ADP 224)
2.  Scott Feldman (ADP 316)
3.  Colby Lewis (ADP 422)
4.  Tommy Hunter (ADP 461)
5.  Derek Holland / Brandon McCarthy (ADP 411/ND)

Closer – Frank Francisco (ADP 208)
Handcuff – Neftali Feliz / C.J. Wilson

2010 Texas Rangers Prospects with potential impact this year:

1.  Justin Smoak – 1B
2.  Martin Perez – SP


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Fantasy Baseball Minor League Report – week 4

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 1st, 2009

by Todd Lammi

Tommy Hanson picked up his first win of the season Thursday, tossing six shutout innings with nine strikeouts. Hanson threw 92 pitches, 58 for strikes, and allowed an even split of four ground ball and four fly outs. He is just waiting for the Atlanta Braves to make the call as he is major league ready right now. Other top prospects making a mark in minor league baseball in week 4…

Gordon Beckham has been in the news quite a bit recently with questions being asked of Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen about the potential for a Beckham call up. Beckham is hitting .300 in AA with two home runs and 10 doubles, plus a stolen base. He still has some work to do defensively before he is promoted to the major leagues.

Justin Smoak – the way he has been hitting, you might as well change his last name to Smoke. Currently in AA for the Texas Rangers, Smoak is hitting .351 with four home runs in 76 at bats. More importantly, check out the walk to strikeout ratio. With 16 walks against only 10 strikeouts, Smoak is displaying a great eye at the plate.

Jake Arrieta - in AA for the Baltimore Orioles, Arrieta struck out six in six innings for his last start. On the season, Arrieta has a 2.00 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Madison Bumgarner – Bumgarner, part of the loaded team that is the San Jose Giants is off to a good start in 2009 with a 1.40 ERA, with 19 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings. His last start was the first time he allowed more than one run.

Buster Posey – Bumgarner’s teammate in San Jose, the catcher is hitting .366 with five home runs and an 11 to 13 walk to strikeout ratio.

Jarrod Parker – Parker made a quick move this season, blazing through high Class A up to Double-A for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Parker in his four starts in A ball, had a 0.95 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 19 innings.

Gerardo Parra – among the leaders in batting average in AA for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Parra is hitting .342 with a home run and five stolen bases. He has shown good plate discipline with 15 walks versus nine strikeouts.

Bud Norris - could be next in line when the Houston Astros need a starting pitcher. Norris has a 2.28 ERA in AAA with 25 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. He still needs some work on his control, with 15 walks on the season, including six in his last start.

Dayan Viciedo – Viciedo was hot in spring training and there was some that thought he was close to the major leagues for the Chicago White Sox. The team sent him to AA and he has struggled there so far in the first month of the season, batting .221 with 20 strikeouts in 77 at bats.

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