Archive for May, 2012

The news continues to get worse in Philadelphia. The Phillies lost one of the most durable pitchers in the game on Tuesday as Roy Halladay was diagnosed with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle and is expected to miss the next 6-8 weeks.  Vance Worley, who is on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation, threw a bullpen session Tuesday and could replace Halladay in the rotation. The Phillies have Thursday off so that will give them some time to figure things out.

The 2012 season has been a nightmare for the Phillies. Its still unknown when Chase Utley and Ryan Howard will return to the Phillies lineup. Carlos Ruiz has a mildly strained right hamstring and did not play Tuesday. If Ruiz ends up missing a significant amount of time, the Phillies are going to be in a world of hurt.

In other fantasy news…..

• It was not surprising to see Roy Oswalt sign with the Texas Rangers. Coming from his couch and with his history of back problems, I’m very weary about Oswalt. But, in an AL-Only and deeper mixed leagues he is worth taking a shot on. As for Neftali Feliz, odds are its back to the bullpen.
• Dustin Pedroia has been diagnosed with a torn abductor muscle in his right thumb and could miss 3-4 weeks. Its amazing with all the injuries the Red Sox have had this season, they are second in runs scored in the American League.
• The Angels placed Jered Weaver on the 15-day disabled list. He has been diagnosed with a strained lower back muscle and inflammation and could be out for the next four weeks.
• Freddie Freeman could return to the Braves’ starting lineup Wednesday if his prescription goggles work right.
• Yadier Molina finished 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Tuesday’s loss to the Braves
• Jay Bruce went 3-for-3 with two RBI in Tuesday’s victory in Pittsburgh. Bruce continues to drive fantasy owners crazy with his long cold streaks, but by the end of the year the numbers on the back of the baseball card will be there.
• Albert Pujols hit is seventh homer in his last 14 games.
• Adam Jones hit his 15th and 16th home runs in Tuesday’s loss to the Blue Jays and extended his hitting streak to 20 games.
• Ryan Raburn was demoted to Triple-A with his batting average down to .146 with one home run and 35 strikeouts.

Fantasy owners have been scrambling to maintain a healthy lineup this season with all the weird injuries and illness, but Jonathan Lucroy’s injury is pretty unusual. The Brewers have already lost half of their starting infield due to season-ending knee injuries with Mat Gamel and Alex Gonzalez going down, and now they’ll be without Lucroy. Lucroy was placed on the disabled list after fracturing a bone in his right hand. He was reaching under his hotel room bed for a sock on Sunday night when his wife dropped a suitcase  on his hand. Lucroy is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Its a terrible break for fantasy owners and a bad break for the Brewers. The loss of Lucroy means the Brewers will be without one of their best hitters so far this season, as Lucroy has batted .345 with five homers and 30 RBI. Milwaukee will call up Martin Maldonado to replace Lucroy on the roster, but George Kottaras will receive the majority of the playing time behind the plate.  Kottaras isn’t a bad replacement for Lucroy.

In other fantasy news…..

• Freddie Freeman (vision problems) missed the entire weekend as he waits for a pair sport goggles to arrive on Tuesday. I can’t believe it takes 3+ days for a pair goggles to get delivered to Atlanta. The Braves can afford the rate for overnight shipping fee.
• Jered Weaver left Monday’s start after throwing just 12 pitches due to a lower back injury. He is scheduled for an MRI Tuesday and we will find out more.
• Chris Sale was unhittable on Monday, striking out 15 Rays batters over  7 1/3 innings. Sale’s 15 strikeouts established a new career high and he was simply on another level.
• Roy Halladay will get his shoulder examined by a doctor Tuesday. If Halladay hits the disabled list, Vance Worley could take his spot in the rotation.
• Matt Adams had three hits and three RBI Monday and is now batting .382. It will be interesting to see how the Cardinals work him into the lineup with Allen Craig (hamstring) due back Friday.
• James McDonald continued his strong start to 2012 with eight shutout innings against the Reds Monday. His ERA  sits at 2.20.
• PROSPECT WATCH: Yasmani Grandal is tearing it up in the minors and with Matt Hundley struggling at the plate, a call-up could be soon. Grandal has yet to put up strong power numbers, but who does at Petco Park? Yonder Alonso has done a nice job for the Padres, but the best prospect they received in the Mat Latos trade was Grandal.

On Tuesday night, J.J. Putz had another shaky outing , but manager Kirk Gibson is still supporting his closer and says that Putz will remain the closer. Putz has three blown saves in 12 opportunities — he blew four saves all last season — and has struggled in other outings. He gave up four runs in a non-save situation against the Cardinals two weeks ago and I’m wondering how many more shaky outings Putz has to have before Gibson gives David Hernandez the opportunity to close. There is no doubt that Hernandez is next in line in Arizona. Hernandez struggled out of the gate this season, but seems to have settled in nicely. He has been better than Putz, with a 2.25 ERA.

In other fantasy news….

• John Danks was finally turning things around after his strong performance last Saturday against the Cubs, but he was scratched from his start today against the Indians due to shoulder soreness and will be placed on the disabled list. Jose Quintana was recalled from Triple-A to make the start for the White Sox tonight.
• Emilio Bonifacio is expected to miss four to six weeks following thumb surgery Friday.
• David Wright went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer on Thursday and continues to lead the majors with a .405 batting average.
• Albert Pujols went 3-for-4 with his fifth homer of the season  and his fantasy owners are beginning to exhale. This was his fourth homer in the last nine games.
• Logan Ondrusek notched the save in the Reds’ win over the Braves on Thursday night. Dusty Baker continues to drive fantasy owners crazy with this closer-by-committee although he said Aroldis Chapman is the closer. Chapman will get the majority of the save opportunities, but Baker will not use Chapman more than two days in a row.
• Devin Mesoraco hit a grand slam in the Reds victory over the Braves. Mesoraco is not having the season that fantasy owners thought, but Dusty Baker
• Freddie Freeman (eye problem) didn’t start Thursday due to continued issues with his contact lenses. Brian McCann missed the game with the flu.
• Lance Berkman underwent knee surgery and is expected to miss 8-to-10 weeks.
• Austin Jackson has been placed on the disabled list with an abdominal strain
• The pursuit of free agent Roy Oswalt is starting to get interesting. Oswalt has interest from the Rangers, Cardinals, Red Sox and now, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported Thursday that the Orioles now have him on their radar.

I’ve come to the conclusion this week that to win your fantasy league this year will take one thing  – LUCK!  I can’t remember a season with several key players going down with injuries, stars struggling, and the roller coaster ride with the saves situation. May 2012  has been a violent month and we still have 9 days to go. With all the injuries at the major league level, it is imperative that fantasy owners are combing minor league box scores to identify those that may be called to fill in. We’re only at the quarter poll, but I’m sure I’m not the only one trying to catch my breath and figure out what the hell is going on.

In other fantasy news…..

• Better news for Lance Berkman on Monday. The MRI on Berkman’s knee revealed a torn meniscus, not a torn ACL. It’s still possible that a second exam will reveal ACL damage, but the Cardinals are now hopeful that he’ll only miss 6-8 weeks. Yesterday, I said I would not be surprised in Berkman played his last game for the season and possible his career. Despite the good news, at 36-years old, I’m still left wondering if Berkman is still not out of the woods.
• Felipe Paulino kept the Yankees scoreless in the Bronx to improve to 2-0. He threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out eight in the 6-0 win.
• Aroldis Chapman was arrested Monday after driving 93 mph on a suspended license. The only thing that surprises me is that he was not driving as fast as he throws his fastball.
• Drew Stubbs hit two homers on Monday night. Stubbs has continued to disappoint fantasy owners through the first quarter of this season after he disappointed those same owners in 2011 with all the strikeouts. But, Stubbs’ K rate is actually at a three year low, and he’s on pace to match last season’s totals.
• Miguel Montero left Monday’s game with a mild groin strain and is being considered day-to-day.
• Cody Ross will be sidelined 6-8 weeks with a fractured foot. Its just one injury after another for the Red Sox this year.
• Keep a close eye on Brandon League remaining in the closer role in Seattle. League appeared on Sunday in a non-save situation, but he still struggled on the mound. League has allowed two runs in each of his last two appearances, which has me concerned. League is still 8 for 11 in save opportunities on the year, but has blown two of his last three chances and has issued 11 walks and 11 strikeouts over 18 1/3 innings pitched. If this trend continues, it’s not a matter of if, but when League will lose his job.
• Another closer situation that we need to watch is in Detroit. Jose Valverde has been dealing with a lower back strain and an ugly 5.51 ERA this year. The leash may be longer for Valverde than other closers, but with a couple blown saves and Joaquin Benoit throwing well, its just another situation that is slowly moving into the conversation.
• Henry Rodriguez didn’t blow another save Monday, but only because he was removed from the game before being allowed to do so.  Rodriguez is a mess and Nationals manager Davey Johnson has to make a change in the ninth. Craig Stammen and Sean Burnett will be in the mix until Drew Storen (elbow) returns around the All-Star break.
• A prospect to keep an eye on is Royals outfielder Wil Myers. Myers has been tearing it up in the minors so much so that the Royals recently promoted him from Double-A  to Triple-A Omaha. The Royals can certainly use another bat and may just make the call-up Myers.

Lance Berkman had just returned from the disabled list a week ago after missing 20 games with a calf injury. He’s now back on it and might be done for the rest of the year – and possible his career. Berkman injured his right knee while reaching for a throw at first base in Saturday’s loss to the Dodgers, and although it won’t be confirmed until an MRI is performed today, rumor  is that he may have torn his ACL. With Berkman out, Allen Craig (hamstring) and Jon Jay (shoulder) all missing from the Cardinals lineup, the Cardinals are scrambling just a bit. The good news is they play in the NL Central and will have no problem winning the division even with a tough stretch. Replacing Berkman on the roster will be Matt Adams, who is one of the better first base prospects in the game. Adams batted .300 with 32 homers last season and he’s picked up right where he left off this year, hitting .340 with 9 homers at Triple-A Memphis. Adams, who went 2-for-4 at the plate in his debut Sunday, should be owned in all fantasy leagues.

In other fantasy news…..

• Vernon Wells (thumb) is expected to land on the DL. It likely means more playing time for Peter Bourjos.
• Max Scherzer had a season-high 15 strikeouts on Sunday against the Pirates. Scherzer is up and down, but this could be a good time to buy low.
• Jonathan Lucroy went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI in Sunday’s 16-4 win over the Twins. Lucroy was probably a second catcher pick for most fantasy owners, but instead Lucroy has become a Top 5 fantasy catcher.
• Stephen Strasburg left Sunday’s outing with tightness in his right biceps. The situation has been downplayed, and it sounds like he’ll make his next scheduled start. But, I am really nervous about Strasburg and starting to wonder if he is the next Mark Prior. The Nationals are doing so much to limit Strasburg’s work load and he still gets bumps and bruises.
• Dee Gordon will receive a few days off to regroup as he is in the middle of a 2-for-31 slump at the plate.
• Aroldis Chapman has been named the Red’s new closer. Chapman had no trouble nailing down his first save chance Sunday, retiring the Yankees in order with one strikeout. Chapman has not given up an earned run this season, and even though there are some fantasy owners that want to see Chapman in the Reds rotation, at least as the Reds closer his value just increased.

The Dodgers played it safe this time and placed Matt Kemp (hamstring) on the placed on the 15-day disabled list. Jerry Sands was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill the roster spot. As for Kemp, he has been placed on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, an injury that he first suffered a week ago and aggravated on Sunday. Kemp and the Dodgers seem optimistic that he’ll only be sidelined for a couple weeks. With Kemp out, Tony Gwynn Jr. figures to be the Dodgers’ primary center fielder while Kemp is on the shelf. Bobby Abreu and Sands will be factors in the left field.

In other fantasy news….

• Danny Duffy has been diagnosed with a torn left ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and the hard-throwing left-hander will likely have to undergo Tommy John surgery. The Royals already had a razor thin margin for error and now they will have to go through the season without the most talented member of their rotation.
• Freddie Freeman left Monday’s game due to blurred vision. Let’s hope it was just a bad pair of contacts and Freeman will be back in the lineup on Tuesday. We should learn more about his status after he is reevaluated following the game. Until Freeman returns to the lineup, Eric Hinske will fill in.
• Henry Rodriguez was pulled from a save opportunity Monday after walking the bases loaded. Nats manager Davey Johnson had expressed confidence Rodriguez and has gone as far as saying he is still the Nats closer. But, after a couple blown saves and a near-disaster in the last week, he might change his mind.
• Jeff Niemann had been on quite a roll through his first six starts of the season. Unfortunately, he won’t be making another start anytime soon. Niemann took an Adam Lind comebacker off the lower right leg Monday, suffering a small fracture of his fibula. Niemann is expected to be sidelined for at least 4-6 weeks.
• Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson is considering resting Justin Upton to give him a day to clear his head. Upton has been struggling since returning from a jammed thumb earlier in the season and is hitting just .225 this year.
• Jonathan Broxton converted his seventh straight save chance Monday and has allowed just one run over his last 11 appearances.

Today, I am writing from Peoria, Illinois – the home of the Chicago Cubs Class-A Affiliate Peoria Chiefs. I lived in Peoria for 13 years before settling in Southern California, but I am back helping the family. Those of us that participate in an NL-Only leagues are scrambling for the waiver on a daily basis these days because of injuries and illness.  The National League is beginning to look like a hospital ward shuffle these days. There are a number of National League players either hit the disabled list or are on their way back this week.  And, there are teams that are scrambling to fill wholes because the flu is taking a tour through their locker room. The Chicago Cubs had to call up Travis Wood to fill in for an sick Matt Garza on Sunday. As for the injury bug,  Jayson Werth is the latest casualty last night when he suffered a broken left wrist when he tried to make a sliding catch in the sixth inning. He’ll spend the next three months on the disabled list and Bryce Harper will move to right field. That means Xavier Nady and Roger Bernadina will split time in left until Michael Morse returns from his time on the DL. The good news for the Nats is Ryan Zimmerman (shoulder) appears to be ready to return this week.

In other fantasy news…..

• Matt Kemp didn’t start Sunday due to a tight left hamstring. He was able to pinch-hit and it appears to be nothing more than a day-to-day ailment.
• Jason Bay (rib) is eligible to return from the DL later this week, but Mets manager Terry Collins says he won’t be for awhile.
• Albert Pujols finally belted his first homer as an Angel Sunday. He did it in his 117^th plate appearance with his new club. Everyone that has Pujols on their roster can take a breath and relax.
• Adam Dunn homered for the fourth time in five games Sunday. He now has nine home runs on the year and looks to be on his way to a bounce-back season.
• Yu Darvish had  a career-high 11 strikeouts on Sunday, but he also gave up four runs – three earned. He’s averaged 10 strikeouts over his last three starts but has also walked at least four batters four times this season.
• Desmond Jennings exited Sunday’s game with left knee soreness. At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’ll miss more than a game or two, but we’ll find out more Monday.
• Adrian Beltre (hamstring) didn’t start again on Sunday,  but he is back in the lineup on Monday as the DH.
• Huston Street is out indefinitely with a lat injury. It appears the Padres will use a closer by committee until Street returns.  Andrew Cashner is the favorite for saves while he’s out, but Luke Gregerson and Dale Thayer could also be in the mix.
• Pedro Alvarez has become relevant again for fantasy owners. He has been moved up to the cleanup spot by the Pirates after hitting seven home runs this season.

Guess what $250 million dollars can buy you these days in Major League Baseball? How about a .216 BA, 0 Home Runs, 4 RBI, and last place in the American League West. Its safe to say that Albert Pujols has been the biggest fantasy bust through the first month of the season. As we turn the calendar to May, my guess is Pujols and the Angels will begin to find their way, but the Texas Rangers won for the 17th time in April last night and are showing now signs of slowing down. Pujols went 0-for-April in the  home run department and it leaves fantasy owners shaking their heads. I don’t own Pujols in my AL-Only league, but if I did I would not trade him. The back of the baseball card does not lie and by the end of the season, Pujols should put up the numbers we are accustomed to him providing each year.

In other fantasy news…..

• Matt Kemp continued his incredible start to the season with his 12th home run last night. He is the obvious NL-MVP to this point and should have won the award last year. We can put a bow on this historic month for Kemp.
• Ryan Braun had his first career three-homer game in the Brewers victory last night in San Diego.
• Brad Lidge will undergo surgery to repair a hernia injury on Tuesday. Henry Rodriguez will continue as the primary closer until Drew Storen returns from his injury.
• Allen Craig is scheduled to rejoin the Cardinals for tonight’s game against the Pirates. Craig is such a valuable player for fantasy owners because he has eligibility all around the diamond. Look for Craig to be in the lineup quickly.
• Justin Morneau is on his way back to Minnesota to have a doctor look at his left wrist. He left Monday night’s game. This could be just a scare, but something that definitely warrants monitoring.
• Yu Darvish was dazzling last night against the Blue Jays. He had at least one strikeout in every inning on his way to 9 strikeouts for the game. Darvish improved to 4-0 and continues to prove why the Rangers spent all that money to bring him to Texas.
• Jason McDonald threw a gem against the Braves last night as the Pirates won in Atlanta. McDonald went 7 2/3 innings, allowing  three runs with 10 strikeouts.
• Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer. The home run was Alvarez’s 5th of the year and 3rd in his last six games. Alvarez’s average is now over .200 for the first time this season. If he is available and you can deal with his low batting average, Alvarez could continue to be a decent source of power.