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| Brown pops one out | Tuesday 4/22, 11:58 PM CT |
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Emil Brown hit a two-run homer on Tuesday. It's his first long ball on American soil this season, as his previous shot came on March 26 in Japan.
Our View: Brown isn't a terribly exciting fantasy option, but he is a dependable bat who can fill out a bench in mixed leagues and definitely help in AL-only formats. |
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| Nathan stays spotless | Tuesday 4/22, 11:55 PM CT |
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Joe Nathan picked up his seventh save of the season on Tuesday, and he kept his ERA at 0.00. He allowed a single against the A's but also struck out the side.
Our View: We hear good things about this Nathan guy. Outside of possibly Johnathan Papelbon, there's no closer we'd rather have leading our fantasy bullpen. |
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| Hernandez goes seven strong | Tuesday 4/22, 11:51 PM CT |
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Felix Hernandez followed his complete game victory over the A's with another solid effort against the Orioles on Tuesday night. He held the Baltimore bats to six hits and two runs over seven innings. Hernandez walked three and struck out seven.
Our View: King Felix actually had his ERA rise from 1.47 to 1.67, but we're obviously not mad. He is looking every bit the ace that scouts and fantasy owners have drooled over and predicted in recent years. |
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| Huff goes deep | Tuesday 4/22, 11:48 PM CT |
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Aubrey Huff went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in Tuesday's loss to the Mariners.
Our View: Huff hadn't had a multi-hit game since April 8 and hadn't homered since April 7. Hopefully his work on Tuesday will help him break out of his mini-lull. |
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| Putz notches save | Tuesday 4/22, 11:47 PM CT |
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It didn't take J.J. Putz long to get back on the board. The closer notched his second save of the season on Tuesday. He allowed a single in the ninth inning but held the Orioles scoreless. Putz came off the DL earlier in the day.
Our View: If there was any lingering doubt, you now know it's safe to use Putz in fantasy leagues. |
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| Burrell drives in three RBIs for the win | Tuesday 4/22, 11:23 PM CT |
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Phillies LF Pat Burrell may not have done much to help his strong batting average this evening, but he put the wood on the ball when it mattered most. Burrell hit a bases-clearing double in the 9th inning against Colorado reliever Manny Corpas to give Philadelphia the 8-6 win.
Our View: Burrell went just 1-for-4 at the plate with a walk, but the three RBIs in the ninth are what matter most. |
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| Wang improves to 4-0 | Tuesday 4/22, 11:21 PM CT |
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Chien-Ming Wang scattered 10 hits and improved to 4-0 with a win over the White Sox on Tuesday night. The right-hander allowed three runs, walked two, and struck out five over six innings.
Our View: The hit count was a little high, but that's a pretty typical Wang outing. The hurler is a magnet for victories and a solid No. 4 in mixed fantasy leagues. |
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| Contreras takes loss | Tuesday 4/22, 11:19 PM CT |
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Jose Contreras allowed seven hits and four runs over 6.1 innings against the Yankees on Tuesday night. He was pitching decently until that seventh frame, when he left two runners on base and the bullpen served up a grand slam. Contreras is now 1-2 with a 4.68 ERA.
Our View: Contreras has posted only one quality start over his four outings, and we have very little reason to trust him in fantasy leagues. We'll grant that he has looked a little better over his last two starts, though. |
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| Lidge dominates, gets 4th save | Tuesday 4/22, 11:17 PM CT |
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Phillies closer Brad Lidge picked up his fourth save of the season, closing the side in the ninth in dominating fashion as Philadelphia seals the win over the Colorado Rockies, 8-6. Lidge faced three batters in the ninth, striking out two and forcing the third into a ground out.
Our View: Lidge has struggled a bit with walks this season, but tonight he was on the mark, making 10-of-11 pitches thrown count for strikes. |
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| Atkins hot, Rockies not | Tuesday 4/22, 11:16 PM CT |
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Colorado 3B Garrett Atkins tried to team with Matt Holliday to get the Rockies to a win, but their efforts fell short as the Rockies take the 8-6 loss to Philadelphia. Atkins, like Holliday, went 2-for-4 at the plate, hitting his fifth home run of the year to post two RBIs on the evening.
Our View: That gives Atkins three homers in three consecutive games with a combined total of five RBIs. Stretch it out a bit and note Atkins has four homers and eight RBIs in his last five games. |
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| Damon homers again | Tuesday 4/22, 11:15 PM CT |
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Johnny Damon is trying to dig himself out of an early season hole. He went 3-for-5 with a double, homer, three runs, and three RBI on Tuesday. Damon has gone deep in back-to-back games and is up to .243 with 14 runs over 20 games.
Our View: Damon's fantasy stock dropped sharply in 2007 and hasn't recovered but hitting atop the Yankees lineup has its perks. He doesn't have to hit for a good average to make a strong go at 100 runs. |
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| Struggles continue for Howard vs Rockies | Tuesday 4/22, 11:15 PM CT |
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Philadelphia 1B Ryan Howard can't seem to get things going at the plate and continued to struggle tonight as his Phillies put the Colorado Rockies in the loss column, 8-6. Howard went 0-for-4 at the plate with two strike outs and one walk.
Our View: Howard has just one home run, six hits, and three RBIs in his last eight games and needs to find his groove to keep panic from settling in the fantasy ranks. |
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| Holliday homers in loss | Tuesday 4/22, 11:14 PM CT |
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Matt Holliday hit his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot in the 5th inning off Brett Meyers, in one of few bright spots in the Rockies 8-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Our View: Holliday went 2-for-4 at the plate, also belting his fifth double of the season to total two RBIs and two runs scored, adding a walk to the strong fantasy performance from Colorado on the evening. |
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| Utley keeps getting it done in win | Tuesday 4/22, 11:13 PM CT |
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Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley continues to carry the hot bat for the Phillies as they put the 8-6 win against the Colorado Rockies in the books. Utley went 2-for-5 at the plate with his ninth double of the season, adding two RBIs and a run scored to the occasion.
Our View: Utley is now hitting .357 on the year and has 18 hits over his last 11 games. This is the first game in his last six that Utley has failed to homer. |
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| Pierzynski goes yard | Tuesday 4/22, 11:12 PM CT |
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A.J. Pierzynski went 2-for-5 with a solo homer against the Yankees on Tuesday.
Our View: The catcher has been pretty quiet since his award-winning opening week, and it's good to see him knock one out again. He remains a solid No. 2 fantasy backstop. |
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| Abreu has grand night | Tuesday 4/22, 11:10 PM CT |
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Bobby Abreu hit a grand slam in Tuesday's win over the White Sox. The outfielder added a single over five at-bats. Abreu is up to three homers on the year.
Our View: Abreu didn't pop his third dinger until June 6 in 2007, so his start is a very good sign. We don't believe Bobby will ever hit 30 bombs again, but 20-25 would be nice. |
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| DeJesus returns | Tuesday 4/22, 11:05 PM CT |
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David DeJesus was back in the lineup on Tuesday, and he went 1-for-3 with a single. The outfielder has been in and out of the lineup due to a sprained left ankle and a jammed big left toe.
Our View: We doubt that DeJesus is back to stay, as these nagging injuries likely didn't disappear overnight. Joey Gathright should continue to be a guy worth holding in AL-only formats. |
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| Gutierrez has productive night | Tuesday 4/22, 10:54 PM CT |
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Franklin Gutierrez has been pretty quiet since opening day, but he went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three runs, and three RBI in Tuesday's win over the Royals.
Our View: The Indians and some fantasy owners were high on Gutierrez heading into the season, as he has a lot of talent. The 25-year-old outfielder hasn't been able to deliver consistently, but more nights like this will get him back on our good side and keep him in the majors. |
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| Blake drives in six runs | Tuesday 4/22, 10:50 PM CT |
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Casey Blake had a monster night against the Royals on Tuesday. The third baseman went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a grand slam, and six RBI.
Our View: Blake is hitting only .233, but he is hitting over .300 with runners in scoring position and owns 16 RBI. He remains a generally boring but productive fantasy asset. |
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| Kaz sets pace for impressive Houston win | Tuesday 4/22, 10:47 PM CT |
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The Houston Astros won their third consecutive game for the first time this season, putting the Padres to bed 7-11 with several players at the top of the order getting the job done. 2B Kazuo Matsui hit 2-for-5 at the plate with is second stolen base of the year, his first double of the season, and two RBIs posted to set a strong pace as the Astros' leadoff hitter.
Our View: It was Matsui's two-run single in the 8th inning that put his team in the lead and eventually the win. |
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| Meche rocked by Indians | Tuesday 4/22, 10:47 PM CT |
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Gil Meche couldn't figure out the Indians on Tuesday night. The right-hander allowed nine hits and eight runs over 3.1 innings. Meche served up two homers, including a grand slam.
Our View: Meche had just gotten out of the fantasy doghouse by picking up a win against the Angels, and now he's definitely going to land on benches in mixed leagues. |
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| Peavy suffers in loss | Tuesday 4/22, 10:46 PM CT |
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San Diego ace Jake Peavy suffered through his worst outing of the season thus far as the Padres were taken down 7-11 by the HOuston Astros. Peavy threw 112 pitches over six innings to surrender four runs (all earned) on seven hits, including two home runs surrendered.
Our View: The four runs allowed match the combined total Peavy has let go over his first four starts. |
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| Tejada goes 4-for-5 once again | Tuesday 4/22, 10:45 PM CT |
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Houston SS Miguel Tejada went 4-for-5 at the plate for the second evening in a row, helping his Astros seal a convincing 7-11 win over the San Diego Padres. Tejada hit his seventh double of the year and drove in his 17th and 18th RBIs of the season.
Our View: Tejada hadn't had a four-hit games since August of 2006, and now he has two, a hopeful sign of better days ahead. |
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| Sabathia picks up first win | Tuesday 4/22, 10:44 PM CT |
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C.C. Sabathia finally has one in the win column. The southpaw tossed six shutout innings and struck out 11 batters in Tuesday's victory over the Royals. Sabathia allowed four hits and walked two.
Our View: Sabathia is now only one frame away from getting his rotund ERA down below 10. Joking aside, fantasy owners should be feeling quite a bit better after seeing this outing. |
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| Gonzalez comes single short of cycle | Tuesday 4/22, 10:44 PM CT |
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San Diego 1B Adrian Gonzalez tried his best to keep the Padres in contention, but it was for naught as his team fell 7-11 to the Houston Astros.
Our View: Gonzalez hit 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a triple, and his fourth home run of the season, driving in three runs and raising his batting average to .304. |
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| Gabbard could miss start | Tuesday 4/22, 10:41 PM CT |
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Kason Gabbard may not be able to take his next turn in the rotation. His back felt stiff and sore on Tuesday, one day after leaving his outing against the Red Sox. "I still feel it when I try to extend my arm and twist my back to throw," Gabbard informs MLB.com. His next outing is scheduled for Saturday.
Our View: We're hoping Gabbard can be ready for Saturday. If nothing else, we really aren't eager to see the Rangers give another shot to Sidney Ponson. |
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| Cruceta cruises in first outing | Tuesday 4/22, 10:38 PM CT |
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Francisco Cruceta may not need much time in the minors. The reliever made his season debut on Tuesday and worked three hitless innings. He struck out six batters and didn't allow a ball out of the infield, the Detroit News reports. Cruceta missed all of spring training due to visa issues.
Our View: It's no secret that the Tigers could use bullpen help, and Cruceta could work his way into the majors with a few more outings like this. |
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| Rolen return is close | Tuesday 4/22, 10:29 PM CT |
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Scott Rolen could be back with the Blue Jays before the end of the current road trip. "If all goes well," manager John Gibbons informs MLB.com. "As a matter of fact, that's what we're hoping." Rolen has logged three minor league rehab games as he returns from a broken right middle finger. The Blue Jays' road trip runs through May 1.
Our View: If Rolen comes back this weekend, fantasy owners could obviously get him into their lineups for the next period. It sounds like that's the best-case scenario. |
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| Lowell takes some cuts | Tuesday 4/22, 10:26 PM CT |
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Mike Lowell took batting practice on Tuesday and didn't have much problem with his sprained left thumb. "He looked great," manager Terry Francona tells MLB.com. "I was waiting to have him kind of nurse the bat through the zone. He looked great. Again, how he responds to that is important." If all goes well, Lowell could begin minor league rehab work by this weekend.
Our View: Lowell could be back with the Sox in about a week, provided he doesn't have any setbacks. We'll continue to update his progress. |
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| Volquez pitches sharp for win | Tuesday 4/22, 10:23 PM CT |
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Cincinnati RHP Edinson Volquez picked up his third win of the season and remains unbeaten after four starts as the Reds put a 1-8 whipping on the LA Dodgers. Volquez pitched 7 full innings, allowing just one run on three hits while walking just four and striking out seven.
Our View: Of the 26 batters faced, VOlquez allowed just one fly ball and now has 23 strike outs versus just 13 walks on the season. |
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| Escobar to test shoulder | Tuesday 4/22, 10:23 PM CT |
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Kelvim Escobar will throw on Wednesday, his first such action since being diagnosed with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. "Escobar's going to throw tomorrow, start the progression," manager Mike Scioscia informs MLB.com. "It's very encouraging. He's definitely more upbeat."
Our View: If the rehab doesn't work, Escobar will need to undergo surgery. We're hoping for the best, but many people are expecting the worst. |
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| Kuo suffers loss in rough outing | Tuesday 4/22, 10:22 PM CT |
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The night started awful and never got much better for LHP Hong-Chih Kuo , taking his first loss of the season as the Dodgers fell 1-8 to the Cincinnati Reds. Kuo allowed eight hits and five runs (all earned) in 3 2/3 innings, surrendering a solo home run to Adam Dunn in the 4th inning to cap a horrific 80-pitch performance.
Our View: Kuo has yet to make it past the fifth inning in any of his three starts thus far this season. |
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| Hairston shines in debut | Tuesday 4/22, 10:21 PM CT |
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The Cincinnati Reds signed veteran outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. to a contract on March 3rd after the league assured the team he would not be facing discipline for his mention in the Mitchell Report, and tonight Hairston thanked the Reds for their decision by leading they to an impressive 1-8 victory over the LA Dodgers.
Our View: Hairston, batting leadoff in his debut with the Reds, went 4-for-5 at the plate with his first double, his first steal, and his first three RBIs of the season. Hairston was just called up from the minors and wasted no time in making contributions. |
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| Furcal lone bright spot for Dodgers | Tuesday 4/22, 10:20 PM CT |
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Dodger SS Rafael Furcal continues to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-4 with his ninth double of the year as the Dodgers fell 1-8 to the Cincinnati Reds. Furcal was the only player in Dodger blue to earn multiple hits on the evening and did strike out twice.
Our View: He now has 13 hits over his last seven games. |
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| Votto keeps swining in Reds' big win | Tuesday 4/22, 10:19 PM CT |
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Young 1B Joey Votto has been carrying a bit of a hot stick for the Cincinnati Reds this season and put his best forward in tonight's 1-8 thumping of the LA Dodgers. Votto went 3-for-4 at the plate, hitting his fourth double of the season with two runs scored.
Our View: That's four multi-hit games for Votto over his last 10 games. |
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| Papelbon knocks down eighth save | Tuesday 4/22, 9:51 PM CT |
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Jonathan Papelbon recorded his eighth save on Tuesday night. He worked a spotless ninth inning against the Angels.
Our View: Few, if any, do it better than Papelbon in the ninth inning. He has struck out 18 batters over 11 innings, and fantasy owners should be pleased that they paid the premium price for this stopper. |
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| Mathis adds up three RBI | Tuesday 4/22, 9:49 PM CT |
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Jeff Mathis went 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs, and three RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Red Sox.
Our View: Mathis is playing every other day right now, with Mike Napoli taking the other starts. That may need to change. Jeff now owns three homers, seven RBI, nine runs, and a .379 average over nine contests and is putting his disappointing rookies season behind him. He could be a fine fantasy backstop if the Angels break up the committee. |
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| Maholm pitches Pirates to win | Tuesday 4/22, 9:48 PM CT |
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Pittsburgh LHP Paul Maholm picked up his first win of the season as his Pirates pulled out the 2-3 win over the Florida Marlins this evening. Maholm pitched six innings, throwing 93 pitches (54 strikes) to allow just one run on four hits.
Our View: Maholm surrendered just one walk with six strike outs on the night, completing his best performance since facing the Marlins in his first start of the season on April 5th (one walk, nine strike outs in that one). |
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| Doumit, Nady pull Pirates to end losing streak | Tuesday 4/22, 9:46 PM CT |
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The Pittsburgh Pirates put an end to their six-game losing streak with a hard-fought win over the Florida Marlins, 2-3, this evening, an effort led by the middle of the batting order. Catcher Ryan Doumit went 2-for-4 at the plate with his second double of the year, posting one RBI and one run scored. He was followed by RF Xavier Nady, hitting 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Our View: Both batters drove in those runs with two outs on the board in the sixth inning, giving the Pirates just enough for the victory. |
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| Pedroia stays hot | Tuesday 4/22, 9:46 PM CT |
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Dustin Pedroia went 4-for-5 with three doubles, one run, one RBI, and a steal in Tuesday's win over the Angels. He has hit 11 doubles on the season, including six in the last four games. Pedroia has also driven in 11 runs over the previous nine contests.
Our View: Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury are driving opposing pitchers crazy right now, and this second baseman is attempting to step out from under his "boring" fantasy label. It will take more than one hot stretch, but we like what we're seeing thus far from Pedroia. |
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| Cantu puts best in loss | Tuesday 4/22, 9:45 PM CT |
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3B Jorge Cantu tried to put the Marlins on the board for a win, but his efforts fell short at Florida took the 2-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cantu went 3-for-4 at the plate with his third home run of the year, a solo shot in the 7th inning off Tyler Yates, earning two RBIs with two men left on base.
Our View: The evening pushes his batting average to .338 and give Cantu his four consecutive multi-hit performance. |
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| Weaver knocked around by Red Sox | Tuesday 4/22, 9:43 PM CT |
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Jered Weaver served up 10 hits and five runs over five innings against the Red Sox on Tuesday night. He didn't issue a walk, struck out four, and allowed two homers.
Our View: That's two straight outings with 10 hits allowed for Weaver. The right-hander sometimes has dominant stuff, but his ERA is now 4.63 over his last 17 starts. That sounds more like Jeff Weaver. |
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| Ellsbury swats two homers | Tuesday 4/22, 9:38 PM CT |
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The way it's going, the Red Sox may not let Coco Crisp back into the clubhouse. Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-5 with two homers, three runs, and a pair of RBI on Tuesday night. The outfielder is 9-for-19 with 10 runs and four RBI over the last five games, and his average is up to .308.
Our View: The Boston faithful may revolt is Ellsbury doesn't play every day, even when Crisp is healthy. We know that probably won't happen, but we can dream, right? |
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| Ordonez drives in 1,000th run | Tuesday 4/22, 9:35 PM CT |
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Magglio Ordonez swatted a solo homer on Tuesday night, and the shot moved him up to 1,000 career RBI. It was his only hit on the night.
Our View: We think it's a little vain to drive in yourself in order to hit a milestone. Congrats Maggs. You're now tied with Darryl Strawberry for 253rd on the all-time list. |
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| Catalanotto hits a homer | Tuesday 4/22, 9:31 PM CT |
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Frank Catalanotto went 1-for-3 with a solo homer in Tuesday's loss to the Tigers.
Our View: Little Cat doesn't play every day, but he's still on pace for nearly 400 at-bats and can deliver okay digits for AL-only teams. |
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| Renteria goes 4-for-4 | Tuesday 4/22, 9:26 PM CT |
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Edgar Renteria went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs, and an RBI against the Rangers on Tuesday. He is batting .333 on the season and .379 when he hits seventh.
Our View: Renteria and Carlos Guillen are easily the Tigers two most consistent hitters right now. Edgar will hopefully have a lot more RBI chances once Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera find their grooves. |
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| Padilla mauled by Tigers | Tuesday 4/22, 9:23 PM CT |
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The Tigers ripped Vicente Padilla on Tuesday night to the tune of eight hits and seven runs over three innings. Padilla allowed three doubles, one triple, and three homers.
Our View: On the positive side, Vicente served up only one single. Padilla had been pitching decently, but outings like this can happen when a lineup like the Tigers gets rolling. |
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| Verlander shapes up | Tuesday 4/22, 9:20 PM CT |
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Justin Verlander finally delivered a positive outing. After four rough starts, the right-hander held the Rangers to six hits and one run over six frames on Tuesday night. Verlander picked up his first win of the year.
Our View: Fantasy owners should be breathing a bit easier after this outing. We'd still like to see Verlander have a sharp outing that features a bunch of strikeouts, but we can't be too pick right now. |
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| Navarro collects three hits | Tuesday 4/22, 9:17 PM CT |
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Dioner Navarro wasted no time in rediscovering his swing. The backstop went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBI in Tuesday's win over the Blue Jays. Navarro was also caught stealing. He came off the DL on Tuesday night.
Our View: The 24-year-old catcher has quietly been a quality fantasy player since late last July, and the time spent on the disabled list apparently didn't cool him off. |
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| Lannan gets first win of season | Tuesday 4/22, 9:15 PM CT |
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Washington LHP John Lannan picked up his first win of the season as the Nationals put a 6-0 working on the Atlanta Braves. Lannan worked seven innings, throwing just 95 pitches (59 strikes) as he held the Braves scoreless with just five hits.
Our View: This was Lannan's longest outing in four starts and his first shutout performance of the season. |
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| Milledge pulls Nats to win | Tuesday 4/22, 9:14 PM CT |
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Washington CF Lastings Milledge worked as the force of reckoning for the Nationals in a 6-0 drumming of the Atlanta Braves.
Our View: Milledge went 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and two runs scored, bringing his seasonal batting average to .284. |
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| Longoria swats second homer | Tuesday 4/22, 9:13 PM CT |
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Evan Longoria went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs in Tuesday's win over the Blue Jays. It was his second long ball of the year.
Our View: The rookie hasn't lit the world on fire in his first 10 days in the majors, but plenty of good times are ahead. |
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| Smoltz suffers loss despite dominating performance | Tuesday 4/22, 9:13 PM CT |
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On a night of historical perspective for a veteran of many years, John Smoltz added to the excitement of the moment, tabbing his 3,000th career strikeout as one of 10 on the evening as the Braves fell to the Washington Nationals, 6-0.
Our View: Smoltz completed seven full innings of work, hurling just 105 pitches (68 good for strikes) to allow just one run on five hits. Smoltz sent 10 hitters packing with strike outs, failed to walk a single batter, and now carries an ERA of 0.78. Unfortunately, the Braves failed to produce any semblance of offensive support, reliever Jorge Campillo allowed five runs (one earned) in 1/3 of an inning, and the Braves failed to mark the occasion with a win. |
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| Litsch slapped | Tuesday 4/22, 9:11 PM CT |
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The Rays tagged Jesse Litsch for eight hits and five runs over 3.1 innings on Tuesday. The right-hander walked two, struck out four, and served up three extra-base hits.
Our View: Litsch opened the year 2-0, but he has since allowed 17 hits over 8.1 innings. The 23-year-old hurler remains useful in AL-only leagues, but mixed league managers need to pick and choose their battles. |
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| Shields silences Jays | Tuesday 4/22, 9:09 PM CT |
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James Shields worked seven strong innings against the Blue Jays on Tuesday and improved to 2-1. The right-hander allowed six hits and four runs (two earned), walked two, and struck out five. His ERA slid down to 3.30.
Our View: Oddly, that's the third straight game is which Shields has been saddled with two or more unearned runs. He remains a solid No. 2 hurler in mixed fantasy leagues. |
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| Wells goes deep | Tuesday 4/22, 9:06 PM CT |
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Vernon Wells socked a solo homer in Tuesday's loss to the Rays. It was his only hit in four at-bats.
Our View: Wells had gone 12 games without a homer, so it was nice to see him get on the board again. He remains off to a solid start following his down year in 2007. |
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| Hinske beats up old club | Tuesday 4/22, 9:03 PM CT |
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Eric Hinske hurt his former Blue Jays mates by going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, homer, three runs, and two RBI on Tuesday night.
Our View: Who told Hinske it was 1999? Seriously, we haven't seen him swing this well since his rookie season. The Rays acquired two left-handed bats (Dan Johnson, Gabe Gross) recently, so we're not even sure they believe in Eric. |
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| Gwynn to be activated on Wed | Tuesday 4/22, 8:42 PM CT |
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The Milwaukee Brewers have announced OF Tony Gwynn, recovering from a bad hamstring, would be reinstated from the disabled list on Wednesday, according to CBSSports.com.
Our View: Gwynn has just completed a successful stint in Triple-A Nashville, hitting 7-for-13 (.538) with two RBI and one stolen base in four games. The Brewers will officially welcome him back tomorrow and should have him in the lineup shortly after. |
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| Posada starts at catcher | Tuesday 4/22, 8:37 PM CT |
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Jorge Posada started at catcher on Tuesday night. It was his first start behind the dish since April 8, as he has been dealing with a strained right shoulder.
Our View: It's too bad the Yankees are facing the White Sox, who attempt to steal a base about as often as Bill O'Reilly says something nice about Hillary Clinton. |
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| Laffey or Sowers will replace Westbrook | Tuesday 4/22, 8:32 PM CT |
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The Indians will call up either Aaron Laffey or Jeremy Sowers to replace the injured Jake Westbrook, MLB.com reports. Westbrook's spot is open on Saturday, when Sowers is also slated to work for Triple-A Buffalo. Laffey is due to start Thursday. "They're throwing the ball well," manager Eric Wedge says. "We have considerable history with both of them, and we feel good about how they were throwing the ball this spring. So we'll see."
Our View: Laffey and Sowers have produced similar numbers at Triple-A thus far, and all we can do is wait and see which southpaw the Indians pick. Whomever gets the call will have value in AL-only leagues, especially since Westbrook could miss up to a month. |
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| Wood still showing huge power | Tuesday 4/22, 8:28 PM CT |
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Brandon Wood went 3-for-5 with his seventh home run of the season for Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.
Our View: Wood is not quite the hot commodity that he was a couple years ago as a prospect, but he still shows big power potential as a shortstop. If his hot streak continues, the Angels could give him an opportunity later in the season. |
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| Vizcaino MRI reveals no extensive damage | Tuesday 4/22, 8:28 PM CT |
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The Rockies report today's MRI on the sore shoulder of LHP Luis Vizcaino has revealed inflammation but no extensive damage, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Vizcaino has not pitched since April 2nd and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 5th after he failed to complete his warm-up session before facing the Atlanta Braves. He was in the midst of a bullpen session on Saturday when the soreness returned. Rockies head athletic trainer Keith Dugger said the MRI confirmed no major damage or injury was present, but the team is going to be cautious and avoid any throwing programs for Vizcaino until the inflammation is gone. |
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| Bonifacio running wild for Tucson | Tuesday 4/22, 8:28 PM CT |
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Emilio Bonifacio went 3-for-6 with his ninth steal of the season for Triple-A Tucson on Monday.
Our View: Bonifacio has huge fantasy potential if he ever becomes a regular in the majors. The soon-to-be 23-year-old has stolen at least 40 bases in each of the last four seasons. |
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| Rodney begins throwing | Tuesday 4/22, 8:21 PM CT |
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Fernando Rodney has begun throwing again, but he has no timetable as he recovers from right shoulder tendinitis, MLB.com reports.
Our View: Rodney has had a series of setbacks with his shoulder, and we don't imagine the Tigers will feel good until he's throwing at full velocity off a mound. He has almost no fantasy value at this point. |
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| Bourn out with strained groin | Tuesday 4/22, 8:20 PM CT |
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Houston CF Michael Bourn has been given the night off due to a sore left groin, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Bourn suffered a strain stealing third base in the season opener against the San Diego Padres but he reports it is not serious and will not keep him out for long. Manager Cecil Cooper told reporters, "He's a little sore, but he could play. I think it's best (to rest him), rather than (have) something that grows into a two- or three-week deal. Take care of it, get a blow today and see how he is (Wednesday)." Bourn shouldn't be out more than a day or two.
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| Zumaya progressing | Tuesday 4/22, 8:19 PM CT |
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Joel Zumaya is playing catch off a mound and may begin light throwing to catchers soon. The Tigers hope he can begin full bullpen sessions in early May, MLB.com reports. Zumaya is still expected to miss roughly half the season following right shoulder surgery.
Our View: Zumaya still has a chance to close games by the end of the season, but he has a lot of major steps between now and then. His main fantasy value resides in keeper leagues, as we're more confident about him feeling 100 percent come 2009. |
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| Bowie to 15-day DL | Tuesday 4/22, 8:13 PM CT |
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The Colorado Rockies have placed LHP Micah Bowie on the 15-day disabled list, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Bowie has struggled with pain in the forearm of his throwing arm. "This was something that kind of got away from me a little bit too much, and I need a little bit of time off," said Bowie. "It hurts me after I throw - the next day. It's just gotten a little worse. It's something I've never had trouble with before." To fill Bowie's roster spot, the Rockies have recalled LHP Josh Newman from Triple-A Colorado Springs. |
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| Hampton hoping to see minor league starts | Tuesday 4/22, 8:07 PM CT |
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With a successful bullpen session on Tuesday evening in the books, LHP Mike Hampton feels he may be ready for minor-league rehab starts, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Hampton strained his left pectoral muscle less than 10 minutes before making his scheduled debut on April 3rd, a definitive setback for the lefty who has not pitched in the MLB since August of 2005. Hampton notes he is not throwing his full menu of pitches and has work to do to be completely comfortable with his arm, but the veteran hurler is anxious to get back on the mound and working in meaningful innings for the Braves. The Braves have yet to announce their plans for Hampton moving forward. |
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| Tulo gets a rest | Tuesday 4/22, 8:00 PM CT |
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Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki , struggling through a troublesome slump at the plate, has been given the night off and will not be in the lineup for Colorado as they face Philadelphia, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Tulowitzki has seen his batting average drop to .165 after another disappointing evening against the Phillies on Monday night and manager Clint Hurdle thinks a rest will do him well. Clint Barmes, the normal 2B for the Rocks, has gotten the start at SS while Jeff Baker fills his normal position and bats seventh. |
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| Everett receives another shot | Tuesday 4/22, 7:59 PM CT |
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Adam Everett received a second cortisone shot in his right shoulder on Monday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The shortstop is on the DL due to a shoulder strain.
Our View: Two shots within a week seems like a bad deal, but we're not doctors. Anyway, Everett remains out, which continues to open up time for Matt Tolbert and Nick Punto. |
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| Cuddyer could return Friday | Tuesday 4/22, 7:55 PM CT |
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Michael Cuddyer will play in an extended spring game on Wednesday or Thursday (or both) and could rejoin the Twins on Friday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He is on the DL due to a dislocated and lacerated right index finger.
Our View: The Twins could use his bat, as they rank near the bottom of the majors with only 71 runs entering play on Tuesday. Fantasy owners can tentatively plan on using Cuddyer this weekend. |
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| Braden called up | Tuesday 4/22, 7:51 PM CT |
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The A's have recalled Dallas Braden from Triple-A Sacramento, MLB.com reports. He will fill the roster spot of reliever Keith Foulke (neck).
Our View: Braden started 14 games for the A's in 2007 and three games at Sacramento, but the southpaw will be working out of the bullpen this time around. That means he has very little fantasy value. |
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| Smoltz collects 3,000th strike out | Tuesday 4/22, 7:36 PM CT |
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He has pitched in a variety of roles during his long and illustrious career, but today John Smoltz all but solidified his place in baseball lore by pitching his 3,000 career strikeout this evening.
Our View: Smoltz got Felipe Lopez, the leadoff man for the Washington Nationals, for the second out of the third inning to complete the feat. Smoltz is now the 15th pitcher in league history to earn 3,000 strike outs, and only five (Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan, Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens) did it faster. |
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| Fielder getting bat going | Tuesday 4/22, 7:28 PM CT |
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Prince Fielder put his best foot forward in the Brewers' 8-9 win over the Cardinals today, going 3-for-3 at the plate with two walks, a sacrifice fly, and his 12th RBI of the season.
Our View: Fielder has struggled to get the bat where he (and fantasy owners) might like it, but today shows he is moving in the right direction. |
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| Lohse struggles as Cards fall | Tuesday 4/22, 7:28 PM CT |
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St. Louis RHP Kyle Lohse suffered through a rough outing today, facing 21 batters through four innings of work, making 84 pitches (49 strikes) and allowing four runs (all earned) on eight hits.
Our View: Lohse walked just two batters but struck out just one as well, giving the righty a pronounced feeling of instability through the early season. Two of his five outings have lasted seven innings with low hits (9 combined) and just two combined earned runs allowed. In his other three outings, Lohse has struggled to get past the fifth inning and has totaled high pitch counts and hits allowed in two. |
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| Braun shows well for Milwaukee win | Tuesday 4/22, 7:27 PM CT |
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Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun enjoyed a productive day at the plate, hitting 2-for 5 in the Brewers' 8-9 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Our View: Braun hit his fourth double of the season and walked once, posting two RBIs and a runs scored on the day. |
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| Pujols hits well with time at 2B | Tuesday 4/22, 7:25 PM CT |
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As we reported earlier, Albert Pujols was forced to spend time at 2B after the Cardinals ran out of position players to use, going 2-for-6 at the plate in the 8-9 loss to the Brewers.
Our View: Pujols hit his 6th double of the season and gathered two RBIs with a run scored. He is now hitting .352 on the season and has hits in seven of his last eight games. |
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| Gross shines in win, then gets shipped to TB | Tuesday 4/22, 7:23 PM CT |
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Milwaukee OF Gabe Gross continues to take advantage of his time at the plate, going 2-for-4 in today's 8-9 win over St. Louis. The Brewers showed their appreciation right after the game, trading him to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Josh Butler.
Our View: Gross hit two doubles, collected two walks, scored three runs, and stole one base as well, rounding out an excellent day of production for fantasy owners. He has five hits over his last three games with four runs scored and four walks. Now we will see if he can ramp up his efforts in Tampa. |
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| Ankiel's struggles continue | Tuesday 4/22, 7:20 PM CT |
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If any player is upset with his performance in the Cardinals' 8-9 loss to Milwaukee, it has to be CF Rick Ankiel, going 1-for-4 at the plate to leave four men on base.
Our View: Ankiel started the season hot as could be but has since gone cold, sporting just three hits, zero RBIs, three walks, and five strike outs over his last six games.
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| Delcarmen bit by flu bug | Tuesday 4/22, 6:53 PM CT |
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The flu bug has claimed Manny Delcarmen. The Red Sox sent the reliever home on Tuesday night, the AP reports. Catcher Jason Varitek has been dealing with the illness for a few days.
Our View: AL-only fantasy managers might find Delcarmen to be useful, but this shouldn't affect too many squads. We imagine Delcarmen will be back within a few days. |
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| Washburn, Batista moved up | Tuesday 4/22, 6:50 PM CT |
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The Mariners have moved Jarrod Washburn and Miguel Batista up in the rotation, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Washburn will pitch on Thursday against the Orioles, and Batista will face the A's on Friday.
Our View: Both hurlers will be working on a normal, five-day rotation thanks to the off-day on Monday. This news shouldn't really affect fantasy lineups. |
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| Bedard to start Saturday | Tuesday 4/22, 6:47 PM CT |
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Erik Bedard will return to the mound on Saturday against the Athletics, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer confirms. He is on the DL due to left hip inflammation.
Our View: It took a little juggling, but the Mariners have bought a couple extra days for the southpaw. Fantasy owners will want to use Bedard as soon as they can activate him. |
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| Dickey sent down | Tuesday 4/22, 6:44 PM CT |
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The Mariners made room for closer J.J. Putz by optioning R.A. Dickey to Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, the Seattle Times confirms.
Our View: This news all but assures us that Erik Bedard (hip) will be ready to start this week because the Mariners certainly don't want to rely on Cha Seung Baek in that role. |
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| Putz activated | Tuesday 4/22, 6:41 PM CT |
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The Mariners activated J.J. Putz on Tuesday, the Seattle Times confirms. The closer had been out due to a right oblique injury.
Our View: The Mariners all but confirmed this move on Monday, and fantasy owners hopefully got the closer into their lineups this week. |
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| Mulder won't return soon | Tuesday 4/22, 6:00 PM CT |
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The Cardinals reiterated on Tuesday that Mark Mulder won't be rushed back to the majors. The southpaw has made two rehab starts as he recovers from rotator cuff surgery. General manager John Mozeliak tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Mulder could sit in the minors for the maximum of 30 days. "If you look at it, the best way to approach it is probably to be conservative. I would say it's going in the direction it's supposed to be," Mozeliak explains.
Our View: Fantasy owners probably figured they'd need to be patient with Mulder. What's another two or three weeks at this point? |
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| Gross traded to Rays | Tuesday 4/22, 5:56 PM CT |
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The Brewers rewarded Gabe Gross for scoring the winning run on Tuesday by trading him to the Rays, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The Rays shipped out pitching prospect Josh Butler in return.
Our View: The Brewers didn't have a spot for Gross once Tony Gwynn was healthy, but the Rays aren't exactly flush with open opportunities to play, either. Gross will have almost no fantasy value. |
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| McAnulty starting again | Tuesday 4/22, 5:50 PM CT |
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Paul McAnulty will start in left field and bat second on Tuesday against the Astros. It's his second straight game in that spot and the third time he's started in the last four contests.
Our View: The Padres have rotated McAnulty, Scott Hairston, and Justin Huber in left, and the arrow seems to be pointing a bit towards McAnulty at the moment. Basically, though, the trio is just keeping the spot warm until Chase Headley is call | |
