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| Thomas has another down night | Wednesday 4/30, 11:56 PM CT |
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Frank Thomas went 0-for-4 on Wednesday night as he saw his season average dip to just .181.
Our View: Since joining the A's Thomas is hitting just .217 which is an improvement on the .167 mark he put up with the Jays. Maybe Thomas will find his stroke, but it's really starting to look like he hasn't got much left at the plate, and given that he only qualifies at the utility spot, you really have to think about whether or not he is worth a roster spot. |
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| Kotchman producing for Angels | Wednesday 4/30, 11:49 PM CT |
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Casey Kotchman had another three hits on Wednesday night as he upped his RBI total to 19 for the Angels.
Our View: Just another solid outing in what has been a month long trend of production. Kotchman finishes April hitting .344-6-19, production that surpasses even the most wild expectations of his owners. |
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| Santana races to 5-0 | Wednesday 4/30, 11:47 PM CT |
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Ervin Santana picked up his fifth win of the season as he held the A's to only one unearned run over 6.2 innings on Wednesday night.
Our View: Santana continues to operate at a level of consistency that has been totally foreign to his career up until this point. He is trusting his stuff and throwing strikes, and as long as he does that he should continue to be productive. |
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| Eveland falls to Angels | Wednesday 4/30, 11:46 PM CT |
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Dana Eveland suffered his worst outing of the season as he allowed six runs over 5.1 inning to the Angels to fall to 3-2 on the year.
Our View: Eveland just didn't have it tonight, though he was a bit unlucky that six of the nine runners he put on base scored. Still, he owns a 3.67 ERA after five starts which isn't bad for a guy who's career ERA is just above six. |
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| Dempster coasts to fourth victory | Wednesday 4/30, 11:22 PM CT |
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Ryan Dempster was given to a huge lead and while he didn't impress anyone on the night he did improve to 4-0 by allowing three runs in six innings.
Our View: This might be classified as a quality start, but when you allow four hits and five walks in six innings, we could think of a few other names we would use to describe the outing. Dempster continues to walk far too many batters, 4.62 per 9 IP, and it will eventually catch up to him if he doesn't substantially cut that number down. |
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| Turnbow torched for six runs | Wednesday 4/30, 11:20 PM CT |
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Derrick Turnbow took one for the team on Wednesday night as he was hammered for six runs in two-thirds of an inning as he saw his ERA climb from 7.94 to 15.63. Turnbow allowed four hits and four walks while recording only two outs.
Our View: You can now put behind you the idea of the team turning to Turnbow if Eric Gagne goes down, that job will go to either David Riske or Guillermo Mota if Gagne's health or production suffer. |
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| Suppan pounded into submission | Wednesday 4/30, 11:15 PM CT |
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Jeff Suppan was battered on Wednesday night to the tune of 11 runs, eight earned, by the Cubs as he saw his ERA go from 3.48 to 5.19.
Our View: The worst thing that can happen to a fantasy squad in most cases is to count on mediocre pitchers because inevitably they lay an egg like this that simply dusts your ratios. Suppan is servicable in NL Only leagues, but stay far away from him in mixed leagues. |
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| Weeks scores three more runs | Wednesday 4/30, 11:12 PM CT |
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Rickie Weeks had two hits and scored another three runs on Wednesday night for the Brew Crew.
Our View: How does a guy scored 24 runs in 27 games when Ryan Braun is hitting .273 and Prince Fielder is hitting .250? Hell, Weeks is only hitting .202, so you can just imagine what could happen if all three improve their work at the plate to where history says it should be. |
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| Lee leading in the early going | Wednesday 4/30, 11:10 PM CT |
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Derrek Lee continues to surge in the early going as he finished April off by producing two hits and two runs while knocking in his 23rd RBI on Wednesday night.
Our View: Lee is simply lashing balls all over the yard as he is hitting .364 with an amazing 18 extra base hits in 27 games played. |
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| DeRosa continues RBI binge | Wednesday 4/30, 11:07 PM CT |
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Mark DeRosa knocked in two runs thanks to two hits, and he also picked up three walks which led to three runs scored.
Our View: With the looming return of Alfonso Soriano, #2910 Mark DeRosa# could lose some AB, though if he keeps hitting like he is now the team will find a way to keep him in the lineup on a daily basis. |
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| Soto hits two bombs | Wednesday 4/30, 11:05 PM CT |
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Geovany Soto hit two 3-run home runs on Wednesday night on his way to to six RBI for the Cubbies.
Our View: In the early going it is clear that Soto holds a massive advantage over the other young gun at catcher in the NL in J.R. Towles. It's completely unreasonable to expect Soto to continue producing at this level so you might want to see if you can pull off the old "sell-high" move as his value is soaring. |
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| Millwood hangs on for victory | Wednesday 4/30, 11:01 PM CT |
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Kevin Millwood survived to pick up his second victory of the season as he allowed five runs over 6.1 innings to the Royals.
Our View: This was the second straight outing in which Millwood allowed five earned runs, and if you are familiar with the idea of regression to the mean, you are seeing it right before you very eyes with Millwood. |
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| Bannister shelled by Royals | Wednesday 4/30, 10:59 PM CT |
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Brian Bannister lost his third straight game on Wednesday as he suffered through his worst outing of the season as he permitted seven runs in just three innings to the Rangers to fall to 3-3.
Our View: Bannister was pounded all outing as he permitted seven hits, three of which left the yard. Face it, Bannister is nowhere near as good as he was at the start of the season, though even after this beating he still owns a 4.04 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. There is little reason to believe he will be able to maintain even those numbers the rest of the season, but that doesn't mean he won't have some value if used properly. |
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| Bradley ends solid first month | Wednesday 4/30, 10:55 PM CT |
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Milton Bradley had two RBI and hit his third home run of the season off Brian Bannister on Wednesday night.
Our View: Bradley ends the month with an OBP over .400 while he hit .314 with 12 RBI. The most impressive number in his ledger might be 24 though, that's the number of games he played on the month. |
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| Hamilton closes April with a flourish | Wednesday 4/30, 10:52 PM CT |
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Josh Hamilton hit his first career grand slam to end the month of April with a major league leading 32 RBI.
Our View: Hamilton has been everything and more for the Rangers who hoped for the best but would have never in their right minds expected a .330-6-32 month. There is nowhere to go but down from here, though with this start Hamilton is on pace for a simply humongous season at the plate. |
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| DeJesus helps spark offense | Wednesday 4/30, 10:49 PM CT |
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In his first game hitting in the third spot, David DeJesus knocked in three runs thanks to his second home run of the season.
Our View: For one night at least, the experiment worked. Alex Gordon, who had been hitting third, was dropped to seventh and he responded with two hits and an RBI as the Royals pounded out 12 hits. |
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| Sheffield has positive night | Wednesday 4/30, 10:47 PM CT |
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Gary Sheffield had two hits and a stolen base on Wednesday night as he continues to struggle to find his stroke given the issues with his shoulder.
Our View: In what qualifies as a hot streak in his dismal season, Sheffield is 3-for-8 over the past two nights though he has just five RBI all season. It's really hard to predict just how much he will improve given that shoulder, but we would like to think he will find a way to be successful even if he has to change his approach a bit in the process. |
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| Irod handles leadoff role | Wednesday 4/30, 10:43 PM CT |
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With Curtis Granderson on the bench to start the game, he later entered and had a single in his only AB, Ivan Rodriguez hit leadoff for the Tigers and went 0-for-5.
Our View: This is the fifth time that Irod has hit leadoff this year and he is batting .130 with an OBP below .200 in those games. We love Jim Leyland, but can someone tell him not to bat a guy leadoff who hasn't even reached base in a third of his at-bats since 2004. |
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| Polanco finally back on track | Wednesday 4/30, 10:40 PM CT |
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Placido Polanco had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored from the two hole for the Tigers on Wednesday night.
Our View: Polanco now has six hits in his last two games since returning to the lineup as his average has gone up .054 points in the two games to .228. A consistent .300 hitter, look for the hits to keep coming from the Tigers second baseman. |
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| Cano simply pitiful at the plate | Wednesday 4/30, 10:36 PM CT |
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Robinson Cano continues to be unable to generate any offense as he went 0-for-3 to fall to .151 on the season.
Our View: Amazing. We are at a loss to explain how a .300 hitter like Cano can hit .151 for an entire month. It certainly can't get any worse than this though a look at his career record shows that his worst average is in the month of April (.24), so now is the time to make a play to acquire him at a bottom barrel price. |
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| Pettitte not finding success | Wednesday 4/30, 10:30 PM CT |
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Andy Pettitte fell to 3-3 on the season as he lasted six innings while giving up five runs to the Tigers.
Our View: Pettitte allowed two home runs on the night and had now permitted five in six starts. After allowing seven earned runs in his first four starts he has been burned for nine earned runs in his last two outings. |
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| Bonderman evens record | Wednesday 4/30, 10:28 PM CT |
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Jeremy Bonderman evened his record at 2-2 by defeating the Yankees on Wednesday night. Bonderman only struck out one batter on the night, but he held the Yanks to only five hits and two runs over 7.2 innings.
Our View: Bonderman showed some progress tonight in cutting down his walks, but he still isn't locating his pitches as the single K attests to. Still, he held a pretty potent lineup in check which is encouraging. |
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| Martin continues hitting spree | Wednesday 4/30, 10:25 PM CT |
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Russell Martin hit his third home run of the season on a night when he went 2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored.
Our View: Martin now has a hit in 7-straight games to push his average up to .292. So much for that slow start. |
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| Kemp explodes for huge night | Wednesday 4/30, 10:19 PM CT |
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Matt Kemp had a big night on Wednesday has he stole two bases, had two hits, scored three times and knocked in three runs against the Marlins.
Our View: Kemp is now batting .318 on the year which just so happens to be exactly double the batting average of center fielder Andruw Jones (.159). Is there really any question at the moment that the team's starting outfield should be Juan Pierre, Andre Ethier and Kemp? |
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| Ortiz homers, gathers 21st RBI | Wednesday 4/30, 10:19 PM CT |
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The batting average continues to disappoint, but DH David Ortiz is showing signs of life and was the voice of offense for the Red Sox in their 2-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Ortiz went 2-for-4 at the plate, hitting his fifth home run of the season to pick up his 21st RBI.
Our View: Ortiz may be carrying a .184 batting average, but he has hit safely in all but three of his last 14 games. |
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| Furcal has five base knocks | Wednesday 4/30, 10:16 PM CT |
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Rafael Furcal had a season-high five hits which led to three runs scored for the Dodgers.
Our View: Furcal has been on fire since day 1 and he is now hitting .381 with 26 runs scored and seven SB through 27 games marking him as the second most valuable shortstop in the game during the month of April. |
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| Dice-K dominates but suffers no decision | Wednesday 4/30, 10:13 PM CT |
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The fans in Boston were treated to a night of pitching prowess from both teams at Fenway this evening, and they leave with the elation of winning behind the effort of ace Daisuke Matsuzaka . Dice-K completed seven innings, holding the Blue Jays scoreless with just two hits allowed. Matsuzaka walked two, struck out four, and in the end, he walked off the mound and left the park with no decision.
Our View: The dual with Toronto starter Dustin McGowan was fought to the bitter end with the Sox emerging in the ninth as OF Manny Ramirez came across home plate on a single by Jason Varitek. Reliever Jonathan Papelbon picked up the win, but give due credit to Dice, putting forth is best outing of the season thus far. |
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| Hermida searching for consistency | Wednesday 4/30, 10:12 PM CT |
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Jeremy Hermida had two hits and an RBI, along with a walk, on Wednesday night.
Our View: Hermida upped his average to .286 on the night, but he has yet to display that sweet stroke that was evident to all after the all-star break last year. The main culprit is probably health, so just hope that he remains healthy and playing because the production will come if he remains on the field. |
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| Olsen not striking out anyone | Wednesday 4/30, 10:09 PM CT |
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Scott Olsen allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings to pick up his first loss of the season on Wednesday night.
Our View: Olsen struck out only two batters on the night and now has just 15 in 40 IP, a K/9 of 3.38, less than half of his career mark of 7.22. Pitchers who are 24 and not coming off surgery don't reinvent themselves as control artists, so the lack of punchouts might signal that there is something physically wrong with the tall left hander. |
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| McGowan shines but leaves with no decision | Wednesday 4/30, 10:07 PM CT |
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Toronto RHP Dustin McGowan put his best effort on the mound against the Boston Red Sox this evening, but the relief effort let him down and he moves forward with no decision. McGowan pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on four hits.
Our View: McGowan allowed just one walk and struck out five, but reliever Scott Downs could not corral the save, allowing one run on three hits in 2/3 of an inning in the 9th to give Boston the win. |
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| Billingsley handles Marlins | Wednesday 4/30, 10:05 PM CT |
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Chad Billingsley finally picked up his first victory of the season on Wednesday as he limited the Marlins to three hits and one run over seven innings.
Our View: Billingsley struck out eight batters giving him an ultra impressive total of 40 in just 27.2 innings (13.01 K/9). If his current owner is still fixated on his 1-4 record or 5.20 ERA, this may be your last chance to pounce. |
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| Johjima has another hitless night | Wednesday 4/30, 10:00 PM CT |
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Kenji Johjima went 0-for-3 to drop his average to .177 before he was replaced behind the plate by recently called up Jeff Clement who hit a single in his only at-bat.
Our View: Despite signing a contract extension recently, Johjima is in real danger of losing playing time to the big bat of Clement. Johjima is the better defensive player which gives him the edge, but if he keeps hitting around the Mendoza line for much longer, logic would dictate that he might be pulling a few splinters out of his behind. |
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| Balentien goes deep in first game | Wednesday 4/30, 9:57 PM CT |
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Wasting little time, Wladimir Balentien made a spectacular 2008 debut on Wednesday night as he went 2-for-4 with three RBI, with one of the hits being a home run off Cliff Lee.
Our View: The Mariners resisted many offers for a trade involving Balentin this off-season because of their expectation that he will have many mights like this. If you have spot on your roster considering filling it with Wladimir. |
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| Martinez pushes streak to 12 | Wednesday 4/30, 9:54 PM CT |
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Victor Martinez extended his hitting streak to 12-games on Wednesday night as he went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Our View: It's hard to quibble when a guy is batting .366, but Martinez hasn't hit a single long ball, has scored only five times and has knocked in only nine runs on the year. Still, he has only four K in 82 AB and is spraying the ball all over the field with great effectiveness. |
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| Hairston strands seven | Wednesday 4/30, 9:51 PM CT |
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The Padres pulled the 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies this evening, but LF Scott Hairston may be struggling to find a reason for optimism. Hairston went 1-for-5 at the plate, leaving seven runners on base.
Our View: Hairston is now hitting just .212 on the season with just seven hits over his last 16 games (three of those coming in last night's 7-4 loss to Philly). |
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| Sizemore hitting ball with authority | Wednesday 4/30, 9:50 PM CT |
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Grady Sizemore went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI on Wednesday night for the Tribe.
Our View: Sizemore has returned from his sprained ankle with a vengeance going f-for-7 with four runs scored in two games. Hopefully you left him in your lineup this week as he is finally starting to round into form after a slow start. |
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| Washburn falls to Indians | Wednesday 4/30, 9:48 PM CT |
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Jarrod Washburn allowed six runs, five earned, to fall to 1-4 on the season on Wednesday night. Washburn struck out a season-high seven batters but he also permitted six hits and two walks to pick up his third straight loss.
Our View: Washburn is nothing more than an average AL Only starter at this point, and really, he shouldn't be in your rotation in a mixed leagues unless it is a very, very deep league. |
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| Young stays strong in hurling win over Philly | Wednesday 4/30, 9:45 PM CT |
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San Diego RHP Chris Young put forth a strong performance in hurling his Padres to a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies this evening. Young pitched six innings, throwing 101 total pitches (64 strikes) to allow just two runs (both earned) on five hits. Young allowed just three walks and struck out six, giving up one homer to 2B Chase Utley.
Our View: In his last start, Young completed seven innings to allow just two hits, posting a whopping 10 strike outs versus just three walks. However, he suffered the one-run loss as his teammates failed to score a single run of support. Tonight the offensive support was on hand and Young's offerings did not go to waste. |
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| Lee improves to 5-0 | Wednesday 4/30, 9:41 PM CT |
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Cliff Lee ran his record to 5-0 on Wednesday night as he allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings.
Our View: Lee lost his scoreless streak at 27 innings, but if you are bitter about that, well, you aren't smart as he has posted a dynamic 0.96 ERA and 0.56 WHIP over his five starts providing massive value for a wavier-wire pickup. |
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| Iguchi goes 4-for-5 in win | Wednesday 4/30, 9:40 PM CT |
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The San Diego Padres pulled out a much-needed win against the Philadelphia Phillies this evening, 4-2, and 2B Tadahito Iguchi was the man leading the way on offense. Iguchi went 4-for-5 at the plate, posting one RBI (his sixth on the season) and one run scored.
Our View: Iguchi now has just six multi-hit games this season, posting just the third RBI of his last 17 games. |
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| Longoria continues to shine | Wednesday 4/30, 9:38 PM CT |
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Evan Longoria went 1-for-4 with two runs scored while batting in the fifth spot for the Rays on Wednesday night.
Our View: Longoria has had a successful start to his big league career hitting .273 with three home runs in his first 55 AB. It looks like the rookie is here to stay, and while he may not have a Ryan Braun type impact, that doesn't mean he isn't someone to count on in AL Only leagues. |
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| Hinkse ends April on high note | Wednesday 4/30, 9:36 PM CT |
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Eric Hinske completed his amazing April run as he hit his sixth home run of the season and drove in his 14th and 15th runs of the season.
Our View: Hinske also hit .292 on the month and he continues to reward those managers who grabbed him late in AL Only leagues. |
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| Jenkins starting to warm up at the plate | Wednesday 4/30, 9:34 PM CT |
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Philadelphia RF Geoff Jenkins continues to ramp up at the plate in the Phillies' 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres. Jenkins went 3-for-4 at the plate but failed to produce a single run.
Our View: Jenkins was struggling to produce early, but he has gone 5-for-10 over his last three games (though his one RBI during that stretch is clearly disappointing). |
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| Jones continues slow progress | Wednesday 4/30, 9:34 PM CT |
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Adam Jones scored a run, had a hit and picked up a walk for the Orioles on Wednesday night.
Our View: Jones has failed to make a splash in the early going with only one home run and eight RBI, but he also hasn't fallen on his face either as some youngsters do. Continue to be patient with him, you just might be rewarded. |
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| Roberts the spark at top of order | Wednesday 4/30, 9:32 PM CT |
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Brian Roberts had two hits, a walk and an RBI on Wednesday night for the Orioles.
Our View: Roberts was caught stealing for the third time on the year but he did extend his hitting streak to 10-games as he has lifted his average from .243 to .280 as he continues to be one of the more valuable middle infielders in the game. |
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| Utley belts 11th homer | Wednesday 4/30, 9:30 PM CT |
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The Phillies suffered the 4-2 loss this evening to the San Diego Padres, but 2B Chase Utley managed to keep his bat hot in an effort to reverse their fortunes. Utley went 1-for-4 at the plate, hitting his 11th home run of the season to pick up two RBIs.
Our View: Utley is now hitting .360 on the season, posting his first home run in six games after slicing seven homers in seven games in mid-April. |
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| Albers continues strong start | Wednesday 4/30, 9:28 PM CT |
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Matt Albers continued his impressive start to the season by allowing just three runs over six innings to pick up his first loss of the year.
Our View: Albers has 10 appearances this season including two starts, and he owns a 2.42 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 22.1 IP making him an excellent play in AL Only leagues given that he could stay in the rotation for a while depending on the health reports of Adam Loewen. |
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| Sonnanstine improves to 4-1 | Wednesday 4/30, 9:25 PM CT |
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Andy Sonnanstine improved to 4-1 by limiting the Orioles to one run over eight innings. Sonnanstine allowed six hits, two walks and picked up five K.
Our View: That ERA is still a bit high at 4.42, but his WHIP is at 1.16 which is very nice. His K/9 is only 4.89, and that is below what we would like to see (6.00), but he keeps the walks down which allows him to be successful without being dominating. |
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| Chavez takes grounders, no pain | Wednesday 4/30, 9:17 PM CT |
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The A's received some good news on Wednesday when Eric Chavez was able to take grounders and report that he felt no pain in his injured back, according to MLB.com. "It went fine," Chavez said. "They hit everything right at me, and there was no pain, so it went well." The team hopes that Chavez will be able to return on May 28th, though there certainly are more hurdles to overcome. "Hitting and throwing, [my back] feels as good as it could, health-wise," he said. "It's going to take a while with ground balls, though. It'd be great if [opponents] could just hit the ball right at me."
Our View: Chavez would be a great boost to those squads that have been sitting on him since draft day. There will likely be up and down times moving forward, but if Chavez can return to full health in the second half, then it would be like making a trade to add a high caliber performer as he can still perform well enough to be a useful fantasy piece if healthy. |
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| Hughes placed on DL | Wednesday 4/30, 9:05 PM CT |
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Mere hours after the team said that Phil Hughes would remain in their starting rotation he was placed on the DL with a strained right oblique, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Example number 135,768 of a team not being truthful about a players status. Based on the results of his outings it was clear that something was wrong with Hughes, now we know what that reason is; he is injured. No corresponding roster move was announced but if we had to guess we would guess that Darrell Rasner or Kei Igawa would be asked to step into the rotation, with Rasner having the upper hand. |
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| Hernandez avoids injury | Wednesday 4/30, 8:57 PM CT |
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Luis Hernandez avoided serious injury on Wednesday when he jammed his foot into third base on a first to third play, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Our View: The team just sent down Brandon Fahey so it's important that Hernandez is able to stay on the field for the Orioles. Of course it is also important that both players stay out of you lineup unless you are in a deep AL Only league. |
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| Lo Duca nearing return | Wednesday 4/30, 8:54 PM CT |
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Paul Lo Duca went 0-for-3 in a rehab assignment on Tuesday, but the good news is that he didn't suffer any pain in his injured hand, according to MLB.com.
Our View: The plan is for Lo Duca to play one more game before joining the Nationals for the weekend, at which time he would likely be inserted back into the starting lineup. |
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| Dukes still rehabbing injury | Wednesday 4/30, 8:49 PM CT |
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Elijah Dukes, in the minors rehabbing a hamstring injury, is continuing to work his way back into game shape at Single-A Potomac, according to MLB.com.
Our View: No one on the Nationals is hitting much of anything right now, so there is certainly a chance that Dukes could find himself with a regular turn in the lineup if he proves he is healthy enough to play. |
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| Young's back not improving | Wednesday 4/30, 8:46 PM CT |
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Dmitri Young, on the DL with an injured lower back, hasn't seen much improvement so he is searching for a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic, according to MLB.com. "He is not making progress," general manager Jim Bowden said. "He can't turn after he hits. We can't get him over the hump."
Our View: Nick Johnson has reestablished himself in the Nationals plans with his comeback from a broken leg, but he has fallen on hard times of late hitting .222, so the Nats could certainly use Young's bat. However, Young is dealing with the back and with diabetes, so you shouldn't be counting on much of anything from him, at least in the short term. |
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| Lowry to be shut down | Wednesday 4/30, 8:28 PM CT |
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Noah Lowry and the Giants are still a bit uncertain as to what to do with his rehab, so the decision has been made to shut him down for a while, according to the AP. “Right now he’s going to be shut down until this thing is right, when the pins and needles and numbness goes away,” Giants trainer Dave Groeschner said. “Otherwise we’re going to keep spinning our wheels.”
Our View: Lowry was supposed to be back on the hill by now but he has suffered one setback after another this season. At this point there is no need to even be stashing Lowry on your IR,that is unless you have room, because even if things clear up in a week or two he will likely need at least a month to get his arm back in shape. The best case scenario seems to be that he could provide a boost in the second half, but even that seems to be a long shot at this point. |
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| Loewen's looking good, but not ready to pitch | Wednesday 4/30, 8:27 PM CT |
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The Baltimore Orioles report LHP Adam Loewen's bone scan of his injured left elbow has come back and is clear of concern, but the team has scheduled the hurler for a follow-up exam by noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews who will be charged with making the final determination on the pitcher's status, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Loewen missed the bulk of last season after undergoing surgery (performed by Dr. Andrews) on the elbow and the Orioles are being more than cautious with his return. Manager Dave Trembley is encouraged by the results but states the team is in no hurry to rush Loewen back to the mound. "I'm encouraged that the bone scan came back clear, that's good," said Trembley. "They put a screw in the kid's elbow... that's more of a rod than a screw... I wouldn't expect that he's going to pitch when his 15-day DL is done. It's going to be longer than the 15 days." Loewen made only six starts last season before the stress fracture was found and fixed. He has made four starts this season, going 0-1 with an ERA of 7.85. |
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| Kotsay improving at plate | Wednesday 4/30, 8:20 PM CT |
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Mark Kotsay went 3-for-5 on Wednesday with an RBI to push his average up to .286.
Our View: Kotsay continues to be a physical risk, but he does have hits in 10 of his last 11 games as he continues to hold on to the centerfield spot in the Braves outfield despite having just nine runs and eight RBI in 25 games. |
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| Teixeira continues to improve | Wednesday 4/30, 8:18 PM CT |
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Mark Teixeira continued to improve upon his slow start with two hits in five AB on Wednesday to improve his average to .273.
Our View: Teixeira hasn't gone deep in 10 games, but he does have 17 hits in his last 11 games to raise his average up from .221. |
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| Sheets looking good after return start | Wednesday 4/30, 8:16 PM CT |
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The Milwaukee Brewers report RHP Ben Sheets is feeling just fine the day after his return to the starting rotation, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Sheets completed five innings of work, and while he struggled to find his control (totaling seven walks), he earned the win over the Chicago Cubs and today reports no discomfort or pain in his arm. Sheets had been out with tightness in his triceps since April 18th and the team was prepared to take him back out of the rotation had he awoke today with soreness. Sheets reported to Wrigley Field today with "no stiffness, no soreness, no tightness," according to manager Ned Yost. Sheets' next start will come on Sunday in Houston. |
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| Zimmerman at center of struggles | Wednesday 4/30, 8:14 PM CT |
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Ryan Zimmerman went 0-for-4 on Wednesday as the Nationals 2-7 hitters went 0-for-24 against the Braves.
Our View: Zimmerman's wrist must not be healed as he is clearly nowhere near the hitter he has been in the past. Besides the awful average, Zimmerman has only three home runs in 116 AB and it certainly appears that there will continue to be some lean times for a while until that wrist is back to full strength. |
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| Willis set for first rehab outing on Friday | Wednesday 4/30, 8:09 PM CT |
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The Detroit Tigers have announced LHP Dontrelle Willis will make his first rehab start on Friday, taking the mound for Triple-A Toledo, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Manager Jim Leyland said the team delayed their decision until they discussed the potential start with Willis as the pitcher threw a full side session in the bullpen at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Leyland wanted to see how Willis felt after that workout, and it appears the report went well. The Mud Hens are at home on Friday and will welcome Rochester, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. |
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| Lopez making most of opportunity | Wednesday 4/30, 8:08 PM CT |
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Felipe Lopez, batting leadoff for the Nationals, went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a SB on Wednesday.
Our View: Lopez started at second base and he is quickly rendering Ronnie Belliard as irrelevant. Lopez may not return to his previous levels of glory, but with continued playing time he should be able to score enough runs and steal enough bases to be a very valuable player in NL Only leagues. |
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| Acosta loses first game | Wednesday 4/30, 8:02 PM CT |
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Manny Acosta was saddled with his first loss of the year after allowing two runs in two innings of work on Wednesday. Acosta allowed only two hits but he walked five Nationals hitters.
Our View: Acosta hadn't allowed a run in 10 outings, but his total lack of control today has to be a big concern. Acosta now has 11 BB and just nine K on the season, and with word that John Smoltz might return to the bullpen once healthy, Acosta's time in the closer's role might be coming to an end. |
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| Hill allows one run in eight innings | Wednesday 4/30, 7:58 PM CT |
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Despite still dealing with soreness in his forearm, Shawn Hill pitched extremely well on Wednesday limiting the Braves to just one run and four hits over eight innings.
Our View: Hill picked up only one K on the day though he needed just 93 pitches to go eight innings. He continues to be a risky play given the fact that he just can't get his arm right, but he has allowed only three earned runs in his last two starts offering some hope that he can continue to have success. |
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| Jurrjens continues to dominate | Wednesday 4/30, 7:53 PM CT |
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Jair Jurrjens continued his rise to prominence on Wednesday as he held the Nationals to just two hits and one run over seven innings, though he wasn't involved in the decision.
Our View: Jurrjens lowered his ERA to 3.05 and his WHIP to 1.04, and he is making a run at the surprise starting pitcher for the month of April award in the National League. |
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| DeJesus to bat third | Wednesday 4/30, 7:49 PM CT |
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David DeJesus will be removed from his customary leadoff spot and instead he will hit out of the third hole though the move may not be a long term one, according to the Kansas City Star. “I think he’s swinging the bat as well as anybody we’ve got right now,” manager Trey Hillman said. “I think you want your most productive guy in the three slot.”
Our View: So far the team has used Alex Gordon and Mark Teahen in the third hole and they have stunk as they have collectively produced just six RBI from the spot, the lowest mark for any team in baseball. DeJesus certainly should offer a short term upgrade given that he is batting .341 on the season. |
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| Smoltz will pitch out of pen | Wednesday 4/30, 7:42 PM CT |
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There may be internal debate on how the team will use John Smoltz when he returns from the DL, but if you ask him there is no doubt, he will pitch out of the pen, according to MLB.com. "I'm coming back as a reliever first and then we'll see what happens," Smoltz said. "I hear people say that we can't win without me as a starter. But we're not going to win with me as a five-inning starter either."
Our View: It remains to be seen how this situation will play out, but if Smoltz determines the pen is the best way for him to stay healthy, then the team should use him there given the injuries they have suffered this season to the back end of their bullpen. |
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| Rowand goes long in win over Rockies | Wednesday 4/30, 7:36 PM CT |
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San Francisco CF Aaron Rowand enjoyed a nice day at the park, helping his Giants to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. Rowand went 2-for-4 at the plate, hitting his second home run of the season in the 2nd inning off RHP Ubaldo Jimenez.
Our View: Rowand certainly enjoyed facing the Rockies these last few days, going a combined 6-for-11 with four RBIs and no strike outs. |
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| Clark won't retire after all | Wednesday 4/30, 7:35 PM CT |
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Brady Clark changed him mind and won't retire after being sent down to Triple-A when the Mets decided to add Gustavo Molina to the roster, according to the NY Daily News.
Our View: Clark doesn't have a spot with the Mets given the emergence of Angel Pagan, but that doesn't mean he can't latch on somewhere else as a depth player. |
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| Wagner calls out Perez | Wednesday 4/30, 7:32 PM CT |
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Billy Wagner called out Oliver Perez after his terrible outing on Wednesday, according to the NY Daily News. “You’ve got to have that willpower and that desire to go back out there and fight,” Wagner said. Perez has honestly got to step up and know that we’ve just used every guy in our bullpen the night before. He can’t come out there and decide that gee, he hasn’t got it today, and so be it.”
Our View: It's about time that someone took a stand with Perez. Oliver possesses tremendous stuff, no one doubts that, but his bugaboo has long been his inability to consistently perform at a high level. We will be very interested to see how Perez performs next time out after Wagner challenged him today. |
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| Broxton improving | Wednesday 4/30, 7:27 PM CT |
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Jonathan Broxton's strained lat is improving though he remains unavailable to pitch on Wednesday, according to MLB.com. Broxton was able to play catch on Wednesday and all signs point to him being able to avoid the DL. "It's getting better," said manager JoeBro Torre. "The good news is when he threw and sat for 30 minutes, it didn't get tight on him."
Our View: Broxton has been a horse, and he is the clear cut #2 option in the Dodgers pen when healthy, and the good news is that he figures to be back firing mid-90's fastballs sooner rather than later. |
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| Taveras swipes three bases in loss | Wednesday 4/30, 7:26 PM CT |
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The Rockies may have suffered the loss, 3-2, at the hands of the San Francisco Giants today, but leadoff man CF Willy Taveras enjoyed a strong day of individual success fantasy owners are sure to praise. Taveras went 1-for-3 at the plate with two walks and a whopping three stolen bases.
Our View: This brings Taveras to 11 stolen bases on the season. |
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| Arod hopes to return in 15 days | Wednesday 4/30, 7:21 PM CT |
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Alex Rodriguez is on the 15 day DL with a his right quadriceps injury, but he and the team believe he will be ready to go once that time frame has passed, according to MLB.com. "None of us know exactly, but my thought is 15 days," manager Joe Girardi said. "I believe that he'll be back in 15 days."
Our View: The team used the roster spot to call up Chris Britton to help out a taxed bullpen, but that move could be temporary. Morgan Ensberg and Alberto Gonzalez will fill in. |
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| Hughes to stay in rotation | Wednesday 4/30, 7:15 PM CT |
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Phil Hughes hasn't been able to find any level of success in the early going, but the team is going to stick with him in the starting rotation for now, according to MLB.com. "Hughes is in the rotation right now," manager Joe Girardi said. "That's the plan. There's no one else here."
Our View: Wow, what a ringing endorsement. Hughes might stay in the rotation but he belongs on the bench in all leagues right now until he starts missing a few more bats. Hughes will become a top shelf starter at some point, but whether or not that happens this year or not is up for debate. |
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| Mulder lit up in rehab start | Wednesday 4/30, 7:09 PM CT |
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Mark Mulder had a rough outing on Wednesday while pitching for Triple-A Memphis, according to MILB.com. Mulder lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed nine runs, seven earned, while permitting nine hits, three of which went over the fence.
Our View: This performance won't get Mulder back with the big league club anytime soon. The team is more concerned with his health at this point than his performance, but this outing shows that Mulder still has a long ways to go until he is back in big league form. |
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| Castillo breaks dry spell with game-winning HR | Wednesday 4/30, 7:08 PM CT |
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Jose Castillo hit his first home run of the season and couldn't have picked a better time to do it, slapping the first offering from Colorado RHP Ryan Speier in the top of the seventh inning into the left-field bleachers.
Our View: Castillo's tiebreaking homer proved to be the difference as the Giants went on to win 3-2 over the Rockies. It was Castillo's first home run since August 14, 2006, a span of 450 at-bats without a dinger. |
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| Atkins' hit streak ends vs Giants | Wednesday 4/30, 7:04 PM CT |
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Rockies 3B Garrett Atkins went 0-for-4 with a sac fly Wednesday against the Giants.
Our View: The performance ends his 14-game hitting streak, stretch that saw Atkins go 23-for-64 (.359) at the plate with five home runs and 15 RBIs. |
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| Adenhart to start on Thursday | Wednesday 4/30, 6:56 PM CT |
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Nick Adenhart will make his major league debut against the A's on Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times. Adnehart will replace Dustin Moseley in the starting rotation.
Our View: The 21 year old stud is one of the top pitching prospects in the majors, and after a 4-0 run with a 0.87 ERA in five starts at Triple-A, the team decided that the time was right for the phenom to make his first appearance. Adenhart will likely make a couple of starts and then be sent back down when John Lackey is healthy, that is unless he dominates major league hitters. |
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| Rollins may not play on Monday | Wednesday 4/30, 6:51 PM CT |
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Jimmy Rollins is eligible to return from his sprained ankle on Monday, but that doesn't mean he will be activated for the Phillies game against the Diamondbacks, according to MLB.com. "I heard that [Tuesday] when he made turns, he kind of felt it," manager Charlie Manuel said.
Our View: The team wants Rollins to play four of five minor league games to get his timing back and to feel confident that he is over the injury which might push his return back to later next week. |
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| Drew out on Wednesday | Wednesday 4/30, 6:46 PM CT |
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J.D. Drew won't be in the lineup on Wednesday night due to his injured quad, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: The good news is that Drew is receiving treatment that is helping the injury heal. The bad news is there is no word on when he might return to the lineup, but really, that's pretty much the case with Drew every day of the regular season as he always seems to be injured. |
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| Ellsbury nearing return | Wednesday 4/30, 6:44 PM CT |
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Jacoby Ellsbury, out with what is being described as a minor groin injury, is feeling better and should return to the lineup soon, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: The Red Sox have been dealing with injuries to every outfielder not named Manny Ramirez, but at least Coco Crisp is back healthy to fill in at the top of the oder until Ellsbury returns. |
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| Hanfer benched on Wednesday | Wednesday 4/30, 6:40 PM CT |
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Travis Hafner was benched for the Indians game on Wednesday, according to the AP. How long will the benching last? “We’re taking everything day by day,” manager Eric Wedge said. “We’re going to give him a break and we’ll move forward.”
Our View: Hafner is in a terrible tailspin going just 7-for-51 to drop his average to .210, but the Indians can't expect to win long-term without him doing some serious damage. He might be dropped down in the order for a while, but unless he is suffering from an injury that we aren't aware of, he figures to eventually bounce back, he's just too good not to. |
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| Moeller returns to Yankees | Wednesday 4/30, 6:36 PM CT |
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With Jorge Posada on the DL the Yankees decided to bring back Chad Moeller signing him to a contract on Wednesday, according to the AP. To make room on the roster Chris Stewart was sent to Scranton Wilkes Barre.
Our View: Moeller was hitting .350 in 20 AB before the Yankees designated him for assignment, but with the placement of Posada on the DL the team was happy to be able to bring him back. Moeller will likely serve as the backup to Jose Molina until Posada returns. |
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| Lee hits sixth long ball | Wednesday 4/30, 6:31 PM CT |
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Carlos Lee smacked his sixth home run of the season on Wednesday as he knocked in three runs for the Astros.
Our View: Lee hasn't quite been the force many expected in the early going considering he is batting .262 without a SB, but with his record of consistent excellence, a 30 HR, 100 RBI, 10 SB season is almost a given so continue to ride him. |
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| Pence still searching for stroke | Wednesday 4/30, 6:28 PM CT |
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Hunter Pence, batting in the leadoff spot, had two hits, scored a run, and knocked in one on Wednesday for the Astros.
Our View: The two hits today snapped an | |
