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| Milledge goes 2-for-3 | Saturday 5/31, 11:30 PM CT |
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Lastings Milledge went 2-for-3 in Saturday's 4-0 loss to Arizona. Washington only mustered six hits in the game as Brandon Webb threw a complete game shutout, and Milledge had the best night among the Nationals' hitters.
Our View: That was his sixth multi-hit game in May, and he registered at least one hit in eight of his last 10 games. |
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| Reynolds blasts pair of homers | Saturday 5/31, 11:25 PM CT |
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Mark Reynolds went 2-for-3 with two RBI and blasted a pair of solo homers in Saturday's 4-0 win over Washington.
Our View: He is only hitting .240, but has 11 homers and 32 RBI over 51 games, with 38 runs scored. He was cold throughout May but closed out the month on a high note. Hopefully he can keep the momentum going through June. |
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| Webb hurls complete game shutout | Saturday 5/31, 11:19 PM CT |
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Brandon Webb hurled a complete game shutout, with only six hits allowed, in Saturday's 4-0 win over Washington. He issued no walks with eight strikeouts.
Our View: Webb had registered back-to-back losses heading into tonight's contest, but bounced back with a vengeance against the Nationals. He is now 10-2 with a 2.69 ERA. |
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| Glaus hits third homer of season | Saturday 5/31, 10:56 PM CT |
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Troy Glaus went 1-for-2 with an RBI and hit his third homer of the season in Saturday's 14-4 loss to the Pirates.
Our View: That was his first homer since May 18, and his first RBI since May 21. It was nice to see the veteran third baseman end May on a positive note. |
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| Maholm enjoys strong outing | Saturday 5/31, 10:52 PM CT |
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Paul Maholm only allowed one run on four hits over 6.2 innings of action in Saturday's 14-4 win over St. Louis, with no walks and five strikeouts.
Our View: Maholm improved to 3-5 and lowered his ERA to 4.74. This was the fourth time that he allowed one or less runs in a start this season, but surrendered at least four runs in all five of his previous outings in May. |
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| Rivas hits grand slam | Saturday 5/31, 10:45 PM CT |
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Luis Rivas went 2-for-5 with four RBI, and notably hit a grand slam in Saturday's 14-4 win over the Cardinals. He still left six men on base, as Pittsburgh registered 19 hits in the game.
Our View: He only had two homers and seven RBI over 78 at-bats heading into tonight's game. He started the contest in place of the ailing Jack Wilson. |
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| Blanton suffers seventh loss | Saturday 5/31, 10:28 PM CT |
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Joe Blanton surrendered six runs on 10 hits over six innings in Saturday's 8-4 loss to Texas, with one walk and no strikeouts.
Our View: He drops to 3-7 in 2008, with a 4.27 ERA. Six was the most runs he allowed in any of his starts this season, and tonight was also the first time he failed to register any strikeouts. |
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| Fielder hits eighth homer | Saturday 5/31, 9:57 PM CT |
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Prince Fielder went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 4-1 win over Houston.
Our View: That was his eighth homer of the season, and has now hit one in back-to-back games. Hopefully he can carry this momentum into June, and put together a strong month. He ended May with only nine RBI, after racking up 20 in April. |
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| Sheets nails down sixth win | Saturday 5/31, 9:52 PM CT |
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Ben Sheets only surrendered one run on seven hits over 8.2 innings in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Astros, with one walk and five strikeouts.
Our View: He improves to 6-1 for the season, with a 2.71 ERA. He has only allowed four total earned runs over his last three starts. |
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| Erstad records lone RBI for Houston | Saturday 5/31, 9:48 PM CT |
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Darin Erstad went 2-for-4 and recorded the Astros' lone RBI in Saturday's 4-1 loss to Milwaukee.
Our View: He raised his season average to .315 over 73 at-bats, with 12 RBI. The veteran can still get the job done, and has proven to be a solid contributor off the Astros' bench this season. He shouldn't be considered for your fantasy squad, however. |
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| Ramirez claims 500th homer | Saturday 5/31, 9:34 PM CT |
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Manny Ramirez has joined the 500 home run club tonight, at the expense of the Orioles, according to the AP. Boston won the game 6-3.
Our View: Ramirez is the 24th player to reach 500 home runs, and that was his 10th of 2008. |
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| Sabathia suffers seventh loss | Saturday 5/31, 9:19 PM CT |
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C.C. Sabathia surrendered four runs on eight hits over eight innings in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Royals, with no walks and four strikeouts.
Our View: He is now 3-7 over 12 starts, with a 4.72 ERA. Sabathia has allowed two or less earned runs in each of his previous four starts, but could not close out May on a high note. |
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| Utley blasts 19th homer | Saturday 5/31, 9:14 PM CT |
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Chase Utley went 1-for-4 with one RBI and blasted his 19th homer of the season in Saturday's 7-3 loss to Florida.
Our View: He collected his 49th RBI of the season tonight as well, along with his 45th run. Utley continues to satisfy fantasy owners as the top rated second baseman for 2008. |
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| Hamels rocked for seven runs | Saturday 5/31, 9:09 PM CT |
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Cole Hamels was rocked for seven runs on eight hits over 5.2 innings in Saturday's 7-3 loss to the Marlins, with one walk and four strikeouts. He gave up three home runs in the game.
Our View: Hamels falls to 5-4 with a 3.73 ERA over 12 starts. He surrendered six runs in his previous outing, and four runs in two other starts in May. He hurled two scoreless efforts in the month as well, and has been erratic from start to start. |
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| Gonzalez registers two RBI in win | Saturday 5/31, 9:04 PM CT |
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Luis Gonzalez went 2-for-4 and registered two RBI in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Phillies. He hit a two-run homer, which was his fourth of the season.
Our View: He raised his season average to .299, and racked up two RBI in back-to-back games against Philadelphia. |
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| Zimmerman felt soreness during BP | Saturday 5/31, 8:35 PM CT |
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Ryan Zimmerman felt soreness in his ailing left shoulder during batting practice on Saturday, according to MLB.com. In the first two rounds of the batting session, Zimmerman was taking soft swings. By the fifth round he was swinging the bat harder. He stated, however, that he still felt soreness in his shoulder, and was not sure he would play in the Nationals' third game against the Diamondbacks on Sunday. He added, "We'll see how it feels tomorrow. I think that is the biggest thing. I didn't want to come out and try to hit 500-foot home runs. I was just getting the feel back. Let's see how much I can do and how much I can't do. We'll make a decision from there."
Our View: Zimmerman missed the last six games due to the ailment. We will keep you posted on his progress. Hopefully the injury won't linger, and he will be able to avoid the DL. |
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| Jackson awaiting MRI results | Saturday 5/31, 8:07 PM CT |
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Conor Jackson is awaiting his MRI results on his strained right quad, according to MLB.com. He underwent the test before Saturday's game against the Nationals, and is expected to miss the remainder of the homestand, which lasts through Monday. Manager Bob Melvin said, "He had it earlier in the season and it was getting progressively better. He's been playing with it, but it was hurting him significantly enough where he needed to come out."
Our View: Melvin also thinks that the injury will just keep him out a couple of days, and a DL stint is not likely. Chad Tracy will fill in at first base while Jackson is out. |
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| Geary threw two-inning sim. game | Saturday 5/31, 7:49 PM CT |
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Geoff Geary threw a two-inning simulated game on Saturday as he recovers from a right groin strain, according to MLB.com. Geary pitched to catcher J.R. Towles and outfielder Michael Bourn, and threw 15 pitches in each inning as a final step toward activation from the DL. Geary said, "I don't feel any pain or strain anywhere. It's just a matter of controlling adrenaline, which is beyond controllable right now."
Our View: Geary will be activated prior to Tuesday's opener in Pittsburgh, barring a setback. He was enjoying a solid season while working out of the Astros' pen, as he held a 1.15 WHIP over 18.1 innings, with 17 strikeouts. He should continue to hold value in NL-only leagues upon his return. |
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| Werth believes he can return June 8 | Saturday 5/31, 7:43 PM CT |
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Jayson Werth thinks he may be able to return from the DL on June 8, which would be the first day he is eligible, according to MLB.com. He is recovering from a right oblique strain, and has resumed swinging a bat, but has been instructed to slow his swing down to prevent further injury.
Our View: The team noted that he will probably play in a rehab assignment within the next few days, and added that he will be ready to go right away when he comes off the DL. He was enjoying a solid season, as he generated nine homers and 26 RBI over 40 games, with seven stolen bases. |
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| Gagne takes leave of absence | Saturday 5/31, 7:36 PM CT |
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Eric Gagne, who is on the DL with right rotator cuff tendinitis, has taken a temporary leave from the team to attend to his ailing wife in Arizona, according to MLB.com. His wife Valerie is six months pregnant with the couple's fourth child, but manager Ned Yost said complications in the pregnancy have forced Valerie into a hospital stay. Yost added, "He's going to Maryvale in the morning on Sunday to get all his rehab work done and stuff. He'll be back Monday or Tuesday at the latest."
Our View: Yost also noted that he doesn't know if Gagne would be prepared to return from the DL when he becomes eligible on Thursday. Gagne personally did not expect to miss more than the 15 day minimum on the DL. |
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| Pineiro was not able for pen session | Saturday 5/31, 7:28 PM CT |
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Joel Pineiro was not able to pitch in Saturday's scheduled bullpen session, according to MLB.com. Pineiro attempted to throw off the mound before today's game against the Pirates to see what kind of progress he has made, but his injured right groin hurt too much, and he was forced to cancel his session. Pineiro received further treatment for his ailment instead.
Our View: It is uncertain how long Pineiro will miss now following today's setback in his recovery from a right groin strain. He was placed on the 15-day DL on Wednesday, retroactive to May 21. |
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| Fogg lit up for six runs | Saturday 5/31, 7:11 PM CT |
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Josh Fogg was lit up for six runs on seven hits over a mere 3.1 innings of work in Saturday's 8-7 win over Atlanta. He had two walks and no strikeouts, and ended the contest with a no decision.
Our View: His ERA has now climbed to 9.85 for the season. He should not be considered as a fantasy pitcher. |
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| Bruce goes 3-for-5 | Saturday 5/31, 7:05 PM CT |
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Jay Bruce went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Saturday's 8-7 win over the Braves. He batted second in the lineup, and scored three runs.
Our View: One of his hits went for his first homer. This was already his third multi-hit game of the season, and his second straight. The rookie phenom has scored eight runs over five games as well. |
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| Jurrjens rocked for six runs | Saturday 5/31, 6:53 PM CT |
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Jair Jurrjens was rocked for six runs on nine hits over 4.1 innings in Saturday's 8-7 loss to Cincinnati. He also issued six walks with two strikeouts, and ended the night with a no decision, in a game that took 10 innings to decide.
Our View: That was a poor outing, but he has been pitching well, as he allowed two or less earned runs in six of his previous nine starts. He held a solid 2.86 ERA and 1.24 WHIP heading into tonight's game as well. |
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| Rowand records lone RBI for Giants | Saturday 5/31, 6:32 PM CT |
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Aaron Rowand went 1-for-4 and recorded the lone RBI for the Giants in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Padres.
Our View: Rowand is hitting .335 with 34 RBI over 52 games this season. He closed out May with 20 RBI. |
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| Gonzalez generates three RBI in win | Saturday 5/31, 6:29 PM CT |
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Adrian Gonzalez went 2-for-5 and generated three RBI in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Giants.
Our View: He has 48 RBI over 57 games this season, with 29 coming in May. |
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| Banks dazzles in Saturday start | Saturday 5/31, 6:26 PM CT |
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Josh Banks dazzled in his start on Saturday, as he only allowed one run on six hits over nine innings in a 5-1 win over the Giants, with no walks and five strikeouts.
Our View: Banks has only allowed one earned run over 17 innings of action this season, and his fantasy stock remains on the rise following tonight's strong outing. |
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| Spilborghs left with injury | Saturday 5/31, 6:21 PM CT |
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Ryan Spilborghs left Saturday's game with a bruised wrist in Saturday action against the Cubs, according to CBSsports.com.
Our View: He is day-to-day. He has seen more action since Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe landed on the DL, and the team cannot afford to lose another outfielder. |
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| Beltran registers two RBI in win | Saturday 5/31, 6:11 PM CT |
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Carlos Beltran went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in Saturday's exciting 3-2 win over the Dodgers.
Our View: He has five homers and 32 RBI over 53 games, but still needs to bring up his .263 average. That was also his third homer and 19th RBI in May. |
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| Billingsley fares well in no decision | Saturday 5/31, 6:06 PM CT |
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Chad Billingsley threw seven scoreless innings, with only four hits allowed, in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Mets. He also had three walks with four strikeouts, and ended the battle with a no decision.
Our View: He has only allowed three total earned runs over his last four starts, and is pitching well despite his 4-6 record. |
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| Wilson scratched from lineup | Saturday 5/31, 5:59 PM CT |
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Jack Wilson has been scratched from Saturday's lineup against the Cardinals, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Wilson is bothered by tightness and fatigue in a muscle behind his left knee. The ailing area is just above the spot in his calf which he injured April 3. He said, "It’s a sharp pain in there every time I’ve run the past couple of days. Hopefully, it’s just inflamed."
Our View: Wilson will reportedly be available to pinch-hit tonight if needed. The team expects Wilson back in the lineup tomorrow as well. |
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| Guevara activated from DL | Saturday 5/31, 4:49 PM CT |
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Pitcher Carlos Guevara has been activated from the DL, according to MLB.com. The team brought him in following Shawn Estes' move to the DL, and Manager Bud Black said, "He's throwing his fastball in the mid to high 80s. His changeup sort of has screwball action. He's totally recovered from the groin and hamstring injuries. Our Minor League people and our front office people felt as though he was the guy."
Our View: Guevara, who was a Rule 5 pick from the Reds, has been on the shelf since spring training due to a groin strain. He will likely see action from the Padres' pen, and will hold little fantasy value. |
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| Wise to get second opinion | Saturday 5/31, 4:38 PM CT |
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Matt Wise is going to get a second opinion on his ailing right rotator cuff (tendinitis), according to MLB.com. Manager Willie Randolph said, "It must be relatively serious. I don't know if he's going to be out of the year, but he's going to be out a couple months, probably."
Our View: Wise's ailment is related to a nerve problem in the back of his shoulder that makes his arm feel as if he's throwing underwater, and could be out two to three months, as Randolph noted. Wise allowed five runs and 10 hits over seven innings in relief this season, and is not worth waiting for as a fantasy performer.
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| Correia strong in rehab start | Saturday 5/31, 4:32 PM CT |
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Kevin Correia hurled 3.1 shutout innings in his first rehab start for Class-A San Jose on Friday, and was in the Giants' dugout before Saturday's game against the Padres, according to MLB.com. Correia was placed on the 15-day DL back on April 27 due to a strained muscle in his left side, but said his oblique is no longer bothering him at all. He surrendered just one hit and one walk in his Friday appearance while using all of his regular pitches. He'll make another start for Fresno on Tuesday. He said, "I think it's pretty much ready, I just need to get my pitch count up."
Our View: Manager Bruce Bochy wants him to throw at least 65-70 pitches before he returns to the Giants. Correia would likely take Pat Misch's place in the starting rotation. |
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| Ramirez in Marlins' lineup Saturday | Saturday 5/31, 4:24 PM CT |
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Hanley Ramirez is penciled into tonight's lineup against the Phillies, according to MLB.com. He left Friday's game with a bruised left thumb, but responded fine following several ice treatments, and was not forced to miss any games.
Our View: The elite fantasy shortstop is safe to start in your lineups for tonight. |
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| Injury for Estes may move Baek to starts | Saturday 5/31, 3:53 PM CT |
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The San Diego Padres are pondering a move to send RHP Cha Seung Baek to the role of starting pitcher after today's announcement that Shawn Estes will be placed on the disabled list, according to CBSSports.com.
Our View: Estes has broken the tip of his thumb on his throwing hand, and with an obvious need to keep starters in the rotation, the Padres appear to be leaning towards Baek for that job. We will update if/when news becomes official. |
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| Dodgers looking to enhance pitching staff | Saturday 5/31, 3:40 PM CT |
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The Los Angeles Dodgers report that as RHP Jason Schmidt nears return to the mound, the team may consider holding more pitchers than normal to insure he is eased into his role with caution, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Essentially, the Dodgers are considering naming co-fifth starters in the rotation, allowing rookie Clayton Kershaw to share that spot with Schmidt. This is becoming much more common as managers seek to rest arms and insure hampered pitching commodities are not pressed into extensive service and resulting damage. Schmidt still faces at least one or two more rehab starts before he rejoins the club, but the time to start planning that move is now. |
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| Estes suffers fractured thumb | Saturday 5/31, 3:15 PM CT |
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The San Diego Padres have reportedly placed LHP Shawn Estes on the 15-day disabled list after fracturing the end of his left thumb during a fall down some stairs, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Estes suffered the fracture when he fell going down the stairs that lead from the visiting clubhouse to the dugout during San Diego's 7-3 victory in 13 innings on Friday. The Padres have reinstated RHP Carlos Guevara from the disabled list to take Estes' spot on the 25-man roster. |
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| Soriano shines as Cubs beat Rockies | Saturday 5/31, 3:12 PM CT |
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Chicago leadoff man Alfonso Soriano wasted no time in getting his Cubs on track for the 5-4 win against the Colorado Rockies today. Soriano garnered two of the 11 total hits the Cubs would post, going 2-for-4 with is 12th home run of the season as well as his fourth stolen base, finishing with three RBIs and the one run scored.
Our View: Soriano was on his usual pace to gather excruciating strikeout totals, touting 23 strikeouts versus just eight walks coming into today. However, he failed to take a K today and has gone 9-for-23 with four home runs over his last five games. |
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| Dempster gets win vs Rockies | Saturday 5/31, 3:08 PM CT |
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Chicago RHP Ryan Dempster didn't go too deep and didn't have great control, but he managed to endure and earn the win as his Cubs put the Rockies to rest, 5-4. Dempster completed five innings of work to allowed three runs (all earned) on three hits with four walks, seven strikeouts, and two home runs allowed.
Our View: Dempster had good stuff working but was rather erratic off the mound. He now carries consecutive wins and sits at 7-2 on the season. |
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| Rusch takes third loss vs Cubs | Saturday 5/31, 3:05 PM CT |
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Colorado LHP Glendon Rusch got his first decision for the month of May, but we doubt he's happy with the results, taking the 5-4 loss against the Chicago Cubs. Rusch lasted just 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (all earned) on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
Our View: This was Rusch's fourth start of the month, but we are unsure what fact may be more concerning: This was his longest outing of that list, it was the first decision he has seen since April or that he now sits at 1-3 with a 7.03 ERA. |
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| Rockies struggle, fall to Chicago | Saturday 5/31, 3:01 PM CT |
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The Colorado Rockies filled the early plate for baseball fans today, facing off against the Cubbies in Chicago, but at game's end they had managed just four hits and fell well short of needs for the win, taking the 5-4 loss. For the Rockies, it was veteran first baseman Todd Helton serving the cause as well as any, going 1-for-1 with three walks at the dish, hitting his sixth home run of the season with no runners on base, finishing with one RBI on the day.
Our View: Helton has struggled a bit in attempting to get his batting average to .300 (now standing at .280). However, he has hit safely in each of his last seven games with 24 total walks earned through the month of May. |
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| Billingsley looks to stay hot | Saturday 5/31, 2:22 PM CT |
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The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers will do battle on the fields of major league baseball today as Dodger ace RHP Chad Billingsley takes the mound, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Billingsley has built a strong 23-15 career record to this point and is surging as the go-to arm for the Dodgers this season, surrendering two or less runs in five of his last six starts. In his last outing against the Cubs, Billingsley allowed just two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts but failed to get the win. His lone career start against the Mets ended with a win, going six innings to allow just one earned run. |
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| Pelfrey starting for the Mets today | Saturday 5/31, 2:17 PM CT |
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The New York Mets will turn to RHP Mike Pelfrey as they face surging Chad Billingsley and the Los Angeles Dodgers today, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Pelfrey was the 9th-overall selection of the 2005 entry draft but has struggled to meet the expectations associated with that status, going 7-15 with an ERA of 5.48 over 26 starts in the majors. The kid is riding a six-game losing streak coming in and hasn't seen a win since facing Washington on April 15th. In each of his last two starts, Pelfrey has lasted just four innings. |
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| Atkins taking Saturday off | Saturday 5/31, 1:50 PM CT |
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Colorado third baseman Garrett Atkins will be spending today on the bench rather than filling his normal duties at the bag, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Atkins has been suffering through a bit of a mini-slump, having led the team in hitting over the first month and a half of the season only to fall as a stiff neck and back spasms have set his balance off. Atkins is 1-for-18, going hitless in his last 16 at-bats, heading into today and thus will be resting as his Rockies face the Chicago Cubs. |
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| Misch looking for win #1 | Saturday 5/31, 1:26 PM CT |
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The San Francisco Giants are set to do battle with the San Diego Padres today, giving LHP Patrick Misch the start in hopes that he will find his first major league victory, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Misch has nine starts with 16 trips out of the bullpen over his career with the Giants, making five starts with one outing in relief since joining the team in late April after starting in Triple-A. Through those starts, Misch carries a 6.54 ERA and has allowed a worrisome 10 home runs along the way. In Sunday's 8-6 loss to Florida, Misch gave up three dingers and allowed seven runs through just 4 1/3 innings. |
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| Pujols on fire | Saturday 5/31, 1:20 PM CT |
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St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols hit his 14th home run last night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, smacking a two-run shot to straightaway center in the bottom of the first inning.
Our View: This gives Pujols three homers over his last four games, going 10-for-18 to get his batting average to .364. Reports indicate Pujols is "hampered" by an aching elbow, but it appears those concerns should be laid to rest. |
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| Corpas throws advances back against Cubs | Saturday 5/31, 1:08 PM CT |
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The Rockies report relief pitcher Manuel Corpas is finding continued struggles as he attempts to seek the form that made him a hot arm for the Rockies on their way to the World Series last season, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Corpas had entered Friday's game against the Cubs having not allowed a single earned run over 10 games, and when he reached the eighth inning of the battle against Chicago, he had not surrendered a single run. Suddenly, up 8-0 at one time, Corpas allowed a two-run double to Jim Edmonds and then surrendered a two-run homer to Mark DeRosa, that dinger giving the Cubs the 10-9 win in one of the more memorable collapses in recent major league history. Corpas lost his job as the Rockies' closer earlier this season to Brian Fuentes, having surrendered runs in nine of the 16 appearances he had made at that time. It then appeared Corpas was working back into form, but the failures against the Cubbies have all but ruined those efforts as Corpas now sits a commodity in question once again. |
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| Padres ask rookie Banks to reverse trends | Saturday 5/31, 12:53 PM CT |
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The San Diego Padres own the second-worst record in the National League (22-34) and hope to find a reversal of fortunes this evening by giving rookie RHP Josh Banks his first start as a Padres, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Banks has come out of the bullpen in his first two outings for San Diego this season, though he earned his first major league win in his last outing by pitching six shutout innings of baseball as part of the 18-inning marathon victory over the Reds on May 25th. Banks was recalled from Triple-A Portland on May 22 to take the rotation spot of the injured Chris Young. The Padres claimed the 24-year-old off waivers from Toronto on April 23. A second-round selection by the Blue Jays in the 2003 draft, Banks pitched in three games for Toronto last September, including one start. |
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| Sabathia looking for groove | Saturday 5/31, 12:14 PM CT |
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The 2008 season hasn't been too kind to Cleveland LHP C.C. Sabathia , but the former Cy Young candidate from last season hopes to rediscover his dominating ways against the Kansas City Royals this evening, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Sabathia is 3-6 thus far this season with an ERA of 4.74, allowing 73 hits through 68 1/3 innings thus far. However, in his last start nearly a week ago, Sabathia allowed just one run through seven innings against Texas and hopes to find that groove again today against KC. He carries a career record of 14-9 with a 3.35 ERA versus the Royals. |
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| Blanton & Feldman seek to reverse fortunes | Saturday 5/31, 11:56 AM CT |
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The Texas Rangers and Oakland A's are set to set to do battle this evening as RHP Joe Blanton and fellow righty Scott Feldman square off with hopes of getting their seasons on track, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Blanton is a disappointing 3-6 thus far while Feldman has battled to 1-2. Blanton has lost his only start against Texas this season but is 6-3 over his career against the Rangers. Feldman lacks the career numbers worthy of note versus Oakland (1-1, 1.96 ERA) and comes off a rough outing versus Cleveland, giving up five runs on six hits through six innings of work. |
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| Nats' Bergmann looking to stay hot | Saturday 5/31, 11:29 AM CT |
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The Washington Nationals will send what may be their hottest arm to the mound this evening as they face off against the Arizona Diamondbacks, tabbing RHP Jason Bergmann as the starter for the evening, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Bermann is riding 19 2/3 innings of consecutive shutout pitching coming into tonight's battle, including an eight-strikeout performance against the Milwaukee Brewers in his last outing. He walked off with no decision, but clearly the 26-year-old hurler is on top of his game and giving Washington a chance to compete. |
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| Webb looking to end Zona woes | Saturday 5/31, 11:20 AM CT |
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The Arizona Diamondbacks will look to RHP Brandon Webb today as the team hopes to put an end to a season-high five-game losing streak against the Washington Nationals tonight, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Webb is coming off consecutive losses after winning his fist nine starts of the season. He has six career appearances against Washington with five starts, touting a record of 2-2 with a 3.89 ERA over those performances. However, being home may be the biggest gift of all: The 2006 National League Cy Young winner has won all five of his starts at Chase Field this season, while posting a 3.47 earned run average in those games. |
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| Sheets & Moehler set to battle | Saturday 5/31, 11:11 AM CT |
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The Milwaukee Brewers will send RHP Ben Sheets to the mound for the start today as Houston counters with veteran RHP Brian Moehler, according to the Miami Herald.
Our View: Sheets has faced Houston once this season, allowing four runs on seven hits through 6 2/3 innings (no decision). Moehler has faced the Brewers 17 times in his career, touting a 3-6 record over eight starts with an ERA of 4.21 in those meetings. |
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| Cards turn to Parisi vs Pittsburgh | Saturday 5/31, 11:03 AM CT |
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The Cardinals will send rookie RHP Mike Parisi to the mound tonight as St. Louis faces off against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to the Miami Herald.
Our View: Parisi, the Cardinals' 9th-round draft pick from 2004, was promoted to the majors following the decision to place Joel Pineiro on the disabled list. He has recorded an ERA of 2.87 in eight appearances out of the bullpen, but today he'll get the start. |
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| Hamels hits mound vs Florida today | Saturday 5/31, 10:59 AM CT |
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Philadelphia will send LHP Cole Hamels to the mound today in their battle with the first-place Florida Marlins, according to the Miami Herald.
Our View: Hamels struggled through rough times in his last outing, surrendering six runs on seven hits to the Astros in just four innings of work. The 2007 All-Star had not yielded a single run over his previous two outings. Hamels fired a four-hitter for his first career shutout in a May 15 win over Atlanta, then racked up 11 strikeouts over seven scoreless frames in a no- decision at Washington five days later. Hamels is just 2-2 with a 4.13 ERA over four career starts against the Marlins. |
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| Ramirez questionable for Marlins today | Saturday 5/31, 10:55 AM CT |
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The Marlins will be looking to solidify their move into first place in the NL East today as they take on the Philadelphia Phillies, but the status of shortstop Hanley Ramirez remains in question, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Ramirez left last night's win over Philly in the fifth inning with what the team is calling a bruised thumb, and as a result he may be held out of action today. If and when we get official news, we will update. |
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| Giants shopping relief pitching | Saturday 5/31, 10:30 AM CT |
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The Giants are reportedly shopping several relief pitchers in hopes of enticing trade offers from a variety of sources, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The Giants are actively shopping, among others, Tyler Walker , Jack Taschner, and Vinnie Chulk with hopes of improving their offensive weapons.
Our View: The San Francisco club is also rumored to be seeking offers from Erick Threets and Brad Hennessey, working in the minors, but are wanting to retain Brian Wilson as the team's closer. We will update if more news comes of this scenario. |
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| Zimmerman remains out | Saturday 5/31, 9:36 AM CT |
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The Nationals report third baseman Ryan Zimmerman missed his fifth consecutive game on Friday at Arizona as he continues to battle a sore left shoulder, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Manager Manny Acta reports the shoulder is improving but will be listed as day-to-day until further notice. The Nationals will update his progress each day and he could return to action at any time, but the desire to be cautious reigns supreme. |
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| Church could return Sunday | Saturday 5/31, 9:30 AM CT |
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Mets outfielder Ryan Church participated in all team practice activities on Friday and could be back on the field of play as early as Sunday, according to the New York Daily News.
Our View: The Mets will face the Dodgers in the series finale and could put Church in action for the first time since suffering his second concussion in as many months on May 20th. He took batting practice, shagged fly balls, and took several sprints across the field during pregame warm-ups, giving the Mets reason to target Sunday for return. |
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| Castillo may be headed to DL | Saturday 5/31, 9:19 AM CT |
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New York second baseman Luis Castillo may be adding his name to an already-concerning list of injured players for the Mets, according to the New York Post.
Our View: The Mets announced Castillo is suffering from a strained left hip flexor and is not likely to be available to play any time soon. Castillo was replaced by Damion Easley last night and the Mets have stated their desire to see how Castillo responds to work today before making further statements. We will update as news becomes available. |
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