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| Taveras steals number 32 | Thursday 6/19, 11:56 PM CT |
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Willy Taveras went 3-for-5 and stole his 32nd base in Thursday's 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Our View: Taveras registered a bunt single, a swinging bunt single and a Texas Leaguer in the Roks win. Considering what he did on Thursday night is it any surprise his slugging percentage is .304 on the season? |
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| Wilson fails for second straight game | Thursday 6/19, 11:51 PM CT |
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For the second time in less than 24 hours, Rangers' closer C.J. Wilson pitched in the ninth inning of a close game and couldn't get the job done. Wilson allowed two runs on two hits, walked one and struck out one. Despite the performance the Rangers were able to secure a 5-4 victory over the Braves on Thursday night.
Our View: On Thursday, Wilson couldn't finish what he started but he was bailed out by a clutch hit from veteran Michael Young. Wilson has struggled this year. His ERA (5.04) is far too excessive for a relief pitcher and his BB/9 ration (4.50) is to blame. |
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| Holliday has two RBI in Roks win | Thursday 6/19, 11:28 PM CT |
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Matt Holliday went 2-for-3 with two RBI helping the Rockies to a 6-3 victory over the scuffling Indians on Thursday night.
Our View: Holliday is quietly securing himself among the fantasy elite. The Roks outfielder is hitting .329 with 33 RBI and 37 runs scored and while his numbers are not what they were a year ago, Holliday has accomplished his statline in only 56 games. |
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| Fuentes notches 13th save | Thursday 6/19, 11:25 PM CT |
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Brian Fuentes pitched a scoreless ninth inning to secure Jorge De La Rosa's second victory, and earn his 13th save of the season.
Our View: Fuentes might be the most painful closer in the league to watch. He rarely looks to be in control and often finds himself behind in the count with runners on base. |
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| De La Rosa strikes out 10 | Thursday 6/19, 11:12 PM CT |
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Jorge De La Rosa struck out a career-high 10 to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 6-3 victory Thursday night over the Cleveland Indians. The Rockies executed a sweep of the three-game series and prepare to host the New York Mets for a three-game weekend set.
Our View: The former Royal allowed three runs on four hits and walked only one in his second victory against three losses. The 10 K performance gives him 44 strike outs in 38.2 innings of work this year. As impressive as that is, his 6.52 ERA is ugly. |
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| Blake records three hit game | Thursday 6/19, 11:01 PM CT |
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Casey Blake hit his seventh home run of the season in a Thursday night 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Blake also committed his ninth error of the season.
Our View: Blake could have been charged with an additional error. His field presence was horrible, but it didn't carry over into the batters box as the third baseman went 3-for-4 and raised his batting average (.263) eight points with the performance. |
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| Sowers records quality start | Thursday 6/19, 10:56 PM CT |
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Jeremy Sowers recorded a quality start, but it wasn't enough as the Rockies defeated the Indians 6-3 on Thursday night. Sowers allowed three runs on 10 hits, walked none and struck out four.
Our View: The 10 hits that Sowers surrendered included three infield hits and two bloopers. The lefty improved on his last start and given the circumstances the kid pitched well enough to win. The Indians bullpen, specifically Masahide Kobayashi, surrendered the lead in the seventh inning and the Rockies cruised to their third straight win and 31st of the season. |
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| Zito on pace for 20 losses | Thursday 6/19, 10:42 PM CT |
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Barry Zito is on pace for 24 losses this season, and with 17 or 18 more starts, if he's permitted to stay in the rotation, he a lock to exceed his career high for defeats in a season (13).
Our View: This news isn't a revelation. The real surprise will be if the Giants allow him to remain in the rotation with his current form. Zito has zero value in all fantasy formats and it's time for the lefty to head to the minor leagues and try to reinvent himself. |
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| Hafner won't have surgery | Thursday 6/19, 10:19 PM CT |
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The Plain Dealer reports that Dr. James Andrews told the Indians that Travis Hafner does not need surgery on his shoulder, back or rotator cuff.
Hafner has no timetable to rejoin the lineup, but from what head trainer Lonnie Soloff told the paper, it could be a long time.
Our View: Hafner will continue his program of strengthening the rotator cuff and shoulder girdle (the muscles surrounding the shoulder) and have his strength re-evaluated every 7-to-10 days. |
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| Balfour earns second win | Thursday 6/19, 9:56 PM CT |
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Grant Balfour pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win on Thursday night. It was the second win of the interleague series against the Cubs for the former Twins prospect.
Our View: Balfour made his eighth appearance of the season on Thursday night. Coming into the game the right-hander had allowed two runs on three hits, walked five and struck out 12 in 8.2 innings. He is a solid addition to what has turned out to be a very good Rays 'pen. |
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| Crawford's slam helps Rays sweep | Thursday 6/19, 9:48 PM CT |
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Carl Crawford hit his second career grand slam and the Tampa Bay Rays scored a 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night.
Our View: Crawford, who was playing in only his second game since serving a four-game suspension for his part in the Boston brawl earlier this month, went 3-for-5 scoring once and driving in four. The speedster was caught stealing for the fifth time this season against 19 successes. |
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| Huff hits 12th HR of the season | Thursday 6/19, 9:40 PM CT |
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Aubrey Huff went 2-for-3 with a home run and the Orioles extended the Astros' losing streak to eight games with a 7-5 victory Thursday night.
Our View: Huff is currently in a rhythm and the Orioles are once again hitting and pitching better than expected. The first baseman and designated hitter hit his 12th home run of the season, and has gone deep in three of the past four games. |
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| Hernandez goes deep in O's win | Thursday 6/19, 9:35 PM CT |
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Ramon Hernandez hit a solo home run helping the Baltimore Orioles execute a sweep of the Houston Astros with a 7-5 win on Thursday night.
Our View: Hernandez hasn't produced as expected, but his fifth home run of the season and the Birds winning streak is keeping the restless happy in Baltimore... for now. |
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| Burres improves to 6-5 | Thursday 6/19, 9:30 PM CT |
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Brian Burres allowed three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out three in 5.2 innings of work, and helped the Orioles climb three games over .500 for the first time since May 21. Burres improved his record to 6-5 with the win.
Our View: Burres gave up two early runs, single tallies in the first and the second and settled down to finesse the aggressive Astros hitters until Matt Albers took over in the sixth. The lefty won't overpower hitters but when he can locate his breaking pitch he's good enough to supply the Orioles and AL-only owners with quality innings. |
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| Tejada homers against ex-mates | Thursday 6/19, 9:22 PM CT |
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Miguel Tejada, hitting just .150 in the month of June, homered in Thursday's loss to his ex-mates. Houston has lost a franchise-record six straight interleague games and is 1-8 against American League teams this year.
Our View: The home run was Tejada's fourth in June and his 10th of the season. |
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| Sherrill earns 24th save | Thursday 6/19, 9:16 PM CT |
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George Sherrill saved his 24th game of the season in Thursday's win over the Astros, and notched his seventh in June.
Our View: George Sherrill entered with the bases loaded in the ninth and gave up a sacrifice fly to Kazuo Matsui and a run-scoring infield hit to Miguel Tejada before retiring Lance Berkman on a short fly ball to end the game with the O's winning 7-5. |
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| Cintron stealing at-bats from Bynum | Thursday 6/19, 9:12 PM CT |
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Alex Cintron went 3-for-4 hitting out of the ninth spot in the batting order helping the Orioles extend the Houston Astros' losing streak to eight games with a 7-5 victory Thursday night.
Our View: Cintron had two singles and his first home run of the season. Back from the dead, Cintron was starting at shortstop for Freddie Bynum, and at this point it appears the two will share at-bats from the position. Cintron has much more offensive upside the the light-hitting Bynum and he showed that tonight. |
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| Marmol awful in relief | Thursday 6/19, 8:42 PM CT |
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Carlos Marmol relieved Sean Gallagher in the bottom of the seventh inning with the Cubs leading 3-1 in Thursday's finale at Tampa Bay. Marmol, facing the bottom of the Rays order proceeded to walk Willy Aybar to lead off the inning, then walked Dioner Navarro followed by hitting Gabe Gross to load the bases. Leadoff hitter Akinori came to the batters box with the bases loaded, and nobody out, and Marmol plunked him too. Skipper Lou Piniella had seen enough and yanked the Cubs reliever in favor of Scott Eyre, who took the ball and gave up a home run to Carl Crawford.
Our View: It was the ugliest five plate appearances of the year for the Cubs, and with no one out, Gallagher no longer in line for a win and the score in favor of the Rays 6-3, it appears that the team with the best record in baseball will be swept by the upstarts from the American League. |
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| Chacon hit hard by Orioles | Thursday 6/19, 8:35 PM CT |
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Shawn Chacon pitched to form on Thursday night at Camden Yards. The right-handed veteran allowed six runs on eight hits, walked four and didn't strike out a Oriole batter.
Our View: Chacon worked five innings with 95 pitches and left the game down 6-3. After a strong start in the Astros rotation his ERA is approaching five runs per game and his WHIP is closing in on a buck and a half. There is nothing fantasy attractive about the Houston starter. |
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| Shields goes six-plus vs. Cubs | Thursday 6/19, 8:30 PM CT |
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James Shields allowed three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out nine Cubs over 6.1 innings of work. Shields and the Rays began the sixth inning with a 1-0 lead, but the Cubs strung together a double by Fontenot, a single by Fukudome, a single by Theriot and an error by B.J. Upton allowed Chicago to score three runs.
Our View: When Shields exited the game he was the pitcher of record and could win his fifth game of the year but could lose his sixth. The performance by Shields was outstanding until the hard-throwing right-hander appeared to run out of gas. |
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| Gallagher shuts down Rays | Thursday 6/19, 8:23 PM CT |
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Sean Gallagher allowed one run on four hits, walked two and struck out three over six innings on Thursday night. He left the game with the Cubs leading 3-1.
Our View: Gallagher continues to hold down the fifth spot in the Cubs rotation. As long as he continues to pitch like he did on Thursday, Rich Hill will continue to find himself riding the Triple-A bus. |
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| Baker starting for Helton | Thursday 6/19, 7:55 PM CT |
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Jeff Baker is in the starting lineup for the final game of the Rockies interleague series with the Cleveland Indians. Baker is starting at first base for Todd Helton and is hitting fifth in the batting order.
Our View: Helton isn't injured, so the lineup change is nothing more than a day of rest of the veteran, this against the Indians left-handed starter Jeremy Sowers. |
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| Davis goes six strong in no-decision | Thursday 6/19, 7:08 PM CT |
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Doug Davis allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out eight in Thursday's no decision versus the Athletics.
Our View: Davis had arguably his best start of the season but didn't get the run support to earn a win. The performance lowered the lefty's 3.99 ERA to 3.65 and helped his horrific 1.72 WHIP. Davis has now struck out 38 in 44.1 innings. |
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| Smith strong against former mates | Thursday 6/19, 6:53 PM CT |
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Greg Smith allowed one run on three hits, walking three and striking out four over five innings of work. The former Diamondback threw only 87 pitches and was pulled in favor of Brad Ziegler to start the sixth inning.
Our View: Rajai Davis hit for Smith to lead off the top of the sixth innings. Had the pitchers order not come up -- it's likely that Smith would have still been in the game to pitch the bottom of the sixth. |
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| Lyon earns 15th save | Thursday 6/19, 6:48 PM CT |
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Brandon Lyon got three outs for his 15th save in 17 chances, and his 14th straight as the Diamondbacks their second straight and two-of-three over the Athletics, 2-1 on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Lyon hasn't had many save opportunities over the last month. Since mid-May the closer has appeared in only 10 games and had five save opps. |
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| Upton hits game winning HR | Thursday 6/19, 6:42 PM CT |
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Justin Upton hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Oakland Athletics 2-1 on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: With the return of veteran Eric Byrnes from the disabled list soon, Upton's roster spot is in question. The word on the street is that the D'Backs are considering optioning their rookie back to the minors to work on his swing, and his suspect defense. He was out of the lineup on Wednesday and his stock had hit a season low. Upton was hitting .244 with a .783 OPS heading into Thursday's action, and the young outfielder had 84 strikeouts in 225 at-bats (a strikeout every 3.1 AB). The game winning home run came just in time. If he can gain some momentum in Minnesota this weekend he might stave off the demotion. |
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| Salty scuffling | Thursday 6/19, 6:34 PM CT |
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Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who is with the parent club because of his bat, went 0-for-4 in Thursday's win over the Braves. The young catcher's average fell to .226 in 93 at-bats on the season.
Our View: Atlanta stole two bases, giving Texas opponents 23 consecutive thefts when Saltalamacchia is the catcher. Again, Salty needs to hit if he wants to carry his weight. |
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| Feldman throws seven strong | Thursday 6/19, 6:31 PM CT |
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Scott Feldman gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings of work and was in line for the win on Thursday afternoon until the Texas bullpen, closer C.J. Wilson, blew up for the second straight game.
Our View: Feldman allowed two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out four. The right-hander will keep his spot in the rotation after today's effort. Not that the Rangers have many choices on the farm, especially after firing the volatile Sidney Ponson. |
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| Jones takes bagel; avg dips to .394 | Thursday 6/19, 6:22 PM CT |
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Chipper Jones went 0-for-4 and his major league-leading batting average fell below .400 for the first time since April 12. He's hitting .394 after today's bagel.
Our View: It was inevitable. Jones' owners should be thrilled if the future Hall of Famer can hit .350-plus this season. More important than hitting for a high average: keeping the Braves in the postseason race so he's still playing in September and keeping the oft-injured third baseman upright. |
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| As expected, Fuku batting leadoff | Thursday 6/19, 6:19 PM CT |
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Kosuke Fukudome is leading off for the second straight game as the Cubs are trying to find a frontman to fill the role of the injured Alfonso Soriano.
Our View: Skipper Lou Piniella said Wednesday that Kosuke Fukudome will be the Cubs' primary leadoff hitter while Alfonso Soriano is sidelined. |
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| Longoria starting at shortstop | Thursday 6/19, 6:15 PM CT |
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Evan Longoria is starting at shortstop in tonight's series finale against the Chicago Cubs. The rookie is hitting in his usual fifth spot in the batting order.
Our View: Longoria is starting for Jason Bartlett and Willy Aybar has moved from first to third base. Eric Hinske is the bagman tonight and Cliff Floyd is serving as the designated hitter. There is no evidence that Longoria will get more than a handful of starts at short this season, but owners in leagues that need only one start at any given position to receive eligibility are loving the new possibilities. |
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| Young scuffling; hits game winner | Thursday 6/19, 6:09 PM CT |
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Michael Young singled home Ian Kinsler in the bottom of the ninth inning the game-winning RBI and the Texas Rangers, rallying twice, brought home a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Young's average has hit a season low of .281. The game winning single was his only hit in the win. |
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| Sowers better than his statline | Thursday 6/19, 6:02 PM CT |
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While most believe that Jeremy Sowers is in the Cleveland rotation because of injuries, the left-hander deserves the chance and is much better than his 0-1 record, 7.23 ERA and 1.77 WHIP. Sowers will be a capable No. 4 or 5 starter for years to come, and will likely be even better when he's had more experience and time to develop at the big league level.
Our View: Remember in the 2006 season when everyone thought that the Cleveland Indians lefty was a superstar in the making after throwing back-to-back shutouts? It's amazing how quickly fans, and the fantasy nation, turn on a player, especially a pitcher. Sowers faces a Colorado Rockies lineup today that has no first hand experience against the young southpaw. Advantage Sowers tonight. |
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| Willingham's ETA... soon | Thursday 6/19, 6:01 PM CT |
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Josh Willingham's return to active duty continues to draw attention. The Florida outfielder is currently on a rehab assignment in Double-A and is near a return from a back injury that's kept him out of the Marlins lineup since May 2nd. Willingham hit .341 with a 406 OBP and had six home runs and 16 RBI in 91 at-bats before being he was disabled. There is a chance he could return to the 25-man roster tomorrow, but the more feasible ETA is next week.
Our View: In shallow mixed formats Willingham might be available. If so, make room on the bench for the slugger and play the "wait and see" game. |
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| Clement walks twice in first game | Thursday 6/19, 5:59 PM CT |
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The Jeff Clement watch continues. The rookie's return to the Seattle lineup on Wednesday night had mixed results. He was hitless in two official at bats, dropping his average to .160 in 50 at-bats.
Our View: However, the catcher walked twice, which is more noteworthy than if he had recorded two hits. Clement had walked only seven times in his 15 earlier games with the parent club. A rookie that takes walks offers evidence of good things to come. |
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| Duncan still scuffling at the plate | Thursday 6/19, 5:47 PM CT |
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Chris Duncan, who went hitless in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Royals, is hitting .234 on the season. His power numbers have taken a huge hit from a year ago. The Cardinals outfielder/first baseman has only nine extra base hits in 158 at-bats. His slugging percentage was .348 coming into Thursday's action.
Our View: Chris Duncan is 5-for-31 with one RBI since being recalled from the minors to play first base for the injured Albert Pujols. |
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| Soria earns 18th save | Thursday 6/19, 5:43 PM CT |
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Joakim Soria saved his third game in three days and the Kansas City Royals completed a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 4-1 victory on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Soria threw three perfect innings in three days and bumped his save total from 15 to 18 on the season. In 32 innings of work this year the right-hander has allowed only 17 hits and five runs. |
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| Pirates rookie blitzed by Sox | Thursday 6/19, 5:36 PM CT |
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Phil Dumatrait got roughed up by the White Sox hitters on Thursday afternoon allowing nine runs on 11 hits, walking none and striking out two in five-plus innings of work. The rookie lefty isn't alone, Comerica Park isn't a pitcher-friendly venue.
Our View: Dumatrait lost more than a run to his 3.84 ERA. When exiting today's loss his earned run average stood at 4.66 and his record dropped to 3-4 on the season. |
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| Floyd improves to 8-3 | Thursday 6/19, 5:29 PM CT |
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It wasn't Gavin Floyd best effort this year, but the White Sox right-hander won his fourth straight decision, allowing seven runs (one earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out six as Chicago defeated Pittsburgh 13-8 on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Floyd improved his record to 8-3 and his ERA dipped 11 points from 3.30 to 3.19. |
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| A.J. extends hitting streak to 13 | Thursday 6/19, 5:25 PM CT |
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A.J. Pierzynski went 2-for-5 in yet another White Sox offensive onslaught against Pittsburgh. The catcher now has a 13-game hitting streak.
Our View: The second slot in the White Sox batting order has provided Pierzynski owners with some additional runs. The starting catcher has 32 runs scored on the season. |
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| Cbarera homers; drives in four | Thursday 6/19, 5:23 PM CT |
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Orlando Cabrera homered and had four RBI as the White Sox rallied from a 6-0 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 16-5 on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Another offensive typhoon by the White Sox at Comerica Park. Cabrera had three RBI in Tuesday's 16-5 win, and the four he added today gives him 30 on the season. |
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| Dye goes deep twice | Thursday 6/19, 5:13 PM CT |
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Jermaine Dye hit two home runs helping the Chicago White Sox execute a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-8 on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: The White Sox continue to tear the cover off the ball at home and Dye's two home runs raised his season total to 14. The right fielder also registered six RBI in the game giving him 38 on the season. |
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| Teahen provides Royal power in win | Thursday 6/19, 5:10 PM CT |
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Mark Teahen missed the cycle by a double and had three RBI in the Royals 4-1 win over the Cardinals on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Teahen is beginning to produce a more consistent power stroke. The home run was only his seventh in 258 at-bats, but he recently hit three home runs in three games when the Royals visited Comerica Park. |
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| Ankiel provides Cardinals offense | Thursday 6/19, 5:07 PM CT |
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Rick Ankiel hit his 11th home run, but it wasn't enough as the Cardinals dropped their third straight to Kansas City 4-1 on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Ankiel has been slumping as of late and it's affected the Cardinals ability to score. St. Louis has scored three or fewer runs in six of eight games since Albert Pujols went on the 15-day disabled list with a left calf strain. |
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| Thompson makes emergency start | Thursday 6/19, 5:05 PM CT |
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Brad Thompson was activated from the disabled list on Thursday to make an emergency start for Anthony Reyes. Thompson was scheduled to throw rehab in Memphis tonight, but instead took the mound Thursday afternoon against the Royals. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits, walked none and struck out one in the 4-1 loss.
Our View: The sinker-baller was better than expected and kept the Cards in the game. While Thompson didn't walk a batter, he also didn't fool any of the Royals hitters striking out one. His fantasy value rests in deep NL-only formats. |
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| Greinke dominates Card hitters | Thursday 6/19, 4:55 PM CT |
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Zack Greinke, Ramon Ramirez and Joakim Soria combined on a two-hitter, and the Kansas City Royals completed their first three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals since 2001 with a 4-1 victory Thursday. Greinke allowed one run on two hits, walked one and struck out seven in seven innings of work.
Our View: Greinke was outstanding, and after a rough three-game patch that saw him walk seven in his last start in Arizona, the Royals ace proved again that he is one of the best pitchers in the American League. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.33 with the performance. |
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| Fielder hits inside-the-park homer | Thursday 6/19, 4:51 PM CT |
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Prince Fielder hit the second inside-the-park homer of his career as the Brewers scored an 8-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Watching Fielder run the bases during an inside-the-park home run should be a pay-per-view event. It's that good. |
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| Burnett bombed by Brewers | Thursday 6/19, 4:47 PM CT |
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A.J. Burnett allowed eight runs on eight hits, walked four and struck out five over five innings, and the Toronto Blue fell 8-7 to the Brewers on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Burnett continues to produce Jekyll and Hyde results in his starts. After a 10 hit, eight run outing against the Orioles on June 7th he came back with five strong innings against the Cubs in his last start. The right-hander holds a 5.42 ERA after today's performance. |
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| Branyan goes deep in third straight | Thursday 6/19, 4:38 PM CT |
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Russell Branyan hit his third homer in three days, a three-run shot, and the Brewers held on for an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: Branyan is doing his best Babe Ruth imitation. The third baseman has hit 10 home runs in 62 at-bats. Yes, one home run in every 6.2 AB. |
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| Inglett hits first homer | Thursday 6/19, 4:30 PM CT |
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Joe Inglett hit a two-out grand slam that highlighted the Blue Jays' six-run rally in the ninth inning against the Brewers. Milwaukee held on for a 8-7 win on Thursday afternoon.
Our View: It was the reserve infielder's first home run of the season. |
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| Bush flirts with no-no | Thursday 6/19, 4:27 PM CT |
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Dave Bush bounced back from a two rocky starts and flirted with a no-hitter against the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon. The Milwaukee right-hander took the no-hit bid into the eighth inning before giving up a triple to Lyle Overbay. Bush completed eight innnings allowing one run on two hits, walking one and striking out two.
Our View: Bush began the afternoon with a team-high 5.73 ERA. Off to the worst start in his five-year career, he retired the first 15 Blue Jays before walking Gregg Zaun. |
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| Clark records lone RBI for Padres | Thursday 6/19, 3:58 PM CT |
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Tony Clark went 1-for-3 and recorded the Padres' lone RBI in a 2-1 loss to the Yankees.
Our View: Clark is hitting .243 over 74 at-bats, with one homer and eight RBI. |
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| Chamberlain fans nine in no decision | Thursday 6/19, 3:53 PM CT |
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Joba Chamberlain only allowed one earned run on four hits over 5.2 innings of work in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Padres, with three walks and nine strikeouts. He exited the game with a no decision.
Our View: This was a great outing despite only lasting 5.2 innings. He should continue to get stronger with every start. |
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| Cuddyer chips in two RBI in win | Thursday 6/19, 3:39 PM CT |
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Michael Cuddyer went 2-for-2 (with two walks) and chipped in a pair of RBI in Thursday's 9-3 victory over the Nationals. He hit a double and a triple.
Our View: Cuddyer raised his season average to .251, and has 34 RBI over 56 games. |
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| Perkins claims third win | Thursday 6/19, 3:31 PM CT |
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Glen Perkins surrendered three earned runs on 10 hits over eight innings in Thursday's 9-3 win over Washington, with one walk and two strikeouts. One of the runs came on a Dmitri Young solo shot.
Our View: Perkins has allowed nine homers over nine starts, and has given up at least three earned runs in five straight. |
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| Guzman goes 2-for-4 with an RBI | Thursday 6/19, 3:26 PM CT |
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Cristian Guzman went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's 9-3 loss to the Twins. Both of his hits were singles.
Our View: He continues to swing a hot bat in June, as he raised his average to .359 (28-for-78). |
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| Hill lit up for six earned runs | Thursday 6/19, 3:21 PM CT |
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Shawn Hill was lit up for seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over a mere 3.2 innings of work in Thursday's 9-3 loss to Minnesota, with three walks and three strikeouts.
Our View: Hill falls to 1-4 over 11 starts, with a 5.22 ERA. He has allowed at least four earned runs in three of his last four starts. |
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| Phillips registers two RBI in loss | Thursday 6/19, 3:16 PM CT |
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Brandon Phillips went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI in Thursday's 7-4 loss to the Dodgers. Both of his hits were singles. He also chipped in a stolen base.
Our View: He is only hitting .268, but has 41 RBI and 41 runs scored over 71 games, with 13 stolen bases. |
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| Harang handed 10th loss | Thursday 6/19, 3:12 PM CT |
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Aaron Harang was rocked for five earned runs on 10 hits over five innings in Thursday's 7-4 loss to the Dodgers, with three walks and two strikeouts.
Our View: He is now 3-10 for the season, and tied his season-low with two strikeouts. He has also allowed at least five earned runs in three of his last five starts. |
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| Kemp collects three RBI in win | Thursday 6/19, 3:08 PM CT |
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Matt Kemp went 2-for-5 and led the Dodgers with three RBI in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Reds. He hit a double and a homer, his sixth of the season.
Our View: Kemp now has 13 RBI so far in June, and raised his season average to .293. |
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| Stults wins first start of 2008 | Thursday 6/19, 3:03 PM CT |
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Eric Stults allowed three runs (only one earned) on six hits over six innings in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Reds, with one walk and five strikeouts.
Our View: This was a strong first outing of the season for him, but he will only work in the rotation while Brad Penny is out of action, and isn't worth acquiring as a fantasy prospect. |
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| Gagne throws another solid session | Thursday 6/19, 2:56 PM CT |
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Eric Gagne, who is recovering from right rotator cuff tendinitis, threw another solid bullpen session on Thursday, according to MLB.com. Gagne pitched at about 90% of full strength on Thursday morning and is scheduled to throw a simulated game to hitters on Saturday at Miller Park. If that goes favorably, Gagne said he would travel Monday to Nashville for a Triple-A rehab appearance on Tuesday at home and Thursday at Round Rock, Texas. He could then travel on June 27 to Minnesota, where the Brewers begin a series against the Twins.
Our View: Gagne stated that he will return June 27, but will not unseat Salomon Torres from the closer's role. He was struggling as a closer prior to landing on the DL, and will hold little to no fantasy value while serving as a setup man. |
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| Molina will travel with team | Thursday 6/19, 2:20 PM CT |
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Yadier Molina will travel with the team for their set against Boston on Friday, according to MLB.com. Manager Tony LaRussa said, "He's feeling better, but Molina has not been cleared yet to play."
Our View: Jason LaRue will continue to serve as the starting catcher until Molina is ready to resume his role. LaRussa is yet to set a timetable for his return, but it is a good sign that he is making the trip to Boston. |
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| Bayliss traded to Toronto | Thursday 6/19, 2:13 PM CT |
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Jonah Bayliss has been traded to the Blue Jays for a player to be named later, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Our View: He was designated for assignment by the Pirates in late May, and held a terrible 8.36 ERA and 1.83 WHIP over 37.2 innings. He could benefit from a fresh start in Toronto, but his fantasy value won't likely climb high enough to consider for your rosters. |
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| Bruney remains optimistic | Thursday 6/19, 2:08 PM CT |
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Brian Bruney, who is recovering from a torn ligament in his left foot, remains optimistic he could return to the Yankees in late July, according to Pinstripe-Alley.com. But he first needs to get into a rhythm of throwing every other day, and then getting in some work in rehab games.
Our View: Late July to early August seems an accurate estimation for his return. He will help the Yankees pen upon his return, but will hold little fantasy value as a middle-reliever. |
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| Edmonds day-to-day | Thursday 6/19, 1:59 PM CT |
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Jim Edmonds is listed as day-to-day with a case of plantar fascitis in his left foot, according to the AP. Edmonds said, "It’s been bothering me a couple days on the turf. My arch is sore."
Our View: He was starting to see more action with Alfonso Soriano on the shelf, but the aging Edmonds is having a hard time staying intact. |
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| Calero designated for assignment | Thursday 6/19, 1:53 PM CT |
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As expected, reliever Kiko Calero has been designated for assignment, according to the AP. Oakland activated Santiago Casilla from the DL, and viewed Calero as expendable to make room on the roster.
Our View: Calero only pitched 4.2 innings with the A's this season, and held no fantasy value prior to his designation. |
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| Casilla activated | Thursday 6/19, 1:50 PM CT |
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Santiago Casilla has been activated from the 15-day DL, according to the AP. The team decided to designate Kiko Calero for assignment, as an adjoining move. Casilla has recovered from right elbow soreness.
Our View: Casilla only allowed two earned runs over 19.1 innings this season, with 22 strikeouts and a 0.83 WHIP. He should return to fantasy service, namely in leagues that use middle relievers. |
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| Orenduff could get called up | Thursday 6/19, 1:43 PM CT |
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Reliever Justin Orenduff could get called up from Triple-A Las Vegas, according to the MLB.com. The team is yet to make a corresponding move after placing Hiroki Kuroda on the 15-day DL, and Orenduff is believed to be a strong possibility to fill the open roster spot.
Our View: Orenduff could add some depth to the Dodgers' pen, but won't hold much fantasy value. Chan Ho Park is expected to come out of the bullpen to make a spot start for Kiroda on Saturday. |
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| Francoeur dropped in order | Thursday 6/19, 1:30 PM CT |
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Manager Bobby Cox tweaked the Braves' lineup for today against the Rangers, and decided to drop struggling slugger Jeff Francoeur to seventh in the batting order, according to MLB.com. Cox said, "Just changing it around a little bit. With the DH, you can do this. It's just for today." Gregor Blanco is also batting leadoff today.
Our View: Francoeur is only hitting .221 over his last 31 games. He is also hitting .226 (19-for-84) with runners in scoring position this season, and has just two hits in 18 at-bats with the bases loaded.
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| Perez claimed by Yankees | Thursday 6/19, 1:23 PM CT |
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Oneli Perez, who was designated for assignment by the Indians last week, has been claimed by the Yankees on Wednesday, according to MLB.com. The Yankees optioned him to Double-A Trenton.
Our View: Perez did not make an appearance with the Indians this season, and will continue to hold no fantasy value in the Yankees' system in 2008. |
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| Sowers looking for first win | Thursday 6/19, 1:18 PM CT |
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Jeremy Sowers will be looking for his first win of 2008 when he takes the hill against the Rockies today at Coors Field, according to MLB.com. Sowers is 0-1 over four starts, with a 7.23 ERA and 1.77 WHIP.
Our View: Sowers should not be considered for your lineups, especially against a potent Rockies' lineup at Coors. Sowers is having trouble putting away hitters, and blew a 3-0 lead in his last outing on June 13, as Cleveland fell 9-5. He has given up nine earned runs over his last two starts, with only three strikeouts over the span. |
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| Dunn angry with Ricciardi | Thursday 6/19, 1:08 PM CT |
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Adam Dunn is angered by Jays' GM JP Ricciardi's remarks, according to MLB.com. Ricciardi said he doesn't want Dunn on his team and added that he lacks passion for baseball. Dunn stated, "I know nothing about this clown. I have no idea who he is. I don't really care what one guy thinks, to be honest with you. If I'm a GM, I don't know if I would go out of my way to kind of discredit a player. It ticks me off. He doesn't even know me."
Our View: After this weekend's three-game series with the Yankees in New York, the Reds will play three games at Toronto next week, which was really bad timing for Ricciardi to criticize Dunn.
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| Thompson activated from DL | Thursday 6/19, 12:58 PM CT |
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Brad Thompson has been activated from the 15-day DL and will throw in the final game of a three-game set against the Royals today, according to CBSsports.com. The team placed hurler Anthony Reyes on the 15-day DL, as an adjoining move.
Our View: Thompson was set for a rehab start today at Triple-A Memphis but he was called up to take the hill for the Cardinals instead. He has been on the DL since April 23 with an elbow injury, and should be left on your bench unril he proves to be effective. |
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| Kuroda lands on DL | Thursday 6/19, 12:48 PM CT |
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Hiroki Kuroda has been placed on the 15-day DL due to left shoulder tendinitis, according to the AP. The team is yet to announce a corresponding move.
Our View: Kuroda hasn't pitched since last Thursday at San Diego, so he is eligible to return on June 28, five days after an off day on Monday. Chan Ho Park is expected to cover Kuroda's next turn in the rotation, which would be Saturday against the Reds. |
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| Matsui could serve as pinch-hitter | Thursday 6/19, 12:43 PM CT |
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Hideki Matsui is battling soreness in his left knee and is not in the starting lineup today, but could be available to pinch-hit against the Padres, according to MLB.com.
Our View: He is expected to play on Friday at home against the Reds, but the team will continue to evaluate his knee. The Yankees will not have a DH option over six games from June 24-29 as they are on the road against the Pirates and Mets. |
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| Garcia has several potential suitors | Thursday 6/19, 12:35 PM CT |
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Freddy Garcia is on the radar of the Tigers (as previously reported), White Sox, Indians, Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays, according to Fox Sports.
Our View: Three of those teams are in the AL Central. Garcia is trying to make a comeback from shoulder surgery and could throw for teams in early July. He has a good relationship with Chicago skipper Ozzie Guillen, but is also friends with Detroit's Carlos Guillen. |
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| Mauer in lineup today | Thursday 6/19, 12:28 PM CT |
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Joe Mauer is in the Twins' lineup today against the Nationals, according to the Star Tribune. He was not given a day off following last night's game.
Our View: He played today as the team may opt to go with Mike Redmond on Friday against lefty Randy Johnson. The Twins are also going for a sweep against Washington today, which would be their first since sweeping Kansas City May 27-29. |
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| McLaren canned as skipper | Thursday 6/19, 12:13 PM CT |
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John McLaren has been fired as the Mariners' skipper, according to the Seattle Times. Seattle holds a MLB-worst 25-47 record, and his termination is not a surprise.
Our View: Bench coach Jim Riggleman will take over as acting manager. The Mariners are off today, and will play the Braves on Friday in Atlanta. |
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| Bradley to remain out today | Thursday 6/19, 12:07 PM CT |
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Milton Bradley is expected to miss another game today due to his strained left quad, according to the Star-Telegram.
Our View: Manager Ron Washington hopes he can make it back onto the diamond on Friday. Adjust your lineups accordingly. |
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| Hawkins to see more action | Thursday 6/19, 12:03 PM CT |
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Manager Joe Girardi said LaTroy Hawkins will see more action in long relief, according to MLB.com. He could throw up to 50 pitches, if needed.
Our View: It is good news for him that he is going to see more action, but not for fantasy owners, as Hawkins holds a 5.65 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 28.2 innings, with only 18 strikeouts. |
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| Banks trying to remain unbeaten | Thursday 6/19, 11:57 AM CT |
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Josh Banks will be trying to remain unbeaten when he faces the Yankees today in inter-league play, according to MLB.com. Banks is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 28 innings, with 17 strikeouts.
Our View: He has proven to be a steal for the Padres, as he landed in San Diego on a $20,000 waiver claim. He allowed three earned runs in his last start (against Cleveland), but allowed one or less runs in each of his previous four outings. |
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| Joba gearing up for fourth start | Thursday 6/19, 11:50 AM CT |
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Joba Chamberlain will be making his fourth start of the season today when the Yankees host the Padres in the Bronx, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Manager Joe Girardi will not restrict his pitch count today, and will let him throw upwards of 100 pitches, but will keep a close eye on him. It will depend on the difficulty of his innings. He threw six strong innings in his last start (his final pitched clocked at 97 mph), and is a good fantasy option at Yankee Stadium today, especially against a Padres team that will be without Kevin Kouzmanoff. |
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| Kouzmanoff could miss 3-5 days | Thursday 6/19, 11:41 AM CT |
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Kevin Kouzmanoff could miss 3-5 days due to his strained back, according to CBSsports.com. Manager Bud Black said, "He'll probably be sidelined three to five days, though there's an outside chance he could wind up on the disabled list."
Our View: He did not tear a muscle in his back, and will be re-evaluated when the team returns home (from New York) this weekend. Top prospect Chase Headley should continue to roam third base while Kouzmanoff is out of action. |
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| Tavarez designated for assignment | Thursday 6/19, 10:56 AM CT |
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The Brewers designated Julian Tavarez for assignment Thursday. The move was made to clear a roster spot for David Riske, who was activated from the DL.
Our View: Tavarez failed to make an impression in Milwaukee, holding an 8.59 ERA over seven games. |
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| Riske activated from DL | Thursday 6/19, 10:54 AM CT |
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The Brewers activated David Riske from the DL Thursday. Riske has been out with a hyperextended right elbow.
Our View: Riske will go back into a setup role for the Brew C | |
