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| Ankiel homers twice in loss | Wednesday 6/25, 11:58 PM CT |
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Rick Ankiel went deep twice for the Cardinals in their 8-7 loss to the Tigers in a rain delayed game.
Our View: The man has a sweet swing when he stays within himself, and on this night he scored three runs while knocking in three. With Ankiel rounding back into form and Albert Pujols almost ready to return, the Cardinals offense could be on the verge of causing some serious damage. |
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| Giles producing hits, little else | Wednesday 6/25, 11:55 PM CT |
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Brian Giles had a hit on Wednesday in three trips to the plate leaving him with a hit in eight of the last 10 games.
Our View: Unfortunately for Giles owners, the hits have come with little production has he has but one home run and a lone RBI in eight games. |
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| Gomez steals two bags | Wednesday 6/25, 11:53 PM CT |
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Carlos Gomez returned to the world of the living on Monday night as he had three hits which led to two RBI. He also stole his 19th and 20th bases of the year.
Our View: Those two steals were just his second and third in his last 22 games, a completely unacceptable number for a player with his wheels. His lack of plate discipline still has his OBP hovering around the .300 mark, something that must improve substantially for him to maintain his value. |
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| Ramirez is a hitter on the rise | Wednesday 6/25, 11:45 PM CT |
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Alexei Ramirez had two more hits on Wednesday night to finish the evening hitting .291.
Our View: Ramirez has been on fire in June hitting .359 with 15 RBI in 21 games. He has clearly established himself as an everyday player after hitting just .138 in April. |
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| Loney extends hitting streak | Wednesday 6/25, 11:43 PM CT |
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James Loney extended his hitting streak to 12-games on Wednesday night with a single in four trips to the plate. He also stole his third base of the season.
Our View: Loney is hitting .020 points higher than vaunted offensive force Matt Kemp (.310 to .290), though he lacks Kemp's athleticism and all-around game. Still, Loney has the makings of a solid corner infielder in mixed leagues. |
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| Floyd falls to Dodgers | Wednesday 6/25, 11:40 PM CT |
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Gavin Floyd lost his fourth game of the season on Wednesday as he was hit for five runs, four earned, in 5.1 innings against the Dodgers.
Our View: Floyd's 3.39 ERA is the highest it has been since his firs start, but he continues to give the Sox a chance to win in almost every start. He rarely dominates, but more often than not he gets the job done. |
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| Stults twirls CG gem | Wednesday 6/25, 11:38 PM CT |
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If Eric Stults needed a big outing to stay in the majors he can rest easy tonight as he dominated the White Sox in a complete game shutout victory in which he allowed only four hits and a single walk.
Our View: Brad Penny is about a week away from returning as is Kiroki Kuroda, so Stults will likely get at least one more start before a decision needs to be made on his future, but tonight's outing was clearly a definitive statement to everyone in Dodgers blue that he wants nothing to do with the minor leagues. |
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| Dye putting the hurt on pitchers | Wednesday 6/25, 10:58 PM CT |
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Jermaine Dye has blasted seven home runs over his last eight games during which time he is batting .419 to push his season long average to the cusp of .300 at .297, according to MLB.com. "You don't want to get too caught up in hitting home runs. I try to stay from right-center to left-center, and take what the pitchers give me."
Our View: Dye is a solid run producer who has been unfairly compared to his near MVP season of 2006 when he hit .315-44-120, numbers he will likely never approach again. Still, there is nothing wrong with a guy continually knocks in over 80 runs with 25 or more home runs, numbers he is on pace to blow past this season thanks to the recent hot streak. |
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| Hawpe goes deep, has two hits | Wednesday 6/25, 10:54 PM CT |
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Brad Hawpe went deep for the tenth time this season on Wednesday night as he went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .263 for the Rockies.
Our View: Hawpe has knocked the ball over the wall seven times in 18 June games as he continues to put the hurt on pitchers after a slow start with a .339 average on the month. |
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| Hochevar up to the task | Wednesday 6/25, 10:52 PM CT |
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Luke Hochevar retired 10 batters in a row in one stretch and finished up a solid eight innings allowing the Rockies just two runs on his way to his fifth victory. Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save.
Our View: This is the third time in four starts that Hochevar has permitted just two earned runs, a run of success that has whispers of him heading back to the minors all but gone. |
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| Cooks fails in bid for 11th | Wednesday 6/25, 10:49 PM CT |
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Aaron Cook fell to 10-5 on Wednesday though he didn't pitch horribly in allowing eight hits and four runs (three earned) over 5.1 innings.
Our View: Cook has been a solid hurler this season with the wins, but his K total (54) is low. Though his ERA is a solid 3.64, his WHIP is barely better than average at 1.32, so don't be seduced solely by the win total. |
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| DeJesus hit streak reaches 11 | Wednesday 6/25, 10:47 PM CT |
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David DeJesus pushed his season best hitting streak to 11-games on Wednesday night with two singles in the Royals 4-2 victory on Wednesday night. The Royals are now 12-3 in interleague play, the best mark in baseball
Our View: DeJesus was hitting .294 at the start of the streak, he is now hitting .312, thanks to .395 mark over the last 11 games. Seriously, he is worthy of employment in mixed leagues, after all he did score 101 runs last year with 10 SB. |
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| Bourn hits homer, steals base | Wednesday 6/25, 10:40 PM CT |
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Showing some signs of actually life at the plate, Michael Bourn had two hits including his fourth home run of the year for the Astros.
Our View: Bourn also stole his 29th base of the year on the night, though his two hits broke an 0-for-13 slide over the past three games. You have to love the steals you get with Bourn, but you continue to pay a high price for them. |
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| Wilson holds on for 16th save | Wednesday 6/25, 10:38 PM CT |
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C.J. Wilson allowed a hit and a walk on Wednesday night though neither runner crossed the plate in his 16th save of the season.
Our View: Wilson continues to allow about a runner and a half an inning, though this was his second straight clean outing for a save after two rough outings. For those of you keeping track, Eddie Guardado worked a scoreless eighth in the win. |
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| Oswalt falls after solid effort | Wednesday 6/25, 10:35 PM CT |
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Roy Oswalt allowed three runs over seven innings, but with no offensive support his record fell to 6-8 on the year.
Our View: Oswalt struck out five and didn't walk a single batter in his fifth loss in seven decisions despite the fact that he has permitted three or fewer earned runs in six straight outings. |
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| Rookie hits home run | Wednesday 6/25, 10:33 PM CT |
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Max Ramirez picked up the first two hits of his major league career and one of them was his first home run that led to a 3-2 Rangers victory over the Astros.
Our View: Ramirez was hitting .363 with 17 home runs for Double-A Frisco this season before being called up, so it's clear he can hit and he should be a nice bonus as a back up catcher for the club. |
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| Albers only gets one out | Wednesday 6/25, 10:30 PM CT |
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Matt Albers got the spot start in place of Brian Burress who was unable to go due to the flu. Unfortunately, Albers night was barely any longer as he permitted four runs while recording only one out before being removed from the game with shoulder soreness.
Our View: This was an extremely long night for the Orioles bullpen that actually did a fine job of keeping the team in the game (three ER in 7.2 IP). No word is yet available on the extent of the injury to Albers. |
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| Lilly holds on for win | Wednesday 6/25, 10:26 PM CT |
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Ted Lilly wasn't at his best on Wednesday but he kept the Cubs in the ballgame and was rewarded with his eighth win of the year. Lilly only allowed seven baserunners in seven innings, but he allowed two home runs which led to four runs scored.
Our View: Lilly has now won three straight games and this was the first time in five appearances that he permitted more than three runners to cross the plate. This is about as good as it gets with Lilly, but he is still a solid option in a rotation. |
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| Payton making most of chances | Wednesday 6/25, 10:20 PM CT |
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Jay Payton had a huge effort in the Orioles loss on Wednesday as he socked two home runs on his way to four RBI.
Our View: No one has noticed, but Payton has been one of the most effective part-time players in baseball in June with a .325 average, two home runs and 12 RBI in just 40 AB. |
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| Edmonds making Cubs look intelligent | Wednesday 6/25, 10:18 PM CT |
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Jim Edmonds continued his remarkable resurgence on Wednesday night when he went deep for the fourth time in four games for the Cubs.
Our View: In 90 AB for the Padres Edmonds hit .178 with one home run while he is hitting .305 with six home runs in 82 AB for the Cubs. If he's available on waivers in your mixed league now would be a great time to add him to you squad as he has been known to go on prolonged stretches of mashing the ball. |
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| Morrow returns to the hill | Wednesday 6/25, 10:15 PM CT |
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Brandon Morrow threw a scoreless inning in his first appearance since suffering back spasms last week for the Mariners.
Our View: Morrow should be fine moving forward to hurl the ninth inning for the Mariners. Morrow, who failed to strikeout a batter, has 30 K in 21 innings this season. |
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| Batista falls to 3-10 | Wednesday 6/25, 10:13 PM CT |
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After a brief stay in the bullpen, Miguel Batista returned to the starting rotation on Wednesday with predictably poor results as he was beat around the yard in his 10th loss. Batista allowed eight runs, though only four were earned, in the loss.
Our View: For a pitcher with such solid stuff, it's just amazing at how poor this guy can pitch sometimes. There is no reason to consider him for a fantasy roster at the moment. |
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| Maine wins eighth game | Wednesday 6/25, 10:10 PM CT |
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John Maine held the Mariners in check for six innings holding them to five hits and two runs, resulting in his eighth victory of the season.
Our View: Maine continues to hum right along with his quietly efficient production from the hill. Maine has proven himself to be a fine #2 starter over the past year and a half and an excellent third option. |
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| Reyes does it all in win | Wednesday 6/25, 10:07 PM CT |
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Jose Reyes stole his 27th base of the season, hit his ninth home run, scored twice and had three RBI for the Mets.
Our View: Talk about a huge night in points leagues. Reyes continues to push his numbers after a slow start as he is once again proving why a selection in the top-10 of a fantasy draft is always a wise investment with this guy. |
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| Wright returns with a vengence | Wednesday 6/25, 10:05 PM CT |
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David Wright hit home runs in each of his first two AB a night after being benched for the first time this season as the Mets defeated the Mariners 8-2.
Our View: Wright really could use a big night like this after entering the game with a sickly .241 average and just a single home run in 21 June appearances. You can only keep a good man down for so long you know. |
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| Girffey hits 602nd home run | Wednesday 6/25, 10:03 PM CT |
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Ken Griffey Jr. took a low fastball from Roy Halladay and deposited it into the seats for his ninth home run of the season.
Our View: That's two home runs in three games for Griffey who is still limping along with a sub .250 average. He could always go on a tear, but at this point it's certainly best not to count on it. |
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| Lind proving he belongs | Wednesday 6/25, 9:59 PM CT |
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Adam Lind went deep for the second time of the year on Wednesday night, a two run shot off of Aaron Harang.
Our View: In three starts since being recalled Lind has two home runs, four RBI and five hits. He is proving why he should be counted on as a possible big time asset down the stretch in AL Only leagues. |
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| Harang in depressing rut | Wednesday 6/25, 9:57 PM CT |
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Aaron Harang had another rough outing on Wednesday allowing five runs in 5.2 innings to the Jays. Harang allowed two home runs while striking out only three on the night.
Our View: We still maintain that there is no way that Harang will finish with such depressed production, so it might behoove to check in with his current owner to see what it will cost to acquire his services. |
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| Halladay holds on | Wednesday 6/25, 9:54 PM CT |
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Roy Halladay was far from his best on Wednesday but he kept the Jays in the game after allowing five early runs eventually leaving with five runs allowed in 6.2 innings.
Our View: It was great to see Halladay back on the hill after taking that liner off his head in his last outing, and after that tough start he settled in and looked solid over the last four innings. |
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| Crawford on torrid streak | Wednesday 6/25, 9:51 PM CT |
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Carl Crawford went deep twice on Wednesday night on his way to plating five runs for the Rays.
Our View: Hopefully you were able to grab Crawford from a disenchanted owner during Crawford's suspension, because you have no chance of getting him now as he has one again begun to hit like the star that he has long been (12 hits in six games). |
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| Jacobs continues to power long ball | Wednesday 6/25, 9:48 PM CT |
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Mike Jacobs socked his 18th home run of the year on Wednesday night, his third dinger in his last eight appearances.
Our View: Would you have taken a bet that at the mid point of the year that Jacobs would have more home runs than Albert Pujols (16), Prince Fielder (16) or Mark Teixeira (14)? We wouldn't have either. |
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| Rookie bombed by Rays | Wednesday 6/25, 9:46 PM CT |
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Ryan Tucker made his fourth career start on Wednesday and the results were horrific as he allowed seven runs in just four innings against the Rays.
Our View: Through 20 IP over four starts, Tucker has allowed 24 hits and 12 BB leading to a WHIP of 1.80. Memo to the Marlins - perhaps some extra minor league seasoning is in order. |
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| Shield toys with Marlins | Wednesday 6/25, 9:43 PM CT |
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James Shields was in peak form tonight as he held the Marlins to just one run over seven innings in his fifth victory of the season.
Our View: Shields was given 14 runs of support in this one, and he did what good pitchers do in that situation - he threw strikes and let his defense do its thing. |
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| Abreu has big night | Wednesday 6/25, 9:40 PM CT |
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Bobby Abreu broke a long cold spell on Wednesday night as he went 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs and four RBI thanks in part to his 10th home run of the year.
Our View: Abreau's average is only .279 well below his career mark of .299, but of more concern is his OBP that is about .060 points below his career .405 mark. |
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| Doumit punches out two more hits | Wednesday 6/25, 9:35 PM CT |
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Ryan Doumit had two hits in four AB to raise his average to .354 on Wednesday.
Our View: Nothing seems to slow this kid down except for his frequent injuries. With a .354 average and 10 home runs, Doumit has been one of the five most valuable catchers in the fantasy game. |
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| Duke has rough outing | Wednesday 6/25, 9:33 PM CT |
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Zach Duke had another rough outing on Wednesday in his fifth loss of the season. Though he allowed only three earned runs, four overall, he allowed seven hits and two walks to the Yankees.
Our View: In four of his last six outings Duke has permitted two or fewer earned runs, but he just doesn't miss enough bats to be consistent game to game making him a risk to blow up, in either direction, in almost every outing. |
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| Joba sharp on Wednesday | Wednesday 6/25, 9:28 PM CT |
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Joba Chamberlain was dominating for 6.2 innings on Wednesday holding the Pirates scoreless while striking out seven in his second victory.
Our View: Through 48.2 innings on the year, Joba has a 2.03 ERA and 56 K as he continues to dominate hitters no matter what role he fills. He threw 114 pitches on the night signaling that the kid gloves are off. |
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| Rauch picks up fourth win | Wednesday 6/25, 9:25 PM CT |
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Jon Rauch retired all five batters he faced on Wednesday night on his way to his fourth victory of the season for the Nationals.
Our View: Through 39 appearances, Rauch has four wins, 15 saves, a 2.29 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. With numbers like that, the Nats could almost be happy that Chad Cordero has been hurt. |
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| Santana lasts six in no-decision | Wednesday 6/25, 9:21 PM CT |
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Ervin Santana struck out eight Nationals on Wednesday, but he allowed four runs over six innings to pick up a no-decision.
Our View: Santana walked a season high five batters on the night as he had trouble locating his pitches on the night. Still, you can't be upset with a 9-3 record and 3.32 ERA at the season's mid point. |
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| Aybar hitting with playing time | Wednesday 6/25, 9:18 PM CT |
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With Macier Izturis missing his fourth straight game due to injury, Erick Aybar had two hits and scored twice for the Angels.
Our View: Aybar has hits in 6-straight appearances and is a useful spare part in AL Only leagues, albeit one with absolutely no upside. |
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| Milledge goes deep | Wednesday 6/25, 9:16 PM CT |
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Lastings Milledge blasted his seventh home run of the season on Wednesday, a two run shot off of Ervin Santana.
Our View: Milledge is still hitting only .239 on the year, but with the Nats continuing to run him out there daily, Milledge would make a nice buy low candidate given his obvious talent. |
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| Byrnes still looking for swing | Wednesday 6/25, 9:10 PM CT |
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Eric Byrnes went 0-for-4 on Wednesday night and is now just 1-for-13 since returning from the DL.
Our View: We don't think Chris Young is a great leadoff man at this point of his career, but he certainly should be at the top of the order and not the struggling Byrnes. |
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| Cash hits first long ball | Wednesday 6/25, 9:08 PM CT |
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Kevin Cash, starting with Tim Wakefield on the hill, crushed a slider from Juan Cruz into the night for his first home run of the year, a 3-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Our View: Cash isn't much of a second option even in AL Only leagues, but he will continue to pick up starts as long as he continues to handle Wakefield the way he has of late. |
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| RJ pitches well, still loses | Wednesday 6/25, 9:06 PM CT |
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Randy Johnson held the Red Sox to just two runs over six innings but his mates were unable to do anything against Tim Wakefield leading to Johnson's sixth loss of the year.
Our View: This was a great bounce back performance against a good offense for Johnson after having allowed 15 runs in his last two outings. |
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| Wakefield dominates in Fenway | Wednesday 6/25, 9:03 PM CT |
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Tim Wakefield held the D'backs scoreless on just two hits and a walk over seven innings to pick up his fifth win.
Our View: Wakefield lowered his ERA to 3.88 on the year and has now gone 6-straight games with three or fewer runs allowed. When a knuckler gets on a role they can be dynamite, and Wakefield is rolling right now. |
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| Castillo a triple short of cycle | Wednesday 6/25, 9:01 PM CT |
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Jose Castillo had three hits and finished a triple short of the cycle for the Giants on Wednesday night. Castillo knocked in a run and scored twice from the second hole in the order.
Our View: Castillo has 22 doubles and is hitting .268, but without a bit more long ball pop, he has six dingers, he just doesn't warrant much attention in fantasy leagues. |
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| Shoppach has minor hit streak | Wednesday 6/25, 8:58 PM CT |
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Kelly Shoppach had a hit on Wednesday night to extend his mini hitting streak to five games.
Our View: Unfortunately Shoppach has had only one hit in each game, but he has knocked in four runs in that time and is doing a nice job replacing the production that the club was receiving from Victor Martinez. |
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| Sowers solid but still loses | Wednesday 6/25, 8:56 PM CT |
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Jeremy Sowers lost his third game of the season but he allowed only three runs over seven innings against the Giants.
Our View: Sowers held the Giants to three runs while putting 14 runners on base, not doing his fantasy owners any favors. |
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| Zito dominates Indians | Wednesday 6/25, 8:54 PM CT |
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Barry Zito hurled his best game of the season on Wednesday as he was in total command of all his pitches holding the Indians to just one run in 6.2 innings for his third victory of the season.
Our View: The best news of the night might have been the zero in the walk column. It's only one night, but this was vintage Zito without a doubt. |
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| Kearns to begin minor league rehab | Wednesday 6/25, 8:31 PM CT |
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Austin Kearns will officially begin his recovery from elbow surgery on Thursday at which point he will embark his minor league rehab assignment, according to the Associated Press. “I’m just trying to get out there and work on timing,” Kearns said. “It’s been a while. I’m just trying to get some reps.”
Our View: Kearns is hopeful of returning to the active roster late next week at which point the Nationals will have have to decide how to split playing time in what would be a crowded outfield. |
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| Schilling to make decision in four months | Wednesday 6/25, 8:28 PM CT |
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Curt Schilling hopes to be able to pitch again after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder, but he will wait four months before making up his mind at which point he should be able to throw, this according to a report on Fox Sports. "If I come out of rehab and I'm throwing 84 miles per hour, it's over," he said.
Our View: We wish Schilling all the luck in the world in his attempt as it would be sad to see such a tremendous pitcher have his career ended by injury. |
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| Schmidt has positive outing | Wednesday 6/25, 8:22 PM CT |
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Jason Schmidt finally received some good news on Wednesday as he did not feel any discomfort after throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Schmidt will now resume his minor league rehab assignment on Saturday at Las Vegas. Schmidt will likely use the entire 30 days at his disposal to build up strength in his shoulder before he is promoted to the big league club. |
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| Penny shows improvement | Wednesday 6/25, 8:20 PM CT |
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Brad Penny had a successful throwing session on Wednesday and will move on to throw a simulated game on Saturday, according to MLB.com.
Our View: The team believes Penny will be able to return to the club next week, but he might need to make at least one start in the minors to test his sore shoulder before given the green light to start with the big league club. |
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| Kuroda on road to recovery | Wednesday 6/25, 8:17 PM CT |
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Hiroki Kuroda had a successful bullpen session on Wednesday and is scheduled to take the next step in his recovery from shoulder tendinitis on Friday when he will throw a simulated game, according to MLB.com.
Our View: The Dodgers are hopeful that Kuroda will be activated early next week, that is if he doesn't suffer any setbacks over the intervening days. |
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| Lo Duca feeling better | Wednesday 6/25, 8:15 PM CT |
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Paul Lo Duca may have been suffering from a bout of food poisoning which led to his removal from action on Tuesday, according to MLB.com. "My stomach had been bothering me all day," he said. "I was badly dehydrated."
Our View: The good news is that he is feeling better and was back on the bench and ready to go on Wednesday night. |
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| Chacon suspended by club | Wednesday 6/25, 8:10 PM CT |
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Shawn Chacon requested a trade after being removed from the starting rotation and in response the Astros suspended him, according to MLB.com. "My agent and I have made it clear to the Astros that I would like to be traded and I don't want to pitch out of the bullpen. Nothing negative, nothing dramatic. It's simple. If you don't want me to start, let me go somewhere else to start because that's what I signed here for."
Our View: How about this Shawn. How about you pitch better than a below average hurler and force a team to keep you in a rotation? Poor K totals, too many walks, too many home runs allowed and terrible ratios equal a trip to the bullpen, even if your pride isn't allowing you to be honest with yourself. |
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| Proctor dealing with elbow woes | Wednesday 6/25, 8:06 PM CT |
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Updating an earlier report, Scott Proctor has an issue with his elbow that has forced him to the DL, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. "Scotty is that guy who figures that even in spite of it, he can go out and get people out,'' manager Joe Torre said.
Our View: Apparently he may have been hurt for a while. Looking at his numbers, it may have been bothering him since training camp. |
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| Percival working on leg strength | Wednesday 6/25, 7:39 PM CT |
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Troy Percival continues to focus on building up his leg strength in an effort to aid his mechanics especially in light of his recent hamstring injury, according to MLB.com. "My arm feels fantastic," Percival said. "My leg is still a little bit weak so I have a tough time getting out on top of it... It's nothing I can't deal with."
Our View: Percival has been tremendous while on the hill with 18 saves and a 0.87 WHIP driving a solid Rays bullpen to success. Time will tell if he can stay healthy, but he has been a great bargain so far. |
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| Nats offer extension to shortstop | Wednesday 6/25, 7:36 PM CT |
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Cristian Guzman has been offered a two year extension to remain with the Nationals, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Guzman is having his best season in years, and certainly his best effort since signing a four year deal for $16 million to join the Nationals franchise. If Guzman continues to hit over .300 and play solid defense, the Nats would be wise to lock him up. |
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| Arizona supports struggling reliever | Wednesday 6/25, 7:33 PM CT |
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Chad Qualls has really struggled of late, but that doesn't mean that manager Doug Melvin is ready to throw in the towel, according to MLB.com. "We still are confident in him," Melvin said. "He has some struggles, but earlier in the year, he was as good as anybody we've had."
Our View: Qualls has a loss and a blown save while allowing eight hits and five runs over his last two outings. It won't take too many more outings like that to see Tony Pena leapfrog Qualls in the bullpen hierarchy. |
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| Soriano still hopeful of quick return | Wednesday 6/25, 7:24 PM CT |
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Alfonso Soriano (broken hand)and manager Lou Pinella believe that the star outfielder will indeed be able to return to action quicker than the original six week estimate, according to MLB.com. "I would think, just looking at it, it won't be six weeks," Piniella said. "If we get him back right after the All-Star break, I think we'd feel really good about it...He heals really quick."
Our View: Let's hope that all this positive thinking does indeed result in Soriano returning to action earlier than originally believed. Our fingers are crossed (or is that a jinx?). |
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| Tulo out of lineup on Wednesday | Wednesday 6/25, 7:19 PM CT |
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Troy Tulowitzki was not in the Rockies lineup on Wednesday night after starting every game for the club since being activated from the DL, according to the Denver Post. Omar Quintanilla started in his place.
Our View: Tulo has been only 3-for-20 since his return so this night off is likely performance related and not to be construed as a setback with any type of injury. |
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| Mulder hopeful despite setback | Wednesday 6/25, 7:16 PM CT |
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Mark Mulder is still hopeful of making a start on Saturday for the Cardinals though his recent back flair up has the entire organization concerned despite Mulder's brave face, according to MLB.com. "The last two days were bad, but today is a lot better. I'll probably go out and see if I can play catch. I don't really have a plan and haven't really discussed anything with [team staff]."
Our View: At this point, with all the setbacks he has faced, we would be pretty surprised if Mulder did indeed start this weekend. Mulder will need to throw a side session on Thursday in order to pitch, so keep an eye on whether or not that happens. If Mulder can't go Mitchell Boggs will make the start. |
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| Bocock has blood clot in finger | Wednesday 6/25, 7:11 PM CT |
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Brian Bocock, who played shortstop for the Giants early in the year when Omar Vizquel was injured, has been placed on the minor league DL due to a blood clot in his middle finger, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Bocock, who was hitting only .163 in Triple-A after hitting .143 with the Giants, has been suffering pain in the finger for a long while. Look for him to be out of action for awhile before returning to minor league action. |
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| Damon out, feeling better | Wednesday 6/25, 7:06 PM CT |
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Johnny Damon sat out yet again on Wednesday, but this time there was good news as he said the pain in his left foot arch is improving, according to MLB.com. Rookie Justin Christian started in Damon's place.
Our View: Damon took 15 cuts in the batting cage and should be available to pinch hit on Wednesday night with the possibility of a return to the starting lineup on Thursday. |
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| Fukudome out on Wednesday | Wednesday 6/25, 7:02 PM CT |
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Kosuke Fukudome did not start the Cubs game on Wednesday due to a tight left calf, according to MLB.com. Hot youngster Eric Patterson will start in his place.
Our View: This move is to avoid a potentially bigger issues of Fukudome really injuring himself. Look for a potentially quick return from Kosuke. |
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| Bonds will not play in minors | Wednesday 6/25, 6:59 PM CT |
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Barry Bonds wants to play again, but he will not play for any independent minor league teams, according to the Associated Press. “He doesn’t need to go to an independent team and hit two home runs a night hoping to get attention to prove that he still has the skills that would warrant him playing at the major league level," agent Jeff Boris said. "His performance in 2007 demonstrates that he’s capable of playing at the major league level for the 2008 season.”
Our View: As much as we deplore Bonds, Boris is right that Bonds can still be a quality major league hitter making it surprising that no team has given him a chance to hit the field. |
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| Timlin ready for rehab appearance | Wednesday 6/25, 6:55 PM CT |
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Mike Timlin, out with left knee tendinitis, is on pace to make an appearance in Triple-A for the Pawtucket Sox on Thursday, with a targeted return date of July 4th if everything goes well, according to MLB.com. "He'll throw an inning tomorrow night in Pawtucket and go from there," said manager Terry Francona.
Our View: Timlin has been awful this year with a 7.06 ERA and 1.85 WHIP, so he isn't even worth rostering in AL Only leagues at this point even when healthy. |
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| Proctor headed to DL | Wednesday 6/25, 6:52 PM CT |
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Scott Proctor has been placed on the DL with an unspecified injury, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. To take his spot on the roster, the Dodgers will call up relief pitcher Brian Falkenborg while placing Gary Bennett on the 60-day DL meaning that the catcher is out of action until at least July 18th.
Our View: We will update the injury when we get more information, but the fact is that Proctor has been pitching like he is hurt for most of the year if you take a look at his performance, a performance which has hopefully been on waivers in your league. |
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| Hamilton out of lineup on Wednesday | Wednesday 6/25, 6:33 PM CT |
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Josh Hamilton was not in the Rangers lineup on Wednesday night due to his injured knee, according to the Associated Press. “I’m all right, it’s just a little sore,” Hamilton said. “We’re going to see if we can get it calmed down.”
Our View: Everyone around the Rangers is saying that Hamilton will not need a trip to the DL, so let's hope they are a more honest bunch than the Blue Jays who routinely fib when it comes to player injury news. |
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| Former Yankee now a Met | Wednesday 6/25, 6:29 PM CT |
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The Mets claimed former Yankees first baseman Andy Phillips off waivers from the Reds on Wednesday, according to the New York Post.
Our View: Phillips, who was only 3-for-21 with the Reds, follows his former Mets GM Wayne Krivsky to the Mets. The Mets take on the Yankees in the Subway Series starting in two days, so it will be interesting to see if Phillips plays a role. |
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| Perralta on bench on Wednesday | Wednesday 6/25, 6:25 PM CT |
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Jhonny Peralta wasn't in the staring lineup on Wednesday night as he was replaced in the starting lineup by Jorge Valendia who made his first start of the year, according to MLB.com.
Our View: With Asdrubal Cabrera tearing up Triple-A hitting .456 in 14 games, Valendia's days in a Indians uniform are likely to come to an end very soon. |
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| Bedard throws, hopes to start on Sunday | Wednesday 6/25, 6:21 PM CT |
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Erik Bedard, out with back spasms, threw in the bullpen on Wednesday without incident, according to MLB.com. If he suffers no setback from the outing, the team is hopeful that Bedard will be able to start on Sunday in place of the injured Felix Hernandez. If Bedard cannot go on Sunday, R.A. Dickey would likely start.
Our View: Bedard has continued to be plagued by ineffectiveness and injury for most of the season making it very tough to count on him each time he takes the hill. Still, he can be dominating, so it's hard to leave him on the pine when the team calls his name. |
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| King Felix to miss start | Wednesday 6/25, 6:17 PM CT |
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Felix Hernandez will not make his next scheduled start on Sunday due to his injured ankle, according to MLB.com. "We're not counting on Felix for Sunday," interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "We are going to be realistic and are making some plans around him not pitching on Sunday." The team hopes that Erik Bedard will be able to make the start.
Our View: This seemed like how it would go from the moment he was injured despite the fact that the team talked big about King Felix making his next start. Hopefully he will avoid the DL, but that still has to be considered a possibility. |
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| Hairston to be activated on Thursday | Wednesday 6/25, 5:52 PM CT |
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Jerry Hairston Jr. will be activated by the Reds on Thursday, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Hairston, who had been out with a broken thumb, will force the Reds to make another move to add him to the roster with the likely casualty being Paul Janish, though the team could also chose to DL Edwin Encarnacion who is dealing with back spasms. |
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| Blalock upset with doctor | Wednesday 6/25, 5:50 PM CT |
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Hank Blalock has yet to return from the disabled list after re-injuring his right wrist, and he is upset with the doctor who cleared him to begin his rehab, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’d probably rather try somebody else. He told me seven to ten days and a month later it’s killing me,” Blalock said.
Our View: It is unknown when Blalock will be back, as he will have to be reevaluated upon the team's return to Arlington. |
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| Hampton progressing in rehab | Wednesday 6/25, 5:47 PM CT |
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Mike Hampton had a successful outing allowing two hits and striking out two batters in 2.2 innings of work with the Gulf Coast League Braves before reaching his 45-pitch limit, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Our View: Hampton is still scheduled to make three more starts before the Braves will consider adding him to the roster, but given that he is injured about as often as most people take a shower, don't count on Hampton to make much of an impact even if he does make it back to Atlanta. |
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| Ortiz still weeks away. | Wednesday 6/25, 5:44 PM CT |
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After hitting off a tee, David Ortiz said he was still weeks away from playing, according to the Associated Press.
Our View: Ortiz has not suffered any setbacks, and will likely go on a rehab stint before returning. |
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| Infante day to day with hammy strain | Wednesday 6/25, 5:29 PM CT |
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Updating an earlier report, Omar Infante suffered a strained left hamstring on Wednesday and is being listed as day-to-day, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t think it’s going to be that bad,” manager Bobby Cox said. “He wanted to stay in and when I asked him to bend down and stretch it a little bit, (his hamstring) grabbed him pretty good.”
Our View: The Braves are off on Thursday and the hope is that Infante will be able to go on Friday. If not, the mighty Brent Lillibridge will likely be pushed into action. |
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| Guerrero out of starting lineup | Wednesday 6/25, 5:26 PM CT |
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The Associated Press reports that Angels OF Vladimir Guerrero is not in the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Washington Nationals. He left Tuesday's game with flu-like symptoms.
Our View: Guerrero is available to pinch-hit according to manager Mike Scioscia, so this does not seem to be anything to get too worried about. |
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| Albers to get start | Wednesday 6/25, 5:21 PM CT |
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Matt Albers will get the start in place of Brian Burress, who is out with a stomach ailment, according to the Baltimore Sun. This will be Albers' third start of the the season.
Our View: Albers had fairly successful outings in his previous two starts this year. On April 14, he went five innings against Toronto, earning the win while holding them to one run. Then on April 30, he took the loss against Tampa Bay, allowing three runs on four hits in six innings of work. |
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| Burres scratched from start | Wednesday 6/25, 5:16 PM CT |
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The Baltimore Sun reports that Brian Burres will not make his scheduled start tonight against the Cubs due to a stomach ailment. Matt Albers will get the start instead.
Our View: This is likely a temporary move. No word on when Burres will make his next start. |
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| Wilson undergoes more elbow surgery | Wednesday 6/25, 5:09 PM CT |
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Vance Wilson underwent another surgery on his right elbow on Tuesday, according to the Detroit News. The team labeled it a "right elbow reconstruction revision."
Our View: Obviously, Wilson will not be back in Detroit this season, and with Brandon Inge hurting, they could have used him to spell Ivan Rodriguez. |
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| Pena could be back Friday | Wednesday 6/25, 5:04 PM CT |
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The Tampa Tribune reports Tampa Bay first baseman Carlos Pena could rejoin the team on Friday in Pittsburgh after a one-game stint in the minors to get his timing back.
Our View: Pena was hitting just .227 on the year, with 11 home runs and 35 RBI. His problem was making contact, as he struck out a whopping 71 times in 207 at-bats, or a little more than once every three AB. |
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| Yabuta demoted | Wednesday 6/25, 4:49 PM CT |
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Yasuhiko Yabuta has been demoted to Triple-A Omaha, according to the Kansas City Star. His first season in the majors after coming over from Japan has not been a stellar one, as Yabuta has posted a 5.46 ERA and 1.76 WHIP out of the Royals bullpen.
Our View: Yabuta actually pitched well in May and early June, but he allowed five earned runs over his last three outings, covering two innings. He earned the loss in two of those games. |
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| Rodriguez starting to hit | Wednesday 6/25, 4:38 PM CT |
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Ivan Rodriguez was not having a great year, but the veteran catcher has seen his numbers rise steadily this month. He has raised his batting average from .245 in early June to a far more respectable .275, his current average.
Our View: At least part of his improving performance could be due to plate discipline. After coaxing just three walks in 77 plate appearances | |
