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| Cabrera goes deep for second game | Saturday 7/5, 11:57 PM CT |
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Miguel Cabrera hit a home run for the second straight day, his 13th of the season, for the Tigers.
Our View: Cabrera still has a ways to go with his swing this year, but it's certainly possible for him to reach the 30 and 100 levels since he currently sits at 13 home runs and 50 RBI in what has been a down first half. |
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| Morrow locks down ninth inning | Saturday 7/5, 11:55 PM CT |
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Brandon Morrow earned his seventh save of the season on Saturday night with a perfect inning against the Tigers.
Our View: Over his last 11 appearances Morrow hasn't allowed a single run with, get this, one hit and one walk allowed. We thought that level of dominance was reserved for video games. |
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| Galarraga solid yet again | Saturday 7/5, 11:53 PM CT |
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Armando Galarraga tossed six innings of one run ball on Saturday night for the Tigers with two K and three BB against the Mariners.
Our View: Galarragga hasn't done much of anything other than keeping batters off balance long enough to keep the ball off the sweetspot of the bat keeping the Tigers in almost every game he appears. Who needs Dontrelle Willis with Galarraga pitching like this? |
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| Dickey solid without decision | Saturday 7/5, 11:52 PM CT |
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R.A. Dickey lasted six innings and used his knuckleball to hold the Tigers to two runs on the night. As often happens with knucklers he struggled with his command walking five batters, but he kept the runs off the board.
Our View: Dickey isn't someone that should be targeted in anything but the deepest of mixed leagues as his ratios are just slightly below the league average, but he has helped to stabilize a Mariners staff that could use another solid arm in the rotation. |
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| Figgins has three hits | Saturday 7/5, 11:10 PM CT |
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Chone Figgins had three hits on Saturday night breaking a stretch of 2-for-25 since June 25th.
Our View: Figgins is just trying to get healthy since it's tough enough to play this game when your at 100%. He is line to have a big second half if he can stay out of the doctors office. |
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| Vlad powers 14th home run | Saturday 7/5, 11:08 PM CT |
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Vladimir Guerrero had two hits and three RBI for the Angels including his 14th home run of the season.
Our View: Vlad has struggled a bit of late, but over his last 18 games he has four home runs and is batting .353 to up his average to .288. Expect the hot hitting to continue. |
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| Halladay has 10 victories | Saturday 7/5, 11:06 PM CT |
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Roy Halladay posted another quality start holding the Angels to just two runs over seven innings as he improved to 10-6 on the year.
Our View: Halladay was at his normal, dominating best yet again tonight as he allowed just one free pass while striking out seven. He is completely locked in right now and has clearly reestablished himself as one of the top-15 hurlers in the game. |
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| Lackey has worst start of year | Saturday 7/5, 11:03 PM CT |
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John Lackey lost his second game of the year on Saturday as he allowed six runs, five earned, to the Blue Jays in six innings. Lackey walked just one while striking out seven in the loss.
Our View: Lackey had his worst outing of the season on Saturday as he allowed more than three earned runs for the first time in 10 starts. He leaves this outing with a 6-2 record and a 1.93 ERA. |
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| Rios homers, steals base | Saturday 7/5, 11:01 PM CT |
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Vernon Wells hit his ninth home run of the year and stole just his third base of the season for the Jays.
Our View: Wells is hitting .296 over his last 12 games during which time he has driven in 11 runs as he continues to round into form since returning to the lineup. |
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| Rios steals three bases | Saturday 7/5, 10:58 PM CT |
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Alex Rios had three hits and two RBI, but once again the story was his legs as he swiped three basses on the night off of Mike Napoli and the Angels.
Our View: Rios, who has 21 SB, has only 29 extra base hits including a terrible total of just four home runs. All the running is somewhat helping to offset the lack of power, but at some point Rios is going to need to pick up the hitting or he will be tagged with the moniker of goat this season. |
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| Holliday suddenly powering ball | Saturday 7/5, 10:29 PM CT |
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Matt Holliday led the Rockies to their 5th straight victory on Saturday night with two hits, two runs and four RBI. One of the hits was his 13th home run of the year.
Our View: In his last 11 games Holliday has 17 hits including three home runs, 12 RBI and 10 runs scored as he continues to be one of the most valuable sluggers in the fantasy game. |
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| Laffey Falters against Twins | Saturday 7/5, 10:26 PM CT |
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Like counterpoint Kevin Slowey, Aaron Laffey was far from his best on Saturday night allowing five hits, four walks and four runs over five innings.
Our View: Laffey has now allowed nine runs over his last two starts covering 10 innings, and he has walked seven while striking out eight in that time. Given his lack of swing and miss stuff he needs to have pinpoint control to be effective, and he hasn't of late. |
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| Slowey evens record | Saturday 7/5, 10:23 PM CT |
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Kevin Slowey wasn't anywhere near his best on Saturday but he still held on long enough to pick up his sixth win of the year. Slowey had six strikeouts in the effort, but he gave up five runs in six innings on the hill.
Our View: Slowey has won his last four decisions and four of his last five starts. Over his last four outings, he has 20 K, four BB with a 2.00 ERA. |
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| Sizemore leading the way | Saturday 7/5, 10:20 PM CT |
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Grady Sizemore had two more hits on Saturday night, one of them being his 22nd home run of the year for the Indians in their 9-6 loss to the Twins.
Our View: Did you realize that the 22 home runs Sizemore has hit lead the AL? If only those hitting behind him would pick up the slack and start knocking him in once in a while, we would be talking about a top-10 fantasy season for this offensive force. |
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| Mauer heading to break hitting well | Saturday 7/5, 10:17 PM CT |
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Joe Mauer walked three times, scored three runs and hit his fourth home run of the year for the Twins.
Our View: Mauer has pushed his average up to .325 while he has managed to scored 54 runs thank to a OBP above .410. The power may not be ideal, but it's tough to complain about anything this guy is doing right now. |
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| Balfour earns save | Saturday 7/5, 10:14 PM CT |
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Grant Balfour picked up his third save of the season on Saturday night by picking up two strikeouts in a scoreless inning against the Royals.
Our View: One night its Balfour, the other it's Dan Wheeler. At this point we would give the slight edge to Balfour, but it's really a bit difficult to discern. |
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| DeJesus loses 16-game streak | Saturday 7/5, 10:00 PM CT |
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David DeJesus lost his 16-game hitting streak on Saturday night as he went 0-for-4 against the Rays to finish the night hitting .316.
Our View: When the streak started DeJesus was hitting .294. Over the past 17 games he scored 14 runs and firmly reestablished himself as the teams leadoff hitter. |
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| Zobrist on home run streak | Saturday 7/5, 9:57 PM CT |
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Ben Zobrist hit a solo home run on Saturday night, the third straight game he has accomplished that feat for the Rays.
Our View: Of course, games two and three in the streak were separated by nine days as he spent some time in the minors. Due to the injury to Jason Bartlett he figures to receive a fair amount of playing time the next two weeks.
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| Greinke pitches well, loses | Saturday 7/5, 9:54 PM CT |
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Zack Greinke worked six solid innings but was outpitched by Andy Sonnanstine as he lost for the fifth time this year. Greinke allowed just two runs in six innings with seven K, but Sonnanstine allowed no runs.
Our View: Greinke has only two wins in his last seven appearances, though the good news is that he stopped a disturbing trend of allowing the long ball after permitting nine in his last six starts. |
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| Sonnanstine dominantes Royals | Saturday 7/5, 9:52 PM CT |
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Andy Sonnanstine pitched seven shutout innings against the Royals on Saturday in his 10th victory of the season for the Rays. The Royals only managed to produce five hits and draw a single walk on the evening.
Our View: Sonnanstine was at his best tonight, and though the majority of his numbers are great, he keeps the Rays in the game more often than not and gives the offense a chance to earn him a "W." |
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| Roberts returns with two hits | Saturday 7/5, 9:39 PM CT |
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Brian Roberts returned to the lineup on Saturday night, and in his familiar leadoff role he went 2-for-4 with a runs scored.
Our View: Roberts, rumored to be headed to Chicago all preseason, has continued to be a productive force all year for the Orioles with 54 runs and 22 SB for the Birds. |
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| No quit in Kinsler | Saturday 7/5, 9:37 PM CT |
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Ian Kinsler had another in a series of big nights this season on Saturday with two hits, one his 14th home run, two RBI and two runs scored for the Rangers. Thanks to his current 17-game hitting streak, Kinler's average is up to .328.
Our View: Kinlser is on pace for right around 25 HR, 100 RBI, 140 runs, 40 SB and 55 doubles, a simply astounding pace for a hitter in just his third season in the majors, let alone one that calls second base home. |
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| Janssen hopes to start throwing | Saturday 7/5, 9:35 PM CT |
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Casey Janssen, who is recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in late March, will meet with doctors to determine if he can begin a throwing program with the target of returning to action next season, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Janssen still has a long road and recovery path to follow, but it appears that in the early going, things are progressing nicely. |
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| Burres allows too many hits | Saturday 7/5, 9:24 PM CT |
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Brian Burres picked up a no-decision on Saturday after allowing nine hits, a walk, and three runs to the Rangers in 5.2 innings.
Our View: Burress is what we call, in technical language, an average pitcher. You can do a whole lot better if you are trying to win something. |
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| Wilson dominates Orioles | Saturday 7/5, 9:20 PM CT |
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C.J. Wilson struck out the side on Saturday on his way to earning his 20th save of the season for the Rangers.
Our View: Wilson has six saves in his last seven appearances during which time he has permitted but a single run thanks to just two walks against eight strikeouts. Like most pitchers, if he throws strikes, he figures to have success. |
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| Floyd wins 10th game | Saturday 7/5, 9:02 PM CT |
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Gavin Floyd picked up his 10th win of the season on Saturday by holding the Athletics scoreless over 7.1 innings.
Our View: Floyd is 6-1 in his last seven decisions and he continues to have a high level of success for a guy who is barely striking out six batters per nine innings. The ratios don't figure to hold up, but it's obvious that Floyd has been a difference maker so far. |
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| Ramirez continues to contribute | Saturday 7/5, 8:57 PM CT |
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Alexei Ramirez was caught stealing for the third time this season on Saturday night, but it was his only foible in a 3-for-3 effort with two runs scored and an RBI.
Our View: Ramirez started the year slowly, but he has clearly made Juan Uribe expendable with his production at the plate making him an asset in deep mixed leagues. |
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| Sweeny does it all in loss | Saturday 7/5, 8:54 PM CT |
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Ryan Sweeney had two hits, scored a run, knocked one in and stole his seventh base of the season on Saturday night for the Athletics.
Our View: Sweeney battled for playing time early on, and through injury of late, and he is producing a fine season hitting .298 with those seven steals. The power still isn't there with only two longballs, but he has certainly been an asset in AL only leagues. |
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| Bedard still dealing with injury? | Saturday 7/5, 8:13 PM CT |
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Erik Bedard has had a largely ineffective campaign in his first year in Seattle, and there is growing concern that there might be a physical reason for that, according to the Seattle Times. "I don't think he's really totally feeling right, with whatever was happening before -- hip, back and all that," manager Jim Riggleman said. "He may be pitching a lot more than he should."
Our View: Just what the team was looking for in their attempts to move the unhappy Bedard. No specific diagnosis was given, but the fact that Bedard continues to fail to go deep into games could easily lead one to surmise that he is indeed operating at less than 100%. |
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| Saltalamacchia leaves game | Saturday 7/5, 7:55 PM CT |
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Jarrod Saltalamacchia was removed from the Rangers game on Saturday after a sixth inning at-bat during which he strained his groin, according to the Star Telegram.
Our View: The team is putting on a brave face saying that this is nothing more than a day-to-day type injury, but only time will tell. Max Ramirez figures to start in Jarrod's place on Sunday after entering the game on Saturday night. |
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| Gullien has dust up in locker room | Saturday 7/5, 7:48 PM CT |
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Jose Guillen got into what is being described as a "heated" argument with pitching coach Bob McLure, according to the Star Tribune. No punches were thrown in the incident, but things got heated with Guillen toss a couple of chairs before going face-to-face with the coach.
Our View: Guillen has always had a me-first attitude that has often gotten him into trouble with teammates and coaches. Hopefully this will blow over, and given that the confrontation didn't become physical, he may not even face any team discipline for the outburst. |
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| Jenks to avoid DL | Saturday 7/5, 7:16 PM CT |
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Bobby Jenks had an MRI and CT scan done on his sore left scapula (shoulder) and the results were extremely positive according to MLB.com. "I don't want to take a chance in a situation like that," said manager Jose Guillen. "I don't think it's something to panic about, but it is a concern."
Our View: Jenks could be out of action for a couple of days, though the good news is that he is likely to avoid the DL. Bobby Jenks and Octavio Dotel figure to be the top-2 options to pick up saves until Jenks returns. |
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| Calero joins Rangers | Saturday 7/5, 7:11 PM CT |
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Kiko Calero went from one AL West team to another as he signed on with the Texas Rangers on Saturday, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Our View: Calero cleared waivers, was signed by the Rangers, and optioned to the Oklahoma Redhawk's. Calero has struggled with injury this season and has been limited to just 4.2 innings, but when healthy he can certainly be a valuable member of a bullpen. |
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| Pedroia has 13-game streak | Saturday 7/5, 6:15 PM CT |
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Dustin Pedroia had another two hits on Saturday to give him a hit in 13-straight games during which time his average has gone from .274 to .313.
Our View: During those 13 games Pedroia is hitting an amazing .492 as he is 30-for-61. In case you hadn't gathered from this information, we feel safe in saying that Pedroia is hot right now. |
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| Abreu struggling | Saturday 7/5, 6:08 PM CT |
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Bobby Abreu went 0-for-4 on Saturday and is now hitless in his last three games covering 12 AB to drop his average to .275.
Our View: Abreu's counting numbers are still solid (48 runs, 10 HR, 55 RBI), but his ratios continue to lag behind his career performance, especially in the OBP category where he has realized a loss of about .060 points from his carer .405 mark. The overall production should make you happy enough, but it's clear that his days of stardom are in the rear window. |
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| Masterson limits the damage in loss | Saturday 7/5, 6:04 PM CT |
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Justin Masterson permitted six hits and two walks, while hitting three batters, and though he picked up his third loss of the season, he managed to hold the Yankees to just two runs over six innings.
Our View: Masterson was all over the place today, but the bottom line is that he limited the damage to just two runs in another solid overall effort. |
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| Mussina improves to 11-6 | Saturday 7/5, 6:02 PM CT |
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Mike Mussina strengthened his all-star bid on Saturday as he held the Red Sox without a run over six innings to up his record to 11-6. Mussina allowed four hits, a walk, and struck out five in the win.
Our View: Mussina looked completely lost last year with a 5.15 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, and despite barely reaching 89 mph with his fastball, he has seemingly turned back the clock this season, thanks in great part to just 16 walks in 18 starts. His margin for error remains small, but he continues to have success regardless. |
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| Rivera barely holds on | Saturday 7/5, 5:59 PM CT |
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Mariano Rivera made it extremely interesting on Saturday night before nailing down his 23rd save of the year against the Red Sox. Rivera allowed a run, two hits, and hit Manny Ramirez with a pitch before picking up the save.
Our View: Rivera has been so tremendous this year that he is bound to suffer a hiccup or two, but the fact that he still managed to earn a save in one of those outings is very encouraging. |
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| Casey searching for at-bats | Saturday 7/5, 5:42 PM CT |
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Sean Casey's opportunities to hit in the Red Sox lineup continue to thwarted by the lack of health of Manny Ramirez's hamstring that is forcing the left fielder to hit in the DH slot, according to MLB.com. "It's lingered," manager Terry Francona said. "It's one of those things where if somebody says something hurts, you can't sit there and tell them it doesn't.
Our View: Casey has just four AB in the last 14 Sox games, rendering him as completely useless even in AL only leagues of late. When a guy is hitting .358 in 106 AB, you would think his team would find a way to get him a few more AB. |
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| Matthews on trade block? | Saturday 7/5, 5:39 PM CT |
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Gary Matthews Jr. might be on the trading block as the Angels look to unload the $33 million he is due in 2009-11, according to MLB.com.
Our View: The veracity of this report would receive a huge boost if the team were to follow through on the other rumor that has them acquiring Matt Holliday as the money going to Matthews would then be funneled to pay Holliday. |
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| Burnett on trading block | Saturday 7/5, 5:36 PM CT |
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A.J. Burnett is apparently on the trading block to help shore up a perceived weakness at shortstop, according to MLB.com. "They're offering Burnett to any team that needs pitching," one American League GM said. "They've told us they're not happy with either David Eckstein or John McDonald."
Our View: Burnett would likely bring a nice return given his top flight arm, though his uneven work on the hill and injury riddled past might mitigate those potential returns. |
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| Harris to start at 3B on Saturday | Saturday 7/5, 5:30 PM CT |
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Brendan Harris will start at third base on Saturday for the Twins, according to the Star Tribune.
Our View: Harris has been taking grounders at third base for a couple of days as looks to continue to add versatility to his game. |
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| Bukvich designated for assignment | Saturday 7/5, 4:01 PM CT |
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The Orioles designated reliever Ryan Bukvich for assignment on Saturday, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Our View: It was a nice run. Wait, no it wasn't. Bukvich posted a 6.75 ERA and 2.81 WHIP over 5.1 innings. Nice work, Ryan. |
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| Aquino brought up | Saturday 7/5, 3:59 PM CT |
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The Orioles purchased the contract of Greg Aquino from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Our View: Aquino has no fantasy value, especially after posting a 14.21 ERA in his previous stint with the Orioles. |
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| Nippert called up | Saturday 7/5, 3:29 PM CT |
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The Rangers called up Dustin Nippert on Saturday, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Our View: Nippert will head to the bullpen, but he is also an option to start if Eric Hurley (hamstring) or Vicente Padilla (thumb) can go next week. There's no fantasy value here, though. |
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| Benoit placed on DL | Saturday 7/5, 3:27 PM CT |
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The Rangers have placed Joaquin Benoit on the 15-day DL due to a sore right shoulder, the Dallas Morning News reports. The reliever has been battling the injury for most (if not all) of the season.
Our View: The injury helps explain Benoit's bad ERA and awful WHIP. He doesn't have any fantasy value, but a healthy Benoit can be a late-inning factor for the Rangers. |
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| Damon avoids DL, for now | Saturday 7/5, 3:24 PM CT |
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Johnny Damon wasn't placed on the DL prior to Saturday's game, but a move may still be coming. An X-ray and MRI revealed a sprained left acromioclavicular joint (shoulder), the AP reports. "He's sore and he's getting some treatment," manager Joe Girardi says. "There's a little bit of swelling in there." The skipper adds that he needs to talk with general manager Brian Cashman and head trainer Gene Monahan before the Yankees decide to make a move.
Our View: Really? We have a hard time believing that Girardi, Cashman and Monahan haven't already discussed Damon's status. Fantasy owners shouldn't expect Damon to play for the rest of this weekend, and, frankly, it might be easier to set lineups for next week if the Yankees just make a move. |
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| Reyes optioned to Memphis | Saturday 7/5, 3:15 PM CT |
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The Cardinals optioned Anthony Reyes to Triple-A Memphis on Saturday, MLB.com reports. He was presumably activated off the DL before this move. Reyes had been out due to a strained right elbow.
Our View: Reyes was already in Memphis for his rehab assignment. For once, this hurler doesn't have to pack his bags and get on a plane. |
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| Crosby placed on DL | Saturday 7/5, 2:46 PM CT |
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The A's placed Bobby Crosby on the 15-day DL on Saturday due to a strained left hamstring, MLB.com confirms.
Our View: With the All-Star break coming up, Crosby may miss only nine more games before returning. Donnie Murphy and Gregorio Petit will need to step up their efforts at shortstop. |
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| Petit called up | Saturday 7/5, 2:43 PM CT |
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The A's recalled infielder Gregorio Petit on Saturday, MLB.com reports.
Our View: Petit, 24, can hit for a good average, but he doesn't bring any offensive skills to the table. He'll be a backup middle infielder while Bobby Crosby is out. |
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| Colon playing catch | Saturday 7/5, 2:40 PM CT |
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Bartolo Colon has been playing catch from 120 feet and may be able to throw off a mound early next week, The Providence Journal reports. He is on the DL due to a back strain.
Our View: This news would suggest that Colon is still likely a couple weeks away from returning. We'll continue to follow his progress and maybe he can rejoin the rotation after the All-Star break. |
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| Ortiz improving | Saturday 7/5, 2:37 PM CT |
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David Ortiz could be ready for a minor league rehab assignment after the All-Star break, The Providence Journal reports. The slugger has been out since the end of May due to a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. "After this All-Star break we're going to have to gear him up and get him some at-bats live," manager Terry Francona says. "How we do that will be determined by what we feel is in his best interest."
Our View: This report is pretty vague. There's no guarantee that Ortiz will be ready for a rehab assignment after the break, but the Sox will simply start to consider it. |
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| Lee gets top honors for All-Star game | Saturday 7/5, 2:30 PM CT |
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Cliff Lee will be the AL starter for the 2008 All-Star game, the New York Post reports. The southpaw is 11-1 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts this season.
Our View: This news isn't too surprising. Lee seemed like the favorite, although we liked the idea of Mariano Rivera working the first inning of the festivities at Yankee Stadium. |
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| Cora starting at shortstop | Saturday 7/5, 1:35 PM CT |
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Alex Cora will start at shortstop on Saturday in place of Julio Lugo, the Boston Globe notes.
Our View: FYI for fantasy owners with daily lineup changes. Lugo is in a bit of slump and doesn't have an extra-base hit since July 20. |
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| Crosby headed to DL | Saturday 7/5, 11:47 AM CT |
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Bobby Crosby is expected to go on the DL on Saturday due to a strained left hamstring, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Our View: It's a miracle that Crosby has lasted this long into the season without a DL stint. This injury sounds minor, and we hope Bobby can return after the All-Star break. |
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| Damon a DL candidate | Saturday 7/5, 11:42 AM CT |
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Johnny Damon could be headed to the DL due to his sore left shoulder. The outfielder is eager to see how it feels on Saturday. "I think [today] is the most important day because if there's still a lot of pain [today], I think that's when we can judge how severe it is," Damon informs the New York Post. "But the way it feels right now, I know it's pretty painful."
Our View: While this isn't good news, it's arguably the best time of year for such an injury. The All-Star game would allow Damon to miss only another week's worth of contests. Fantasy owners should expect to see a lot of Brett Gardner in the near future. |
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| Escobar continues to have problems | Saturday 7/5, 11:38 AM CT |
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Kelvim Escobar tried to throw on Friday afternoon, but he stopped short of 10 tosses due to further shoulder soreness. He plans to meet with Dr. David Altcheck, the Mets medical director, in the near future, and surgery may be the result. "The MRI was good," Escobar tells the Los Angeles Times. "They said muscles that didn't look good before looked a lot better. [But] something's causing me a lot of inflammation, and they don't know what it is. When I throw, it's taking longer than normal to recover."
Our View: We had a small ray of hope for Escobar to return this season, but this week's setback makes it seem unlikely. |
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| Shapiro doesn't see closer in the system | Saturday 7/5, 11:33 AM CT |
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Indians general manager Mark Shapiro doesn't believe the franchise has a closer in their system to properly replace Joe Borowski. "We'll probably have to address that in the off-season," he tells the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Our View: Nice. We're sure such words are a boost of confidence for Masa Kobayahi, Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, and other Indians relievers. |
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| Casilla could play Saturday | Saturday 7/5, 11:31 AM CT |
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Alexi Casilla may be back in the lineup on Saturday. He missed Friday's contest due to a sore left middle finger. "Halfway through the game, his finger was feeling great," manager Ron Gardenhire tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "Hopefully he'll be back out there [today], and we can move guys around again."
Our View: Hopefully this minor malady doesn't cool off Casilla's bat. He has been a wonderful fantasy pick-up through his 43 games, but we're wary about him possibly playing over his head. |
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| Weaver lands in Cleveland | Saturday 7/5, 11:22 AM CT |
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The Indians have signed Jeff Weaver to a minor league deal and sent him to Triple-A Buffalo, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Our View: The newspaper may be fooling their readers by proposing that Weaver may actually help the Indians. Good luck with that. |
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| Jenks hopes to avoid DL | Saturday 7/5, 11:19 AM CT |
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The White Sox are hoping that closer Bobby Jenks will avoid the DL. He is dealing with a sore left shoulder. "Bobby's a lot better today," manager Ozzie Guillen tells the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday. "He told me he's 90 percent better today. Hopefully we can use him before the off day [Monday]. He's getting a lot of treatment."
Our View: The good news is that we are not talking about Jenks' pitching shoulder, so we'd hope the issue would not hinder his digits much, if at all. |
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| Ray throws simulated game | Saturday 7/5, 11:16 AM CT |
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Chris Ray pitched in a simulated game on Wednesday, but he isn't close to being ready for real action. "He'll just continue his throwing program and mound progression," manager Dave Trembley informs the Baltimore Sun. "He has not been slowed down." Ray is coming off Tommy John surgery, and he aims to be back to the majors by late August or early September. The Orioles say they are being conservative and aren't counting on him to return this season.
Our View: We don't expect Ray to regain his closer's role this year, and it'll be interesting to see how the Orioles handle the situation next spring if George Sherrill finishes with a strong second half. |
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| Feliz jumps to Double-A | Saturday 7/5, 10:49 AM CT |
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Pitching prospect Neftali Feliz will make the leap from High-A Clinton to Double-A Frisco and start on Monday, the Dallas Morning News notes. The 20-year-old right-hander was 6-3 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts over 82.0 innings (17 starts) for the Clinton LumberKings.
Our View: Feliz is a name to know in keeper leagues, even though we don't expect to see him in the majors this year. |
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| Baldelli working out | Saturday 7/5, 10:45 AM CT |
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Rocco Baldelli played catch and took batting practice with the Rays on Friday, but there is no timetable for his return to a rehab assignment, the Tampa Tribune reports. He is dealing with a sore groin.
Our View: It'll be a great story if Baldelli is able to help the Rays over the second half of this season, but fantasy owners shouldn't be counting on it. |
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| Hurley injures hamstring | Saturday 7/5, 10:43 AM CT |
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Eric Hurley will miss his scheduled start on Saturday due to a sore left hamstring, the Dallas Morning News reports. Scott Feldman will work in his place. Hurley may be able to start next Tuesday.
Our View: Manager Ron Washington has had to do a lot of rotation juggling this year, and his work continues. For his sake, let's hope Hurley recovers well enough to start next week. We'll update the rookie's status when more is known. |
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| Padilla has strained neck, too | Saturday 7/5, 10:33 AM CT |
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Vicente Padilla suffered a neck strain in addition to his bruised right thumb on Friday night, the Dallas Morning News reports. He is questionable for his next scheduled start.
Our View: We assume the sore neck comes from watching opposing batters knock his pitches around all the field. Padilla has been awful his last two starts and maybe a skipped turn wouldn't be such a bad thing. |
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| Accardo getting arm checked out | Saturday 7/5, 10:30 AM CT |
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Jeremy Accardo flew to Los Angeles on Friday to meet with Dr. Lewis Yocum about his sore right forearm. "I'm here just to try to get some peace of mind, to hear him tell me it's not the ligament and that I can just start letting it go," Accardo tells the Toronto Sun. "I'm just a little timid, a little shy to really release it. The throwing has been going good. I threw a bullpen (Thursday) and it felt fine." He has been out since May 9.
Our View: B.J. Ryan has locked down the ninth inning for the Blue Jays, but the club still missed Accardo's late-inning arm. Fantasy owners have obviously moved on. |
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