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| Teixeira not headed to Boston | Monday 7/14, 9:57 PM CT |
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Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has denied trade rumors regarding Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira, the Boston Globe reports. ESPN had reported that the Red Sox and Braves were discussing a swap of Teixeira for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen.
Our View: It'll still be interesting to monitor the Teixeira situation as the trade deadline nears. He is in the final year of his contract, and the Braves are looking up at three teams in the NL East. |
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| Morneau wins Home Run Derby | Monday 7/14, 9:53 PM CT |
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Justin Morneau won the All-Star Home Run Derby by out-slugging Josh Hamilton in the final round. The Twins first baseman hit five long balls in the last frame, and Hamilton countered with only three. Morneau smacked eight and nine homers in the first two rounds.
Our View: Hamilton will still be the man everyone is talking about, but Morneau now has something to place next to that 2006 AL MVP trophy. |
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| Hurley tosses 7.1 scoreless | Monday 7/14, 9:37 PM CT |
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It looks like Eric Hurley's left hamstring feels pretty good. He tossed 7.1 shutout innings for Double-A Frisco on Monday. Hurley allowed four hits, walked one, struck out two, and picked up a win.
Our View: Provided he feels good after the game, Hurley will be back in the Rangers rotation after the All-Star break. The 22-year-old right-hander is an iffy fantasy play this year, but we like his long-term future. |
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| Blalock goes 1-for-3 | Monday 7/14, 9:34 PM CT |
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Hank Blalock started at first base and went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Double-A Frisco on Monday. He is rehabbing a torn left hamstring and is due to play three games for Frisco.
Our View: Blalock's "Games Without an Injury" counter now has been flipped to "1." The Rangers still plan on him being their starting first baseman, which is bad news for Chris Davis fans. We'll see if Hank can get through three minor league games first. |
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| Jenks makes rehab appearance | Monday 7/14, 9:31 PM CT |
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Bobby Jenks worked one inning for High-A Winston-Salem on Monday night. He allowed three hits and one run, walked none, and struck out none. Jenks is on the DL due to soreness in his left shoulder/back. He will throw again on Wednesday for Double-A Birmingham.
Our View: The White Sox still play on bringing Bobby back by Friday. We'd prefer to see a bunch of zeros, but we're not too worried by those numbers. |
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| Baldelli moving to Double-A | Monday 7/14, 8:53 PM CT |
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Rocco Baldelli is headed to Double-A Montgomery to continue his minor league rehab assignment, the Tampa Tribune confirms. The outfielder played the last two days for High-A Vero Beach. Prior to that, Baldelli missed some time due to a sore right groin.
Our View: Baldelli still carries an indefinite timetable, and fantasy owners shouldn't be counting on him. |
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| Hamilton socks 28 in first round | Monday 7/14, 8:50 PM CT |
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Josh Hamilton hit a record 28 long balls in the first round of Monday's Home Run Derby. The previous record holder was Bobby Abreu, who hit 24 in one round in 2005.
Our View: Wow. Just wow. It doesn't even matter if Josh ends up winning this event. |
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| Halladay tired of losing | Monday 7/14, 8:33 PM CT |
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Roy Halladay expressed some mild displeasure with the Blue Jays on Monday, saying he's tired of not competing for the postseason. "It's hard to keep doing the same things each year and it's hard to not see a progression," Halladay tells the Canadien Press. "We sit down every spring training and we talk about the same things and it's almost like a little bit of 'Groundhog Day.' That definitely gets frustrating, you want to talk about why we're succeeding, what we've done to help us get to the point of where we're at, and we just haven't done that." The ace adds that he's like to eventually play for a team that can win the World Series.
Our View: Halladay is under contract through 2010, but it almost sounds like he's gearing up to move on. He'll be 33 once his deal is up, and the Blue Jays appear to be stuck in neutral. Anyway, Roy is having a fantastic season despite the Blue Jays' issues. He'll remain a fantasy stud. |
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| Joyce wins weekly honor | Monday 7/14, 8:26 PM CT |
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Matt Joyce was named the AL Player of the Week on Monday, TSN.ca reports. The 23-year-old outfielder was 9-for-22 with four homers, four doubles, and six RBI over the period.
Our View: The rookie was only hitting .222 heading into the week, and his bat obviously caught fire. Joyce is likely to spend the rest of this season shuffling back and forth between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo, but he's shown some good pop in his brief major league time. |
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| Duchscherer feeling better | Monday 7/14, 6:52 PM CT |
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Justin Duchscherer is feeling much better after dealing with a throat infection, and he is slated to pitch the sixth inning in Tuesday's All-Star game, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Our View: We're almost more worried about the arm than the throat. The Duke worked 7.2 innings on Sunday, and hopefully he won't have to throw too many pitches against the NL stars. |
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| Ortiz aiming for July 25 return | Monday 7/14, 5:17 PM CT |
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Red Sox manager Terry Francona confirms that David Ortiz is tentatively scheduled to rejoin the club on July 25, MLB.com reports. The slugger will begin a rehab stint on Thursday. He has been out since May 31 due to an injured left wrist.
Our View: July 25 is a Friday, so fantasy owners with weekly lineup changes may need to wait one more turn before activating Big Papi. |
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| Tillman tosses five shutout innings | Monday 7/14, 4:42 PM CT |
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Chris Tillman didn't pick up a win, but he tossed five shutout innings against Harrisburg on Monday. The 20-year-old right-hander is 7-3 with a 2.94 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts over 88.2 innings at Double-A Bowie this season.
Our View: Tillman, who came over the in the Erik Bedard deal, is in the middle of an excellent campaign. He has had some control issues, but we imagine he could see a taste of Triple-A and possibly the majors before the end of the season. |
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| Damon has session delayed | Monday 7/14, 3:18 PM CT |
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Johnny Damon had his first hitting off a tee session pushed back at least a few days due to soreness in his ailing left shoulder, according to the AP. He said, "Had a little tough time sleeping last night. Today it felt a little sore. We’re just going to hold back the swinging at least two more days. Hopefully it won’t be too long of a time."
Our View: He would be eligible to be activated from the DL on July 20. We will keep you posted on his status. |
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| K-Rod to test free agency | Monday 7/14, 3:13 PM CT |
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Francisco Rodriguez said he would like to test the free agent market following this season, according to the LA Times. He said he would not rule out re-signing with the Angels but would no longer consider an extension before soliciting offers from other teams. He added, "I'm going to go out there and explore the market. They had six years. They didn't get anything done with me. If I wait six years, why not wait another two and a half months?"
Our View: Rodriguez and the Angels failed to agree on an extension last winter. He currently leads the majors with 38 saves. |
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| Sardinha clears waivers, outrighted | Monday 7/14, 2:24 PM CT |
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Dane Sardinha has cleared waivers, and the Tigers outrighted him to Triple-A Toledo, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Our View: The team is pleased he cleared waivers, as he will maintain depth at catcher. He is also believed to have a shot at making the opening day roster as the number two catcher for 2009. |
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| Weaver makes debut with Buffalo | Monday 7/14, 1:26 PM CT |
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Jeff Weaver made his debut with Triple-A Buffalo, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. He surrendered three runs on five hits with one walk over three innings in a 9-3 loss to Lousville.
Our View: Weaver isn't likely going to make an impact with the Indians this season, and doesn't garner fantasy interest. |
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| Youkilis expected to be fine | Monday 7/14, 1:05 PM CT |
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Kevin Youkilis was forced out of Sunday's game against the Orioles in the fifth inning due to a left triceps contusion, but X-rays were negative and he is expected to be fine, according to the Boston Herald.
Our View: The ailment isn't expected to affect his availability for the All-Star Game either. |
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| Lugo to begin rehab | Monday 7/14, 12:58 PM CT |
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Julio Lugo, who could miss 4-6 weeks due to his strained left quad, is expected to begin rehabbing after the break, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: Alex Cora and Jed Lowrie will share the workload at shortstop in a platoon until Lugo returns. |
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| Papelbon recorded 100th save | Monday 7/14, 12:54 PM CT |
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Jonathan Papelbon recorded the 100th save of his career on Sunday, in a close 2-1 win over the Orioles, according to the Boston Globe. He remarked, "One hundred down, I guess three or four hundred left to go."
Our View: Papelbon became just the third member of the Red Sox to reach 100 saves, joining Dick Radatz and Bob Stanley. He is also the second fastest ever to reach the milestone, doing it in 176 games (Seattle's Kazuhiro Sasaki accomplished it in 160 games).
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| Wells likely to return to rotation | Monday 7/14, 12:41 PM CT |
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The plan is to have Kip Wells make a final rehab start for Double-A Tulsa on Wednesday, then join the Rockies' rotation, likely a week from now against the Dodgers, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Skipper Clint Hurdle said, "We need to revisit him and we are prepared to revisit him in the starting rotation."
Our View: Wells allowed 16 hits, 14 walks, and five earned runs over 19.2 innings this season, and is only worth a look in deeper NL-only leagues, namely for depth. |
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| Buehrle gets nod out of break | Monday 7/14, 11:22 AM CT |
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The White Sox team website reports that left-hander Mark Buehrle will pitch first after the All Star break versus Kansas City followed by Gavin Floyd and left-hander John Danks.
Our View: Right-handers Javier Vazquez and Jose Contreras will fill the rotation and pitch the first two games of Chicago's home series against the Texas Rangers. |
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| Lee to start All-Star Game | Monday 7/14, 11:19 AM CT |
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Cliff Lee has been given the honor of starting the All-Star Game for the American League, according to the AP.
Our View: This is impressive considering he was demoted to the minors last season. Lee is currently 12-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. |
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| Liz out? Olson opens 2nd half | Monday 7/14, 11:11 AM CT |
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After the Orioles return from the All-Star break Thursday, it looks like Radhames Liz will be moved to the bullpen, this according to Fox Sports. The rotation beginning Thursday will be Garrett Olson, Jeremy Guthrie, Daniel Cabrera and Brian Burres. Liz, who started strong after being called up from Triple-A, has been ineffective in his recent outing. The coaching staff is expected to use him in middle relief in place of the injured Matt Albers.
Our View: If the Orioles move Liz to long relief, the next in line for a slot in the rotation is Hayden Penn. The right-hander is 4-4 with a 4.97 ERA in 16 starts for Triple-A Norfolk. Lance Cormier is also an option to fill the fifth spot. |
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| Brignac optioned | Monday 7/14, 11:09 AM CT |
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Reid Brignac has been optioned back to Triple-A Durham, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Al Reyes is expected to be activated from the DL following the All-Star break.
Our View: Brignac did not register a hit over 10 at-bats with the Rays, and reached base once on a walk. He held no fantasy value. |
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| Putz throws sim. game | Monday 7/14, 11:03 AM CT |
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J.J. Putz, who is recovering from a hyperextended right elbow, threw a 30-pitch simulated game on Sunday, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He is expected to make an injury rehab appearance Tuesday in Peoria, and then head to the Northwest for another rehab appearance with Triple-A Tacoma.
Our View: At that point the Mariners will decide what to do next. They could activate Putz, or give him one more rehab appearance before bringing him off the DL next week.
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| Bedard 50-50 for next start | Monday 7/14, 10:59 AM CT |
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Erik Bedard, who is on the DL due to left shoulder stiffness, is "50-50" to make his next scheduled start on July 22, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Our View: The Mariners are making some effort to trade Bedard, but his lack of time on the mound is complicating their plan. The Mariners don't know when Bedard will return to the rotation, and R.A. Dickey will be ready to go if he cannot make his next start on the 22nd.
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| Bale scheduled for rehab | Monday 7/14, 9:55 AM CT |
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John Bale, who is recovering from left shoulder tightness, is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday, according to the KC Star. He will work at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Our View: Bale has missed the last 81 games because of left shoulder fatigue and a broken left hand. He is not worth waiting for as a fantasy prospect, as he allowed 13 earned runs over 15.1 innings this season prior to getting hurt, with a 0-3 record.
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| Casilla still has sore finger | Monday 7/14, 8:30 AM CT |
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Alexi Casilla still has a sore finger on his left hand, according to the Star Tribune.
Our View: The ailment hasn't hindered him though, as he is riding a five-game hitting streak, with three doubles over the span. The All-Star break should help him heal up fine. |
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| Perkins to start Friday | Monday 7/14, 8:26 AM CT |
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Glen Perkins is slated to start Friday against the Rangers, as he is working on six days' rest, according to the Star Tribune.
Our View: He will be followed by righthanders Livan Hernandez, Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey, who is nursing a finger infection. Slowey was moved to the back of the rotation as a precaution.
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| Beltre remains on Twins' radar | Monday 7/14, 8:22 AM CT |
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The Twins have contacted the Mariners to inquire about third baseman Adrian Beltre, according to the Star Tribune. The Twins are looking to boost their offensive production against left-handed hurlers. It is unclear how far the discussions got.
Our View: Beltre is also strong defensively and would fill a need at third base in that area as well. He hit 16 homers this season with the cellar dwelling Mariners and his rate would likely go up while playing his home games in Minnesota and with more to fight for, as the Twins currently only sit 1.5 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. |
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| A's optimistic Crosby will be activated | Monday 7/14, 7:36 AM CT |
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The A's are optimistic that Bobby Crosby will be ready to be activated from the DL following the All-Star break, according to the SF Chronicle. He is recovering from a strained left hamstring.
Our View: Crosby has been a serviceable option in AL-only leagues, as he is hitting .260 over 84 games, with four homers, 38 RBI, 41 runs scored, and five stolen bases. |
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| A's hopeful Sweeney will be ready | Monday 7/14, 7:31 AM CT |
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The A's are hopeful that Ryan Sweeney will be ready to return to action immediately following the All-Star break, according to the SF Chronicle. He has been nursing a dislocated left pinkie finger.
Our View: Sweeney will be a welcome addition back to Oakland, as well as AL-only teams, as he holds a .301 average over 68 games, with seven stolen bases and 31 runs scored. |
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