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| Zimmerman is hitless | Saturday 7/26, 11:44 PM CT |
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For the first time since coming off the DL, Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman failed to get a hit, as he went 0-for-3 with a walk in Washington's 6-0 loss to the Dodgers.
Our View: Zimmerman is 6-for-19 since coming off the DL, but he will be hard pressed to put up great fantasy numbers because of how poor Washington's lineup is. |
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| Blake gets two hits in L.A. debut | Saturday 7/26, 11:41 PM CT |
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Casey Blake went 2-for-3 with a double, and he also scored a run in his debut with the Dodgers in their 6-0 victory over the Nationals.
Our View: Blake hit sixth in the lineup, and if he stays at that spot in the order, he'll have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs and keep fantasy owners happy. |
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| Perez gives up six | Saturday 7/26, 11:35 PM CT |
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Odalis Perez went just four innings, allowing six earned runs and earning his eighth loss of the season while raising his ERA to 4.38.
Our View: Perez brought a sub-4.00 ERA into this game, but that was deceiving, as he had not pitched quite as well as that might indicate. The numbers are now catching up to his talent, and if he fooled you into putting him on your fantasy team, get rid of him. |
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| Lowe allows one hit | Saturday 7/26, 11:32 PM CT |
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Amid rumors that he could be traded, Los Angeles starter Derek Lowe was dominant, throwing eight innings and giving up just one hit to the lowly Washington Nationals in the Dodgers 6-0 win.
Our View: Lowe is now 8-8 on the season, with a 3.74 ERA. The Nats are a cure for many pitchers, but Lowe has been solid enough to warrant a spot on fantasy rosters. |
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| Delgado hits two out | Saturday 7/26, 11:30 PM CT |
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Carlos Delgado hit two home runs on Saturday in the Mets 10-8 loss to St. Louis. Delgado was 2-for-6 on the night and drove in three runners, giving him 66 RBI on the season.
Our View: Reports of Delgado's demise earlier in the season were obviously premature, and he is paying dividends to fantasy owners who stuck with him. |
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| Pujols nails home run | Saturday 7/26, 11:27 PM CT |
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Albert Pujols went 5-for-8 with a home run and three RBI in New York on Saturday. The home run was Pujols' first since July 4, and it proved to be the game winner.
Our View: There's the power that has been missing. When Pujols hits home runs, they tend to come in bunches, so this may be the beginning of a power streak. |
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| Reyes has three extra base hits | Saturday 7/26, 11:25 PM CT |
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Jose Reyes went 4-for-8 in the Mets extra inning loss to St. Louis, and among his hits were two doubles and his 12th home run of the season.
Our View: Reyes can still do it all, and he is now hitting an even .300 on the year, and he is obviously one of the top players in all of fantasy baseball. |
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| Schumaker collects six hits | Saturday 7/26, 11:23 PM CT |
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Cardinals outfielder Skip Schumaker went 6-for-7 and scored three runs in St. Louis' 14 inning, 10-8 victory over the Mets. He was the first Cardinal to get six hits in one game since 1935.
Our View: Schumaker raised his average 11 points, to .302 in the game. He won't give you much in the way of power or RBI production, but you could do much worse in NL-only leagues. |
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| Rowand drives in two | Saturday 7/26, 11:09 PM CT |
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Aaron Rowand went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the Giants loss to Arizona. He raised his batting average to .292 with the performance.
Our View: Before today's game, Rowand's average had dropped more than 50 points since it was .340 on June 1. He won't make up that much ground the rest of the season, but his 55 RBI are solid enough to keep him in fantasy lineups. |
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| Drew's hitting streak ends | Saturday 7/26, 11:05 PM CT |
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The 11-game hitting streak that Stephen Drew was in the midst of came to an end with a bad performance against the Giants. Drew went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the Arizona win.
Our View: Drew has raised his fantasy stock with this streak, but his plate discipline still needs to improve, as an on-base percentage under .310 is not good enough for fantasy owners. |
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| Webb wins 14th | Saturday 7/26, 11:01 PM CT |
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Brandon Webb won his 14th game of the season in the Diamondbacks 5-3 win over the Giants. He threw seven innings, surrendering three runs on four hits and striking out eight.
Our View: Webb continues his bid for the Cy Young Award, and though his counterpart, Tim Lincecum, was better, Webb still managed the win. |
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| Lincecum strikes out 13 | Saturday 7/26, 10:59 PM CT |
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Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum made his presence felt against the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out 13 hitters. Alas, he did not get the win as the San Francisco bullpen promptly came in and allowed three runs.
Our View: Lincecum is a fantasy stalwart, and possesses the talent to dominate on any given evening. |
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| Hawpe continues hitting streak | Saturday 7/26, 10:18 PM CT |
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Brad Hawpe has extended his hitting streak to eight games, and is in the midst of a torrid July in which he has an OPS nearing 1.000.
Our View: Hawpe started slowly but began hitting better in June and has continued that in July. |
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| Bailey allows 15 hits | Saturday 7/26, 10:15 PM CT |
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Somehow, Homer Bailey only gave up five runs, four of them being earned, in 4.2 innings, because he allowed a ridiculous 15 hits during that time. For the record, he only got 14 outs.
Our View: Another hideous performance from the one-time uber-prospect. |
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| Tulowitzki stays scalding hot | Saturday 7/26, 10:11 PM CT |
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Troy Tulowitzki had three hits in five at-bats Saturday, and he is now 15-for-28 since coming off the DL July 21.
Our View: Tulowitzki is still available on the waiver wire in many leagues, but he won't be for long, so pick him up right now if he is there. |
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| Cameron slumping | Saturday 7/26, 10:05 PM CT |
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After another hitless night in which he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, Mike Cameron is now hitting .228, and is in a 4-for-28 slump.
Our View: Stay away from him for fantasy purposes. Despite his 15 home runs, that batting average will just do too much damage. |
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| Backe effective | Saturday 7/26, 10:01 PM CT |
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Astros hurler Brandon Backe was effective, and though he did not figure in the decision, he allowed just two earned runs in 5.1 innings of work.
Our View: Backe does not deserve consideration in fantasy leagues until he starts to allow fewer homers and walk fewer batters. |
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| Bush struggles at home | Saturday 7/26, 9:59 PM CT |
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Dave Bush usually never struggles when pitching in Milwaukee, as he carried a 2.50 ERA at home, compared to 6.95 on the road, but tonight he allowed four earned runs in five innings.
Our View: Bush got a no-decision, and he is just 5-8 on the year. It is difficult to justify a spot on fantasy rosters for a guy who only deserves starts when pitching at home. |
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| Tejada goes 4-for-4 | Saturday 7/26, 9:56 PM CT |
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Miguel Tejada had a four hit night as the Astros fell to the Brewers 6-4. Tejada was 4-for-4 with four singles while scoring a run.
Our View: Tejada had been in a bit of a funk and was in danger of seeing his average drop below .270, so maybe this will lead to him breaking out. |
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| LaRoche still on fire | Saturday 7/26, 9:16 PM CT |
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Adam LaRoche homered for the second consecutive game, and after going 2-for-5 on the night, the first baseman is hitting .378 (14-for-37) since the All-Star break.
Our View: LaRoche is having a superb July, so if he is laying around on the waiver wire somewhere, the prudent move would be to acquire him. |
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| Banks wins third | Saturday 7/26, 9:08 PM CT |
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San Diego hurler Josh Banks won his third game of the season tonight, but did not do it in impressive fashion, giving up five earned runs in 5.2 innings.
Our View: Banks allowed just one earned run in his first 23 innings this season, but in his last 23.1 innings, he has given up 17 runs. It might be wise to look somewhere else for pitching help in fantasy leagues. |
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| Van Benschoten destroyed | Saturday 7/26, 9:04 PM CT |
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John Van Benschoten had a horrid start for the Pirates, throwing just 1.2 innings and giving up seven earned runs on six hits and four walks.
Our View: Van Benschoten now carries an ERA of 10.48 and probably should not be in the major leagues, much less fantasy teams. |
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| Gonzalez homers twice | Saturday 7/26, 9:02 PM CT |
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Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a double and two home runs in San Diego's victory over the Pirates. The home runs were number 24 and 25 for Gonzalez.
Our View: Gonzalez is the only true offensive threat for San Diego, and he now has 82 RBI on the season. |
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| Morton sent down | Saturday 7/26, 7:52 PM CT |
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Atlanta hurler Charlie Morton was sent down to Triple-A Richmond to clear a roster spot for Mike Hampton, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Our View: Morton and his 6.00 ERA will not be missed in fantasy leagues. |
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| Bennett to be activated this week | Saturday 7/26, 7:51 PM CT |
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Reliever Jeff Bennett will likely be activated on Monday when the Braves take on the Cardinals, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Our View: Bennett has no value in fantasy leagues, as he sports a 4.28 ERA and even worse, a 1.51 WHIP. |
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| McCann on short list with HR feat | Saturday 7/26, 7:49 PM CT |
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Brian McCann joined Johnny Bench and Gary Carter as the only three catchers in the history of baseball with two seasons of at least 20 home runs before the age of 25, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Our View: That's lofty company for McCann, who is on pace to have his best offensive season. And at age 24, he's primed to get even better, and should dominate fantasy baseball at the catcher's spot for years to come. |
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| Coste collects three hits | Saturday 7/26, 6:30 PM CT |
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Philadelphia catcher Chris Coste went 3-for-4 with a double and drove in three runs in the Phillies win over Atlanta.
Our View: Coste was having an awful July, and his nine walks in nearly 180 at-bats are troubling, but you could do worse in NL-only fantasy leagues. |
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| Hampton hit hard | Saturday 7/26, 6:26 PM CT |
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Making his first start in nearly three years, Mike Hampton was hit hard, lasting just four innings, giving up six earned runs on eight hits while walking two.
Our View: Hampton threw 91 pitches, so fatigue didn't seem to be a problem. Rust could have been, though, as he clearly was not sharp. |
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| Hamels fails to get through four innings | Saturday 7/26, 6:24 PM CT |
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Phillies hurler Cole Hamels lasted just 3.2 innings, giving up nine runs on six hits to the Braves. Just four of the runs were earned, as Hamels and Chase Utley each made errors contributing to the Braves nine-run fourth inning.
Our View: Hamels also walked three in the game. Just chalk this one up to being one of those days, and he remains an upper echelon fantasy option. |
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| Hawkins designated for assignment | Saturday 7/26, 5:42 PM CT |
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Reliever LaTroy Hawkins was designated for assignment today, ending an undistinguished year in New York, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Hawkins was awful this season, with a 5.71 ERA and 1.44 WHIP while striking out just six more batters (23) than he walked (17). |
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| Carpenter will start Wednesday | Saturday 7/26, 4:31 PM CT |
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The St. Louis Cardinals have evidently seen enough from pitcher Chris Carpenter's rehab assignment that they are penciling him in to make the start on Wednesday in Atlanta, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Our View: It isn't everyday that fantasy owners can pick up a former Cy Young winner on the waiver wire, and with this news, he will be snatched up quickly, so grab him if you can. |
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| Sanchez will not be used in setup role | Saturday 7/26, 4:25 PM CT |
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Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez will not be used as a setup man in the eighth inning because of his recent struggles, according to New York Newsday. "I'd like to see Duaner's velocity a little better than it is right now," said Mets manager Jerry Manuel.
Our View: Sanchez has not gotten a single out in either of his last two appearances, so if you have him on your fantasy squad for holds, take note. |
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| Ramirez enjoys slight burst | Saturday 7/26, 4:09 PM CT |
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Aramis Ramirez showed a sign of reversing his poor July fortunes today, going 2-for-5 with his 18th homer of the season as his Cubs fell 3-2 in 12 innings against the Marlins. Ramirez totaled two RBIs on the day.
Our View: Ramirez came in hitting just .176 on the month of July, and while the team failed to win and the performance will only lower that average, the small burst is more than he has shown in some time. The hope is that it leads to better days. |
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| Hermida homers twice in win | Saturday 7/26, 4:06 PM CT |
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Jeremy Hermida did fantasy owners proud today with an absolutely brilliant day at the plate, going 3-for-5 in the Marlins' 3-2 12-inning win over the Cubbies. Hermida picked up his 19th double of the season and belted a pair of homers, giving him 15 on the season. He left with two RBIs and three runs scored on the day.
Our View: He's hot. That's seven homers this month for a total of nine RBIs and 12 runs scored. If he could improve the lowly batting average (just .188 through July), he'd be as coveted as any trade target in your league today. |
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| Volstad keeps the Marlins in the mix | Saturday 7/26, 4:03 PM CT |
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The Marlins hung tight with the Cubs thanks to a strong performance from RHP Chris Volstad , getting the 3-2 win in the 12th inning. Volstad went six to allow two runs (both earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Our View:
Volstad gets no decision, but his ERA, standing at 2.38, shows just what kind of season he is enjoying. The offense came too late today, but the end result is what matters. |
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| Harden dominates, but relief does not | Saturday 7/26, 4:00 PM CT |
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It took 12 innings, but the Marlins found the hits in the 12th inning to pull the dramatic 3-2 win over the Cubs, wasting another strong outing from RHP Rich Harden . Harden didn't go deep, pitching just five innings, but he allowed just one run on two lowly hits with three walks and an impressive 10 strikeouts.
Our View: Harden gets no decision and the an ERA drop to 2.10. Five innings ain't much, but fans would agree that the team would be wise to rest that arm. Besides, they should have pulled this one out, indicating the bullpen may be more of a concern than we think. |
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| Pirates recall Pearce | Saturday 7/26, 3:56 PM CT |
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The Pirates have recalled outfielder Steve Pearce , filling the spot in the roster vacated by the trade of Xavier Nady to the Yankees, according to the Sports Network.
Our View: Pearce will try to help fill the void left by Nady in right field. The 25-year-old spent a week with the Pirates in July going 1-for-3 as a pinch hitter while playing two innings in right field. |
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| Cubs avoiding trade temptations | Saturday 7/26, 1:04 PM CT |
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The Trade Deadline is Thursday, and Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said they may not make a move unless an injury warrants it, according to MLB.com. "There's very little room to put someone in, in my opinion, if you're healthy," Hendry said Saturday. "I would think that for the most part if we did something it would be reaction to a health issue more than feeling our people weren't capable of doing their job."
Our View: The Cubs were believed to be in the market for a relief pitcher (namely Brian Fuentes from Colorado), but the move to call up rookie Jeff Samardzija may have answered those questions. He made his Major League debut on Friday, and was firing 96-98-mph fastballs with movement, something that Cubs manager Lou Piniella is looking for. The concern is whether Kerry Wood can bounce back from a nagging blister on his right hand. Wood, who has not pitched since July 11, was going to try to throw a side session on Sunday. He's been throwing changeups on the side so as not to aggravate the blister. He can come off the DL on Tuesday, but needs to also show the Cubs that he still has the arm strength. |
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| It's official: Blake to LA for prospects | Saturday 7/26, 12:48 PM CT |
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It is official as the Dodgers have made their official statement public: The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today they have acquired third baseman Casey Blake and cash considerations from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for minor league catcher Carlos Santana and minor league right-hander Jonathan Meloan. The announcement was made by Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Our View: Blake leads the Indians with a .289 batting average and 58 runs batted in this season. He has hit 11 home runs and has posted a .365 on-base percentage and .465 slugging percentage. Blake's .393 batting average with runners in scoring position ranks fifth in the Major Leagues in 2008. |
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| Manny in the lineup today | Saturday 7/26, 12:45 PM CT |
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Despite his absence last evening, the Boston Red Sox have posted today's lineup and outfielder Manny Ramirez is once again listed as a starter, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: Fantasy owners will need to track this situation on a daily basis. Manny is a fantastic commodity, but his inability to provide a reliable effort as he battles with the Red Sox over his contract status appears to be growing, and as such it may would be wise to insure he's in the lineup each day. |
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| More insight on pending Blake deal | Saturday 7/26, 11:57 AM CT |
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Updating a string of recent news stories we have posted this morning, Jayson Stark with ESPN.com is now reporting the trade between the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers, sending third baseman Casey Blake west in exchange for minor league prospects, is in fact agreed upon and in league offices for review.
Our View: The Indians were believed to be receiving minor league catcher Carlos Santana and right-handed pitcher Jon Meloan, while the Dodgers will also receive cash in the deal. Santana is hitting .323, with 14 homers, for Inland Empire, in the Class A California League. The hard-throwing Meloan is 5-10, with a 4.97 ERA, at Triple-A Las Vegas -- but has piled up 335 strikeouts in only 262 innings in his minor league career. |
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| Dodgers nearing trade for Blake | Saturday 7/26, 11:30 AM CT |
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Amid rumors of the Mets circling to pick third baseman Casey Blake from the Cleveland roster, reports out of Los Angeles now indicate the Dodgers are close to sealing a deal to obtain the power-hitting corner infielder, according to MLB.com.
Our View: The Dodgers are said to be close to acquiring Cleveland third baseman Casey Blake for a pair of Minor Leaguers, believed to be Triple-A pitcher Jon Meloan and Class A catcher Carlos Santana. Blake, a free agent after this year, has a salary of $6.1 million, and the Indians would pay all or most of it, according to a baseball source. We'll keep you posted. |
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| Boston ready to be without Manny | Saturday 7/26, 11:00 AM CT |
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Reports out of Boston indicate Manny Ramirez has sealed his fate and the team is more than anxious to move on without their embattled slugger, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: Here's the story. Fans understand the Red Sox have struggled to determine if the coming decision to accept the option year on Manny's contract is the right move for the team. Meanwhile Manny and agent Scott Boras are more than happy to talk in the press about their desires to sign another long-term deal and their willingness to do so outside of Boston (and, possibly, seeking to entice a trade out of Boston now). Yesterday, in one of the biggest games of the season, Boston manager Terry Francona filled out a lineup card with Manny batting fourth, but that was followed by an announcement that Manny could not play. It appears Manny is claiming there were problems with his right knee. In the past, management and the manager would be more than happy to accept and support this excuse, but not this time. Instead, the manager - apparently confident there's nothing wrong with the slugger - put Manny's name in the lineup, then sat and waited for Manny to pull himself out of the lineup. Manny complied. Never concerned with wins or losses, Manny told Brad Mills he was unable to play and took himself out of the batting order for a game that means as much as any this season. With that, the Globe reports the team is ready to move on, and resulting rumors of a potential trade seem certain to follow. |
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| Mets targeting Blake, Ibanez, or Bay | Saturday 7/26, 9:45 AM CT |
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The Mets are rumored to be seeking a corner infielder before the trade deadline arrives, and reports out of New York indicate they may be targeting Cleveland's Casey Blake , Seattle's Raul Ibanez, or Pittsburgh's Jason Bay, according to the New York Daily News.
Our View: The belief is that those teams' demands, currently exorbitant, will relax as Thursday's trading deadline approaches. GM Omar Minaya wouldn't discuss individual players, but acknowledged the organization has started to focus on particular targets. However, the Pirates' trade of Xavier Nady last night might change Pittsburgh's plans about trading Bay, and thus it would seem Blake could be the ideal target for such needs. We'll keep you posted. |
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| Lo Duca admits steroid use, distribution | Saturday 7/26, 9:31 AM CT |
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Paul Lo Duca has decided to let reporters know that the implications made in the Mitchell Report, indicating Lo Duca was a known user and provider of steroids, are true, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Our View: Lo Duca was the starting first baseman for the Washington Nationals on Friday in his first game at Dodger Stadium since he was cited in the Mitchell Report as a user of steroids and human growth hormone and the person who referred former Dodgers teammates Eric Gagne and Kevin Brown to his drug supplier. On the day Paul Lo Duca reported to spring training, he apologized he never said why he was apologizing. On Friday, Lo Duca acknowledged the report and told reporters that every word in that report is, in fact, true. He said he was unsure of how he would be received in light of the revelations. |
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| Lannan has another nice outing | Saturday 7/26, 12:08 AM CT |
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John Lannan gave Washington a chance to win, but as usual the offense could not deliver, saddling him with his tenth loss. Lannan threw seven innings and allowed just three earned runs on six hits against the Dodgers.
Our View: Lannan has a 3.33 ERA and respectable WHIP, but the Nationals cannot score many runs with their lineup, so Lannan is doomed to have a poor record despite pitching pretty well. |
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| Nomar drives in two | Saturday 7/26, 12:05 AM CT |
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Nomar Garciaparra hit a bases loaded single and went 1-for-3 with two RBI, helping the Dodgers beat Washington 3-2.
Our View: Garciaparra has been great in July, hitting over .300 on the month, raising his average from .226 to .277. |
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| Kearns gets two hits | Saturday 7/26, 12:03 AM CT |
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Austin Kearns went 2-for-4 on the night, and now has hits in seven of his last eight games.
Our View: Anyone remember when Kearns was one of the most coveted young hitters in baseball? That seems like a long time ago, as Kearns raised his batting average five points tonight ... all the way to .221. |
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| Billingsley wins 10th | Saturday 7/26, 12:01 AM CT |
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Chad Billingsley won his tenth game of the season as he threw 7.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits in the Dodgers 3-2 win over the Nationals.
Our View: Billingsley has a 3.26 ERA on the season, and has struck out over a batter an inning. He is one of the most valuable pitchers in fantasy baseball, and likely one of the most underappreciated as well. |
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