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| McLouth missed second game | Wednesday 8/20, 11:48 PM CT |
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Nate McLouth missed his second consecutive game for the Pirates due to an undisclosed illness, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Our View: McLouth would not have helped the Pirates Wednesday against the Cardinals anyway, unless he could have pitched. Pittsburgh was pummeled by a score of 11-2. |
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| Maholm will not be shut down | Wednesday 8/20, 11:44 PM CT |
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Paul Maholm will not be shut down by the Pirates for the remainder of the year to save his arm, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Maholm is nearing his career high in innings pitched, which was 177.2 last season. He is currently at 168.
Our View: Fantasy owners of Maholm are glad to hear this news. He is a bit of an underrated performer, with a 3.64 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. His eight wins are not inspiring, but he could have more if the Pirates scored more runs for him. |
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| Kouzmanoff goes yard | Wednesday 8/20, 11:34 PM CT |
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Kevin Kouzmanoff went 1-for-4, but hit his 19th home run of the year in the Padres 8-6 loss to Arizona.
Our View: Kouzmanoff has had a nice August, and should be owned in all fantasy formats. Of his 21 hits on the month, eight have been for extra bases, pushing his slugging percentage over .500 in that time period. |
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| Dunn homers again | Wednesday 8/20, 11:31 PM CT |
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Adam Dunn hit a home run for the second time in as many nights, and also had three RBI, two runs scored and two walks in a 1-for-2 night to help lead Arizona to a 8-6 win over San Diego.
Our View: Dunn has struggled this month, especially with his power, but it looks like he has finally broken out of it with home runs in consecutive days, easing the concerns of fantasy owners. |
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| Peavy loses ninth | Wednesday 8/20, 11:28 PM CT |
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Jake Peavy saw his record drop to 9-9 as he threw a poor game, pitching five innings, allowing six runs on five hits and walking four in the Padres loss to Arizona.
Our View: Peavy has been tremendous this month, so chalk this one up to a bad night. His record is not a good indicator of how well he has pitched this season, as the Padres simply do not score enough runs for him. |
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| Haren wins despite mediocre outing | Wednesday 8/20, 11:24 PM CT |
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The much-hyped pitching match-up between Dan Haren and Jake Peavy never materialized, as both pitchers struggled, though Haren and the Diamondbacks wound up getting the 8-6 win. Haren went six innings, surrendering five earned runs on 11 hits.
Our View: Despite his performance, Haren remains one of the top pitchers in fantasy baseball, and will continue to be for a number of years. |
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| Jones misses games | Wednesday 8/20, 11:13 PM CT |
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Andruw Jones missed two games on his rehab assignment after he stepped into a hole on the field, leading to soreness in his knee, according to Dodgers.com.
Our View: We're not sure why the Dodgers Triple-A club has a hole in the field, but it's not surprising that Andruw Jones stepped in it considering the season he has had thus far. |
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| Schmidt set to start rehab | Wednesday 8/20, 11:10 PM CT |
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Jason Schmidt threw a bullpen session Wednesday and is looking to start a rehab assignment in Triple-A sometime next week, according to Dodgers.com.
Our View: Schmidt has not pitched in the major leagues yet this season, and it is still possible that he won't. Either way, fantasy owners should not rush to add him to their rosters. |
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| Hanley Ramirez injured | Wednesday 8/20, 11:04 PM CT |
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Hanley Ramirez had to leave the game against the Giants with an injury to his thumb, according to FloridaMarlins.com. The injury occurred as Ramirez was sliding headfirst into second base on a stolen base attempt. The extent of the injury is not known at the moment.
Our View: If this is a serious injury, it would be potential disaster for both the Marlins and fantasy owners. It will be impossible to get the power and steals he provides off the waiver wire. Hopefully, it is nothing more than a jammed thumb. |
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| Estes encountering problems | Wednesday 8/20, 10:52 PM CT |
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Shawn Estes has suffered a setback as he attempts to rehab from a broken left thumb, according to Padres.com. Estes has an infection under a fingernail that is causing him pain, thus delaying his return.
Our View: Estes has had his next start pushed back a couple days, as he tries to rid himself of the infection. |
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| Miller closer to return | Wednesday 8/20, 10:27 PM CT |
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Andrew Miller is getting closer to returning to the big leagues as he continues to recover from patella tendinitis in his right leg, according to FloridaMarlins.com. He will make a start for the Marlins Double-A affiliate on Thursday.
Our View: Miller could be back before September 1, but fantasy owners need not worry about that, as he has not done enough to prove he belongs on anybody's squad, regardless of format. |
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| Wellemeyer wins | Wednesday 8/20, 10:16 PM CT |
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Todd Wellemeyer won his third game in as many starts, running his record to 11-4 as the Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 11-2. The right-hander went five innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits and striking out five.
Our View: Wellemeyer has been pitching much better as of late after he went through a rough patch toward the beginning of July. He is back to being someone fantasy owners can depend on. |
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| Doumit raking | Wednesday 8/20, 10:13 PM CT |
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Ryan Doumit went 3-for-4 with a single, double and home run for the Pirates, but they fell to the Cardinals 11-2. Doumit had two RBI and scored a run.
Our View: In the short two-game series, Doumit punished the Cardinals, going 6-for-8. Fantasy owners should be especially happy because he hit his first home run since July 22. |
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| Ankiel hits bomb | Wednesday 8/20, 10:10 PM CT |
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Rick Ankiel went deep for the 24th time of the season and also walked as the Cardinals won 11-2 over the Pirates.
Our View: Ankiel has had a tough August as he has been dealing with a strained abdominal muscle. Still, he possesses the power to hit the long ball at any time and is useful for fantasy owners of all formats. |
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| Dickerson cools off | Wednesday 8/20, 10:00 PM CT |
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After a scorching start, Reds outfielder Chris Dickerson has slowed down, and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the team's 2-1 win over Chicago.
Our View: Dickerson has gone 1-for-8 in his last two contests with three strikeouts. He does have fantasy value in NL-only leagues if he keeps hitting, however, as he will provide the occasional stolen base as well. |
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| Fukudome continues to struggle | Wednesday 8/20, 9:56 PM CT |
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Kosuke Fukudome's poor month of August continued in the Cubs 2-1 loss to the Reds. Fukudome went 0-for-3 and left three men on base.
Our View: Even though Fukudome has been warned by manager Lou Piniella to start providing some offense or he'd be benched, that hasn't held true. Fukudome is hitting all of .164 on the month but continues to see playing time. His fantasy prospects are waning quickly, and it is probably time for those in mixed leagues to look somewhere else if possible. |
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| Arroyo effectively wild | Wednesday 8/20, 9:52 PM CT |
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Bronson Arroyo won his 11th game of the season by going seven innings against the Cubs, surrendering just one earned run on three hits and walking five in Cincinnati's 2-1 win.
Our View: Arroyo has had a pretty good August, and has gone 2-2 with a 3.23 ERA. However, he is also walking 4.66 batters per nine innings, so fantasy owners should not put too much stock into him. |
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| Lilly takes the loss | Wednesday 8/20, 9:49 PM CT |
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Ted Lilly threw a strong game, going seven innings and allowing just two earned runs on two base hits while striking out seven, but he picked up his seventh loss of the year in the Cubs 2-1 loss to the Reds.
Our View: Lilly has not given up more than four earned runs in a game since April, and he has pitched very well in August. In his four starts on the month, he has given up two earned runs or less in three of them. He should certainly be a guy to utilize in fantasy leagues. |
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| Reynolds to second? | Wednesday 8/20, 9:36 PM CT |
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Mark Reynolds has been taking ground balls at second base during batting practice, according to DBacks.com. Outfielder Justin Upton will make his return soon, and to get the best offense on the field, it could lead Reynolds to second, Chad Tracy to third and Adam Dunn to first.
Our View: Reynolds owners should be happy to hear this news, as he would soon become eligible to play second in fantasy leagues. Which means Reynolds could be replacing a hitter who does not have much power (outside of the Chase Utley's of the world, of course). That would open up rosters for adding another third baseman with the potential for more long balls. |
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| Reds write letter to fans | Wednesday 8/20, 9:07 PM CT |
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The Cincinnati Reds have written a letter to their fans, posted on their web site, that asks them to be patient with the team even though they have not made the playoffs since 1995, according to the AP. "By executing these inevitable changes now, we secured more players as part of our focus towards building a deeper, stronger inventory of young talent," the letter said.
Our View: The letter also said that the team traded Ken Griffey, Jr. and Adam Dunn for the benefit of 2009 and later seasons. It would seem that they still have a ways to go before being back in the thick of things, but they do have some quality young players that fantasy owners could become accustomed to using, such as Edinson Volquez, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce. |
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| Baker surprised at Lohse suspension | Wednesday 8/20, 8:53 PM CT |
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Edinson Volquez and Kyle Lohse exchanged pitches high and tight, but Lohse was the one that got suspended for five games. The punishment seemed to surprise Reds manager Dusty Baker, according to Reds.com. "Five games and they didn't even kick him out of the game. Wow. The umpires don't kick him out but the league suspends him. That's a first, isn't it? I haven't seen that," said Baker.
Our View: Lohse got suspended, even though Volquez actually hit Cardinals infielder Felipe Lopez later in the game. Not to mention that the pitch Lohse threw to Volquez was a strike, as it hit his bat. Lohse has appealed his suspension. |
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| Loney is out of lineup | Wednesday 8/20, 8:47 PM CT |
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James Loney is not in tonight's starting lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. The team will square off against the Colorado Rockies and hurler Jeff Francis.
Our View: Nothing serious like an injury, it's just that Loney is 1-for-15 in his career against Francis, including fire strikeouts. |
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| Utley has two hits | Wednesday 8/20, 8:42 PM CT |
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Chase Utley went 2-for-4 with two singles as Philadelphia beat Washington 9-0. Phillies hurler Brett Myers threw a complete game shutout, so all Utley had to do was play defense and watch his pitcher mow batters down.
Our View: Utley has really struggled this month, as he is hitting just .224 in August. He does have three home runs on the month, but has not picked up an RBI in more than a week. |
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| Milledge on base twice | Wednesday 8/20, 8:38 PM CT |
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Lastings Milledge got on base twice, with a double and a walk, but the Nationals were still shut out by a score of 9-0.
Our View: Milledge continues his scorching August, and his batting average for the month now stands at .370. He would make a solid addition to NL-only fantasy squads. |
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| Myers throws complete game shutout | Wednesday 8/20, 8:34 PM CT |
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Phillies right-hander Brett Myers has continued his string of great performances since coming off the disabled list, leading Philadelphia to 4-0 victory over Washington by throwing a complete game shutout. Myers scattered nine hits on the night, but walked noone and struck out nine.
Our View: Myers is hot right now, and fantasy owners should be snatching him up off the waiver wire if he is still available. Since coming off the DL, Myers is 3-1 with a 1.97 ERA. |
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| Wright homers | Wednesday 8/20, 8:29 PM CT |
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David Wright did his part to contribute to New York's 6-3 win over Atlanta by going 1-for-3 with a home run.
Our View: Wright now has 97 RBI, and fantasy owners could realistically expect him to wind up with 130 or more for the year. |
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| Chipper goes 0-for-3 | Wednesday 8/20, 8:26 PM CT |
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Chipper Jones had a tough night in the Braves 6-3 loss to the Mets. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Mike Pelfrey.
Our View: Jones is no longer tearing it up in the batting average department, but he is still hitting over .300 for the month of August. A little more troubling is the fact that he has hit just three home runs since June 19. |
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| Pelfrey throws complete game | Wednesday 8/20, 8:22 PM CT |
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Mike Pelfrey earned his 12th win of the season by throwing a complete game against the Braves. The Mets won by the score of 6-3 behind Pelfrey's nine innings, as he gave up just three runs on three hits while walking three and striking out three.
Our View: That's a lot of threes. This is the second good performance in a row by Pelfrey, and though his strikeout rate is not extraordinary, he remains a solid fantasy option, especially in NL-only leagues. |
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| Lo Duca to play | Wednesday 8/20, 8:18 PM CT |
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The Florida Marlins have installed Paul Lo Duca in their starting lineup, according to the Palm Beach Post. He is hitting second and playing catcher.
Our View: In no way does this mean Lo Duca should be picked up by fantasy teams. He has zero home runs and 12 RBI in 140 at-bats this season. |
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| Wagner could miss rest of season | Wednesday 8/20, 8:02 PM CT |
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The possibility remains that Mets closer Billy Wagner will miss the rest of the season, according to ESPN.com. Wagner's agent, Bean Stringfellow, said that it will be at least three weeks before he returns.
Our View: Tough luck for fantasy owners counting on Wagner's saves down the stretch. The newly signed Al Reyes could get some looks in the ninth inning in the meantime. |
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| Phillies will not juggle rotation | Wednesday 8/20, 7:24 PM CT |
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The Philadelphia Phillies could have lined up their rotation in order to ensure that ace Cole Hamels faced off against the New York Mets, but decided against it, according to Phillies.com. The team has an off day and could have started Hamels on regular rest Friday, but want to give him an extra day of rest instead.
Our View: Hamels has thrown over 180 innings this season, and the team wants to make sure he has enough gas left down the stretch. |
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| Pierre in lineup | Wednesday 8/20, 6:54 PM CT |
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Juan Pierre will lead off and play center field for the Dodgers against the Rockies Wednesday, even though Colorado is putting lefty Jeff Francis on the mound, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Our View: Tonight is a great night to put Pierre in your fantasy lineup. He is not only hitting .354 against lefties this year, but in his career against Francis, Pierre is hitting .481 (13-for-27). |
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| Church will be backup | Wednesday 8/20, 6:23 PM CT |
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When outfielder Ryan Church returns to the Mets, it will be as a back-up, according to Mets.com. "When he does come back, we don't have to rely heavily on him playing every single day," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said.
Our View: Church is currently rehabbing from post-concussion syndrome in Triple-A ball. It is not known when he will be recalled, but his fantasy stock just took a big hit. He was highly productive in the 57 games he played this year, hitting 10 home runs with 36 RBI and an OPS of .882. It will be difficult for fantasy players to rely on a player who is not guaranteed a certain number of at-bats. |
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| Blum close to guarantee | Wednesday 8/20, 6:15 PM CT |
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Geoff Blum needs just one more plate appearance to ensure him $1.2 million for next season, according to Astros.com. Blum needed 250 plate appearances on the season for his contract for 2009 to be guaranteed, and he presently has 249.
Our View: That's nice for Blum, though we're not sure how the Astros feel about it. His 12 home runs are solid, but he is hitting .229 and has a putrid .269 on-base percentage. |
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| Wainwright will start Friday | Wednesday 8/20, 6:07 PM CT |
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Adam Wainwright will be activated from the DL and start on Friday against the Braves, according to the FSN Midwest telecast. Manager Tony La Russa said that this doesn't necessarily mean Wainwright will be coming back permanently as a starter and that they will continue to evaluate their options.
Our View: Joel Pineiro will be used in relief if need be. Whether or not Wainwright stays in the rotation or Pineiro stays in relief could depend on Chris Carpenter's status. |
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| Speier recalled | Wednesday 8/20, 5:28 PM CT |
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Ryan Speier was recalled from Triple-A in order to take the roster spot of reliever Matt Herges, who was put on the disabled list, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Speier had been in the minors for about three weeks. He has had an ERA of at least 5.11 every month of the season except April. |
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| Herges put on DL | Wednesday 8/20, 5:25 PM CT |
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Matt Herges has been put on the disabled list by the Rockies as he continues to suffer from lower back stiffness, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Herges was pitching in middle relief and had an ERA over 5.00 and a WHIP of 1.56. He had no fantasy value. |
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| Kotchman put on bereavement list | Wednesday 8/20, 5:22 PM CT |
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Braves first baseman Casey Kotchman was put on the bereavement list by the team as his mother was in the hospital for undisclosed reasons, according to Braves.com.
Our View: It is unknown exactly how long Kotchman will be gone, but his stay on the bereavement list can only last seven days. Adjust your lineups accordingly. |
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| Lohse suspended five games | Wednesday 8/20, 4:58 PM CT |
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St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse was suspended for five games for throwing at Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez, according to the AP. Lohse, who did not hit Volquez with the pitch, will appeal his suspension.
Our View: During the game on Sunday, Lohse was batting when Volquez threw high and tight at him. Later in the game, Lohse responded with one up and in on Volquez. The umpire issued warnings, and that seemed to be that, until this news. |
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| Glavine gets good news | Wednesday 8/20, 4:51 PM CT |
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Tom Glavine will not need ligament replacement surgery on his left elbow, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He will still need surgery, but only to fix his torn flexor tendon. This means it is possible he could suit up next season. “Still not sure about next year but this will give me a chance,” he said.
Our View: Had Glavine needed surgery on his elbow ligament, his career would have been over. As it is, he will need about five months to recover. |
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| Pence struggles | Wednesday 8/20, 4:16 PM CT |
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Hunter Pence went 0-for-4, grounded into a double play and left six men on base in the Astros 5-2 loss to Milwaukee.
Our View: Not a great game for Pence, who has been alternating good and bad months all season. August has definitely been a bad month, as he is hitting under .200 so far. |
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| Golden Sombrero for Hall | Wednesday 8/20, 4:12 PM CT |
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Bill Hall did not contribute offensively to the Brewers 5-2 win over Houston on Wednesday. Instead, he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, earning him the dreaded golden sombrero.
Our View: For the month of August, Hall has struck out 15 times in 29 at-bats, or 52 percent of the time. That's really all fantasy owners need to know at this point. |
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| Rodriguez takes loss | Wednesday 8/20, 4:09 PM CT |
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Houston hurler Wandy Rodriguez saw his record drop to 7-6 as the Astros were downed by the Brewers 5-2. Rodriguez was wild, throwing five bases on balls in 5.1 innings, but allowing just two earned runs. He also struck out six in the contest.
Our View: Rodriguez has had a poor August, and has walked 11 batters in his last eight innings over two outings. That certainly won't help fantasy owners in the WHIP department. |
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| Parra wins tenth | Wednesday 8/20, 4:05 PM CT |
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Manny Parra picked up his tenth victory of the season, going five innings and allowing two runs on six hits in the Brewers 5-2 win over Houston.
Our View: Parra also walked four and only struck out two, so it was not his greatest performance. His August ERA is 5.04, and he has just a 1-2 record in the month. |
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| Mets claim Reyes | Wednesday 8/20, 3:04 PM CT |
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The NY Post indicates the Mets have acquired Al Reyes, who was cut loose by the Rays.
Our View: The Mets have been looking for bullpen help after Billy Wagner went down, and were considering pulling a starter out of the rotation (namely John Maine) to use as a reliever. Reyes was disappointing in Tampa Bay this season, but will be an upgrade for New York. He could potentially push for saves, and is worth a look in deeper NL-only leagues. |
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| Astros claim Castillo | Wednesday 8/20, 2:56 PM CT |
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The Astros have claimed Jose Castillo off waivers from the Giants, according to the AP.
Our View: He will report to the Astros Friday. Castillo only hit .244, but 38 of his 96 hits went for extra bases (28 doubles, four triples, and six homers). His power numbers could incease at home while leaving San Francisco for Houston, but may not see enough at-bats to make him worth consideration. |
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| Rosales recalled | Wednesday 8/20, 2:19 PM CT |
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Adam Rosales has been recalled from Triple-A Louisville, according to the AP. Jerry Hairston Jr. has been placed on the 15-day DL as the corresponding move.
Our View: Rosales should see some action, but won't likely be productive enough to employ as a fantasy infielder. |
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| Hairston placed on DL | Wednesday 8/20, 2:16 PM CT |
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Jerry Hairston Jr. has been placed on the 15-day DL with a strained right hamstring, according to the AP. The team recalled infielder Adam Rosales from Triple-A Louisville as the corresponding move.
Our View: Hairston has been battling the injury since the All-Star break. It is a shame he couldn't recover, as he held a solid .338 average with 18 doubles, two triples, 22 RBI, 36 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases over 63 games. |
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| Feliz could return as early as today | Wednesday 8/20, 2:12 PM CT |
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Pedro Feliz, who has been on the 15-day DL with lower-back inflammation, could return to the Phillies as early as today, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
Our View: Feliz could hold favorable value down the stretch in deeper NL-only leagues, as he hit 12 homers and 46 RBI prior to landing on the DL. |
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| Weeks returns to lineup | Wednesday 8/20, 1:14 PM CT |
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Rickie Weeks returned to the Brewers' lineup Wednesday, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. He is battling a sprained left thumb.
Our View: Weeks is playing today, but should continue to be helped out by Ray Durham until his thumb is better. |
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| Church getting closer | Wednesday 8/20, 12:20 PM CT |
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Ryan Church, who is recovering from post-concussion syndrome, made his second straight start in the outfield for Triple-A New Orleans Tuesday night, according to the NY Daily News. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
Our View: His successful outing will move him one step closer to being activated, possibly in September. |
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| Maine won't be moved | Wednesday 8/20, 12:10 PM CT |
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Manager Jerry Manuel has decided not to pull one of his starters out of the rotation to help out the bullpen while Billy Wagner is on the shelf, according to the NY Daily News. John Maine was one of the main starters being considered to work out of the pen, but Manuel wants to keep him on regular rest while dealing with his shoulder problems.
Our View: While Wagner is out, Aaron Heilman leads the team with three saves. |
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| Braun out again | Wednesday 8/20, 11:55 AM CT |
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Ryan Braun is out again on Wednesday due to his strained back/ribcage, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes. Gabe Kapler will start again in left field. Braun remains day-to-day.
Our View: Braun tried to play on Monday and aggravated the ailment. We have to wonder when it will become time for the Brewers to simply put him on the DL and let him heal up. They need him for the stretch run, and this day-to-day stuff isn't working. |
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| Olsen wants to stay in Florida | Wednesday 8/20, 10:49 AM CT |
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Scott Olsen would like to remain with the Marlins, primarily to see how the rotation would fare over the course of an entire season, according to the Miami Herald. Olsen is one of the team's three starters eligible for arbitration after this season, and is also aware that he could be the odd man out in that group as the Marlins decide which pitchers to keep. He said, "I don't know exactly where it's going to fall. Personally, I'd like to see what us five guys could do throughout the course of a whole year together. I would just like to have one shot where we get us five guys together and see what happens."
Our View: Olsen is only 6-8 over 25 starts with a 4.03 ERA, but has a decent 1.31 WHIP. |
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| Iannetta dealing with foot ailment | Wednesday 8/20, 9:30 AM CT |
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Chris Iannetta was scratched from Tuesday's lineup as he is dealing with a bruised left foot, according to the Denver Post. He thinks he will be fine and said, "It swelled up on the flight here. It's not a big deal."
Our View: Yorvit Torrealba replaced Iannetta Tuesday, and proved his left knee is healthy enough to avoid the DL. That means Adam Melhuse will likely be sent down to bring up Scott Posednik. |
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| Spilborghs set for rehab | Wednesday 8/20, 9:26 AM CT |
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Ryan Spilborghs, who is recovering from a left oblique strain, is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Colorado Springs Wednesday, according to the Denver Post. He has been out since July 9.
Our View: He has been able to swing a bat without pain and hopes to rejoin the Rockies in September. He could see extended action in the outfield as an audition for next season, and could be worth stashing in NL-only leagues. He hit .314 over 185 at-bats this season, with six homers, 33 RBI, and seven stolen bases. |
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| Gotay placed on DL | Wednesday 8/20, 9:18 AM CT |
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Ruben Gotay has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a strained left hamstring, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jo-Reyes was recalled from Triple-A Richmond as the corresponding move.
Our View: Gotay held little to no fantasy value with a .225 average over 89 at-bats, with two homers and six RBI. |
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| Drew nursing sore groin | Wednesday 8/20, 8:09 AM CT |
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Stephen Drew sat out Tuesday's game due to a sore left groin, according to the Arizona Republic. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Augie Ojeda.
Our View: Manager Bob Melvin believes Drew should be able to play Wednesday. |
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| Upton works out, remains on DL | Wednesday 8/20, 8:06 AM CT |
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Justin Upton returned to the D-Backs' clubhouse Tuesday, but it was just to work out with the team and he remains on the DL, according to the Arizona Republic. He is recovering from an oblique strain.
Our View: He won't be activated for a few more days and will resume his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tucson. It remains to be seen how much playing time he gets in a crowded D-Backs' outfield when he returns. Chris Young is currently penciled into center field with Conor Jackson in left. Adam Dunn in is right, and was not acquired from the Reds to ride the pine. |
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| McLouth is ill | Wednesday 8/20, 7:46 AM CT |
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Nate McLouth was benched in favor of Nyjer Morgan Tuesday due to illness, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Our View: McLouth will be re-evaluated today. He was not benched due to his 2-for-16 skid over his last four games. |
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| Tejada displeased | Wednesday 8/20, 7:37 AM CT |
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Miguel Tejada was displeased to ride the pine Tuesday, according to the Houston Chronicle. Manager Cecil Cooper gave him an unwanted day off and Tejada said, "What can I say? I can say I don’t feel like I need a day off. That’s what I can say. If I feel like I need a day off, then I’ll feel like I need a day off."
Our View: Tejada is only hitting .217 (5-for-23) over his last six games, with no RBI over the span. He only has one home run in the month of August as well. |
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| Isringhausen could be finished? | Wednesday 8/20, 7:09 AM CT |
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Jason Isringhausen's injury is believed to be career-theatening, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He has a torn flexor muscle near his right elbow. Team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta confirmed the diagnosis to GM John Mozeliak Tuesday night after reading the results from a MRI of the elbow. The tear is located to the inside of Isringhausen’s elbow, and causes him problems gripping the ball and flexing his wrist. Rest was advised but surgery could eventually become necessary should Isringhausen want to extend his career.
Our View: He is the Cardinals' all-time leader with 217 saves. He has 293 saves overall for his career. |
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| Sanchez has rotatator cuff strain | Wednesday 8/20, 7:00 AM CT |
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An MRI revealed that Jonathan Sanchez has a mild rotator cuff strain (left shoulder), according to the SF Chronicle.
Our View: The ailment is not believed to be serious and the Giants hope he can begin playing catch by the end of the week. |
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| Jimenez throws well against Dodgers | Wednesday 8/20, 12:51 AM CT |
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Rockies young RHP Ubaldo Jimenez enjoyed a short but productive outing on the mound this evening, giving up three runs (all earned) on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Our View: If and when Jimenez learns to throw consistent strikes, he will be highly dangerous. He has thrown a fair share of shutouts mixed with a persistent list of blown oportunities, but his potential to excel seems rather high. |
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| Stewart drives in five | Wednesday 8/20, 12:46 AM CT |
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Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart was a top dog at the park in the 8-3 win over the Dodgers, going 2-for-3 with his ninth homer of the season, totaling an amazing five RBIs and one run scored.
Our View: Stewart has five hits over the last three games with two homers and eight RBIs. |
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| Cantu homers in win over Giants | Wednesday 8/20, 12:20 AM CT |
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Florida corner infielder Jorge Cantu provided the offense needed for the win, though the work was done by the pitching. Cantu went 2-for-4 with one walk and his 22nd homer of the season, totaling one RBI and one run scored.
Our View: Cantu has just three homers on the month thus far, carring just seven RBIs after posting 15 last month.
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| Nolasco dominates Giants | Wednesday 8/20, 12:16 AM CT |
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All the credit for tonight's 6-0 win over the Giants goes to Florida RHP Ricky Nolasco, pitching the complete game to allow just two hits, one walk, and striking out 11 batters along the way.
Our View: Nolasco has been surprisingly reliable, now sitting at 12-7 on the season with an ERA or 3.67. Over his last five starts, he's allowed a combined total of 10 earned runs with one walk and 41 strikeouts. |
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| Davis gets the win over San Diego | Wednesday 8/20, 12:12 AM CT |
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Arizona LHP Doug Davis found a much-needed win this evening in support of his Diamondbacks 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres. Davis pitched six innings, surrendering two runs (both earned) on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Our View: Davis gets his first win of August, having allowing 15 earned runs through his first three starts over just 11 innings of work. |
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| Gonzalez goes 4-for-5 with homer | Wednesday 8/20, 12:09 AM CT |
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The Padres suffered the 7-6 loss against Arizona, but not without a fight from first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored on the night.
Our View: Gonzalez has fallen off his run production pace a bit, but he's still slamming homers, touting four homers last month and now carrying four through August, though he boasts just nine RBIs this month. |
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| Dunn homers vs San Diego | Wednesday 8/20, 12:04 AM CT |
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Arizona struck early, the Padres fought back late, but it wasn't enough as the Diamondbacks used the bat of outfielder Adam Dunn to get the 7-6 win. Dunn went 1-for-3 with two walks and his 33rd homer of the season, totaling two RBIs and two runs scored on the night.
Our View: Dunn is hitting just .193 this month after hitting .310 in July, tonight's homer being his first since July 30th. |
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