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| Butler hot at the dish | Thursday 9/4, 11:43 PM CT |
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Billy Butler had two hits on Thursday night which led to two runs scored and an RBI for the Royals first baseman on this night.
Our View: Butler has really turned up the offense of late with a hit in nine straight games with at least two hits in seven of those games to raise his average from .261 to .282. He appears primed for a breakout in '09, so don't forget his name on draft day next season. |
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| Guillen awakening from slumber? | Thursday 9/4, 11:41 PM CT |
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Jose Guillen had two hits which led to three RBI leaving him with 84 runs batted in for the year.
Our View: This guy had been a series of peaks and valleys this season. In May and June he batted .327 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI in 54 games, but in the 49 games since he is hitting an anemic .189 with just four home runs and 13 RBI. The overall numbers are decent (.250-18-84), but you have paid the price if you are in a head to head league. |
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| Meyer pounded by Royals | Thursday 9/4, 11:37 PM CT |
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Dan Meyer had a rough outing on Thursday night as he was pounded for eight runs, seven earned, in the Athletics 9-6 loss to the Royals. Meyer allowed nine hits and two walks while recording just 10 outs.
Our View: Meyer has allowed 22 runs over 13 innings spanning his last four appearances, and that's good for a 15.23 ERA folks. Stay far away from this lefty, he is totally lost at the moment as he has been for his entire major league career. |
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| Davies limits Athletics in win | Thursday 9/4, 11:31 PM CT |
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Kyle Davies permitted the Athletics just a single run in his five innings of work despite needed 101 pitches on the night.
Our View: Davies evened his record at 6-6 with this outing though he is nothing more than that - an average hurler. Davies has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last 10 starts, but he has gone just 3-5 in that time with only one game of more than four strikeouts. Average indeed. |
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| Davis speedy and productive | Thursday 9/4, 11:26 PM CT |
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Rajai Davis had a hit, scored two runs, and stole a base on Thursday night from the leadoff spot for the Athletics.
Our View: Davis has been a godsend in AL-only leagues with those 21 steals even though he is batting just .265 for the Athletics. However, he has done that damage in only 155 AB telling you he could be a big time steals guy, just like Wily Taveras, if he could ever rack up 500 AB. |
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| Sweeney has three hits, three RBI | Thursday 9/4, 11:20 PM CT |
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Ryan Sweeney had three hits and three RBI for the Athletics on Thursday night as he also scored two runs.
Our View: If not for multiple injuries this year, many would likely be talking about this guy. Sweeney has yet to develop the 20-HR power people have long predicted, but he is hitting .287 with seven stolen bases in just 312 AB. A big finish would likely solidify a starting role for him next year. |
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| Suppan falls to Padres | Thursday 9/4, 10:37 PM CT |
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Jeff Suppan lasted 5.1 innings on Thursday and the results were predictably average as he allowed five runs, four earned, in his eighth loss of the year.
Our View: This was actually Suppan's first loss in in six decisions during which time he lasted seven innings five times. Suppan is only advisable as an injury fill-in if you are in a mixed league or if you are in desperate need of picking up some wins. |
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| Estes great in return | Thursday 9/4, 10:33 PM CT |
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In his first start since late May, Shawn Estes was spectacular in holding the Brewers to one run over six innings in his second victory of the year.
Our View: Estes walked only one batter, but he also punched out only one hitter, in a tidy seven hit effort. He will remain in the Padres rotation the rest of the way, but expecting a repeat of tonight's effort moving forward is probably pushing it. |
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| Kendall slowly contributing | Thursday 9/4, 10:30 PM CT |
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Jason Kendall had a hit and stole a bag for the Brewers on Thursday night.
Our View: Kendall is hitting a middling .256 with just 41 RBI, but he has scored 43 runs while adding six stolen bases as he continues to be a bottom tier second backstop in mixed leagues. |
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| Hardy surging at the plate | Thursday 9/4, 10:28 PM CT |
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Every one of the Brewers nine starters had a single hit on Thuursday, and J.J. Hardy was the only one to take a ball over the fence, his 22nd blast of the year.
Our View: Hardy has done a remarkable job of following up last years breakout performance (.277-26-80) with a virtually identical campaign this season (.290-22-67). Hardy has knocked in eight runs in his last 11 games as he continues to surge at the plate. |
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| Hundley drives in two runs | Thursday 9/4, 10:25 PM CT |
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Nick Hundley went 2-for-4 with two RBI on Thursday night in the Padres 5-2 victory over the Brewers.
Our View: Hundley has three home runs in his last seven games and has 18 RBI through his first 128 major league at bats. If the kid can work on his BB/K ratio (0.18), he just might have a bright future. |
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| Venable making most of starts | Thursday 9/4, 10:20 PM CT |
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Will Venable, continuing to start in place of the injured Jody Gerut, hit his first career home run on Thursday night as he went 2-for-4 to give him four hits in his first 11 AB (.348).
Our View: Gerut could miss another week of games with his finger injury, so Venable could have some short term value in NL-only leagues if he keeps the stroke rolling. |
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| Aybar hits ninth home run | Thursday 9/4, 10:04 PM CT |
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On the day that it was announced that Evan Longoria's comeback had slowed a bit, Willy Aybar had two hits, including his ninth home run, and three RBI for the Rays.
Our View: Aybar has gone deep five times in his last 22 games as he continues to offer a fair approximation of what team's expect, offensively, from a major league third baseman. |
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| Arod on long ball tear | Thursday 9/4, 10:00 PM CT |
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Alex Rodriguez continued his recent tear at the plate by hitting his 32nd home run and on the bases he stole his 17th base in the Yankees 7-5 loss to the Rays.
Our View: Arod has gone deep four times with 11 RBI in his last five games and stands on the brink of a .300-30-100-100-20 season yet again (.315-32-91-96-17). No matter what the media says, this guy is a machine at the plate. |
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| Rays catcher has four hits | Thursday 9/4, 9:57 PM CT |
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Dioner Navarro had four hits on Thursday night to boost his average to .297 for the Rays.
Our View: Navarro had an awful August hitting just .194 while dealing with some nagging injuries so it's great to see him bust out like this tonight. It's always hard to predict how a catcher will hold up over the course of a long season so we'll have to see how Navarro proceeds down the stretch. |
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| Wheeler stops late comeback | Thursday 9/4, 9:55 PM CT |
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Dan Wheeler picked up just a single out, but the effort games him his 11th save of the season.
Our View: Troy Percival pitched a poor inning on Wednesday night, and since the team is being careful with him, they chose to bring in Wheeler to stop a furious 9th inning comeback that saw the Yankees score five times in the 7-5 loss. |
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| Rasner beaten badly by Rays | Thursday 9/4, 9:52 PM CT |
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Darrell Rasner was bombed on Thursday night as he lasted just 1.2 innings permitting six hits, two walks and five runs.
Our View: At the end of this outing Rasner's ERA is 5.43 and his WHIP is an awful 1.55, so the question really becomes why are the Yankees still running him out there? The answer is they don't have any other options. Hopefully you do. |
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| Kazmir blows away Yankees | Thursday 9/4, 9:48 PM CT |
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Scott Kazmir improved to 11-6 by defeating the Yankees on Thursday night with six shutout innings in which he allowed but a single hit.
Our View: Kazmir has filthy stuff as ss seen by the measly hit total tonight, but he also showed his dark side by walking five batters. Luckily he struck out seven to help limit the damage. Through 23 starts, this lefty star has a 2.99 ERA and a 10.00 K/9 mark. |
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| Punto only producing average | Thursday 9/4, 9:44 PM CT |
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Nick Punto went 1-for-3 on Thursday night to boost his average to .288 for the Twins.
Our View: Punto has a hit in nine of the last 11 games though he has knocked in a measly single run in that time. He is a valuable player to have a on a major league roster, but unless he is swiping bags, he has virtually no value in the fantasy game. |
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| Casilla struggling to regain stroke | Thursday 9/4, 9:41 PM CT |
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Alexi Casilla went 0-for-4 on Thursday night to drop his average to .290 for the Twins.
Our View: Casilla is 0-for-9 the past two games and is hitting just .200 over 60 AB since returning from the DL as his hand injuries is seemingly still effective his ability to produce at the plate. |
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| Wells hitting .300 | Thursday 9/4, 9:38 PM CT |
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Vernon Wells had another two hits on Thursday night including his 16th home run of the year for the Jays.
Our View: Don't look now, but Wells is hitting .300 thanks to a stretch of 29 games hitting .330. His overall numbers will once again be disappointing because of his various injuries, but with a .300-16-66 line in just 340 AB, Wells has been one hell of a hitter when healthy. |
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| Slowey loses first game in six starts | Thursday 9/4, 9:29 PM CT |
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Kevin Slowey only allowed three runs on Thursday night to the Jays, but he lost the effort thanks to a shutout by the Jays Jesse Litsch. On the evening Slowey 10 hits, but didn't walk a batter over 5.2 innings.
Our View: Slowey had gone 5-straight outings allowing one or two earned runs and he continues his befuddling strikeout work of late with games of one, 12, five, 10 and three K in his last five outings. Through 23 starts this season, Kevin owns a 3.75 ERA, a nice mark for sure when you call the AL home. |
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| Snider has big night - first home run | Thursday 9/4, 9:27 PM CT |
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Travis Snider hit his first career home run on Thursday night as he had three hits, two runs and two RBI for the Jays.
Our View: Snider is hitting .467 this season, though of course we are only talking about 15 AB here so don't go crazy with grandiose dreams of the second coming of Josh Hamilton here, but the kid can rake. |
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| Litsch hurls CG shutout | Thursday 9/4, 9:23 PM CT |
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Jesse Litsch hurled his best game of the season on Thursday night against the Twins as he threw a 4-hit, complete game shutout for his 10th win of the year.
Our View: In four starts since being recalled to the majors, Litsch is 2-1 with a 0.94 ERA. Think someone wants to prove to someone else that he shouldn't ever see the minor leagues again? Despite the great stretch, Litsch is a pitcher who succeeds on movement and location, and when he is off, he can be hit hard on occasion. |
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| Guzman loses hit streak | Thursday 9/4, 9:11 PM CT |
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Cristian Guzman lost an 8-game hitting streak that produced 21 hits by going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a caught stealing on Thursday night.
Our View: Well, if you're going to lose a streak, you might as well go out big right? Guzman is hitting .309 with 69 runs scored, and considering his cost on draft day, you had better not dare complain about this rough outing if you have him on your roster. |
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| Johnson suddenly hitting well | Thursday 9/4, 9:08 PM CT |
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Kelly Johnson had two hits in four at bats on Thursday out of the second hole in the order for the Braves.
Our View: The Braves are in a bit of a quandary. Johnson has eight hits in his last three starts while Martin Prado has nine in his last five. With the return to the lineup of Chipper Jones and Casey Kotchman, either Johnson or Prado will likely be out of the lineup on most nights. |
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| Gonzalez picks up ninth save | Thursday 9/4, 9:04 PM CT |
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Mike Gonzalez picked up his ninth save on Thursday night with a one inning, three strikeout performance against the Nationals. This was his 39th straight save conversion, the longest current streak in the majors.
Our View: Gonzalez has rebounded from his arm injury quite well with 27 K in 24 innings to go along with a 1.13 WHIP. A healthy season in 2009 will make a huge difference for a Braves club that struggled for half the year to find a closer. |
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| Martis loses first start | Thursday 9/4, 9:01 PM CT |
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Shairon Martis lost his first major league appearance though he allowed just two runs over five innings against the Braves.
Our View: Martis did himself in on this night by walking five batters on the evening. It's tough to excel in this game as a youngster when everything goes right, and when you give the opposing team that much help, you're basically sunk. |
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| Parr wins in first appearance | Thursday 9/4, 8:59 PM CT |
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James Parr, in his major league debut, hurled six scoreless innings to defeat the Nationals on Thursday night in the Braves 2-0 victory.
Our View: One heck of a performance for the youngster in place of Jo-Jo Reyes. Given the profound struggles of Reyes of late (0-6 with a 7.75 ERA in his past nine appearances), Parr could easily pick up a couple more starts in September. |
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| Workload not a concern for Parra | Thursday 9/4, 8:52 PM CT |
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Manny Parra has already thrown 153.2 innings this season, and though that is already more than the 133 he threw last year, the team currently has no plans to set an innings pitched limit for him, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Our View: The team likes to limit pitchers to a growth rate of about 25 innings per season, but given that they are in the playoff hunt and that he hasn't showed any type of obvious signals that he is wearing down, the team plans to continue to run Parra out there every five days. |
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| Duchscherer to miss Saturday start | Thursday 9/4, 8:46 PM CT |
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Justin Duchscherer's injured hip flared up on him yet again on Thursday, and as a result he has been scratched from his next potential start on Saturday, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Duchscherer hasn't pitched since August 18th, and given that he has already thrown 141.2 innings this season, just slightly less than the 157.2 innings he threw the previous three seasons, you would have to think that the A's probably won't push Justin back onto the hill until he is close to 100%. |
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| Belliard leaves with injured groin | Thursday 9/4, 8:31 PM CT |
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Ronnie Belliard left the Nationals game in the seventh inning on Friday night with an injured right groin suffered while beating out a hit, according to the Miami Herald.
Our View: Kory Castro entered the game tonight, though if Belliard is out the team might turn to Aaron Boone at first base, at least until Dimitri Young returns next week. |
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| Bannister controls Athletics | Thursday 9/4, 8:19 PM CT |
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Brian Bannister allowed four runs on Thursday, though only one run was earned in his seven inning no-decision against the Athletics.
Our View: This was Bannister's second straight "quality start" after allowing 18 runs over 16 innings in his previous three outings, but he is still not someone you want in your lineup if you are looking to make a late season push given his 14 loses and 5.56 ERA. |
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| Eveland has rough fifth | Thursday 9/4, 8:17 PM CT |
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Dana Eveland allowed four runs and 10 hits in six innings of work against the Royals on Thursday. He stuck out five and didn't walk a batter.
Our View: Eveland entered this outing having allowed two runs in 14 innings over his last two starts and looked great again tonight except for the fifth inning when he gave up three runs. He remains a solid but underwhelming option for the month of September. |
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| Soria collects victory | Thursday 9/4, 8:16 PM CT |
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Joakim Soria pitched two strong innings Thursday night and collected his second victory of the season as the Royals scored in the bottom of the 11th, beating the visiting Athletics 5-4.
Our View: Soria continues to be one of the only bright spots for the Royals. He is now sporting a 1.80 ERA on the season. |
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| Sheets to start on Saturday? | Thursday 9/4, 8:13 PM CT |
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Ben Sheets is on schedule to make his start on Saturday after he was pulled from his last start due to "cramping" in his groin, according to MLB.com. "Nutrition and [hydration] is a big part of staying healthy, and we really focus on it. We come to find out that Benny, at times, has trouble doing that."
Our View: This is new news. Apparently, the team is now floating the idea that Sheets didn't injury his groin as he was merely suffering from dehydration. Drink some Gatorade will ya Ben? We don't know if we believe this explanation or not. Guess we'll find out come Saturday. |
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| Barton goes deep | Thursday 9/4, 8:10 PM CT |
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Daric Barton was 2-for-4 with a home run in Oakland's loss against the Royals Thursday night.
Our View: Let's hope Barton plays up to his potential next season cause this year has been a waste. |
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| Upton dealing with shoulder pain | Thursday 9/4, 8:07 PM CT |
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B.J. Upton's left shoulder continues to bother him, and in fact he has a torn labrum that will require off-season surgery, according to MLB.com. "At this point, there's nothing I can do about it, especially with Carl [Crawford] and Evan [Longoria] already out," Upton told the Times. "It's a little too late in the year, especially with the position we're in, for me to pull up lame. I just have to suck it up and keep grinding."
Our View: This injury could partly explain why his slugging percentage has fallen from .508 last year to .397 this season. Still, he has fallen from 24 home runs to just eight this year, and no matter what the reason, it has been a rather disappointing season at the plate for Upton. Luckily, he has stolen 41 bases to help offset the loss of production with the bat in his hands. |
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| Humber to be used out of pen | Thursday 9/4, 8:02 PM CT |
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Philip Humber is being counted on to provide depth in the Twins bullpen down the stretch, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Over his past eight starts in the minors Humber, who came over in the Johan Santana deal, is 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA. He has little fantasy value because of his middle relief role, but he could still play a large role in determining whether or not the Twins make the playoffs. |
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| Young to return next week | Thursday 9/4, 7:58 PM CT |
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Dmitri Young (diabetes), currently playing at Single-A ball, is expected to rejoin the Nationals next Tuesday, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Young will likely be nothing more than a backup at first base to Ronnie Belliard who has hit very well in the second half (.338 with a .865 OPS in 130 AB), though its great news to hear that Young has been able to overcome his diabetes. |
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| Posey to play with San Jose Giants | Thursday 9/4, 7:47 PM CT |
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Buster Posey, the Giants number one selection in the 2008 Entry draft, will join the Giants Single-A club in San Jose this weekend, according to the Giants Official Website. Posey will play for the club in the playoffs after hitting .385 in seven games with the Giants Arizona Rookie League club.
Our View: Bengie Molina has been great behind the dish, but he has just one year left on his deal and the belief is that the team won't resign him after the end of next season and will go with Posey as their starter in 2010. |
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| McDonald riding the pine | Thursday 9/4, 7:39 PM CT |
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John McDonald was on the bench for the fourth time in six games on Thursday night, according to MLB.com. With the return of Scott Rolen and the solid play of Marco Scutaro and Joe Inglett, there just hasn't been any room in the lineup for McDonald.
Our View: Face it. McDonald might be the best defensive shortstop in the American league, but the guy is hitting .217 with one home run in 157 AB. If you're upset by this news, your AL-only squad is likely in big trouble. |
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| Reinke has MRI on shoulder | Thursday 9/4, 7:36 PM CT |
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Chad Reineke had an MRI on his shoulder, and though the results are not back yet, there is a growing suspicion that he might miss the rest of the season, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Reineke is 2-1 with a 5.00 ERA in four starts with the Padres this season. There is no timetable available until the results of the test are back, but it would be wise not to count on any further contributions from Reineke this season. |
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| Gerut to miss another week? | Thursday 9/4, 7:30 PM CT |
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Jody Gerut's injured finger could keep him on the sidelines for another week, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Gerut hasn't been ruled out of returning this weekend from the sprained ligament, but it's best to plan on him being out of action at least through the rest of this week. Will Venable will likely continue to play in his place. |
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| Escobar rearing to return | Thursday 9/4, 6:57 PM CT |
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It turns out that Yunel Escobar won't need much time off after injuring his shoulder on Wednesday night as he showed up on Thursday, took batting practice, and said he was ready to go, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Escobar didn't start on Thursday but he should be back in action by the weekend at the latest. Omar Infante started in his stead on this night. |
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| Chipper back in the lineup | Thursday 9/4, 6:54 PM CT |
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Updating an earlier story, Chipper Jones did indeed return to the lineup on Thursday night for the Braves after he awoke with little swelling in his injured knee, according to MLB.com. "I don't have any fluid in my joints," said Jones. The pain has subsided pretty quickly."
Our View: If you own Jones, activate him immediately, though don't be surprised if he visits the doctors office again before the season is through. |
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| Reyes to have start pushed back | Thursday 9/4, 6:37 PM CT |
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Jo-Jo Reyes will have his next start pushed back to Sunday after he spent some time away from the team for the birth of his first child., according to MLB.com. James Parr will start in his place on Thursday night against the Nationals.
Our View: Parr was 13-7 with a 3.52 ERA in 28 starts in the minors this season and appears to be auditioning for a role in the Braves rotation for the 2009 season with the uncertainties that are John Smoltz and Tim Hudson. Reyes has stunk of late anyway going 0-6 with a 7.75 ERA in his past nine appearances, maybe his kid will wake him up from the fog he has been in. |
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| Jimenez looks to rebound | Thursday 9/4, 6:33 PM CT |
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Ubaldo Jimenez was 6-1 with a 1.49 ERA in seven starts that began in July, so after his last outing out six runs in just 3.2 innings, and a rough August (5.79 ERA, 1.71 WHIP), he will look to rebound his next time on the hill, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Our View: Jimenez has a solid K.9 mark of 7.35, but he continues to walk too many batters (4.67 BB/9) to consistently dominate which helps explain his terribly up and down work. Still, he is up to 167.2 innings and has had a fine year overall for the Rockies. He could be a factor next season. |
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| DeWitt hitting well in place of Kent | Thursday 9/4, 6:24 PM CT |
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Angel Berroa and Blake DeWitt have teamed up in the middle of the infield in place of Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent, and the result has been a 5-game winning streak for the Dodgers, according to MLB.com.
Our View: DeWitt returned from the minors and has been hitting like Kent with a .316 average, two home runs and four RBI over 19 AB, a nice switch after he went 47 games without a long ball. He figures to continue to play at second if he hits like that. |
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| Berroa leading charge | Thursday 9/4, 6:19 PM CT |
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Angel Berroa and Blake DeWitt have teamed up in the middle of the infield in place of Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent, and the result has been a 5-game winning streak for the Dodgers, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Berroa has hit well batting .389 in his last 18 AB, this on the heels of a 9-for-54 slump for Garciapparra. The team is saying that they are resting Nomar to get his body back healthy, but Berroa clearly is the better defender and should continue to see playing time if he continues to hit. |
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| Rogers career could be almost over | Thursday 9/4, 6:09 PM CT |
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Kenny Rogers may be in the final month of his big league career if he can't pull out of his recent slump, according to MLive. "I don't want to just hang on to wear the uniform. I'm being realistic in where I am in my age and career."
Our View: Since July 28th, Rogers is 1-7 with a 8.50 ERA as he has served as a batting practice machine in most outings. At 43 years of age, Rogers and his 219 career wins are likely at the end of the line. |
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| Abreu out of starting lineup | Thursday 9/4, 6:05 PM CT |
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Bobby Abreu wasn't in the Yankees starting lineup on Thursday due to a sore left wrist, according to Newsday. In his place the club started Brett Gardner.
Our View: The length of time Abreu will be sidelined is unknown as he apparently injured the wrist last night on a slide in the ninth inning. Could this "injury" be the result of the fact that the Yanks are facing Scott Kazmir? |
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| Pedroia on AL MVP radar | Thursday 9/4, 6:01 PM CT |
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Dustin Pedroia has been so hot of late that he is now being considered as a candidate for the AL MVP honor, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: Pedroia is hitting .480 over the past two weeks with five home runs, but his hot streak goes back much further. Over the past 69 games, a span that covers 283 AB, Pedroia is hitting .396 with 12 home runs. With the injury to Ian Kinsler, Pedroia is the top fantasy second baseman in the American League, if not all of baseball. |
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| Perez looking to get rich | Thursday 9/4, 5:57 PM CT |
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Oliver Perez has pitched very well of late allowing two or fewer earned runs in 11 of his last 17 starts as he heads toward a big payday this off-season as one of the biggest arms on the free agent market, according to the New York Post.
Our View: Guess who his agent is? Yep, Scott Boras. Given his performance of late, and his unquestionably top shelf shelf stuff, the 27 year old Perez will likely be looking for at least $60 million on a five year deal according to the report. Will the Mets pony up the dinero to keep him in the fold? |
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| Wolf looking to join winning club | Thursday 9/4, 5:52 PM CT |
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Randy Wolf has pitched for 10 years in the majors and has never made the playoffs. As a result, he will look to sign with a team that he feels has a great shot making the playoffs next year when he is a free agent, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Wolf has posted a decent season this year with a 7.65 K/9 mark, 2.15 K/BB mark and nine victories. He is the definition of a rotation filler, but when he has the old yacker working, he can still rack up the strikeouts. |
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| Kaaihue and Shealy to split time | Thursday 9/4, 5:44 PM CT |
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Kila Kaaihue and recently recalled Ryan Shealy will split time at first base for the month of September, this according to the Kansas City Star. “I’m going to try to keep Shealy and KK both going there,” manager Trey Hillman said. “Basically, it will be a platoon unless there is something unforeseen with an injury.”
Our View: Ross Gload is the big loser here as he will be shifted to a backup role in the outfield. Since he is hitting .272-3-35 this season in in 371 AB, he has no one to blame but himself for the demotion, and beyond that it's the right move as the Royals need to see what they have in Kaaihue and Shealy. |
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| Kinsler done for 2008 | Thursday 9/4, 5:13 PM CT |
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Ian Kinsler had hoped to return next week to the playing field, but instead he will undergo surgery for his sports hernia thereby ending his 2008 season, according to the Dallas Morning News. "The doctor said the progress I was making just wasn't significant enough and if you don't have surgery for this, it's something you are always going to be dealing with," Kinsler said. "It's the only option."
Our View: Kinsler will have the surgery on September 11th, a rather unsatisfactory ending to what was shaping up to be a truly historic season. Kinsler finishes the year hitting .319-18-71-102-26, a truly spectacular performance. However, this is the third straight year in which the second baseman has missed at least a month of action. He should be fine by the start of next year as the typical recovery time for this procedure is two months. Joaquin Arias figures to fill in at second base. |
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| Downs to move to rotation in 2009? | Thursday 9/4, 4:16 PM CT |
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Scott Downs could be moved from his setup role back into the starting rotation next season, according to MLB.com. "We could put Downs in the rotation," Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said. "We have that option. We're talking about it, but, obviously, we have to sit down with him and see what he's comfortable with."
Our View: The Jays could have some holes in their rotation next year, especially if A.J. Burnett opts out of his contract as appears likely, but would it really make sense to take Downs out of the bullpen where he has dominated this season (1.23 ERA, 1.06 WHIP), this after a dominating 2007 campaign (2.17 ERA)? Sometimes it's just best to leave things how they are. |
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| Mora likely out the rest of the week | Thursday 9/4, 4:12 PM CT |
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Despite being named the AL Player of the Month of August Melvin Mora likely won't be in the lineup until next week, according to the Baltimore Sun. Mora, dealing with hamstring soreness said there was "no way" he would be able to play this weekend as hoped.
Our View: Mora has missed the last five games with the injury and had originally hoped to return this weekend. He is hopeful of a return next week when he will resume his quest to record 100-RBI (he currently has 97). |
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| Shealy looking for at-bats | Thursday 9/4, 4:09 PM CT |
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Even though Ryan Shealy is battling for at-bats with fellow rookie Kila Ka'aihue he is grateful the Royals are giving him a shot. Shealy homered on Tuesday night against the A's. according to Royals.com.
Our View: Shealy homered against the A's but he has not fantasy value for any type of fantasy league. |
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| Fielder back in | Thursday 9/4, 4:04 PM CT |
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Even though the Brewers are facing another lefty tonight in Shawn Estes, Prince Fielder will be back in the lineup after a day off yesterday. Fielder has struggled mightily against lefties recently going 3-25 and has not homered in nearly three weeks, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal.
Our View: Even though Fielder has struggled lately it is tough to keep him out of your lineup. |
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| Morrow to start | Thursday 9/4, 3:53 PM CT |
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Mariners rookie Brandon Morrow will showcase his six pitch repertoire in his first major league start Friday night against the Yankees, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Morrow has been impressive in 40 games this year out of the pen but was sent down to Triple-A to prepare for being a starter and Friday he will showcase his stuff. |
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| Longoria still out | Thursday 9/4, 3:47 PM CT |
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Recent reports said that Rays rookie Evan Longoria could be ready soon but today the Rays say there is no definite time table for Longoria's return. Manager Joe Maddon said he isn't sure when he will. Maddon said Longoria would need at least two to three days after a batting practice session (without discomfort) before getting back in the lineup, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Our View: The Rays were hoping to get Longoria back this next week when they take on the second-place Red Sox but that is looking like it won't happen. We will keep you up to date on Longoria's status as we get news. |
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| Percival could go again | Thursday 9/4, 3:41 PM CT |
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It might not have been the return Troy Percival was looking for Wednesday night, but after his first appearance since being activated from the DL, Percival says he could pitch again tonight, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Our View: Percival gave up a ninth inning two-out homer to Alex Rodriguez last night, but his return means he is back in the Rays closer role. |
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| Votto fuels comeback | Thursday 9/4, 3:30 PM CT |
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The Pirates jumped out to an early 5-0 lead against the Reds, but thanks to Joey Votto, the Reds did not go away easily. Votto hit his 17th home run early in the game and also drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning.
Our View: Votto's average is getting closer and closer to the .300 mark and his power numbers continue to grow. Votto will be a solid contributor for any fantasy team. |
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| McLouth goes yard | Thursday 9/4, 3:22 PM CT |
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Nate McLouth continued his big season today, hitting his 24th home run in the Pirates loss to the Reds.
Our View: This was only McLouth's second home run in 27 games but he is still a good option for a good third or fourth outfielder. |
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| Gomez homers | Thursday 9/4, 3:18 PM CT |
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Chris Gomez hit his first home run of the season today against the Reds. The homer was Gomez's first of the season in over 170 at-bats.
Our View: Gomez doesn't have any fantasy value late in the season due to his abundance of strikeouts and the good play of Denard Span. |
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| Bruce Homers | Thursday 9/4, 3:13 PM CT |
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Jay Bruce hit his 15th home run of the season today against the Pirates, his first since August 23.
Our View: Bruce had the opportunity to drive in a lot more runs than just the one. Bruce stranded six runners on base today. |
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| Gorzelanny roughed up | Thursday 9/4, 3:08 PM CT |
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Tom Gorzelanny continued his dismal season with another loss, dropping his record to 6-10. Gorzelanny surrendered three runs and seven hits over 3 2/3 innings.
Our View: With Gorzelanny's ERA above six and still climbing , he has no value in any league. |
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| Cordero saves | Thursday 9/4, 2:58 PM CT |
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Francisco Cordero recorded his 27th save today with a scoreless ninth inning in the Reds 8-6 win over the Pirates.
Our View: Cordero has not blown a save since July 21st and continues to lower his ERA each and every appearance. Though he doesn't get as many opportunities as the top of the line closers, he usually closes the door when he gets a chance. |
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| Matthews has four hits | Thursday 9/4, 2:51 PM CT |
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Gary Matthews Jr. went 4-for-5 with two doubles while scoring two runs in the Angels 7-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Our View: This was a good game for Matthews, considering he had just seven hits in the entire month of August. His fantasy value is zero, because he simply does not play enough games. Not to mention his .236 average. |
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| Polanco collects two hits | Thursday 9/4, 2:47 PM CT |
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Even if the Tigers don't score much, second baseman Placido Polanco usually finds a way to deliver some hits, which is what happened in the Detroit's 7-1 loss to the Angels. Polanco went 2-for-4 on the day.
Our View: Polanco has at least one hit in 13 of his team's last 16 games. After a slow start, his average has not been below .300 since early June. |
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| Santana is sharp | Thursday 9/4, 2:44 PM CT |
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Ervin Santana held the Tigers to one run over 7.1 innings while striking out eight to help lead the Angels to a 7-1 victory. He picked up his 15th win in the process.
Our View: Santana continued his great season with this performance, and he has not lost a game since July 27. At 3.23, his ERA is the lowest it's been since June 20. |
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| Rogers pounded | Thursday 9/4, 2:42 PM CT |
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Kenny Rogers picked up his 13th loss of the season, as he was pounded all over the field by the Angels. In just two innings of work, Rogers gave up six runs on eight hits in the Tigers 7-1 loss.
Our View: Rogers has lost a remarkable seven of his last eight games, and has seen his ERA jump more than a run in that time, from 4.48 to 5.49. Don't use him on fantasy teams for any reason. |
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| Zambrano has shoulder tendinitis | Thursday 9/4, 2:20 PM CT |
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Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano underwent an MRI, and it showed that the right-hander is suffering from right shoulder inflammation and rotator cuff tendinitis, according to the AP. He received a shot in the arm - the literal kind, not the metaphorical kind - and is to begin throwing next week with hopes he will return soon after that.
Our View: Zambrano had been bad in recent starts, and this is likely the reason why. The Cubs hope to have him back in about two weeks, so owners with him on their fantasy squad should monitor his progress until that time. |
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| Morales in line to take over at first base | Thursday 9/4, 2:16 PM CT |
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If the Angels cannot re-sign Mark Teixeira in the offseason, the team would likely turn to Kendry Morales to be it's full-time first baseman, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Morales hit .352 with 16 home runs in the minors this season, so he can clearly hit. He does have some things to work on, because in 338 at-bats, he walked just 20 times. Of course, he only struck out 44 times, but with improved plate discipline comes improved numbers. |
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| Wagner throws bullpen session | Thursday 9/4, 1:42 PM CT |
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Mets closer Billy Wagner threw a bullpen session on Wednesday, and he will throw a few more times before being activated from the DL on Tuesday, according to the New York Daily News.
Our View: The Mets bullpen has really struggled in his absence, so the team will be happy to have him back, as will fantasy owners who were enjoying his 27 save, 0.89 WHIP season. |
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| Fogg leaves start | Thursday 9/4, 1:40 PM CT |
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Reds pitcher Josh Fogg had to exit his start on Thursday after three innings because of a right groin strain, according to Reds.com. He was injured while running the bases.
Our View: Fogg had already given up five earned runs anyway, so his time on the mound would not have lasted much longer. The extent of the injury is not yet known. |
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| Hairston on the mend | Thursday 9/4, 1:33 PM CT |
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Jerry Hairston Jr. is recovering enough from his hamstring ailment that he has been given the go-ahead to begin running, according to Reds.com.
Our View: Hairston has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners this year, with a .338 average and 15 stolen bases. He hopes to resume playing some time next week. |
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| Montz recalled | Thursday 9/4, 1:30 PM CT |
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The Washington Nationals have called up catcher Luke Montz, as the team needs an extra body since Jesus Flores is still on the mend from a collision at home plate, according to the Washington Post.
Our View: Montz hit .271 with 16 home runs in the minor leagues, but his fantasy prospects are nil as the team expects Flores back before the end of the year. |
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| Reyes among best in August | Thursday 9/4, 12:39 PM CT |
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The Cleveland Indians are reaping the rewards of the St. Louis Cardinals basically handing them pitcher Anthony Reyes, as he sported an ERA of 2.01 in August, the eighth best in all of baseball for the month, according to ESPN.com.
Our View: The Cardinals have a certainly philosophy that includes pitchers needing to throw a two-seam fastball and get ground balls. Reyes does not do that well, and he never clicked in the organization, as they failed to adapt to what they had. They received a minor league reliever for Reyes, who certainly has fantasy value the way he is throwing. |
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| Giants interested in Beltre | Thursday 9/4, 12:35 PM CT |
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The San Francisco Giants are interested in acquiring the services of Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre, according to ESPN.com.
Our View: This rumored move would not affect Beltre's fantasy value much, as he would simply go from one pitchers' park to another. That said, he is a productive player who is capable of hitting 30 home runs while driving in 90 or so. |
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| Could Fielder be traded? | Thursday 9/4, 12:33 PM CT |
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The Milwaukee Brewers will listen to trade offers for hefty first baseman Prince Fielder during the offseason, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. He also reported that the team would listen to offers for Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks and J.J. Hardy.
Our View: Fielder has his shortcomings, as he cannot hit left-handed pitching all that well, and his fielding leaves something to be desired. That said, he could be an intriguing chip for a team who wants power from the left side. |
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| Rolen still battling shoulder issues | Thursday 9/4, 12:28 PM CT |
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Scott Rolen believes he can still be a productive major league player now that he has made some adjustments to his batting stance, according to the Toronto Star. Rolen lowered his hands to account for range of motion issues that have occurred due to his shoulder woes.
Our View: It's clear that Rolen will probably never be the same player he had been. His days of being a productive offensive player for fantasy owners are likely over. |
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