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| Zambrano dealt loss in Game 2 | Thursday 10/2, 11:55 PM CT |
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Carlos Zambrano issued three earned runs on six hits over 6.1 innings in Thursday's disheartening 10-3 loss to the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS at Wrigley Field, with two walks and seven strikeouts. The Cubs now trail 2-0 in the best-of-five series.
Our View: The Cubs' ace pitcher has likely pitched his last game of the season with the club on the verge of elimination and playing the next two contests at Dodger Stadium. |
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| Burrell's back is fine | Thursday 10/2, 10:17 PM CT |
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Pat Burrell stated that his previously ailing back is fine, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Burrell said, "With all the treatment and stuff and all the excitement of what we're doing, I don't think it will be a problem. The truth is I wouldn't have taken the field if I thought in any way I would jeopardize the team and the position we're in, because ultimately that's the most important thing. Do I want to play? Of course, but the most important thing is the team."
Our View: Burrell went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in tonight's win over Milwaukee. |
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| Matsui could undergo surgery | Thursday 10/2, 9:50 PM CT |
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Team GM Ed Wade indicated that there is a chance Kazuo Matsui could have surgery in the off-season to repair a disc in his lower back, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Our View: Matsui was limited to only 96 games in 2008 due to injuries. He has never played more than 114 games in a season and will turn 33 on October 23. |
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| Wedge comments on LaPorta | Thursday 10/2, 9:11 PM CT |
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Manager Eric Wedge commented on top prospect Matt LaPorta, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. When Wedge was asked if LaPorta has a chance to make the 2009 roster out of spring training, he answered, "I don't think he will do that out of spring training. But from what I've heard, he will get our attention."
Our View: He was the prized prospect acquired in the deal that shipped CC Sabathia to Milwaukee, and will work on furthering his development in the Venezualan Winter League this off-season. |
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| Braun goes 2-for-4 in losing effort | Thursday 10/2, 8:32 PM CT |
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Ryan Braun went 2-for-4 in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 2 of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park. Both of his hits were doubles. The Brewers only mustered three total hits in the game.
Our View: The Brewers snuck into the playoffs as the NL wildcard, but look to be headed for a quick exit as they trail 2-0 in the best-of-five series. |
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| Sabathia disappointing in loss | Thursday 10/2, 8:24 PM CT |
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CC Sabathia was rocked for five earned runs on six hits over 3.2 innings in Thursday's 5-2 loss in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Phillies, with four walks and five strikeouts.
Our View: Sabathia was dominant in the regular season with Milwaukee, but failed to come through tonight, and the club is now one loss away from elimination. |
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| Victorino leads Phillies in Game 2 | Thursday 10/2, 8:20 PM CT |
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Shane Victorino went 3-for-4 with four RBI in Thursday's 5-2 win in Game 2 of the NLDS against Milwaukee at Citizens Bank Park. He hit two doubles and a grand slam. The Phillies now hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Our View: Victorino is an early top candidate for postseason MVP, with five RBI over the Phillies' two wins. |
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| Myers shuts down Brewers | Thursday 10/2, 8:15 PM CT |
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Brett Myers took care of business in Game 2 of the NLDS as he only allowed two earned runs on two hits over seven innings in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Brewers at Citizens Bank Park, with three walks and four strikeouts. The Phillies now hold a 2-0 lead in the series.
Our View: Myers only went 10-13 in the regular season with a 4.55 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, but is off to a strong start in the playoffs. |
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| Cabrera gets second opinion | Thursday 10/2, 7:48 PM CT |
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Daniel Cabrera received a second opinion on his sprained right elbow, which revealed no further damage, according to the Baltimore Sun. Cabrera was examined earlier this week by University of Miami orthopedist John Uribe.
Our View: Orioles' GM Andy MacPhail indicated that Cabrera will not require surgery, and just needs rest and time off. |
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| Wise hits three-run homer in loss | Thursday 10/2, 5:10 PM CT |
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Dewayne Wise went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer in Thursday's 6-4 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field.
Our View: He started in left field over Nick Swisher. He hit his first homer since September 19, when be collected two against the Royals. |
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| Vazquez shot down in Game 1 | Thursday 10/2, 5:04 PM CT |
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Javier Vazquez was rocked for six earned runs on eight hits over a mere 4.1 innings in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field, with one walk and six strikeouts.
Our View: Vazquez was unstable in the regular season with a 12-16 record and 4.67 ERA, and is off to a poor start in the playoffs. The White Sox won the World Series in 2005 with dominant pitching, but Vazquez did not join the team until 2006. |
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| Rookie leads Rays to first playoff win | Thursday 10/2, 4:59 PM CT |
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Rookie Evan Longoria went 3-for-3 with three RBI in Thursday's 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. Two of his hits were homers and he led the Rays to their first postseason win.
Our View: The rookie is quickly establishing himself as the face of the Rays' franchise. |
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| Shields in control in Game 1 win | Thursday 10/2, 4:54 PM CT |
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James Shields was in control in Thursday's 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field, as he allowed three earned runs on six hits over 6.1 innings, with one walk and four strikeouts.
Our View: Shields went 14-8 in the regular season with a 3.56 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, and did not disappoint in his first postseason start. |
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| Sampson undergoes surgery | Thursday 10/2, 4:36 PM CT |
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Chris Sampson underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a lateral extensor tendon in his throwing elbow, according to the AP.
Our View: The 30-year-old righty is expected to be sidelined 4-6 months. He ended the 2008 season with a 4.22 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. |
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| Geary undergoes surgery | Thursday 10/2, 4:32 PM CT |
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Geoff Geary underwent surgery Wednesday for repairs to a right hip adductor injury and a torn abdominal muscle, according to the AP.
Our View: He is expected to recover in 4-6 weeks and be ready for spring training. He ended the 2008 season with a solid 2.53 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 64 innings of relief. |
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| Longoria ties record | Thursday 10/2, 3:28 PM CT |
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Rays third baseman Evan Longoria hit a home run in the first two at-bats of his postseason career, joining Gary Gaetti as the only players in baseball history to do so, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: Gaetti likely wouldn't be the first name most people think of, but the Birdman did have a nice career, hitting 360 home runs. Gaetti hit the home runs with the Twins in the 1987 ALCS against the Tigers. Minnesota would go on to win the World Series that year. |
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| Town's mayors make bets | Thursday 10/2, 3:13 PM CT |
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In one of the most tiring traditions in sports, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley bet St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard on who would win the playoff series between the White Sox and Rays, according to the Tampa Tribune. Daley bet polish sausages, and assorted food and drink items from the Chicago area, such as peanuts from Fisher Nuts. The three Florida mayors also bet local food items such as oranges, along with locally made cigars. The two cities also pledged to donate sporting goods (Chicago) and beach wear (St. Petersburg) to 150 children in the Boys and Girls Club.
Our View: We wonder if the winning mayors will be taxed on these items, as they could certainly be construed as profit, right? |
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| Pena leaves game | Thursday 10/2, 3:01 PM CT |
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Rays first baseman Carlos Pena had to leave the team's playoff game in the third inning due to blurred vision, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: Pena, who hit 31 home runs and drove in 102 runs this season, is believed to have suffered the injury sometime at his home. The injury is not considered serious and he is expected to play in Game 2. |
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| Treanor has surgery | Thursday 10/2, 2:20 PM CT |
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Marlins catcher had three muscle tears in his left hip, and underwent surgery to correct the problem, according to FloridaMarlins.com.
Our View: The injury was similar to a sports hernia, and Treanor will be ready to go for spring training. Fantasy owners need not worry about it, however, as his value is non-existent. |
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| Weeks out of lineup | Thursday 10/2, 2:11 PM CT |
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The Milwaukee Brewers will go with Ray Durham at second base in their game with the Phillies today instead of Rickie Weeks, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Our View: The lineup has more to do with the fact that the Brewers are going with right-hander Brett Myers on the mound, but Weeks' error and two strikeouts probably made the decision pretty easy. |
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| Twins to pick up Redmond's option | Thursday 10/2, 2:06 PM CT |
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It is likely that the Minnesota Twins will pick up the $950,00 option for next year on Mike Redmond's contract, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Our View: Redmond, the team's backup catcher, hit .287 with no home runs and 12 RBI in 129 at-bats. Joe Mauer sees most of the playing time, eliminating any possible fantasy value Redmond holds. |
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| Bush will be Game 3 starter | Thursday 10/2, 12:20 PM CT |
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The Milwaukee Brewers will send Dave Bush to the mound against Philadelphia for Game 3 of the NLDS, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The other choice was Jeff Suppan (who they paid $10 million per year in part to pitch in these type of games), but he had an ERA of 8.44 in September. Suppan would probably be the choice in Game 4 if the series makes it that far.
Our View: Bush hasn't been quite as poor as his 9-10 record would indicate. He has an ERA of 4.18, and a solid 1.14 WHIP, but did allow 29 home runs and isn't someone who can get a big strikeout when needed. His K/9 rate was 5.30 this year. |
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| Contract extension for Webb? | Thursday 10/2, 12:17 PM CT |
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The Arizona Diamondbacks have ace Brandon Webb under their control for two more seasons, but are already talking contract extension with him, according to the Arizona Republic.
Our View: Webb picked up 22 victories and posted an ERA of 3.30 with a WHIP of 1.20 while striking out 183 hitters in 226.2 innings. With the starting pitching market still sparse, and high-dollar contracts going out to average hurlers, Arizona clearly wants to be ahead of the pack in retaining Webb at today's prices. |
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| Crawford in lineup | Thursday 10/2, 12:02 PM CT |
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As expected, Rays outfielder Carl Crawford is on the team's ALDS roster, and also in their starting lineup for Game 1, hitting fifth, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: Crawford wasn't given much chance to play this game after having surgery on his hand more than a month ago. But he defied all odds and will take part in the Rays first-ever postseason game. |
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| Tucker named pitcher of the year | Thursday 10/2, 11:21 AM CT |
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The Florida Marlins have named hurler Ryan Tucker their minor league pitcher of the year after the righty sported an ERA of 1.58 in more than 90 innings in Double-A, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Our View: Tucker also worked in the big leagues, where he had decidedly less success. In 37 innings over 13 games, he had an ERA of 6.81 while walking 5.59 batters per nine innings. |
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| Waechter off 40-man roster | Thursday 10/2, 11:18 AM CT |
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Marlins reliever Doug Waechter was taken off the team's 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Our View: Waechter was not bad this year for Florida, throwing 63.1 innings with an ERA of 3.69 and WHIP of 1.33. He can elect to become a free agent instead of report to the minors, and the guess here is that is exactly what will happen. |
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| Rangers rue Danks trade | Thursday 10/2, 11:14 AM CT |
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Trading John Danks to the White Sox for Brandon McCarthy still pains Rangers owner Tom Hicks, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Our staff made the judgment that Danks was two years away, and they were absolutely wrong. The comforting thing for me now is we have a new leader, and if Nolan had been there, we never would have done [the Danks deal]. And we will never trade a No. 1 pick, a left-handed pitcher again," Hicks said.
Our View: Nolan Ryan is now the team president, and Texas general manager Jon Daniels is basically powerless, the paper reports. Trading young pitching to "win now" is almost never a good idea, and though it works sometimes, there are too many examples where it went wrong. Just see St. Louis trading Dan Haren for Mark Mulder, or the Mets trading Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano for two quick examples. |
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| Giambi to A's? | Thursday 10/2, 11:07 AM CT |
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It is possible that Jason Giambi could return to his former team, the Oakland A's, in the offseason, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
Our View: Giambi would return to Oakland a different player than when he left after the 2001 season. He never hit less than .291 in any full season with Oakland, but hit above .271 only in his first season with the Yankees. Not to mention the fact that he wouldn't be as, well, beefy since the last time he was in Oakland's clubhouse. |
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| Beckett will throw on side | Thursday 10/2, 11:03 AM CT |
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Red Sox starter Josh Beckett will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, which will have a great deal of influence on whether or not he will be able to pitch Game 3 of the team's ALDS against the Angels, according to the Boston Herald.
Our View: If everything goes as planned, and Beckett feels no ill effects from his strained oblique, then he will be able to pitch Game 3, which will be played Sunday. |
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| Mussina to retire? | Thursday 10/2, 10:10 AM CT |
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At his press conference on Wednesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he thinks that Yankees hurler Mike Mussina is leaning towards retirement, according to the Lower Hudson Journal News.
Our View: Mussina shocked the fantasy world by achieving his first 20-win season this year, to go with a 3.37 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He has 270 career wins, and is a borderline Hall of Fame player. |
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| Mets to pick up Delgado's option | Thursday 10/2, 10:05 AM CT |
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The New York Mets are likely going to pick up the $12 million option on first baseman Carlos Delgado's contract, according to the New York Daily News.
Our View: Delgado got off to a horrid start before rebounding to hit .271 with 38 home runs and 115 RBI. He will turn 37 next season, and the likelihood that he continues to put up the same type of power numbers is not very high. |
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| Twins likely want Punto back | Thursday 10/2, 9:34 AM CT |
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The Minnesota Twins are said to be leaning towards keeping soon-to-be free agent Nick Punto, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Our View: Punto is a solid part-time player for Minnesota, hitting .284 with two home runs, 28 RBI and 15 steals in 99 games. He has very little fantasy value because of that, but is the type of player major league teams like to have around. |
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| Manuel offered two-year contract | Thursday 10/2, 9:30 AM CT |
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Mets manager Jerry Manuel has been offered a two-year contract to return to the team, but negotiations are still ongoing, according to New York Newsday.
Our View: Manuel led the team out of the Willie Randolph ear smoothly, but he still failed to lead the team to the playoffs, losing on the final day of the season, which let Milwaukee claim the final playoff spot. |
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| Timlin off postseason roster | Thursday 10/2, 8:52 AM CT |
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Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin was not put on the team's postseason roster, according to the Boston Globe. "I think our obligations are to put the best out there we can," Boston manager Terry Francona said.
Our View: Timlin did not have a good season, throwing 49.1 innings and sporting an ERA of 5.66 and WHIP of 1.62. |
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| Hudson will begin rehab | Thursday 10/2, 8:33 AM CT |
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Diamondbacks second baseman Orlando Hudson will get the pins out that were stabilizing his broken wrist in a week, and will begin his rehab a day later, according to the Arizona Republic.
Our View: Hudson was having a fine season, hitting .305 with eight home runs and 41 RBI before breaking his wrist. He should be fine once spring training rolls around. |
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| Byrnes eases up on no-trade stance | Thursday 10/2, 8:31 AM CT |
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Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes has a no-trade clause in his contract, but he would think about waiving it if the team wants to move him, according to the Arizona Republic. “No one wants to be somewhere that they’re not wanted, so if it came down to that, sure,” he said.
Our View: Byrnes still has $22 million coming to him, and is coming off an injury-plagued season where he hit .209, so it will be difficult to move him in the first place. The fact that they signed him and moved Carlos Quentin will certainly sting Diamondbacks fans even more if Byrnes is moved. |
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| Quentin could be ready for ALCS | Thursday 10/2, 7:48 AM CT |
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White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin said he is feeling good enough that he believes he will be ready to go if the team makes it to the ALCS, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Our View: Quentin has been out with a broken right wrist since September, and though some pain resides, he thinks he might be able to play through it. |
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| Maddux is reliever | Thursday 10/2, 7:44 AM CT |
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Greg Maddux came out of the bullpen and threw a scoreless inning for the Dodgers in their playoff victory over the Cubs, according to the L.A. Times. He says he would not be averse to being used two days in a row.
Our View: Maddux had a decent year, with a 4.22 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, but accumulated just eight victories. It was just the third time in two decades the future Hall of Fame hurler had been used in the role. |
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| Mathis will start Game 2 | Thursday 10/2, 7:32 AM CT |
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Angels catcher Jeff Mathis will get the start behind home plate in Game 2 of the ALDS to catch Ervin Santana according to the L.A. Times. "From what we're looking at on the defensive side, Jeff and Ervin have been incredible together," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Our View: Mathis and Santana work well together, with Santana's ERA at 3.19 with Mathis behind the plate, compared to 4.68 when regular backstop Mike Napoli catches him. |
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| Angels will try to re-sign Teixeira | Thursday 10/2, 7:29 AM CT |
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The Los Angeles Angels will make a serious attempt to re-sign first baseman Mark Teixeira when the season concludes, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Our View: Teixeira figures to be one of the more expensive free agents this offseason. The slugging first baseman was traded from the Braves to the Angels in the middle of the year. |
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| Burrell lasts three at bats | Thursday 10/2, 12:54 AM CT |
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Pat Burrell was in the lineup a day after he left a workout with back discomfort. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and exited the game in the seventh inning.
Our View: Burrell will continue to start but will likely be a popular injury replacement in the late innings of the NLDS. |
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| Soriano goes 0-for-5 in Game 1 | Thursday 10/2, 12:51 AM CT |
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Alfonso Soriano was one of several Cubs who struggled against some excellent Phillies pitching on Wednesday. He was 0-for-5 for the day.
Our View: Soriano might be feeling the pressure of playing on a Cubs team that is expected to win. He is a streaky hitter and the Cubs' faithful are likely praying he can turn it on starting in Game 2. |
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| Kendrick has rough night | Thursday 10/2, 12:48 AM CT |
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Howie Kendrick, returning from a left hamstring injury, struggled in Wednesday's Game 1 loss to the Red Sox. He was 0-for-4 with a strikeout and left six runners on base.
Our View: Kendrick is usually an excellent contact hitter, but the Red Sox had his number tonight. Don't be surprised if manager Mike Scioscia sits Kendrick if his struggles continue. He has some good options on his bench if he chooses to use them. |
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| Hunter records only Angels RBI in Game 1 | Thursday 10/2, 12:46 AM CT |
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Torii Hunter was 2-for-3 with the Angels lone RBI. He also drew a walk in Wednesday's 4-1 loss.
Our View: Hunter hits in a favorable to get RBIs. Each of the three Angels in front of him recorded two hits on the night. |
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| Papi's streak extended | Thursday 10/2, 12:43 AM CT |
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David Ortiz stretched his hitting streak in AL division series games to 12 with his ninth-inning RBI single.
Our View: Ortiz lives for clutch moments and the playoffs are full of them. Expect another big postseason from Big Papi. |
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| Ellsbury does it all | Thursday 10/2, 12:37 AM CT |
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Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI and also reached base on a three-base error by Gary Matthews. Ellsbury did it on the other side of the ball as well by making a diving catch that robbed Mark Teixeira of a hit.
Our View: Ellsbury shined in last year's postseason and he's off to another spectacular start this time around. Ellsbury embodies the new look Red Sox who seem to promote speed and defense. |
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| Lackey takes the loss in Game 1 | Thursday 10/2, 12:33 AM CT |
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John Lackey pitched better than he had of late but it was not good enough for the win in Game 1 of the NLDS. He surrendered a sixth inning home run to Jason Bay that put the Angels behind for the rest of the night. He gave up four hits, two walks and recorded five strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched.
Our View: Lackey stepped it up but Jason Bay got the best of him. Historically, the Red Sox hit Lackey very well. |
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| Bay hits big home run in Sox win | Thursday 10/2, 12:30 AM CT |
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Jason Bay stepped up big in his first career postseason game. He was 2-for-4 with two RBI, both coming on his sixth inning home run off of Angels' starter John Lackey. The hit gave the Red Sox the lead for good in their 4-1 NLDS victory.
Our View: Bay has played extremely well since coming over to the Red Sox in the Manny Ramirez trade. In 49 games with the Sox, Bay hit .293 with nine home runs, 37 RBI and scored 30 runs. He kept it going on Wednesday. |
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| Red Sox didn't miss Beckett | Thursday 10/2, 12:26 AM CT |
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Jon Lester was exceptional in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Angels. He allowed one unearned run over seven innings while striking out seven. The Red Sox have now defeated the Angels 10 straight times in the postseason.
Our View: Lester seemed to get even better as the game went on and made analyst Dennis Eckersley look like a genius. Eck had said throughout pregame coverage that Lester, not Beckett, was the best pitcher on the Red Sox. |
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