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| Nomar to start Game 3 | Saturday 10/11, 8:23 PM CT |
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Nomar Garciaparra will likely start at first base when the Dodgers face the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Our View: James Loney is 3-for-7 in the series, but Garciaparra smoked lefties this year (1.067 OPS) and the Dodgers are going up against Jamie Moyer. |
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| Lowe to start Games 4, 7 | Saturday 10/11, 8:21 PM CT |
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Derek Lowe will start for the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Phillies. The right-hander will also get the call if there is a Game 7, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Our View: Lowe will be starting on three days' rest in Game 4, but that shouldn't be a worry given the importance of the contest. He has pitched very, very well since May, and the Dodgers are wise to live or die with their best arm on the mound. |
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| Matusz dazzles in debut | Saturday 10/11, 4:45 PM CT |
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Southpaw Brian Matusz tossed three hitless innings for the Surprise Rafters on Saturday afternoon. It was the pitcher's first pro appearances. Matusz, 21, was the fourth overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft. He threw 45 pitches (26 strikes) on Saturday, walked one, and struck out one.
Our View: Matusz was considered a solid, safe pick by the Orioles. We don't expect a David Price-like ascent through the minors next year, but the Orioles won't likely hold the former University of San Diego star back too much. Scouts vary a bit on his potential, but you don't draft a guy at No. 4 if you don't think he can be an ace. |
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| Indians to re-sign Carroll | Saturday 10/11, 3:51 PM CT |
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The Cleveland Indians will likely pick up the $2.5 million option on infielder Jamey Carroll, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. "He's a championship utitlity player," said Indians manager Eric Wedge.
Our View: Carroll is one of those guys managers like, but fantasy players have little use for. He hit .277 with one home run and 36 RBI on the season, with seven stolen bases. |
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| Crisp in for Drew | Saturday 10/11, 3:17 PM CT |
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Coco Crisp will start in center field and Jacoby Ellsbury moves to right as J.D. Drew is out of the Red Sox lineup against Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: Drew actually hit lefties at a better rate than he did right-handers, .284 to .279, albeit in fewer at-bats. But he is just 1-for-7 lifetime against Kazmir. |
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| Giants after Uggla? | Saturday 10/11, 2:47 PM CT |
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It is possible that the San Francisco Giants will make an attempt to acquire Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Our View: Uggla hit 32 bombs last year, while driving in 92 runs. The team really could use a power bat, which Uggla certainly provides. |
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| Weathers suffers injury | Saturday 10/11, 2:26 PM CT |
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Rockies hurler Casey Weathers was holding his elbow and had to leave an instructional league game after throwing a pitch, according to the Denver Post.
Our View: That's certainly bad news for the pitcher Colorado drafted with the eighth overall selection in 2007. No word yet on the extent of the injury. |
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| Walker, Correia among those outrighted | Saturday 10/11, 12:03 PM CT |
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The San Francisco Giants outrighted Tyler Walker, Kevin Correia, Scott McClain, Ivan Ochoa, Geno Espineli and Eliezer Alfonzo off of their 40-man roster, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Our View: Walker was decent, throwing 53.1 innings with a 1.28 WHIP and 4.56 ERA while averaging 8.27 K/9. Each player can choose to become a free agent or accept a demotion to the minor leagues. |
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| Hennessey outrighted | Saturday 10/11, 11:58 AM CT |
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Giants hurler Brad Hennessey was outrighted by the team, meaning he was taken off their 40-man roster, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Our View: Hennessey had an awful year, spending part of it in Triple-A. He had a 7.81 ERA in 40.1 innings with a 1.93 WHIP this year. |
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| Jays expected to pick up option | Saturday 10/11, 11:30 AM CT |
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The Toronto Blue Jays are likely going to pick up the $2.5 million option on catcher Rod Barajas, and open the season with him as the starter, according to BlueJays.com.
Our View: Barajas hit .249 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI in 349 at-bats. He is not a solid option in mixed leagues due to his poor batting average and OBP (.294), but may have value in AL-only leagues. |
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| Neshek will throw | Saturday 10/11, 9:47 AM CT |
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Twins reliever Pat Neshek, who had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow, will be able to throw off a mound in about two weeks, according to the AP.
Our View: Neshek is expected to be able to pitch in mid-November in instructional league games before making his way to spring training with Minnesota. |
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| Papelbon sets record | Saturday 10/11, 9:09 AM CT |
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With his three-out save Friday, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon set a new postseason record for consecutive scoreless inning with 20.2, according to MLB.com.
Our View: Joe Niekro had the old record at 20 innings. Papelbon is dominant and should continue to be a fantastic option for fantasy owners for years to come. |
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| Billingsley shifts blame to Martin | Saturday 10/11, 8:37 AM CT |
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Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley was horrid in the team's loss to the Phillies, and put part of the blame for his 2.1 inning debacle in which he allowed seven earned runs on catcher Russell Martin, according to Amy Nelson of ESPN.com. "I felt good; I felt I had good stuff. I didn't do well [Friday] and I didn't get the job done and I think pitch selection was kind of what the problem was," Billingsley said.
Our View: If Billingsley didn't like the pitch selection, he does have the authority to shake Martin off. Joe Torre has a way of dealing with these things, so we don't expect this to be a festering issue down the road. |
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| Saito throws | Saturday 10/11, 8:32 AM CT |
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Dodger reliever Takashi Saito, who is not on the team's roster for the NLCS, threw 40 pitches in a side session and reported no problems, according to the L.A. Times.
Our View: Saito will throw again when the team travels back to L.A. We suppose it's possible that he could pitch in the World Series, but the Dodgers have a pretty big hole to climb out of. |
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| Kershaw used out of 'pen | Saturday 10/11, 8:26 AM CT |
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Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief during Game 2, making it more likely that Derek Lowe will start Game 4 for the team, according to the L.A. Times.
Our View: It was thought that Kershaw might be saved for Game 4, but the Dodgers needed help out of the 'pen when Chad Billingsley imploded. |
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| Percival not present | Saturday 10/11, 7:54 AM CT |
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Rays reliever Troy Percival was left off the ALCS roster, but was not with the team and may have left for his home in California, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: Other players who were left off the roster were with the team, and it was known that Percival wanted to be put on, so it reflects poorly on him not to show up and support the organization. |
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| Price may see action | Saturday 10/11, 7:51 AM CT |
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Rays hurler David Price can be utilized as a situational lefty against Boston because Edwin Jackson can be the team's long reliever now that he's on the roster, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Our View: The Boston lineup features left-handers like David Ortiz, J.D. Drew, Mark Kotsay and Jacoby Ellsbury, whom Price can now face in tough situations instead of waiting for long relief work. |
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| Good news for Bonds? | Saturday 10/11, 7:37 AM CT |
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A federal judge gave six months of home confinement, and not prison time, to a bicycle racer named Tammy Thomas who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice concerning the BALCO case, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The news is seen as a positive sign for Barry Bonds, whose trial will be under the same judge.
Our View: Judge Susan Illston said that putting the Thomas in prison for the prosecution's recommended 30 months would be unfair considering that Victor Conte got just four months. |
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