MLB Fantasy News 2010

[HacheMan]

Oh, Valencia

First order of business: I understand that at this point of the baseball season, the only reason you would even scour the waiver wire is because you still have a legitimate shot at actually winning your league. Or, at the very least, making things interesting. If so, kudos. I hope this column has played at least a small part in making that happen.

More broadly, many of us who play fantasy baseball also play fantasy football. I always see this as a good thing. You see, as people begin to obsess over who to start in their flex spot, they may miss an important piece of baseball news that could make a real difference down the stretch. Yes, it's sad that another fantasy baseball season is drawing to a close, but there are still opportunities to be found.

MIXED LEAGUES:

Ryan Madson RP, Phillies (Yahoo: 27 percent owned, ESPN: 10.6 percent)

As you probably know by now, Brad Lidge hyperextended his elbow over the weekend and was unavailable to pitch Tuesday night. He expects to be ready to pitch Friday against the Mets, but remember that he is coming off elbow surgery last November. It makes plenty of sense to pick up Madson until he proves he is close to 100 percent. There are some who doubt whether he has what it takes to close, but consider that he has a ridiculous 1.57 ERA to go along with a 46/4 K/BB ratio since coming off the disabled list from a broken toe at the start of July. That's one elite insurance policy.

Ike Davis 1B, Mets (Yahoo: 18 percent owned, ESPN: 22.3 percent)

Davis has generally been one of the game's least productive first baseman since the end of June, but he is finally starting to show signs of being a useful property in mixed leagues. The 23-year-old rookie is batting .349 (22-for-63) with a .488 on-base percentage and an impressive 17/17 K/BB ratio over his last 19 games. After failing to hit a home run for more than a month, he has went deep three times in his last five games. Play him while he's hot, especially in leagues where you need to fill a CI spot.

Ian Kennedy SP, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 27 percent owned, ESPN: 18.3 percent)

Don't give up on Kennedy just yet. After going 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA and a 23/6 K/BB ratio in his last three starts, the Diamondbacks have softened on their stance of limiting him to around 180 innings this season. Things could change if he begins to show some fatigue -- he's currently at 173 innings -- but it sounds as if he has a pretty good chance to make his last few starts. This weekend's matchup against the red-hot Rockies may scare some fantasy owners off, but he'll face the last-place Pirates next week.

Casey Blake 3B, Dodgers (Yahoo: 41 percent owned, ESPN: 14.5 percent)

Blake's best days as a fantasy performer are probably behind him, but you wouldn't know it by how he's been hitting lately. The 37-year-old third baseman is batting .333/.407/.514 with two home runs, seven doubles, nine RBI and a 921 OPS over his last 20 games. I'm alarmed by the way he has fallen off against right-handed pitching this season, but the good news is that he is still destroying lefties. And wouldn't you know it, he'll face J.A. Happ and Wandy Rodriguez this weekend. You know what to do.

Vicente Padilla SP, Dodgers (Yahoo: 14 percent owned, ESPN: 6.1 percent)

No, Padilla didn't look so hot in his return from the disabled list Monday against the Padres, but I'll give him a mulligan since it was his first start since August 15. Instead, I'll bank on the pitcher who has a 4.07 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and an excellent 84/24 K/BB ratio over 95 innings (16 starts) this season. There's no reason to be shy in mixed leagues, especially with the Astros on tap for Saturday. Though they have looked like something resembling a real baseball team lately, they are still the second lowest scoring team in the National League this season.

Julio Borbon OF, Rangers (Yahoo: 25 percent owned, ESPN: 27.2 percent)

Borbon is yet another draft day sleeper that hasn't quite lived up to the hype. It happens. Fortunately for fantasy owners, he's easy to pick up in most mixed formats at the moment. The 24-year-old outfielder is batting .306 with three doubles, six RBI, two stolen bases and eight runs scored over his last 20 games and has hit safely in each of his last five starts. Considering that Josh Hamilton is banged up and will almost certainly get some extra rest once the Rangers wrap up the division, Borbon should play nearly every day as the regular season winds down.

Nick Blackburn SP, Twins (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 3.2 percent)

Blackburn has been absolutely brilliant since returning from the minors at the end of August, posting a 2.28 ERA and 17/5 K/BB ratio over three starts and one relief appearance. Fantasy owners shouldn't bank on the extra strikeouts going forward, but the good news is that he is inducing plenty of groundballs and showing the plus-command we've come to expect from him. With the Twins on a roll, he's a promising spot-start option against the last-place Indians on Saturday.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

(Note: Players included are owned in less than 10 percent of Y! and ESPN leagues)

Michael Brantley OF, Indians (Yahoo: 9 percent owned, ESPN: 1.3 percent)

If you really think about it, Brantley's early struggles have actually turned out to be something of a blessing in disguise for fantasy owners. You see, masked by a lousy .233 batting average on the year, the 23-year-old outfielder is batting .299/.346/.393 with two home runs, three doubles, one triple, six stolen bases and 18 runs scored in 1172 at-bats since his latest recall from the minors on August 6. With proven on-base skills and the plus-wheels to match, he should be on your radar if you are in the hunt for runs and stolen bases.

Danny Espinosa 2B, Nationals (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 5.3 percent)

It only took one week for Espinosa to graduate from an NL-only option to a mixed property. And why not? The 23-year-old is 9-for-22 (.409) with three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI over his first seven major league games. We've already witnessed some of his power, but get ready to see some of the speed that helped him swipe 25 bases in the minors this season. Jim Riggleman said he could see time out of the leadoff spot with Nyjer Morgan expected to begin serving his suspension Friday. Espinosa is the perfect speculative play if you've been getting squad out of your MI spot lately.

Justin Masterson SP, Indians (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 0.9 percent)

This one comes with a rather obvious caveat. Masterson is currently at 166 innings and is expected to finish the season as a reliever in order to limit his workload. But even if you'll only be able to use him in one start against the Angels next week, it could be worth it. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 1.74 ERA and a 15/6 K/BB ratio over his last three starts, allowing two runs or less in each of them. He tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Angels on Monday and could make for a nice spot-start option in a rematch. Just don't look for much beyond that.


Danny Valencia 3B, Twins (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 5.3 percent)

Valencia hasn't played in nearly a week due to a hamstring injury, but he is slated to return to the starting lineup Friday night against the Indians. I'm waiting for his .385 batting average on balls in play to catch up with him -- and it will eventually -- but a .343 batting average over 216 at-bats is nothing to sneeze at. I'm skeptical that he'll actually hit enough to stick at the hot corner in the long-term -- so be careful in keeper leagues -- but he's well worth trying if you use a CI spot.



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AL ONLY:

Casper Wells OF, Tigers (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 1.4 percent)

If you are considering picking up Wells based on his current .327 batting average, you are doing it wrong. The 25-year-old outfielder had a modest .250 batting average over six seasons in the minors and struggled to make contact, striking out more than 28 percent of the time. That's okay, though. Wells possesses enough power and speed to make it worth your while. He's a nice late-season sleeper, but recognize that he had a 952 OPS against lefties in the minors compared to a 778 OPS against right-handers.

Trevor Bell SP, Angels (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.7 percent)

Bell continues to get by with a little help from his friends. The schedule-makers, that is. The 23-year-old right-hander has taken advantage of some of the league's worst offenses (BAL, SEA, CLE) to allow two runs or less in each of his last three starts. And fortunately for him, he's scheduled to get the Indians again next week. Joel Pineiro will probably reclaim his spot in the starting rotation eventually, so this is all about short-term gains.

NL ONLY:

Cory Luebke SP, Padres (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)

Look for Luebke to be the hot waiver wire add of the day Thursday. And for good reason. The 25-year-old left-hander was brilliant in his second major league start Wednesday against the Dodgers, allowing just two hits over six shutout innings while striking out seven and walking just one. It should be enough for him to stay in the starting rotation, at least for now. He hasn't proven enough to be a decent streaming option in mixed leagues, especially with a matchup at Colorado next week, but his command the strike zone (2.1 BB/9 in the minors) should keep him in most games.

Nick Hundley C, Padres (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.4 percent)

There aren't many Padres hitters who have actually played well lately, but Hundley is a notable exception. The 27-year-old backstop is batting .370 (10-for-27) with four doubles, two home runs and seven RBI over his last nine games and has hit safely in six out of his last seven starts. While he is in a timeshare behind the plate, consider that Yorvit Torrealba is batting just .215 since the start of August. Don't be surprised if Padres manager Bud Black plays the hot hand.

Edinson Volquez SP, Reds (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 8.7 percent)

Volquez was admittedly awful in his first go-around after Tommy John surgery, posting a 6.17 ERA and 36/27 K/BB ratio over eight starts before being sent to Single-A Dayton to work on his mechanics. In turn, Volquez was excellent over two starts with the Dragons, allowing four runs (two earned), posting an encouraging 19/4 K/BB ratio. Let's hope his problems are solved. It's very possible that Aaron Harang will be ousted from the starting rotation, which means Volquez could start against the Pittsburgh on Saturday. In case you forgot, the Pirates are the lowest scoring team in the National League this season. Worth a shot.

 

[HacheMan]

NL Leading the Way

Much like last week, our latest edition of The Week Ahead features a much deeper slate of two-start pitchers in the National League. In fact, the upcoming week features perhaps the thinnest group of two-start pitchers for the Junior Circuit, since every AL club has at least one day off. To be sure, you'll still find a few ace-caliber pitchers listed for the AL (see "Strong Plays" below) but beyond them the field is thin. Plenty more options for NL-only owners this week.

Going Twice...



American League

Strong Plays

John Danks: MIN (Liriano), DET (Verlander)
Francisco Liriano: @CWS (Liriano), OAK (Braden)
CC Sabathia: @TB (Price), @BAL (Tillman)
David Price: NYY (Sabathia), LAA (Bell)
Jon Lester: @SEA (Fister), TOR (Rzepczynski)

Decent Plays

Justin Masterson: LAA (Bell), @KC (Bannister)
Dallas Braden: @KC (Hochevar), @MIN (Liriano)
Doug Fister: BOS (Matsuzaka), TEX (Lee)

At Your Own Risk

Brian Bannister: OAK (Braden), CLE (Masterson)
Mike Rzepczynski: @BAL (Matusz), @BOS (Lester)
Trevor Bell: @CLE (Masterson), @TB (Price)
Jake Arrieta: TOR (Rzepczynski), NYY (Sabathia)

National League

Strong Plays

Bronson Arroyo: ARI (Enright), @HOU (Figueroa)
Travis Wood: ARI (Hudson), @HOU (Myers)
Brett Myers: MIL (Narveson), CIN (Wood)
Clayton Kershaw: @SF (Zito), COL
R.A. Dickey: PIT (McDonald), ATL (Lowe)
Jon Garland: @COL (Hammel), @STL (Wainwright)
Jaime Garcia: CHC (Silva), SD (Luebke)
Adam Wainwright: CHC (Wells), SD (Garland)

Decent Plays

Barry Enright: @CIN (Arroyo), @PIT (McDonald)
Dan Hudson: @CIN (Wood), @PIT (Duke)
Derek Lowe: @WAS (Maya), @NYM (Dickey)
Carlos Silva: @STL (Garcia), @FLA (Volstad)
Chris Volstad: PHI (Blanton), CHC (Silva)
Joe Blanton: @FLA (Volstad), @WAS (Maya)
Barry Zito: LAD (Kershaw), MIL (Narveson)

At Your Own Risk

James McDonald: @NYM, ARI (Enright)
Zach Duke: @NYM (Dickey), ARI (Hudson)
Chris Narveson: @HOU (Myers), @SF (Zito)
Cory Luebke: @COL (Cook), @STL (Garcia)
Yunesky Maya: @ATL (Lowe), @PHI (Blanton)


Streamer City



The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:

American League

Friday, 9/17: Wade Davis vs. LAA
Davis is 6-0 since the start of July and has generally been extremely effective when healthy, as he is now.

Saturday, 9/18: Carlos Carrasco @ KC
The talented young hurler is getting a late look in the Indians rotation and is a good bet to succeed in favorable match-ups such as this one.

National League

Wednesday, 9/15: Mike Minor vs. WAS
Minor has pitched better than his bloated ERA indicates, and can be trusted in those home start against the Nationals.

Wednesday, 9/15: Homer Bailey vs. ARI
Bailey has not proven himself to be a consistently reliable option, but look for him to step up at home this week against the strikeout-prone Diamondbacks.

Friday, 9/17: Ian Kennedy @ PIT
Kennedy has allowed only three runs over his past three starts, notching 23 strikeouts during the 22-inning span.

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Total Games



American League

5: DET, TEX
6: BAL, BOS, CWS, CLE, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, OAK, SEA, TB, TOR

National League

6: ATL, CHC, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, PHI, SF, WAS
7: ARI, CIN, NYM, PIT, SD, STL


Lefty/Righty Breakdown



American League

BAL: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
BOS: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CWS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CLE: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 3 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIN: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SEA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TOR: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP

National League

ARI: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
FLA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
HOU: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
NYM: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PIT: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SD: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
STL: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
WAS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP


The Infirmary



You can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's Injury Page, but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:

Josh Johnson: Out for the season
Ricky Nolasco: Out for the season
Dustin Pedroia: Out for the season
Aaron Cook: Out for the season

 

[HacheMan]

Let Them Pull Already
Maybe managers should just let the players play sometimes, eh? We had the whole dustup between Colby Rasmus and Tony La Russa last weekend, and apparently it was at least partially about Rasmus pulling too many balls.

Well, you know what? Pulling the ball leads to a lot of power. Jose Bautista has pulled every single one of his league-leading 44 home runs, and Rasmus has pulled all but one of his. There's some that feel that it's not taking advantage of the whole field, but pulling the ball gives a distinct advantage when it comes to power, if just because of the dynamics of a swing.

Rasmus must have cleared his head somewhat, or he must have come to some sort of agreement with his manager, because he's started four straight games and he went four for four last night with two home runs that were pulled. All of his hits were to right field. Perhaps this was some elaborate ruse perpetuated by Tony La Russa to get favorable pitches for his young left-hander to pull. Or perhaps Rasmus is just playing like he should, and taking advantage of the strengths he has.

* At least Rasmus is healthy. Jason Heyward wasn't so lucky, as he left Thursday's game with an apparent leg injury after hustling down the first base line on a bunt attempt. Hopefully it was a cramp, as it didn't look serious. Hamstring injuries can be tough though, so keeping him out of your fantasy lineup for a day at least might be a good idea.

* Bud Norris won a strong game against the Dodgers by giving up only three hits and four walks while striking out seven in six innings Thursday night. Norris is a strong pickup for managers looking for strikeouts and strikeouts alone, but his walk rate and flyball rate both make him a risky pickup in most cases. His slider is his best pitch right now and he really needs to make some strides with the rest of his repertoire to really cash in on the rest of his upside.

* Not one to push matters, Andre Ethier took a lot of pitches Thursday night and ended up with three walks and a home run in four plate appearances. He's seen a little bit of a power drop since he hurt his pinky, but right now his power numbers are actually right at his career levels. If you don't expect thirty home runs from him every season, Ethier is a valuable outfielder in all formats.

* Andy Pettitte had four strikeouts in four innings on a rehab start in Double-A last night. He looked ready to go, and if he's fine today, he might be back in the Yankees starting rotation very soon. He hasn't really been as good as he's looked this year, but with that lineup behind him and his still-solid control, he'll always win games.

NL Quick Hits: Brandon Lyon picked up his 14th save and is looking safer even with Matt Lindstrom back in the fold … Chris Johnson hit a three-run home run, but his minor league track record doesn't suggest that this is sustainable … Jair Jurrjens had a bad start - he gave up seven runs - but his rates are mostly the same other than his currently depressed groundball rate … Placido Polanco is playing with an elbow fracture that will need offseason repair … Jimmy Rollins (hamstring) should be back soon … Rockies infielder Chris Nelson stole home for the decisive run against the Reds Thursday night, but doesn't look like he'll get enough playing time to be fantasy relevant … Drew Stubbs hit a home run and is a decent .263/.322/.434 since the break, numbers which would certainly play in a league with the outfield spots broken out … Jay Bruce took another batting session and looked good, but no details are available, beyond his hope to play this weekend … Orlando Cabrera re-injured his oblique but hopes to play today … Aaron Cook (toe) might be done for the season.

AL Quick Hits: Jose Valverde will rest his tender elbow for the next few days, meaning Phil Coke and Ryan Perry will see some chances for a while … Bobby Jenks has ulnar neuritis and is day-to-day apparently, and now Matt Thornton and J.J. Putz are both healthy and ready to steal his job suddenly …. Colby Lewis struck out eight and kept the Jays to one hit Thursday night, and can keep doing this as long as he trusts that great slider … Elvis Andrus (hamstring) will be back today … The Rays sent Matt Gorgen, a right-handed minor-league closer, to the Diamondbacks to complete the Chad Qualls trade … Freddy Garcia (back) will try to make his next start Sunday after getting an epidural … Rick Porcello got the win by walking no-one and getting two-thirds of his balls on the ground, a blueprint he could follow for success in the future … Brent Morel got the start at third base for the White Sox with Mark Teahen hurting, but doesn't really walk enough or have enough power to really register on the fantasy scene.

 

[HacheMan]

Tis the Season for Downed Aces
This is the way your season ends. This is the way your season ends, with a strain, a barking elbow and a team out of contention. This is the way a fantasy season ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper - and a trip to the disabled list.

Late in the season, teams that aren't in the race don't really have much motivation to run their hurting aces out to the mound. On Friday, the news came down that Johan Santana will need surgery on the anterior capsule of this throwing shoulder. Though it's shoulder surgery, the prognosis won't be known until the surgery is actually performed. If the labrum and the cuff aren't involved, it might only be six months (or mid-March) until Santana throws again. If those more difficult body parts are involved, it could be as much as two years until Santana is right again. Remember this when you consider him as a keeper and a draft pick in 2011, especially since Santana's strikeout and swinging strike rates have been in a steady decline since joining the Mets.

The other starter facing a premature end to his 2010 season is Josh Johnson. The Florida ace has been nothing short of spectacular this year, and he's been showing the best secondary rates of his career as well. Johnson may join Ricky Nolasco on the pine for the rest of the year due to his back and shoulder problems, but it's not a sure thing just yet. He won't start Wednesday and more news will come this week. H2H owners hate this time of year for good reason, as they struggle to keep their pitching staff together in the playoffs.

* Billy Butler had a nice day, going three for four with a home run against the White Sox on Sunday, but it was a first baseman that was drafted many rounds later that proved to be the best fantasy first baseman in the game. That's right, Paul Konerko hit two home runs and drove in five in that same matchup, bringing him to 36 and 104 on the season.

Butler was a sexy pick going into the season, and Konerko looked like he was in his decline phase, but it's worth picking out why these seasons ended up like they did. The main problem with Butler is that he continues to hit the ball on the ground, with his fourth straight season of steady groundball rates close to 50%. Konerko, on the other hand, has only crossed the 40% threshold a handful of times in his career. That's a significant difference, as balls need to go into the air in order to leave the park most of the time.

Though Butler walks a fair amount, and doesn't strike out much at all for a first baseman, he also has below-average power when compared to all major league baseball players - which means his bat really won't play at first base without major changes. He can be an okay utility player because of his nice batting averages, but he needs to put the ball in the air with some authority before he can again be thought of as a nice fantasy sleeper at his position.

* Don't look now, but Jimmy Rollins had an MRI Sunday on the hamstring he tweaked last Wednesday. Results haven't been released yet, but it's been such a terrible season for Rollins that he is plummeting down 2011 draft lists as we speak. Not only have his power numbers been down, but his speed numbers have also suffered this year. He looks squarely in his decline phase as a 31- going on 32-year-old middle infielder. If he drops far enough, his upside is worth a gamble, but he's not looking like an elite shortstop any longer.

* The flip side of teams losing their starters, the best part of September, is that teams get to call up their prospects and see what they've got. The Blue Jays will call up Kyle Drabek for three starts this month, and he just might make a decent spot start even in mixed leagues. He had an excellent season in Double-A this year, with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Though his strikeout rate wasn't excellent (7.3 K/9), he supplemented it with a nice groundball rate that suggests that he could still be a good major league starter.

* The White Sox bullpen has been up and down all year despite being full of decent options. Bobby Jenks (forearm and elbow pain) has actually been showing some of the best rates of his career, but injury and poor luck have made his season seem worse than it should appear. He has no timetable for his return, as the team waits for him to feel better. Matt Thornton is healthy now, and should be the closer in most situations, but lefty Chris Sale is lights-out right now and will also factor in, as he did with two saves late last week. J.J. Putz is also healthy, but has been struggling recently.

* People seem to love J.A. Happ - people like Ed Wade, who just traded for him. He had a typical Happ-ian outing Friday night, with 102 pitches in five one-run innings. Actually, he often walks much more than the one batter he walked, but let's not get too down on him. Some similar love used to go to Joe Saunders - these guys "find ways to win," the saying might go. But now we've seen what Saunders can do in the weaker league, and doubt should begin to seep in about pitchers that don't strike out batters at a league-average rate and also give up lots of fly balls. Of course, Happ strikes out about two batters per game more than Saunders, so this is overstating the case a little. But before getting too excited about Happ, it's worth looking at the similarities between the two pitchers.

NL Quick Hits: Albert Pujols is dealing with a shoulder issue but will play through it as usual and homered Sunday … Brad Lidge (elbow) says he's ready to go but has't seen game-time action yet … 31-year old rookie Andres Torres has been a great story, but he's been scuffling late and will be out up to two weeks after an appendectomy Sunday … Pablo Sandoval's struggles have led to missed time… Jay Bruce (ribs) should be back Tuesday, says his manager … It was nice to see Jose Reyes (oblique) rejoin the lineup; even nicer was his manager saying he'll play most days going forward … Edinson Volquez replaced Aaron Harang in the rotation and shut out the Pirates through seven innings on Saturday, with ten strikeouts and only one walk, demonstrating his upside for the stretch run … Jorge De La Rosa has similar strikeout appeal, with his own ten-K performance over the weekend, but also has control issues and is best used with strikeouts in mind … Justin Upton (shoulder) pinch-ran over the weekend but won't hit until early this week … Chris Young (shoulder) threw 5 2/3 shutout innings in Single-A and thinks he's ready to join the team soon … Aramis Ramirez (quad) pinch-hit Sunday and should play this week … Teammate Carlos Silva will miss his Monday start with a strain in his elbow; Jeff Samardzija should take his place and both should be avoided for now … Tom Gorzelanny (pinkie) threw a bullpen and will throw another before a decision is made … Brad Penny (lat) is done for the season, confirms his manager … Mike Stanton homered twice Sunday and is on an absolute power tear; he should be in all lineups now … Jason Bay (concussion) reports that his headaches are gone and he still thinks he can get back this year … We knew managers managed with the save stat in mind, but Brewers manager Ken Macha took the cake by saying that Mat Gamel will get a start or two at third only once Casey McGehee reaches 100 RBI.

AL Quick Hits: Josh Hamilton (ribs) had an MRI that told him his ribs were bruised, but no timetable is set … Nick Swisher (knee) says he's not feeling any better yet … Though he thinks he's fine, Brett Gardner (wrist) will get an MRI on Monday, more news TBA … Joel Piniero (oblique) should return to the major league rotation this week after a sharp rehab start Sunday … Kevin Slowey had his second start back from the DL and held the Indians to zero earned runs while walking none and striking out five in five innings Sunday … Scott Baker (elbow) played catch and wants to throw a bullpen this week … Carlos Carrasco had a nice start against the Twins and is an excellent spot start in all leagues this month … The Athletics signed Akinori Iwamura, who could start some at third base with Kevin Kouzmanoff hurting and relative non-prospect Steve Tolleson getting at-bats currently … Nicked-up Mike Gonzalez came back with a poor outing and closer Koji Uehara seems safe for now … Desmond Jennings had a nice start in a rest day for Carl Crawford, but until the AL East is a laugher, he won't get a ton of time … Justin Masterson will be a starter next year, despite being moved to relieving this season in order to keep his innings down … The Red Sox moved Marco Scutaro (rotator cuff) to second base for the weekend, meaning Jed Lowrie may get more time down the stretch … Freddy Garcia (back) was scratched from his Sunday start … Wade Davis only gave up one run in seven against the Blue Jays Saturday and has been outperforming fellow Rays youngster Jeff Niemann since their returns from the DL … Brett Cecil had a poor start over the weekend and admitted to battling fatigue; he's a shutdown risk … Scott Kazmir has been so bad that he's not guaranteed a rotation spot next year, says his manager … Travis Hafner will get four game on, then one game of rest in order to manage his chronic shoulder problem … The similarly-challenged Carlos Guillen (knee) is having surgery that will keep him out the rest of the year.

 

[HacheMan]

Meat Dresses on Easy Street

Look, I didn't watch the MTV Video Music Awards live. It's just not the kind of thing that goes on my television calendar. But from some of the coverage of the event, it looks like I missed something… monumental. I'm not sure if it was terrifically bad or good, but it sure seems to say something about our culture, and loudly at that.

In that vein, this week's tiers are named after performers at the VMAs, ranked by their monumentality. Once again, you get to decide if they were atrocious or incredible, but either way, these five "musicians" pushed the needle pretty far in a direction.


Tier 1: Elite (3) (AKA: The "Lady GaGa meat dress" Tier.)


Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals
Heath Bell, San Diego Padres


Tier 2: Rock Steady (6) (AKA: The "Katy Perry's basically naked dress" Tier.)


Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves
Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay Rays
Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants
Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers
Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox

Jonathan Papelbon continues his slide down the list by blowing a save, walking two and hitting a batter in his last 4 1/3 innings. After attending a game between the Red Sox and Athletics this week, it even seems like batters and opposing fans don't fear the closer face like they used to. That's a subjective rather than analytical statement, but he's also showing the worst rates of his career. Papelbon might benefit from a lack of postseason work this fall, and he's still a keeper until injury or trade changes his role.


Tier 3: OK options (6) (AKA: The "Those guys look like they are trying really, really hard" Tier.)


Huston Street, Colorado Rockies
Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics
Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians
Matt Capps, Minnesota Twins
Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals
David Aardsma, Seattle Mariners

Comment:
Huston Street moves up the list not only because he hasn't blown a save since August 20th, but also because his team is playing lights-out right now and providing him plenty of chances to rack up saves. Add in the fact that there's no obvious competition in the pen, and he's looking more and more solid every day. His 11 strikeouts against two walks in his last eight innings would agree.


Tier 4: Question marks (6) (AKA: The "What's that little kid drinking" Tier.)


Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies
Koji Uehara, Baltimore Orioles
Kevin Gregg, Toronto Blue Jays

Drew Storen, Washington Nationals

John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers
Fernando Rodney, Los Angeles Angels

Comment:
Walk rates take a long time before they are set in stone, but we've now got fifty innings from John Axford in which he has shown his new and improved control and it looks like it might stick. This doesn't make him a good keeper for next year - his career walk rate, a much better predictor of future success - is still way to close to five to be a reliable closer year-in and year-out. But for now, Trevor Hoffman has his 600 saves and Axford looks safe and steady as the Brewers' closer.

Drew Storen may look a little out of place here, but it's not his fault that his team has not produced a chance for a save in September. Bad teams eventually produce close games, though, and Storen is just around the bend from a run of saves. He's pitched well enough in his recent appearances to prove that he is alone atop that Nationals bullpen, already.

Fernando Rodney has one foot in the final tier, but remains safe for now. He's not showing the rates of an above-average reliever, let alone a closer. But he is under contract for 2011 and there's only a fireballing rookie (Jordan Walden) and a wild journeyman (Kevin Jepsen) threatening him in the pen. Neither of those choices really seems like the kind that would appeal to a team led by Mike Scioscia.


Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (8) (AKA: The "Kanye West attempts to learn how to use his equipment while on stage" Tier.)

Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds
Hong-Chih Kuo, Los Angeles
Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh Pirates
Hisanori Takahashi, New York Mets
Juan Gutierrez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros

Clay Hensley, Florida Marlins

Matt Thornton / Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

Ryan Perry / Phil Coke, Detroit Tigers

Comment:
Everyone may think that Leo Nunez will get his job back shortly, but Clay Hensley isn't really giving the team a reason to do so. He racked up three saves this week, and though only getting two strikeouts in his 4 1/3 innings isn't too impressive, his rates on the year are still nice.

That might just as well describe the situation in Los Angeles as well. Jonathon Broxton, like Nunez, is a strong reliever - and he's even got a longer track record than the Marlin. While the big Dodger's fastball is down a couple ticks from last year, it's right on his career levels, and the random bounce of the ball is actually a much better explanation for his troubles. No matter, Hong-Chih Kuo hasn't blown a save or grabbed his elbow in pain while accruing three saves over the past two weeks and is looking about as safe as a reliever not named Mariano Rivera can feel in a Joe Torre bullpen. Of course, this means that a change is coming this week.

Francisco Cordero seems like a 'proven closer,' and as a veteran he may get more leash from Dusty Baker than he otherwise would, but he's also looking like a terrible closer these days. Once you factor in his salary, he's got to be one of the worst values in the game. He's had neutral luck on batted balls this year, and has still blown eight saves thanks to a walk rate over five. He strikes out a below-average number of batters for a closer, too. Oh, and there's some guy named Aroldis Chapman in the pen behind him that could do his job better than him. At this point, with one save, two blown saves, and twice as many walks as strikeouts in September, even young Nick Masset looks like a better option.

The news out of Pittsburgh is that Evan Meek will get some save chances going forward, but he doesn't throw as hard or strike out as many batters as Joel Hanrahan, and both are under team control for the next couple of years. Meek has also been struggling lately, and his nice groundball rate works well with runners on base - he's got the chance to be a great setup man. This is Hanrahan's job to lose.

Injury has led to two messy bullpen situations at the bottom of the list. More on Bobby Jenks below, but for the time being his elbow and forearm issues will keep him out, and Matt Thornton and his excellent fastball will get many chances. Don't count out rookie Chris Sale, who was drafted this year, but is a lefty with big velocity and a great sense on the mound. Ozzie Guillen has touted Sale as his closer, but he's not the most predictable of managers.

In Detroit, Jose Valverde has been out a week, and the Tigers have produced only one save chance. Ryan Perry took it, and he's supposedly the closer of the future, but Phil Coke might get some saves when a lefty is needed.

<CENTER>* * * * * * * * * *</CENTER>


Injured

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins (Out for the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow)
Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets (needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb)
Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox (elbow/forearm)
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers (tender elbow)

Comment:
It's been a tough year for Bobby Jenks, who has had poor luck mask some of his best peripheral stats of his career. Now his forearm and elbow are barking and he's sitting down for the time being. There's not timetable, and he's not going on the disabled list just yet, but he's out.

Jose Valverde has looked elite and lost at separate times this season, and now his elbow is tender. He's been out of commission for a week now without much in the way of daily updates about his condition. The team has been acting like it's not a big deal, but as they fall further from contention, they become more likely to rest their expensive reliever.

The Deposed:
Frank Francisco, Texas Rangers
Jason Frasor, Toronto Blue Jay
Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles
Chad Qualls, Tampa Bay Rays
Kerry Wood, New York Yankees
Octavio Dotel, Los Angeles Dodgers
Jon Rauch, Minnesota Twins
Alfredo Simon, Baltimore Orioles

<CENTER>* * * * * * * * * *</CENTER>

The Steals Department

Late in the season, it's tough to come up with new names in this portion of your weekly Saves and Steals piece. Do a search for the last two weeks, all batters, sorted by stolen bases, and you'll find a litany of players that have been covered in this space. Coco Crisp is on fire, and we talked about him as soon as he returned from his injury. Eric Young Jr comes in about half-way down the first page of results with four bags in that timeframe, and we pointed you his way just a few weeks ago. Even Roger Bernadina, Michael Brantley and Jose Tabata have been featured here and come up in the first page of results. In any case, it's at least worth reminding you of these excellent threats, listed in this paragraph in the order of their impact on the category.

We must soldier on in any case, and the shallow-league recommendation this week goes to Nate McLouth, who has finally returned from his concussion systems and ineffective play and is absolutely on fire. He doesn't strike out as much as Rick Ankiel, and he walks more as the former pitcher as well, so he's already ahead in the battle. Over the past week, McLouth is hitting close to .500 as all the balls that previously found gloves are finding grass. He can be a streaky player, and he's suddenly played in five straight, so the stars may be aligned for a McLouth pickup right now.

Deep-leaguers have to hold their nose this time of the year. Emilio Bonifacio is obviously not a great hitter. He doesn't walk, he doesn't hit for power, and he strikes out a little more than you'd like from a diminutive infielder. Don't worry about all of his flaws. He's hitting now, he's playing now, and he has nice speed - last year he racked up 21 steals in about 2/3 of a season. He can help you in one category at least, and while he's getting lucky with the bounce of the batted ball, he can even help in two categories short term. Realize he can turn into a pumpkin any time - that much we learned last year, the hard way - but with so few games left in the season, he's worth the risk for the right team.

 

[HacheMan]

Tampa Tango
We've just about reached the middle of September and it's about time we checked in on the divisional races around baseball.

The Yankees and Rays duked it out for 11 innings Monday with Tampa Bay's David Price throwing eight shutout innings and the Yanks' CC Sabathia turning in eight flawless frames of his own. Reid Brignac ended the night with a walkoff solo blast. The Rays are now up a half-game over the Yankees in the American League East.

The Twins and White Sox both had the night off Monday, meaning Minnesota was able to maintain its six-game lead in the American League Central standings.

The A's grabbed a 3-1 victory in Kansas City thanks to an impressive performance by 30-year-old rookie Bobby Cramer, but it didn't do much to change the look atop the American League West leaderboard. The Rangers still reign with a comfortable eight-game lead.

The Phillies brought fireworks with them to south Florida on Monday and brushed aside the Marlins with an 11-4 victory. Carlos Ruiz drove in four runs and Jayson Werth drove in two. The Braves also won, courtesy of a 12-strikeout performance by Derek Lowe, and remain just one game back of Philadelphia in the National League East.

The Reds secured their first winning season since 2000, moving to 20 games above .500 with an easy 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks Monday in Cincinnati. Jay Bruce homered twice and Joey Votto added to his MVP resume with a 2-for-4 night. Cincy now owns a seven-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central.

Last but certainly not least, the Padres were able to survive a late rally from the Rockies and hang on for a 6-4 victory in Colorado. The Friars are a half-game up over the Giants, who did not play Monday, and 2 1/2 games up over the Rox. That's the scene in baseball's National League West.

All caught up? Good. Let's hit on some other news items from around the baseball planet...

* Here's a quick life lesson: Never bet against Jon Lester, even when he appears to be at his worst. The Boston left-hander posted a 3.63 ERA in the month of July and had a hideous start against the Blue Jays in late August, but he's turning it all around now. Lester allowed just one run over eight innings Monday in Seattle and has collected a victory in four straight starts. He also became the first pitcher since Jake Peavy in 2007 to fan at least 10 batters in four straight outings. With a 17-8 record, 1.17 WHIP, a fast-falling 3.17 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 190 innings, perhaps it's not too late for the 26-year-old Lester to join the hunt for the American League Cy Young Award.

* If it weren't for fantasy baseball, Brett Myers' 2010 season might have flown under the radar. But we here at Rotoworld are well aware of the kind of numbers that he is putting up. The right-handed Myers struck out 10 batters and allowed just one run over seven innings Monday against the Brewers, improving to 12-7 on the year with a 2.85 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He's been the Astros' ace all season and should be a sneaky value pick heading into 2011.

* Often underrated in fantasy circles, Dan Uggla hit his 30th long ball of the year on Monday, becoming the first second baseman in baseball history to have four straight 30-homer seasons. He's also creeping toward a career-high RBI total and his .281 batting average is currently a three-year best. The 30-year-old is a less-than-stellar defender and has never finished with close to a .900 OPS, but he has fantastic raw power and his kind of production is rare among second basemen. Uggla is a fantasy gem.

NL Quick Hits: The Pirates will divide save chances between Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek down the stretch ... Johan Santana is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery Tuesday ... Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is batting .345 with 12 homers and 41 RBI in 43 games since the All-Star break ... Prince Fielder was scratched Monday with flu-like symptoms, snapping a 327-game streak of consecutive games played ... Jeff Samardzija earned his first win of 2010 Monday against an uninspired Cardinals team ... Marlins ace Josh Johnson has been shut down for the rest of the year ... Chris Iannetta is day-to-day with a right calf strain ... Dillon Gee has allowed just one run in his first 13 major-league innings ... Starlin Castro is battling a bruised hip ... Pirates ace James McDonald fired eight shutout innings Monday against the Mets ... Chris Narveson has allowed less than three runs in four straight starts and has fanned 30 batters in his last 26 1/3 innings ... D'Backs catcher Miguel Montero has nine homers and 41 RBI in only 73 games this season ... Tyler Colvin is day-to-day with a left elbow contusion ... Cuban defector Yunesky Maya has allowed eight runs in 11 major-league frames ... Ian Stewart is about a week from being able to play again ... Cubs starter Carlos Silva is day-to-day with elbow tendinitis ... Jim Edmonds took a successful round of batting practice Monday but is still doubtful to return this season ... The Reds acquired utilityman Willie Bloomquist from the Royals.

AL Quick Hits: Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher is scheduled for an MRI on his sore left knee Tuesday ... Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar is hitting .298 over 178 at-bats since his trade from Atlanta ... Brian Roberts suffered a bruise near his right knee Monday and is being called day-to-day ... O's starter Brian Matusz was lifted from his start Monday after just one inning due to a left triceps contusion ... Kevin Kouzmanoff, out with a sore back, is not expected to return to the A's lineup until Friday ... David DeJesus has begun playing catch but still appears unlikely to return this season ... Yankees speedster Brett Gardner is day-to-day with inflammation in his wrist ... The Red Sox have brought up left-handed reliever Rich Hill from the minors ... Scott Baker played catch over the weekend and is scheduled for a bullpen session Wednesday ... White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin is expected to return to the starting lineup Tuesday ... Chris Getz is day-to-day with a mild concussion ... Because of off-days and Andy Pettitte's return, the Yankees can and will skip Javier Vazquez in the starting rotation this week ... The A's have signed infielder Akinori Iwamura ... Carl Crawford went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Monday against the Yankees and finished the night with a ninth-inning ejection ... The Rays are expected to promote left-hander Jake McGee Tuesday for bullpen help.

 

[HacheMan]

Yankees Back In Front
It's now officially mid-September, a time of year when scoreboard-watching becomes America's favorite hobby and game results feel all the more crucial. There are three incredibly tight races this year that are likely to go down to the wire...

The Braves were shut down by veteran Livan Hernandez on Tuesday and fell to the Nationals 6-0 while the Phillies squeaked out a 2-1 victory over the Marlins thanks to a 13-strikeout performance by Cole Hamels. Philly is now two games up in the National League East.

The Yankees and Rays needed extra innings for a second straight night, and it was the Yanks this time that came away victorious. Robinson Cano finished 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI, pushing the Bombers back above Tampa by a half-game in the American League East standings. That series will finish up Wednesday.

The Padres held off a late rally by the Rockies to grab a 7-6 win on Tuesday in Colorado. Aaron Cunningham finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored while Matt Stairs hit one of his glorious pinch-hit home runs. San Diego now leads the National League West by 1 1/2 games.

Now to some news...

* Giants outfielder Andres Torres burst onto the fantasy baseball scene this year with a solid .269/.346/.476 batting line, 14 home runs, 60 RBI and 23 stolen bases in 479 at-bats. He also scored 81 runs and ranks second in the major leagues with 43 doubles. But that is probably where his 2010 stat line will stop. The 32-year-old underwent an emergency appendectomy on Tuesday and is likely to miss the rest of the regular season and probably even the playoffs, if the Giants make it. Aaron Rowand went hitless as Torres' replacement Tuesday and has just six hits in 51 at-bats since the beginning of August. Rowand is not the answer in fantasy leagues or real life. The Giants may be in a little trouble.

* Yankees veteran Andy Pettitte made his final rehab appearance Tuesday night at Double-A Trenton, allowing two runs over five innings while striking out four batters and walking only one. He's expected to return to New York's rotation on Sunday with a start against the Orioles and should be activated in fantasy lineups immediately if given clearance. The southpaw had an 11-2 big-league record, a 2.88 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 18 starts before suffering a rather serious groin injury in mid-July. Our guess is that he will flourish this September and carry a great deal of momentum into October. That's just how Pettitte rolls.

NL Quick Hits: Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols was held out Tuesday after receiving a cortisone shot in his sore left elbow ... Dodgers outfielder Scott Podsednik has been shut down for the season due to plantar fasciitis in his foot ... Jimmy Rollins, out with a hamstring injury, believes he will be ready by the end of the regular season ... D'Backs veteran Brandon Webb threw another bullpen session Tuesday and is still aiming to return as a reliever this season ... Aramis Ramirez has decided to exercise his $14.6 million player option and return to the Cubs for the 2011 season ... Barry Zito is 0-9 in his last 12 appearances despite turning in six quality starts in that span ... Jorge Sosa will make a spot start for the Marlins on Wednesday night ... Cameron Maybin remains day-to-day with the flu ... Bryce Harper will begin working out with the Nationals' instructional league team this Friday ... Ross Detwiler is likely to see one more start this season ... Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny is expected to return to the rotation next week ... Astros outfielder Brian Bogusevic will need minor foot surgery in the offseason ... Scott Hairston will test his shoulder in batting practice Tuesday ... Mets ace Johan Santana underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Tuesday ... Chris Iannetta could miss the next 5-7 games because of a calf strain ... R.A. Dickey tossed his second complete game of the season Tuesday in a 9-1 win over the Pirates ... Starlin Castro is day-to-day with a bruised left hip.

AL Quick Hits: Orioles starter Brian Matusz, who suffered a triceps contusion Monday, is expected to be fine for his next scheduled start ... Mark Teixeira has been playing with a broken right pinkie toe for two weeks and plans to continue through the discomfort ... White Sox closer Bobby Jenks was unavailable Tuesday due to an elbow issue ... Josh Hamilton felt discomfort in the area of his ribs Tuesday while swinging a bat and will remain sidelined for the time being ... The Yankees might rest Alex Rodriguez down the stretch to get him healthy for the postseason ... Scott Sizemore reached base three times Tuesday in his first major league start in almost two months ... Felix Hernandez will get six days of rest before his next two starts ... Mariano Rivera collected his 30th save of the season Tuesday against the Rays ... Jake Arrieta is likely to be shut down for the rest of the year because of a high innings total ... The Indians' Mitch Talbot is expected to make his next scheduled start despite shoulder inflammation ... Frank Francisco underwent an MRI on his sore right side Tuesday ... Julio Lugo was diagnosed with a chronic sinus infection Tuesday, explaining his absence since early September ... Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts is day-to-day with a bruised right knee ... Nick Swisher received a cortisone shot in his left knee Tuesday after an MRI showed inflammation ... Ian Kinsler has been suspended one game for returning to the field Friday for a walkoff celebration despite being ejected earlier in the night.

 

[HacheMan]

Come Sale Away
"The two prime movers in the universe are time and luck."

- Kurt Vonnegut, Hocus Pocus

Including Thursday, there are only 18 days left in the regular season, so it's about time to be realistic.

What do I mean? Well, if you are in a standard rotisserie league, you should already know where you stand in certain categories. But think about it, do you really need six closers if you are 20 saves ahead of everybody else? Maybe you need a few stolen bases to move up in the standings, for example. Are Emilio Bonifacio (mentioned below) and Carlos Gomez (three steals in his last four games) likely to hit for a high batting average over the next two and a half weeks? Not really. But it hardly matters when your team has piled up thousands of at-bats over the course of the season.

Unless you are in a head-to-head format, counting stats (typically runs, homers, RBI, stolen bases, wins, saves and strikeouts) should be your No. 1 priority at this stage of the game.

MIXED LEAGUES:

David Murphy OF, Rangers (Yahoo: 18 percent owned, ESPN: 27.3 percent)

I almost feel lazy to recommend Murphy at this point, but the fact remains that he is not owned in nearly enough leagues for my liking. While Murphy was excellent in August, but he has taken it to a new level in September, batting .380 (19-for-50) with two home runs, five doubles, 10 RBI, three stolen bases and nine runs scored. He carries a career-high 13-game hitting streak into Friday's game against the Mariners. It's rare to find this kind of this sort of power-speed threat on the cheap this late in the season, so take advantage.

Wade Davis SP, Rays (Yahoo: 18 percent owned, ESPN: 48.2 percent)

While his teammate Jeff Niemann has struggled since coming off the disabled list, Davis has thrived, going 3-0 with a 3.24 ERA and a 19/9 K/BB ratio over his last four starts, coinciding with a noticeable increase in velocity. The young right-hander is actually unbeaten over his last 10 starts, dating back to June 27. He should be picked up across all formats in anticipation of a start against the Halos on Friday night. Only the Indians, Mets, Dodgers and Mariners have scored less runs than the Angels since the All-Star break.

Nate McLouth OF, Braves (Yahoo: 30 percent owned, ESPN: 28.6 percent)

Somebody is finally showing some late signs of life. In a season muddied by injury and ineffectiveness, McLouth is batting .333 (9-for-27) with two home runs, two doubles, one triple, eight RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base so far in September. It's no guarantee of future success, but it should be enough for him to play nearly every day -- especially against right-handers -- as the Braves fight for their playoff lives. He was universally drafted this spring to his power-speed production of the past, so why not take a chance on him in deeper formats?

Emilio Bonifacio 3B/SS/OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 29.5 percent)

That's right. Last year's Opening Week sensation is back. Bonifacio is batting .400 (20-for-50) with two doubles, two triples, three RBI, three stolen bases and 13 runs scored over his first 13 games this month and has hit safely in 10 out of his last 11. Most importantly for fantasy owners, he has started each of the last eight games. No, I don't expect him to suddenly emerge as a long-term fantasy asset, but with his speed and eligibility at multiple positions, he could come in handy at a MI slot or when one of your regulars is idle.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

(Note: The following players are owned in less than 10 percent of Y! and ESPN leagues)

Chris Sale RP, White Sox (Yahoo: 7 percent owned, ESPN: 7.9 percent)

Not only is White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen not counting on Bobby Jenks to return anytime soon, he told reporters over the weekend that he is "happy" with Chris Sale as his closer. What else do you need to know? Though his command has been a little shaky, the 21-year-old left-hander has successfully converted each of his first two save opportunities while compiling a 1.10 ERA and 21 strikeouts over his first 16 1/3 major league innings. Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz and Sergio Santos could also factor in, but Sale looks like the one to target in mixed formats.

Carlos Carrasco SP, Indians (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)

Looking for a streaming option? Take note. Carrasco has a 2.18 ERA and 14/6 K/BB ratio over his first three starts since being called up from the minors, including 7 1/3 shutout frames against the red-hot Twins on Saturday. It would be folly to expect him to maintain his current groundball rate of 66.7 percent, be he did induce wormburners 46.6 percent of the time with Triple-A Columbus this season. That's plenty good. The young right-hander is a strong play against the Royals on Friday night.

Wilson Betemit 3B, Royals (Yahoo: 5 percent owned, ESPN: 8.6 percent)

It's no joke. In case you haven't noticed, Betemit is batting .448 (13-for-29) over his last seven games, including a home run and four RBI in consecutive games this week. Largely ignored in mixed leagues, the 28-year-old currently has a surprising .317 batting average to go along with a .399 on-base percentage, 12 homers, 39 RBI and a 951 OPS over 230 at-bats. There's a chance Josh Fields could find his way into the lineup here and there, but it's awful hard to sit Betemit down right now, regardless of whether he has a future in the organization. Pick him up if you are in need of some temporary punch from the CI spot.

Mike Aviles 2B/SS, Royals (Yahoo: 5 percent owned, ESPN: 9.4 percent)

Here's a sneaky one. Aviles is batting .407 (11-for-27) with two home runs, four RBI, five runs scored and a stolen base over his last six games. If that isn't enough to get your attention, just know that regular second baseman Chris Getz is sidelined indefinitely due to a concussion. Though Aviles doesn't excel in any one particular category, he comes in handy due to his dual eligibility at shortstop and second base. Try him on for size if you are looking for at-bats from the MI spot.

James McDonald SP, Pirates (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.7 percent)

Here's another spot-start possibility, as McDonald carries a 17-inning scoreless streak into an outing against the last-place Diamondbacks on Friday night. Don't act surprised. Finally given a chance to pitch every fifth day, the 26-year-old right-hander has an impressive 3.49 ERA to go along with a 44/18 K/BB ratio over his first eight starts since coming over from the Dodgers at the trade deadline. While I like McDonald as a streaming option Friday, it might even be worth using him next week against a Cardinals team that has pretty much thrown in the towel on their season.

Chris Narveson SP, Brewers (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 4.6 percent)

If you're in the market for another streaming option this weekend, Narveson isn't as crazy of an option as you might think. The southpaw has a 3.71 ERA and 51/16 K/BB ratio over 11 starts since the All-Star break, including a ridiculous 2.05 ERA and 30/8 K/BB ratio over his last four outings. Surprisingly, he has one of the most effective curveballs in baseball this season, right up there with the likes of Roy Oswalt and Jered Weaver. Don't dismiss him as a legitimate option Sunday against a Giants team that has struggled to scratch across runs in September.


<!--RW-->


AL ONLY:

Kyle Drabek SP, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 4.5 percent)

Yes, Drabek lost in his major league debut Wednesday against the Orioles, allowing three runs over six innings, but don't take that to mean that he wasn't impressive. The 22-year-old right-hander topped out at 95.3 MPH on the radar gun, striking out five and walking three, showcasing that power curveball that has made him one of the most talked pitching prospects in the minor leagues. With an upcoming outing against the light-hitting Mariners, he's a must-own in AL-only leagues and could even be used as a streaming option in mixed formats if you're feeling bold enough.

Jed Lowrie 2B/SS, Red Sox (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.5 percent)

Maybe Lowrie still has a future with the Red Sox after all. After missing most of the season due to mononucleosis, the 26-year-old infielder is batting .258 with six homers, 10 doubles, 21 runs scored and an impressive 18/18 K/BB ratio over 120 at-bats since returning from the disabled list at the end of July. With Dustin Pedroia out for the rest of the season and Marco Scutaro nursing a bad shoulder, Lowrie should continue to play nearly every day the rest of the way, making him a worthwhile target.

NL ONLY:

Justin Maxwell OF, Nationals (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

It hasn't happened yet, but rest assured, Nyjer Morgan will eventually be suspended. And when he does, the Nationals would be smart to take an extended look at Maxwell. Sure, the 26-year-old outfielder has a meager .206 batting average over his first 194 at-bats in the major leagues, but he also has nine home runs and 11 stolen bases, consistent with the power-speed potential he has flashed in the minor leagues. With a patient approach at the plate, the only thing that is separating him from success is making consistent contact. He's absolutely worth a temporary flier.

Chris Young SP, Padres (Yahoo: 7 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

After five months on the disabled list due to a troublesome right shoulder, it sounds like Young could finally make his return from the disabled list against St. Louis on Saturday. The big right-hander got the go-ahead after tossing nine shutout innings over his first two minor league rehab starts with Single-A Lake Elsinore. It's a gamble, to be sure, but could he really be any worse than what we've seen from Wade LeBlanc and Kevin Correia? I'd expect him to be subject to a pitch-count in his return, but he could surprise against a Cardinals team that has all but given up hope on the postseason.

 

[HacheMan]

Tulo-hit-zki

On Wednesday afternoon, a Rockies clubhouse attendant noticed that one of Troy Tulowitzki's bats had been left sitting next to a locker. Being an industrious person, the attendant decided to return the bat to its rightful place in the dugout, but upon touching the handle, the unsuspecting individual immediately combusted like a drummer from This is Spinal Tap.

Okay, Tulowitzki is not actually scalding enough at the plate that the temperature of his bat could combust a clubhouse attendant, but it's safe to say that I would probably be wearing gloves (if not a full-blown Hazmat suit) if I worked in that particular role. The Rockies shortstop hit two more homers on Wednesday and drove in seven runs, giving him an absurd 11 homers and 27 RBI in 15 games this month.

Tulowitzki's chance at a truly awesome fantasy campaign was derailed by injury (he has played in just 107 of Colorado's 146 games this season), but with a .325 average, 23 homers, 82 RBI, 77 runs and 10 steals in just 409 at-bats, he's setting himself up to be a very high fantasy draft pick once again next season.

In addition to being an outstanding pitcher (13-8, 2.70 ERA, 1.32 WHIP), apparently Jaime Garcia is pretty persuasive as well, as he reportedly may have talked his way out of being shut down for the season on Wednesday. The Cardinals will still skip his next turn through the rotation, then will reevaluate the Rookie of the Year candidate to determine whether or not he'll take the mound again.

It was neither a stellar nor a disastrous debut for Kyle Drabek. The top Jays pitching prospect – headliner of the Roy Halladay deal – had posted a 2.94 ERA and 1.20 WHIP at Double-A this season, but gave up three earned runs in six innings (nine hits, three walks, five K's) against the Orioles on Wednesday. Drabek (who, it should be noted, does not have a mustache reminiscent of his father Doug) is expected to get two more starts down the stretch, including an appealing matchup against the Mariners his next time through the rotation.

Chris Young the pitcher's first start of the season was excellent: six innings of one-run, shutout baseball against the D'Backs. Unfortunately, that start happened on April 6, and Young (shoulder) hasn't thrown a big league pitch since. Now, the right-hander is set to return to the Padres' rotation on Saturday against the Cardinals after throwing 5 2/3 shutout innings on Saturday in his second minor league rehab start. Young told MLB.com that he feels "great" health-wise and could provide a useful mixed league spot start or two before the season is done, but I'd be wary about throwing him into a fantasy lineup in what will be his first major league action in over five months.

NL Quick Hits: Carlos Zambrano won his sixth straight decision and is 6-0 with a 1.37 ERA in his last seven starts… Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run homer and has 16 homers and 52 RBI in 57 games since July 1… Albert Pujols (elbow) returned to action Wednesday… Roy Halladay picked up win No. 19… Andrew McCutchen hit his 14th homer of the year… Drew Stubbs is hitting .320 with three homers and 10 RBI in 13 games this month… Chris Carpenter left after 6 1/3 innings (five earned runs) with a hamstring cramp, but should be fine for his next start… Homer Bailey left Wednesday's game due to dizziness, and his status was uncertain as of Thursday morning… Jose Guillen (neck) underwent an MRI and received a pain-killing injection, with the current indication being that he could miss several games… Jason Bay said it's "highly unlikely" that he'll make it back this season… Jenrry Mejia left his start after 2 1/3 hitless innings with a right shoulder strain and had an MRI Wednesay night, with the results unknown as of first thing Thursday morning... Drew Storen pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his fourth save of the season.

NL Quick Hits, Part 2: Jay Payton went 3-for-4 for Colorado in his first big league start since Sept. 2008… Adrian Gonzalez homered twice (both off left-handers) with five RBI and is now hitting .343 against lefties this season… Ryan Braun is hitting .395 with six homers and 25 RBI since the beginning of August… Brandon Lyon blew his second save of the season Wednesday, but his main competition for saves (Matt Lindstrom) gave up two runs without recording an out to take the loss one inning later… Rickie Weeks broke out of a slump with his 27th homer of the season… Ryan Franklin has left the Cardinals due to a personal issue, and Tony La Russa is expected to go to a saves committee until Franklin's return this weekend… Scott Rolen (back, neck) was scratched on Wednesday and is day-to-day… Also scratched on Wednesday: Justin Upton, who may be having more discomfort in his troublesome shoulder… Starlin Castro (hip) was out of the Cubs lineup for a third straight game… Jay Gibbons is in line for more at-bats with Scott Podsednik done for the season.

AL Quick Hits: Bobby Jenks (elbow, forearm) not expected to return any time soon, according to Ozzie Guillen… Wilson Betemit had a grand slam for his second straight four-RBI game… Brian Duensing has given up two earned runs or less in eight of his 11 starts… Joe Mauer hit a three-run shot, his first homer since Aug. 18… On the same day that he had a one-game suspension dismissed, Ian Kinsler went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI… Rafael Soriano picked up his 43rd save… Phil Hughes took a perfect game into the fifth inning, but ended up surrendering four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings… Dan Johnson went 2-for-3 with two homers and four RBI in the win over the Yanks… Gordon Beckham (hand) could be shut down as soon as the White Sox are eliminated from the playoff picture... Jered Weaver threw seven innings of one-hit, shutout ball against Cleveland to pick up his 12th win, the lone disappointing total in an otherwise brilliant season… Jason Kubel made a "precautionary" early exit due to left wrist soreness and is being called day-to-day.

AL Quick Hits, Part 2: Clay Buchholz bounced back from an ugly start by throwing seven innings of one-run ball in a win over Seattle… Brad Bergesen limited the Jays to one run (with three K's) in a complete-game win… Jose Bautista hit homer No. 47 (ho hum)… Brian Roberts (knee) returned to action after a one-game absence and stole his 10th base of the season… Freddy Garcia (back) may not be available for another week… The Red Sox are hoping that J.D. Drew (ankle) will be ready to return on Friday… Scott Baker (elbow) threw a successful bullpen, but unfortunately, the bullpen (not the rotation) will be his destination upon his return… Jake Arrieta will get one more start, in Fenway Park next week… Brian Matusz (triceps) will throw BP Friday and could return early next week… Brett Gardner (wrist) was hoping to return Wednesday, but remained out of the starting lineup for a fourth straight game… Joel Pineiro (oblique) is set to return from the DL this weekend against the Rays.

 

[HacheMan]

Winding Down

We're getting down to the final weeks of the season, where playoff-bound clubs will begin resting up players and aligning postseason rotations. Non-contenders will take the opportunity to get a look at prospects who they might call on next year, much like the Blue Jays are doing with Kyle Drabek, who appears as a streamer option in this week's column.

Going Twice...



American League

Strong Plays

Gavin Floyd: @OAK (Gonzalez), @LAA (Weaver)
Fausto Carmona: @MIN (Pavano), KC (Chen)
Zack Greinke: @DET (Porcello), @CLE (Gomez)
Jered Weaver: TEX (Holland), CWS (Floyd)
Brian Duensing: CLE (Gomez), @DET (Porcello)
Gio Gonzalez: CWS (Floyd), TEX (Holland)
Trevor Cahill: CWS (Buehrle), TEX (Lewis)
Colby Lewis: @LAA (Santana), @OAK (Cahill)

Decent Plays

Daisuke Matsuzaka: BAL (Matusz), @NYY (Hughes)
Jeanmar Gomez: @MIN (Duensing), KC (Greinke)
Rick Porcello: KC (Greinke), MIN (Duensing)
Bruce Chen: @DET (Bonderman), @CLE (Carmona)
Phil Hughes: TB (Shields), BOS (Matsuzaka)
Matt Garza: @NYY, SEA (Fister)
James Shields: @NYY (Hughes), SEA (French)
Derek Holland: @LAA (Weaver), @OAK (Gonzalez)

At Your Own Risk

Luke French: @TOR (Rzepczynski), @TB (Shields)
Marc Rzepczinski: SEA (French), BAL (Tillman)

National League

Strong Plays

J.A. Happ: @WAS (Lannan), @PIT (Maholm)
Chad Billingsley: SD (Richard), @ARI (Saunders)
Cole Hamels: ATL (Jurrjens), NYM (Dickey)
Clayton Richard: @LAD (Billingsley), CIN (Volquez)
Matt Cain: @CHC (Wells), @COL (Hammel)
Chris Carpenter: @FLA (Volstad), @CHC (Samardzija)

Decent Plays

Joe Saunders: COL (Hammel), LAD (Billingsley)
Jair Jurrjens: @PHI (Hamels), @WAS (Lannan)
Randy Wells: SF (Cain), STL (Westbrook)
Homer Bailey: @MIL (Capuano), @SD (Richard)
Jason Hammel: @ARI (Saunders), SF (Cain)
Bud Norris: @WAS (Hernandez), @PIT (Duke)
Chris Capuano: CIN (Bailey), FLA (Volstad)
Dave Bush: CIN (Volquez), FLA (Mendez)
Jake Westbrook: @PIT (Maholm), @CHC (Wells)
Livan Hernandez: HOU (Norris), ATL (Lowe)
John Lannan: HOU (Happ), ATL (Jurrjens)

At Your Own Risk

Adalberto Mendez: NYM (Mejia), @MIL (Bush)
Paul Maholm: STL (Westbrook), HOU (Happ)


Streamer City



The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:

American League

Tuesday, 9/21: Armando Galarraga vs. KC
Galarraga has found little success on the road this year but has been very good at home, with a 3.56 ERA.

Wednesday, 9/22: Carlos Carrasco @ MIN
The talented 23-year-old dominated in his last turn against the Twins, and gets another shot at them in pitcher-friendly Target Field this week.

Wednesday, 9/22: Nick Blackburn vs. CLE
Blackburn toes the rubber on the other side of Carrasco's match-up and also looks like a strong play; he owns a 1.71 ERA in five appearances (four starts) since being recalled from the minors.

Thursday, 9/23: Kyle Drabek vs. SEA
He's one of the top pitching prospects in baseball and he's getting a chance to strut his stuff late in the season. Matched up against the hopeless Mariners, he's a premium streamer choice.

National League

Wednesday, 9/22: Chris Young @ LAD
Young is scheduled to make his first start since April on Saturday night. If he's sharp in that outing, he's well worth using against the sliding Dodgers.

Thursday, 9/23: Nelson Figueroa @ WAS
Figueroa has impressed since stepping into Houston's rotation, so he's a fine option with this favorable match-up in Washington.

Friday, 9/24: Jhoulys Chacin vs. SF
This game could have major playoff implications, so expect Chacin to be on top of his game against the Giants.

<!--RW-->


Total Games



American League

6: BAL, BOS, CWS, DET, LAA, MIN, SEA, TOR
7: CLE, KC, NYY, OAK, TB, TEX

National League

5: NYM
6: ARI, ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, LAD, , PHI, PIT, SF, SD, STL, WAS
7: HOU, MIL, WAS


Lefty/Righty Breakdown



American League

BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CWS: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CLE: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 7 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
LAA: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
NYY: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SEA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP

National League

ARI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CIN: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
FLA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
HOU: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PHI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SD: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SF: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP

 

[HacheMan]

Returning from TJ, OK?
Tommy John surgery seems so commonplace these days that we seem to assume that pitchers will be fine once they make it to back to the major leagues. Even among the more sage advisors would say that the velocity returns first, then the control. But we've also seen effectiveness wane - for every Josh Johnson, there's a Darren Dreifort or Pat Hentgen.

So this year we've seen two young bucks returning from the surgery in Edinson Volquez and Jordan Zimmermann. At first blush, both are having trouble getting back to where they once belonged. Zimmermann does have a six-inning, nine-strikeout, no-walk one-hit performance against Florida on his bill, but in all other games has shown a 7-to-8 strikeout to walk ratio that's a little underwhelming. He can still help deeper league teams, but with the innings limit so strict, he won't get the wins that deep league teams need.

Then there's Volquez. He came back roaring with a six-inning, nine-strikeout, two-walk, three-hit performance of his own. It seemed all systems go and he was picked up in many leagues. Then he hit the doldrums, a stretch in which he had a 27-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio that seemed to suggest he needed more time to recover. He was sent to the pen, and struggled there.

Necessity pushed him back to the rotation, however, and now he's had two straight fine starts. After seven innings of one-hit ball with ten strikeouts and one walk against the Pirates, he put in 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball with seven strikeouts and two walks against the Diamondbacks on Thursday. He's interesting in all leagues suddenly and his next start, even though it's against the Brewers in Milwaukee, will probably make a good spot start for H2H leagues looking for a streamer. No two elbows are alike, and because of his control it's a bit of roulette spin with him even when he's healthy, but the potential rewards are great.

* Jenrry Mejia looks like the Mets' best prospect with his nice combination of strikeout punch and groundball-inducing stuff, but he'll be shut down for the rest of the season with a strain in his shoulder muscles. He hopes to pitch in the Dominican League this offseason, so it can't be too bad, but it's worth wondering if he would have been better off not shuttling between the bullpen and the rotation. The Mets were probably short-sighted on this one, and hopefully they didn't rough up the future of their prized pitching prospect.

* Because of the ins and outs of the MLB policy on suspensions, Nyjer Morgan will only now begin serving his eight-game suspension for the brawl that happened September first. He was cleared of any wrong-doing in the incident in Philadelphia, but the hearing on the fight in Florida didn't change anything. He'll be back September 25th. That's a long way away in H2H leagues, so mixed leaguers should look for immediate help in the meantime. Julio Borbon has been playing, and playing well… just saying.

* Delmon Young hit his 18th home run and most of his gains look real, as he's benefitted from finally hitting the ball in the air after years of pounding the rock into the ground. The question is if there's more there, and the answer is unclear with his poor plate discipline - he walks at about half the average rate and reaches like a young Vladimir Guerrero. Then again, he's cut his strikeouts way down, and those are free outs for the pitcher. He's no lock for twenty home runs next year, but with his place in an improving Twins lineup, the batting average and RBI will probably be there again.

NL Quick Hits: Juan Gutierrez got the save in the Diamondbacks win Thursday and looks safer than we thought possible for an Arizona closer; he should be owned in all leagues that count saves … Justin Upton (shoulder) missed another game, and his owners should be nervous … Ike Davis may miss the game on Saturday for Yom Kippur, so check your lineups … In more Mets news, Daniel Murphy will play over the winter and could figure into the mostly-vacant second-base situation in Flushing … Chris Young the pitcher will be back on Saturday night, and those desperate for starters might even like him in the pitching-friendly St. Louis park … Pablo Sandoval sit against Ted Lilly, a left-hander, and is a risk against all pitchers right now … Angel Pagan had his 34th stolen base and three hits Thursday; there's no obvious reason other than the injuries that plagued him earlier in his career to think he can't repeat this season next year … Jake Westbrook won his second game for the Cardinals and is a good spot start at home - Dave Duncan's groundball wizadry worked in this case … Cardinals GM John Mozeliak says Colby Rasmus won't be traded this offseason and said the whole hubbub was just typical growing pains for a young player ... Aubrey Huff hit his 25th home run and enjoyed a nice season - his on-again off-again career path makes him a risky 2011 draft pick anyway ... Teammate Buster Posey hit his 14th and is all systems go for a nice career .. Jonathan Sanchez struck out a career-high twelve in seven innings, but the fact that he only walked onewas also impressive - it was the second start of the year in which he'd accomplished the feat..

AL Quick Hits Gordan Beckham missed Thursday's game, but there's no new developments about his hand injury … Derek Jeter admitted he pretended to be hit by a pitch in Wednesday's loss; depending on their rooting interest, analysts around baseball called him a gamer with intangibles or a cheater …. Jose Valverde (elbow) returned to action with a scoreless ninth - good news … Brett Gardner (wrist) returned as a pinch-runner Wednesday, but there's no news about his ability to swing a bat just yet … Fausto Carmona put in a great start against the Angels, giving up two solo home runs in seven innings on what was otherwise a ton of groundballs (and eight strikeouts!); he's a decent spot-starter in deeper leagues still … Hideki Matsui continued his recent hot streak (.312 in the second half) with a homer and a single in five at-bats - he could also help in deeper leagues … Erick Aybar was a late scratch due to a left leg strain, and any injury to his legs would sap any remaining fantasy value he might have had … Juan Pierre is a flawed player with 58 stolen bases after stealing two Thursday night - he'll be hard to keep without knowing his role next year, though … Alexei Ramirez joined the steals party with two of his own (plus his 17th home run), but he gets caught too often to depend on his legs for much ... Paul Konerko got hit in the face by the mustachioed Carl Pavano, got up, shook the trainer off, and hit 37th home run later in the game to get his revenge.

 

[HacheMan]

Acting and Clutch Acts
Another double feature this week -- Week That Was by Glenn Colton and 2010 Breakouts by Bobby Colton.


Derek Jeter: Yeah, I know this is not fantasy specific, but I need to put to rest the nonsense that has surrounded Derek Jeter faking a hit by pitch. Yes, he faked it. Yes, he had no true right to first base. However, what is the big deal? How many times in the same game did the catchers catch a pitch outside the strike zone and try to deke the umpire into believing it was a strike by deftly moving the glove into the strike zone? How many times do outfielders trap a ball and immediately pop up holding their glove aloft in an attempt to trick umpires into giving the out sign? How often do firstbasemen jump off the bag early, but at a time calculated to trick the umpire into thinking they were still on the bag when they caught the ball? Oh, and isn't it routine for secondbasemen and shortstops to float by the neighborhood of the bag and try and induce an out call on the way to a double play when they never really made the putout? You get the point. Every single day baseball players do "sneaky" things trying to get an advantage and no one has a hissy fit. What Jeter did was no different. End of story.


Alex Rodriguez: Sticking with the Yankees, Arod had a magical night in last night's 4-3 win. He belted a long homer in the second inning and followed that up with a two out, two strike, three run jack to put the Yankees back into first place. From fantasy perspective, do whatever you can to get ARod for the last two weeks of the season. He has 25 HR now and will get to 30 for the 13th time in a row. 5 HR in two weeks is well worth buying (a 65 yearlong pace if you extrapolate).


Gordon Beckham: According to reports, Gordon Beckham will be shut down once the Chisox are officially eliminated. My question is why risk injury just for mathematics? The White Sox had a good run but they are cooked. Beckham is a young star in the making. There is simply no reason to take chances. The White Sox will realize this and shut him down sooner rather than later. If you own Beckham, make other plans. [Note, if the White Sox were in the pennant race, Gordon would continue to play – more proof that players on good teams have a fantasy edge over those on bad teams].


Jonathan Sanchez: Jonathan Sanchez was great Thursday, giving up just one earned run in 7 innings while mowing down 12. So far this year, Sanchez has 188 strikeouts in 176 2/3 innings and there is no reason to think he will slow down over his last few starts. This guy belongs in Bobby's breakout list below. In fact, the signs were in neon on this one. Look at the trend for this 27 year old. ERA: 5.88; 5.01; 4.25 (so the 3.21 is really not a shock). WHIP: 1.63; 1.45; 1.37 (so the 1.23 is also not a surprise). Oh, and he was already averaging over a strikeout per inning for three straight major league campaigns. He is for real and astute owners knew it in March.


Jake Westbrook: Jake Westbrook looked sharp hurling 8 scoreless innings in Thursday's win over the Padres. Since coming over the NL, Jake has posted an ERA of 3.26 and a WHIP of 1.24. With the inept Bucs next on the schedule, Westbrook is a must start. If the Cardinals keep him in St. Louis next year, keeper leaguers should do just that, keep him.


Wilson Betemit: Wilson Betemit has had a very good week. He had 8 RBI Tuesday and Wednesday alone, with a dinger each day. So far this year, Betemit, is hitting a sizzling .317 with 12 HR in just 230 AB. Is this power a surprise? No. Excluding the lost 2009, Betemit had 32 HR in just over 600 AB from 07-08. The average, on the other hand, is a bit of a surprise. Two big questions – will it continue for the fantasy pennant race and will he be a keeper next year? Yes and yes. Betemit is a switch hitter who is just 28 years old. He has displayed good power in the past but has never gotten a full time gig. Now he has one and he is running with it. Buy!


Phil Hughes: Phil Hughes looked pretty good Wednesday against the playoff bound Rays. But for two swings by Dan Johnson, it could have been a banner night. The key however, was not the win or loss, not the 4 ER in 6 2/3 innings, but rather the 107 pitches he was allowed to throw. The Yankees are in a pennant race that will go down to the wire and Vasquez has bombed out again. The Yanks will have no choice but to pitch Hughes, so fantasy leaguers should confidently play him unless the Yankees clinch the pennant.


Kyle Drabek: Kyle Drabek gave up just three earned runs over six innings in his major league debut this week. That is the good news. The bad news is that he gave up a dozen baserunners over those six innings. Ok, that is all fine and dandy but you want to know what to do with him this year and next, right? Well, given that he has never pitched above AA, it is too early to turn him into his dad, Doug. Hold off for now, but be ready to Buy -- in March 2012 that is.


And now, as promised another two for one special:

2010 Breakouts
By Bobby Colton

2010 had its share of breakouts that gave fantasy owners real thrills. But whose breakout will be permanent? There are plenty of horror stories of keeper league owners who kept guys like Aaron Hill, Oliver Perez, Jose Lopez, Adam Lind, Milton Bradley, and Manny Parra. Here are some names in this year's breakout group that should be kept without hesitation or worry.

Jose Bautista (OF/3B) – Who else would be first? Bautista is the homerun hitter of the year, mashing 47 jacks to date, good for the ML lead. However, Bautista's power isn't the only thing that has come around this year. The career .244 hitter has hit .262 this season, his highest mark since 2007. Bautista is already 29 years old, so he's hardly a "prospect", though it's clear he has just come into his own. Look for Bautista to hit closer to 30 homers next year as opposed to the 50 he's approaching this year. If Bautista hits .250 with 30 jacks he will be a very useful player next season.

Carlos Gonzalez (OF) – CarGo has been MVP-worthy this season, so it is redundant to say he's broken out. Having been traded for both Dan Haren and Matt Holliday, Gonzalez is no stranger to the hype that surrounds top prospects. In his first full season as a starter Gonzalez has impressed more than anyone could possibly have imagined. At 24 years old Gonzalez is running away with the batting title, hitting .341, plus he has 32 homers, 106 rbi's, 100 runs scored, and 25 steals. He is a superstar and will be for years and years to come.

Delmon Young (OF) – The Rays castoff is finally living up to the hype that surrounded him after he was dealt for Matt Garza a few years back. Just a few days past 25, Young's power has finally started to surface. Young's .300 average is a little higher than his normal number, but at 18 homers he's 6 past his career high and 106 rbi are 9 more than his 2007 total. Next year Young can be counted on for 20+ homers along with a near .300 average, putting him in a tier above the likes of Nick Markakis and Andrew McCutchen.

Angel Pagan (OF) – Pagan has been brilliant on both sides of the ball this season for the Mets. At age 29, Pagan has finally gotten over the immaturity that plagued him in his previous few seasons in the majors. While Pagan might not hit close to .300 again next year and might not hit double digit homeruns, he has one thing that he won't lose: Speed. Why? Simple, because speed never slumps. His 34 steals are a fantastic number considering how much people are willing to pay to get their hands on steals in fantasy leagues. Pagan is a valuable outfielder heading into next season.

Casey McGehee (3B) – The entire baseball world owes Mr. McGehee a big apology. McGehee was fantastic last season for the Brew Crew, hitting .301 with 16 jacks. However, no one really thought a 26 year old breaking into the bigs could hold on to his success. Well, we were all wrong, and kudos to those who took a flier on McGehee this year. While he hasn't hit .300 this season, McGehee has hit 22 homers and has 94 rbi. With the Brewers poised to be better next year than they were this, those rbi numbers should only increase. McGehee will be 28 next year and will be only one level behind Rodriguez, Longoria, Zimmerman, and Wright for fantasy owners.

Brett Gardner (OF) – Gardner is more or less the same case as his cross town rival Angel Pagan. Gardner is 27 to Pagan's 29 and doesn't have quite as much power as Pagan, but both play solid defense and can be counted on to hit around .280 minimum. Oh yeah, and speed doesn't slump. Gardner's 41 steals are reason enough to make Gardner a priority in next year's draft.

Mat Latos (P) – Bottom line: Latos is an ace. Latos' 10 starts were serviceable last year (4-5, 4.62 ERA) but that simply did not foreshadow this year's masterful performance. Latos leads the league in WHIP at 0.99 and has won 14 games while leading the Padres to a possible division title. Latos' 2.43 ERA sits only behind aces Josh Johnson and Felix Hernandez, making Latos a sure fire first tier starter next season. Latos should be targeted by everyone next year, so if you are lucky enough to be in a position to keep him, rejoice.

Clay Buchholz (P) – The 26 year old was fine last year, but is CY Young material this season. Clay owns a 2.48 ERA, good for fourth in the league behind those mentioned in Latos' post. Buchholz's 16 wins has been one of the few bright spots for Red Sox fans this season, so bright in fact, that he could be the best pitcher on a staff including Josh Beckett, John Lackey, and John Lester. Buchholz, like Latos, will be a top flight starter next season.

Jaime Garcia (P) – Garcia is just 24 and was limited to just 37.1 IP last year, so he had all the ingredients of a bust (which I overlooked). However, Garcia's rookie campaign of a 2.70 ERA and 13 wins has been sterling. Garcia is a stud and will be pitching for one of the better teams in the league next year, meaning he will be an extremely valuable hurler next season.

David Price (P) – David Price is one of the best pitchers this season, making him a CY Young award candidate. Price's 2.75 ERA is brilliant and his 17 wins are among the league leaders. Price was somewhat disappointing last season, posting only 10 wins and an ERA in the mid 4's in his first full season as a Major Leaguer. However there is now no doubt that Price is an ace and should be treated as such next season.

Trevor Cahill (P) – Cahill has been downright spectacular this season, proving to be one of the best pitchers in the AL at the young age of 22. Cahill's numbers were alright last year (4.63 ERA), but that was hardly a signal that such big things were to come. Cahill has proven that he is an ace. The only thing standing between Cahill and elite fantasy status is the state of the team for which he toils.

Finally, please note who's missing: RA Dickey, CJ Wilson, JA Happ, and any other initialed pitcher.


And last but not least, Schultz Says: "As the season winds down, it's as good a time as any to remind all you roto-owners about a harsh and cruel fact: Major League teams, their owners and managers don't care about you - not a single bit. When it comes to thinking about the future of post season glory and the future of their franchise, your little run for a rotisserie baseball championship doesn't even show up on their radar. If you are in a close race for your league title, you should be paying close attention to where real life is imitating art. Texas has no desire to see Josh Hamilton further injure his ribs and the Marlins have no interest in testing the limits of Hanley Ramirez' shoulder. However, the Yankees and Rays have a phenomenal interest in winning their division as do the Padres, Giants and Rockies; the Phillies are looking good but the Braves aren't yet ready to go quietly into that good night. Other than Jose Bautista's assault on 50 home runs, your philosophy for the last 2+ weeks of the season should be that all things being equal, start the player that's still "playing." For those of you that are riding the Yankees this year, thank the baseball gods that they aren't trotting into the barn like the Indianapolis Colts.

As for players that are still "playing," none is taking it as seriously as Troy Tulowitzki. If the MVP race focused simply on September, Tulo wins the title hands down. After frustrating his roto-owners by missing the middle of the season with a fractured wrist, the Rockies shortstop has regained his swing and his power quicker than anyone could imagine. Over the last 10 games, he's hitting close to .360 with 9 HR and 20 RBI. He's singlehandedly trying to help the Rockies - who are habitual late bloomers - crash the post season. Although playing for nothing, Brandon Lyon is pitching like he's auditioning for a role somewhere next season. Since assuming the closing role from the perpetually struggling and injured Matt Lindstrom, Lyon has picked up 10 saves in a month's work. If you prorate that out, he's working at a 60 save pace. Not all of them have been pretty but at a time when Ryan Franklin, Jose Valverde and Brian Fuentes are seeing their value plummet, don't be snobbish about relying on the Astros' workhorse.

Now Glenn, finish up by telling everyone that the T in SMART stands for team."

Response: Schultz makes good points and Bobby gives you critical analysis to put in your 2011 prep folder. Well done. Oh, and Schultzie, thanks for further reminding folks that SMART works.

Final Notes and Author's Right to Vent: While this column focuses on baseball, occasionally we venture into the pigskin. So, here is my first Jason Garrett rant of 2010. First, you would have thought that a Princeton education would have informed the Dallas O Coordinator of the manifest stupidity of risking shovel/pitchout type pass 70 yards away from a score on the last play of the first half. You would have thought. Am I the only one who is sick and tired of Garrett trying to prove how smart and creative he is at the expense of coaching winning football. Why on earth would you stall a drive by calling a halfback option by Marion Barber when you have Romo to throw, Witten, Austin, Bryant and others to catch and Barber and Jones to run? What is so special about a triple option with Jones, Barber and Choice all the backfield when that play rarely even succeeds in high schools any more? Is the "wildcat really so great when all it does is flash a neon sign that the play has to be a run? Was Jason Garrett the only guy who failed to notice that the right tackle needed help? How on earth could you fail to support the weak link on your line on the last play of the game? I could go on and on, however the simple fact is that the Cowboys Offense is loaded and if they go back to basics they will be darn good. If they continue to be cute and stupid . . . well, you get the point. OK, rant over. Do I feel better? A little.

 

[HacheMan]

AL Closers of the Future
I'm looking at the closer situations headed into 2011 in these next two Strike Zones. AL is up this week, followed by NL next week.

American League Future Closers

Baltimore - The Orioles recently turned to Koji Uehara in the closer's role, but while I like him there, he's a free agent at season's end and he's awfully fragile. I'd still go with Mike Gonzalez as the favorite for saves in Baltimore next year. He has a 3.57 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 17 2/3 innings since returning from his shoulder injury. I don't see Alfredo Simon as much of a factor going forward. Kam Mickolio remains intriguing, but he had a 6.37 ERA to go along with his 48 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings in Triple-A this year. The Orioles opted to send him to the AFL rather than recall him this month. David Hernandez is another sleeper. His fastball plays quite a bit better out of the pen, and with his strikeout curve, I think he'll at least prove to be a capable setup man.

Boston - I'm not sure it's a lock yet, but I do believe the Red Sox will try to move Jonathan Papelbon this winter and go with Daniel Bard as their closer. With his 1.83 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, Bard has been among the league's best relievers this year, and he should be just as good working the ninth as he has been in the eighth. If the Red Sox do move Papelbon, they'll probably look outside the organization for insurance. Scott Downs, Uehara and Grant Balfour are a few of the free agents they could seek to bring in as setup men.

Chicago - The given here is that Bobby Jenks won't be back. A couple of months ago, I would have guessed that the White Sox would re-sign J.J. Putz and give him first crack at closing duties next season. However, Putz's second-half struggles, in part due to a knee problem, put that in doubt. That leaves this situation as up in the air as any in baseball. Matt Thornton and Sergio Santos both have closer-type stuff, but Thornton would probably be more valuable left in his setup role and Santos is still rather raw. Then there's 2010 first-round pick Chris Sale. The plan is for him to compete for a rotation spot, but with the way he's thrown as a reliever, I think it makes sense to leave him in the bullpen, at least for a year. Many viewed him as having limited upside as a starter, but he may well prove to be the team's best choice in the closer's role.

Cleveland - There's rarely a dull moment when Chris Perez is on the mound, but he's currently working on a stretch on 29 scoreless appearances in his last 30 outings. He'll be locked into the closer's role entering 2011, with the question of a backup still to be determined. Justin Masterson has improved enough in the second half that he figures to remain in the rotation. Ideally, either Jess Todd or Josh Judy would come up and lock down a setup role. Todd, though, has been a disappointment since being picked up from the Cardinals. Judy, who had a 55/14 K/BB ratio in 47 innings in Triple-A, is a definite sleeper. Zach Putnam and Chen Lee will be candidates to emerge out of the pen in the second half of next year.

Detroit - Jose Valverde will be back to hold down closing duties for another season, and Detroit holds an option on his contract for 2012. The Tigers will be hoping that next year is the season that Ryan Perry fulfills his potential and becomes a dominant short reliever. He's improved from a 5.47 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP before the break to a 3.07 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP afterwards. Joel Zumaya should also come back from his broken arm, but he's not someone who can be counted on.

Kansas City - It's doubtful Joakim Soria will be traded this winter, but things may change by next summer. Top relievers like Soria often have more trade value during the season than in the offseason anyway. The Royals, though, will likely only go that direction if they see someone ready to step into the closer's role. Right now, there's no one. Blake Wood throws 95 mph and leads the team with 14 holds, but he has a 5.15 ERA and a 24/20 K/BB ratio in 43 2/3 innings. Robinson Tejeda is talented, but he doesn't really know where the ball is going even on his better days. Gil Meche qualifies as a deep sleeper. The plan is for him to go back into the rotation, but he has impressed as a reliever this month. It's possible his iffy shoulder would handle a reliever's workload better than a starter's. 2009 first-round pick Aaron Crow might be Soria's eventual replacement. He struggled as a starter this year, finishing with a 5.66 ERA in the Texas League, but he has two plus pitches and he gets groundballs.

Los Angeles - It looks like the Angels have their long-term closer in 22-year-old Jordan Walden. He's been reaching triple-digits with his fastball, and he's struck out 17 in nine innings since his callup. Still, they'll probably want to put him in a setup role to begin 2011. That would likely mean looking outside the organization for a closer, since both Fernando Rodney and Kevin Jepsen have been disappointments this season. Kerry Wood or Putz could make sense as a one-year option. Walden, though, is the name to know going forward.

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Minnesota - The Twins are going to be in a tough spot next year. They have Joe Nathan coming back from Tommy John surgery and due $11.25 million in the final guaranteed year of his deal. Matt Capps is also under control, but he could earn $6 million or so in arbitration after his big year. The other key pieces are all free agents: Jon Rauch, Matt Guerrier, Brian Fuentes and Jesse Crain. If they choose to bring Capps back as a setup man, it's going to be hard for them to re-sign any of their other relievers. My guess is that they'll move Capps in a trade and attempt to re-sign two from the group of Rauch, Guerrier and Crain. Rauch would be nice to have as closer insurance in case Nathan isn't ready to go on Opening Day.

New York - Mariano Rivera is a free agent, but everyone knows he'll be back, probably as the game's highest-paid reliever. It's possible the team will attempt to re-sign Wood as a setup man. Joba Chamberlain has been much better of late (2.77 ERA, 1.04 WHIP in the second half), but since that's really coincided with him having his role reduced, the Yankees might not want to commit to him as their eighth-inning guy again next year.

Oakland - Andrew Bailey has had some health issues this year, but he's remained dominant while on the mound, amassing a 1.47 ERA in 49 innings. He's not even arbitration eligible until after next year, so he'll remain Oakland's closer. The backup would likely be Joey Devine if he can get healthy. However, keep a close eye on hard-throwing Henry Rodriguez. The 23-year-old has displayed real signs of development while posting a 22/6 K/BB ratio in 18 1/3 innings since the All-Star break. He remains closer material.

Seattle - The Mariners decided against trading David Aardsma in July, and he's bounced back with a terrific second half, allowing just two runs and eight hits in 20 1/3 innings to date. He's due a raise from $2.75 million to $5 million or so, but the Mariners figure to retain him and keep him in the closer's role. They'll also likely keep the maddeningly inconsistent Brandon League as a setup man and bring in a veteran or two to round out the pen. Former Royals prospect Daniel Cortes is a sleeper to emerge as a possible long-term closer. He requested the move to the pen earlier this season, and he's been throwing in the high-90s since making the switch.

Tampa Bay - While the media will focus on the possible losses of Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena, the Rays have another huge concern this winter: their bullpen could be decimated by free agency. Rafael Soriano, Grant Balfour, Dan Wheeler, Joaquin Benoit and Chad Qualls all have contracts coming up, though the Rays do have a $4 million option on Wheeler for 2011. Plus there's J.P. Howell, who missed this year due to shoulder surgery and could be non-tendered. Soriano figures to command at least a three-year deal after his terrific season, so the Rays will probably have to let him go. Replacing him with Wood, Jenks or Putz on a one-year deal could be a possibility. Another option would be to trade James Shields or Matt Garza for a young closer, as they have Jeremy Hellickson ready to move into the rotation. The Rays also have Jake McGee available, but while he should slot into the pen next year, he's probably not going to be a closer anytime soon.

Texas - Neftali Feliz figures to be one of this generation's greatest closers, if that's how the Rangers choose to employ him. The 22-year-old right-hander also has terrific potential as a starter. The Rangers, though, aren't lacking for rotation candidates, and as well as their 2010 has gone, they'll probably want to stick with the status quo headed into next season. If they did choose to make Feliz a starter, they'd likely have to go out and sign a closer. Last year's closer, Frank Francisco, is a free agent, and while Alexi Ogando has displayed closer-type ability, he's still pretty raw. If it's not Feliz, then the Rangers' long-term closer figures to be Tanner Scheppers. He's one of baseball's very best relief prospects.

Toronto - Kevin Gregg has turned in a strong second half, with a 2.37 ERA that has brought his season mark down to 3.21. The Jays can choose to retain him at $4.75 million for 2011 or $8.75 million for the next two years, and since both Scott Downs and Jason Frasor could leave in free agency, the odds seem pretty good that they'll keep Gregg, probably for just the one year. After all, it'd likely cost at least that much to replace him. I like Casey Janssen, but he's probably better left in a setup role. Right-hander Zach Stewart could be a future closer, but the Jays would prefer to see him develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter.

 

[HacheMan]

Fun Game, Serious Injuries
We joke around here because baseball and fantasy baseball are supposed to be fun (are fun), but certain times the sport takes a turn that deserves a serious tone.

One such time came in a seemingly innocuous game Sunday between the Cubs and the Marlins. Tyler Colvin edged in from third base, running down the line on contact from backup catcher Welington Castillo. Castillo broke his bat, and the large piece bounded down the line, bounced up and caught Colvin in the chest. In a game of inches, the bat missed vital parts by inches and the player is fine after a few X-rays and some sutures. What will happen the next time a maple bat explodes in a player's hands? This is a problem that baseball must address, especially with solutions seemingly available.

We can follow an injury string around the majors here, as Castillo was only in the game because Geovany Soto is slated for arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder and will be out three months. The position is a tough one, and his keeper league owners should be happy that his knees are fine and that he put in a season that proves the talent he showed in 2008 is repeatable. Things could be worse, and maybe the games off will keep him fresh for 2011. Joe Mauer had more of a typical catcher injury over the weekend, as he jammed his left knee Sunday - the knee in which he tore a meniscus in 2004 - and will miss a couple days at least. Knee issues are nerve-wracking for a catcher, though.

More proof of the dangers of the the game couldn't be stated than by Jason LaRue, who believes his last concussion has ended his career. He sustained the concussion during the fight in which Johnny Cueto kicked him in the face, so perhaps this isn't the time for a polemic on baseball. In any case, LaRue made good money as a backup catcher playing a fun game and seems to be taking the news as well as can be expected.

* As the season winds down and young pitchers start nudging up on their previous career high innings totals, we'll hear more and more about the dangers of overworking young arms. We already saw Jaime Garcia argue his way back into another start this week (against the Pirates on Thursday), but that may be his last of his excellent rookie season. Anibal Sanchez is at 177 innings after a previous career high of 114 1/3 and could also be shut down at any time after his manager talked of his workload over the weekend.

Then again, this phenomenon is not limited to pitchers. Gordon Beckham has a hand that will only stop being sore with rest - a batting practice and subsequent decision are slated for today. Very few people may care, but Lastings Milledge will miss the rest of the season in Pittsburgh with a strained oblique. In Los Angeles, Erick Aybar may have a sports hernia and his disappointing season looks to be over as well.

* Keeper league owners should keep their ears open this time of year, too. Expanded rosters allow teams to take looks at young players. The previews could help identify sleeper keepers and young players for the 2011 season. Or - as in the case of Dayan Viciedo in Chicago or Chris Carter in Oakland - the previews can expose some flaws. Ozzie Guillen pointed out that Viciedo needs to be more patient and make adjustments and that he probably won't figure into the starting third base plans for the Sox in 2011. Instead, the slick fielding Brent Morel may just do so, even if his power upside isn't as nice. Mark Teahen will be the backup plan. In Oakland, Carter still has great power upside despite the 0-for-32 start on his career, but needs to make some contact soon or the shine will come off quickly.

A couple of pitchers caught eyes this weekend, too. In Atlanta, Craig Kimbrel fanned three batters in a scoreless ninth and is looking like he deserves the Closer of the Future mantle there. Johnny Venters has platoon issues - he's lights out against lefties, but not righties - and so Kimbrel and his gaudy strikeout rates could easily be the successor if Billy Wagner really does retire. Kimbrel's ongoing control problems are a worry, but he's been much better in the major leagues so far, and with Takaishi Saito having shoulder issues, he may even get a more pronounced role this year. Jhoulys Chacin threw eight shutout innings against the Dodgers, and though LA is an easy get at this point, Chacin's combo of strikeouts and groundballs makes him a great young pitcher.

* One thing that makes this time of year difficult is that expanded rosters mean fewer trips to the DL. Josh Hamilton would have been on the DL, allowing for a replacement, if he had been injured earlier in the year. Instead, owners are left playing a guessing game. The Rangers slugger says he feels better, and will be examined Monday, but has no timetable for his return. It makes more sense to hold on to Hamilton, however, than Bobby Jenks, who is in a similar boat but has a more than competent replacement in Chris Sale and is on a team that is falling out of the running.

* Coco Crisp was a revelation this year, as he gave a full year's stats in 328 plate appearances, but now his pinkie is broken (again) and he'll most likely miss the rest of the season. He'll try to play, but the uncertainty and waiting will cost his H2H owners as much as making a move. Just be happy that you banked those eight home runs and 32 stolen bases - numbers that made for his best season totals in years. It might just be Michael Brantley time for some Crisp owners.

* Troy Tulowitzki. The dude is a sentence all by himself at this point. He has 15 home runs in his last 17 games and has powered his team back into the wild card race while making his name MVP-relevant along the way. Imagine if he hadn't missed almost a month with that wrist injury. It doesn't matter that he may not crack twenty steals again if he continues to show this kind of power.

NL Quick Hits: Matt Kemp reached base four times Sunday in a win, but even though he's shown power and speed this year it will go down as a disappointment … Ryan Braun also had a down year, but his better second half - including a two-run homer on Sunday - should help assuage fears … Continuing the trend, the disappointing Justin Upton is still struggling with his shoulder and only appeared as a pinch runner over the weekend … Michael Bourn (oblique) will miss a couple days but says the strain is mild … Mike Morse hit a three-run home run and is starting most days … Jimmy Rollins (hamstring) is progressing, but thinks he'll be back in time for the playoffs … Neil Walker his 12th home run; the power is real even if the batting average may not be as nice next year … Andres Torres (appendectomy) is healing well and may even be back for the Rockies series this weekend … Justin Maxwell (thumb) couldn't even hold a bat Sunday, but thinks he will return soon … Hanley Ramirez (shoulder) missed the weekend but is still day-to-day… Ian Stewart is due back this week, but Melvin Mora has been hot in his absence - he added a grand slam on Saturday … Chris Young (shoulder) came back, but the results against the Cardinals were mixed, and he barely topped 86 MPH on the gun … Nate McLouth had a nice Saturday with a homer and a double and is hot right now … Catcher Chris Iannetta (calf) could return early this week … More news means bad news for Johan Santana (shoulder), whose surgery was not arthroscopic, meaning more recovery time will be needed; he may not be good until late 2011 at the earliest … Lucas Duda hit his first career home run over the weekend, he still has power upside despite the slow start … Scott Rolen returned to the lineup over the weekend … Tom Gorzelanny (pinkie finger) will be back Friday.

AL Quick Hits Bobby Jenks' (elbow) return is still up in the air … Chris Getz (concussion) is feeling headache-free, passed the off-field tests, and may return this week … Andy Pettitte (groin) returned and returned well against the Orioles … Adrian Beltre (wrist) checked out fine and expects to play Monday … Shin-Soo Choo hit four homers over the weekend, three on Friday - he's good … Scott Baker will start Tuesday against the Indians … Denard Span (shoulder) is making progress and may play Monday … Don't look now, but Fernando Rodney just blew another save and Jordan Walden is more exciting by the day … Freddy Garcia (back) thinks he can make his start Friday … Jake Arrieta (elbow) is having season-ending bone spur surgery on Wednesday, and Rick VandenHurk will replace him in the rotation, but don't pick him up … Hey, Justin Smoak is back in Seattle, hope this time around goes better for him … Jose Valverde (elbow) is still out, and Phil Coke is his replacement for now … Koji Uehara has blown a couple saves against the Yankees now, but that doesn't mean he's no longer the closer … Oakland may get Kevin Kouzmanoff (back) in the lineup soon, as he took his second round of batting practice Saturday … Carlos Guillen (knee) had microfracture surgery on Friday and should probably be avoided in leagues of all sizes … Carlos Carrasco is pitching well despite mediocre strikeout and groundball rates, and would be a better spot start if his next game wasn't against the Twins … Billy Butler has been hot this September, but he can't get the ball out of the park if he continues to hit it on the ground half the time like he has … Brett Anderson allowed just one run to the Twins on Friday and is a great sleeper for 2011 if the injuries soured your leaguemates on him … Wade Davis showed he still has upside with an eight-strikeout, one-walk gem against the Angels Friday night … Russell Branyan (back) missed the weekend

 

[HacheMan]

Grandy Is Dandy
All is well this morning in Yankees Universe -- that's what we're calling it these days, right?

Joe Torre and Brian Cashman are friends again, the late George Steinbrenner now has a massive -- and I mean MASSIVE -- plaque at Yankee Stadium's monument park, and Curtis Granderson is finally becoming a fan favorite.

The Yanks rolled to an 8-6 victory over the Rays on Monday in the Bronx thanks to a two-homer and five-RBI night from Granderson, who has a .910 OPS in the month of September and now 21 home runs on the season. The Bombers now boast a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League Central and are just days away from officially clinching a playoff berth.

While baseball's true top teams continue to emerge from the ashes, let's spin around the baseball world and touch on a couple of hot news items...

* The Twins are cruising toward the American League Central crown, but they may be without catcher Joe Mauer for this entire week. He was pulled from Sunday's game against the A's after apparently "jamming" his left knee and still had a considerable amount of soreness when he showed up to the ballpark Monday afternoon. An MRI scheduled for Tuesday will provide more answers, but the Twins have a healthy lead in the standings and aren't going to rush Mauer back. Drew Butera is the beneficiary here, but he's not exactly a fantasy option with a .185/.220/.294 batting line over 119 at-bats.

* Where in the world is Bobby Jenks? The White Sox closer has not appeared in a game since September 4 due to ulnar neuritis in his right forearm and has been deemed unavailable for the club's current road trip, which doesn't end until next Monday. Chicago skipper Ozzie Guillen seems to think that the big man will make it back this year, but Scott Merkin of MLB.com wrote Monday that he thinks Jenks may have already "thrown his last inning for the White Sox." That, rightfully, has us nervous. Chris Sale needs to be owned in all leagues down the stretch.

* As if the Braves needed any more bad news. Jair Jurrjens was scratched just hours before Monday's start against that Phillies due to a knee injury and the Bravos were forced to go with 24-year-old Brandon Beachy as his replacement. Beachy actually pitched well, considering that it was his first major league appearance and he was facing a hot Phillies team in a hostile Citizens Bank Park. But the Braves fell 3-1 and now sit four games back in the National League East. Their best bet is the Wild Card at this point, but an injured Jurrjens presents a scary situation. It's not clear if the right-hander will be able to make his next scheduled start.

NL Quick Hits: Phillies lefty Cole Hamels has allowed just two total runs over his last five starts and has picked up five straight wins ... Hanley Ramirez remains day-to-day with an elbow injury ... Joey Votto is expected to get a couple days of rest once the Reds clinch the National League Central ... D'Backs outfielder Justin Upton is still battling shoulder soreness and no closer to returning to the starting lineup ... Geovany Soto underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Monday in Chicago ... Marlins righty Chris Volstad threw his second career shutout Monday in a makeup win over the Cardinals ... Bud Norris is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA over his last three starts ... Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins is hoping to return from a hamstring injury just before the end of the regular season ... Daniel Murphy will spend part of his offseason playing second base for Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League ... Justin Maxwell is expected to return to the Nationals' lineup Tuesday ... Jon Jay has just one RBI through 19 games this month ... Padres outfielder Ryan Ludwick is batting .385 over his last seven games ... The Dodgers are hoping to re-sign lefty Ted Lilly this offseason, but he will be a free agent ... Tyler Colvin confirmed Monday that he expects to make a full recovery from the chest wound suffered Sunday when he was impaled by a bat shard.

AL Quick Hits: A's outfielder Coco Crisp is unlikely to play again this season due to a fractured pinkie ... The Yankees may bring up pitching prospect Andrew Brackman this week to pitch out of the bullpen ... Asdrubal Cabrera is likely to sit out for the next several games due to a sore left wrist ... Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson is day-to-day with a sore shoulder ... Gordon Beckham canceled a batting practice session Monday because he is still feeling discomfort in his right hand ... O's lefty Brian Matusz has allowed just seven total runs over his six starts but could be shut down next week ... Brian Duensing has a 7-1 record and a 1.95 ERA over 11 starts since the Twins added him to their starting rotation ... Gavin Floyd could be shut down for the season due to a shoulder injury that he felt just seven pitches into his Monday start ... Jose Valverde remains day-to-day with a sore elbow while Phil Coke continues to see save chances ... Rangers setup man Frank Francisco plans to test his injured rib cage with a game of catch Tuesday ... Zack Greinke has surrendered at least three runs in five straight starts and is now sporting a mediocre 4.00 ERA on the year ... Julio Lugo, out with a concussion, has been cleared to resume baseball activities ... Rangers manager Ron Washington fully expects Josh Hamilton (ribs) to return from his rib injury before the start of the postseason.

 

[HacheMan]

The Cutter of Death

With fewer baseball games in our near future, we have to turn our attention elsewhere soon. If you're looking for athleticism and a unique culture full of it's own special terms to fill the hole daily fantasy updates will leave in your life, there's always the Jersey Shore. No kidding, those freakishly tanned, well-coiffed boys and girls are always good for a laugh.

In their honor, we've named the tiers after the best of Jersey-Shore-ese, that oh-so strange language.


Tier 1: Elite (3) (AKA: The "GTL, then Fresh-to-Death Blowout" Tier.)


Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals
Heath Bell, San Diego Padres

It's a little heavy on nerd-speak, but check out these cool graphs that show how Mariano Rivera uses his cutter at different moments in the count. Amazing that he can use one pitch so often - almost 85% of the time - and yet succeed. As an aside, Matt Thornton also throws his fastball about as much and has a lot of success with the tactic, but let's not put these guys in the same class just yet.


Tier 2: Rock Steady (6) (AKA: The "Vibe, then Smush" Tier.)


Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves
Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay Rays
Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants
Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox
Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers

Carlos Marmol just had a Marmol-ian week, with five strikeouts in 3.2 innings - and two walks. He also didn't give up a hit while accruing those three saves. It's sort of ridiculous to move people down for a week's worth of stats, but Feliz pitched once, didn't accrue a save or a strikeout, and is on a team that is already preparing for the post season. It's also worth mentioning that Billy Wagner had himself a fine week: seven strikeouts, nine batters faced, two saves. Doing work.


Tier 3: OK options (6) (AKA: The "Dodge the Grenade" Tier.)


Huston Street, Colorado Rockies
Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians
Matt Capps, Minnesota Twins
Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals
David Aardsma, Seattle Mariners

Comment:
Again, this late in the season we sorta know who these guys are and a week won't do much to change the rankings. Huston Street moves down because he blow a save and looked a little too hittable this week. Otherwise, most of these guys just kept on trucking, dodging grenades for the most part.


Tier 4: Question marks (6) (AKA: The "Scrape Something off the Boardwalk" Tier.)


Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies
Koji Uehara, Baltimore Orioles
Kevin Gregg, Toronto Blue Jays
John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers

Hong-Chih Kuo, Los Angeles
Drew Storen, Washington Nationals

Comment:
It's just been too long to keep thinking that Jonathan Broxton is around the corner from getting his job back. His last decision was a blown save on September fourth, and since then, he's walked eight men and hasn't struck out a single one. This has gone beyond the luck of the bouncing ball - this is a full-blown slump. He still has 71 strikeouts in 60 innings, which is an elite strikeout rate, but just about everything else has gone south. Velocity, the confidence of his coaches - it's all gone, probably out pumping fists in a night club somewhere.

My prediction for a nice week from Drew Storen fell a little flat when he blew a save on Sunday by allowing four hits to the four Phillies he faced, including a game-blowing home run. That's okay, Storen still notched a save and has six strikeouts against two walks in his six September innings. At least his team knows that they are out of the running and want to see what they have in their closer. That's more than other teams can say, and it's enough for Storen to stay in this tier for another week. The Nationals want him to succeed in that role.


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Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (8) (AKA: The "Stage Five Clinger" Tier.)


Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds

Fernando Rodney, Los Angeles Angels
Hisanori Takahashi, New York Mets
Juan Gutierrez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros
Clay Hensley, Florida Marlins

Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

Phil Coke, Detroit Tigers

Joel Hanrahan / Evan Meek, Pittsburgh Pirates

Michael Wuertz, Oakland Athletics

Comment:

Late-breaking news: Andrew Bailey is going to see Dr. James Andrews and is out for the season. This is bad news, but fantasy managers can jump on Michael Wuertz for most saves. Craig Breslow will get the odd save against lefty-heavy lineups, but Wuertz is the man. He's a strong pitcher, too.
Fernando Rodney is not a good pitcher right now. He just isn't. He's striking out batters at a below-average rate for all pitchers - and an even worse rate when compared to other closers. He's just barely getting three strikeouts for every two walks because of his poor walk rate, too. Sure, 50% of his batted balls are on the ground, and that's good, but the fact remains that he's blown six of his 17 save chances this year, and that's not a good rate.

The team is out of contention, and Jordan Walden is the fireballer with the excitement behind him. Walden even got his first major league save last week when Rodney almost blew a game. Who knows if Walden can keep it up - he was a starter most of his minor league career, so even his minor league numbers don't help a ton - but that's the point. Use the rest of the season to find out what you've got. You might just have a cheap, controllable closer in your bullpen already.

You might say the same thing about New York - the Mets are out of it, just a game short of mathematical elimination - but Hisanori Takahashi has been performing well as a closer. He may want to be a starter still, but if he continues like he has, he may just end up being the closer in New York again next year. Who knows what the team will do with Francisco Rodriguez. It doesn't seem like anyone would want K-Rod unless the Mets ponied up a large portion of the cost, but the team is in a gray zone right now, currently battling the union for sitting K-Rod without pay for the rest of the season. Manager Jerry Manuel (it's tempting to say "soon-to-be-fired Manager") has said that Bobby Parnell will get the odd save chance, but only when Takahashi is not available. Sigh.

Chris Sale and Phil Coke get the positive arrows because it looks like they are the men that stood up when the regular closer sat down. Ozzie Guillen says that Sale is his closer - even though Sale will get the chance to start next year, and Jim Leyland has given Phil Coke most of the chances while Jose Valverde has been on the shelf. Both are great short-term adds, but their nebulous positions on the roster in 2011 make them poor keepers in most leagues.

Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek get the big ole' down arrow through no fault of their own. Instead, it's their manager that has thrown some confusion into the Pirates' closer role. He made good on a threat to give Meek some save chances down the stretch, and Meek picked up the third save of his career on the 19th. It's unclear why any change was necessary - Hanrahan has huge strikeout numbers, nice velocity, and the best walk rate of his career right now. He did blow a save on the 11th, but has struck out 13 batters against five walks in eight September innings. That's not bad.

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Injured

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins (Out for the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow)
Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets (needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb)
Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox (elbow/forearm)
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers (tender elbow)

Comment:
Bobby Jenks has been the subject of a couple confusing rants by his manager, and yet we know little more about his status. He might not make the next road trip, and if he doesn't, he might be out for the season. Then again, he might pitch as soon as mid-week. You know what? He's droppable in most leagues at this point.

Jose Valverde is also still out with that tender elbow.

The Deposed:
Frank Francisco, Texas Rangers
Jason Frasor, Toronto Blue Jay
Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles
Chad Qualls, Tampa Bay Rays
Kerry Wood, New York Yankees
Octavio Dotel, Colorado Rockies
Jon Rauch, Minnesota Twins
Alfredo Simon, Baltimore Orioles
Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

Yup, Jonathan Broxton, one of the elite relievers in the game, is now in the closer graveyard. It's not good news when your coaching staff is publicly discussing your weight as a possible reason you've lost giddyap on your fastball. Then again, he's always been 300 pounds, so what's changed? Let's just hope that Don Mattingly likes Broxton better than Joe Torre did. He's still the leader in the clubhouse for 2011 saves.

<CENTER>* * * * * * * * * *</CENTER>

The Steals Department

Some mixed leaguers are dealing with a Coco Crisp pinkie injury right now and staring at a steals hole in their lineup. Eric Young, Jr, Jose Tabata and Michael Brantley are still good options, but perhaps they are no longer on the wire. Well, take a look at Reds outfielder Drew Stubbs. His season-long batting average (.250) might be scaring people off, but Stubbs has actually been playing very well in the past couple of weeks. His .294 batting average, five home runs and five stolen bases in the past 14 days would play on any team. Of course, Stubbs still has a problem with the strikeouts and that means the batting average will always be a risky proposition with him. We know that the batting average on a strikeout is zero, for one. But when he's going well, he's a worthy pickup. Just hope the luck lasts another fourteen days.

In deeper leagues, Michael Brantley's teammate Trevor Crowe deserves a look. He doesn't have elite speed - only two steals in four attempts in September - but he's playing almost every day now with all the injuries in the Indians lineup. He has a .300/.349/.375 batting line in September. If you can afford to sit him against lefties - he has a career .544 major league OPS against southpaws - then he'll be a fine player for you. In fact, perhaps the Indians should let him work out those kinks against lefties, since he actually had a better minor league OPS against lefties (.813 vs. .730). No matter, keep him in there against righties and hope for stolen bases. It's all you can do.

 

[HacheMan]

Twinkie Town
Before we get into the real meat of this Daily Dose, allow me to give a quick nod to the 2010 Twins, who became the first team to clinch a playoff spot Tuesday when they rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Tigers at the new Target Field in Minneapolis. The win was also manager Ron Gardenhire's 800th, and we at Rotoworld have no doubt that Minnesotans basked in the glory of the American League Central crown late into Wednesday morning. Assuming they're all sleeping-in this A.M., it's time to bounce around the league...

Over 4,450 games have been played this season in Major League Baseball. And it's beginning to show.

* Josh Hamilton has been out of the Rangers' lineup since September 4 and was diagnosed Tuesday with two small fractures in his rib cage. The outfielder and MVP candidate told reporters that he is hoping to return next week, but that seems like wishful thinking. He's undergone three pain-killing injections in the last seven days and not one has taken effect. We're betting he doesn't fully return before the first week of October.

* Then there's Joe Mauer, the Twins' All-Star catcher. He left Sunday's game against the A's with what is being called a "jammed knee." An MRI Tuesday showed inflammation in his muscle tissue and he is expected to be given a cortisone shot within the next day or two. The cortisone alone will sideline him for the next 3-4 days and it's possible that he could be out for all of this week. Thankfully -- well, depending on rooting interest -- the Twinkies locked up a spot in baseball's October tournament on Tuesday night and don't necessarily need Mauer as an everyday player down the stretch.

* Oh, you thought the major injury news was finished? Not likely. Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton hasn't played since Friday because of a bad case of shoulder soreness and now Arizona management is talking about shutting him down for the rest of the season. The 23-year-old Upton entered the 2010 season with a fair amount of hype. But he hasn't been able to stay healthy and his mediocre .273/.356/.442 batting line, 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases don't exactly add up to second-round value. That's where he was being selected by the end of spring training this season, according to ADP.

2011 is going to be a really important season for B.J.'s younger brother -- will he turn out as a post-hype sleeper or simply a middle-of-the-road fantasy outfielder?

* Now to some positive news. Roy Halladay grabbed his 20th win of the season Tuesday, beating the second-place Braves with a solid seven-inning effort as the Phillies moved to a five-game lead in the National League East. The recent success of Philadelphia's big three starters -- Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels -- has been well-chronicled throughout the month of September, and there's no doubting which playoff-bound team boasts the scariest postseason pitching staff. Halladay, 33, has turned in a 20-10 record, a 2.53 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP over 32 starts so far in 2010. He's fanned 213 batters and walked only 30 in 241 2/3 innings. It all reeks of Cy Young hardware.

NL Quick Hits: The Diamondbacks have hired former Padres GM Kevin Towers as their new general manager ... Carlos Gonzalez acknowledged Tuesday that he is still feeling soreness in his right wrist and that it affects his swing ... Edinson Volquez has a stellar 1.66 ERA over his last four starts and has likely earned himself a spot in the Reds' postseason rotation ... The Cardinals released infielder Felipe Lopez with only two weeks left in the regular season ... Carlos Zambrano threw six shutout innings Tuesday in a no-decision against the Giants ... Clay Hensley has converted four saves in four chances since taking over the Marlins' ninth-inning gig from Leo Nunez ... Padres outfielder Ryan Ludwick drove in four runs Tuesday just a single base-hit ... J.A. Happ has a solid 3.29 ERA and 54/28 K/BB ratio through 11 starts with the Astros ... Braves prospect Freddie Freeman hit his first major league home run in Tuesday's loss to the Phillies ... Chris Dickerson is day-to-day with a strained hamstring ... Cubs righty Carlos Silva threw a bullpen session Tuesday and may actually get in a few innings before the year is through ... Jim Edmonds was pulled from Tuesday's game with a muscle strain in his right leg ... Hunter Pence is day-to-day with discomfort in his right hip flexor ... The Cubs designated reliever Mitch Atkins for assignment ... Andres Torres, recovering from an emergency appendectomy, didn't feel comfortable taking swings Tuesday ... Mets infielder Luis Hernandez underwent surgery Tuesday to repair the fractured right metatarsal bone in his right foot.

AL Quick Hits: Trevor Cahill picked up his 17th victory of the season Tuesday against the White Sox, becoming the first Oakland pitcher to reach that win plateau since Mark Mulder in 2004 ... Kendry Morales said Tuesday that he is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitiation from a fractured leg and should be ready by the start of spring training next season ... White Sox infielder Mark Teahen is batting .189 with one RBI and 12 strikeouts in 37 at-bats this month ... Ervin Santana recorded his fifth career shutout Tuesday against the Rangers, striking out eight ... Freddy Garcia threw a successful bullpen session Tuesday and could be ready to pitch within the next week ... Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy is day-to-day with a migraine headache ... The Indians have shut down reliever Hector Ambriz for the rest of the season ... Travis Hafner says his shoulder feels fine and is expected to be in the Indians' starting lineup for each of the next four games ... Mitch Talbot is on track to return to the Indians' rotation on Thursday against the Royals ... Rangers setup man Frank Francisco, battling a torn muscle in his side, is expected to return to action next week ... The Royals may shut Chris Getz down for the year because of lingering post-concussion symptoms ... Tony Pena is likely to take Gavin Floyd's spot in the White Sox's starting rotation for the remainder of the season.

 

[HacheMan]

Thanks for Playing

Marlins interim manager Edwin Rodriguez suggested a scenario on Wednesday that no contending fantasy owner wanted to hear: Hanley Ramirez (elbow) could be shut down for the remainder of the season. Ramirez returned to the lineup on Tuesday, but came to the ballpark feeling soreness, prompting Rodriguez to tell The Miami Herald with regard to a possible shutdown that "We have to leave that door open."

We're pretty sure that would technically be shutting the door, but at this juncture there's no point in arguing semantics. I wouldn't cut Ramirez loose just yet if you have a spare bench spot, but it certainly looks possible that his disappointing but still productive 2010 ends with a .300/.378/.475 slash line to go with 21 homers, 76 RBI, 92 runs and 32 steals.

From mildly disappointing to wildly disappointing… Jose Lopez spent much of the summer banished to waiver wires in fantasy leagues after looking nothing like the player who had 25 homers and 96 RBI last season – that is, until Wednesday night. Having not homered since Aug. 16 and with only two dingers since July 1 – not to mention no multi-homer games this season – Lopez naturally went deep three times against the Blue Jays, giving him an even 10 on the season. Feel free to make the add if you're desperate for offense, but you won't find me chasing stats over the final 10 days from a player who has posted a disgustingly smelly 604 OPS this season.

Roy Oswalt threw seven dominant innings (one hit, one walk, eight K's) but took a no-decision as the Phillies went on to win their 10th in a row and move six games ahead of the Braves in the NL East. There was initially some concern that moving to Citizens Bank Park would put a slight strain on Oswalt's ERA and WHIP, but the right-hander is now 7-1 with a 1.76 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 69/19 K/BB ratio in 11 starts (76 2/3 innings) as a Phillie.

Speaking of pitching splendidly in the second half, Max Scherzer threw 7 2/3 shutout innings Wednesday (two hits, two talks, eight K's) and now has a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 141/47 K/BB ratio in 143 innings since June 1. The No. 25-ranked starting pitcher for the season on baseballmonster.com, Scherzer easily has the upside to ascend into the Top-15 range in 2011.

As reported by ESPN New York, Francisco Rodriguez surrendered to the authorities on Wednesday, and was charged with criminal contempt for violating a court order of protection. That charge carries a maximum sentence of one year.

NL Quick Hits: Jim Edmonds got a scare thinking that he tore his Achilles during a home run trot Tuesday, but tests revealed no tear… Miguel Tejada hit his 300th career homer and now has eight homers in 194 at-bats for the Padres after hitting only seven in 401 at-bats for the Orioles… Tommy Hanson threw six shutout innings, but took a no-decision, a recurring theme in a frustrating season (10-11 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.18 WHIP)… Randy Wolf (six innings, one earned run, seven K's) has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his last four starts… Johnny Cueto was shellacked for eight earned runs in just 1 1/3 innings… Adam Dunn (elbow) is expected to return Thursday… Randy Wells threw 7 2/3 shutout innings and has allowed just one earned run in his last two starts… Jonathan Sanchez took his first loss in five weeks despite allowing just two runs (one earned) over 5 2/3 innings… Sean Burnett picked up his third save Wednesday, but regular closer Drew Storen may have been unavailable after throwing 21 pitches on Tuesday… Aaron Harang is day-to-day with a right ankle contusion.

NL Quick Hits, Part 2: Ryan Braun is day-to-day with a bruised left elbow… Pedro Alvarez busted out with a homer and four RBI, his first dinger since Sept. 5… Brandon Webb (shoulder) threw another bullpen and is hoping to make a relief appearance or two next week… Jimmy Rollins (hamstring) is expected to play a simulated game Thursday but still hasn't been cleared to run the bases, meaning his return likely isn't imminent… Joey Votto (sinuses) is expected to return Friday… The Braves are considering skipping Mike Minor's next start, which means Brandon Beachy could get another start… Yadier Molina has been sent back to St. Louis for an MRI on his sore right knee… Michael Bourn (oblique) was out of the lineup for a third straight day… Hunter Pence (hip) missed Wednesday's game… Andres Torres (appendectomy) is hoping to return this weekend… Tyler Colvin (chest, out for the season) was released froma Miami area hospital.

AL Quick Hits: David Ortiz (a homer and four RBI) pushed his season totals to 31 and 96… Kyle Drabek took a loss against the Mariners, allowing three earned runs over five innings… Chris Davis doubled and walked twice and could continue to get at-bats against right-handers… Dan Haren allowed one unearned run on Wednesday in a no-decision and is now 3-4 with a 2.85 ERA in 12 starts for the Angels… Juan Pierre's 60th steal of the season was a swipe of home… Brett Anderson allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings, but the A's bullpen cost him a shot at his fourth straight victory… Carlos Pena was out of the lineup Wednesday and won't play on Thursday either as the Rays give him some rest down the stretch… Russell Branyan (back) missed his fifth straight game.

AL Quick Hits, Part 2: Chris Getz (concussion) has been shut down for the remainder of the season… Manny Ramirez was a late scratch Wednesday, but apparently isn't injured and should be back in the lineup Friday… On what was supposed to be a severe hangover day for the Twins – the day after they clinched the AL Central – Nick Blackburn ignored the fact that most of the Minnesota regulars were sitting and picked up a win by holding the Indians to one run in seven innings… On a related note, the Twins have named Francisco Liriano their Game 1 starter for the ALDS.

 

[HacheMan]

Bum Rush
Perhaps it's because your humble host's team (the Mets) was recently mathematically eliminated from the playoff race, but I have found it increasingly difficult to stay interested in the remainder of the regular season. Unless you are a fan of the Braves or the teams jockeying for position in the National League West, there isn't much intrigue, really.

Fantasy owners would be wise to use this regular season fatigue to their advantage. Over the next week, we'll see position players being rested and starters being skipped and shut down, so be sure to keep it locked to Rotoworld for any and all lineup changes. It's that last-minute tinkering that could make a huge difference in how your league plays out. Hopefully you'll find that it pays to be diligent.

MIXED LEAGUES:

Evan Meek RP, Pirates (Yahoo: 20 percent owned, ESPN: 10.1 percent)

Setting aside the fact that the Pirates really might be worse than the Black Eyed Peas, Meek has successfully converted each of the team's last two save opportunities. Joel Hanrahan seemingly got the nod for the ninth-inning gig when Octavio Dotel was shipped off to Los Angeles, but Pirates manager John Russell has made it clear that he wants to give Meek some opportunities down the stretch with an eye towards next season. Hanrahan (and his strikeout rate of 12.75 K/9) is probably the better option long-term, but Meek is worth grabbing while they are experimenting.

Logan Morrison 1B/OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 19 percent owned, ESPN: 40 percent)

Morrison should be gone in most deeper formats by now, especially if your league uses five outfielders or a CI spot, but I still think he's undervalued. The impressive 23-year-old rookie has reached base safely in 41 consecutive games, good enough for the second-longest streak in team history. Granted, he has only two home runs in 198 at-bats entering play on Thursday, but with his .424 on-base percentage, Morrison has scored 38 runs over his first 51 major league games. If you aren't interested in adding him, at least follow him on Twitter already.

Madison Bumgarner SP, Giants (Yahoo: 29 percent owned, ESPN: 24.8 percent)

We're at that time of year when folks are adding and dropping pitchers constantly throughout the week, so it's hard to say if ownership levels are all that accurate. Still, I like Bumgarner. Not just for tonight's matchup against the Cubs, but also against the Diamondbacks next week. The rookie southpaw has allowed a grand total of four runs over his last four starts. Sure, he hasn't won a game since August 20, but he can mostly thank his pathetic offense for that.

J.J. Hardy SS, Twins (Yahoo: 14 percent owned, ESPN: 36.3 percent)

Hardy hasn't played since Monday due to a migraine headache and yes, probably the hangover he experienced after the Twins clinched the American League Central, but don't worry, he should be back soon. The shortstop has really turned it on in September, batting .345 with one home run, four doubles, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored. Be prepared for the possibility that Hardy could get some extra rest in preparation for the postseason, but he can help out of the MI spot right now.

Travis Wood SP, Reds (Yahoo: 27 percent owned, ESPN: 23.5 percent)

The Reds have been very careful about Wood's workload, which is why we haven't seen him pitch deep into games recently, but he does have a 3.13 ERA and a stingy 22/4 K/BB ratio over his last four starts. Consistent with his output over the past two seasons in the minors, the 23-year-old has exhibited excellent control since his initial call-up on July 1, posting a 75/24 K/BB ratio over 89 1/3 innings. He's worth a spin against the Padres in a potential playoff preview on Saturday.

Randy Wolf SP, Brewers (Yahoo: 46 percent owned, ESPN: 20 percent)

We forgive you, Randy. After stinking up the joint for nearly the entire season, the southpaw has a microscopic 1.21 ERA to go along with a 24/7 K/BB ratio over his first four starts this month, allowing two runs or less in all of them. There's plenty of reason to believe that this trend will continue against the Mets next week. Granted, I don't put tons of credence into lifetime records, but as a suffering Mets fan, I know that Wolf is 12-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 31 career starts against them.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

(Note: The following players are owned in less than 10 percent of Y! and ESPN leagues)

Craig Breslow RP, Athletics (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 2.7 percent)

I'm working under the assumption that Michael Wuertz is already gone in your league. That's fine, really, especially since Wuertz is currently dealing with a nagging thumb injury. Now that Andrew Bailey is likely done for the season because of a sore elbow, Breslow could emerge as the stealth choice for saves over the final 11 days of the season. The southpaw has a 3.12 ERA and 67/26 K/BB ratio over 69 1/3 innings this season and has handled right-handed and left-handed batters with equal aplomb.

Phil Coke RP, Tigers (Yahoo: 7 percent owned, ESPN: 2.8 percent)

I'm not recommending Coke with much enthusiasm -- after all, he has allowed six runs over his last three appearances -- but the left-hander appears to be Jim Leyland's choice for the ninth inning while Jose Valverde is sidelined with an elbow issue. Ryan Perry, another candidate for saves, was given an opportunity to close out Monday's game against the Royals, however he was removed in favor of Coke after giving up a one-out single. Again, not a ton to go on here, but I'd pick up Coke if I was hurting for saves.

Will Venable OF, Padres (Yahoo: 7 percent owned, ESPN: 8.9 percent)

Just the latest development in what has been one of the most unpredictably weird seasons in fantasy, Venable is batting .340 (18-for-53) this month, thanks to a ridiculous .459 batting average on balls in play. The lofty batting average is just a bonus at this stage of the game, especially in a standard rotisserie league, but what you really want him for is his speed. The 27-year-old outfielder is currently tied for eighth in the National League with 27 stolen bases. With other speedsters like Coco Crisp and Scott Podsednik done for the season, Venable could be a nice late-season find.


<!--RW-->


AL ONLY:

Luke Hochevar SP, Royals (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 1.3 percent)

Hochevar earned his first win since May 26 on Sunday against the Indians, yielding three runs on eight hits over six innings while striking out five and walking just one. He tossed four scoreless frames after allowing three runs over the first two innings of the ballgame. It was a promising sign in what was just his third outing back from a lengthy absence due to an elbow strain. The former No. 1 pick is obviously a gamble in fantasy -- no disputing that -- but I'm willing to take my chances in AL-only formats with another outing against the woeful Indians on Friday night.

Jarrod Dyson OF, Royals (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)

Thank goodness for September surprises. Dyson is batting .364 (8-for-22) with four doubles, four runs scored and four stolen bases over his first nine major league games. The 26-year-old outfielder swiped 131 bags over 305 games in the minor leagues, so this isn't just some fluke. Sure, he managed just one home run in 1,095 at-bats in the minors, but you aren't picking this guy up for his power. The Royals are giving him at legitimate playing time in September, so let's just see what his wheels can do.

NL ONLY:

Ryan Spilborghs OF, Rockies (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.8 percent)

I'm at a loss to explain why Spilborghs isn't owned in more leagues right now. The 31-year-old outfielder has successfully moved ahead of the struggling Seth Smith on the depth chart by batting .370 (17-for-46) with three doubles, seven RBI and seven runs scored this month. Most importantly for fantasy owners, he is batting .321/.387/.532 with six homers and a 919 OPS over 156 at-bats at Coors Field this season. And wouldn't you know it, the Rockies begin a six-game homestand on Friday night. Thank me later.

Brandon Beachy SP, Braves (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

Beachy made his major league debut in the toughest of circumstances Monday night against the Phillies, so I wouldn't hold that outing against him too much from a fantasy perspective. The former undrafted free agent rattled off a 2.17 ERA and 48/6 K/BB ratio over eight games (seven starts) with Triple-A Gwinnett this season, so there should be better days ahead. The 24-year-old right-hander is worth stashing if Jair Jurrjens is unable to pitch on Sunday or if the fatigued Mike Minor is skipped on Monday.

 

[HacheMan]

2010 Hits and Misses
Another double feature this week -- Week That Was by Glenn Colton and End of Year Fantasy Awards by Bobby Colton.

As the fantasy season winds down, it is time for a little introspection, a little analysis that might help in 2011. So, here are some of our major hits and misses of 2010 and the lessons that can be learned.

HITS:


Josh Johnson: The signs were there and we read them properly. 2010 was Johnson's second full season post Tommy John surgery – the season where it typically all comes back together. Given that Johnson is only 26, had already had two full and one partial strong seasons under his belt, it is hardly a surprise that he had a career year. Add in the fact that Johnson pitches in a notorious pitcher's park and you had good reason to think you would get 30+ for your 20 dollar investment. Bottom line – right age, right health, right track record, right park, right call.


Robinson Cano: OK, like Johnson, there was no secret Robbie was going to be good. However, he is another pay in the 20s, earn 30+ guy. Could you have seen this coming? Yes, and we did. [don't worry the Misses are ugly, I am just putting off the inevitable]. I think that the .271 with 14 HR in 2008 scared some people away. However, those who got scared forgot that Robbie was entering his age 27 season in 2010 – the season in which many take a leap – and had already posted four full .295+ seasons. Add in the fact that he was slotted nicely in the best lineup in the game and you had all the makings for a great year. Right age, right team, right park, right track record, right move.


Jonny Gomes: Yeah, I know, the first two hits are not that impressive. However, paying under ten bucks for Gomes and his 17 HR and 84 RBI over 480 AB so far is not too shabby (of course, it is a shame that the rest of our LABR-NL team turned into punch and judy). Over the last 2 seasons, Gomes had 28 HR and 70 RBI in fewer than 450 total AB. So, is it such a surprise that hit for power in 2010? No. He had the track record, hits in a bandbox in Cincy and plays for a manager who prefers veterans. So, for those who figured they would yield a profit if Jonny got 300 AB and could earn a big payoff if he got 500 AB hit the jackpot. Well done.


Tyler Clippard: No, we do not claim to have predicted 102K and 11 wins from Clippard. However, we felt real good about a big profit from the $1 middleman. Why? Well, Clippard had not been a success as a starter (4.65 ERA in AAA as a starter in 08).
However, he did flourish as a reliever once converted in 2009 (67 K in 60 big league innings). Add in the fact that he is just 25, pitches in a great pitcher's park and for a team that would surely need him to log innings and you had the prescription for $10 value at a buck. Getting $15 worth was a bit lucky. [Note – given the 74 games and 86 innings already, I would be very wary of relying on Clippard in 2011 – burnout is a huge risk here].


Yuniesky Betancourt: It took a bit of guts to even plunk down a buck here, but there was reason. Yes, I know that Yuni hit an ugly .244 with just 6 HR in 2009. However, he was going to get to play because KC was not going to be good, he had hit .289 in 06 and 07, and was just 28 years old. So, for the buck, we figured, we could easily get 60-10-60 – strong numbers in a deep AL only league from your MI. Well, we got that and more. As of now, Yuni sits at 58-16-76 and there is a bit more than a week to go. Good opportunity, right age, track record of some performance outweighed bad Team in this instance. [As noted below, we are ok with low bids for players on bad teams but preach serious caution when bidding big on those players].


MISSES:


Jose Lopez: The infuriating three homer game notwithstanding, this guy was a HUGE BUST. The fact that Seattle is a bad Team explains some of that, however, remember back in March when Chone Figgins was new, Cliff Lee was going to team up with King Felix and Ichiro was, well, Ichiro? There was a lot of hope in Seattle. So, I don't think the T in Team explains the fantasy dead fish that Lopez became in 2010. In fact, I do not know what does. Jose was in his prime jump year of 26 with 4 full seasons already under his belt. He had slammed 25 jacks at age 25 and there seemed to be no reason to believe he would do anything but keep improving. So, the sickly .236 with 10 HR is truly puzzling and disappointing. The only sign of trouble was the lack of walks, but he had hit well that way for years and failure to take pitches usually does not haunt good hitters until they get into their 30's (see Soriano, Alfonso). Bottom line – sometimes you just get unlucky (see Braun, Ryan).


Julio Borbon: Unlike Lopez, this one was a major league, boneheaded blunder of dramatic proportions. I often say that you cannot win leagues with big money players but you sure as heck can lose them. Thus, I preach over and over again to avoid risk – avoid injury prone players, avoid older players who are more likely to get hurt and avoid young players at big money when they do not have a track record of success. Paying money for this speed when it manifested itself in the big leagues for just half of a season was worthy of Jason Garrett but not of a disciplined roto player. Next year when you are tempted to bid big on a very short record of success pull out your Julio Borbon baseball card, shudder in disgust and move on.


Jhonny Peralta: A 28 year old with SS and 3B eligibility who has already had five decent seasons under his belt was a good bet to elevate his game in 2010 -- a good bet turned bad that is. His power numbers are on par with his three year averages -- 18 HR and 80 RBI, however the average of .251 is well below the already questionable three year .267 average. Why didn't Peralta vault to a new level and return profit? First, he was on a bad Cleveland team with no runners consistently on base to force fastballs and no threat hitting behind him. Well, there is no second. Frankly, his average should be better. He is walking as often as the last few years and is striking out far less. I guess it is just a bad bet to gamble on players on bad teams unless you are spending a buck or two (see Betancourt, Yuniesky). That is a maxim we plan to follow next year. Stated again -- player plays for a bad team, discount the bid.


Nick Markakis: Arrggh -- we should have listened to the many pundits who were down on Markakis (including our own Schultz as well as some with whom Schultz will be happy to occupy the same parenthetical -- Jason Grey, Nate Ravitz and other stars of the fantasy world). We saw a 26 year old player with a sweet swing who has already logged five full time seasons and was ready to move on up (no, not to the east side like George Jefferson). However, we should have paid attention to the fact that the Orioles were not going to be very good without Brian Roberts and the fact that Nick's HR and SB numbers had been going south for three years running. When you see a consistent downward trend, there is no reason to believe a jump is coming. When you see a plateau at solid numbers for a 26 or 27 year old, then it is reasonable to forecast a jump. To quote Viper, we "made a bad choice."


Matt Kemp: This was a huge miss, but why oh why did this happen? Relying on Kemp killed not one but two leagues in which I was responsible for pushing him as a 30+ player/top 5 pick. This 26 year old five tool stud had posted 44 jacks and 69 SB over the last two years. His strikeouts were going south, and walks going north. He even had reduced the number of times he was caught stealing. So, what happened? The only plausible answer is the human element. The Dodgers were as dysfunctional as one can imagine. The owners getting divorced, the GM openly criticizing their young star, and of course the absurdity that is Mannywood. Yup, Kemp either needs to get out of LA or sit down with Donnie Baseball and get back on track. All that said, while I can offer an explanation for Kemp's putrid .247 average and miserable steal percentage, that explanation offers little in the way of how to avoid a similar mistake in the future. Maybe we should downgrade players by 10% when then play on a team where no one seems to be at the helm. Reducing the value of Mets on that basis would have worked out.


And now, as promised another two for one special:


End of the Year Fantasy Awards
By Bobby Colton

With the season coming to a close it is time to hand out some hardware. I have no real power in deciding who actually wins these awards, so I'll have to settle for just explaining why these players deserve the honors. Here's a look at who should win the awards at the close of this season.

AL MVP – Miguel Cabrera: Does Josh Hamilton deserve this award? Perhaps. But in the end the monster season from Cabrera should be enough to give the hefty first baseman the hardware. Cabrera has 35 homers to Hamilton's 31, and Cabrera's 120 rbi are insane. While Hamilton is hitting .361 on the year, his penchant for swinging has resulted in only 43 walks, giving Cabrera a higher OBP than Hamilton (.418 vs. .414), despite hitting a full 25 points lower than the Texas slugger. Oh, and Hamilton missing most of September didn't do him any favors.
Mid Season Prediction: Miguel Cabrera
Honorable Mention: Hamilton, Jose Bautista, Paul Konerko, Robinson Cano

NL MVP – Carlos Gonzalez: CarGo has been absolutely phenomenal this season, with an especially fantastic second half. CarGo leads the league in Batting Average (.342), rbi (113), is 4th in homeruns (33) and is even 10th in steals (25). While most of August was spent debating who would win the triple crown between Albert Pujols and Joey Votto, neither player took the lead in the categories and Gonzalez stormed ahead of the pack. Gonzalez should be the obvious choice for the MVP, especially if Colorado sneaks into the playoffs.
Mid Season Prediction: Joey Votto
Honorable Mention: Pujols, Votto

AL CY Young – Felix Hernandez: If nothing else, Hernandez deserves the award as merely a consolation for putting up with an abysmal offense that has only awarded him 12 wins all year. There are about a half dozen players who deserve this award, but Hernandez has my sympathy vote. Hernandez is leading the league in ERA with 2.31 mark and leads the league with 227 strikeouts. His .500 winning percentage is just a product of a lackluster Mariner club.
Mid Season Prediction: David Price
Honorable Mentions: CC Sabathia, Price, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Trevor Cahill, Jered Weaver

NL CY Young – Roy Halladay: For a Mets fan, this really, really hurts. However, I can be objective and say that the 20 game winner deserves the honor by a slim margin. His .250 BAA is not as good as the marks of Ubaldo Jimenez and Adam Wainwright, but the fact that his team will punch a ticket to October baseball is enough to give him the slight advantage over the field. Doc also has a tenuous lead on the strikeout title right now. Did I mention that this really hurts me?
Mid Season Prediction: Mat Latos
Honorable Mention: Wainwright, Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Tim Hudson

AL ROY – Neftali Feliz: Pickin's are slim as far as AL ROY is concerned. While a closer is an unconventional choice for this award, Feliz is just the best rookie in the AL. His 37 saves are good for 3rd in the AL, and he boasts a sub 1 WHIP, an ERA below 3, and a BAA below 1.80. He's been scary good for the Rangers.
Mid Season Prediction: Brennan Boesch
Honorable Mention: Austin Jackson

NL ROY – Jaime Garcia: Garcia has been ridiculous this season, despite an early end to his season. Garcia has a 2.70 ERA, 13 wins, and has K'ed more than double the batters he's walked. In fact, Garcia's 2.70 ERA is good enough for 5th in all of the NL.
Mid Season Prediction: Jaime Garcia
Honorable Mention: Jason Heyward, Ian Desmond, Gaby Sanchez

AL LVP – Ben Zobrist: Zobrist appeared to breakout in his age 28 season, hitting .297 with 27 jacks. This year has been a very different story for the former utility man. Zobrist has managed just a .246 average with only 10 homers. The only positives he posted for his owners were his speed numbers (24 steals vs. 17 last year) and his multi position eligibility. Still, Zobrist has been a disaster this season.
Mid Season Prediction: Adam Lind
Honorable Mention: Carlos Pena, Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, Jose Lopez

NL LVP – Aramis Ramirez: It seemed like a blistering July and August would pull Ramirez back into fantasy relevancy, but his .222 September average was the final straw for Ramirez's season. He still did manage 23 homers, but the oft-injured, streaky third baseman couldn't quite get his act together for any significant stretch of time. Ramirez was far from what was advertised to fantasy owners this season.
Mid Season Prediction: Derek Lee
Honorable Mention: Matt Kemp, Pablo Sandoval, Derek Lee

AL CY Bum – AJ Burnett/Javier Vazquez: These Yankee starters were touted as fantasy aces heading into the season, coming off a giant contract and blockbuster trade respectively. The two both have ERAs over 5, BAAs over .250 (Burnett's is .281), and have combined for just 20 wins. As Yankee players, they were probably over-hyped at the start of the season, but they have been busts regardless.
Mid Season Prediction: Josh Beckett
Honorable Mention: Kevin Millwood, Zach Greinke, Josh Beckett

NL CY Bum – Aaron Harang: Most of the hurlers who were featured in this section midyear (Carlos Zambrano, John Lannan, Wandy Rodriguez) had huge second halves to make owners happy they either held on to him or bought low on him. Harang is the one guy who has been consistently terrible all year. Harang has a 5.25 ERA, up from his 4.21 ERA just a year ago. While Harang has shown ace stuff in the past, he was so bad this year that he was relegated to bullpen duties down the stretch. If you were hoping to catch lightening in the bottle with Harang, you came up empty.
Mid Season Prediction: John Lannan
Honorable Mention: Oliver Perez, Joe Blanton, Paul Maholm

And last but not least, Schultz Says: "Even if to talk about it were to jinx it, Howie Kendrick isn't putting up great enough numbers that we should avoid talking about the fact that he's about to make it through his first season without spending considerable time on the disabled list. Since emerging as heavy-hitting prospect at a light hitting position, Kendrick has been a shiny piece of metal that constantly gets mistaken for roto-gold. Over the past 4 years, Kendrick has always managed to hit for an above-average average and displayed a knack for clutch hitting. However, he can never stay on the field long enough for it to matter. This year, Kendrick's roto-owners got a mixed blessing: Kendrick played a full season but it was quite an underwhelming one. Next year, let someone else take the gamble on Kendrick performing a repeat Ripken.

It's only been four years since Josh Hamilton resurrected his career with the Reds but he's lost large chunks of two of them to injuries and he's finishing up an MVP-worthy start to 2010 by going MIA when his roto-owners need him the most. Gaudy numbers are great - and even by missing 30 games, Hamilton's .361, 31 HR, 97 RBIs are just that - but they don't accumulate on the DL. If you own Hamilton, over the off season, you could do worse than explore trading the fragile outfielder for a more durable superstar. Someone will bite and you'll be better off in the long run.

AND just to prove that I actually read the entire column, Schultz has a retort to Glenn's little diatribe over Derek Jeter. The Yankee shortstop is marketed to the world as the face of the Yankees, an honorable athlete who upholds whatever lofty ideals that the Yankees purportedly stand for. While faking an HBP is probably no different ethically than a lot of the other gamesmanship that goes on in the Major Leagues, Jeter is held to a different standard because we have been told that he plays by a different standard. He's not supposed to act like Alex Rodriguez. He's supposed to act like Derek Jeter. Sports karma works in funny ways. In this case, I suspect the Yankees will enjoy entering the post-season as a wild card."

Response: Really good award stuff from Bobby and I have to admit, Schultz has a point about Jeter -- the only criticism of the HBP act I have read that makes any sense. It is fair to say that when one cultivates a reputation for purity, one must live up to that reputation. However, I still think it is far more important to talk about questionable use of Gaudin, Mitre, Moseley et al in key spots rather than debating Jeter's image.