MLB Fantasy News 2012

[HacheMan]

Adjustment periods

Morrow, Saunders, Nova improving; Lincecum, Scherzer struggling


By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

When we pick a player on draft day -- especially a veteran player with a proven track record of statistical strengths -- we're sometimes surprised when he experiences a sudden, radical shift in said strengths.

For example: The major league leader in strikeouts per nine innings the past two seasons combined (300-plus innings) averaged 10.53.


This season, that same pitcher has averaged 5.79 K's per nine.


No pitcher has suffered the kind of strikeout rate decline that Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow has in 2012. From a counting-numbers aspect, Morrow's 21 K's thus far have been exceeded by 64 other pitchers; last season his 203 K's were exceeded by only 11 others. Being that he has never been a valuable fantasy asset in any other prominent Rotisserie category, Morrow was probably a pitcher, who, if you bought him, you bought him solely for the K's.


Yet Morrow currently ranks 45th among starting pitchers on our Player Rater, a worthwhile asset in fantasy in spite of his shifting numbers. He has a 3.03 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, numbers substantially beneath the 4.37 ERA and 1.38 WHIP he had during the first five seasons of his major league career. Morrow has made changes that have kept him in the realm of successful fantasy starters; his owners probably aren't unhappy with his efforts, even if they've had to make some adjustments to make up for his shortcomings in terms of strikeouts.


But here's a fair question: Has Morrow really changed at all? Perhaps his performance is fluky and the strikeouts will eventually return; or might his owners need to worry that the K-rate drop might signal complete erosion in time?


Morrow's changeup has improved by leaps and bounds. He has expanded the difference in average velocity between his fastball and changeup to 7.7 mph (93.3, compared to 85.6) -- the differential was 6.8 mph in 2011 -- has thrown it for strikes 19 percent more often and has limited opponents to .200/.250/.333 rates in 16 plate appearances that ended in one (last season's rates: .407/.467/.556, in 30 PA-enders). Morrow has also made big strides pitching from the stretch, limiting opponents to .154/.186/.308 rates with men on (44 PAs), down from .267/.346/.466 (328 PAs) in 2011. Part of that is his leaning more on his off-speed stuff in those situations; he has thrown curveballs, sliders or changeups 42 percent of the time with men on, compared to 38 percent last season. And, perhaps most importantly, Morrow is inducing more ground balls, his rate rising from 37.1 percent in 2011 to 46.5 percent this season.

The sum is a pitcher who indeed has made noticeable enough adjustments that the "new" Morrow might be the true one, the results a more balanced, perhaps more trustworthy fantasy option. His drop in strikeouts will probably keep him from realizing top-25 potential -- something his owners might have hoped for as a best-case scenario -- but at least he might not be as volatile as he was in the past.


Morrow isn't the only pitcher who has experienced such statistical shifts. Let's take a look at a few others whose transformations bear watching:


Joe Saunders is getting more grounders and getting righties out. I know, I know, he's Joe Saunders, owner of lifetime numbers like a 4.06 ERA and 5.03 K's-per-nine ratio that hardly raise a fantasy owner's eyebrow. But as AJ Mass pointed out in Monday's "Vantage Point", Saunders has ditched his slider, plus has increasingly leaned upon a two-seam fastball that has helped elevate his ground ball rate to a career-high 55.3 percent. That's an important thing for a pitcher like Saunders, who in addition to being a put-it-in-play pitcher, has one of the game's better infield defenses behind him. He might now be an every-week NL-only asset, and a streaming option at the minimum even in deep mixed leagues.


Max Scherzer is throwing harder and walking more batters; might experimenting with a two-seam fastball be responsible? Scherzer's troubles are somewhat puzzling if you look at mere velocity readings; per our pitch-tracking tool, he's one of only three full-time starting pitchers whose fastball has averaged more than a half a mph faster this season (93.7 mph) than last (93.1), and his 2012 average velocity, thus far, would represent a career high. At the same time, he has averaged 4.81 walks per nine innings, noticeably higher than his 3.13 career rate and substantially north of his 2.58, career-best number of 2010.


One thing that's different is that Scherzer is experimenting with a two-seam fastball. Per FanGraphs, he has thrown it 7.3 percent of the time, after having never previously thrown one at the major league level. The problem, however, is that he's not throwing any of his pitches for strikes -- four-seam fastball, slider, changeup -- as effectively as he did in the past, so it's not like the one, new pitch can be blamed. (Both his in-the-zone and walks-per-PA-enders ratios on every pitch have gotten worse.) Scherzer's owners might wish he would scrap the two-seamer and go back to what worked for him in the past, but there's also merit to this being an adjustment period he'll work his way through. The problem: That requires patience, and in a mixed league, you might not be able to afford it.


Tim Lincecum's fastball velocity remains down. No pitcher in baseball has suffered a more significant dip in fastball velocity than Lincecum; what was a 92.2 mph pitch on average has dipped to 89.7 through five starts, and he hasn't even hit 94 mph on the gun once all year, after doing so 246 times in 2011. Here's the problem with that: When Lincecum throws his fastball 92 mph or slower, it's much more hittable, to the tune of .309/.409/.456 triple-slash rates since 2009. He's being forced to lean more on his breaking pitches, and that's not what you want to hear considering how violent his delivery is. Lincecum is still capable of a season that would warrant a place in any fantasy lineup, but he's not the ace he was a few years ago, and he's a riskier pitcher than he has ever been before.


Ivan Nova's command is suddenly superb. It was statistics like Nova's 1.72 K's-per-walk ratio last season that ranked him atop many regression candidate lists entering 2012, but it's his 5.00 number in the category thus far that might have his critics thinking differently today. He's suddenly a strikeout artist who doesn't walk anyone, and much of it is thanks to his breaking pitches (curveball and slider), which are responsible for 21 of his 25 K's. At the same time, his growth is somewhat misleading. Nova's miss rate hasn't improved substantially, going from 16.7 percent of swings last season to 18.4 percent this season, and his called-strike rate on breaking pitches has risen from 31.5 to 44.3 percent. Hitters are being frozen by those offerings more often, but if they become more aggressive in the coming weeks, Nova's strikeouts might return closer to their former level. He's better in the category, but not necessarily by this much.



TOP 100 STARTING PITCHERS

Note: Tristan H. Cockcroft's top 100 starting pitchers are ranked for their expected performance from this point forward, not for statistics that have already been accrued.
<table><thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Rnk </center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"> Player, Team </th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Prev
Rnk </center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Justin Verlander, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Roy Halladay, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Clayton Kershaw, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jered Weaver, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cole Hamels, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Felix Hernandez, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Cain, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Zack Greinke, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Stephen Strasburg, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cliff Lee, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> CC Sabathia, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Madison Bumgarner, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dan Haren, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Yu Darvish, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Price, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Garza, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> C.J. Wilson, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> James Shields, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jordan Zimmermann, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ian Kennedy, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Gio Gonzalez, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tim Lincecum, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jon Lester, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ricky Romero, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon Beachy, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Yovani Gallardo, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cory Luebke, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tommy Hanson, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Anibal Sanchez, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Beckett, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Shaun Marcum, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jeremy Hellickson, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon Morrow, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Johnny Cueto, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Sale, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mat Latos, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adam Wainwright, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Moore, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake Peavy, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Daniel Hudson, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jaime Garcia, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Wandy Rodriguez, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Vance Worley, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Neftali Feliz, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chad Billingsley, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Colby Lewis, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Derek Holland, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Johan Santana, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Minor, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tim Hudson, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Johnson, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathon Niese, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ervin Santana, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ted Lilly, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Hiroki Kuroda, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon McCarthy, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Max Scherzer, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Edwin Jackson, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Harrison, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ricky Nolasco, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Trevor Cahill, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Lance Lynn, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 76 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bartolo Colon, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ivan Nova, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> John Danks, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Erik Bedard, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Gavin Floyd, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ubaldo Jimenez, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bud Norris, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Doug Fister, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Vogelsong, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kyle Lohse, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 86 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Henderson Alvarez, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 82 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Dempster, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 79 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Philip Humber, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 76 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jeff Niemann, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 77 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jhoulys Chacin, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 78 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Juan Nicasio, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 79 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Hammel, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 91 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 80 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake Arrieta, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 77 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Barry Zito, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 93 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 82 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> A.J. Burnett, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 84 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 83 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kyle Drabek, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 83 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 84 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Danny Duffy, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 85 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Zambrano, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 80 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 86 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andy Pettitte, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 89 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 87 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ross Detwiler, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 88 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Drew Smyly, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 97 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 89 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> R.A. Dickey, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 96 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 90 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Justin Masterson, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 91 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Carpenter, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 78 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 92 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Daniel Bard, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 85 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 93 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luke Hochevar, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 87 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 94 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jeff Samardzija, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 94 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 95 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Wei-Yin Chen, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 96 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> James McDonald, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 97 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Saunders, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 98 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Anthony Bass, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 99 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Capuano, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake Westbrook, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr></tbody></table>




Both Jason Hammel's strikeout and ground ball rates have risen. One of the American League East's most surprising stories, Hammel has exploded for career-high K's-per-nine (8.65) and ground ball (61.8 percent) ratios with the Baltimore Orioles, most impressive considering two of his four starts came against the Toronto Blue Jays. Hammel's ground ball increase makes sense, being that he's throwing two-seam fastballs 40.5 percent of the time, per FanGraphs, and his 26 percent miss rate backs up the boost in K's. As a member of the AL East, he'll always be subject to matchups scrutiny. But don't be so quick to write him off as total fluke.


Chad Billingsley has stopped walking hitters. No pitcher has improved his walks-per-nine ratio more than Billingsley, who slashed a 4.02 walks-per-nine in 2011 to 2.05 so far this season. Most of it has shown up in his performance versus left-handed hitters, who have walked in only 4.8 percent of their PAs against him, compared to 13.1 percent a year ago, as his two-seam fastball, cutter and changeup have been electric against them to date. Billingsley isn't necessarily throwing more overall strikes; he's merely hitting his spots more often when he needs to. And considering that three of his five opponents thus far rank among the game's top 10 teams in terms of walks, it's an impressive -- and relevant -- feat.


Streamer's delight



Among streaming starter -- something I define as single-start options in daily leagues among pitchers owned in 25 percent of ESPN leagues or fewer -- options for the upcoming week, here are my picks by day:


Tuesday, May 1: Felix Doubront versus Oakland Athletics
Wednesday, May 2: Carlos Zambrano at San Francisco Giants
Thursday, May 3: Jeff Niemann versus Seattle Mariners
Friday, May 4: Drew Smyly versus Chicago White Sox
Saturday, May 5: James McDonald versus Cincinnati Reds
Sunday, May 6: Bronson Arroyo at Pittsburgh Pirates
Monday, May 7: Jhoulys Chacin at San Diego Padres
Tuesday, May 8: A.J. Burnett versus Washington Nationals


Past picks
Tuesday, April 24, Randy Wolf: W, QS, 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Wednesday, April 25, Trevor Cahill: 5&frac13; IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Thursday, April 26, Rick Porcello: 6&frac23; IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Friday, April 27, Jake Arrieta: 5&frac23; IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Saturday, April 28, Wei-Yin Chen: W, QS, 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Sunday, April 29, Chris Capuano: W, QS, 6&frac23; IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
Monday, April 30, Randy Wolf: W, 5 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K


Week's total: 7 GS, 4 W (57.1%), 3 QS (42.9%), 42&frac13; IP, 39 H, 19 ER, 17 BB, 29 K, 4.04 ERA, 1.32 WHIP
Season total: 26 GS, 13 W (50.0%), 16 QS (61.5%), 165 IP, 131 H, 53 ER, 55 BB, 107 K, 2.89 ERA, 1.13 WHIP


Three up



Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers: Too many pitches? Ha! You could hardly criticize Darvish for his diverse arsenal by looking at his past three starts, which came against the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, three of the American League's most potent offenses. During that time, Darvish is a perfect 3-0 with an 0.83 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 22 K's in 21&frac23; innings. Get this: Per our pitch-tracking tool, Darvish throws seven different pitches -- fastball, changeup, curveball, slider, cutter, sinker and splitter -- and since FanGraphs says he throws both two- and four-seam fastballs, you could say he throws eight, and it's only his fastball against whom opponents have higher than a .667 OPS (.904, in 62 PA-enders). If you didn't believe before, you need to now.


Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs: Garza probably belongs in the upper portion of this column, being that he's throwing even more sliders this year (27.1 percent of all pitches) than last (23.3 percent), and generating even more swings and misses overall this year (29.4 percent) than last (25.7 percent). Whether he might pay a physical toll for that at some future point or not, Garza has quietly become one of the game's best strikeout artists thanks to his reliance upon the pitch. He has 9, 7, 5 and 10 K's in his past four outings, and ranks among the top five in the majors in the category.


Drew Smyly, Detroit Tigers: A strikeout artist during his minor league career -- he averaged 9.23 K's per nine in 23 career minor league appearances -- Smyly has carried that over thus far in his big league career, whiffing as many batters (22) as he has pitched innings (22). Much of that is thanks to his curveball and slider, which have resulted in 13 of his 22 K's and limited opponents to a .172 batting average, the rookie perhaps taking advantage of hitters unfamiliar with his arsenal. Enjoy this, as opponents might hit Smyly more effectively the more times he sees them, but even in defense of him in that regard, there's this: Opponents have batted only .213 against him in their second and subsequent plate appearances against him within his outings so far.


Three down



John Danks, Chicago White Sox: He's another pitcher whose velocity has dropped dramatically, what was a 91.4 mph fastball on average last season dipping to 89.5 mph this year. The problem for Danks, of course, is he can't afford to lose any zip on his pitches; he calls one of the most homer-friendly ballparks in baseball his home. Most distressing, he has issued 15 walks in 24&frac13; innings in his past four starts, further compounding the problem. Reserve him for now.


Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland Indians: Speaking of velocity drops, how about a multiyear decline in that department? Jimenez qualifies: He averaged 95.6 mph with his fastball in 2010, that dropped to 93.2 mph last season, and so far this season he has averaged 91.7 mph. That's a dramatic drop over an extended period, it helps explain why his OPS allowed on fastballs has gone from .649 to .803 to .897, and it sure explains why his WHIP is an unsightly 1.50 thus far.


Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians: So now, in addition to his usual struggles versus left-handed hitters, Masterson is regressing in the walks department. With a 5.10 walks-per-nine ratio through his first five starts, Masterson has nearly doubled his 2011 number in the category (2.71), and in each of his past three appearances he has issued at least four free passes (15 total). Don't be convinced his two-runs-in-8&frac13; innings performance his last time out represents the beginning of an extended hot streak. He's still a risky bet for now.

 

[HacheMan]

Don't worry too much about Eric Hosmer

Eric Karabell

It's early enough in the season that a player's batting average can be greatly affected by the statistic we know and love as BABIP, or batting average on balls in play. Really, a batting average can be affected all season -- Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson and his .396 BABIP from 2010 remains stunning -- but in general, when you see a sub-.200 BABIP, like the one Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer is currently lugging around, better times are pending. It's only one month, but Hosmer enters Tuesday hitting .188, with a .164 BABIP, which is one of the reasons I'm not at all concerned about his development or fantasy value.
As we enter May baseball, I thought it would be a fine time to peer at the current BABIP trailers, because looking at the rest of Hosmer's numbers, it seems awfully odd that he'd be hitting so far below his listed weight of 230 pounds. The kid has five home runs and 13 RBIs, his walk rate is up a bit without coming at the expense of strikeouts, and he leads the Royals in runs scored. Frankly, Hosmer could be hitting .288 right now and it would look normal, but the fact he isn't should be viewed as good news for the patient owners.

Alas, this is part of the reason Hosmer remains one of the smartest buy-low options in the game. Some might look at Hosmer's rookie campaign from last year and call it a fluke, when he hit .293 with 19 home runs in 128 games, but I still see the tip of the iceberg, a clear top-10 first baseman. No, this isn't a guy struggling quite like Albert Pujols, but he'll get better, as well. The power is there for Hosmer against right-handed pitching -- hopefully he starts hitting lefties in time -- and he is showing plate discipline, but as his BABIP shows he's been largely unlucky. There's nothing to worry about.
The worst BABIP in baseball last season among qualifiers for the batting title was a .214 mark for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Vernon Wells. As we're seeing this season, Wells just isn't very good anymore, so we shouldn't view a low BABIP as guaranteed to jump 100 points. Next lowest last season was .237 for Chicago White Sox outfielder Alex Rios, who is playing better. Hosmer's luck will change; he might not reach the .314 BABIP from last season -- league average is just below .300 -- but I think he's a candidate to hit .300 annually with 25 or more home runs. He also steals bases. The Joey Votto comparisons aren't far off, so don't give up after one month with a low batting average and deal him off for Kyle Lohse.
It's interesting to look at others struggling in BABIP. Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista looks a bit like Hosmer statistically, with a higher walk rate and the fifth-lowest BABIP at .179, and we know he has legitimate power. The rest of the fellows with poor BABIP figures shouldn't interest standard league fantasy owners much, from Cleveland Indians first baseman Casey Kotchman and Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Clint Barmes to Chicago Cubs third baseman Ian Stewart and new Boston Red Sox outfielder Marlon Byrd. Bautista and Hosmer are clearly different, but all these guys, for those in deeper leagues, should improve. Even Barmes.
For those looking for more information on how best to analyze BABIP, check out the article by colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft from our 2012 draft kit . For those thinking about trading for Hosmer or Bautista, let's just say that makes a lot of sense, because things are going to get a lot better when it comes to their respective batting averages.

 

[HacheMan]

Delmon Down

Delmon Young hasn’t exactly been a model citizen since entering pro ball back in 2004, and his latest infraction has cost him a week’s worth of games.



Young was suspended by Major League Baseball for seven days without pay following his arrest last week for third-degree assault and an aggravated harassment hate crime for an alleged altercation outside the Tigers’ hotel in New York City. The suspension is retroactive, so Young will be eligible to be activated from the restricted list on Friday.



The former first overall pick will also be required to participate in a treatment program as part of the discipline handed down by MLB. Remember that this is the same guy that was suspended 50 games for throwing a bat at an umpire during a minor league game. It’s clear he has a volatile temper, so getting some treatment couldn’t hurt.



As far as what the Tigers do while Young is out, they’ll continue to use a combination of Andy Dirks, Don Kelly and Brad Eldred in the DH and left field spots. Young was batting just .242/.311/.333 with one homer and five RBI through his first 18 games, so it’s not as if Detroit is losing a red-hot hitter.



For daily starter rankings, a constantly-updated closer report, exclusive live chats, a trade evaluator, pickup-of-the-day recommendations and much, much more, check out the MLB Season Pass.



Wrist Bothering Morneau again



The 30-year-old will fly back to Minnesota to have his sore left wrist examined by Twins' hand specialist Dr. Tom Varecka. Morneau, who said the wrist actually started bothering him during a series against the Rays from April 20-22 but gradually became worse, is hoping that it's just scar tissue breaking up from last year's surgery. We should know more about his status Tuesday.



Morneau is batting just .230 after going hitless in his first two at-bats Monday, but he’s belted four homers and slugged .459 in the opening month, and, most importantly, he hasn’t had a recurrence of the concussion issues that plagued him last year. So, overall the Twins have to be pleased with what they’ve gotten out of him in April. Hopefully this is just a minor bump in the road and the left-handed swinger will be back in action shortly, but it's hard to be optimistic given his health issues over the past couple year.



Longo Hurts Knee

​

Morneau wasn’t the only slugger to get hurt Monday, as

Longoria will be put through tests, which could include an MRI, on Tuesday, at which point we’ll know more about his status. At the very least, though, we have to figure he’ll miss a game or two. Elliot Johnson took Longoria’s place at third base Monday and wound up plating the winning run in extra innings, and he and National League Quick Hits: James McDonald whiffed 10 Braves hitters Monday and now sports a 2.97 ERA through five starts. He can be inconsistent but is certainly mixed league-worthy right now … Brad Lidge will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a hernia. He’s expected to start throwing again in about three weeks but can safely be ruled out for the rest of May … Bryan LaHair cranked his fifth homer of the season Monday. He finished April with a .390 batting mark and looks like someone to hang onto in keeper leagues … Juan Carlos Oviedo’s suspension for using a fake identity will last eight weeks, not six weeks as first reported. The suspension won’t begin until he gains a visa and returns to the states … Jason Heyward sat out Monday with some oblique soreness and won’t play Tuesday, either. He’s hoping to return Wednesday, as it doesn’t appear to be a DL-type injury for now … Carlos Quentin (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tucson Tuesday. The assignment will last at least seven games … Allen Craig’s (knee) rehab assignment is coming to an end, as he went 3-for-5 with a couple homers Monday for Triple-A Memphis and is expected to be activated for Tuesday’s game … Mike Pelfrey will indeed undergo Tommy John surgery. He’s slated for free agency this winter, so his Mets career is likely over … Cliff Lee (oblique) won’t be activated from the DL Friday when first eligible … American League Quick Hits: Edwin Encarnacion has put on a power display in the early going, homering in each of the Jays’ final four games in April to give him eight on the year. The .300+ batting average is a fluke, but the power is not … Yu Darvish was brilliant against Toronto Monday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out nine. He's allowed just four runs over 32 innings since giving up four in his first career frame … Andy Pettitte thinks he’s ready to join the Yankees, but the team will give him one more minor league start … Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com thinks free agent southpaw Mike Gonzalez might wind up with the Rays. Tampa already has J.P. Howell and Jake McGee, but you can never have enough good bullpen arms … Doug Fister (abdomen) will throw 75 pitches Wednesday in his first minor league rehab start with Triple-A Toledo. Barring a setback, it should be the only rehab start he needs … Brett Gardner (elbow) is taking swings with no issues and should be activated from the DL Thursday when first eligible … Miguel Olivo is DL-bound after straining his groin Monday. He told reporters that the injury is worse than the one he suffered during spring training last year, so an extended absence is possible. Jesus Montero and John Jaso will split catching duties while Olivo is out … Adrian Beltre might not play Tuesday due to leg soreness. It’s likely more hamstring issues for the veteran, as he dealt with them last week and has a history of hammy problems.​

 

[HacheMan]

Evan Longoria quietly losing 'durable' tag

Eric Karabell

For a few years now, I've judged Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman a bit harsher than most, wondering if injuries would eventually be his downfall and his destiny was to be known as this decade's version of Scott Rolen -- and not for positive reasons. Zimmerman has power and can hit for average, but all the missed games are a problem for fantasy owners. Alas, he's now on the disabled list.



However, after seeing the news that Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria will miss the next four to eight weeks -- that's quite a wide range, isn't it? -- after partially tearing his left hamstring in a failed stolen base attempt in Monday's game, he's looking like a better, albeit similarly flawed, version of Zimmerman. A season ago, Longoria played in only 133 games. He missed 26 games early in the season because of an oblique injury, and it might have contributed to him struggling at the plate (he hit a career-low .244).

Longoria is a wonderfully balanced player, injuries aside. He made my top 10 for fantasy in 2012 and was my real-life AL MVP favorite. This is his fifth season, and he already has reached 30 home runs and 100 RBIs twice, won a rookie of the year award and a pair of Gold Gloves. He seemed well on his way to his top fantasy season, but now he might be lost for the next two months, as it's possible he'll need surgery to fix the hamstring. Even if Longoria has another monster second half like last season, when he slugged 20 home runs and knocked in 57 over 72 games, these missed games add up. Zimmerman fell to my fourth round this year. Perhaps Longoria won't slip that far for 2013 drafts, but it's tough to imagine him being a top-25 player with these durability woes.


If you own Longoria, you shouldn't cut him or deal him for 50 cents on the dollar. It's possible that Longoria will return in a month and put up another terrific final few months. After all, Longoria did enter Tuesday 14th overall on the ESPN Player Rater, behind only Edwin Encarnacion and Mike Aviles among third basemen. Let's just say of that threesome, Longoria had the best chance to maintain the strong performance, as he is hitting .329 with four home runs and 19 RBIs and an OPS more than 100 points higher than any of his previous seasons. At this point, just hope he'll be back in June and he can recreate the power from last year.


As for the Rays, they are a deep team, but not at third base. Elliot Johnson and Jeff Keppinger seem to be the fill-ins for now, and neither is enticing. Johnson is a career .189 hitter who stole bases in the minors, but last year he was 6-for-13 in big league steal attempts. Keppinger is a utility guy who hits left-handed pitching but offers little power or speed. Outfielder Matt Joyce replaced Longoria in the No. 3 lineup slot against Seattle Mariners right-hander Hector Noesi on Tuesday, and is due for an upgrade if this continues. He already is 100 percent owned in ESPN leagues, though. Infielder Will Rhymes was called up from Triple-A Durham, where he was hitting .231 with one home run. He's not worth a look in any type of league.

A note of interest that might fly under the radar: To make room for Rhymes, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth from the 15- to the 60-day DL. This is significant. It was originally thought that Farnsworth, last year's closer with 25 saves and a 2.18 ERA, would return from his strained elbow in early May. Now it will be at least early June. I never thought I'd write this, but the way right-hander Fernando Rodney has been pitching, including Tuesday's save (his eighth already) in which he struck out the side and lowered his ERA to 0.79, he likely will keep the job. It's time to cut Farnsworth in standard leagues.


As for non-Rays options readily available in ESPN leagues who could replace Longoria, there are a few power options out there, but they could hurt your batting average. Baltimore's Chris Davis is hitting .476 with four home runs in the past week, but he's also a career .256 hitter who strikes out a lot. Pedro Alvarez has four home runs and four multihit games in the past week, and is hitting .222. Say what you will about Ty Wigginton, but he had a 13-game hitting streak until Sunday, and is hitting .317 with 10 RBIs. Chipper Jones, Mat Gamel, Jed Lowrie and Alex Liddi are also worth a look.

 

[HacheMan]

Fun with hitting trends

Chris Davis, Yadier Molina improving; Eric Hosmer, Cameron Maybin struggling


By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

I have a confession: I was once one of fantasy baseball's biggest Chris Davis fans.

The year was 2009. Davis was coming off an outstanding 2008 spread across three competitive levels -- Double-A, Triple-A and the big leagues with the Texas Rangers -- one in which he entered as Keith Law's No. 69 prospect and Baseball America's No. 65 prospect overall, and finished with a sparkling triple-slash line (.309 AVG/.364 OBP/.539 SLG), 40 home runs and 128 RBIs overall.


Davis' performance as a rookie with those 2009 Rangers, at the age of 22, made him look like a home run champ in the making. He clubbed 17 homers in his 80 games with the big club, or a pace of 33 if he had spent the entire year with the team. And as a member of the Rangers, who play in one of the most hitting-friendly environments in all of baseball, Davis understandably looked like a breakout candidate for 2009.


Unfortunately, those who shared my opinion of Davis at the time remember what happened; he struck out 114 times in 258 at-bats to begin that season, his propensity to swing and miss so dire that the Rangers had little choice but demote him to the minors by July. From 2009-11 at the big league level, Davis managed but a .238 batting average and .289 on-base percentage and whiffed in nearly a third of his plate appearances (33.1 percent). He was dumped upon the Baltimore Orioles in last July's Koji Uehara trade, and wasn't much better for his new team. Davis couldn't even warrant a second look in mixed leagues come 2012 draft day.


But…

One month into the 2012 season, Davis finally looks like a hitter who might finally stick as a regular at the big league level. He hit his fifth home run of the season Tuesday night; he has hit all five in his past eight games. Most importantly, however, he has cut down on the strikeouts; his rate is a mere 22.0 percent, which is beneath the 24.5 percent career number he sported during his days as one of the most prolific power hitters in the minors.


Continuing with the week's theme of players who have exhibited statistical skill shifts, Davis' improved contact ability -- as well as newfound selectivity -- might yet support his candidacy as a breakout candidate … a mere three seasons after I initially expected it might happen. Compare each of Davis' numbers this year to those from 2009-11 in a few key categories:


Miss rate (on all swings): 27.3 percent in 2012, 32.8 percent from 2009-11
Chase rate overall: 35.2 percent in 2012, 36.3 percent from 2009-11
Chase rate in pitchers' counts: 35.6 percent in 2012, 40.8 percent from 2009-11
Chase rate with two strikes: 33.3 percent in 2012, 42.4 percent from 2009-11


Davis has also made one other noted improvement, and that's his ability to cover the outside third of the plate. After managing but .215/.295/.337 triple-slash rates with a 36.8 percent miss rate against pitches on the outside the past three seasons, Davis has boosted those stats to .393/.471/.714 and 25.3 percent. That has helped him to eight opposite-field hits, 17th-most among left-handed hitters.


Combine the two and Davis might yet have the plate coverage, plus the discipline, to maintain a healthy amount of fantasy value all season. He'll probably never be a batting-average standout -- our .272 projection for him in 2009 might even be a tad high for the remainder of this year -- but 25-plus homers is within reach. Since he's third-base eligible, he's well worth the pickup and start.


Let's take a look at some other hitters who have exhibited similar statistical shifts so far this season:



TOP 125 HITTERS

Note: Tristan H. Cockcroft's top 125 hitters are ranked for their expected performance from this point forward, not for statistics that have already been accrued.
<table><thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Rnk </center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"> Player, Team </th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Prev
Rnk </center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Kemp, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Miguel Cabrera, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Braun, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joey Votto, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Troy Tulowitzki, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Hanley Ramirez, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adrian Gonzalez, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dustin Pedroia, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Bautista, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ian Kinsler, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Albert Pujols, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Robinson Cano, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Prince Fielder, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Gonzalez, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Curtis Granderson, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Hamilton, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Justin Upton, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andrew McCutchen, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jay Bruce, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adrian Beltre, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Paul Konerko, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Michael Bourn, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mark Teixeira, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Wright, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Pablo Sandoval, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Starlin Castro, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Reyes, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Napoli, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adam Jones, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dan Uggla, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Elvis Andrus, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Santana, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Ortiz, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Eric Hosmer, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Holliday, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Shane Victorino, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brett Lawrie, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Desmond Jennings, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Wieters, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Giancarlo Stanton, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alex Rodriguez, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Hunter Pence, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Heyward, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Nelson Cruz, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Beltran, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brian McCann, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Michael Young, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon Phillips, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Billy Butler, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jimmy Rollins, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Corey Hart, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Derek Jeter, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andre Ethier, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jayson Werth, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Buster Posey, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ben Zobrist, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Michael Cuddyer, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Asdrubal Cabrera, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Shin-Soo Choo, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alex Gordon, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brett Gardner, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Nick Swisher, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Mauer, Min </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Evan Longoria, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Freddie Freeman, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Freese, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Melky Cabrera, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Lance Berkman, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 84 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Howard Kendrick, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Martin Prado, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 78 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Zimmerman, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alex Avila, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cameron Maybin, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Joyce, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 82 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ichiro Suzuki, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 80 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 76 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Miguel Montero, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 76 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 77 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Nick Markakis, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 78 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> B.J. Upton, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 79 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aramis Ramirez, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 80 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kevin Youkilis, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Yadier Molina, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 89 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 82 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Edwin Encarnacion, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 83 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jesus Montero, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 98 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 84 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Yoenis Cespedes, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 96 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 85 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Young, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 87 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 86 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Emilio Bonifacio, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 88 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 87 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Michael Morse, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 85 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 88 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rickie Weeks, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 79 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 89 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Willingham, Min </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 91 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 90 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Kipnis, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 94 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 91 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Lee, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 77 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 92 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J.J. Hardy, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 86 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 93 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kelly Johnson, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 95 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 94 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Pena, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 99 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 95 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Austin Jackson, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 105 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 96 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dee Gordon, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 83 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 97 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dustin Ackley, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 93 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 98 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chase Headley, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 104 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 99 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Logan Morrison, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 97 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alexei Ramirez, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 92 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 101 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J.D. Martinez, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 107 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 102 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aaron Hill, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 110 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 103 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jordan Schafer, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 115 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 104 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Altuve, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 105 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Colby Rasmus, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 103 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 106 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adam Dunn, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 122 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 107 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chase Utley, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 113 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 108 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bryan LaHair, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 109 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Drew Stubbs, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 109 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 110 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Lucas Duda, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 117 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 111 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luke Scott, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 118 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 112 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Davis, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 113 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Aviles, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 114 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Neil Walker, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 101 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 115 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Moustakas, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 116 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jacoby Ellsbury, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 90 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 117 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adam LaRoche, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 118 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Torii Hunter, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 119 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adam Lind, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 112 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 120 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Kubel, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 121 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Erick Aybar, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 102 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 122 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mark Reynolds, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 108 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 123 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Trout, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 124 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mark Trumbo, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 125 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dexter Fowler, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr></tbody></table>




Yadier Molina is driving the ball with much more authority. This new $75 million man, fantasy baseball's No. 1 catcher through the season's first month, currently sports a .276 isolated power -- slugging percentage minus batting average, which serves as a measure of a player's ability to drive the ball -- making this the fourth consecutive half-season during which he has demonstrated improvement in the category. Molina's isolated power has gone from .072 during the first half of 2010, to .090 during the second half, to .132 in the first half of 2011, to .167 in the second half, to .276 this season. Even better: Molina is becoming more selective, as his chase rate is currently 22 percent, down from 32 percent last season; and remember that he has always been one of the better contact hitters in the game. It has been said that catchers often develop more slowly, and at a later age, than hitters at other positions. Molina, now 29, might be on track for a season of at least a .300 batting average and 15 home runs, and with the leading PA total at his position. That might well keep him among the top five at his position all year.


Eric Hosmer isn't seeing as many quality pitches to hit. Eric Karabell discussed Hosmer's BABIP misfortunes on Tuesday, and to add another wrinkle to the sophomore's struggles, how about the mere fact that he's not seeing as many strikes this season than last? Opposing pitchers threw pitches in the strike zone to him 45.3 percent of the time in 2011, but only 39.6 percent so far this season, the latter ranking him among the 10 most "worked-around" qualified hitters in the game. Better yet: Hosmer has seen only 36.1 percent pitches in the strike zone since April 21, the first day he was dropped to cleanup in the lineup, between Billy Butler and Jeff Francoeur.


Cameron Maybin is walking more, but suddenly can't hit lefties. As with Davis above, Maybin has been making more contact, chasing fewer bad pitches and drawing more walks, but the results to date, unfortunately, haven't been close to as pleasant as Davis'. Maybin ranks among fantasy's biggest disappointments through one month of 2012, and his statistical collapse versus left-handed pitchers is largely responsible. A .296/.342/.408 hitter against southpaws in 2011, Maybin has .094/.147/.188 rates against them this season, largely because they're feeding him a slew of changeups, a pitch against which he has a mere .186 batting average and only five extra-base hits, all doubles, in 90 PAs since the beginning of last season. His improving plate discipline offers hope, in light of his bad start, but until he corrects his issues against lefties, be extra picky with his matchups.


Justin Upton, slow start or not, is becoming more patient. Already a player who has turned in age-21 and age-23 seasons that rank among the all-time greats, Upton has an 11.9 percent walk rate, 18.1 percent chase rate and a 2.0 percent chase rate on noncompetitive pitches; every one of those is an improvement upon his numbers in 2011, when he was an MVP candidate. A thumb injury might partly explain his so-so rotisserie stats, but if you have any chance to acquire him on the cheap -- as in, at anything beneath a first-rounder's price tag -- you should do it.


Three up



Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros: Sticking with this week's theme, Altuve has boosted his walk rate; he has walked in 8 percent of his plate appearances, up from 2.1 percent in his 57-game stint with the big club late last season. He also leads all hitters with a 6.8 percent miss rate on swings, meaning his .367 batting average shouldn't seem quite so absurd. If Altuve can keep that number between his .276 in 2011 and .300, plus chip in 34 stolen bases -- his average per season from 2009-11 -- he'll make a run at top-10 status on our Player Rater.


Edwin Encarnacion, 1B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays: With eight home runs to date, Encarnacion is already nearly a third of the way to his previous career high of 26, set in 2008. Could it be that this power-hitting prospect, now 29 years old and eight years into his big league career, is finally ready to realize his full potential? Encarnacion is hitting more fly balls this season -- he has a 55.1 percent rate -- and his 18.6 home run/fly ball percentage isn't outrageously high for a player getting that much lift on the ball. It's time to believe.


Bryan LaHair, 1B/OF, Chicago Cubs: The Cubs need to forget about Jeff Baker, because so far, LaHair has looked like a player who deserves at least a chance to play regularly at first base, both versus left- and right-handers. Sure, he's a lifetime .150/.292/.275 hitter against lefties, compared to .316/.378/.522 against righties, but a player cannot improve in that regard without experience. The Cubs have little to lose trying LaHair every day; they're not a contender and they want Anthony Rizzo to get as much of the year in Triple-A as possible. LaHair, even in his current platoon arrangement, is a worthy play in larger mixed and NL-only leagues.


Three down



Erick Aybar, SS, Los Angeles Angels: That dude named Pujols isn't the only Angels hitter struggling; Aybar, the team's leadoff hitter to begin the season, is in a funk of his own. Though he managed a surprisingly healthy 10 home runs last season, Aybar has not gone deep yet; his increasing ground-ball rate -- 70.4 percent this season, up from 51.6 -- shows that he's not driving the ball with as much authority. It has cost him a demotion to the No. 8 spot in the lineup in the past week, a move that could cost him a handful of at-bats and runs.


Mat Gamel, 1B/3B, Milwaukee Brewers: Where is the power? Gamel, who won the Brewers' starting first base job during spring training, hasn't hit as well so far as he did in the minors; his .348 slugging percentage ranks 133rd out of 183 qualified hitters. Strikeouts, however, haven't necessarily been the problem, as his 20 percent rate thus far is comparable to his 19.8 percent rate in 290 career games at the Triple-A level. Gamel needs to pick things up in the near future, because if he doesn't, he might soon find himself fighting for at-bats.


Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels: But let's not let Pujols get off too easily; his struggles have reached the extent that they're national news, and truly troubling to his fantasy owners. It's a fact: Dee Gordon has more home runs, 1-0. The league switch might have caused an adjustment that partly explains Pujols' problems, but statistically speaking, one change stands out: He has chased 36.5 percent of pitches out of the strike zone, up from 29.7 percent a year ago. Dan Uggla, who changed teams before last season, exhibited such an increase during a shockingly slow start in 2011. With time, though, he eventually returned to his former self. Can Pujols do that? Sure, but right now, he's a frustration.


New position eligibility



The following players have become eligible at new positions -- it's 10 games to qualify at a new spot -- in ESPN standard leagues during the past week: Daniel Descalso (2B), Eric Sogard (3B).


Nearing new position eligibility



The following notable fantasy players are on track to earn new eligibility in the coming weeks: Jesus Montero (7 games played at C), Andy Parrino (8 games played at SS), Trevor Plouffe (8 games played at OF).

 

[HacheMan]

Losing Longoria

The Rays won their third game in a row on Tuesday night and sit alone atop the American League East standings with an impressive 16-8 record. But not everything is going right in Tampa Bay.

It was announced a few hours before first pitch Tuesday that Rays third baseman Evan Longoria has a partially torn left hamstring. The three-time All-Star suffered the injury on Monday night while running the bases and is expected to miss between six and eight weeks.

The Rays used Elliot Johnson at the hot corner on Tuesday against the Mariners but seem likely to try a few different looks there over the next two months. Will Rhymes, who was recalled in a corresponding move when Longoria was placed on the disabled list, could see a good amount of the action. Neither are attractive fantasy options.

Longoria, 26, was batting .329/.433/.561 with four home runs, two stolen bases and 19 RBI through his first 97 plate appearances this season. He’s as impossible to replace as it gets in Major League Baseball.

Meet The New Craig, Same As The Old Craig

Cardinals utilityman Allen Craig looked a little rusty Tuesday in his first two at-bats of the 2012 season, flailing at pitches outside the zone for consecutive strikeouts. But he drove in a run with a single to center field in the fifth inning and finished his debut 2-for-4.

Which came as no surprise to anyone who saw the guy play last year.

Craig, 27, batted .315/.362/.555 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI across 219 plate appearances in 2011 before slugging four dingers alongside a 1.013 OPS in the Cardinals’ magical October run.

He can flat-out rake, and told reporters after Tuesday’s game that he expects to have no limitations related to his November knee surgery. Craig should see regular action at first base until Lance Berkman returns from a calf strain and then regular action in the outfield as the Cardinals look to get Carlos Beltran’s knees intermittent rest.

Craig needs to be owned in all NL-only fantasy leagues and deserves in a look in deeper mixed formats. If he gets close to 500 plate appearances, a 20-homer season is well within reach.

Farnsworth Now Facing Extended Absence

The Rays were expecting Kyle Farnsworth to return from his early-April elbow strain in a few weeks and immediately take over ninth-inning duties. How quickly things change.

Farnsworth was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list on Tuesday afternoon, meaning he won’t be eligible for activation until June 5. He still hasn’t begun a throwing program, and the Rays aren’t guessing when he might be cleared to do so.

Fernando Rodney, meanwhile, racked up his eighth save on Tuesday night with a perfect three-strikeout inning against the Mariners and is now sporting a dominant 0.79 ERA through 11 1/3 innings this season. The 35-year-old holds an uninspiring 4.21 career ERA and 1.45 career WHIP, but he has a real opportunity to run away with the ninth-inning job this year in Tampa Bay. Rodney is a must-own and must-start in all fantasy formats.


National League Quick Hits: Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is aiming to return to the starting lineup on Sunday night … Jason Heyward (oblique) is hoping to return Thursday … Padres left-hander Cory Luebke is being skipped in the Padres’ rotation due to minor elbow tightness … Adam Wainwright earned his first victory since the 2010 season on Tuesday night against the Pirates … Andres Torres has three hits and two RBI since returning from the disabled list … Brewers first baseman Mat Gamel left Tuesday’s game with a potentially serious right knee injury … Lance Berkman (calf) won’t return from the disabled list Friday, when he’s first eligible to do so … Jordan Schafer is day-to-day with a left oblique strain … Nationals closer Drew Storen is ahead of schedule in his recovery from elbow surgery … Paul Goldschmidt, who had been slumping, has reached base six times in Arizona’s last two games … Jeremy Affeldt was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a right knee sprain … Brewers left-hander Chris Narveson had season-ending shoulder surgery on Tuesday … Aubrey Huff (anxiety) is expected to return from the disabled list when first eligible … Chris Young (shoulder) has begun taking swings off a tee … Jeff Suppan will be called up by the Padres on Wednesday to make a spot start against the Brewers … Astros starter Kyle Weiland underwent arthroscopic surgery Tuesday on his right shoulder.

American League Quick Hits: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie hit a walkoff home run Tuesday against the Rangers … Shin-Soo Choo (hamstring) is expected to return Wednesday … Josh Hamilton remains day-to-day with back spasms … Rays left-hander Matt Moore held the Mariners to one run over five innings Tuesday in his best outing of the season … Chris Sale tossed six innings of one-run ball Tuesday, improving to 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA … Johnny Damon is expected to make his Indians debut on Wednesday … A’s second baseman Jemile Weeks is up to five stolen bases … Mike Aviles has five homers, 18 runs scored and 19 RBI in 22 games … Orioles infielder Chris Davis went 3-for-4 and hit his fifth home run in Tuesday’s defeat of the Yankees … A’s rookie Jarrod Parker turned in six-plus innings of one-run ball Tuesday in a victory over the Red Sox … Brian Matusz limited the Yankees to one run over six-plus innings Tuesday … Curtis Granderson has nine home runs and 17 RBI in 23 games … Royals starter Luke Hochevar is sporting a rough 7.36 ERA and 1.68 WHIP through five starts this season … Kevin Youkilis remains day-to-day with a stiff back … An MRI taken Monday on Justin Morneau’s left wrist showed only inflammation and fluid buildup … Jerome Williams threw a three-hit shutout Tuesday against the Twins … Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold is day-to-day with a bulging disk in his back … Coco Crisp is day-to-day with a sinus infection … Greg Holland (rib) is expected to begin a rehab assignment next week … The Mariners placed Miguel Olivo (groin strain) on the disabled list and activated Mike Carp.

 

[HacheMan]

Skills to find the Tools
Tools and skills are at the heart of this game.

If you had the pleasure of watching just a few Michael Jordan at-bats in Double-A, you had proof that even the most gifted athletes in the world are in trouble once they step in against a Major League pitcher. And if you've had the pleasure of taking in a Jamie Moyer start any time over the last few decades, you've seen how far learned baseball skills -- and skills alone -- can take you.

We're always trying to uncover how many tools a player has, and how good he is at using those tools (or skills). When we write about reduced velocity, we're pointing out that a player is starting to lose his athleticism. But, if that same player has reduced his walk rate by learning where to put 'em, then he can survive and thrive even as he ages. It's the eternal battle of tools and skills.

Since the steals portion of this column is so much shorter, we'll use the tiers to focus on some base-stealing threats. Each tier will be named after two players. One uses his prodigious speed to steal his bags. The other adds value on the basepaths by having a good eye, judging the pitchers' move well, and picking his moments.

The best baseball teams -- real or fake -- will have a few players from each category. Because you can't be truly elite unless you have both brains and Tier 1: Elite (4) (AKA: The "Tony Campana and Shane Victorino" Tier.)

Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies
Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers

Tony Campana could get to second on a good drag bunt. He could score from first on a nibbler. Tony Campana could steal first. He doesn't always steal bases, but when he does, he doesn't get caught. He is the most speedy man in the world. Shane Victorino used to be that guy, but he doesn't quite have the wheels he used to. After all, he's 31. But one thing the Lower-Flying Hawaiian does really well now is identify the correct time to take off. Since the beginning of 2010, he has 60 steals… and hasn't even been caught ten times yet.

If we go with the idea that gas is athleticism or tools, and learning to corall that gas is a learned skill, then Craig Kimbrel is the five-tool dude and Mariano Rivera is the guy who has gone above and beyond his physical attributes. Mo has certainly succeeded despite less gas every year, and mostly by knowing his strength -- that cutter -- and having pinpoint control. Kimbrel has gas and sometimes doesn't seem to know where' it's going. That put Kimbrel down the list -- he's walked a bit too many this year -- but it also gives him the most strikeouts in the tier.

John Axford is having the same control issues, but at least it's only one walk in his last five appearances. Tier 2: Rock Steady (6) (AKA: The "Michael Bourn and Jason Heyward" Tier.)

J.J. Putz, Arizona Diamondbacks
Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jason Motte, St. Louis Cardinals
Rafael Betancourt, Colorado Rockies

Huston Street, San Diego Padres
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers

Here's a set of teammates that have accrued their steals in very different ways. This isn't to say that Heyward isn't fast -- he's got some wheels -- but if he raced Michael Bourn down the line it's clear who would win. That probably means that Heyward won't reach the same stolen base totals, but it is also means that Heyward might be able to give you that handful of steals late into his career, since he depends less on straight-up speed.

Seven years ago, J.J. Putz had a 96 MPH fastball and a minuscule walk rate. he even got tons of ground balls, but it was with his slider and changeup combo. These days, Putz is working around 91-92, but he's throwing the splitter a ton, and still has that great walk rate. Really, the only question is health -- since he left Seattle, his 58 innings last year were the most he could manage.

Speaking of walks. If he keeps his current pace, Rafael Betancourt might give up 50% more walks than he did last year. That would mean 12 on the year -- he's fine. Joel Hanrahan's control problems are more worrisome, given he had them as a starter in the Minor Leagues once upon a time. But he hasn't walked a guy in a week and should be good. Jose Valverde has more walks than strikeouts. THAT's something to worry about. If he didn't have so much leash, he'd be dropping tiers now and Joaquin Benoit would be disappearing from your waiver wire quicker.

Huston Street's the newcomer. His ballpark looks like a perfect fit for the fly ball guy, and he's responded by showing a 10-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio on the young season. You can't predict save chances -- even a bad team like the Padres will play in plenty of close games -- so you might as well go for a good pitcher in line for all of his team's saves. There's an injury asterisk here, but research has shown that part of the Denver advantage is a difficulty in recovery. Maybe San Diego will help keep Street healthy -- and maybe he'll stay in San Diego all year. No trade rumblings yet though.

Tier 3: OK options (5) (AKA: The "Emilio Bonifacio and Carlos Beltran" Tier.

Sean Marshall, Cincinnati Reds
Joe Nathan, Texas Rangers
Brandon League, Seattle Mariners
Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles

Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants

Here's one of the starker pairings, especially these days. Emilio Bonifacio doesn't have patience or power, and strikes out a little much for a guy with his offensive profile. He wasn't a good defender on the infield. Now, he's a burner at the top of a good lineup, with a team that will let him run. Carlos Beltran used to be more of that guy, but even now, with his knees grinding into dust, he's stealing bases. He has the highest steal percentage in the history of baseball. That's smart.

There's an awkward moment here when you realize the okay options aren't as pretty as they should be. The top tiers have plenty of good pitchers, but once you hit this area, the question marks start cropping up too quickly.

Sean Marshall found that moving to the bullpen made his 87 MPH fastball hit 91, and suddenly his five-pitch mix looked even better. Now he's had a little work in the pen and he's dropped the changeup -- he still has four pitches, which is about two more than your average reliever. He has a great strikeout rate, good control, and ground-balls by the dozen. If he'd been a closer for more than two months, he'd be in the next tier already. But he did plenty of learning before he became a closer, and should be fine all year. Aroldis Chapman reportedly doesn't like to warm up on consecutive days and isn't a good option in the role then.

But the rest of the tier has louder question marks. Joe Nathan has his elite swinging strike rate back, and his velocity is back up over 93 MPH, but it's not quite like it used to be. And he's still a fly-ball pitcher in Arlington. Brandon League gets grounders. He understands them, and he coaxes them. But in the past, he's struck out more guys and walked fewer than now. He's also on a team that might decide to look to the future at any time -- and League's a free agent at the end of the year. Jim Johnson is the new Brandon League, which means that the strikeout upside is also low and he has less leash since he's less seasoned. But the Orioles own him for another year, and the only reason Pedro Strop got any saves was because Johnson was sick.

Leaping tall buildings and zooming from the final tier to this one -- further 'proving' the assertion that the tiers suddenly drop off -- is Santiago Casilla. The question was wether or not Casilla would hold off Tier 4: Question marks (9) (AKA: The "Adam Jones and Dustin Pedroia" Tier.)

Brett Myers, Houston Astros
Jonathan Broxton, Kansas City Royals
Javy Guerra, Los Angeles Dodgers
Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics
Frank Francisco, New York Mets
Matt Capps, Minnesota Twins

Fernando Rodney, Tampa Bay Rays

Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals

Francisco Cordero, Toronto Blue Jays

This is not to say that Adam Jones is swift like a blur. But Jones did come into the league as a five-tool center fielder, and he's never stolen more than 13 bases in a year. He's barely stolen the bases he's stolen at a break-even rate (67.6% career, 66.7% is break-even, value-wise). Dustin Pedroia stole one base in 493 Triple-A plate appearances before hitting the bigs. Since, he's stolen 84 bases at an 80% success rate. In his breakout year, he stole 20 bases… and was caught once. This tier represents a good enough tier, as in Pedroia's got good enough speed to get it done. The top of the tier is itching to move upwards, but it was a bad week to make the move.

Javy Guerra, for example. He's been showing more swinging strikes than he's ever shown in his career, and he's had a better walk rate recently, too. He's (very slowly) changed my mind about him a little. Then he spent the last week doing his best to blow three games in a row. There's no talk about Kenley Jansen just yet, but with Jansen also showing improved control, and flashing better stuff… change might still happen.

Grant Balfour decided that this week was a good week to blow some saves, too -- Jordan Noberto had to get the final out for him Tuesday night. Frank Francisco has a hamstring problem and can't find the plate. Brett Myers already has trade rumors being bandied about. Jonathan Broxton has refound the velocity but is still missing the swinging strikes. Capps still has great control, and a modicum of ground balls, but nary a strikeout to be found. A couple of these guys will persevere and be valuable all year. A couple won't. For the next week though, they'll be okay.

There's a bit of a change of heart represented at the bottom.

We've moved the temporary closers into this tier. They probably represent the closers I get the most negative feedback about, but that's not why they are up. They're all decent pitchers, but that's not why they are up. They all might lose their jobs within the next month, but obviously that's not why they are up. The reason they are up is because there's almost no doubt that they'll get the NEXT save for their team. As much as it made sense to keep them down because their usefulness is limited, it makes sense to reward them for the certainty they provide in the short run. Even if Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (6) (AKA: The "Will Venable and Chase Headley" Tier.)

Heath Bell (first chair), Steve Cishek (second chair), Edward Mujica (third chair), Miami Marlins
Chris Perez (first chair), Vinnie Pestano (second chair), Cleveland Indians
Alfredo Aceves (first chair), Franklin Morales? (second chair), Boston Red Sox

Hector Santiago (first chair), Matt Thornton (second chair), Addison Reed (third chair), Chicago White Sox

Carlos Marmol (first chair), Rafael Dolis (second chair), Chicago Cubs

Scott Downs (first chair), Jordan Walden (second chair), Los Angeles Angels

How about another set of teammates? Venable has tools for years, and in his defense, he's got a pretty good success rate so far (79%). But this year, he's been caught five times against three stolen bases. And he's struck out so much over his carer that there is a little bit of the taste of "toolsy, needs seasoning" to him. Headley was supposed to be more of a power and patience corner infielder, but PetCo killed his power stroke. So he started hitting ground balls and using his wheels. That's lead to an 82% success rate and years like last year when he stole 13 and was caught twice. Unfortunately, if you play too long in this tier, you'll get caught.

Heath Bell might claw his way back out of here before long. He looked much better against the Giants on Tuesday night, at least in terms of results. But if you look closer, you'll see that he still only got one strike on four curveballs (he's been bouncing them), didn't get a whiff (it's been a problem), and hit 91.8 MPH max on his fastball (his velocity is down big. With new research suggesting that relievers lose gas quicker with age than starters, Bell is looking like a poor investment in real life and fantasy these days. Steve Cishek is always the guy warming up right before or during Bell's blowups, so he's probably next.

Maybe Chris Perez and Alfredo Aceves will just do the job ugly all year. The Indians might be saber-savvy enough to know that the biggest inning is not always the ninth, so maybe they don't mind that Vinnie Pestano is the better pitcher. The Red Sox? Right now they don't have a better option. Aaron Cook is up in the bullpen, but that's because of a contractually negotiated requirement. Otherwise, it might still be the more exciting Junichi Tazawa. Franklin Morales is a lefty and probably won't close. It's a game of 'nose' that Aceves lost.

Hector Santiago is still the White Sox closer, or so says his coach. He came into the game in a non-save situation last night, though, and gave up baserunners like nobody's business. None scored, but it has to worry his owners. Matt Thornton got a save in the interim and could be next, but it's still Addison Reed that has next next.

Carlos Marmol always had the walks problem. This year, his strikeout rate (and swinging strike rate) have disappeared, making him a pumpkin. He's probably only still in the role because Rafael Dolis is no great shakes, with control problems of his own and only ground balls to counter them with. The Cubs are also staying patient because they'll want some sort of compensation when Marmol finally walks, or at least out of his remaining contract, and the only way they can do that is if Marmol finds it again in the closer's role. Another situation that should remain ugly all year.

The Angels claim that moving Jordan Walden to the setup role was temporary, and that the elder statesmen and lefty Scott Downs is only keeping the seat warm. But now the team is rumored to have discussed Brandon League, Grant Balfour and Injured


Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics
Kyle Farnsworth, Tampa Bay Rays
Drew Storen, Washington Nationals
Sergio Santos, Toronto Blue Jays

Kyle Farnsworth was just pushed to the 60-day DL, meaning June 5th is about the earliest you'll see him. That makes Fernando Rodney a little tastier. Drew Storen, on the other hand, feels like he's ahead of schedule, which would have him back before the All-Star break anyway. Makes wild thing O Henry Rodriguez a little less tasty. The Deposed


None… yet. Maybe The Steals Department

How about a trio of guys that are all about the same for you mixed-leaguers? One of them should be unowned in your league, and they are all about the same. Denard Span is the guy that's owned in the most leagues. He's finally playing regularly and has stolen a few bases. In a good year, given his contact-heavy approach and decent wheels, he could hit .280 with 20+ steals. Alex Presley is playing semi-regularly in the Pirates' outfield. He doesn't make as much contact, but given his ground-ball heavy approach, and decent wheels, he could hit .280 with 20+ steals from here on out. Michael Brantley is the least-owned, but he's the regular center fielder in Cleveland. Given his contact-heavy approach.. you get the picture. He could hit .280 with 20+ steals. Presley might have the best power of the bunch, but he wouldn't out-homer either Brantley or Span by much more than a handful, so that shouldn't make up your mind. You could even play the matchups if all three were available and you really wanted to comb through the catchers on the teams they are facing -- some catchers get run on.

Tony Campana sure went on a tear, didn't he? This week's deep leaguer probably won't steal a ton of bases right off the bat. And in fact, Brian Bogusevic just saw his playing time take a hit -- Travis Buck is back and stealing some time from him in the outfield now. But Bogusevic is the left-hander, and that means he's going to get more of the at-bats against right-handers, and there are more right-handers in the world. (As a comparison, Carlos Gomez has been a popular question on twitter, and he's a right-hander who gets platooned against left-handers more often, which means fewer plate appearances for him.) Bogusevic has also been showing great plate discipline, which fits with his background. The former pitcher has always been patient. That puts him on base more, and in the Minor Leagues he was a high-success base stealer (74 stolen bases against eight caught stealing). He could hit .250 and steal 15-20 bases over the rest of the year, and with a little batted-ball luck, the batting average could look nicer. And now starting center fielder Jordan Schafer has an oblique strain -- that could mean more PAs for Bogusevic.

 

[HacheMan]

Star Wars: The column

By Matthew Berry | ESPN.com

May the Fourth be with you!

Thanks to that simple pun, we prepare to celebrate National Star Wars Day on Friday. If you don't understand why, stop reading now. The rest of this column is also going to be confusing and frankly, I've already got your click. I'll see you next week. Between now and then, please watch the original Star Wars trilogy: "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." You'll be glad you did. Or, at worst, watch this 2-minute,13-second video, which is a condensed version of all the movies, but with Legos. Naturally.


I was 7 years old when the original was released and, as often is the case, what was important to you at age 7 becomes really important to you when you're older. Important and beloved. Star Wars explores themes much larger than just a simple epic struggle between good and evil for control of the galaxy. No, there's much to learn about love and life, death and honor and, of course, fantasy baseball.

So, to celebrate Luke, Han, Leia and the gang, here are my favorite quotes from the original trilogy, and the insight they offer us into that other fantasy world we play in.


Han Solo: Get in there, you big furry oaf! I don't care what you smell!


That's right. Dive into this column. I don't care that, after a quick Google search of "Star Wars quotes" I discovered a ton of other people who have written about their favorite Star Wars quotes. I don't care that the "take a bunch of quotes from something in popular culture and relate them to something else" premise has also been done a lot. I don't care that these aren't all the "best" quotes from the movie but rather just moments I really like (taken from IMDb.com, so if any words are wrong, send your complaints there). I don't care that they are somewhat out of order; save your nerd fight for someone who does. In short, this is my column, I write what I want, so I don't care what you smell, you big furry oaf. Get in there.


[Ponda Baba gives Luke a rough shove and starts yelling at Luke in an alien language which Luke doesn't understand]
Dr. Evazan: [explaining] He doesn't like you.
Luke: Sorry.
Dr. Evazan: [grabbing Luke] *I* don't like you either.


I've never liked Andre Ethier. Just felt he was a bigger name than his overall fantasy production merited, basically a 20-homer guy with decent average who doesn't run but gets treated like he does a lot more than that. And check this out:


Andre Ethier career OPS by month:


March/April .919<<
May .810
June .774
>> Highest of any month


If you're gonna deal him, now's the time to do it.


Admiral Motti: Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerous ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient Jedi religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you enough clairvoyance to find the rebels' hidden fortress ...
[Vader makes a pinching motion and Motti starts choking]
Darth Vader: I find your lack of faith disturbing.


Here is an actual email I received.


Mark (Cape Coral, Fla.): A guy in our league is looking to shop Albert Pujols, he is weak at SP, 3B and LF. So I offered him Jeremy Hellickson and Nolan Reimold. Am I giving up too much?


That's how panicked people are about Sir Albert. They think giving up a midtier, below-the-Wandy-Line starter who's not even top 40 on the Player Rater and a guy who wasn't drafted in most leagues might be too much for a guy many considered to be the best player in baseball a month ago. It's been a rough start, no doubt. And there will continue to be an adjustment to the new league, park, pitchers, etc. If I were drafting today, he would not be the No. 2 overall player. But he wouldn't drop out of the top 10, either. If we are still having this discussion in a month, fine, we can start to worry if this is a "Hanley Ramirez last year" type of season. But it's a month. To answer the question, Mark, no, I don't think you're giving up too much. I find your lack of faith disturbing.


Aunt Beru: Where are you going?
Luke: Looks like I'm going nowhere ... I'm gonna finish cleaning those droids.
Aunt Beru: [after Luke leaves] Owen, he can't stay here forever, most of his friends have gone. It means so much to him.
Uncle Owen: Well, I'll make it up to him next year, I promise.
Aunt Beru: Luke's just not a farmer, Owen. He has too much of his father in him.
Uncle Owen: That's what I'm afraid of.


Ah yes. Down on the farm, but wanting to get out and see the big world. People keep clamoring for Trevor Bauer to escape from Double-A Uncle Owen's to go out and look for adventure in Arizona. He's 5-1 with a 2.36 ERA in his first six starts, they yell. Free him! And yet ... Nate Ravitz and I discussed this on the podcast. He's given up 20 walks in his first 34 1/3 innings. You're not gonna have success in the majors with that walk rate. He needs more time on Tatooine.


Luke: [about Princess Leia] They're gonna execute her! Look, a few minutes ago you said you didn't want to just wait here to be captured. Now all you want to do is stay?
Han Solo: Marching into a detention area is not what I had in mind.
Luke: But they're gonna kill her!
Han Solo: Better her than me!


NL-only darling and 16th-most-added outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis would be a great guy to foist on your opponent while you still can. His .439 batting average on balls in play is pretty unsustainable. He's striking out in 29.2 percent of plate appearances and he will most likely lose his gig when Jason Bay comes back.


C-3PO: Just reconsider playing that message for him!
[R2 beeps a question]
C-3PO: No, I don't think he likes you at all.
[R2 beeps again]
C-3PO: No, I don't like you either.


Ryan Roberts, still owned in over 44 percent of ESPN.com leagues, seems to have earned the ire of Kirk Gibson. Perhaps he let his gaze stray toward Mrs. Gibson one time too many. Or maybe he kicked Kirk's dog. Something. Just six at-bats in the past four games and when you're told, "Hey, we think we're better off with Cody Ransom," well, they don't like you. For you 44 percent still hanging on, drop him.


Luke: It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home, they're not much bigger than two meters.


You know what else is not impossible, but is highly unlikely? A good ERA without a high K rate. Last year, only Jeremy Hellickson finished the year with both an ERA under 3.00 and a K/9 rate under six. This year, his K/9 is, once again, under six and his ERA is under 3.00. Can he do it again?


Well, since 2005, only three other pitchers (who qualified for the ERA title) have had a season like that: Tim Hudson, R.A. Dickey and Trevor Cahill. Maybe he repeats history. I don't think he's Luke. I think he's the rebel pilot who came close only to say "I've been hit!" and get blown to smithereens. Sell high.

Princess Leia: Aren't you a little short for a Stormtrooper?


At 5-foot-5, Jose Altuve is certainly not Stormtrooper material. In fact, according to Baseball-Reference.com, Altuve's .358 average and .930 OPS would be among the highest batting average and OPS since 1900 by any player 5-foot-5 or shorter who qualified for the batting title.


He had a mediocre .654 OPS last year, mostly due to the fact that he walked just five times in 234 plate appearances and had just 13 extra-base hits. This year, Altuve already has eight walks and 11 extra-base hits in 105 plate appearances. He's a career .327 hitter in the minors, and his improved walk rate is consistent with what he did in the minors. He's not gonna hit double-digit homers but the average and runs scored are legit, as is his decent speed. Not a sell high.


C-3PO: "I suggest a new strategy, R2. Let the Wookie win."


They don't all have to be about fantasy baseball. This is just good advice in general.


Obi-Wan: That's no moon. It's a space station.


Bartolo Colon is still available in 30 percent of leagues and, as ESPN Stats & Information points out through Monday, April 30 ...


Most Looking Strikeouts - Since Start of 2011


Cliff Lee 105
Justin Verlander 93
David Price 93
Bartolo Colon 87
Han Solo: Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs. I told you I'd outrun 'em.
[nobody is listening]
Han Solo: Don't everyone thank me at once.


Here's an email I got a little bit ago that was very representative of many other tweets and Facebook posts that I received when Michael Bourn got off to a slow start.


Tenax (Trigger City, Fla.): I can't believe I let you talk me into Michael Bourn. I know I'm my own man and make my own decisions, but if nobody ever listened to you, this wouldn't be your job. Honestly, I never considered Bourn until reading all the love you have for him and everything you said to back it up. I'm assuming you went with him in a few of your leagues, so you, the Braves and myself have something in common after a week and a half: we suck.


And this is why you don't judge our players just two weeks into the season, kids.


Luke: I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you.
Princess Leia: You're who?


Not many people have heard of Anthony Bass, as he's still available in 95 percent of leagues, but he's borderline Wandy Line material. A 2.30 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 27 strikeouts to 10 walks in 27 1/3 innings so far this season. He pitches for the Padres, so wins aren't coming in bunches, but you have to love that he pitches in Petco. His minor league 7.5 K/9 says you're going to keep getting strikeouts, though not one per inning. You'll know his name soon enough. Make sure it's because he's rescuing your ERA.


Princess Leia: Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hope.


I don't really have a player for this one because let's be honest; there's not only one player this applies to. But any Star Wars quote collection has to have that one in it, so can we take one moment to talk about the incredible luck here?


What if they decide to shoot the pod when it leaves the Death Star, even though it has "no life forms on it"? What if the red R2 unit works when Uncle Owen and Luke try to buy it from the Jawas, and they never acquire R2D2? What if, as Uncle Owen instructs, Luke (a fairly obedient kid early on) actually did erase the memory? Or had never met old Ben Kenobi, so he had an inkling who R2D2 was talking about? Lots of things had to go right there for that message to be delivered and the universe to be saved, you know? And in the future, couldn't Leia have just texted or something? Discuss.


Stormtrooper: Let me see your identification.
Obi-Wan: [with a small wave of his hand] You don't need to see his identification.
Stormtrooper: We don't need to see his identification.
Obi-Wan: These aren't the droids you're looking for.
Stormtrooper: These aren't the droids we're looking for.


I've talked before about my disdain for Ubaldo Jimenez this year, but in case you missed, this is not the Ubaldo you're looking for. Look at the strike and walk rates for this guy, along with his fastball velocity.


Ubaldo Jimenez, past three seasons

<table><thead><tr><th> Season </th><th> Strike Percentage </th><th> BB Percentage </th><th> Fastball Max Velocity </th><th> Fastball Avg Velocity </th></tr><tbody><tr class="last"><td> 2012 </td><td> 10.5 </td><td> 15.0 </td><td> 97.1 </td><td> 91.8 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> 2011 </td><td> 21.9 </td><td> 9.5 </td><td> 98.8 </td><td> 93.2 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> 2010 </td><td> 23.9 </td><td> 10.3 </td><td> 100.6 </td><td> 95.9 </td></tr></tbody></table>

As ESPN Stats & Information notes, in Ubaldo's start last Tuesday against the White Sox, he didn't induce a swinging strike until his 92nd pitch. He finished with just three, tied for his fewest swinging strikes in 153 career starts.


In addition, opponents are chasing 17.8 percent of Jimenez's pitches out of the zone this season, the lowest rate among MLB starters. He has value in the deepest of AL-only leagues and that's about it.


Governor Tarkin: Evacuate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances.


Don't overestimate Barry Zito. Wednesday night's start was a sign of things to come, not an aberration. His current BABIP against is .186, he's a career .270 guy, and his K/9 is 4.4. It's only a matter of time before he blows up like a Death Star all over your ERA.


Han Solo: Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?
Obi-Wan: Should I have?
Han Solo: It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. I've outrun Imperial starships. Not the local bulk cruisers mind you, I'm talking about the big Corellian ships now. She's fast enough for you, old man.


Another guy we've brought up on the podcast a lot, Tony Campana is still available in 80 percent of leagues and has seven steals in 31 at-bats. Seven. He's gonna play a ton (the Cubs have no one else) and the speed is very legit.


Luke: [on first seeing the Millennium Falcon] What a piece of junk!
Han Solo: She'll make point five past light speed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications myself.


Philadelphia. San Francisco. Milwaukee.

When you're talking about the great pitching staffs in Major League Baseball, you'd probably say the Nationals don't look like much. But through the month of April, they've allowed fewer runs than any team in the league. In fact, per Elias, the Nationals' 1.78 ERA by their starting pitchers was the fifth-lowest starting-pitcher ERA for any team in a calendar month of at least 20 games since 1969, when the mound was lowered.

Washington Nationals Pitching - MLB Ranks this season


ERA: 2.47 (1st)
K: 208 (2nd)
WHIP: 1.11 (3rd)
K/BB: 2.97 (6th)
HR: 6 (Fewest)


All five Nationals starters have touched 95 mph this season. Led by Stephen Strasburg, whose fastballs average an MLB-best 95.6 mph this season, they've combined to form the hardest-throwing rotation in recent years.
Princess Leia: Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.
Governor Tarkin: Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it, signing the order to terminate your life.


Mark Reynolds is still owned in over 45 percent of ESPN.com leagues. The power will come eventually, but not before he destroys your batting average like it was the planet Alderaan. In standard ESPN.com leagues, he needs to be dropped.


Han Solo: Wonderful girl. Either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to like her.


Ahhh, Yovani Gallardo. Since the start of last season, only Felix Hernandez and Clayton Kershaw have had more games of 10-plus strikeouts and two or fewer earned runs. Of course, he also had six games over that time frame in which he's allowed six or more earned runs.


Luke: Got 'im! I got 'im!
Han Solo: Great, kid. Don't get cocky.


I did a column last year that looked at the number of people who were in first place during Week 9 of the baseball season who ended up winning the whole league. I'm gonna do an updated version of that column next week, but it's worth noting that in 2010, 68 percent of the teams that were in first place at that point did not win their league. It's great that you're doing well. Lotta season to go.


Darth Vader: The Force is strong with this one.


Shout out to The SWAN, Zach Jones of ESPN Stats & Information. With article, help he did.


Han Solo: Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh? You know, sometimes I amaze even myself.
Princess Leia: That doesn't sound too hard.


Before you get all impressed that Wandy Rodriguez is back to being over his own line, what with the 1.64 ERA and everything, it's worth noting that he hasn't given up a homer yet. He allowed 25 last year. He's pitching better, yes, but it's not like his ground/fly ratios are way different this season. The homers are coming.

Luke: All right, I'll give it a try.
Yoda: No. Try not. Do ... or do not. There is no try.


[Using the Force, Yoda effortlessly frees the X-Wing from the bog]
Luke: I don't ... I don't believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.



No fantasy baseball analysis here. Just wanted to include these two quotes because they are among my favorite quotes ever. I probably get five to 10 emails a week from people saying they just graduated, they want a career in sports or specifically, fantasy, and what advice do I have? And I feel bad about it but there's just too many to respond to. I probably should just send them a bunch of Yoda quotes. It's as good life and career advice as there is.


[Yoda tries to convince Luke not to leave]
Yoda: You must not go!
Luke: But Han and Leia will die if I don't.
[Obi-Wan's Force-spirit suddenly appears]
Obi-Wan: You don't know that. Even Yoda cannot see their fate.
Luke: But I can help them! I feel the Force!
Obi-Wan: But you cannot control it.


The problem with Max Scherzer is his control issues. His stuff (velocity, miss percentage) is still basically the same as it's been in previous seasons, but the walk rate is up to 10.6 percent (compared with 6.7 last season) and he's gotten a little unlucky with the BABIP early in the season.


Highest BABIP allowed this season:


Max Scherzer .442
Josh Johnson .436
Ivan Nova .398
Luke Hochevar .376
Zack Greinke .373


With reports out of Detroit that Max and his pitching coach have detected a mechanical flaw in his delivery, I like Max as a buy-low guy. And if I own him, I am not bailing yet.


Han Solo: Afraid I was gonna leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?
Princess Leia: I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee
Han Solo: I can arrange that. You could use a good kiss.


Couldn't we all? Stop reading right now and wish someone you love but haven't talked to in too long a happy Star Wars day. It's just enough of a dumb, random reason to call that you'll both appreciate the gesture.


Han Solo: Laugh it up, fuzzball.


OK, a bit of a stretch here but I love that moment in the film. So I'm laughing at all the people freaking about Jose Reyes.


Jose Reyes career batting average by month:


March/April .272
May .288
June .303
July .310
August .303


Obi-Wan: Your eyes can deceive you; don't trust them.


Don't worry if you don't like what you see out of Eric Hosmer so far. He's actually striking out less (14.6 percent in '11, 13.6 percent so far this season) and walking more (up to 9.7 from 6.0 percent) than he did last season. He's just getting unlucky, as his .162 BABIP will attest. Buy low.


[the asteroid quakes]
C-3PO: Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable.
Han Solo: Not entirely stable. I'm glad you're here to tell us these things.


Matt Kemp is really good. This we know. He will continue to be really good all year long. But his value right now may never be higher.


Largest OPS decreases from April to May since 2008

<table><thead><tr><th> 0 </th><th> April </th><th> May </th><th> Diff </th></tr><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Chase Utley </td><td> 1.093 </td><td> .861 </td><td> .232 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Matt Kemp </td><td> 1.022 </td><td> .793 </td><td> .229 </td></tr></tbody></table>



[Leia and Han share a passionate kiss before Han is dragged toward the freezing chamber by the Imperials]
Princess Leia: I love you.
Han Solo: I know.


In fantasy baseball circles, this conversation has been going on for five years now with assorted analysts, myself included, taking turns starring as the Princess, with Edwin Encarnacion in the role of Han. In case you were wondering how I feel about his start.


[Chewbacca is fixing C-3PO]
C-3PO: Oh, yes, that's very good, I like that ... Oh!
[the lights in his eyes go out]
C-3PO: Well, now, something's not right, because now I can't see!
[Chewie fiddles with something and his eyes turn back on]
C-3PO: Oh, oh, that's much better. Wait ... wait. Oh, my! What have you done? I'm BACKWARDS. You flea-bitten furball! Only an overgrown mop-head like you would be stupid enough to ...
[Chewie switches 3PO off]


Sorry about Francisco Liriano. That's all.


Leia: I thought you knew this person.
Chewbacca: [Chewie barks something to Han]
Han Solo: Well, that was a long time ago, I'm sure he's forgotten about that.

And Michael Vick, too.

Darth Vader: Luke, you can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son.


While this is an awesome moment in the trilogy, a quick note to the young lovers out there. This does not work as well as a pickup line as you might think.


Han Solo: What's going on ... Buddy?
Lando: You're being put into carbon-freeze.


What can I say, but I'm going down with the Carl Crawford ship. Already available in 25 percent of leagues, I'm sure that number will increase in the coming weeks, but unless you have Evan Longoria or Jacoby Ellsbury, there's nobody I'd rather use my DL slot on. Hold tight.


Admiral Ackbar: It's a trap!


Don't get sucked into thinking there might not be something slightly wrong with Roy Halladay and that the game against Atlanta was "just one of those days." His velocity is definitely down this year; his max velocity has trended between 95.7 and 95.1 for three seasons, his average velocity between 91.6 and 92. 1. So far this season, he's averaging 90.1 and maxing out at 92.4.


Yoda: That face you make ... look I so old to young eyes?
Luke: No. Of course not.
Yoda: I do. Yes, I do. Sick have I become, old and weak... When 900 years old *you* reach, look as good *you* will not, hmm?


Very true, Yoda. And certainly, Chipper Jones is an impressive 40-year-old. But he's still 40. And injury prone. Which means more playing time for Juan Francisco, who already has three home runs on the year in just 36 at-bats. The power is very legit, gang, and he's not only going to find his way into the lineup more and more, he's probably available in some NL-only leagues and deeper mixed leagues, where he has value.


Han Solo: You're all clear, kid! Now let's blow this thing and go home!


Sounds good, Han. Sounds good.

 

[HacheMan]

Sandoval's injury further thins 3B pool

Eric Karabell

A month ago the third-base position looked strong for fantasy baseball, perhaps to the level of the vaunted first-base spot, but injuries are clearly ruining the party. Evan Longoria and Kevin Youkilis joined Ryan Zimmerman on the disabled list this week; top third baseman Jose Bautista has struggled to hit for average; and of the top-10 players at this position on ESPN's Player Rater, just a few were highly sought-after on draft day.


Now we can unfortunately add San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval to the list of the affirmed and missing from lineups for the next month or more. Sandoval fractured the hamate bone on his left hand, rendering him absent for 4-to-6 weeks. Sandoval missed roughly six weeks with the same affliction on his right hand last season but still hit .315 with 23 home runs in 117 games. This year Sandoval was cruising along with a .316 batting average and five home runs through 24 games.

Keep Sandoval owned even in 10- and 12-team standard-mixed leagues, as he's convinced fantasy owners that his disappointing 2010 season was the aberration, when he hit only .268. Sandoval's a good hitter, and hopefully he's back in early June. As for how a potential surgery might affect him at the plate the second half of the season, I don't buy it. Sandoval hit .325 and slugged .593 post All-Star break in 2011. He'll be fine. You might already be using your DL slot for Longoria, Youkilis or Zimmerman, or Jacoby Ellsbury, Cliff Lee or Lance Berkman, but suffice to say these players and Kung Fu Panda need to be owned even if it's a bench spot and not DL slot they're taking up.


As for the Giants, 24-year-old Conor Gillaspie was called up from Triple-A Fresno, where he was batting .362 with three home runs in 23 games. Take the batting average with a large grain of salt; everyone hits in the Pacific Coast League. As a team the Fresno Grizzlies are hitting .302 with an .830 OPS. However, Gillaspie, a left-handed hitter, does take walks and should hit for a decent batting average in the big leagues, perhaps .280 or so. He doesn't have good power or speed, though.


Gillaspie is a contact hitter and was placed in the No. 2 lineup spot for Thursday's game by manager Bruce Bochy, which seems odd considering Gillaspie has 24 big league at-bats in his career. Then again, how can anyone question Bochy, right? At least Brandon Belt should be in the lineup Thursday as well. Bochy told reporters he hoped Gillaspie takes the job and runs with it, but if he goes a game or so without a hit, based on precedence, that might be enough to have him benched or demoted. In other words, don't invest in Gillaspie even in an NL-only league. Sandoval will return eventually.


Other Giants who could figure into the third-base picture include stalwarts Joaquin Arias, Ryan Theriot and Emmanuel Burriss, none of whom are the least bit interesting for fantasy owners (or Giants fans). Hey, Aubrey Huff is scheduled to come off the DL after the weekend, and he has played third base before … nah, forget it. Even Bochy couldn't do that (though Huff did controversially appear at second base a few weeks ago).


Unfortunately, the news for fantasy owners trying to replace Sandoval isn't positive. As I wrote Wednesday for the Longoria injury, the Tampa Bay Rays (like the Giants) don't have reasonable options to fill in for fantasy, and in general the free-agent waiver wire is not strong.



Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles continues to hit for power and average, and the former is legit, but the latter is not. Pedro Alvarez is similar to Davis, frankly, but man is he hot over the past week. I also mentioned Ty Wigginton, Chipper Jones, Mat Gamel, Jed Lowrie and Alex Liddi. Well, Wigginton remains useful for the power and versatility. Jones hit a game-winning home run Wednesday. Gamel tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season, but Lowrie, a shortstop by trade, is hitting .329, taking walks and could approach 15 home runs for the Astros. I'd choose Lowrie over Liddi, but Liddi does have more power potential. Then again, Lowrie isn't likely to stay healthy all season.

 

[HacheMan]

Closers on shaky ground

By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

<!-- end mod-article-title --><!-- begin story body -->The "better reliever" does not always get to close.

There are many examples of this throughout baseball history, the one that immediately comes to most people's minds being Mariano Rivera, who set up John Wetteland for the 1996 New York Yankees. Rivera, in that season, managed 5.4 wins above replacement (WAR), the eighth-best single-season number by a reliever since the save became an official statistic in 1969, while Wetteland finished with 2.9 WAR, substantially less than Rivera but still a healthy total.


But, statistically speaking, there is no greater instance of this than with 2007 Cleveland Indians relievers Joe Borowski and Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt managed 4.2 WAR in that year, Borowski 0.0 … meaning that, by definition, the Indians might have fared just as well with any replacement reliever as closer as they did with Borowski. Their 4.2-WAR differential represented the greatest split between closer and setup man of any pair of relievers during the saves era.


Borowski, though, saved 45 games in 2007, tops in the American League. His example shows that you don't have to be a great reliever to be a closer. You merely need a manager who has faith in you in the role.


That seems to be what's happening in the Chicago White Sox's bullpen this season, where Hector Santiago, he of the 4-saves-in-6-chances, 7.36 ERA and 2.05 WHIP, remains manager Robin Ventura's preferred ninth-inning option. Santiago was the surprise winner of the team's spring closer competition, then he converted three consecutive saves to begin the regular season, but in five appearances since, he has allowed five runs on 10 hits, three of them home runs, in 4&frac13; innings, opposing hitters batting .435 against him.


Now, look at how the relievers behind him have fared:


Matt Thornton (20 career saves entering 2012): 2.38 ERA, 0.97 WHIP
Addison Reed (5 saves in minors in 2011): 0.00 ERA, 0.92 WHIP
Jesse Crain (4 career saves): 2.57 ERA, 0.86 WHIP


That paints Santiago as a true "Borowski," which for the purposes of this column we'll call a closer no one but his manager considers deserving of the gig. It makes the answer to the question, "Who will lead the 2012 White Sox in saves?" an unpredictable one. We can guess the leader using performance statistics, but we cannot possibly expect to read Ventura's mind.


There's a clear difference between the Santiago and Borowski situations, however. At the onset of the 2007 season, Borowski was a seasoned veteran reliever, with 336 appearances, 80 saves and two seasons as a full-time closer on his résumé. It also helps that he had a freshly inked, one-year, $4 million contract to close at the time. The "better pitcher" Betancourt, meanwhile, had 131 fewer career appearances (205 total), plus nine saves and zero prior years as a closer.


Entering this season, Santiago had all of two career appearances in the big leagues, or 470 fewer than Thornton had. (Heck, even Reed had six career appearances entering 2012.) Thornton also received sporadic chances as a closer for the 2010 White Sox team (8 saves).


So here's what we know, and here's what we can guess:


• Santiago currently has Ventura's endorsement, but he's probably the least skilled of the trio and the worst long-term bet of the bunch.
• Thornton is the most experienced reliever of the group, he was the first man called upon when Santiago was passed over for a save chance, he's probably the smartest bet for saves in the short term if a change occurs.
• Reed is widely regarded the future closer for the White Sox, he's off to a fantastic start and he's probably the best guess to lead in saves. Or, he could suffer the same fate as Betancourt in 2007; he might spend all year waiting in setup duty.


In a standard ESPN league, such closer headaches require careful monitoring of the situation, and frequent flipping of roster spots. For example, Santiago warrants the roster spot today … Thornton might tomorrow … and Reed might, say, on July 1 but not before. And the deeper the league you're in -- addressing bench depth specifically -- the more value there is in stashing Reed.


It's your call, as the right answer will vary by league.



TOP 75 RELIEF PITCHERS

Note: Tristan H. Cockcroft's top 75 relief pitchers are ranked for their expected performance from this point forward, not for statistics that have already been accrued.
<table><thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Rnk </center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"> Player, Team </th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Prev
Rnk </center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Craig Kimbrel, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mariano Rivera, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathan Papelbon, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> John Axford, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Motte, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Valverde, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joel Hanrahan, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Betancourt, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J.J. Putz, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Huston Street, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon League, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Nathan, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sean Marshall, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Henry Rodriguez, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jim Johnson, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Fernando Rodney, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Grant Balfour, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Santiago Casilla, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Perez, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Heath Bell, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Javy Guerra, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aroldis Chapman, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brett Myers, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kenley Jansen, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathan Broxton, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Frank Francisco, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Marmol, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Scott Downs, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Capps, Min </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Robertson, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alfredo Aceves, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Adams, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jordan Walden, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Addison Reed, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonny Venters, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alexi Ogando, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sergio Santos, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Hector Santiago, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Vinnie Pestano, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Hernandez, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Francisco Cordero, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Thornton, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tyler Clippard, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sergio Romo, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Drew Storen, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bryan Shaw, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jon Rauch, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Cook, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Francisco Rodriguez, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Steve Cishek, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andrew Bailey, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andrew Cashner, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Greg Holland, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luis Perez, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tom Wilhelmsen, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Pedro Strop, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mitchell Boggs, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Juan Cruz, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rex Brothers, Col </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joaquin Benoit, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aaron Crow, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Lindstrom, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kyle Farnsworth, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joel Peralta, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Antonio Bastardo, Phi </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Soriano, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Dolis, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Glen Perkins, Min </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kris Medlen, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kerry Wood, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ernesto Frieri, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Eric O'Flaherty, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Edward Mujica, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luke Gregerson, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Lindblom, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr></tbody></table>




There are "Borowskis" everywhere in baseball, however. The following teams have a setup man who, in terms of ERA, WHIP and/or strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio, has substantially outperformed the closer ahead of him, putting their saves in the questionable category:


Los Angeles Dodgers: Current finisher Javy Guerra is the owner of a 2.95 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 8.07 K's-per-nine ratio since his big league debut last May 15, but his numbers pale in comparison to Kenley Jansen's 2.86 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 15.71 K's-per-nine since the beginning of last season. Guerra's stats are hardly deserving of calling him Borowski's equal, however, and the primary reason this debate has raged on during the past week is that he has surrendered seven runs on 12 hits in 5&frac13; innings while blowing two save chances in his past seven appearances, while Jansen snuck in back-to-back saves on April 27 and 29, the latter a game in which Guerra was seen warming up in the bullpen (meaning he was supposedly available).


Besides manager Don Mattingly's endorsement, Guerra has one other advantage over Jansen: He has a 3.41 walks-per-nine innings ratio in the big leagues, while Jansen has a 4.28 walks-per-nine since the beginning of last season. Guerra might not be able to afford further struggles, and there might not be a setup man with greater fantasy upside than Jansen in the event of a role swap, but for now it appears that Guerra still has this gig.


Miami Marlins: This one isn't so much a matter of a specific setup man being a clearly better option than the closer skills-wise, but the performances to date of finisher Heath Bell and setup man Steve Cishek put the Marlins in this class. Bell, freshly signed to a three-year, $27 million contract to close, is in a miserable funk, going 3-for-6 in save chances with an 11.74 ERA and 2.74 WHIP, opponents batting .371 against him in 10 appearances. Cishek, meanwhile, has an 0.79 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and .158 batting average allowed, even if he blew the only save chance he has received this season. (To be fair, Cishek had come on in relief of Bell with the tying run on third base in that opportunity on Wednesday, and only allowed the tying run to score because of a squeeze-play single.)


Bell's contract might paint the picture of an ideal "Borowski," as it could grant him a lengthy leash. Cishek, too, might not be as dominant a reliever as the 2007 version of Betancourt, but he could be in line for fill-in saves if the Marlins decide to make a change. Consider this a must-handcuff situation, though Bell is still highly likely to get the lion's share of the save chances this season.


Toronto Blue Jays: This is a more under-the-radar "Borowski," as the injured Sergio Santos by all rights should reclaim the closer role once healthy. But in terms of current arrangements, it's difficult to deny the split in performances by fill-in closer Francisco Cordero and setup men Darren Oliver and Luis Perez. Cordero has already blown two of four save chances since taking over for Santos, and his ERA is 5.73 and WHIP 1.91. Oliver, meanwhile, has a 2.25 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in nine appearances, while Perez has 2.40/1.00 numbers in his 10 games. Cordero might not be far from losing his job -- a temporary replacement one, at that -- and if that happens, there could be a handful of sneaky saves for AL-only owners to scoop up off the free-agent list.


Chicago Cubs: Here's another situation where there aren't many obvious alternatives to a struggling closer; Carlos Marmol might have a 5.19 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and two blown saves in four chances, but projected setup man Kerry Wood has struggled as well and has dealt with injuries. Rafael Dolis, he of the 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, remains an NL-only dark horse, but he has 1.93 K's-per-nine and 0.38 K's-per-walk -- read that again, 0.38 -- ratios that are troubling. The Cubs have discussed leaving Dolis in the eighth inning following Wood's activation from the disabled list, however, so keep tabs on him in the coming weeks.


Oakland Athletics: Grant Balfour might have considerably greater big league experience than rookie setup man Ryan Cook, but their numbers thus far make Cook look like a major sleeper in AL-only leagues. A hot starter, Balfour has allowed six runs on six hits, two of them home runs, while blowing two of three save chances in his past four appearances, giving him a 4.73 ERA for the season. Cook, meanwhile, has tossed 12&frac13; shutout innings while allowing only two hits, becoming one of the hottest pickups in hold leagues this year. Here's why this matters: The Athletics as an organization have never been afraid to change closers, granting the hot hand the role, and if Cook continues to impress, he might soon get a look in the ninth inning.


New York Mets: The Mets effectively acquired the Blue Jays' 2011 bullpen when they signed both Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch in December, and just as the Blue Jays did last season, the Mets might flip-flop between the two in the ninth inning multiple times this year. Francisco is off to a rocky start, his ERA 6.97 and WHIP 1.94 in 11 appearances, while setup man Rauch has thrived, posting a 2.31 ERA and 0.77 ERA in his 13 games. Both pitchers have closer experience; NL-only owners might find Rauch a valuable stash considering his hot start.


Arizona Diamondbacks: If you're looking for a direct "Borowski" bullpen comparison, the Diamondbacks might be 2012's ideal choice. J.J. Putz is paid to close, yet his 6.48 ERA and 1.20 WHIP to date pale in comparison to the numbers put forth by either of his two setup men, David Hernandez (2.92 ERA, 0.81 WHIP) or Bryan Shaw (1.64 ERA, 0.91 WHIP). Putz, however, is a better pitcher than his ratios show and the Diamondbacks are sure to be patient with him.


If you're a Hernandez or Shaw owner, you might get a sneaky save or three from either, but for now neither appears to offer much more in fantasy than holds, plus a bit of ERA and WHIP help.

 

[HacheMan]

Stuck In The Middle With Youk

After the Red Sox physically and emotionally placed Kevin Youkilis (back) on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, they recalled one of the young season’s top minor-league producers in Will Middlebrooks to fill-in for him.

So how did Middlebrooks — Baseball America’s No. 51 ranked prospect — prove to exacting manager Bobby Valentine he’s ready for the major-league grind? By going 2-for-3 with a double, walk and stolen base. An excellent debut for a player who had been punishing International League pitching to the tune of .333/.380/.677.

But was it a sign of things to come? It’s a topic we’ve delved further into in the past two Prospect Reports, but the short answer is “no.” Before you blow your entire FAAB budget on Middlebrooks, it’s important to remember a few things:

Middlebrooks was a 23 year old repeating a level of the minors before being summoned to Fenway Park. Batting .333/.380/.677 in that situation is what any self-respecting top prospect is supposed to do.

Despite Middlebrooks’ hot start this season, his career-minor league OPS is still just .787. Middlebrooks is a nice prospect, but this isn’t Eric Hosmer or Mike Trout we’re talking about.

Middlebrooks’ fate is tied entirely to Youkilis’. All 376 of Middlebrooks’ professional appearances have come at third base. He’s not an option in the outfield, and is blocked at first base and designated hitter by a pair of All Stars. Even if Middlebrooks rakes, his spot in the lineup will be gone once Youkilis returns to full health, and the early indications are that Youk will be ready to roll when first eligible on May 14.

Should you be excited about a “name” prospect getting the call? Absolutely. Is he worth a flier in all formats while Youk is on the mend? For sure. Will he be a fantasy linchpin, or even a regular contributor, beyond the next two weeks? Probably not.

Sun Setting on Gamel?

You’ve probably known Mat Gamel’s name a long time. What you might not remember is why you learned it in the first place. There was a time (2008), and another time (2009) and a time after that (2010) when Gamel was one of baseball’s most promising young players.

Only his days in the minor leagues became as numerous as the home runs of the player blocking him at first base in the bigs, Prince Fielder.

Gamel was given chances elsewhere — third base and the outfield — but his defense never came close to justifying his perennially disappointing small-sample sizes.

But even though Gamel never hit during his typically brief call-ups, he never did stop hitting down on the farm, and was finally got his every-day MLB opportunity this season after Prince took his talents to Detroit.

Things started out well enough. Gamel went 2-for-4 in his first game, tripled in his fourth and cruised into April 20 with a .298/.353/.447 triple slash. Only then he went three for his next 22 and tore his ACL.

Now, instead of becoming the former disappointing prospect made good, Gamel is on the verge of being the major-leaguer that never was. And that’s a shame.

Red Sox Latest to Take Flier on Mark Prior

Jon Heyman reported Wednesday that the Red Sox plan to sign former No. 2 overall pick and Cy Young finalist Mark Prior to a minor-league contract.

This, despite the fact that Prior hasn’t thrown an MLB pitch since 2006, and saw his most recent (2011) comeback attempt marred by shoulder, groin and forearm injuries. In other words, just another day at the office for Prior, who has sadly made a living off not staying healthy.

His allure is understandable. He’s still just 31, and went from “prospect” to one of the game’s best pitchers in a matter of one season. But to illustrate just how long six years is, know that:

The Last Time Mark Prior Threw an MLB Pitch: Only four “Harry Potter” movies had been released. … Barack Obama was in his second year as a United States senator for the great state of Illinois. … “Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado (featuring Timbaland) was the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. … “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” was the No. 1 movie. … “Borat” was still three months away from release.

You get the idea. While we would wish Mark well, we’re afraid he’d tear his voicebox saying “thank you.”

Angels vs. Twins Recap

Minnesota’s Denard Span, Alexi Casilla, Joe Mauer, Josh Willingham, Ryan Doumit, Chris Parmelee, Trevor Plouffe, Clete Thomas and Jamey Carroll didn’t gets hits. Also, Los Angeles’ Jered Weaver pitched nine innings, allowing just one walk and zero runs.

Game Notes: Heath Bell melted down yet again. Incapable of generating swing-and-misses, Bell figures to be given some “time to think” while Steve Cishek and Edward Mujica sort out the ninth inning. Cishek is the better own. … Bryce Harper went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, RBI and run scored. That’ll do, Bryce, that’ll do. ... A.J. Burnett became the first pitcher since 1918 to allow 12 or more earned runs without completing three innings of work. Somewhere, Vin Mazzaro tips his cap. … Carlos Beltran entered Wednesday in a 3-for-32 slump. He exited it 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBI. … Giancarlo Stanton homered for the third time in four contests. Stanton went homer-less in his first 19 games of the season. … Chipper Jones walked off the Braves. … Ian Desmond walked off the Nationals. … Carlos Ruiz drove in seven runs...in a loss. … Roy Halladay was staked to a 6-0 lead...and lost.

National League Short Hops: The words “sore” and “Achilles” mix extremely poorly, but Ryan Braun is believed to be truly day-to-day after leaving Wednesday’s game. … Originally targeting a Sunday return to the hot corner, Ryan Zimmerman (shoulder) now won’t be back until “at least” Tuesday. Same as it ever was. … The Dodgers are “nearing a deal” with Bobby Abreu. … Jorge De La Rosa threw three shutout innings for High-A Modesto in his first rehab outing since undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. He’s on track to rejoin the Rockies early next month. … Initially expected to miss only one outing with soreness in his pitching elbow, Padres lefty Cory Luebke will instead hit the 15-day disabled list. He’s expected to return when first eligible on May 13. In his place, the Friars have decided to start a dumpster fire with Jeff Suppan. … Cliff Lee (oblique) turned in a setback-free bullpen session, and should be activated early next week.

American League Short Hops: Both Josh Hamilton (back) and Adrian Beltre (leg soreness) are expected to rejoin the Rangers lineup on Friday. Hamilton likely would have been back sooner had the Rangers not spent the past three days on the Rogers Centre’s artificial turf. … Dealing with a “little bit of pain from the bone bruise,” Brett Gardner had his rehab assignment shut down. The Yankees are spinning it as a minor setback, but it likely means we won’t see Gardner until late next week at the earliest. … Jemile Weeks sat out with groin tightness. Oakland’s struggling second baseman (thanks to a mind-bogglingly low BABIP) is considered day-to-day. He’ll avoid the disabled list. … Dealing with “cramping" and "tightness" in his right quad, B.J. Upton is day-to-day.

Going Solely by 2012 Statistical Trends: We will see another Jered Weaver no-hitter before an Albert Pujols home run.

 

[HacheMan]

Pedro Power
Since I last left you, Bryce Harper and Mike Trout were both called up to the big leagues. It's a little too late for me to tell you to go out and get these guys, as they should be stashed away in all formats on pure potential alone, but I'm a bit surprised that Trout is owned in just 52 percent of Y! and 55.7 of ESPN.com leagues while Harper is owned in 76 percent of Y! leagues and 90.7 percent of ESPN.com leagues.

OK, maybe "surprised" is the wrong word here. The amount of attention paid to Harper dwarfs what we've seen with Trout, so the ownership disparity is completely understandable. But it's worth noting that the 20-year-old Trout has previous major league experience on his side and he was hitting .403 with ten extra-base hits (one homer), six stolen bases and a 1.091 OPS before his promotion from Triple-A Salt Lake. The Angels' still have a log jam between the outfield, third base and DH spots, but the promotion was completely justified.

As for Harper, he was hitting .250 with one homer and a .708 OPS with Triple-A Syracuse. Holding his own for a 19-year-old? Absolutely. But his call-up was more a reflection of a team that needed to spark a stalling offense. Harper does something each game to remind us that he has a chance to be a special player, but history tells us to temper our expectations given his age. My best-case scenario is that he comes close to matching Ken Griffey, Jr.'s production (.264/.329/.420 with 16 homers, 61 RBI, 16 stolen bases and a .748 OPS) as a 19-year-old in 1989.

I'm not completely convinced that Harper will be with the big club all year, but even if he is here to stay, Trout's speed gives him the slight edge in fantasy leagues this year. 2013 and beyond, well, that's a different story.

MIXED LEAGUES

Scott Downs RP, Angels (Yahoo: 48 percent owned, ESPN: 45.3 percent)

It was a bit of a surprise when young fireballer Jordan Walden was removed from the closer role late last week, but Downs is certainly good enough to run away with the job. The 36-year-old left-hander has notched back-to-back save opportunities since getting the nod and has yet to allow a run in 9 1/3 innings this season. The strikeout rate (6.89 K/9 career) isn't what we typically see from a closer, but Downs has excellent control (2.3 BB/9 since 2009) and a career ground ball rate of 57.4 percent. Walden could eventually get his job back and the Angels are reportedly talking to other teams about a closer, but Downs is a safe add in all formats right now.

Pedro Alvarez 3B, Pirates (Yahoo: 22 percent owned, ESPN: 10.7 percent)

Alvarez appeared bound for a possible demotion just a couple weeks ago, but he's suddenly one of the hottest waiver wire adds out there. After collecting two hits and 15 strikeouts through his first 30 at-bats this season, the 25-year-old third baseman is batting .388 (14-for-36) with four homers and 10 RBI over his last 10 games. This includes his current five-game hitting streak. The strikeouts are still a major concern, so don't expect him to help much in the batting average department, but the potential for 20-plus home runs is very real. Third base is suddenly very thin, so give him a shot if you're searching for a replacement for Pablo Sandoval, Evan Longoria or Kevin Youkilis.

John Danks SP, White Sox (Yahoo: 38 percent owned, ESPN: 44.4 percent)

Danks was hammered for seven runs over 5 2/3 innings by the Red Sox last Friday and has an ugly 6.23 ERA across his first five starts this season, so it's no surprise to see him sitting on the waiver wire in mixed leagues right now. It remains to be seen whether his diminished velocity and suddenly shaky control is just a blip or part of a bigger issue, but his track record makes him a worthy buy-low. Remember, he had a 6.89 ERA and 10/14 K/BB ratio in five starts last May before posting a 3.69 ERA for the rest of the season.

Carlos Quentin OF, Padres (Yahoo: 32 percent owned, ESPN: 23.4 percent)

Quentin began a minor league rehab assignment this week with Triple-A Tucson as he works his way back from March surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. He was the DH on Tuesday and played three innings in left field on Wednesday, but he's expected to need at least seven rehab games before coming off the disabled list. Quentin's stock has tumbled a bit because he has left one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors for one of the most pitcher-friendly, but the good news is that PETCO isn't nearly as hard on right-handed power hitters as it is left-handers. Quentin will be a free agent after this season and the Padres are rebuilding, so he could find himself with a contender before the deadline, anyway. In mixed leagues that are 12 teams or deeper, he should be owned.

Henderson Alvarez SP, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 2.7 percent)

Do I completely buy Alvarez's impressive April? Not necessarily. While his 3.62 ERA through five starts is pretty nice, his 4.93 xFIP indicates that he has been somewhat fortunate. And it doesn't take much digging to see why. The 22-year-old right-hander has an underwhelming 9/9 K/BB ratio over 32 1/3 innings and has benefited from a .196 batting average on balls in play. The encouraging part is that he has demonstrated excellent command in the majors (1.59 BB/9 in 96 innings) and has a ground ball rate of 58 percent this season. I wouldn't trust Alvarez every time out in mixed leagues, especially in the power-packed AL East, but I like him for upcoming road starts against the Angels and Twins.

Ty Wigginton 1B/3B/OF, Phillies (Yahoo: 18 percent owned, ESPN: 13.5 percent)

That's right, it's time for our annual Wiggy mention. The 34-year-old has taken advantage of regular playing time with the Phillies by hitting .328/.395/.463 with two homers, 10 RBI and an .857 OPS through his first 67 plate appearances. He has hit safely in 13 out of his last 14 games. His .392 batting average on balls in play (.293 career BABIP) indicates that his hot start is unsustainable, but with John Mayberry struggling and Jim Thome on the disabled list, he should continue to get the bulk of the playing time at first base while Ryan Howard rehabs from Achilles surgery. The multi-position eligibility comes in handy in deeper mixed leagues.

Josh Reddick OF, Athletics (Yahoo: 12 percent owned, ESPN: 14.4 percent)

On the strength of his current seven-game hitting streak, Reddick is batting .274 with four homers, nine RBI, 13 runs scored, three stolen bases and a .772 OPS through 25 games this season. I'll admit that's not going to blow most fantasy owners away, he's doing enough in all categories to warrant attention in deeper leagues. His lack of patience is still an issue (just three walks in 106 plate appearances this season, 4.9 percent career walk rate) and I would like to see more RBI, but the opportunities should be there as long as he continues to bat third in the A's lineup.

Tony Campana OF, Cubs (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 16.7 percent)

Yep, it only took one week for Campana to graduate from the NL-only to the mixed league side. And why the heck not? Though 10 games, Campana is hitting .355 (11-for-31) with seven stolen bases and seven runs scored. Only eight players have more stolen bases and most of them have three times as many at-bats as Campana. I'm not suggesting you go out and pick him up in a shallow mixed league, as the 25-year-old is essentially a one-trick pony with absolutely no power, but he makes for a fine pickup in five-outfielder formats. Just keep in mind that Campana could sit against left-handed starters, so he's more useful in a daily league.

Will Middlebrooks 3B, Red Sox (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

Boston, your savior has arrived. OK, not quite. Middlebrooks will only hold down third base until Kevin Youkilis is ready to return from a lower back strain. However, the 23-year-old makes for an interesting short-term option in deeper mixed formats. Middlebrooks went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base in his major league debut Wednesday against the A's and was hitting .333/.380/.677 with nine homers, 27 RBI and a 1.057 OPS over his first 100 plate appearances with Triple-A Pawtucket this season. I wouldn't drop anyone of great importance for him, as his first stint in the majors will likely be a brief one and his aggressive approach could lead to some growing pains, but nothing wrong with taking the proverbial flier.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

(Players owned in less than 10 percent of Y! and ESPN.com leagues)

Brian Fuentes RP, Athletics (Yahoo: 7 percent owned, ESPN: 1 percent)

Grant Balfour deserves a bit of a leash with the closer role, but he has allowed five runs on five hits and two walks over his last two appearances and was pulled in favor of Jordan Norberto during a save situation Tuesday night against the Red Sox. Fuentes got the save -- the 200th of his career -- on Wednesday and would be the likely alternative if Balfour's struggles continue. Sure, Ryan Cook is beginning to look like a possible "closer of the future" and I would much prefer to see him get a shot, but Fuentes has that "proven closer" tag which most managers seem to dig. Getting a few saves under his belt could also enhance his trade value leading up to the deadline. Stash if you're in the mood to speculate.

Steve Cishek RP, Marlins (Yahoo: 5 percent owned, ESPN: 0.7 percent)

Heath Bell was terrible again Wednesday night against the Giants, allowing three straight hits to begin the bottom of the ninth before getting pulled from a save situation. He ended up getting charged with two runs and saw his ERA jump to 11.74 on the year. The 34-year-old right-hander has allowed 13 hits and eight walks over just 7 2/3 innings of work this season while his velocity and swinging-strike rate continue to decline. His three-year, $27 million deal provides some extra job security, but Marlins' manager Ozzie Guillen suggested after Wednesday's game that he Bell could be pulled from the closer role, at least on a temporary basis. Cishek is the strongest candidate to replace him, as he got the call in the ninth inning last night and has an 0.79 ERA and 12/4 K/BB ratio over 11 1/3 innings this season, but Guillen could also turn to Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb.

Suitable streamer:

Drew Smyly SP, Tigers (Yahoo: 18 percent owned, ESPN: 14.9 percent)

I had Smyly under my AL-only recommendations in the very first Waiver Wired of the season, but the rookie left-hander is now on the mixed league side after posting a 1.23 ERA and 22/8 K/BB ratio in 22 innings through his first four major league starts. His strand rate is a perfect 100 percent, so he can't be this fortunate forever, but he's racking up plenty of swings and misses and his control has been very solid since he walked three over four innings in his major league debut. It's tough to make a strong judgment with such a small sample, but give him a whirl Friday against a White Sox team that is batting just .199 with a .614 OPS against southpaws this season. <!--RW-->

NL ONLY

Bobby Abreu OF, Free Agent (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.7 percent)

I'm cheating a little bit here, but this is assuming that Abreu ends up signing a contract with the Dodgers. The 38-year-old was released by the Angels last weekend after being buried on the bench and hitting just .208 over his first 24 at-bats, but he will presumably share playing time with Juan Rivera in left field and function as a left-handed bat of the bench. Abreu is clearly on the decline and could be an adventure in the outfield, but he still had a .353 on-base percentage last year and swiped 21 bases in 26 attempts. He's a must-own in NL-only leagues as soon as he's in the player pool.

Patrick Corbin SP, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.6 percent)

Josh Collmenter was booted from the starting rotation over the weekend, so Corbin started in his place on Monday against the Marlins and allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings while striking out six and walking three. Corbin, who was acquired from the Angels in the Dan Haren trade, has a 3.83 ERA over parts of four seasons in the minors, averaging 8.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9. The 22-year-old left-hander doesn't have the upside of more exciting D-Backs' prospects like Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley or Tyler Skaggs, but he should at least hold down a rotation spot until Daniel Hudson returns from a right shoulder impingement.

Brian Bogusevic OF, Astros (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

There's not a lot to get excited about here, but Bogusevic could provide some sneaky value if he continues to get regular playing time. The 2005 first-round pick had a knack for getting on base in the minor leagues, something he has maintained with a 9.3 percent walk rate and a .340 on-base percentage over his first 302 plate appearances in the majors. And while he doesn't have the wheels of teammate Jordan Schafer, the 28-year-old outfielder had 20 or more stolen bases in each of the past three seasons in the minors. Just keep in mind that Travis Buck looms as a threat if he struggles.

Alex White SP, Rockies (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

Jhoulys Chacin was optioned to the minors on Wednesday after struggling to the tune of a 7.30 ERA over his first five starts and the early speculation is that White will get the call to replace him in the starting rotation. White, who came over from the Indians in the Ubaldo Jimenez deal last July, has a solid 2.92 ERA and 21/8 K/BB ratio in 24 2/3 innings over his first five starts with Triple-A Colorado Springs this season. His command was shaky in his first taste of the majors last year, but he throws hard and keeps the ball on the ground. That's a potential recipe for success.

AL ONLY

Michael Taylor OF, Athletics (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

With Coco Crisp likely headed to the disabled list due to recurring issues with a sinus infection, Taylor is in line for a promotion and should at least see part-time duty in the A's outfield. The 26-year-old outfielder is off to a strong start with Triple-A Sacramento this season, batting .347 with two homers, 18 RBI, six stolen bases and a .938 OPS over 105 plate appearances. Taylor hasn't come close to reaching the lofty expectations attached to him during his days as a farmhand with the Phillies, but his modest power-speed combo is enough to make him interesting.

Jarrod Dyson OF, Royals (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

The Royals were originally hoping that Lorenzo Cain would be able to return from the disabled list last Friday, but his timetable has been pushed back a couple weeks after he experienced a setback during his rehab assignment. Mitch Maier continues to get looks in center field during his absence, but Dyson is the one you want from a fantasy perspective. The speedy 27-year-old has stolen 22 bases with the Royals over the past three seasons, despite appearing in just 50 games.

John Jaso C, Mariners (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Miguel Olivo is expected to miss an extended period of time with a strained right groin, which means that Jaso and Jesus Montero will split catching duties for now. Jaso has been limited to just 18 at-bats so far this season, but the expectation is that he should handle most of the catching duties against right-handed pitching, which at least plays to his strengths offensively. The 28-year-old backstop is coming off a horrible season, but he owns a 12 percent walk rate and .340 on-base percentage over 707 plate appearances in the big leagues.

Aaron Cook SP, Red Sox (Yahoo: N/A, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Cook had an out-clause in his contract on May 1, so the Red Sox will bring him up to the majors to prevent him from becoming a free agent. His first assignment will come Saturday against the Orioles, as he's set to fill in for Josh Beckett, who came down with lat soreness after he tied a career-high by throwing 126 pitches last Sunday against the White Sox. Cook has a 4.53 ERA in the majors, so let's not get carried away here, but the veteran sinkerballer was pitching well with Triple-A Pawtucket and has a career ground ball rate of 57.4 percent. Use him Saturday and see how things shake out.

 

[HacheMan]

Forecaster: May 7-13

By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

On tap: The Albert Pujols homerless show -- oh, and his Los Angeles Angels too -- hits the road for a pair of three-game series at ballparks with factors at polar extremes, Minnesota's Target Field and Texas' Rangers Ballpark. He has played precisely one series at each site in his career and has never homered in either. And although Target Field is a difficult ballpark in which to hit one out, Rangers Ballpark at least offers him some hope of breaking out of his funk. If he's still homerless by the start of that weekend series, expect Angels at Texas Rangers to be under the microscope. Heck, it might be anyway.


The New York Yankees play their first homestand since losing closer Mariano Rivera to a knee injury; they begin the week with a challenging series against the division rival Tampa Bay Rays, who also lost a key piece when Evan Longoria landed on the disabled list. That series could be telling, especially for the Yankees and how they respond in front of their home fans to the loss of a Hall of Famer.


There is a doubleheader to begin Week 5, as the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians will make up their rained-out contest from April 10 with a day-night affair in Cleveland. That gives the Indians an eight-game week; it's a noticeable counting-stats advantage when 23 teams play only six times.


ESPN leagues: Week 5



Monday's doubleheader creates an early start to Week 5 in ESPN leagues. The first White Sox-Indians game begins at 1:05 p.m. ET. These are the start times of the first games each day:



<style type="text/css">.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</style><table style="margin: 0px; width: 100%;"><thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;">Date</th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Time (ET)</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;">Teams</th><th style="width: 1px; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> </center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;">Date</th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Time (ET)</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;">Teams</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Mon 5/7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CHW, CLE</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Fri 5/11</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">BAL, HOU, NYY, PHI,
PIT, SD, SEA, TB</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Tue 5/8</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">BAL, CHW, CLE, NYM, NYY,
PHI, PIT, TB, TEX, WAS</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Sat 5/12</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CHC, LAA, MIA,
MIL, NYM, TEX</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Wed 5/9</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1:10 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CIN, MIL</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Sun 5/13</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">NYY, SEA</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Thu 5/10</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">BAL, NYY, PIT,
TB, TEX, WAS</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> </td></tr></tbody></table>




Quick click by section, if you're seeking advice in a specific area:
Probable starting pitchers | Week 5 pitcher rankings | Pitching notes
Streamer's delight | Hitting ratings | Hitting notes


Projected starting pitchers




The chart below lists each of the 30 MLB teams' schedules and projected starting pitchers, and provides a matchup rating for each day's starter. Pitchers scheduled to start at least twice this week are in gold/beige boxes.



<style type="text/css">.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</style><table style="margin: 0px; width: 100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width: 35px; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Team</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Mon
5/7</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Tue
5/8</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Wed
5/9</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Thu
5/10</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Fri
5/11</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Sat
5/12</center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Sun
5/13</center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TEX
Matusz
(LHP)
P: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TEX
Arrieta
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TEX
Chen
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TEX
Hunter
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
Hammel
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TB
Matusz
(LHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TB
Arrieta
(RHP)
P: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@KC
Doubront
(LHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@KC
Bard
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@KC
Lester
(LHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CLE
Beckett
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CLE
Buchholz
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">CLE
Doubront
(LHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">CLE
Bard
(RHP)
P: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@CLE-2
Humber
(RHP)
P: 8
Axelrod
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CLE
Danks
(LHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CLE
Peavy
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">KC
Floyd
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">KC
Sale
(LHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">KC
Humber
(RHP)
P: 9</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">CHW-2
Tomlin
(RHP)
P: 6
TBD

P: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">CHW
Masterson
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHW
Gomez
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BOS
Lowe
(RHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BOS
Jimenez
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@BOS
Tomlin
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@BOS
Masterson
(RHP)
P: 4</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@SEA
Fister
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@SEA
Verlander
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SEA
Smyly
(LHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
Scherzer
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
Porcello
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@OAK
Fister
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@OAK
Verlander
(RHP)
P: 10</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">BOS
Sanchez
(LHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">BOS
Duffy
(LHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">BOS
Chen
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHW
Paulino
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHW
Hochevar
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@CHW
Sanchez
(LHP)
P: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@MIN
Weaver
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
Haren
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
Santana
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@TEX
Wilson
(LHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@TEX
Williams
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@TEX
Weaver
(RHP)
P: 8</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">LAA
Liriano
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">LAA
Hendriks
(RHP)
P: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
Pavano
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
Marquis
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
Blackburn
(RHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TOR
Liriano
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TOR
Hendriks
(RHP)
P: 1</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TB
Nova
(RHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
TBD

P: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
Sabathia
(LHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SEA
Kuroda
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SEA
Hughes
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">SEA
Nova
(RHP)
P: 3</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">TOR
Parker
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
McCarthy
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
Ross
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
Colon
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
Milone
(LHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">DET
Parker
(RHP)
P: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">DET
Beavan
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
Millwood
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
Vargas
(LHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
Hernandez
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
Noesi
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@NYY
Beavan
(RHP)
P: 3</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@NYY
Shields
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
Niemann
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
Price
(LHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
Hellickson
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
Moore
(LHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@BAL
Shields
(RHP)
P: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@BAL
Feliz
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@BAL
Harrison
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
Lewis
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
Holland
(LHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
Darvish
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">LAA
Feliz
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">LAA
Harrison
(LHP)
P: 4</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@OAK
Romero
(LHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
Morrow
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
Alvarez
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
Drabek
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
Hutchison
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@MIN
Romero
(LHP)
P: 8</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">STL
Saunders
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">STL
Kennedy
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">STL
Miley
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
Corbin
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
Cahill
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">SF
Saunders
(LHP)
P: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@CHC
Hanson
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHC
Delgado
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHC
Hudson
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@STL
Minor
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@STL
Beachy
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@STL
Hanson
(RHP)
P: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">ATL
Samardzija
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
Dempster
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
Maholm
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
Garza
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
Volstad
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@MIL
Samardzija
(RHP)
P: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@MIL
Arroyo
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
Bailey
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
Leake
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
Cueto
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
Latos
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">WAS
Arroyo
(RHP)
P: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@SD
Pomeranz
(LHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SD
TBD

P: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SD
Moscoso
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
Moyer
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
Nicasio
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@LAD
Pomeranz
(LHP)
P: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">MIA
W.Rdrguez
(LHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">MIA
TBD

P: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">MIA
Harrell
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
Norris
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
Happ
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@PIT
W.Rdrguez
(LHP)
P: 8</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">SF
Lilly
(LHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
Kershaw
(LHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
Billingsley
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
Capuano
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
Harang
(RHP)
P: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">COL
Lilly
(LHP)
P: 8</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@HOU
Zambrano
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@HOU
Sanchez
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@HOU
Johnson
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
Buehrle
(LHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
Nolasco
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">NYM
Zambrano
(RHP)
P: 8</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">CIN
Gallardo
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CIN
Estrada
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CIN
Greinke
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHC
Wolf
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHC
Marcum
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">CHC
Gallardo
(RHP)
P: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@PHI
Niese
(LHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
Schwinden
(RHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
Gee
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIA
Santana
(LHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIA
Dickey
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@MIA
Niese
(LHP)
P: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">NYM
Halladay
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
Blanton
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
Kendrick
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SD
Worley
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SD
Hamels
(LHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">SD
Halladay
(RHP)
P: 10</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">WAS
Burnett
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
Bedard
(LHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
Correia
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">HOU
McDonald
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">HOU
Morton
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">HOU
Burnett
(RHP)
P: 4</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@ARI
Lynn
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
Westbrook
(RHP)
P: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
Lohse
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
Garcia
(LHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
Wainwright
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">ATL
Lynn
(RHP)
P: 10</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">COL
Volquez
(RHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
Suppan
(RHP)
P: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
Bass
(RHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
Richard
(LHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
Wieland
(RHP)
P: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@PHI
Volquez
(RHP)
P: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@LAD
Zito
(LHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
Vogelsong
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
Lincecum
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
Bumgarner
(LHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
Cain
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@ARI
Zito
(LHP)
P: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@PIT
Jackson
(RHP)
P: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
Detwiler
(LHP)
P: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
Strasburg
(RHP)
P: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CIN
Gonzalez
(LHP)
P: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CIN
Zimmrmnn
(RHP)
P: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">@CIN
Jackson
(RHP)
P: 5</td></tr></tbody></table>P: The starting pitcher's matchup rating, which accounts for past history (three years' worth as well as past 21 days), opponent and ballpark. Ratings range is 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst.





Tristan's Week 5 pitcher rankings: Top 75



1. Justin Verlander (DET) -- Tue-@SEA (Millwood), Sun-@OAK (Parker)
2. Jered Weaver (LAA) -- Mon-@MIN (Liriano), Sun-@TEX (Harrison)
3. Roy Halladay (PHI) -- Mon-NYM (Niese), Sun-SD (Volquez)
4. Clayton Kershaw (LAD) -- Tue-SF (Vogelsong)
5. Stephen Strasburg (WAS) -- Thu-@PIT (Correia)
6. Matt Cain (SF) -- Sat-@ARI (Cahill)
7. Cole Hamels (PHI) -- Sat-SD (Wieland)
8. Felix Hernandez (SEA) -- Fri-@NYY (Kuroda)
9. Ricky Romero (TOR) -- Tue-@OAK (Parker), Sun-@MIN (Hendriks)
10. Matt Garza (CHC) -- Fri-@MIL (Wolf)
11. Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) -- Mon-MIA (Zambrano), Sun-@PIT (Burnett)
12. CC Sabathia (NYY) -- Thu-TB (Price)
13. Tommy Hanson (ATL) -- Mon-@CHC (Samardzija), Sun-@STL (Lynn)
14. Brandon Beachy (ATL) -- Sat-@STL (Wainwright)
15. Gio Gonzalez (WAS) -- Fri-@CIN (Cueto)
16. Jake Peavy (CHW) -- Wed-@CLE (Gomez)
17. Ted Lilly (LAD) -- Mon-SF (Zito), Sun-COL (Pomeranz)
18. Dan Haren (LAA) -- Tue-@MIN (Hendriks)
19. Lance Lynn (STL) -- Mon-@ARI (Saunders), Sun-ATL (Hanson)
20. C.J. Wilson (LAA) -- Fri-@TEX (Darvish)
21. Yovani Gallardo (MIL) -- Mon-CIN (Arroyo), Sun-CHC (Samardzija)
22. Yu Darvish (TEX) -- Fri-LAA (Wilson)
23. Jordan Zimmermann (WAS) -- Sat-@CIN (Latos)
24. James Shields (TB) -- Tue-@NYY (Nova), Sun-@BAL (Arrieta)
25. Zack Greinke (MIL) -- Wed-CIN (Leake)
26. Chris Sale (CHW) -- Sat-KC (Hochevar)
27. Shaun Marcum (MIL) -- Sat-CHC (Volstad)
28. Tim Lincecum (SF) -- Wed-@LAD (Billingsley)
29. Edwin Jackson (WAS) -- Tue-@PIT (Burnett), Sun-@CIN (Arroyo)
30. Madison Bumgarner (SF) -- Fri-@ARI (Corbin)
31. Anibal Sanchez (MIA) -- Tue-@HOU (TBD)
32. Neftali Feliz (TEX) -- Mon-@BAL (Matusz), Sat-LAA (Williams)
33. Vance Worley (PHI) -- Fri-SD (Richard)
34. David Price (TB) -- Thu-@NYY (Sabathia)
35. Johnny Cueto (CIN) -- Fri-WAS (Gonzalez)
36. Ian Kennedy (ARI) -- Tue-STL (Westbrook)
37. Philip Humber (CHW) -- Mon-@CLE, Gm. 1 (Tomlin), Sun-KC (Sanchez)
38. Jon Lester (BOS) -- Wed-@KC (Chen)
39. Doug Fister (DET) -- Mon-@SEA (Beavan), Sat-@OAK (Milone)
40. Johan Santana (NYM) -- Fri-@MIA (Buehrle)
41. Jaime Garcia (STL) -- Fri-ATL (Minor)
42. Josh Johnson (MIA) -- Wed-@HOU (Harrell)
43. Carlos Zambrano (MIA) -- Mon-@HOU (Rodriguez), Sun-NYM (Niese)
44. Mat Latos (CIN) -- Sat-WAS (Zimmermann)
45. Erik Bedard (PIT) -- Wed-WAS (Detwiler)
46. Adam Wainwright (STL) -- Sat-ATL (Beachy)
47. Josh Beckett (BOS) -- Thu-CLE (Lowe)
48. Hiroki Kuroda (NYY) -- Fri-SEA (Hernandez)
49. Jonathon Niese (NYM) -- Mon-@PHI (Halladay), Sun-@MIA (Zambrano)
50. Gavin Floyd (CHW) -- Fri-KC (Paulino)
51. Daniel Bard (BOS) -- Tue-@KC (Duffy), Sun-CLE (Masterson)
52. Tim Hudson (ATL) -- Wed-@CHC (Maholm)
53. Barry Zito (SF) -- Mon-@LAD (Lilly), Sun-@ARI (Saunders)
54. Brandon Morrow (TOR) -- Wed-@OAK (McCarthy)
55. Jeremy Hellickson (TB) -- Fri-@BAL (Hammel)
56. Chad Billingsley (LAD) -- Wed-SF (Lincecum)
57. Jeff Samardzija (CHC) -- Mon-ATL (Hanson), Sun-@MIL (Gallardo)
58. Colby Lewis (TEX) -- Wed-@BAL (Chen)
59. Jake Arrieta (BAL) -- Tue-TEX (Harrison), Sun-TB (Shields)
60. Brandon McCarthy (OAK) -- Wed-TOR (Morrow)
61. Bartolo Colon (OAK) -- Fri-DET (Porcello)
62. Trevor Cahill (ARI) -- Sat-SF (Cain)
63. Jarrod Parker (OAK) -- Tue-TOR (Romero), Sun-DET (Verlander)
64. Ricky Nolasco (MIA) -- Sat-NYM (Dickey)
65. Joe Saunders (ARI) -- Mon-STL (Lynn), Sun-SF (Zito)
66. Ryan Vogelsong (SF) -- Tue-@LAD (Kershaw)
67. Drew Smyly (DET) -- Wed-@SEA (Vargas)
68. James McDonald (PIT) -- Fri-HOU (Norris)
69. Ryan Dempster (CHC) -- Tue-ATL (Delgado)
70. Ross Detwiler (WAS) -- Wed-@PIT (Bedard)
71. Jason Hammel (BAL) -- Fri-TB (Hellickson)
72. Matt Moore (TB) -- Sat-@BAL (Matusz)
73. Mike Minor (ATL) -- Fri-@STL (Garcia)
74. Derek Holland (TEX) -- Thu-@BAL (Hunter)
75. Kyle Lohse (STL) -- Wed-@ARI (Miley)


Two-start options for AL-/NL-only leagues:
Bronson Arroyo (CIN) -- Mon-@MIL (Gallardo), Sun-WAS (Jackson)
A.J. Burnett (PIT) -- Tue-WAS (Jackson), Sun-HOU (Rodriguez)
Felix Doubront (BOS) -- Mon-@KC (Sanchez), Sat-CLE (Tomlin)
Matt Harrison (TEX) -- Tue-@BAL (Arrieta), Sun-LAA (Weaver)
Ivan Nova (NYY) -- Tue-TB (Shields), Sun-SEA (Beavan)
Drew Pomeranz (COL) -- Mon-@SD (Volquez), Sun-@LAD (Lilly)
Edinson Volquez (SD) -- Mon-COL (Pomeranz), Sun-@PHI (Halladay)



No-thank-yous, among two-start pitchers:
Blake Beavan (SEA) -- Mon-DET (Fister), Sun-@NYY (Nova)
Liam Hendriks (MIN) -- Tue-LAA (Haren), Sun-TOR (Romero)
Francisco Liriano (MIN) -- Mon-LAA (Weaver), Sat-TOR (Hutchison)
Justin Masterson (CLE) -- Tue-CHW (Danks), Sun-@BOS (Bard)
Brian Matusz (BAL) -- Mon-TEX (Feliz), Sat-TB (Moore)
Jonathan Sanchez (KC) -- Mon-BOS (Doubront), Sun-@CHW (Humber)
Josh Tomlin (CLE) -- Mon-CHW, Gm. 1 (Humber), Sat-@BOS (Doubront)




Pitching notes




• The Philadelphia Phillies are my Baseball Challenge pick of Week 5, and it's mostly because they play all six of their games at home. Remember how Citizens Bank Park was labeled a bandbox during its early days? No longer. The Phillies have a 2.84 team ERA at home since the beginning of last season, and Kyle Kendrick is the only one of their current five with a lifetime ERA there north of four (4.31). Cliff Lee might even supplant Kendrick in the rotation if he's healthy in time, and Lee's return would surely provide a boost to this staff. Among my other recommended BBC pitching staffs: Chicago White Sox (@CLE-4, KC-3), Detroit Tigers (@SEA-3, @OAK-4) and Washington Nationals (@PIT-3, @CIN-3).


• Are you worried about Felix Hernandez pitching at Yankee Stadium? You shouldn't be. The Seattle Mariners ace is 3-0 with three quality starts, a 0.38 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP and a 10.1 strikeouts per nine in three career games there.


• Ricky Romero is one of this week's two-start standouts, thanks to matchups at pitching-friendly venues. He's 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in two career starts at Oakland's O.com Coliseum, where he'll pitch Tuesday, and 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in two career starts at Minnesota's Target Field.


• Though Adam Wainwright still has a way to go to recapture his pre-Tommy-John-surgery, top-10 form, he has pitched back-to-back solid games, his ERA 3.46 and his K's per nine 9.0 in them. He'll face his drafting team, the Atlanta Braves, on Saturday, and that's a plus, because he has won all six of his career starts against them with a 2.48 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.


• Among opponents he has faced at least 10 times in his career, Johan Santana has his best ERA versus the Miami Marlins (1.46). He's 6-1 with a 1.46 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 10.7 K's per nine in 10 career starts against them. And remember, he struck out 11 Marlins in 6⅔ innings in their April 24 meeting.


• Trevor Cahill is familiar with the San Francisco Giants from the Bay Bridge Series during his days with the Oakland Athletics, going 3-0 with a 1.30 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in four career starts against them. With the Giants' offense currently without Pablo Sandoval, Cahill might again get the best of his new division rival.



Streamer's delight




Among streaming starters -- something I define as single-start options in daily leagues among pitchers owned in 25 percent or fewer of ESPN leagues -- options for Week 5, here are my picks by day:


Monday, May 7: Carlos Zambrano at Houston Astros
Tuesday, May 8: Joe Blanton versus New York Mets
Wednesday, May 9: Anthony Bass versus Colorado Rockies
Thursday, May 10: Henderson Alvarez at Minnesota Twins
Friday, May 11: James McDonald versus Houston Astros
Saturday, May 12: Trevor Cahill versus San Francisco Giants
Sunday, May 13: Philip Humber versus Kansas City Royals


Past picks
Friday, April 27, Jake Arrieta: 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Saturday, April 28, Wei-Yin Chen: W, QS, 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Sunday, April 29, Chris Capuano: W, QS, 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
Monday, April 30, Randy Wolf: W, 5 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Tuesday, May 1, Felix Doubront: 4 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Wednesday, May 2, Carlos Zambrano: QS, 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Thursday, May 3, Jeff Niemann: 5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K


Week's total: 7 GS, 3 W (42.9%), 3 QS (42.9%), 41 IP, 40 H, 16 ER, 16 BB, 37 K, 3.51 ERA, 1.37 WHIP


Season total: 29 GS, 13 W (44.8%), 17 QS (58.6%), 181 2/3 IP, 149 H, 61 ER, 62 BB, 125 K, 3.02 ERA, 1.16 WHIP



Hitting ratings




The chart below lists each of the 30 teams' total number of scheduled games, home games and games versus right- and left-handed pitchers, and provides a matchup rating for the week's games in terms of overall offense, offense for left- and right-handed hitters and base stealing. Matchup ratings for each individual game are listed under the corresponding date.



<style type="text/css">.mod-inline td img {margin: 0px;}</style><table style="margin: 0px; width: 100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width: 35px; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Team</center></th><th style="width: 12%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Games</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Overall
Rating</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Mon
5/7</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Tue
5/8</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Wed
5/9</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Thu
5/10</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Fri
5/11</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Sat
5/12</center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Sun
5/13</center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">7 total
7 home
3 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 9
L: 7
R: 8
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TEX
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TEX
H: 7
L: 3
R: 9
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TEX
H: 5
L: 8
R: 1
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TEX
H: 8
L: 4
R: 9
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
H: 4
L: 7
R: 1
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
H: 8
L: 10
R: 6
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
H: 6
L: 5
R: 7
S: 3</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">7 total
4 home
3 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 10
L: 8
R: 9
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@KC
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@KC
H: 9
L: 4
R: 10
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@KC
H: 6
L: 5
R: 7
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CLE
H: 8
L: 9
R: 6
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CLE
H: 5
L: 5
R: 4
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CLE
H: 6
L: 6
R: 7
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CLE
H: 6
L: 9
R: 1
S: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">7 total
3 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 10
L: 10
R: 8
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CLE-2
H: 5
L: 5
R: 6
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CLE
H: 4
L: 8
R: 1
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CLE
H: 5
L: 4
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">KC
H: 9
L: 10
R: 6
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">KC
H: 8
L: 10
R: 7
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">KC
H: 4
L: 2
R: 5
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">8 total
4 home
2 vs. L
6 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 7
L: 8
R: 5
S: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHW-2
H: 2
L: 3
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHW
H: 5
L: 4
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHW
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BOS
H: 4
L: 4
R: 3
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BOS
H: 6
L: 9
R: 2
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BOS
H: 8
L: 10
R: 7
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BOS
H: 1
L: 3
R: 1
S: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">7 total
0 home
2 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 7
L: 9
R: 6
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SEA
H: 6
L: 7
R: 5
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SEA
H: 8
L: 10
R: 6
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SEA
H: 4
L: 3
R: 4
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
H: 5
L: 7
R: 4
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
H: 3
L: 7
R: 1
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
H: 4
L: 7
R: 3
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
H: 4
L: 2
R: 5
S: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
3 vs. L
3 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">BOS
H: 8
L: 10
R: 7
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">BOS
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">BOS
H: 3
L: 1
R: 3
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHW
H: 3
L: 3
R: 3
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHW
H: 2
L: 2
R: 2
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHW
H: 2
L: 3
R: 1
S: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 8
L: 3
R: 10
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 7
L: 1
R: 9
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 10
L: 9
R: 10
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 6
L: 6
R: 6
S: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@TEX
H: 4
L: 4
R: 5
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@TEX
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@TEX
H: 7
L: 3
R: 9
S: 3</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">7 total
7 home
1 vs. L
6 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 7
L: 10
R: 6
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
H: 2
L: 3
R: 2
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
H: 7
L: 7
R: 6
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
H: 8
L: 8
R: 7
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
H: 7
L: 10
R: 5
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
H: 3
L: 10
R: 1
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 5
R: 4
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
H: 6
L: 5
R: 7
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
H: 4
L: 7
R: 2
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TB
H: 2
L: 1
R: 3
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SEA
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SEA
H: 7
L: 10
R: 4
S: 10</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SEA
H: 7
L: 8
R: 6
S: 9</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 4
L: 6
R: 3
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
H: 3
L: 10
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">TOR
H: 6
L: 5
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 7
L: 7
R: 6
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 6
L: 8
R: 5
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 3
L: 3
R: 2
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 6
R: 4
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 3
L: 3
R: 2
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">DET
H: 4
L: 9
R: 2
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
H: 3
L: 7
R: 1
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
H: 10
L: 7
R: 10
S: 4</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
2 vs. L
3 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 9
L: 6
R: 8
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
H: 10
L: 7
R: 10
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
H: 6
L: 6
R: 6
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@NYY
H: 2
L: 1
R: 2
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 6
L: 7
R: 5
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 9
L: 4
R: 10
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 6
L: 10
R: 1
S: 4</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">7 total
3 home
3 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 8
L: 7
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 9
L: 4
R: 10
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 6
L: 10
R: 1
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 5
L: 6
R: 5
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@BAL
H: 8
L: 10
R: 3
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
H: 1
L: 1
R: 2
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
H: 5
L: 6
R: 5
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">LAA
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 10
L: 7
R: 9
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
H: 4
L: 2
R: 5
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@OAK
H: 3
L: 5
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 8
L: 10
R: 5
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 9
L: 10
R: 8
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 7
L: 1
R: 9
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIN
H: 10
L: 9
R: 10
S: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 3
L: 2
R: 5
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">STL
H: 2
L: 4
R: 1
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">STL
H: 6
L: 6
R: 5
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">STL
H: 7
L: 6
R: 7
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
H: 3
L: 2
R: 3
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
H: 1
L: 1
R: 2
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
H: 6
L: 3
R: 7
S: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 3
L: 4
R: 2
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHC
H: 5
L: 8
R: 2
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHC
H: 6
L: 8
R: 4
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CHC
H: 7
L: 2
R: 8
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@STL
H: 2
L: 3
R: 2
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@STL
H: 2
L: 4
R: 1
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@STL
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 1</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 5
R: 3
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
H: 3
L: 5
R: 1
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
H: 7
L: 10
R: 4
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
H: 3
L: 5
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
H: 7
L: 6
R: 7
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
H: 3
L: 1
R: 4
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
H: 5
L: 5
R: 4
S: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 3
L: 5
R: 2
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
H: 5
L: 5
R: 4
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
H: 5
L: 5
R: 6
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIL
H: 3
L: 6
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
H: 2
L: 5
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
H: 2
L: 5
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
H: 6
L: 6
R: 6
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 3
R: 7
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SD
H: 3
L: 2
R: 4
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SD
H: 9
L: 9
R: 9
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@SD
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
H: 5
L: 2
R: 7
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
H: 1
L: 4
R: 1
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
0 vs. L
6 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 6
R: 3
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">MIA
H: 4
L: 6
R: 2
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">MIA
H: 3
L: 2
R: 4
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">MIA
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
H: 4
L: 6
R: 3
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
H: 7
L: 10
R: 4
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
H: 7
L: 7
R: 8
S: 9</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
3 vs. L
3 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 6
L: 4
R: 6
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
H: 5
L: 2
R: 6
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
H: 2
L: 6
R: 1
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SF
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
H: 6
L: 7
R: 6
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
H: 9
L: 10
R: 6
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
H: 6
L: 3
R: 7
S: 2</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
3 vs. L
2 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 6
L: 5
R: 6
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@HOU
H: 3
L: 1
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@HOU
H: 6
L: 6
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@HOU
H: 8
L: 10
R: 6
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
H: 2
L: 4
R: 2
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
H: 4
L: 7
R: 2
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
H: 7
L: 3
R: 7
S: 5</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
0 vs. L
6 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 7
L: 9
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CIN
H: 6
L: 10
R: 2
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CIN
H: 5
L: 6
R: 4
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CIN
H: 8
L: 8
R: 7
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHC
H: 3
L: 1
R: 5
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHC
H: 8
L: 9
R: 6
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">CHC
H: 5
L: 8
R: 2
S: 8</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 6
L: 6
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
H: 7
L: 6
R: 8
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
H: 8
L: 10
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIA
H: 6
L: 5
R: 6
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIA
H: 6
L: 7
R: 4
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@MIA
H: 4
L: 6
R: 2
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 9
L: 5
R: 10
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
H: 7
L: 3
R: 7
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
H: 9
L: 10
R: 9
S: 8</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">NYM
H: 5
L: 8
R: 3
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SD
H: 7
L: 1
R: 9
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SD
H: 8
L: 8
R: 8
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">SD
H: 5
L: 4
R: 6
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
6 home
3 vs. L
3 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 1
R: 7
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
H: 5
L: 3
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">WAS
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">HOU
H: 7
L: 7
R: 6
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">HOU
H: 7
L: 2
R: 8
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">HOU
H: 3
L: 1
R: 5
S: 6</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
3 vs. L
3 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 3
L: 3
R: 4
S: 3</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
H: 7
L: 1
R: 8
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
H: 4
L: 5
R: 3
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
H: 5
L: 8
R: 4
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
H: 5
L: 6
R: 5
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">ATL
H: 2
L: 5
R: 1
S: 9</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
3 home
2 vs. L
3 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 1
L: 1
R: 3
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
H: 5
L: 3
R: 6
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">COL
H: 3
L: 4
R: 2
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
H: 3
L: 1
R: 5
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
H: 2
L: 4
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PHI
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 7</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
4 vs. L
2 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 4
L: 3
R: 4
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
H: 1
L: 4
R: 1
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 5</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@LAD
H: 4
L: 6
R: 3
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
H: 8
L: 7
R: 8
S: 1</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
H: 4
L: 6
R: 3
S: 2</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@ARI
H: 7
L: 1
R: 8
S: 2</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">6 total
0 home
1 vs. L
5 vs. R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center">H: 5
L: 6
R: 4
S: 6</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
H: 7
L: 7
R: 8
S: 9</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
H: 2
L: 1
R: 4
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@PIT
H: 5
L: 4
R: 5
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CIN
H: 4
L: 5
R: 3
S: 4</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CIN
H: 3
L: 5
R: 1
S: 7</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center">@CIN
H: 6
L: 10
R: 2
S: 5</td></tr></tbody></table>Some of the data used to generate this chart is derived from Baseball Musings' Day-by-day database.

H: Hitters' matchup rating, which accounts for the opposing starting pitcher's past history (three years' worth and past 21 days) as well as ballpark factors. L: Hitters' matchup rating accounting only for left-handed hitters. R: Hitters' matchup rating accounting for only right-handed hitters. S: Base-stealing matchup rating, which accounts for the opponent's catchers' ability to gun down opposing base stealers. Ratings range is 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst.





Hitting notes




• Chicago White Sox hitters, with their extra Monday game, are particularly attractive choices this week, especially accounting for their scheduled opponents. The seven starting pitchers the White Sox are scheduled to face have totaled eight quality starts all season. Gordon Beckham is a lifetime .333 hitter with 11 RBIs in 22 games and Alejandro De Aza is a .375/.444/.708 hitter in seven career games at Cleveland's Progressive Field, where the team will begin its week. Paul Konerko has five home runs and 14 RBIs in 18 games and A.J. Pierzynski has .364/.453/.523 triple-slash rates in 15 games versus the Kansas City Royals since the beginning of the 2011 season.


• If the Philadelphia Phillies are to break out of their offensive funk, a six-game, all-at-home week during which they'll miss both Anibal Sanchez of the Miami Marlins and Johan Santana of the New York Mets is as good a time as any to do it. Since the beginning of last season, Ty Wigginton is a .348/.385/.652 hitter in eight games, Hunter Pence is a .311/.371/.412 hitter in 31 games and Placido Polanco a .305/.357/.387 hitter in 69 games at Citizens Bank Park. If John Mayberry Jr. gets a start against either of the two left-handed starters the Phillies are scheduled to face, he'd warrant a look in daily formats as well. He's a .297/.351/.503 hitter in 61 games at Citizens Bank Park since the beginning of last season.


• Albert Pujols isn't the only Los Angeles Angels hitter trying to break out of an early funk. Erick Aybar will aim to do the same during that weekend series at Rangers Ballpark; he's a .276/.300/.586 hitter, including two home runs, in seven games there since the beginning of last season. Howard Kendrick is a .333/.429/.705 hitter in nine games at Rangers Ballpark during that time, and Vernon Wells has .417/.462/.833 triple-slash rates in six games there.

 

[HacheMan]

Top 12 for '12: Hembree looks ready

By Kevin Goldstein | Baseball Prospectus

Note: The top 12 fantasy prospects (players currently in the minor leagues) for 2012 are below. These rankings are a bit different from other prospect rankings; these are strictly for 2012 fantasy purposes. So not only do talent and recent performance play a role in the rankings, but potential paths to the big leagues also factor in. In addition, all young players in the minors are eligible, including those in "prospect purgatory," those who have exceeded rookie status but are still young and unproven commodities.



<offer></offer>1. Matt LaPorta, 1B, Cleveland Indians (Last week's rank: 5)

Last week's stats (at Triple-A Columbus): 9-for-23 (.381), 4 HR, 8 RBIs
Season totals: .371-9-20 in 24 games
Update: It feels strange to put a "non-prospect" at the top of the list, but all of the planets are aligning here. The Indians are at the top of the American League Central standings; LaPorta is crushing it; and even with two hits Thursday night, Casey Kotchman is still hitting just .162.
What he can do: While his past big league showings give us every reason to doubt him, there's nothing wrong with giving the hot hand a shot, and even when LaPorta was bad he hit better than .162.



2. Everth Cabrera, SS, San Diego Padres (Last week: unranked)




Season totals (at Triple-A Tucson): .315 average, .364 OBP, 12 steals in 22 games
Update: Remember this guy? Yup, he was the Padres' starting shortstop in 2009 and he finished eighth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Now this 25-year-old is playing a variety of positions in an attempt to earn his way back to the majors, and veteran Padres middle infielders Jason Bartlett and Orlando Hudson are on the trade block.
What he can do: His batting average will never be special and he has no power, but he sure can run. He'll steal plenty of bases if he gets another shot.



3. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, Padres (Last week: unranked)




Last week's stats (at Double-A San Antonio): 11-for-27 (.407), HR, 6 RBIs, SB
Season totals: .272-4-15 with 1 SB in 27 games
Update: Positional changes are often a big clue for how a team feels about a prospect's timetable. Well, the Padres moved Gyorko to second base (from third base) for a reason, and he has responded by hitting .326 since the move.
What he can do: Whether he can play up the middle is yet to be determined, but the Padres seem sure to give him a shot. What Gyorko can do is hit, adding some gap power and plenty of walks. He's close to being ready, and the Padres are close to cleaning house.



4. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies (Last week's rank: 2)




Last week's stats (at Double-A Tulsa): 3-for-24 (.125)
Season totals: .299-1-14 in 20 games
Update: Hard to keep him at No. 2 following his ugly week at the plate, but the good news is Chris Nelson isn't exactly setting the world on fire. Now that we've entered that part of the calendar in which the extra year of control is not an issue, Arenado's time should be coming soon. In fact, all it could take is one extended hot streak.
What he can do: Arenado can hit, and he should hit immediately, but don't expect much in the other categories right away; he's not a runner, and his power is still very much in the raw phase of his development.



5. Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays (Last week's rank: 3)


Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 0-for-0
Season totals: .400-4-23 with 2 SB in 19 games
Update: Snider has hit a temporary bump in the road; he took a pitch off his wrist and went on the seven-day disabled list as a precautionary measure. If anything, it's delaying the inevitable, based on the production (or relative lack thereof) the Blue Jays are getting from their outfielders this season.
What he can do: Like LaPorta, Snider has a history of mashing at Triple-A then going cold at the big league level. Scouts still believe in his talent, but this could be his last chance to prove himself.



6. Heath Hembree, RP, San Francisco Giants (Last week: unranked)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Fresno): 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's
Season totals: 1-0, 7 SV, 1.64 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 11 IP, 10 K's
Update: Hembree entered the year as the Giants' closer of the future, and the season-ending injury to Brian Wilson may have accelerated his timetable. Opposing hitters have gone 0-for-15 against him in his past five appearances, and that only helps his cause.
What he can do: Hembree is your classic late-inning reliever; he has a big, physical presence and blows hitters away with mid-90s heat and a power slider. Scouts think he could succeed in the big leagues right now, and he's sure to get save chances eventually. Here's fair warning, though: Hembree does not have impressive facial hair at this time.

7. Danny Hultzen, SP, Seattle Mariners (Last week's rank: 7)


Last week's stats (at Double-A Jackson): 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 4 K's
Season totals: 2-2 record, 2.05 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 26 2/3 IP, 30 K's
Update: The continuing struggles of Hector Noesi (7.83 ERA) could force the M's to call up this pitching prospect. Hultzen's most recent start was a rare time in which he looked hittable, but he remains the most polished pitcher from the 2011 draft, and the closest to the big leagues.
What he can do: Hultzen has more polish than stuff, but he has the ability to survive in the big leagues right now without embarrassing himself. That's a rare quality when it comes to rookie pitchers.

8. Mark Melancon, RP, Boston Red Sox (Last week's rank: 8)


Last week's stats (at Triple-A Pawtucket): 3 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's
Season totals: 1 save, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 6 2/3 IP, 11 K's
Update: Dear Boston Red Sox, Melancon is really sorry for those first four appearances. He's proving that it was just a bump in the road. He's really, really sorry. Can he come back now?
What he can do: Sure, it was for the Astros, but this is a guy who was closing baseball games last year. He can pitch in the big leagues, although he likely won't get save chances anytime soon.




9. Joe Benson, OF, Minnesota Twins (Last week: unranked)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Rochester): 5-for-20 (.250), 4 HR, 11 RBIs, SB
Season totals: .186-2-8 with 3 SB in 25 games
Update: Wait just a second, a .186 hitter makes a list of players who might get a look?! Yes, when it's the Twins we're talking about. After all, have you seen what Trevor Plouffe and Clete Thomas are doing? Benson is starting to show signs of life at the plate and could be the next to try to solve the nightmare that has been the Twins' right-field spot.
What he can do: Benson has always been one of the best athletes in the system. He has above-average raw power and speed, but contact issues have consistently kept him from hitting for average. Expect the same in the big leagues.



10. Johnny Giavotella, 2B, Kansas City RoLast week's stats (Triple-A Omaha): 14-for-33 (.424), 1 HR, 6 RBIs, SB
Season totals: .308-4-20 with 1 SB in 25 games
Update: While Giavotella struggled in a 46-game big league stint last year, he has returned to his hitting ways at Triple-A. He's showing scouts what they've seen from him throughout his minor league career: He gets the barrel of the bat on everything. The diminutive infielder can flat-out hit, and if you think the numbers Chris Getz is putting up are for real, well, you're wrong. The Royals aren't going anywhere, and it's time for them to see if Giavotella can be part of the long-term game plan.
What he can do: Giavotella has the ability to hit for average and he knows what to expect from big league pitchers at this point, although power and speed are not big parts of his game.





11. Mike Olt, 3B/1B, Texas Rangers (Last week's rank: 12)




Last week's stats (at Double-A Frisco): 9-for-24 (.375), HR, 6 RBIs, SB
Season totals: .276-6-16 with 2 SB in 16 games
Update: The Rangers have the best offense in baseball, but first baseman Mitch Moreland hasn't been a big part of it. Are the Rangers thinking what I'm thinking? Well, Olt playing his first two pro games at first base over the past 10 days indicates they are.
What he can do: Olt strikes out too much to hit for a high batting average, but he more than makes up for that with walks and plenty of power. A Rangers lineup would help considerably in the runs and RBI counting stats as well.



12. Rudy Owens, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (Last week: unranked)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Indianapolis): 15 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 13 K's
Season totals: 1-0, 2.12 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 34 IP, 26 K's
Update: The Pirates' starting pitching has been shockingly good this year, but do you really think Erik Bedard is going to stay healthy? Do you really think Kevin Correia is going to keep pitching well? At some point the Pirates are going to need another starter, and Owens should be first in line when that call comes.
What he can do: Owens will never light up a radar gun, but he's an extreme command/control pitcher. He's stingy with the walks and keeps hitters off balance by changing speeds. He has almost no star potential, but he still has a good shot at developing into a dependable big league starting pitcher.



Falling out




1. Mike Trout, OF, Angels: Was at or near the top of these rankings throughout April, and the Angels just couldn't wait for him any longer.
4. Patrick Corbin, SP, Diamondbacks: Last week in this space, I told you not to be surprised if Corbin got the call before more well-known prospects Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs, so you're welcome for looking like the smart guy in the room if you grabbed him.
6. Matt Harvey, SP, Mets (at Triple-A Buffalo): The Mets have made it clear in several recent statements that despite their need for starting pitching, they won't rush Harvey.
9. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Red Sox: The third player from last week's list to get the call, but it's likely a temporary one (until Kevin Youkilis returns from the disabled list).
10. Chris Carter, 1B/DH, Athletics (at Triple-A Sacramento): Michael Taylor beat him to the big leagues because he can play the outfield, but Carter's power should get him a shot eventually.
11. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Braves (at Double-A Mississippi): Continues to shine, but Tyler Pastornicky has given the Braves no reason to make a move.



Bonus round: Power to come




For those in long-term keeper leagues, here are three players who could be big sources of power down the road:


Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins (at Low-A Beloit): He'll be a first baseman or right fielder by the time he reaches the big leagues, but the 18-year-old has as much raw power as any teenager in the minor leagues.
Telvin Nash, 1B, Astros (at High-A Lancaster): A one-dimensional slugger who might never hit for average, but don't be shocked if playing in Lancaster helps him compete for the minor league home run title.
Tyler Austin, OF, Yankees (at Low-A Charleston): A 13th-round pick in 2010, Austin was the breakout prospect of April, hitting .357-9-25 in 21 games, and scouts don't think it's a fluke.yals (Last week: unranked)

 

[HacheMan]

Closer Chart

Fantasy bullpen organization chart (last updated May 4)

The chart below breaks down all 30 major-league teams' bullpens in terms of relievers' proximity to the closer role, not their overall fantasy value. Teams are listed in alphabetical order.
"Closer" is either that team's officially designated closer, or the pitcher most likely to get the team's next save chance. "Next in line" is the pitcher next-most likely to take over if something happens to the closer, or the one who might get any save chances on the closer's nights off. "Stealth" is a dark-horse candidate for saves, for those digging deep. These pitchers typically don't pose an imminent threat to the closer's job security, but might, given time. "Looming" is a pitcher who has his sights set on the closer role but whose circumstances might currently prevent him from doing so. Generally speaking, usual closers who are on hurt and/or on the disabled list (designated as "DL"), bereavement list ("BL") or restricted list ("RL"), closer-worthy pitchers currently working out of the rotation, specialists (especially lefties) or "next in line" options presently in the minors fit the description.
<table style="margin: 0px; width: 100%;"><thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"> Team </th><th style="width: 25%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Closer </center></th><th style="width: 25%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Next in line </center></th><th style="width: 25%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Stealth </center></th><th style="width: 25%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Looming </center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J.J. Putz </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Hernandez </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bryan Shaw </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Craig Breslow </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Craig Kimbrel </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonny Venters </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Eric O'Flaherty </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kris Medlen </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jim Johnson </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Pedro Strop </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Lindstrom </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kevin Gregg </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alfredo Aceves </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Vicente Padilla </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Franklin Morales </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andrew Bailey (DL) </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Rafael Dolis (RHP), James Russell (LHP) </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kerry Wood </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Shawn Camp </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Carlos Marmol </td></tr>
<tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Chris Sale</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Thornton </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Addison Reed </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Hector Santiago </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sean Marshall </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aroldis Chapman </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Arredondo </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Logan Ondrusek </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Perez </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Vinnie Pestano </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tony Sipp </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Nick Hagadone </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Betancourt </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rex Brothers </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Belisle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Roenicke </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Valverde </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joaquin Benoit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Octavio Dotel </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Phil Coke </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brett Myers </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Carpenter </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon Lyon </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Fernando Rodriguez </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathan Broxton </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aaron Crow </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tim Collins </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Greg Holland (DL) </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Scott Downs </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jordan Walden </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> LaTroy Hawkins </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ernesto Frieri </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Javy Guerra </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kenley Jansen </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Guerrier </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Scott Elbert </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Steve Cishek</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Heath Bell</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Edward Mujica </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Juan Oviedo (RL) </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> John Axford </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Francisco Rodriguez </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Veras </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kameron Loe </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Capps </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jared Burton </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Glen Perkins </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brian Duensing </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Frank Francisco </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jon Rauch </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bobby Parnell </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tim Byrdak </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Robertson </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Soriano </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cory Wade </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mariano Rivera (Inj.) </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Grant Balfour </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Cook </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brian Fuentes </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jordan Norberto </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathan Papelbon </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Antonio Bastardo </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chad Qualls </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Contreras </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joel Hanrahan </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Juan Cruz </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Grilli </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Resop </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Motte </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mitchell Boggs </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Fernando Salas </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Marc Rzepczynski </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Huston Street </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luke Gregerson </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andrew Cashner </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Thatcher </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Santiago Casilla </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sergio Romo </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jeremy Affeldt </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Heath Hembree </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon League </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tom Wilhelmsen </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Steve Delabar </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Hisashi Iwakuma </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Fernando Rodney </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joel Peralta </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake McGee </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kyle Farnsworth (DL) </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Nathan </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Adams </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alexi Ogando </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Koji Uehara </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Francisco Cordero </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Casey Janssen </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luis Perez </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sergio Santos (DL) </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Henry Rodriguez </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tyler Clippard </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sean Burnett </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Drew Storen (DL) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>

 

[HacheMan]

Change of Scenery

Back in 2008, Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez was one of the most promising young pitchers in the National League. That year, he went 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA for the Reds, finishing fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.

Volquez's next two seasons were cut short by injuries, and last year he was simply a mess. The strikeouts were there, as he averaged 8.6 K/9, but the right-hander scuffled in other departments. His control was worse than normal, he gave up too many hits and far too many homers (19 in 108 2/3 innings).

During the offseason, the Reds granted the struggling starter a change of scenery, sending him to San Diego in the Mat Latos deal. Not surprisingly, Volquez has looked much better in the friendly confines of Petco. Through six starts, he owns a .2.92 ERA and 33/18 K/BB ratio in 37 innings. The control still hasn't been great – Volquez has always been effectively wild even at his best – but his 4.4 BB/9 rate is below his career average and he's allowed only 25 hits and two homers.

Volquez is listed as a Strong Play this week, and best of all, he's available in most leagues.

Initially, it appeared that a change of scenery was paying similar dividends for fellow two-start pitcher A.J. Burnett, but he coughed up a staggering 12 earned runs in his last start for Pittsburgh, landing him squarely in the At Your Own Risk category this week.

In the AL, Jered Weaver lines up for two starts fresh off his no-hitter against the Twins, and Going Twice…

American League

Strong Plays

Ricky Romero: @OAK (Parker), @MIN (Hendriks)
Matt Harrison: @BAL (Arrieta), LAA (Weaver)
Neftali Feliz: @BAL (Matusz), LAA (Williams)
James Shields: @NYY (Nova), @BAL (Arrieta)
Jered Weaver: @MIN (Liriano), @TEX (Harrison)
Justin Verlander: @SEA (Millwood), @OAK (Parker)
Doug Fister: @SEA (Beavan), @OAK (Milone)

Decent Plays

Blake Beavan: DET (Fister), @NYY (Nova)
Jarrod Parker: TOR (Romero), DET (Verlander)
Ivan Nova: TB (Shields), SEA (Beavan)
Philip Humber: @CLE (Tomlin), KC (Sanchez)
Justin Masterson: CWS (Danks), @BOS (Bard)
Daniel Bard: @KC (Duffy), CLE (Masterson)
Felix Doubront: @KC (Sanchez), CLE (Tomlin)
Jake Arrieta: TEX (Harrison), TB (Shields)
Brian Matusz: TEX (Feliz), TB (Moore)

At Your Own Risk

Francisco Liriano: LAA (Weaver) TOR (Hutchison)
Liam Hendriks: LAA (Haren), TOR (Romero)
Jonathan Sanchez: BOS (Doubront), @CWS (Humber)
Josh Tomlin: CWS (Humber), @BOS (Doubront)

National League

Strong Plays

Edwin Jackson: @PIT (Burnett), @CIN (Arroyo)
Lance Lynn: @ARI (Saunders), ATL (Hanson)
Edinson Volquez: COL (Pomeranz), @PHI (Halladay)
Roy Halladay: NYM (Niese), SD (Volquez)
Carlos Zambrano: @HOU (Happ), NYM (Niese)
Ted Lilly: SF (Zito), COL (Pomeranz)
Bronson Arroyo: @MIL (Gallardo), WAS (Jackson)
Tommy Hanson: @CHC (Samardzija), @STL (Lynn)
Joe Saunders: STL (Lynn), SF (Zito)

Decent Plays

Barry Zito: @LAD (Lilly), @ARI (Saunders)
Jonathon Niese: @PHI (Halladay), @MIA (Zambrano)
Yovani Gallardo: CIN (Arroyo), CHC (Samardzija)
J.A. Happ: MIA (Zambrano), @PIT (Burnett)
Drew Pomeranz: @SD (Volquez), @LAD (Lilly)
Jeff Samardzija: ATL (Hanson), @MIL (Gallardo)

At Your Own Risk

Streamer City

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

American League

Wednesday, 5/9: Drew Smyly @ SEA
The rookie left-hander has been excellent in early action, notching 22 strikeouts in 22 innings with a 1.23 ERA.

Thursday, 5/10: Henderson Alvarez @ MIN
Alvarez is having an odd year. He's pitching deep into games consistently and having success, but striking out nobody. In any case, the Blue Jays own the Twins.

National League

Wednesday, 5/9: Wade Miley vs. STL
Miley is 3-0 on the season and has won both of his past two starts while looking extremely sharp.

Wednesday, 5/9: Ross Detwiler @ PIT
The lefty has turned in quality starts in each of his first five outings; he's a good bet to do so again in Pittsburgh.

Thursday, 5/10: Patrick Corbin vs. SF
The Giants are hitting just .237 against southpaws this year.

Total Games

American League

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

National League

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

Lefty/Righty Breakdowns

American League

BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CLE: 6 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CWS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIN: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 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: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
LAD: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIA: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
MIL: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
NYM: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PHI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SD: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SF: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 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:

Kevin Youkilis: Out until mid-May (back)
Rafael Perez: Out indefinitely (shoulder)
Jeremy Guthrie: Out until mid-May (shoulder)
Jesse Crain: Out until mid-May (ribs)
Doug Fister: Returning this week (ribs)
Yuniesky Betancourt: Out until mid-May (ankle)
Mariano Rivera: Out for the season (knee)
Eric Chavez: Out indefinitely (head)
Coco Crisp: Out indefinitely (ear)
Jim Thome: Out indefinitely (back)
Cory Luebke: Out until mid-May (elbow)
Pablo Sandoval: Out until mid-June (hand)
Evan Longoria: Out until late June (hamstring)

 

[HacheMan]

Dominoes that Fall With Rivera
Injuries, injuries and more injuries dominate this week’s Week That Was.

Before I get rolling, let me remind you all that Rick Wolf and I host Colton and the Wolfman on SiriusXM fantasy sports radio every Tuesday night from 8-11pm eastern time. We would love to hear from you so tune in and call in.

Ok, now back to business . . . .

Mariano Rivera: I still cannot get the horrifying image of Mariano Rivera crumpling on the warning track out of my head. He has been superhuman since he and I both had full heads of hair (aka a long time ago). Seriously, if there is one guy you never expected to suffer a season ending injury, it was Mo. Since this is a fantasy baseball column, the question is what now? First, Mariano has made it clear he is coming back. So, if you are in a keeper league, you cannot bet against the best there has ever been. He is in great shape, does not have an arm issue and will work his tail off to be ready for spring training. For this year, it really is not clear who gets the gig between David Robertson and Rafael Soriano, but my money is on Robertson. Final note: based on nothing but my own gut feeling, I predict there will be another significant effect of the Mariano injury. Phil Hughes, who has been bad as a starter again this year, will find himself in the 7^th inning with the Yankees either going out to get Roy Oswalt or some other proven starter or, maybe even promoting Betances or Banuelos. So, if you own Huston Street: Staying with closer injuries, according to reports Huston Street is suffering from either a right shoulder or lat strain. Street missing time is hardly a surprise as he has averaged only 55 innings and 57 games over the last three years. So, what now? It looks like Andrew Cashner will get the first crack at saves with Luke Gregerson lurking. While both are worth rostering, neither is worth a huge bet. Street will return and take the job back, Cashner has never closed, and Gregerson has not returned to his 2010 form -- he is walking 4.5 per nine innings and that just won't get it done as a closer.

Heath Bell: From injured closers to one who may well be hiding one. Heath Bell blew yet another save last night against his former club, the Padres. The Marlins have invested a ton in Bell, but there is only so much rope he can be given. The problem is, who replaces Bell? Answer: unclear. Steve Cishek has been great (4-0 already), but he pitched 3 innings last night -- hardly the way one uses a closer. Eduardo Mujica has not been himself this year and while Ryan Webb has been good this year (5/1 K/BB ratio), he has a three year average 1.400 WHIP and that does not get it done. Bottom line: All three of the Marlin closer runner-ups are worth a speculative bid but none are worth the home run bid.

Pablo Sandoval: The man with baseball’s best nickname, Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” is out 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his left hand. This is bad for so many reasons. First, the Giants weren’t piling up the runs even with the Panda. Thus, I would downgrade all the Giant hitters a tad over the next two months. Second, hitters often take a lot of time to get their power stroke back after a hand or wrist injury. Do not count on big power numbers for the Panda any time before the All-Star Break at the earliest. As to who will play 3b in SF, the answer seems to be Conor Gillaspie. The 24 year old was hitting a robust .362 in AAA, but that was in the PCL where everyone hits . . . a lot. He does not have much power or speed but will get at bats with an average that won't hurt. Price accordingly.

Luebke: According to reports and rumors Cory Luebke may need Tommy John surgery. Not good at all. If you own Luebke all you can do is hold and hope. If you own Anthony Bass, this is good news (though you never root for injuries) as Bass now runs no risk of being sent down and should be a solid back end of the rotation guy in Petco. If you are thinking of picking up Chris Sale: The White Sox threw a huge wrench into many roto teams this week anointing Chris Sale as their closer for the rest of the year. Wow. First, I would not rush out to trade for Sale as the reason for his role change is a sore elbow. Risk, risk and more risk here. Moreover, when pitchers are shifted around mid-season, bad results often follow (see Bard, Daniel, etc.). If you own Matt Thornton or Addison Reed, do not jettison yet. If you own Johnny Peralta: Johnny Peralta finally woke up, smacking a walk-off two-run dinger to beat the pale hose Friday night. Even with the big night, Peralta sits at a pedestrian .253 with just nine RBI. My view -- this is a buy low opportunity. The Tigers will wake up and Peralta along with them. Where can you get an MI who has 20+ HR power and will hit for a solid average. Buy now while you still can.


Cody Ransom: From buy now to waive bye-bye while you still can. Cody Ransom went 2-3 with 3 RBI last night. Yes, he is hitting .345 with three homers and 10 RBI. Yes, Ryan Roberts is overrated and has had all of 4 good months in the big leagues. Yes, you should be proud of yourself that you picked up Ransom and logged some good stats. Now face reality and sell high while you still can. Ransom is 36 and has hit under .230 in four of the last 5 years of big league play. You get the point.

Tim Hudson: Delmon Young: Leaving aside his disgraceful behavior, further comment on which would take over the whole column, it is worth noting that Delmon Young is returning to the Tigers lineup this weekend. Young has been terrible so far but is 26, has a load of talent, hit a ton in Detroit after the trade last summer and will rise along with Cabrera, Fielder and crew. Fantasy is not reality. Young’s atrocious real life behavior does not change the fact that he presents a huge buy low opportunity.

And last and but not least, Schultz says: “No matter the sample size, if you divide the number of rotisserie baseball players that have won championships by the total number of rotisserie players period, you will always end up with a fraction less than one. Besides the statistical certainty of that mathematical equation, an English major's explanation would be that there are more people that enjoy playing rotisserie baseball than those who are its master. The reason why roto-baseball isn't played in a vacuum is the sheer joy of being better at it (or trying to be better at it) than your friends, who are usually the other people in the league. You win by being better than them - - - you can also win if they are worse than you or simply have bad luck. We don't talk much about schadenfreude in rotisserie sports. You know what this is, don't you? Deriving joy from the misfortune of others. It's that little swirl of excitement you get when you hear that Evan Longoria limped off the field, Cory Luebke is feeling elbow pain or Pablo Sandoval needs X-rays on his hand and realize that they are not on your team. There are many words to describe the thoughts of those who own any of those players. However, the large majority of them are not printable in this family column.

Arguably, the biggest name in last week's schadenfreude sweepstakes was Mariano Rivera. Despite what he says about coming back, the prospects of a 43-year-old pitcher coming back from an ACL reconstruction are miniscule. While it might be hasty to start writing eulogies for Rivera's estimable career just yet, it might not be a bad idea to start putting together a solid first draft. From a roto-standpoint, if you owned Rivera, this is a crushing blow as he is the most dependable player at any position. (Albert Pujols owners are nodding grimly at this realization). If you didn't own him, you have to be happy about the advantage you just gained in saves. It will be curious to see where Joe Girardi goes from here: David Robertson looked fantastic last night but the Yankees likely didn't spend an exorbitant sum on Rafael Soriano to leave him in the set-up role.


From a real life perspective, all non-Yankee fans intellectually recognize the significance of what appears to be the end of the Hall of Fame career of one of the nicest men ever to play the game of baseball. I don't think there is a single person who appreciates the game of baseball that doesn't feel a twinge of sadness and melancholy over this ignominious turn of events. However, these magnanimous feelings don't apply to any Yankee fan that has ever done the "Mariano dance" - the little twitches of cocky, self-satisfied glee when taunting others over Mariano's greatness flecked with inappropriate spasms of delight whenever they hear "Enter Sandman." To that segment of Yankee fans (of which the overlord of this column does not belong), please know that the rest of us are relishing your anguish and cackling with delight that the Yankees' "bridge to Rivera" is now Sarah Palin's Bridge to Nowhere.”

Response: Well, at least it is nice to be recognized for not doing something wrong. Yes, in a baseball sense, I worship Rivera. But, it is not blind faith that has Schultzie and I disagreeing over Rivera’s 2013 return. The rest of what Schultz notes is very interesting and likely not something many of you will admit.

 

[HacheMan]

What's wrong with Ike Davis?

Eric Karabell

It's difficult to make the case to own New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis in any fantasy league these days, since the first number you see with him is that annoying .168 batting average. He's earned it, too. I watched him hit a few times this weekend, and it's not like he's swinging the bat well, mashing warning-track line drives or being robbed by aggressive defenders. Davis is struggling, and things don't figure to get any easier for him Monday night on ESPN against Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies.
What's even more disappointing is that the beleaguered Davis has had so many opportunities to produce runs this season, and we can't help but wonder what might have been. Entering Monday, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday was the only player who had a higher total number of baserunners (101) while at the plate than Davis (95), which I think is news because it's not like the Mets are among the leaders in runs scored (though it could be much worse). Of course, Davis was converting a mere 6 percent of those baserunners into runs, one of the lowest totals in the league. The league average is 14 percent.

In fact, most of the players enjoying the most colleagues on base for their collective turns at bat have done well in the RBI department this season, with the exception of New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who matched his season RBI total with a grand slam Sunday. Holliday and teammate Carlos Beltran have knocked in 19 runs each, and three Astros show up on the list (J.D. Martinez, Chris Johnson and Carlos Lee). What's frustrating is that Davis could have more than 20 RBIs at this point if he was off to even a middling start to his season, which he is not. Hopefully the lofty total of baserunners -- thanks to Ruben Tejada, Daniel Murphy, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and David Wright -- will continue when Davis does start hitting.
That's right, I think Davis is going to hit. Of course, I said this a year ago with Chicago White Sox first baseman Adam Dunn, and for pretty much the first time in history with a veteran player of his or nearly any competent ilk, it never happened. Unfortunately, Dunn hit .159 for the season. As we've seen this season Dunn wasn't, pardon the expression, done. He had something left. The obvious excuse for what ails Davis is the valley fever that was diagnosed in March, but I'm still not buying it. It doesn't look like either Davis or the Mets are using it as an excuse, either. The guy isn't hitting, but even if he hits only .250 this season, imagine what he'll do from this point on to raise his current batting average.
Therein lies the point; I'm in a league in which one of the teams is scuffling along with the league's worst offense, but to the owner's credit he's not panicking. His team batting average is an incredible .210. He owns Davis, along with current batting average killers Nelson Cruz, Alexei Ramirez and Ben Zobrist, but he's not trying to sell these guys off for 50 cents on the dollar. If anything, with a team batting average that low, he should be looking to acquire other players hitting far less than their weight as well! He's not getting Albert Pujols from me, by the way. Anyway, the best way to raise a team batting average is to load up on underachievers in that category who are otherwise proven hitters. Does anyone think Zobrist, for example, will hit below .200 this season? Cruz might have a DL stint at some point, but he's not going to hit .216 for long. Well, that's how I feel about Davis. I admit all is not well his swing, but how can that .167 batting average on balls in play against right-handed pitching continue? It can't.
Davis was chosen in the 22nd round on average in ESPN live drafts, and I'm actually a bit surprised he remains owned in 46 percent of ESPN standard mixed leagues, as fantasy owners tend to be extra reactionary in April, or really in any month. But think about it this way: Assuming Davis is healthy, and frankly if there was any hint that he wasn't one would think the Mets would hardly have shied away from placing him on the DL by now, some law of averages comes into play.
Including this season, Davis is a .259 career hitter. He was at .271 when the season began. If Davis gets 500 at-bats this season (he's on pace for 550) and hits .250 in total, that means he'll hit .269 the rest of the season. Well, that seems reasonable to me. We're not asking him to hit like Matt Kemp, after all. Just hit .250 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs. Heck, don't hit .269 the rest of the way but hit .250 and we'll take it. Based on his past, and the fact many Mets have actually been on base for him, these numbers remain reachable. We might not be able to look at Davis' season batting average and smile all season, but it's going to improve quite a bit, and there's value to be had.
By the way, Davis is hitting .211 in his career against Halladay, with a .513 OPS, so perhaps the turnaround starts Tuesday, instead of Monday.

 

[HacheMan]

Exercise patience with Jose Reyes

By AJ Mass | ESPN.com

At some point, enough is enough. The problem is knowing exactly when that point has come.

We saw several managers decide this past weekend that it was finally time to do something about their struggling players. Carlos Marmol was removed from his duties in the Chicago Cubs' bullpen and the Miami Marlins followed suit after another disappointing Heath Bell effort. In Los Angeles, Mike Scioscia decided that Albert Pujols' slump required a complete day of rest -- not even allowing his slugger to take part in batting practice.


But even if a player does make a turnaround, what exactly can you expect from him going forward? Figuring that out is often the key to making the decision to hang tough with a struggling player or moving them out to pasture either via trade or cutting them outright.


Let's take a look at Jose Reyes' preseason projections and compare them to the results thus far in 2012:


Jose Reyes: 2012 production versus projection

<table><thead><tr><th></th><th> BA </th><th> H </th><th> AB </th><th> HR </th><th> RBI </th><th> R </th><th> SB </th></tr><tbody><tr class="last"><td> 2012 projected </td><td> .307 </td><td> 172 </td><td> 561 </td><td> 9 </td><td> 50 </td><td> 100 </td><td> 36 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> 2012 production </td><td> .234 </td><td> 25 </td><td> 107 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 4 </td><td> 12 </td><td> 7 </td></tr></tbody></table>



The way I see it, you can frame the rest of his season in several different ways. You can decide the original projection was "correct" and simply assume that Reyes will get to those numbers in the end. You can also choose to believe his skills have simply diminished and that he'll simply continue his current numbers the rest of the way. Or you can take the middle ground and say he's had a rough start, but that he'll bounce back a bit toward the projection without quite reaching it.


Here are the results from each of those tactics for rest-of-the-season projections:


Jose Reyes: 2012 adjusted projections

<table><thead><tr><th></th><th> BA </th><th> H </th><th> AB </th><th> HR </th><th> RBI </th><th> R </th><th> SB </th></tr><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Ceiling </td><td> .325 </td><td> 149 </td><td> 459 </td><td> 9 </td><td> 46 </td><td> 89 </td><td> 29 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Middle </td><td> .307 </td><td> 141 </td><td> 459 </td><td> 7 </td><td> 42 </td><td> 83 </td><td> 30 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Floor </td><td> .231 </td><td> 106 </td><td> 459 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 23 </td><td> 69 </td><td> 46 </td></tr></tbody></table>




TOP 100 OVERALL PLAYERS

Note: AJ Mass' top 100 overall players are ranked based on statistics that have already been accrued in ESPN standard points formats and should be used as a supplement to the ESPN Player Rater.
<table><thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Rnk </center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"> Player, Team </th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Prev
Rnk </center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jered Weaver, SP, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Lance Lynn, SP, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake Peavy, SP, CHW </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Kemp, OF, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Felix Hernandez, SP, SEA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Johnny Cueto, SP, CIN </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> James Shields, SP, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ian Kinsler, 2B, TEX </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Hammel, SP, BAL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Price, SP, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Justin Verlander, SP, DET </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Gio Gonzalez, SP, WAS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Josh Hamilton, OF, TEX </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Capuano, SP, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> S. Strasburg, SP, WAS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> CC Sabathia, SP, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 86 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 91 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> C.J. Wilson, SP, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Ortiz, DH, BOS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> E. Encarnacion, 3B, TOR </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Yu Darvish, SP, TEX </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> M. Bumgarner, SP, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 93 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Derek Jeter, SS, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kyle Lohse, SP, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon Morrow, SP, TOR </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 78 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Wade Miley, RP, ARI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 95 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Anibal Sanchez, SP, MIA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ricky Romero, SP, TOR </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cole Hamels, SP, PHI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Fernando Rodney, RP, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Saunders, SP, ARI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ted Lilly, SP, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Garza, SP, CHC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adam Jones, OF, BAL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Paul Konerko, 1B, CHW </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 36 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Clayton Kershaw, SP, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jay Bruce, OF, CIN </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Cain, SP, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Wright, 3B, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Sale, SP, CHW </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Furcal, SS, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 97 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> M. Cabrera, 1B/3B, DET </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> W. Rodriguez, SP, HOU </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> C. Granderson, OF, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jose Altuve, 2B, HOU </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon Beachy, SP, ATL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Colby Lewis, SP, TEX </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Yadier Molina, C, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mike Aviles, SS, BOS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bartolo Colon, SP, OAK </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 51 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Steve Cishek, RP, MIA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ross Detwiler, SP, WAS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Evan Longoria, 3B, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 54 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Braun, OF, MIL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Pablo Sandoval, 3B, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 56 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> A. Chapman, RP, CIN </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 57 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andre Ethier, OF, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Vargas, SP, SEA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 59 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Starlin Castro, SS, CHC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 90 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 60 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Beltran, OF, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 85 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J. Papelbon, RP, PHI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 62 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Roy Halladay, SP, PHI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 19 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 63 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Omar Infante, 2B, MIA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 82 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 64 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jeff Samardzija, SP, CHC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Kipnis, 2B, CLE </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 66 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Pedro Strop, RP, BAL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 89 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ricky Nolasco, SP, MIA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 92 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 68 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Gavin Floyd, SP, CHW </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 69 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jim Johnson, RP, BAL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 70 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake Westbrook, SP, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 71 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ian Kennedy, SP, ARI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 72 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Cory Luebke, SP, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 73 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> James McDonald, SP, PIT </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 74 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Matt Wieters, C, BAL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 75 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Melky Cabrera, OF, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 76 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chris Perez, RP, CLE </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 77 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Dempster, SP, CHC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 78 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Adrian Beltre, 3B, TEX </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 55 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 79 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Nick Swisher, OF, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 80 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jeremy Hellickson, SP, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 58 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Robbie Ross, RP, TEX </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 82 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Michael Bourn, OF, ATL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 83 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Todd Helton, 1B, COL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 84 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kenley Jansen, RP, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 65 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 85 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jake Arrieta, SP, BAL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 86 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Chipper Jones, 3B, ATL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 87 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Dustin Pedroia, 2B, BOS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 87 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 88 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Martin Prado, 2B, ATL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 89 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Troy Tulowitzki, SS, COL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 83 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 90 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Craig Kimbrel, RP, ATL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 77 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 91 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Drew Smyly, SP, DET </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 84 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 92 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Vance Worley, SP, PHI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 52 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 93 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> A. Cabrera, SS, CLE </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 94 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J. Zimmermann, SP, WAS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 95 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joey Votto, OF, CIN </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 96 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Freese, 3B, STL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 97 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Ruiz, C, PHI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 98 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Shane Victorino, OF, PHI </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 99 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Zack Greinke, SP, MIL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Billy Butler, DH, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td></tr></tbody></table>




In points leagues especially, that middle ground is going to be worth more to you going forward than the middle grounds of most possible waiver-wire replacements. But don't take my word for it. Run the numbers for yourself on whatever duo you are deciding upon and then ask yourself which player you have more faith in on reaching that middle ground.


That's the best way to figure out whether or not to stick with Reyes, Pujols, Alex Avila and Ike Davis, as opposed to guys like Chris Davis, Bryan LaHair, A.J. Pierzynski and Jose Altuve. Take a rational approach to the question and you'll find, more often than not, the guys you've grown to trust over many seasons will not let you down going forward.


Pointing up



Shane Victorino, OF, Philadelphia Phillies: A seven-game hitting streak indicates that the Flyin' Hawaiian is back in a groove, but a better indicator of possible points-league success is the fact the Philadelphia Phillies as a team are finally scoring at a pace we've come to expect from this lineup. During the past week, they've scored 5.7 runs per game, a clip that will lead to more runs and RBIs for everyone, including Victorino, who saw season highs in both categories this past scoring period.


Chris Capuano, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Still owned in only 69.7 percent of all leagues, Capuano has now allowed just one run in his past three starts and has raised his K/BB rate to 2.4. Capuano has developed a sinker this season, which in conjunction with his curveball has kept hitters off-balance. That's a trend that should continue as he gets more and more comfortable with his new pitch.


Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles: Wieters has had 13 extra-base hits this season, but five came over the past seven days, when he hit .370, with an OBP of .452. Considering he did most of this damage at two parks where he previously had a career batting average of .270, we're thinking that something has finally clicked into place for the Orioles catcher. There's no way we're taking him out of our lineups right now.


Madison Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants: We talk a lot about consistency in weekly head-to-head points leagues. Give Bumgarner a mulligan on his 2012 opener and look at his point totals per start this season: 21, 13, 23, 25 and 22. He keeps the WHIP down and manages to get enough strikeouts to counteract most of the negatives, all the while keeping the ball in the park and stranding 85.1 percent of baserunners. The five straight wins are simply the icing on the cake.


Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies: Gonzalez's splits at home versus on the road are glaring. At Coors, he's hitting .362 with five home runs and 20 RBIs. Meanwhile, away from the Rockies, he's batting just .237 with two homers and five RBIs. A lot of owners will choose to bench him this week with an eight-game road trip on the horizon, but we're of the mind that he's in such a groove right now that he'll pack his hitting shoes with him on this trip. He's seen these upcoming staffs before and done quite well.


Steve Cishek, P, Miami Marlins: Much of Cishek's value has come in his four wins out of the bullpen, but it should not be overlooked that he's also allowed just one run and five hits in 11 games since April 8. A K/9 rate of 9.4 for the season allows his owners to "double down" on more outs than most short relievers, and now that Heath Bell is taking a break from closing, you can expect Cishek to earn a few "five-pointers," as well.



Pointing down



Corey Hart, OF, Milwaukee Brewers: As if the three hitless games over the past week and a .174 batting average weren't bad enough, Hart has not been making contact at all. Ten strikeouts in 23 at-bats, no extra-base hits and but a single walk? It's bad enough when a hitter doesn't help you. When he actually hurts you with a negative-3 for a scoring period? Bad news.


A.J. Pierzynski, C, Chicago White Sox: He had hits in four of his five starts last week, including a home run. While he continues to be ranked as the No. 7 catcher on the ESPN Player Rater due to solid counting stats, in terms of points leagues, it's far more of a "what have you done for me lately" situation. Since April 28, the only game in which Pierzynski gave you more than one fantasy point was that game in which he homered, and he was at zero or worse in five of his past eight appearances. He's going the wrong way!


Jonathon Niese, P, New York Mets: We don't want to overreact to one bad start, but when you last only three innings against the Houston Astros, bells go off and apparently with a 19.2 percent drop in ESPN ownership, many people have heard those same bells. With four home runs allowed in his past 16 innings pitched, Niese seems to be struggling. After allowing five runs to Atlanta last August, he followed up the poor outing with a trio of games that led to an 0-3 record and a 6.62 ERA. When Niese goes bad, he goes all the way.


Jake Westbrook, SP, St. Louis Cardinals: Maybe it's just that the Pittsburgh Pirates have his number, having handed Westbrook his only two losses of the season thus far, both coming in his past three starts. However, we fear that the recent setbacks are just the tip of the iceberg. His HR/FB rate so far in 2012 is 5.6 percent, far lower than his career average of 11.8 percent and while he's done a good job of limiting fly balls overall, at some point we expect the flood gates to open.


J.D. Martinez, OF, Houston Astros: Sure, he's still in the top 20 in RBIs in all of baseball. That's likely going to distract owners from the fact he's hitting just .140 in his past 12 games and getting benched far more frequently due to the slump. His seven RBIs over that same time help rotisserie owners. The lack of total bases (only one extra-base hit in his past 43 at-bats) completely kills his points-league value.


Craig Kimbrel, P, Atlanta Braves: It might seem strange that we're including a closer who has successfully wrapped up five of his past six save chances as someone who is pointing down, but in points leagues he certainly belongs on this list. Remember, in one inning of work, the most you can earn is 11 points, assuming you strike out the side and get a save. With four hits and three walks in his past five innings pitched, along with a negative-2 for a run allowed in each of his past three appearances, Kimbrel is earning at only 58 percent of "capacity."

 

[HacheMan]

Forecaster: May 7-13

By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

Tough Break for Werth

Not only did the Nationals lose a division showdown with the Phillies Sunday, but they also lost a key piece of their offense in the process.



Jayson Werth suffered a broken left wrist when he tried to make a sliding catch in the sixth inning. He’ll visit with a specialist Monday, but the Nationals anticipate him being sidelined for at least six weeks (UPDATE: Werth had surgery on Monday and is out for 12 weeks). It’s obviously a notable blow to the first-place Nats, as Werth was off to a nice start this season following a disappointing first year in Washington, batting .276/.372/.439 with three homers.



The good news is that Washington will get one of their other stars back soon to help soften the blow of losing Werth, as Ryan Zimmerman (shoulder) is on track to return from the disabled list Tuesday. The Nats third baseman has declared himself “100 percent” and will return to the middle of the batting order.



As far as who replaces Werth, Bryce Harper, who has played both center and left field, will slide into the everyday right field role. Tyler Moore could be looking at a boost in playing time and offers some intrigue. He strikes out a ton but has banged out 31 homers in two straight years in the minors and could be worth a speculative pick-up in NL-only formats.



Davis Stinks Early, Stars Late



Sunday’s 17-inning marathon between the Orioles and Red Sox was one of the most interesting games of the season to date, and no one had a more interesting afternoon than Davis the hitter had a horrible day, going 0-for-8 at the plate while striking out five times and grounding into one double play. Davis the pitcher, though, was surprisingly effective. After running out of relievers, O’s manager Buck Showalter looked to Davis, who fired two shutout innings while striking out two batters, flashing a 90 mph fastball and an unexpectedly good changeup.



The win gave the Orioles a series sweep at Fenway after they took the final two games in Yankee Stadium last week. They now sit at 19-9 and in first place in the AL East, a half-game up on the Rays and 7.5 games ahead of the Red Sox.



Downs Goes Down

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Angels manager Mike Scioscia might have to go back to

Walden’s replacement, Scott Downs, was forced to leave a save opportunity Sunday after twisting his left knee while avoiding a Unfortunately, we already know about the status of LaTroy Hawkins, who replaced Downs Sunday. Hawkins was able to induce a game-ending, line-drive double play off the bat of If Downs joins Hawkins on the DL, we suspect Walden will go back to his ninth inning role. If he’s not the choice, newcomer Ernesto Frieri or perhaps veteran National League Quick Hits: Matt Kemp didn’t start Sunday due to a tight left hamstring. He was able to pinch-hit, though, and it appears to be nothing more than a day-to-day ailment … An MRI on Ruben Tejada’s revealed something significant enough that a DL stint is expected. Jordany Valdespin could handle shortstop until Ronny Cedeno is ready later this week … Jason Bay (rib) is eligible to return from the DL later this week, but Mets manager Terry Collins says he won’t be back “for awhile.” … Jeremy Guthrie (shoulder) isn’t ready to return from the DL to start Tuesday. Alex White will likely get the ball instead … Allen Craig doubled in a run and belted a two-run homer Sunday. He’s now 6-for-16 with four extra-base hits and seven RBI in his first four games since being activated … Taylor Green got his first career start at first base Sunday. He’s a career .326/.404/.547 hitter at Triple-A and could get on the fantasy radar if the Brewers decide to give him ample time at first base. Milwaukee has also been linked to free agent first baseman Derrek Lee … Huston Street is out indefinitely with a lat injury. Andrew Cashner is the favorite for saves while he’s out, but Luke Gregerson and Dale Thayer could also be in the mix … Chris Young (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday and could rejoin the Mets rotation by the end of the month … Pedro Alvarez has been moved up to the cleanup spot by the Pirates … Daniel Hudson felt "really good" during a flat ground session Saturday but won’t start a rehab assignment for over a week … Edward Mujica nailed down a painless save Sunday. It’s possible Steve Cishek, who pitched three innings Friday, was unavailable, as he was the expected closer after Heath Bell was temporarily removed from the gig. Perhaps it will be more of a committee situation, though. … Javy Guerra blew his third save of the season Sunday. Though he boasts a tidy 16/5 K/BB ratio over 12 1/3 innings, he’s simply not as dominant as American League Quick Hits: Albert Pujols finally got off the schnide, belting his first homer as an Angel Sunday. He did it in his 117^th plate appearance with his new club … Adam Dunn homered for the fourth time in five games Sunday. He now has nine bombs on the year and looks to be on his way to a bounce-back season … Dayan Viciedo left Sunday's game after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch, but X-rays were negative and he should return soon … Brian Dozier will be the Twins’ new starting shortstop after being promoted Sunday. He batted .320/.399/.491 with nine homers and 24 steals between High- and Double-A last year and deserves to be picked up in AL-only leagues immediate … Yu Darvish punched out a career-high 11 batters Sunday but also gave up four runs – three earned – and walked four. He’s averaged 10 strikeouts over his last three starts but has also walked at least four batters four times this season … Andy Pettitte didn’t pitch very well in his third minor league start Sunday, but he’ll likely be brought up by the Yankees for a start this week … Jemile Weeks didn’t play Sunday due to slight groin tightness. It’s the second game he’s missed in the last week with the ailment, but he’s expected to be OK … Adrian Beltre (hamstring) didn’t start again on Sunday but is expected to be back in the lineup Monday. He’s been limited to pinch-hitting recently … Doug Fister has been activated from the DL and will start Monday. He should return to fantasy lineup immediately … Desmond Jennings exited Sunday’s game with left knee soreness. At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’ll miss more than a game or two, but more will be known Monday.​