MLB Fantasy News 2012

[HacheMan]

Saves Around the League We're headed towards the stretch run in both the real and fantasy games, and the focus narrows. Most of you, for example, will just skip ahead to the final tier, looking to scrounge a few last saves out of the waiver wire. And in the real game, it doesn't matter that the Baltimore Orioles have played over their head so far -- those wins are in the bank. They're just looking to scrounge a few last wins out of the talent they've got, in order to see how far they can push this boulder up the hill.

In the coming weeks, there will be time for looking back and looking forward. I'll lay out my hits and misses so that we see what they would teach us. And I'll run a keeper ranking, to sort out the one-year-wonders from the lasting studs.

But for now, it's okay to have tunnel vision. Because it's time for the final push. In honor of that final push, we'll name the tiers after the Wild Card contenders and the likelihood that they'll play an extra game. Good luck to both the fake and real teams out there.

Tier 1: Elite (3) (AKA: The "Athletics and Braves" Tier.)

Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds
Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
Joe Nathan, Texas Rangers

Our number one rule for closers here at Saves and Steals is "who's closing now?" The number one rule for who's going to make the postseason might as well be "who's the number one wild card now?" The Braves were supposed to be here, and barring a collapse, they will be in the 'postseason' or whatever you want to call the extra game. The A's, though? Their offense was supposed to sink the ship, and despite using the third-most position players in the American League, they've managed to put up enough O to make it work.

These guys all put up 0s of another kind. Aroldis Chapman puts up zeroes while also racking up the strikeouts, so the zeroes don't do him justice. How about this: He has 117 strikeouts against 17 walks. Or: he has 100 more strikeouts than walks, and no other reliever even has 90 strikeouts. Fire.

Tier 2: Rock Steady (8) (AKA: The "Rays and Cardinals" Tier.)

Jason Motte, St. Louis Cardinals
Rafael Soriano, New York Yankees
Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies
J.J. Putz, Arizona Diamondbacks
Rafael Betancourt, Colorado Rockies
Fernando Rodney, Tampa Bay Rays

Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals

Who would have thought the Rays could survive losing their best player for most of the season? Who would have thought the Cardinals could lose Albert Pujols and be just as good? Oh, that's right, yeah, me. Longoria is just one player, even in a tight race, and letting Pujols go allowed the Cardinals to spend money elsewhere. And the smart teams just keep on chugging.

The smart money is also on most of these closers.

Like Joel Hanrahan, Jason Motte and Rafael Soriano -- all good closers on teams with good bullpens and good offenses, the only things correlated with save opportunities. Of course, the Pirates have slowed down, and The Hammer only has three saves since the beginning of August, and Jason Motte had a tiny bout with homer-itis, but hat sort of thing happens if you zoom in on a small stretch. You could focus on Jonathan Papelbon's latest blown save, but Chipper Jones did that to him, and he's having a heck of a last year. Papelbon? Still has 70 strikeouts to 14 walks in fewer than 60 innings and stellar ratios. Sometimes, even when things don't work out, they work out.

The percentage of pitches Fernando Rodney has thrown in the zone has diminished over the course of this season. Fernando Rodney had three walks in August, his most of any month this year. He has two already in September. Probably nothing to worry about, but it might just effect his keeper status.

The goggled one in Washington is not going to lose his job. Tyler Clippard has strikeouts, walks and ratios that look like Papelbon's, but his team is better and so he's getting more save opportunities. He deserves to be here.

Tier 3: OK options (9) (AKA: The "Tigers and Dodgers" Tier.)

Tom Wilhelmsen, Seattle Mariners
Ernesto Frieri, Los Angeles Angels
Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians
Addison Reed, Chicago White Sox
Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals
Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics

Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles

Steve Cishek, Miami Marlins

Casey Janssen, Toronto Blue Jays

Here's where the two leagues take a major step in different directions. CoolStandings has the Tigers as 46.8% likely of making the postseason, while the Dodgers are clearly off in the distance with a 34% likelihood. The American League will be a close race, with some good teams on the outside looking in. In the National League it's the Cardinals, Dodgers or Pirates, and the Cardinals are heavy favorites.

Maybe I was hard on Jim Johnson. Yes, he costs about five strikeouts per month against an average closer. And yes, those saves are banked and don't necessarily mean that he'll lead the pack going forward. All we know about save opportunities is that they are tied to bullpen strength and scoring punch, and I'll admit my skepticism about the Orioles informed my belief that the Orioles weren't terribly strong in either department. But then an email made me consider my stance, and you guys are great about that. And then I saw this tweet from Britt Ghiroli, who covers the Orioles: Baltimore is 60-0 when leading after 7 IP. Os post 2nd consecutive shutout win. And then I realized that Pedro Strop is not the only other good pitcher in that pen. At the same time, the Orioles' bullpen ERA is only about seventh in the American League, and only four lineups have scored fewer runs. There's luck involved here, and there's no sense in getting worked up about the ranking for a guy that's probably not going to lead the league in saves over the last month, is probably not on your waiver wire and most likely not available in a trade.

Since June first, when Tom Wilhelmsen first got the job in Seattle (after three months of being pimped here), he had a 1.57 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 41 strikeouts and 23 saves. Since that day, Jim Johnson had a 4.11 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 20 strikeouts and 25 saves. Soooooooo…

Vinnie Pestano finally got a save in Cleveland, but it was only because Chris Perez was away on paternity leave. Even a slightly slower second half for Perez shouldn't mask the fact that he's had an excellent year. In April, he had seven strikeouts against four walks, and then in every single month after that he had double-digit strikeouts and fewer than four walks. Well done, Perez.

Greg Holland has a control problem, sure. But he only had four walks in August, and seven in 26 1/3 post All-Star break innings, after 20 in 29 2/3 pre All-Star break innings. The number one peripheral stat correlated with walk rate is first strike rate, and Holland's been bad there all year. But he gets the ball in the zone at an above-average rate, so that's good. He also gets batters to reach at balls outside the zone at an above-average rate, and batters make below-average contact on his pitches, which means he can help them turn a ball into a strike. If all he has to do is hit on strike one more often, that seems do-able. He's exciting.

Steve Cishek and Casey Janssen? They're not losing their jobs at this point, and they're decent enough pitchers. They won't figure highly in the keeper rankings -- Janssen has Sergio Santos returning next season, and you could see the Marlins giving Heath Bell a fresh start in Spring Training next year. Bell's already pitching higher-leverage situations, and is a sly asset in holds leagues.

Tier 4: Question marks (5) (AKA: The "Orioles and Pirates" Tier.)

Andrew Bailey, Boston Red Sox
John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers
Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs

Wilton Lopez, Houston Astros

Now we're getting into the longer shots. Sure, the Orioles are only a game out of first in the AL East, but they've been playing over their heads for a while (see above). You could say the same about the Pirates, but their descent has already started. The Orioles are much, much more likely to make the postseason, but they also play in a league with the Rays, Tigers and White Sox. As exciting as it might be in Baltimore, that's a sobering thought.

These closers have mostly been in descent all year long. That's why we cleared out the guys that don't really have question marks over their heads. Now, other than Andrew Bailey -- who's just passing through, even if he did almost blow the game in Seattle Tuesday night -- this tier has players that have legitimate questions about their role, but are in a more sure position than the tier below.

John Axford obviously has questions about his role and his control. He was awarded a save in Tuesday night's game and I'll question that save even. The tying run wasn't on base and the Brewers were up by four runs. Axford only got one out but the tying run was on deck. Has to be about the easiest save you can get, but he's not complaining.

Wilton Lopez? Okay, he's the unquestioned closer, but can his team get him a close lead to save? That's a terrible, terrible team.

Read more about the most volatile closer situations on the next page. <!--RW-->

Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (5) (AKA: The "Angels and Diamondbacks" Tier.)

Sergio Romo (first chair), Javier Lopez (second chair), Santiago Casilla (third chair), San Francisco Giants
Frank Francisco (first chair), Bobby Parnell (second chair), Jon Rauch (third chair), New York Mets

Ronaldo Belisario (first chair), Brandon League (second chair), Los Angeles Dodgers
Glen Perkins (first chair), Jared Burton (second chair), Minnesota Twins

Luke Gregerson (first chair), Dale Thayer (second chair), San Diego Padres

The Angels and Diamondbacks have a non-zero chance of making the postseason. And so did the Rays and Cardinals last season. Just saying.

These closer have a non-zero chance of helping you in one category. They'll probably make a muted impact on your standings, though. Sergio Romo is about 1/2 of a great closer, and Javier Lopez is the other half. You'd think it would work out to 2/3 and 1/3, given the number of lefties in the league, but there are three outs. And if the lefty comes last, the save goes to Lopez.

There's some talk that the Dodgers' closer is Brandon League, but most of what I've seen has it as a cooperative thing, and they've split the last two save chances since Kenley Jansen went on the DL with his heart issues again. In that case, give the nod to Belisario, who's been the better pitcher recently, and has more strikeouts over his career with a similar ground-ball rate. The control is not always there, but the stuff is. Here's a vote for the goggled guy, at least for the next two weeks while Kenley Jansen is out.

Luke Gregerson, despite his Romo-ian slider-love and platoon splits, looks like the closer in San Diego. But Huston Street is throwing bullpens and feeling fine. he won't earn more than a handful of saves, although he could put fine enough work in that he cements his setup man status and makes him an interesting handcuff in 2013.

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Injured

Sergio Santos (shoulder), Toronto Blue Jays
Matt Capps (shoulder), Minnesota Twins
Huston Street (calf), San Diego Padres
Kenley Jansen (heart), Los Angeles Dodgers

Huston Street still feels good. He's still throwing bullpens. He still hasn't run. Kenley Jansen should be back on September 17 after an ablation which should fix his irregular heartbeat. None of that makes any sense to me, but I'll nod. He's dealt with this before, which gives his owners hope.

The Deposed

Jordan Walden, Los Angeles Angels
Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Brian Fuentes, St. Louis Cardinals
Javy Guerra, Los Angeles Dodgers
Sean Marshall, Cincinnati Reds
Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals
Brandon League, Seattle Mariners
Rafael Dolis, Chicago Cubs
Jonathan Broxton, Kansas City Royals
Ryan Cook, Oakland Athletics.
Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants

Santiago Casilla and Ryan Cook are pitching well, but they'll probably stay on this list.

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The Steals Department

Let's do a streaming update. Pittsburgh (worst in baseball vs. the stolen base) has the Cubs in town, but with Tony Campana on the bench most days and Starlin Castro owned, the only real threat is recent callup Brett Jackson, who can't make contact to save his life and hasn't stolen a major league base yet. Maybe try out Darwin Barney -- one of his six steals on the year came against the Pirates early in the season. Washington is second-worst and they have the Marlins in town. Shallower leaguers will still find Justin Ruggiano (Parmigiano) on their wire, and even though he hasn't been efficient on the basepaths, he's a worthy pickup, better than Barney. Deep leaguers can look at Donovan Solano And Bryan Petersen, but remember that Petersen is being platooned and really only starting against righties.

In the American League, Minnesota and Texas are the laggards in defending against the stolen base. The Twins get the Indians, so Michael Brantley is probably the best shallow-leaguer there. He's probably on par with Ruggiano, but he obviously has less power. Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Kipnis are probably owned, leaving few regulars with stolen-base speed that will be available and useful. Jason Donald? Maybe he'll play. The Rays go up against Texas and bring a plethora of waiver options to the table. If B.J. Upton or Desmond Jennings are available, they trump all other options. Matt Joyce can steal a little, too. The deep leaguers will have to check the daily lineups to see if Elliot Johnson, Ryan Roberts, or Sean Rodriguez are playing. They're interesting base stealers, and in that order.

 

[HacheMan]

Rios on a Rampage
White Sox centerfielder Alex Rios had a monster day at the plate in Wednesday’s victory over the Twins, blasting a pair of home runs and driving home six runs. Rios accounted for all of the Sox scoring in the game, smashing a grand slam to left off P.J. Walters in the first inning, and victimizing him again with a two-run shot in the sixth.

Among the plethora of options that the White Sox have for the AL Comeback Player of the Year award this season, Rios appears to be the strongest candidate. Sure, Adam Dunn has delivered massive power, and Jake Peavy has stabilized the front of the rotation, but Rios has produced across the board. He’ll head into the weekend series against the Royals with a stellar .298/.329/.516 line with 22 homers, 81 runs, 82 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

He’s always possessed elite talent, but has dealt with injuries, under-performance and a possible lack of motivation in his career. What’s very encouraging is that he’s been fairly consistent on a month-to-month basis throughout the season. As long as he can repeat this level of production, Rios will fly off the board in the top three rounds of next March’s drafts.





McCarthy experiences scary moment



Brandon McCarthy experienced a scary moment, when he was forced to leave Wednesday’s start against the Angels in the fourth inning after taking an Erick Aybar line drive off the back of his head. He never lost consciousness on the field, and was able to walk off under his own power.

As of the most recent update, McCarthy was “conscious and doing well” at Summit Hospital in Oakland, which is obviously a very encouraging sign. He will not accompany the team on the flight back from Seattle, as doctors would like him to stay overnight for further observation.

Our thoughts and best wishes go out to him for a speedy recovery.





Harper charges towards history



Just one week to the day after Bryce Harper notched his first multi-homer game, he pulled the same trick again in Wednesday’s victory over the Cubs. He opened up with a solo shot to center off Chris Volstad as part of a four-run third inning, and took Michael Bowden over the right-field wall for a solo homer in the sixth.

Harper joins the elite company of Ken Griffey Jr. and Mel Ott as the only players in the history of Major League Baseball to have two multi-homer games as a teenager.

With 17 home runs on the season, Harper trails only Tony Conigliaro (24) and Mel Ott (18) for most career homers as a teenager.

Harper has been on an absolute tear over his last eight games, hitting .400 (12-for-30) with five homers and 10 RBI. His strong late season push has placed him as one of the front-runners for NL Rookie of the Year honors.





National League Quick Hits: Ben Sheets played catch from 90 feet, but is still far from certain to return to the Braves rotation this season… Neil Walker missed a ninth straight game with back tightness, and remains without a timetable to return. Brock Holt has filled in admirably this week, hitting .438 (7-for-16) with three RBI… The Padres signed Chris Denorfia to a two-year, $4.25 million contract extension… Edinson Volquez will have his next start pushed back a few days due to a blister issue… Kenley Jansen threw a side session on Wednesday and remains on track to return September 17… The Dodgers transferred Chad Billingsley to the 60-day DL, officially ending his season… Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez indicated that he may begin benching Brian McCann down the stretch if he doesn’t break out of his prolonged funk. The star catcher is hitting a meager .226/.297/.397 on the year… Brandon Laird belted the first home run of his MLB career, and could get an extended look over the season’s final month… R.A. Dickey defeated the Cardinals, picking up his MLB-leading 18th victory of the season… Roy Halladay twirled a gem in a victory over the Reds, and has posted a 5-2 record and 3.74 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break… Jay Bruce homered for a fourth consecutive game in a losing effort against the Phillies. He has driven in 12 runs in his last six games… Joey Votto went 2-for-3 plus a walk in his return to the Reds’ lineup on Wednesday… Mike Minor was tremendous, tossing seven one-hit innings in a 1-0 win over the Rockies… Rickie Weeks blasted a pair of two-run homers in a win over the Marlins, and has homered three times in his past four games… John Axford notched his 25th save and looks to be firmly entrenched as the Brewers closer again... Gio Gonzalez dominated the Marlins, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning and allowing just three hits over seven scoreless innings, matching R.A. Dickey with his 18th victory of the season… Adam Wainwright pitched poorly in a losing effort against the Mets, though he did smash his first home run of the season… Trevor Cahill twirled a gem in a victory against the Giants on Wednesday, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning, before giving up two runs in the frame.





American League Quick Hits: Rays manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday that Alex Cobb likely has three starts left before being shut down for the season. He’s posted a 4.28 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over an already career-high 148 innings… Andy Pettitte threw 15 pitches to hitters on Wednesday, and hopes to make a couple of starts for the Yankees down the stretch… Brandon Inge will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery on September 13… White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Wednesday that Chris Sale will not get any extended rest down the stretch. He’s already tossed a career-high 163 innings, but the White Sox will stick with their best starter as they compete for a division title… Jered Weaver returned to California to get his injured shoulder examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, which is never an encouraging sign. He’ll miss at least one trip through the rotation, with a possibility of more… Brett Lawrie will move his rehab assignment to Low-A Lansing, and is hopeful he’ll return to the Blue Jays next week… J.P. Arencibia will return to the Jays on Friday… Miguel Cabrera blasted his 35th home run in a win over the Indians, and leads all major league hitters with 116 RBI… Dan Haren defeated the A’s to earn his second consecutive win, and finally looks to be back on track… Adrian Beltre homered yet again in a victory over the Royals, and has launched an insane nine homers while driving home 17 over his last 13 games… Mark Reynolds has been pretty hot himself, smashing his 17th homer of the season, and sixth in his last seven contests… Doug Fister tallied his first victory since August 14, allowing one run in seven strong innings against the Indians... Kevin Millwood won for just the second time since May 23, allowing one run over six innings against the Red Sox… David Lough suffered a mild hamstring strain in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s contest and is likely to miss a couple of games. The September call-up is 5-for-17 through his first four MLB games, with four runs scored and a stolen base… Tom Wilhelmsen notched his 24th save preserving a 2-1 victory against the Red Sox, in what has been a fine breakout season for the 28-year-old journeyman.

 

[HacheMan]

On Your Mark The headline of this week's column has a bit of a double meaning, as it not only highlights a slugger you'll hear about in a moment, but it also signifies the mad dash to the end of the season. Whether you're in the fantasy playoffs or jockeying for position in a traditional roto format, this is a pretty intense time of year.

With fantasy owners looking for that competitive edge over the final month of the regular season, sometimes we overract to singular events. Jurickson Profar is a good example of this, as his ownership predictably skyrocketed after he homered in his first major league at-bat on Sunday. But guess what? He hasn't played since. And many fantasy owners should have seen this one coming, as Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler are blocking him in the middle infield and Ron Washington refuses to sit Michael Young. Yes, Profar is exciting and he has the potential to be a fantasy stud before long, but this is not his time.

The same could be said for Shelby Miller, who was mighty impressive in his major league debut Wednesday against the Mets, tossing two scoreless innings while striking out four and walking none. The 21-year-old right-hander has a very promising future and could be relevant in mixed leagues as soon as next year, but how many value can fantasy owners expect from him in a long relief role? Probably not much, even if he does get a start in the final week of the regular season. I'm guilty of falling in love with prospects too, but don't waste a roster spot in redraft leagues if there's someone else out there who has a more realistic chance to make an impact down the stretch.

MIXED LEAGUES

Mark Reynolds 1B/3B, Orioles (Yahoo: 45 percent owned, ESPN: 37.3 percent)

Those surprising Orioles just aren't going away. And Reynolds is a big reason for their success, especially lately. The 29-year-old slugger has six homers and 13 RBI over his last six games and is hitting .261 with 11 homers and 32 RBI in 48 games since the All-Star break. We're talking about a .237 career hitter with a 32.8 percent career strikeout rate, so I wouldn't advise picking him up for his batting average, but it's interesting that he's hitting line drives at a career-high rate this season. With his power and dual-eligibility between first and third base, Reynolds makes for a strong addition in most formats right now.

A.J. Griffin SP, Athletics (Yahoo: 15 percent owned, ESPN: 10.7 percent)

Griffin didn't miss a beat in his return from a shoulder strain last Saturday against the Red Sox, giving up just one run on three hits and zero walks over seven innings while striking out five. The 24-year-old right-hander is now 4-0 with a 2.26 ERA and 40/10 K/BB ratio in 52 1/3 innings over his first nine major league starts. Griffin has only averaged 89.7 mph on his fastball, so he's not a power guy, but he has solid command and quality secondary pitches. He has a good chance to keep a rotation spot down the stretch and Oakland provides a perfect backdrop for him to find success as a backend starter in the long-term. I wouldn't hesitate using him Friday against the light-hitting Mariners.

John Mayberry, Jr. 1B/OF, Phillies (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 18.6 percent)

Mayberry was one of those guys a lot of folks picked as a sleeper in fantasy drafts this spring. I know I did. In a couple leagues, actually. While he made many of us look silly early on, he has really turned things around recently. The 28-year-old is hitting .368 (25-for-68) with five home runs, three doubles and 14 RBI over his last 18 games. He should continue to play every day down the stretch as the Phillies continue to evaluate their internal options for 2013, so his pop and multi-position eligibility should come in handy in deeper mixed leagues.

Bronson Arroyo SP, Reds (Yahoo: 31 percent owned, ESPN: 35.4 percent)

Don't laugh. In case you hadn't noticed, Arroyo has been on a nice roll for a while now, winning seven out of his last nine starts while posting a 3.33 ERA and 41/12 K/BB ratio over 70 1/3 innings. The 35-year-old right-hander has allowed three runs or less in each of his last five starts. He's well worth using Saturday in a very favorable matchup against the last-place Astros.

Ross Detwiler SP, Nationals (Yahoo: 37 percent owned, ESPN: 36.9 percent)

Detwiler doesn't get as much attention as his fellow rotation mates, but fantasy owners shouldn't complain, as he's still available in more than 60 percent of mixed leagues. The 26-year-old southpaw carved up the Cubs on Labor Day by tossing seven scoreless innings and now holds a 3.15 ERA on the year. He's not a great source for strikeouts (5.53 K/9), but his walk rate (2.51 BB/9) is pretty acceptable and he has induced ground balls 52 percent of the time, which is a big reason why he has only allowed nine homers in 140 innings this year. Detwiler should be started in all formats this weekend against a Marlins team which ranks 28th in the majors in runs scored and has struggled against southpaws all season.

Justin Ruggiano OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 20 percent owned, ESPN: 39.9 percent)

I have been waiting for Ruggiano to turn into a pumpkin for a couple of months now, but it just hasn't happened. While the 30-year-old has come back down to Earth a bit since his fantastic showing in June and early July, he's still hitting .289 with seven homers, 15 RBI and eight stolen bases in 44 games since the All-Star break. Hard to complain about that. You might be surprised to learn that his .955 OPS is eighth-highest in all of baseball among players with at least 250 plate appearances. Yes, even higher than teammate Giancarlo Stanton. Ruggiano has pop, speed and a regular spot in Ozzie Guillen's lineup, so there's really no reason why he shouldn't be owned in most leagues right now.

Chris Carpenter SP, Cardinals (Yahoo: 26 percent owned, ESPN: 22.7 percent)

When Carpenter underwent surgery in mid-July to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, he was expected to miss the rest of the season. Apparently not. The veteran right-hander threw a three-inning simulated game on Tuesday and is scheduled to stretch out to five innings on Monday. It's suddenly realistic that he could be back in the Cardinals' starting rotation within a couple of weeks. If you have some roster flexibility, he's makes for a fine DL-stash.

Everth Cabrera 2B/SS, Padres (Yahoo: 5 percent owned, ESPN: 3 percent)

Cabrera is hitting just .235 on the year, so you're buying him for one reason and one reason only: Speed. The 25-year-old swiped two more bases Wednesday night and now has 28 stolen bases in 29 attempts this year. He's tied for 12th in the majors in steals, despite appearing in just 94 games. Yes, his batting average isn't ideal, but it hurts a bit less in a standard roto league where your players have piled thousands of at-bats by now.

Jason Hammel SP, Orioles (Yahoo: 41 percent owned, ESPN: 26.5 percent)

Hammel was the de facto ace of the Orioles' staff until he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in mid-July, posting a surprising 3.54 ERA and 106/39 K/BB ratio in 109 1/3 innings over 18 starts. Well, check your waiver wire, because he's back. Hammel was solid in a rehab start Saturday with High-A Frederick and is scheduled to make his return Thursday night against the Yankees. I'd think twice about using him right out of the gate, but he could be an asset down the stretch.

Zach Britton SP, Orioles (Yahoo: 16 percent owned, ESPN: 26.4 percent)

Remember when Britton was a waiver wire darling early last year? We could be witnessing the same thing right now. The 24-year-old southpaw struck out eight over seven shutout innings Tuesday night against the Blue Jays and has a 0.94 ERA and 29/5 K/BB ratio in 26 2/3 innings over his last four starts. Per ESPN, opponents are 0-for-20 with 13 strikeouts against his slider during that timespan. Pretty impressive. He'll face a tough test against the Yankees this weekend, but it's not like the Bombers are at full strength at the moment. Use him as a matchup play moving forward at the very least.

Norichika Aoki OF, Brewers (Yahoo: 12 percent owned, ESPN: 13.6 percent)

Many projected that Aoki would end up as a fourth outfielder when he signed his two-year, $2.5 million deal with the Brewers last offseason, but he has ended up being quite the bargain. The 30-year-old outfielder has hit safely in nine straight games (five of them the multi-hit variety) and is now hitting .287 with seven homers, 35 RBI, 22 stolen bases, 62 runs scored and a .770 OPS over 125 games. Aoki is playing every day in right field and has batted exclusively out of the leadoff spot since the All-Star break, so he should continue to help in counting stats.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

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

Starling Marte OF, Pirates (Yahoo: 9 percent owned, ESPN: 5.4 percent)

Marte flashed some impressive potential upon his call-up from the minors in late July, but he landed on the disabled list last month with a strained right oblique. While those injuries can be pretty tricky, the 23-year-old outfielder began a rehab assignment on Tuesday night and should be back with the Pirates by the end of the week if all goes well. Marte's plate discipline (24/3 K/BB ratio in 101 plate appearances) obviously needs work, but his power-speed combo could make him worth stashing in five-outfielder formats.

Erik Kratz C, Phillies (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 1.3 percent)

Kratz has flown under the radar somewhat, but he's hitting .287 with nine homers and a .944 OPS in 108 at-bats with the Phillies this season. Only teammate Carlos Ruiz has a higher OPS among catchers with at least 100 plate appearances. Meanwhile, he has more home runs than the likes of Chris Iannetta, Salvador Perez, Alex Avila and Yasmani Grandal. Small sample? You bet. But he's worth a flier if you're looking for some pop in two-catcher leagues, especially with Ruiz no sure thing to return this season.

Andrew Cashner RP/SP, Padres (Yahoo: 9 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Cashner was a hot pickup on the waiver wire after he struck out nine over 6 1/3 innings against the Astros back on June 28, but he suffered a lat strain in his very next start and has been sidelined ever since. The good news is that he's expected to return to the starting rotation Friday against the Diamondbacks in San Diego. He'll be limited to about 70 pitches in his first start back and the Padres will likely monitor him carefully down the stretch, but the hard-throwing right-hander has the potential to pick up strikeouts in bunches. <!--RW-->

NL ONLY

Adam Eaton OF, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.3 percent)

Eaton was originally expected to stick with Triple-A Reno during the team's playoff run, but the Diamondbacks accelerated his timetable after Chris Young suffered a quad injury on Monday. The 23-year-old is off to a nice start so far, going 4-for-11 (.364) over his first two major league games while playing center field and batting leadoff. Eaton checks in at 5-foot-8 and 184 pounds and still has his share of doubters, but he was a .355/.456/.510 hitter over three seasons in the minors and has plenty of speed. The Diamondbacks didn't call him so he could sit on the bench, so he could even be worth a look in some deeper mixed formats.

David Ross C, Braves (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.4 percent)

Brian McCann received a cortisone shot in his right shoulder over the weekend and missed three straight games before returning to the starting lineup Wednesday night. The 28-year-old backstop batted just .181 in August and is hitting just .226 with a .695 OPS on the year, so the Braves are hoping his most recent cortisone shot will lead to better results down the stretch. If it doesn't, Ross is expected to get more playing time. One of the better backup catchers in the league, Ross has 22 homers and an .832 OPS in 626 plate appearances over the past four seasons. He's worth a stash wherever available in NL-only leagues.

Wily Peralta SP, Brewers (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Peralta notched his first major league victory Wednesday night against the Marlins, allowing three runs over six innings while striking out three and walking four. While not a fantastic outing, he should continue to get starts down the stretch now that Mark Rogers has been shut down for the season. The 23-year-old right-hander had an uneven season with Triple-A Nashville, posting a 4.66 ERA and 143/78 K/BB ratio over 146 2/3 innings, but he had a 3.38 ERA in 12 starts after the start of June. While it would be nice to see him throw more strikes, he has a mid-90s fastball that should lead to plenty of swings and misses.

AL ONLY

Russ Canzler UTIL, Indians (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

Canzler, who was acquired from the Rays in late January, is expected to get a long look with the Indians down the stretch after batting .265/.328/.487 with 22 homers and an .815 OPS in 130 games this season with Triple-A Columbus. The 26-year-old doesn't really have a position and is strikeout-prone, so he has a lot to prove to shed that pesky Quad-A label, but he could run into a few homers with semi-regular playing time.

Chris Parmelee 1B/OF, Twins (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.4 percent)

Remember how Parmelee went off as a September call-up last year? Well, he's doing it again. The 24-year-old is hitting .406 (13-for-32) with three homers, three doubles and eight RBI in eight games since being called up from the minors last week and should continue to get regular playing time in right field with Denard Span sidelined. He's probably gone in most competitive AL-only leagues, but he could even be worth a look in a deeper mixed league if you need help in the outfield or a CI (corner infielder) spot.

Anthony Gose OF, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Gose was optioned down to Triple-A Las Vegas two weeks ago, but he should be back on your fantasy radar now that he has returned to the big club. The 22-year-old outfielder is admittedly a bit overmatched against major league pitching right now, batting just .198 with a 36/6 K/BB ratio in 96 plate appearances, but he is 10-for-12 in stolen base attempts. There's too much risk here to trust him in mixed leagues, but he should be owned in AL-only formats.

 

[HacheMan]

Key Pitchers: 'Ouch, quit it'
Big time pitchers on the shelf down the stretch as well as some last minute fantasy football draft tips highlight this week’s column.



Before jumping into the baseball news, I just wanted to make sure you all know to tune into Colton and the Wolfman Tuesdays from 11pm-1am eastern on SiriusXM (Sirius 210, XM 87). A full rundown of week 1 in fantasy football, a look forward to week 2, some real and fantasy pennant race analysis and more.



Ok, now back to current business . . . .



Jered Weaver: Jered Weaver will throw on the side Saturday in the hopes of proving he can come back from bicep tendonitis and pitch Wednesday. However, according to reports, Weaver admits there is no timetable for his return. Weaver’s yearlong stats have been strong (2.86 ERA + 1.03 WHIP). However, the 4.24 ERA since the ASB and 1.62 WHIP over last two weeks say he has been dealing with the effects of the injury for a while. If you own Weaver, you have no choice but to hope he can gut it out. However, remember the injury issue when you put an auction price on Weaver for next year. In other words, account for the risk.



David Price: The Rays don’t expect David Price to miss much time with his shoulder issue and expect him back for next weekend’s series against the Yankees. While that sounds positive, all cannot be lemon drops and gum drops here. The Rays are fighting for their playoff lives and Price missing a key start down the stretch means there is an issue. That said, what is a fantasy owner to do? There is no way to replace a guy with a 2.54 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and almost K/inning. However, like with Weaver, Price’s recent stats tell a different story -- a story filled with risk. Over the last two weeks, Price has been bad: 6.75 ERA and a whopping 1.88 WHIP. Ouch. Like with Weaver, make sure Price is healthy before laying out the big bucks in 2013.



A.J Griffin: From hurting star pitchers to thriving rookies, look at what A.J. Griffin did Friday night -- he tossed 5 1/3 innings of one run ball to improve to 5-0. Griffin’s yearlong stats are quite pretty: 2.21 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 47/11 K/BB ratio through 57 innings. Can he keep this up? Well, I doubt he can be as good as he has been over the last two weeks (12 IP, 12K, 1BB), but strong minor league numbers in hitter leagues such as the PCL say he can be a big help in the fantasy pennant drive.



Russ Canzler: Russ Canzler went yard Friday for his first big league dinger. On the night, Canzler was 3-4 with a run scored and three RBI. Reports are that Canzler will get a long look this September. The good news is he could be a source of power having hit 22 HR in AAA. The bad news is he hit .265 this year as a 26 year old minor leaguer. Bottom line: Canzler is a flier with limited upside who carries major batting average risk.



Jose Reyes: Jose Reyes had a big night Friday, going 3-6 with two triples, two runs scored and three RBI. Overall, Reyes is hitting .284 with 11 HR and 34 SB -- quality numbers but hardly what many paid for in March. The real Reyes showed up after the ASB. Since the break, he is hitting .318 with 8 HR, 30 RBI and 14 steals. Roto lesson here -- guys who sign big contracts get out of the gate slowly and often do not put up year-long numbers that justify their huge price tag. Roto lesson 2: Reyes will be underrated a bit next year because his second half will not be the benchmark (and it should be) for year two in Miami.



Matt Dominguez: Matt Dominguez connected on a three-run jack Friday in the Astros win v. Cincy. Dominguez, who struggled in his other stints in the show is hitting .344 with two homers and four RBI so far this time. The good start aside, there is little reason to get excited. Dominguez hit .258 in AAA in 2011 and .252 in AA in 2011. To make matters worse, he hit .234 in 286 AB in New Orleans in the AAA this year. If you are desperate or in a very deep league, maybe you roster Dominguez and hope, but as the Wolfman always says, “hope is not a management strategy.”



Adam Jones: Adam Jones blasted another long ball Friday night. This one, a three-run homer, was not as clutch as his Thursday night jack, but still huge for his fantasy owners. On the whole, Jones is hitting .288 with 29 homers, 74 RBI and 13 steals and is on pace for 34 HR and 15 SB. Looking for a fantasy lesson for next year? Look for guys 25-27 who made the majors at 20-22 and who are trending up. Those guys, like Jones, will pay a nice profit.



I laid out 5 rules for fantasy football drafts in last week’s column. With drafts still going on this weekend, I think they are worth repeating:



1. Don’t waste a high pick on a QB. Rivers, Romo, Ryan and the Mannings all there in the round 4-6 range or later. You should be happy starting any one of them. [Note, Romo made me look smart on this one Wednesday]



2. Get your RBs early. If you don’t get Megatron, you should own an RB in round 1.



3. Late in the draft, load up on talented WR or RB even if they don’t have a role right now. If you pick 4 of them, I guarantee 1 will be a big time starter for you before too long.



4. Do not forget the basic maxim - injury prone players get injured. Football is a brutal and dangerous game at times. However, the injury prone suffer more than other players. Adjust values accordingly.



5. Don’t be too much of a homer. If you are a Cowboy fan and pick Romo over Rivers or Bryant over Cruz, fine. But don’t end up with a team of Romo, Murray, Bryant and Witten -- there is no way they all have big games in the same week and they could easily run into a tough D and all have bad games. Spread the risk. [Note, while Romo and Murray had big days, Bryant was just OK and Witten not himself, so if you were too much of a homer, only two of those four starters would have come through].



I am going to stop here and turn it over to the Carlton the Doorman of Fantasy Sports -- Schultz says: “I would imagine that everyone is familiar with the old adage that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. While the maxim does have its wisdom, it's not always the greatest advice for rotisserie sports enthusiasts. Despite the widespread use of previous statistics as a barometer for future performance, everyone always ignores the fact that all those prior stats took place in the past . . . meaning you don't get any credit for them. Swinging a deal for Bryan LaHair and his gaudy stats in late May or for Lance Lynn and his fascinating ratios in mid-June likely seemed like genius moves at the time; how you liking them now? For the last month of the season, those in tight roto-races would be well advised to forget much about what they think they know about the past five months. If Russell Martin has a renaissance over the last four weeks of the season, do you really care what he did over the summer?


Since the whole purpose of roto-sports to foresee the future and act accordingly, the Washington Nationals would be a good model to follow. Mike Rizzo ignored the fact that Gio Gonzalez never saw an American League batter that he couldn't or wouldn't walk and realized that he was simply a pitcher learning his craft. Same with Mike Morse, who seemed to be floundering in the Mariners system and never really produced stats that would foresee what he's done in D.C. when he's been healthy. With waiver wire fodder being scarce over the next four weeks, look for hitters and pitchers that are hitting a hot streak - even pitchers with 6.00 ERAs have the ability to get down to 4.00 with a fine four starts (yes Josh Beckett and Tim Lincecum, we're looking at you - even if neither of you should be on anyone's waiver wire). That little bit of foresight could be the difference between roto-glory and roto-runner up.



Response: Solid advice though I wonder whether anyone really believed that Bryan LaHair was going to keep it up all year.



Final Note: Last week I wrote this plea “Jason Garrett -- please do not forget about the run Wednesday night!” Jason uncharacteristically stuck with the run and the Boys are 1-0! Nice work. Stick to the plan and keep on chugging!

 

[HacheMan]

Tex Mess

The Yankees lost Saturday’s game against the Orioles on a botched call at first base. As it turns out, they lost their first baseman on the play, as well.

Mark Teixeira aggravated his left calf strain while trying to beat out what turned out to be the game-ending double play. It was Teixeira’s first game back after missing 10 contests following the initial injury. The Yankees aren’t sure how long he’ll be out this time, but it will be at least until this weekend. Manager Joe Girardi even conceded the possibility that Tex wouldn’t return at all this year. They’ll know more after he undergoes an MRI Monday.

"He's sore," Girardi said in the Newark Star-Ledger. "He doesn't feel like it's back to Square One, but it's sore. I think he really felt it on that last play, but he was trying to beat that ball out. It's unfortunate. Yeah, there's a part of me that is (concerned). We're looking at two and a half weeks left in the season, and if it does go back to Square One, I'll really wonder."

When Teixeira went on the DL the first time, the Yankees primarily used Nick Swisher at first base, giving Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones time in the outfield, Alex Rodriguez time in the DH slot and Eric Chavez time at third base. They also have Steven Pearce and Casey McGehee available to play first.

Papi Likely to be Shut Down

David Ortiz will have the boot on his injured right Achilles removed Tuesday. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he’s still likely taken his last at-bat this season, and possibly his last at-bat for the Red Sox.

Ortiz tried to return from his Achilles malady late last month, but it didn’t work, as he played in just one game before being placed back on the disabled list. He doesn’t sound anxious to push things again with the Red Sox out of the playoff picture.

"We’ll see. We’ll see what the doctors say and how I’m feeling,” Ortiz said in the Boston Globe. “Right now, I’m just focused on doing the right thing. The doctors are looking forward to make sure that I don’t have to worry about this anymore. I think that’s the goal right now and we don’t see the point of coming back and not being ready yet.”

If Ortiz’s season is indeed over, it will have ended with him participating in just 90 games. He was incredibly productive when on the field, though, batting .318/.415/.611 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI over 383 plate appearances.

The loveable slugger will turn 37 in November, and he’ll be a free agent this winter. It remains to be seen whether the Red Sox will ask him back next season, or if Ortiz even wants to come back. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about having to accept a one-year deal last offseason, telling USA Today back in July that it was "humiliating" and "embarrassing."

Big Papi’s career looked to be on the downslide a couple years ago, but he’s shown emphatically that he can still swing the lumber. If the Red Sox choose not to bring him back or if Ortiz decides to move on, there should be no shortage of suitors, despite his advancing age.



National League Quick Hits: Clayton Kershaw was scratched from Sunday’s start due to a right hip injury. He received a cortisone injection Saturday and is expected to rejoin the rotation on Tuesday ... Jake Westbrook will miss at least one turn in the rotation due to a strained right oblique. The Cardinals haven’t announced a replacement for Thursday’s game against the Dodgers, but Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal are all options, and there’s an outside chance they could go with Chris Carpenter ... The Brewers had a pair of players leave Sunday’s game with injuries, as Ryan Braun aggravated a right wrist injury and Corey Hart suffered a left ankle injury. Hart’s appears to be the more serious ailment of the two, though it’s possible both are just day-to-day situations ... Brian McCann homered Sunday for the second straight game. McCann had been hitless in his last 17 at-bats before going 5-for-9 with two dingers and six RBI over the weekend against the Mets ... Matt Dominguez on Sunday hit his second three-run homer in the series against the Reds. He’s batting .350 with three homers and 13 games for the Astros ... Ricky Nolasco hurled the second shutout in his last three starts in Sunday’s win over the Nationals. After putting up eight straight non-quality starts in the second half, he’s allowed one earned run over his last three outings ... The Phillies will call up Darin Ruf on Monday. The 26-year-old belted 38 homers at Double-A this season and should see a couple starts per week at first base and in the outfield.

American League Quick Hits: Adam Dunn (oblique) is considered unlikely to return to the White Sox’ lineup before this weekend. He hadn’t played since aggravating his oblique injury last Wednesday ... Nick Markakis will undergo surgery Tuesday on his broken left thumb. He’s hoping to be back at some point during the postseason if the Orioles qualify ... Denard Span is expected to be activated from the disabled list Wednesday. He’s missed a month of action with a sore shoulder and collarbone ... Roy Oswalt exited his spot start Sunday with flexor muscle soreness in his right elbow. It’s not yet known how long he’ll be sidelined ... Mike Napoli (quad) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday. He’s expected to play three games before rejoining the Rangers ... B.J. Upton slugged three homers in Sunday’s win over the Rangers. He now has five longballs already in September after putting seven over the boards in August. James Shields dominated on the pitching side of things in the same game, as he spun his second shutout of the season. He’s been on a roll of late, posting a 1.90 ERA over his last eight starts ... Curtis Granderson didn’t start Sunday but wound up making a huge impact, going 3-for-3 with a homer and five RBI. Granderson entered the game batting just .125/.157/.271 over his last 15 contests.​

 

[HacheMan]

Mark Teixeira out at least four games

By Andrew Marchand | ESPNNewYork.com

BALTIMORE -- Mark Teixeira will miss at least four games due to his injured left calf and won't return to the New York Yankees' lineup until Friday at the earliest.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Teixeira will have an MRI on Monday and acknowledged his concern that the star first baseman could be done for the rest of the regular season.

"There is part of me that wonders that," Girardi said of Teixeira's setback resulting in a prolonged absence. "There is basically 3½ weeks left. If it does go back to square one, then I'd really wonder."
Teixeira was optimistic that he would play again this year.
"That would be the worse-, worse-case scenario," Teixeira said on the possibility of being done for the season.
Teixeira missed 10 games with the calf injury before starting Saturday night against the Baltimore Orioles. New York trailed by one run with runners on first and third and one out in the ninth inning when Teixeira busted it down the line to try to beat a game-ending double play.
Teixeira was called out, but replays clearly showed that his headfirst slide beat the relay throw.
"I think that is when he really felt it," Girardi said. "He talked about really feeling it. He busted his rear end to get down there. It is unfortunate."
After the 5-4 loss, Teixeira said he knew he had hurt the calf again. Teixeira also questioned the integrity of the umpires, saying that they might have made some calls because they wanted the game to end instead of a prolonged comeback. Teixeira said he expected to be fined for his comments.
"There is frustration," Girardi said. "I don't worry about that."
In Teixeira's absence, Girardi expects to shift Nick Swisher from right field to first base. Steve Pearce is expected to start occasionally against left-handed pitching. Swisher and Pearce both saw time at first during Sunday's 13-3 win against the Orioles.
Teixeira is tied with Curtis Granderson for the Yankees' team lead with 81 RBIs. He is batting .255 with 23 homers. The Yankees especially need Teixeira as a right-handed batter to balance out their lineups because of his .891 OPS against left-handed pitching.
"It is huge," Girardi said. "He is one of the guys that has been a middle of the order guy. He has been a big part of our lineup. He is an RBI guy."

 

[HacheMan]

Sad Song

After holding the Cardinals scoreless over seven innings on August 8, Ryan Vogelsong had lowered his ERA to a National League-leading 2.27.



Since then, he’s been one of the worst starters in baseball.



Vogelsong lasted just five innings in Monday’s loss to the Rockies, allowing four runs on six hits, with one of those hits being a home run by pitcher Alex White. Over his woeful six-outing stretch, the right-hander has given up 28 runs over 25 1/3 innings while recording just one quality start. He surrendered three home runs in that outing.



When asked about what he could do differently in order to have better results, Vogelsong didn’t mince words.



"Stop being bad,” said Vogelsong in the San Jose Mercury News. “I'm costing us games right now and I'm not real happy about it."



Catcher Buster Posey was also unable to explain Vogelsong’s struggles.



“It’s tough to say because his stuff is definitely there,” Posey said. “I don’t know – I’m kind of at a loss. The stuff is there and the velocity is there. He’s throwing the ball as well as ever, I feel like.”



Vogelsong will attempt to bounce back this weekend in Arizona. The D’Backs lit up the righty for six runs over 3 1/3 innings two starts ago.



So Long, Puma



Lance Berkman won the National League Comeback Player of the Year award last season after batting .301/.412/.547 with 31 homers and 94 RBI. He’ll end the 2012 campaign with the same number of games played as he had longballs last year.



Berkman will undergo surgery on his right knee Tuesday. It’s a procedure that will end his season, and possibly his career, as Puma has said previously that he’s leaning towards retirement. It’s hard to blame him, as the knee surgery will be his sixth, and fourth on his right knee. He looked noticeably hobbled after returning on September 1.



If Berkman’s career is indeed over, it will conclude with 360 home runs and an even 1,200 RBI to go along with a terrific .296/.409/.544 batting line. The numbers probably aren’t quite good enough to get the six-time All-Star into the Hall of Fame, but he was undoubtedly one of the best hitters of his era and one of the better switch-hitters of all-time.







National League Quick Hits: It appears that Roger Clemens will not be returning to the majors this season. Astros owner Jim Crane didn’t rule out the possibility Monday, but Clemens has no interest in coming back for a late-season appearance against a non-contender ... Chris Carpenter (neck, shoulder) threw a 70-pitch simulated game Monday. He said afterwards that he “absolutely” felt ready to rejoin the Cardinals’ rotation now, but the team will let him stretch out to 90 pitches in another simulated game Saturday ... Corey Hart has been diagnosed with an injury to the plantar fascia in his left foot. The Brewers are calling him day-to-day, but if Hart returns to the lineup soon, he’ll likely have to play through some discomfort ... Carlos Quentin left Monday’s game with a sore right knee. It’s the same knee that he had surgery on earlier this year and the same one that caused him to miss three games last week. He seems likely to sit out at least a game or two ... Kyle Kendrick kept it rolling Monday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball in a win over the Marlins. He hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of his last six starts ... Jake Westbrook (oblique) will miss at least one start and likely at least two. He’s expected back later this month, though ... Andrelton Simmons was activated from the DL Monday and went hitless in a loss to the Brewers. He had been sidelined since early July with a fractured right pinkie finger ... The Phillies on Monday called up Darin Ruf, who hit 38 homers at Double-A this season. He could see some starts down the stretch, but with the Phils suddenly somewhat in the playoff picture, it remains to be seen.



American League Quick Hits: Brandon McCarthy is expected to be released from the hospital soon. He was able to walk down a hallway Monday and also went up and down four steps. Coming back from surgery last Wednesday to relieve pressure from his brain, McCarthy will not return to the A’s this season, but it’s great to hear that he’s doing well ... Mark Teixeira is expected to be sidelined 10-14 days after an MRI showed an "irritation" of his Grade 1 left calf strain. Teixeira aggravated the injury in his first game back Saturday ... Jose Quintana was brilliant Monday, holding the Tigers to one run over 7 2/3 innings while recording seven strikeouts. The surprising left-hander now boasts a 3.52 ERA and 1.26 WHIP on the season ... Jered Weaver will rejoin the Angels’ rotation Thursday after completing a successful bullpen session Monday. He hasn’t pitched in over a week due to right biceps tendinitis and a tender shoulder ... Gavin Floyd will rejoin the White Sox’ rotation on Wednesday. The right-hander hasn't pitched since August 26 due to a flexor strain in his right elbow ... The Orioles are reportedly interested in the Phillies’ Juan Pierre. He would not be eligible for the O’s postseason roster, but he would give them some depth in the wake of the Nick Markakis injury ... Adam Dunn reported "marked improvement" with his strained right oblique on Monday, though he has yet to resume swinging a bat. The White Sox had been expecting him to miss all of the Tigers series, but perhaps that won’t be the case.​

 

[HacheMan]

Changes In Chapman
Reds left-hander Aroldis Chapman has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball this season. So there was quite a bit of alarm when he yielded three earned runs in an inning last week against the light-hitting Astros and then walked three Pittsburgh batters Monday night.

It turns out the concern over those back-to-back poor outings was justified.

Chapman acknowledged to the Cincinnati medical staff on Tuesday morning that he’s been dealing with shoulder fatigue for over a week, prompting the Reds to shut him down indefinitely. Jonathan Broxton filled in on Tuesday night, converting a save against the Pirates. Sean Marshall may also get some opportunities over the next week-plus.

The Reds enter play Wednesday with a 10 1/2-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central standings, so they can rest Chapman all they want down the stretch even if he’s showing signs of progress. The hope being that he’ll be energized entering the postseason.

It’s an unfortunate situation for Chapman owners, but it’s the logical approach for first-place Cincy.

Grab Broxton and Marshall if they’re still unowned and hope for some vultured saves.



Hammel Tweaks Troublesome Right Knee

Jason Hammel has been the Orioles’ best starter in their magical 2012 campaign. When healthy.

The 30-year-old right-hander landed awkwardly while delivering a pitch in the fourth inning Tuesday night against the Rays, aggravating his surgically-repaired right knee. He told reporters after the game that his knee felt much like it did before he went under the knife, suggesting that another surgery or at least an extended absence is on the way.

Hammel has a 3.43 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and a 113/42 K/BB ratio in 118 innings this season. The primary candidate to replace him in Baltimore’s rotation is Chris Tillman, who has experienced injury issues of his own.

The O’s keep winning somehow, but there are plenty more challenges ahead.



National League Quick Hits: The Brewers are hoping that first baseman Corey Hart (foot) will be ready to return to action Friday … Michael Morse is likely to miss the next few games due to discomfort in his left wrist … Anthony Rizzo will be out of the Cubs’ lineup for the next few games after jamming his shoulder on a collision at first base Tuesday with the Astros’ Brett Wallace … Brandon Belt homered and drove in four runs in the Giants’ defeat of the Rockies on Tuesday night in Colorado … Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie (knee, ankle) is expected to return to the starting lineup on Wednesday … R.A. Dickey allowed three runs in seven innings Tuesday against the Nationals, failing to secure his 19th victory … Jimmy Rollins homered, stole a base and drove in three runs Tuesday in the Phillies’ defeat of the Marlins … Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz is day-to-day with a stiff back … Astros youngster Jordan Lyles went five scoreless against the Cubs on Tuesday and now has a 3.96 ERA over his last seven starts … Neil Walker (back) is on track to return to the Pirates’ starting lineup on Friday … Brewers right-hander Marco Estrada hurled 6 2/3 scoreless innings Tuesday in a victory over the Braves … Brandon Phillips homered and drove in two Tuesday in the Reds’ defeat of the Pirates … Cubs outfielder Brett Jackson remains day-to-day with a knee injury … Jose Altuve (ab strain) could return to the Astros’ starting lineup on Wednesday … Ian Kennedy out-dueled Clayton Kershaw in the Diamondbacks’ defeat of the Dodgers on Tuesday night in Arizona … Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin (knee) is likely out until Friday … The Dodgers activated Dee Gordon from the 60-day disabled list.

American League Quick Hits: A’s right-hander Brandon McCarthy was released from a Bay Area hospital on Tuesday, six days after undergoing emergency surgery for a fractured skull … Joe Mauer is day-to-day with back spasms … Rays left-hander David Price is on track to return to the Rays’ rotation on Friday against the Yankees after missing a turn last week with shoulder soreness … Adam Dunn (oblique) got a pain-killing injection on Tuesday and could return to the White Sox lineup Wednesday … Adrian Beltre is up to 31 home runs and 90 RBI … Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy finished 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in Tuesday’s thrashing of the Rays … Asdrubal Cabrera (wrist) could remain sidelined until Friday … Royals right-hander Will Smith threw seven scoreless innings Tuesday night against the Twins … Jacoby Ellsbury hit a walkoff RBI single in Boston’s defeat of the Yankees on Tuesday … Rangers catcher Mike Napoli (quad) will split time behind the plate with Geovany Soto once he returns … Erasmo Ramirez struck out six batters over seven innings Tuesday in the Mariners’ victory over the Blue Jays … Ryan Roberts is day-to-day with a forearm strain … Roy Oswalt could be out for over a week with a right forearm strain … Andy Pettitte (knee) is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Wednesday … The Orioles designated Kevin Gregg for assignment … Rays infielder Sean Rodriguez is on track to return from the disabled list Saturday … Daisuke Matsuzaka will remain in the Red Sox rotation for at least one more turn … Nick Markakis underwent successful thumb surgery on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[HacheMan]

Changes In Chapman
Reds left-hander Aroldis Chapman has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball this season. So there was quite a bit of alarm when he yielded three earned runs in an inning last week against the light-hitting Astros and then walked three Pittsburgh batters Monday night.

It turns out the concern over those back-to-back poor outings was justified.

Chapman acknowledged to the Cincinnati medical staff on Tuesday morning that he’s been dealing with shoulder fatigue for over a week, prompting the Reds to shut him down indefinitely. Jonathan Broxton filled in on Tuesday night, converting a save against the Pirates. Sean Marshall may also get some opportunities over the next week-plus.

The Reds enter play Wednesday with a 10 1/2-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central standings, so they can rest Chapman all they want down the stretch even if he’s showing signs of progress. The hope being that he’ll be energized entering the postseason.

It’s an unfortunate situation for Chapman owners, but it’s the logical approach for first-place Cincy.

Grab Broxton and Marshall if they’re still unowned and hope for some vultured saves.



Hammel Tweaks Troublesome Right Knee

Jason Hammel has been the Orioles’ best starter in their magical 2012 campaign. When healthy.

The 30-year-old right-hander landed awkwardly while delivering a pitch in the fourth inning Tuesday night against the Rays, aggravating his surgically-repaired right knee. He told reporters after the game that his knee felt much like it did before he went under the knife, suggesting that another surgery or at least an extended absence is on the way.

Hammel has a 3.43 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and a 113/42 K/BB ratio in 118 innings this season. The primary candidate to replace him in Baltimore’s rotation is Chris Tillman, who has experienced injury issues of his own.

The O’s keep winning somehow, but there are plenty more challenges ahead.



National League Quick Hits: The Brewers are hoping that first baseman Corey Hart (foot) will be ready to return to action Friday … Michael Morse is likely to miss the next few games due to discomfort in his left wrist … Anthony Rizzo will be out of the Cubs’ lineup for the next few games after jamming his shoulder on a collision at first base Tuesday with the Astros’ Brett Wallace … Brandon Belt homered and drove in four runs in the Giants’ defeat of the Rockies on Tuesday night in Colorado … Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie (knee, ankle) is expected to return to the starting lineup on Wednesday … R.A. Dickey allowed three runs in seven innings Tuesday against the Nationals, failing to secure his 19th victory … Jimmy Rollins homered, stole a base and drove in three runs Tuesday in the Phillies’ defeat of the Marlins … Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz is day-to-day with a stiff back … Astros youngster Jordan Lyles went five scoreless against the Cubs on Tuesday and now has a 3.96 ERA over his last seven starts … Neil Walker (back) is on track to return to the Pirates’ starting lineup on Friday … Brewers right-hander Marco Estrada hurled 6 2/3 scoreless innings Tuesday in a victory over the Braves … Brandon Phillips homered and drove in two Tuesday in the Reds’ defeat of the Pirates … Cubs outfielder Brett Jackson remains day-to-day with a knee injury … Jose Altuve (ab strain) could return to the Astros’ starting lineup on Wednesday … Ian Kennedy out-dueled Clayton Kershaw in the Diamondbacks’ defeat of the Dodgers on Tuesday night in Arizona … Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin (knee) is likely out until Friday … The Dodgers activated Dee Gordon from the 60-day disabled list.

American League Quick Hits: A’s right-hander Brandon McCarthy was released from a Bay Area hospital on Tuesday, six days after undergoing emergency surgery for a fractured skull … Joe Mauer is day-to-day with back spasms … Rays left-hander David Price is on track to return to the Rays’ rotation on Friday against the Yankees after missing a turn last week with shoulder soreness … Adam Dunn (oblique) got a pain-killing injection on Tuesday and could return to the White Sox lineup Wednesday … Adrian Beltre is up to 31 home runs and 90 RBI … Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy finished 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in Tuesday’s thrashing of the Rays … Asdrubal Cabrera (wrist) could remain sidelined until Friday … Royals right-hander Will Smith threw seven scoreless innings Tuesday night against the Twins … Jacoby Ellsbury hit a walkoff RBI single in Boston’s defeat of the Yankees on Tuesday … Rangers catcher Mike Napoli (quad) will split time behind the plate with Geovany Soto once he returns … Erasmo Ramirez struck out six batters over seven innings Tuesday in the Mariners’ victory over the Blue Jays … Ryan Roberts is day-to-day with a forearm strain … Roy Oswalt could be out for over a week with a right forearm strain … Andy Pettitte (knee) is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Wednesday … The Orioles designated Kevin Gregg for assignment … Rays infielder Sean Rodriguez is on track to return from the disabled list Saturday … Daisuke Matsuzaka will remain in the Red Sox rotation for at least one more turn … Nick Markakis underwent successful thumb surgery on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[HacheMan]

Phillies keep on Phighting The Phillies topped the Marlins 3-1 on Wednesday behind a terrific outing from Cliff Lee. The victory wrapped up a sweep of the Marlins and was the Phillies’ seventh straight win overall.

At 72-71, they climbed a game above the .500 mark for the first time since June 3 when they stood at 28-27. They’re now just three games back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL Wild Card spot. With their next seven contests coming against the cellar-dwelling Astros and Mets, they’ve absolutely played their way into postseason contention.

Jimmy Rollins provided the offensive spark again on Wednesday, blasting a two-run homer and scoring twice. He’s off to a blistering start to the month of September, hitting .326 (15-for-46) with four homers, nine RBI and a pair of steals over 11 games.

The Phillies bullpen has also played a major role in their recent surge. They haven’t been scored upon in their last 16 1/3 innings of work.


Beltre injures shoulder, heads for MRI

Adrian Beltre was removed from Wednesday’s game against the Indians when he injured his left shoulder diving for a ball in the second inning.

The Rangers are calling the MRI purely precautionary, and the fact that he wasn’t immediately taken out of the game are all promising signs.

Before departing, Beltre did something that he’s done fairly regularly over the past month, and that’s knock a ball out of the yard. In his only at-bat of the game, he knocked a two-run homer off Jeanmar Gomez, giving him 32 on the season.

He’s been the hottest hitter on the planet over his last 20 games, hitting an astounding .405 (32-for-79) with 13 homers and 24 RBI. With the Rangers relatively secure in their position atop the AL West, there’s no incentive to rush their slugging third-sacker back into the lineup. Should the MRI reveal no structural damage, they’ll likely play it safe and rest him for at least a game or two.


Jeter hobbled by ankle injury

At 38-years-old, Derek Jeter is enjoying one of the finest seasons in his sure-fire Hall of Fame career. It appears now however, that he may be hobbling to the finish line.

Jeter was removed in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game with a bone bruise on his left ankle. He allegedly tweaked his ankle last week as well, but this injury “looked worse” and Jeter was in noticeable discomfort as he left the field.

Before leaving, Jeter went 2-for-5 with a run scored in the game, running his seasonal line to an impressive .324/.368/.449 with 15 homers, 91 runs, 52 RBI and nine stolen bases. With Mark Teixeira already sidelined, the Yankees can ill-afford to be without Jeter’s bat down the stretch. He insists that he’ll return to the lineup on Thursday against the Red Sox.



National League Quick Hits: Luke Gregerson notched a second consecutive save as the Padres completed a sweep of the Cardinals… Dusty Baker officially named Jonathan Broxton his “Number one candidate” to close while Aroldis Chapman is sidelined with a sore shoulder, though it was J.J. Hoover who picked up his first career save in Wednesday’s victory… Angel Pagan sat out Wednesday’s contest due to a hand laceration, but expects to return to the lineup on Friday… Pedro Alvarez was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to discomfort in his right wrist… Corey Hart, who is battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot, isn’t likely to return until Saturday… Carlos Gomez left Wednesday’s game in the second inning after suffering a quad contusion while attempting to break up a double play. He’s currently listed as day-to-day… Matt Harvey allowed just one run and struck out 10 in a losing effort against the Nationals… Ian Desmond launched his 23rd home run of the season and sixth in 22 games since returning from the DL… Wilin Rosario belted his 24th home run, which trails only A.J. Pierzynski among all major league catchers… Paul Maholm was destroyed again, allowing six earned runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings, and has posted a horrifying 10.03 ERA over three starts in September… With J.J. Putz nursing a sore back, David Hernandez picked up his second save in a victory over the Dodgers… Jed Lowrie went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first game action since July 14… Rickie Weeks homered for the sixth time this month in a win over the Braves.



American League Quick Hits: Joe Mauer missed a second consecutive game with a back issue and is listed as day-to-day… Desmond Jennings missed a fifth straight game as a precautionary measure but expects to return to the lineup on Thursday… As long as he receives proper clearance from the doctor on Friday, Andy Pettitte will return to the Yankees rotation next week… Adam Dunn continues to progress very slowly from his oblique injury and is considered unlikely to return this week… Ivan Nova will start for the Yankees on Saturday, replacing Freddy Garcia in the Yankees’ rotation for the remainder of the season… Dustin Pedroia left in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s contest to be with his wife while she gives birth… Edwin Encarnacion blasted his 39th home run and drove home his 99th run in a losing effort against the Mariners… Josh Hamilton smashed his league-leading 41st homer in a victory over the Indians, but made an early exit due to a sore left knee… Curtis Granderson homered twice and plated three runs as the Yankees topped the Red Sox… B.J. Upton hit his sixth homer in his past eight games in a loss to the Orioles… Albert Pujols launched his 30th homer, making it 12 consecutive seasons that he has reached the plateau… Denard Span went 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs in his return to the Twins lineup… Kevin Youkilis homered twice and drove home four in a losing effort against the Tigers… Cody Ross was ejected from Wednesday’s game after arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez… Nate McLouth’s walk-off single plated Manny Machado, giving the Orioles a much needed victory over the Rays… Max Scherzer won his career-best 16th game as the Tigers topped the White Sox to pull within one game in the AL Central.

 

[HacheMan]

Try Jed Instead The MLB regular season ends three weeks from yesterday, which means this is nitty-gritty time in fantasy leagues. There won't be any long rant from me this week, as waiver wires are already picked thin and you could probably use those extra seconds trying to make your next move rather than hear my thoughts on Stephen Strasburg being shut down (it stinks), the second Wild Card in the National League (rooting for complete chaos) or why the Mets can't score runs at Citi Field (probably vampires or something).

MIXED LEAGUES

Jonathan Broxton RP, Reds (Yahoo: 47 percent owned, ESPN: 38.2 percent)

This one is pretty simple. Aroldis Chapman is getting some time off to rest his fatigued left shoulder, so Broxton is expected to serve as the No. 1 option at closer during his absence. Reds manager Dusty Baker will stay away from using Broxton more than two days in a row -- hence J.J. Hoover getting the save Wednesday -- and southpaw Sean Marshall may get looks against a string of left-handed batters, but ol' Broxy is the pitcher to own in this bullpen at the moment.

Cameron Maybin OF, Padres (Yahoo: 40 percent owned, ESPN: 41.2 percent)

Maybin has been pretty frustrating to own in mixed leagues this season, but at least he has salvaged things a bit recently. The 25-year-old center fielder is batting .304 with three homers, 10 doubles, nine stolen bases and 23 runs scored in 52 games since the All-Star break and has hit safely in 12 out of his last 13 games. With his speed and power potential, he shouldn't be on the waiver wire outside of shallow leagues.

Jarrod Parker SP, Athletics (Yahoo: 40 percent owned, ESPN: 34 percent)

Many were wondering if Parker hit a wall early last month, but he has responded by posting a solid 3.00 ERA and 19/8 K/BB ratio in 33 innings over his last five starts. The 23-year-old right-hander now has an impressive 3.56 ERA across 25 starts with the A's this year. He has been money at home, compiling a 2.48 ERA in 13 starts while allowing just two home runs in 87 innings, so it should be an easy call to start him on Saturday with the Orioles in town.

Ryan Cook RP, Athletics (Yahoo: 37 percent owned, ESPN: 30 percent)

Could we see some changes in the back of the A's bullpen? Grant Balfour has been scored upon his three out of his last five appearances and was pulled in the middle of a save opportunity Tuesday against the Angels. Meanwhile, Cook got the final out for the save in Wednesday's win. It's worth noting that Cook has turned things around since being removed from the closer role last month (1.35 ERA and 16/4 K/BB ratio over 13 1/3 innings), so he could be worth a speculative add if you need saves.

Kurt Suzuki C, Nationals (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 8.7 percent)

Suzuki has found new life since being traded to the Nationals last month, hitting .253 (25-for-99) with four homers, three doubles and 16 RBI in 27 games. The 28-year-old backstop had just one home run in 278 plate appearances with the A's this season prior to the trade. Given his track record, I'm inclined to say what's going on right now is more indicative of his skill that his struggles earlier this year. He should be owned in two-catcher mixed formats at the very least.

Marco Estrada RP/SP, Brewers (Yahoo: 19 percent owned, ESPN: 25.4 percent)

Estrada hasn't received as much attention as his teammate Mike Fiers in fantasy circles this year, but he has still been really, really good. The 29-year-old right-hander a 3.77 ERA and 125/25 K/BB ratio over 119 1/3 innings, including a 1.52 ERA and 38/6 K/BB ratio in 29 2/3 innings over his last five starts. The only pitchers (with at least 100 innings pitched) better than his 5/1 K/BB ratio? Cliff Lee (6.46) and the injured Colby Lewis (6.64). Really, that's it. Estrada is a fly ball pitcher, so there's always the risk of the home run ball, but he's a must-start every time out right now.

Jed Lowrie 3B/SS, Astros (Yahoo: 20 percent owned, ESPN: 18.4 percent)

Lowrie was finally back in the Astros' lineup Wednesday night after missing the past two months with an ankle injury and a nerve issue in his right leg. He's expected to be eased back into action, so he will not play every day in the short-term, but don't forget that he had 14 homers and a .799 OPS in 80 games prior to the injury. With his pop and multi-position eligibility, he could be very useful down the stretch in leagues where you can make daily lineup changes.

Kyle Kendrick RP/SP, Phillies (Yahoo: 38 percent owned, ESPN: 46.8 percent)

Kendrick is quietly on a nice roll right now, posting a 1.49 ERA and 33/7 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings over his last six starts. He has allowed two runs or less in all of them. The 28-year-old right-hander has shown real signs of improvement this season, averaging a career-high 6.56 K/9 while his swinging strike rate (8.8 percent) is well above his career average of 5.6 percent. He's well worth using this weekend in a promising matchup against the major-league worst Astros.

Josh Donaldson C/3B, Athletics (Yahoo: 20 percent owned, ESPN: 17.5 percent)

Donaldson fell flat on his face after winning the starting third base job out of spring training, but he has been much better since returning from the minors last month. Scratch that, a lot better. The 26-year-old is hitting .330 (33-for-100) with six homers, nine doubles, 17 RBI and a .996 OPS over his last 27 games and has primarily batted sixth in the lineup recently. He has a .346 batting average on balls in play over the past month, so there's room for regression here, but he's a perfectly reasonable option as a second catcher in mixed leagues.

Andy Pettitte SP, Yankees (Yahoo: 15 percent owned, ESPN: 7.5 percent)

Sidelined since late June due to a fractured ankle, Pettitte declared himself ready to rejoin the Yankees' rotation after throwing 55 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday. The 40-year-old southpaw still needs to have one final checkup with team doctor Chris Ahmad on Friday, but early indications are that he'll make his return Tuesday against the Blue Jays. I would consider keeping him inactive for his first start back, especially since he'll likely be on a pitch-count, but he makes for a savvy stash if you have a DL-spot available.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

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

Brandon Moss 1B/OF, Athletics (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 6.1 percent)

The surprising Athletics are getting contributions from some unlikely sources and Moss is a pretty good example of that. Once a top prospect with the Pirates, the 28-year-old has 18 home runs and an .895 OPS in just 226 plate appearances with the A's this season. He has homered once every 11.4 at-bats, which is the best ratio in the majors among players with at least 200 plate appearances. By the way, Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Bautista rank second with 12.3 at-bats per home run. Moss doesn't have a track record of success in the big leagues and is striking out 31 percent of the time right now, so he doesn't come without some risk, but those looking for a fifth outfielder or CI (corner infielder) could do worse at this late stage.

Dan Straily SP, Athletics (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 5 percent)

Asked to fill a rotation spot following the unfortunate injury to Brandon McCarthy, Straily stymied the Angels on Monday by allowing three runs over 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight and walking just one. After skyrocketing through the minors this season, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 3.42 ERA and 20/5 K/BB ratio in 23 2/3 innings over his first four major league starts. He has allowed six homers so far and his fly ball rate (54.2 percent) is a little higher than you'd like to see, but he makes for a pretty solid option against the Orioles at home on Sunday.

Chris Denorfia OF, Padres (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 4.4 percent)

One of the more underrated platoon outfielders in the game, Denorfia is hitting .303/.360/.467 with seven homers, 34 RBI, 10 stolen bases and an .826 OPS in 114 games this season. His .915 OPS against southpaws is higher than the likes of Brett Lawrie (.901), David Wright (.900) and Mike Trout (.884). The 32-year-old isn't going to play every day, so he'll have to be deployed wisely, but there's value here in five-outfielder formats. <!--RW-->

NL ONLY

Jenrry Mejia RP, Mets (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

After spending the past week or so in the Mets' bullpen, Mejia will make his first major league start of the season on Saturday against the Brewers. The 22-year-old right-hander struggled in a relief role with Triple-A Buffalo this season, but had a 2.75 ERA over 10 starts. It would be nice to see him miss more bats, but his velocity has been pretty encouraging in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. Chances are he'll begin 2013 in the minors, but he should stick in the rotation down the stretch as the Mets continue to evaluate his future role.

Travis Ishikawa 1B, Brewers (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

The Brewers are currently dealing with a bit of uncertainty at first base, as Corey Hart is sidelined with a partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot. He was fitted for custom foot support earlier this week and hopes to return this weekend, but he's going to have to deal with the pain in order to stay in the lineup on a regular basis. Ishikawa is a .266/.329/.407 hitter in the big leagues, so he doesn't bring a lot to the table offensively, but he would likely get most of the playing time if Hart can't go.

Oscar Taveras OF, Cardinals (Yahoo: N/A, ESPN: 0 percent)

Taveras is regarded as one of the best hitting prospects in the game and his major league debut may not be far off. The 20-year-old outfielder is currently playing with Double-A Springfield in the Texas League playoffs, but they could be over as soon as Friday. The Cardinals have already hinted that he could get a look this month, but with Carlos Beltran struggling through knee and hand injuries, he could play a bigger role than originally expected. Keep an eye on this situation.

AL ONLY

Erasmo Ramirez SP/RP, Mariners (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 1 percent)

One of the Mariners' September call-ups, Ramirez was brilliant against the Blue Jays on Tuesday night, allowing two runs over seven innings while striking out six and walking just one. The 22-year-old right-hander now has a 3.49 ERA and 33/8 K/BB ratio over 38 2/3 innings at the major league level this year. With his excellent control, he has the look of a competent backend starter and innings-eater. As for the short-term, he currently lines up for a start against the Orioles at home next Monday. That should be a pretty easy call for AL-only owners.

Daniel Nava OF, Red Sox (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 2.4 percent)

Nava was activated from the disabled list this week after missing the past six weeks with a sprained left wrist. The 29-year-old switch-hitter was really scuffling prior to the injury, but he has a solid approach at the plate and should see plenty of at-bats down the stretch between the DH spot and left field. He's worth a look if somebody dropped him on the waiver wire.

Eduardo Nunez 2B/3B/SS, Yankees (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Nunez hasn't played much since returning from the minors earlier this month, but he's worth keeping an eye on with Derek Jeter nursing a bone bruise in left ankle. Jeter has no plans on sitting down, but perhaps he could see some time at DH in the next few days to get a bit of a rest. Nunez is very shaky defensively, so Yankees manager Joe Girardi may just go with Jayson Nix if he needs temporarily fill-in, but there's no question that he's the better option from a fantasy perspective. Keep him on your watch list at the very least.

 

[HacheMan]

Early 2013 closer forecast

By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

The save can be a fickle, fickle statistic.

That said, it's not a completely unpredictable statistic. Although 19 of the 30 major league closer roles changed hands for a significant spell during the 2012 regular season, you could've successfully navigated the category had you taken the proper approach on draft day. That's what picking closers is all about: Understand how volatile the role is, set your draft-day prices accordingly, and you'll be in fine shape.


To that end, consider the following facts:


• Of the 30 pitchers we projected to lead their respective teams in saves, 20 have done exactly that, leading their teams in saves.


• Of our 15 projected team leaders in saves who were drafted in every ESPN league, 11 have led their teams in saves.


Now, we're not trying to state those facts to toot our own horns about successful projections. After all, included in each of the above groups is the Milwaukee Brewers' John Axford, who despite 28 saves has a ghastly 4.62 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, considerably higher than our 3.09/1.23 preseason projections. We're stretching the facts a bit, understanding that in standard ESPN leagues, it's saves that you want. Plus, we, and every fantasy owner, are going to get some preseason closer valuations wrong each year. For instance, consider these facts:

• Of the 23 pitchers we projected to save 30 or more games, only seven either have or are on pace to save at least that many.


• The truth is that only 12 of the 30 closers in baseball, or 40 percent, could truly have been termed "successful" draft selections.


It's fortunate, therefore, that fantasy owners are getting smarter when it comes to navigating the saves market. Some of it is predictable; some of it clearly is not. Go back to the preseason: Only six closers were selected, on average, among the first 100 picks in drafts and only 14 within the top 150. In 2011, seven closers went among the top 100 and 17 among the top 150. Let's not forget, too, that at the time we drafted this preseason, we had just witnessed one of the greatest all-time seasons by a closer when Craig Kimbrel saved 46 games with 127 strikeouts.


Kudos, fantasy owners, kudos. Now retain that lesson as you prepare for 2013.



To get you started, let's play the prediction game -- while still keeping an eye on the final days of 2012 -- and examine the 2013 landscapes of each of the 30 major league bullpens. Picked for each team is: A "2013 Projected Closer," the definition of which is somewhat obvious, although I'll stress that it doesn't necessarily mean the Opening Day closer but rather one likely to be in that role the majority of next season. A "2013 Sleeper," which doesn't always mean the top handcuff choice but perhaps a pitcher with the skills to rise from nowhere and thrive in the ninth inning (à la Addison Reed this year). Finally, a "Rest of 2012" pick, for those of you still in tight late-season races. Both the projected 2013 closer and rest-of-2012 picks are graded, to provide a sense of their expected value.



TOP 50 RELIEF PITCHERS FOR 2013

Note: Tristan H. Cockcroft's top 50 relief pitchers are ranked for their expected performance only for 2013. Teams are current teams, not projected teams, and "2012 P.R." refers to the pitcher's ranking on our Player Rater among relief-eligible pitchers.
<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> 2012
P.R. </center></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Aroldis Chapman, Cin </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;"> Craig Kimbrel, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Kenley Jansen, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jason Motte, StL </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 6 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathan Papelbon, 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;"> Ernesto Frieri, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Addison Reed, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> J.J. Putz, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 22 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jim Johnson, Bal </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 7 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joel Hanrahan, Pit </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 12 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 11 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joe Nathan, Tex </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;"> Drew Storen, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 167 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Huston Street, SD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Mariano Rivera, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 166 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 15 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Fernando Rodney, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 2 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 16 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Greg Holland, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 17 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Soriano, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 10 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 18 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Andrew Bailey, Bos </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 225 </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"> 18 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 20 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Rafael Betancourt, Col </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;"> Casey Janssen, Tor </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;"> Jose Valverde, Det </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 23 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> John Axford, Mil </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 24 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Heath Bell, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 147 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 25 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tyler Clippard, Wsh </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 13 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sean Marshall, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Robertson, NYY </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 100 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 28 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Joakim Soria, KC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Carlos Marmol, ChC </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 81 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 30 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Vinnie Pestano, Cle </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 31 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Grant Balfour, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 26 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brian Wilson, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 324 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 33 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> David Hernandez, Ari </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 32 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brandon League, LAD </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 123 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 35 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Luke Gregerson, SD </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;"> Sergio Santos, Tor </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 326 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 37 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Steve Cishek, Mia </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonathan Broxton, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 29 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 39 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Sergio Romo, SF </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 27 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 40 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Tom Wilhelmsen, Sea </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 14 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 41 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jordan Walden, LAA </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 193 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 42 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Madson, Cin </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> NR </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 43 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Wilton Lopez, Hou </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 38 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 44 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Alexi Ogando, Tex </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 61 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 45 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Jonny Venters, Atl </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 178 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 46 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Ryan Cook, Oak </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 21 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 47 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Brett Myers, CWS </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 67 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 48 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Bobby Parnell, NYM </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 96 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 49 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Wade Davis, TB </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 53 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 50 </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;"> Glen Perkins, Min </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> 34 </td></tr></tbody></table>




Arizona Diamondbacks: In two seasons for the Diamondbacks, J.J. Putz has converted 74 of 83 save chances (89.2 percent conversion rate) with a 2.63 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, and he has made only one disabled-list stint of 25 days (July 1-26, 2011). Although primary setup man David Hernandez has excelled as well during that time, converting 14 saves and 45 holds in 68 opportunities (86.8 percent conversion rate) with a 2.95 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, could it be any clearer that the Diamondbacks should and will exercise the $6.5 million option on Putz's contract? Hernandez is also signed for an affordable price through 2014, $3.25 million combined, so this bullpen might again look as rock-solid as it did in 2012. And Hernandez should remain one of the better handcuffs in the game.
2013 Projected Closer: Putz -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Evan Marshall. Rest of 2012: Putz -- A.


Atlanta Braves: Kimbrel enjoyed the greatest rookie season by any closer in history in 2011, so what did he do for a follow-up? Simple: He got even better, with seasonal paces of 40 saves and 111 strikeouts while slashing nearly a run off his already-sparkling ERA -- it's at 1.18 this season. Perhaps most importantly, however, the Braves have been smarter with Kimbrel's workload during his sophomore season, as he's pacing for 60 games and 60 1/3 innings, 19 and 16 2/3 fewer than he had in 2011. That provides all the more reason for him to remain a candidate for No. 1 at his position again in 2013.
2013 Projected Closer: Kimbrel -- A. 2013 Sleeper: Jonny Venters. Rest of 2012: Kimbrel -- A.


Baltimore Orioles: To think, at this time one year ago, the Orioles were seriously considering converting Jim Johnson into a starter. Today, he is tied for the major league lead in saves (42). Johnson might not be your prototypical flame-throwing closer, but his heavy sinker makes him low-risk, and there's no doubt that his arsenal might play well as a starting pitcher if the Orioles dabble with a role change come spring training. Considering he's up for a hefty raise via arbitration, Johnson could conceivably be asked to do that as a method of maximizing his value. Still, without evidence of that, he's as smart a choice to close again as they come.
2013 Projected Closer: Johnson -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Pedro Strop. Rest of 2012: Johnson -- A.


Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox haven't had many bright spots this season, and trading 2012 breakout performer Josh Reddick for Andrew Bailey, who missed the team's first 116 games after thumb surgery, certainly wasn't one of them. But Bailey has pitched well in 11 appearances since activation, nine of them scoreless, and his ERA is 4.15 and WHIP is 1.27 in those contests. Perhaps this is a bright spot: Bailey's lengthy absence should suppress his arbitration price tag, making him an affordable finisher for 2013. Just hope he can stay healthy, because he has had a hard time doing so throughout his career.
2013 Projected Closer: Bailey -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Junichi Tazawa. Rest of 2012: Bailey -- B.


Chicago Cubs: Carlos Marmol is under contract for 2013 for a virtually unmovable $9.8 million, and considering how much of the budget he eats up, he'll probably again be closing for the team to begin the year. Not that Marmol is anything close to the dominating closer he was two years ago; a carbon copy of his 2012 might be in order. You know the drill: plenty of walks, an ugly stretch of blown saves, perhaps a brief loss of the gig, but at season's end 20-25 saves and approximately 75 strikeouts.
2013 Projected Closer: Marmol -- D. 2013 Sleeper: James Russell. Rest of 2012: Marmol -- D.

Chicago White Sox: Addison Reed, a 23-year-old rookie, has been one of the sleeper saves picks of 2012 that has gone completely right, and there's no reason to think that's going to change in 2013. While his 4.73 ERA might be aggravating, let's not forget the difficulty of a young pitcher breaking in at a home ballpark as homer-friendly as U.S. Cellular Field. He has a 6.22 ERA there, compared to 2.82 on the road, but those should draw closer together and his overall ERA should decline during his sophomore year. Buy Reed as one of the better up-and-coming closers in baseball.
2013 Projected Closer: Addison Reed -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Nate Jones. Rest of 2012: Reed -- C.


Cincinnati Reds: Here's where things get interesting. Loyal "Relief Efforts" readers read my take about Aroldis Chapman's 2013 in last week's edition, but to summarize, I believe the Reds will dabble with him as a starter during spring training, if only because that's the decision that makes the most sense when attempting to maximize his value. If the Reds keep Chapman in the bullpen, he's the obvious choice to close. But if he starts, as I project, who closes? Sean Marshall, who in February signed a three-year, $16.5 million extension through 2015 and who since June 1 has a 2.17 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 16 holds? He'd make the most sense, but I see the Reds, managed by Dusty Baker, seeking a more "experienced" closer. Hence …
2013 Projected Closer: Jose Valverde. 2013 Sleeper: Jose Arredondo. Rest of 2012: Chapman -- B.


Cleveland Indians: You'd think a team with a 35-save, 3.62-ERA, 1.07-WHIP closer, and one aged 27 and still under team control for three more seasons wouldn't remotely consider a change at closer. But in the case of Chris Perez, he's far from a lock to be back. He'll be due a hefty raise via arbitration, and he has been outspoken about his displeasure with management. On a team that probably won't be a prime playoff contender, he's an obvious candidate to be shopped … and I say he'll be shopped with a successful result. After all, the Indians wouldn't be any worse off with Vinnie Pestano, who made tremendous strides against left-handed hitters as a sophomore, as their closer.
2013 Projected Closer: Pestano -- C. 2013 Sleeper: Cody Allen. Rest of 2012: Perez -- B.


Colorado Rockies: This one is fairly straightforward, as the incumbent, Rafael Betancourt, has an affordable $4.25 million salary for 2013 and should again serve as a productive bridge to the team's closer of the future, Rex Brothers. That's assuming Brothers ever realizes his potential; he has averaged more than five walks per nine innings this season and doesn't appear ready.
2013 Projected Closer: Betancourt -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Brothers. Rest of 2012: Betancourt -- B.

Detroit Tigers: Jose Valverde's contract expires this winter, and while he provided plenty of value for the $23 million they invested in him these past three seasons, it's time for the team to move on. The Tigers have a few in-house options who could vie for saves: Joaquin Benoit, Al Alburquerque and Brayan Villarreal immediately stand out. But as this is a team that should again fancy itself a contender, and one that has never been afraid to open its wallet, a free-agent pickup makes a lot of sense. My guess: Rafael Soriano opts out of his contract with the New York Yankees and darts for a payday in Detroit.
2013 Projected Closer: Soriano -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Bruce Rondon. Rest of 2012: Valverde -- B.


Houston Astros: Does a team unlikely to win more than 70 games need a closer of significance? The Astros' moves since the conclusion of the season provide their answer: Between Dec. 1, 2011, and the July 31, 2012, trade deadline, the Astros traded the players responsible for 44 of their 45 saves from the beginning of 2011 through the 2012 trade deadline. Xavier Cedeno (June 18, 2012) is the only one remaining. Wilton Lopez, who has four saves since Aug. 1, might return initially in the role, being that his first year of arbitration eligibility shouldn't lead to an unmanageable salary. But this bullpen might be up for grabs all year … and fantasy owners might not need to care.
2013 Projected Closer: Lopez -- D. 2013 Sleeper: Kevin Chapman. Rest of 2012: Lopez -- D.


Kansas City Royals: Depending upon how Joakim Soria recovers from April 3 Tommy John surgery, as well as whether the team decides to exercise his $8 million team option, the Royals might have an intriguing little spring battle for saves, what with Greg Holland faring so well in the closer role since Aug. 1. This team has a deep bullpen, and if its cards fall right, it could be a borderline contender in the American League Central come 2013. My guess is that Holland gets the ninth and Soria is working his way back on an incentive-laden contract elsewhere.
2013 Projected Closer: Greg Holland -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Aaron Crow. Rest of 2012: Holland -- B.


Los Angeles Angels: Can Ernesto Frieri continue the magic for another season? Even if he can't, former closer Jordan Walden seems to be on the right track for a turnaround, with a 2.70 ERA and 10 K's in 6 2/3 innings since his return. The Angels should have two young, affordable options, perhaps setting up one of the spring's more compelling position battles.
2013 Projected Closer: Frieri -- A. 2013 Sleeper: Garrett Richards. Rest of 2012: Frieri -- A.


Los Angeles Dodgers: Let's hope Kenley Jansen's heart condition turns out not to be a long-term issue, both personally for his health and for fantasy because of how electric a closer he can be. To put his potential into statistical perspective, he has a 14.61 career K/9 ratio, which is the second-highest rate in history among pitchers with at least 100 career innings. This is the kind of pitcher who makes the rare case for retaining in a keeper league, one who would by all rights be a top-five pick at his position if healthy. I choose to be optimistic about his chances.
2013 Projected Closer: Jansen -- A. 2013 Sleeper: Ronald Belisario. Rest of 2012: Brandon League -- C.


Miami Marlins: Surely the Marlins cannot turn back to Heath Bell, one of their big winter signings, again next season, can they? Believe it. Eighteen million -- that's the amount remaining on his contract through 2014 -- goes a long way toward molding organizational decisions, especially when it's being paid to a reliever who has a 3.63 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 9.27 K/9 and 3.29 K/BB ratio in 25 appearances since the All-Star break. Bell's contract is an albatross, but it also gives him an excellent chance of wresting the role back from Steve Cishek come spring training.
2013 Projected Closer: Bell -- C. 2013 Sleeper: A.J. Ramos. Rest of 2012: Cishek -- C.

Milwaukee Brewers: John Axford might be arbitration-eligible this winter, but considering he earned only $525,000 this season, has only three years' experience as a closer and will be 30 years old next April 1, perhaps his price tag won't skyrocket to the point that the Brewers would seek to trade him. You can be sure, however, that they will not re-sign Francisco Rodriguez, meaning some freed up cash to perhaps bring in more viable setup insurance. You'll see my pick in the "Sleeper" section …
2013 Projected Closer: Axford -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Mike Adams. Rest of 2012: Axford -- C.


Minnesota Twins: Although Glen Perkins has done an adequate job closing games for the Twins, with seven saves and a 1.59 ERA since the All-Star break, I can't see the Twins choosing to enter another season with merely him as their finisher. After all, Jared Burton's occasional save opportunities hint that manager Ron Gardenhire prefers a right-hander to close, given the choice. So who might come cheaply and could fit here?
2013 Projected Closer: Brandon League -- C. 2013 Sleeper: Perkins. Rest of 2012: Perkins -- C.


New York Mets: Now how do you think the Mets feel about tacking on a second year, at $6.5 million at that, to Frank Francisco's deal? The Mets sought to replicate the Toronto Blue Jays' 2011 bullpen when comprising theirs for 2012, and so far they've gotten largely the same results the Blue Jays did: Francisco and Jon Rauch combined have 26 saves and a 4.14 ERA for them, whereas in 2011 they had 28 saves and a 4.21 ERA combined. Rauch's contract will come off the books, and while "future closer" Bobby Parnell might again join the mix, it's possible the Mets might open up their wallet and add a low-priced candidate, be it by trade or free agency.
2013 Projected Closer: Chris Perez -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Parnell. Rest of 2012: Francisco -- D.

New York Yankees: Mariano Rivera will be back. You can count on that. When he tore his ACL in May, he admitted almost immediately afterward that he wasn't retiring, ending weeks of speculation to the contrary, and whispers even began circulating that he might attempt a late-season recovery this year. Rivera doesn't want to go out this way, so expect him back on an incentive-laden deal for 2013. The better question: Will he be the Rivera of old? He'll be 43 years old come Opening Day, and no pitcher in the history of baseball has saved more than 15 games in a season at that age or older. But if anyone can do it, it's Rivera. What I'll say is that next season will be one season in which a handcuff would be mandatory, but even that's difficult to gauge, being that Rafael Soriano has an opt-out clause on his contract this winter. It might be a pitcher not currently in the organization -- Joakim Soria?
2013 Projected Closer: Rivera -- C. 2013 Sleeper: David Robertson. Rest of 2012: Soriano -- A.


Oakland Athletics: They've had two fantasy-worthy closers this season, Grant Balfour and Ryan Cook, and might by all rights have the same two to begin 2013. Balfour, after all, has an affordable, $4.5 million team option, and Cook will be in only his second full season, at low cost. This is a brilliant combination as the team attempts to set Cook up as its 2014 finisher; Balfour might not cede the job all next year, but these would be smart pitchers to handcuff.
2013 Projected Closer: Balfour -- C. 2013 Sleeper: Cook. Rest of 2012: Balfour -- B.


Philadelphia Phillies: Jonathan Papelbon will be beginning the second season of his four-year, $50 million contract, and the first year has gone reasonably well considering the early-season struggles of his team. He's on pace for the second-most saves (38) and third-best strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio (11.24) of his career, and he has a 89.2 percent save conversion rate. That contract gives him a long leash, and it's not like the Phillies have significant competition on the horizon. Their middle-relief corps has been a mess all summer, with only recent surges by Josh Lindblom and Phillippe Aumont warranting our attention. Expect this team to add a setup man, though probably not one who would be a significant threat for saves.
2013 Projected Closer: Papelbon -- A. 2013 Sleeper: Aumont. Rest of 2012: Papelbon -- A.


Pittsburgh Pirates: Would the Pirates consider trading their closer, Joel Hanrahan? Don't be shocked if they do. He makes $4.1 million this season and, as the closer with the third-most saves since the beginning of 2011 (74), might double that salary through arbitration. Still, this Pirates team is now a legitimate, on-the-rise contender, and a lockdown closer like Hanrahan might yet remain in the plans, even if it requires the Pirates to sink $8 million-plus in a relief pitcher.
2013 Projected Closer: Hanrahan -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Jason Grilli. Rest of 2012: Hanrahan -- B.


San Diego Padres: The Padres penned a surprising script change at the trade deadline this season, signing Huston Street to a two-year, $14 million extension (plus a $7 million option for 2015), assuring that he'll be back as their closer to begin 2013. But considering Street's injury history -- he has six career disabled list stints, including one in each of the past three seasons -- his handcuff is a discussion of note. To settle that, how about some more stability in San Diego? Luke Gregerson, the Padres' current Street stand-in, shouldn't see his salary rise through arbitration to the point where their new management would trade him.
2013 Projected Closer: Street -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Brad Boxberger. Rest of 2012: Gregerson -- C.

San Francisco Giants: Brian Wilson had his second career Tommy John surgery on April 19, making his 2013 outlook entirely uncertain. He should be ready on or near Opening Day, but will he be close to the pitcher he was in 2010-11? The Giants might prepare for the year as though he'll contribute while adding another low-priced arm to the stable that includes Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Santiago Casilla but might lose Jeremy Affeldt to free agency. This might be a bullpen that has three or more pitchers save five or more games, every one of the individuals fantasy-worthy during his time in the role. Let's take a guess at a prospective free-agent candidate: Jonathan Broxton.
2013 Projected Closer: Wilson -- C. 2013 Sleeper: Heath Hembree. Rest of 2012: Lopez -- C, Romo -- D.


Seattle Mariners: Let's first state that Tom Wilhelmsen, barring the team making a winter free-agent acquisition, likely will be the Mariners' closer next Opening Day. The question here, however, is will he be in the role come season's end … or let's say even by May? Nothing against Wilhelmsen's skills, but rookie Stephen Pryor has that prototypical look of a closer: He's got a high-90s fastball, a slider that needs some refinement, but also a 3.48 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 13.06 K/9 ratio since his call-up in early August. Some of these calls need be bold; I see the Mariners as a bullpen that could be in flux in 2013. In a situation like that, give me the flame-throwing youngster, if we're speculating seven months ahead.
2013 Projected Closer: Pryor -- D. 2013 Sleeper: Carter Capps. Rest of 2012: Wilhelmsen -- C.


St. Louis Cardinals: To think, a few short seasons ago, Jason Motte was a pitcher with one pitch, a fastball as straight as an arrow. He has improved himself by leaps and bounds since; the addition of a slider/cutter to handle left-handed hitters making the difference. He's still relatively young (30), and his salary, while due to rise in arbitration, should remain manageable (it's $1.95 million this season). Expect more of the same in 2013.
2013 Projected Closer: Motte -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Edward Mujica. Rest of 2012: Motte -- B.


Tampa Bay Rays: What do the names Rafael Soriano, Danys Baez, Troy Percival, Al Reyes, Lance Carter and Kyle Farnsworth have in common? Simple: They're the six Rays closers who recorded seasons of 25 saves or more from 2001-11 -- Baez did it twice -- and they paid them roughly $20.3 million combined to do it. Let's face it, Joe Maddon and his coaches are closer wizards, and they'll find another gem on the cheap if they need to. Incumbent Fernando Rodney has an affordable $2.5 million option, so he's the logical choice, but let's remember two things: A) Farnsworth was signed for this year, too, then got hurt. B) This team is one of the few with an extremely intriguing sleeper in former starter Wade Davis, who has a sparkling 0.44 ERA and 12.63 K's-per-nine ratio since the All-Star break.
2013 Projected Closer: Rodney -- C. 2013 Sleeper: Davis. Rest of 2012: Rodney -- A.

Texas Rangers: The incumbent, Joe Nathan, will be 38 years old come Opening Day, but he's under contract for $7 million for 2013 with a $500,000 buyout of a $9 million 2014 option. In other words, Nathan's 32 saves plus his guaranteed salary make this look like an obvious bullpen to project. But is it? The veteran right-hander has appeared in only three non-save chances since Aug. 3, a span of 14 appearances, as the Rangers have remained mostly true to their word that he'd pitch only in save chances. That the team has been so concerned about Nathan's health has me wondering, will his eventual replacement receive an audition next year, be it due to injury to or poor performance by Nathan? The Rangers have a brilliant young arm in Tanner Scheppers (25) and another brilliant arm in the prime of his career in Alexi Ogando (28). Ogando needs more exposure, be it as a starter or closer. Meanwhile, Neftali Feliz (24), whose arsenal might be most suited to close long-term, might make a late-season appearance following recovery from Tommy John surgery. Unfortunately, he might be auditioning for only a 2014 role.
2013 Projected Closer: Nathan -- B. 2013 Sleeper: Scheppers. Rest of 2012: Nathan -- B.


Toronto Blue Jays: Casey Janssen is one of the most underrated relievers in the American League, and his statistics since taking over as Blue Jays closer are outstanding. Since tallying his first save on May 9, he's 20-for-22 in save opportunities with a 1.83 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 5.88 K-to-walk ratio. He's also signed for an entirely affordable $3.9 million, meaning he'd even make sense as a one-year stopgap if the team ultimately views midseason acquisition Steve Delabar its closer of the future.
2013 Projected Closer: Janssen -- C. 2013 Sleeper: Delabar. Rest of 2012: Janssen -- B.

Washington Nationals: Drew Storen's closer career is not finished. In fact, he might be right back in the role come next April, considering that manager Davey Johnson probably just didn't want to alter a bullpen arrangement that was working when he kept Tyler Clippard in the role following Storen's return from elbow surgery. Storen has a 3.05 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 26 games since activation, with comparable velocity to pre-surgery, and a winter's rest might only further help his cause in the health department. Expect him to be given a long look for the role come spring training.
2013 Projected Closer: Drew Storen -- A. 2013 Sleeper: Christian Garcia. Rest of 2012: Clippard -- B.

 

[HacheMan]

Pettitte Prepped For Return
Thursday was a pretty good day for the Yankees. In addition to getting 7 1/3 shutout innings from Phil Hughes to top the Red Sox and keep pace with the upstart Orioles, Andy Pettitte received clearance to return from the disabled list to start Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

Pettitte has been sidelined since June 27 with a fractured left ankle. The 40-year-old southpaw didn't make a rehab start since the minor league season is over, but he declared himself ready to return after throwing 55 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday. He will be limited to around 75 pitches in his first start back, but he currently projects to make four starts -- 9/18 vs. TOR, 9/23 vs. OAK, 9/28 at TOR and 10/3 vs. BOS -- before the end of the regular season.

Pettitte's comeback was off to a great start prior to the injury, as he had a 3.22 ERA and 59/15 K/BB ratio in 58 2/3 innings over nine starts. I'd be hesitant to trust him right out of the gate in fantasy leagues, especially if you are in the middle of the playoffs or are watching your innings pitched limits, but he is absolutely worth stashing in a DL-spot wherever available.

Don't Nap on Napoli

Some fantasy owners will get a nice boost to their lineups this weekend, as Mike Napoli is expected to return from the disabled list after missing a month with a strained left quadriceps muscle.

Napoli is 1-for-6 with a home run over two rehab games with Double-A Frisco this week and hasn't had any setbacks while catching 15 innings. The current plan calls for him to serve as the designated hitter on Friday night before being activated Saturday.

Napoli naturally entered this season with some pretty big expectations after batting .320 with 30 homers and a 1.046 OPS last year, so it's fair to call his .223/.343/.429 batting line and .771 OPS a disappointment, but he's still eighth among all fantasy catchers with 17 homers despite appearing in just 92 games. Granted, seven of those home runs came in April, but he should be able to help in all formats if he's finally feeling healthy.

What's Up With King Felix?

Felix Hernandez's recent funk continued Thursday against the Blue Jays, as he was roughed up for seven runs on 10 hits and a walk over just 4 2/3 innings. The seven earned runs allowed tied a career-high.

Hernandez has now lost three straight starts while allowing 16 runs in 16 innings. Just to put things into perspective, he allowed a total of 16 runs in his previous 13 starts from June 23 to August 27. He has also served up three homers in his past two starts after giving up just two in his previous 16 starts. While King Felix led the American League with a 2.43 ERA at the end of August, it now sits at 2.92 on the year.

Hernandez has thrown a major-league high 212 2/3 innings this season and he also struggled a bit down the stretch last year as his innings mounted, but I'm willing to chalk this up to a blip. Bold statement, I know. But this is King Felix we're talking about here. Don't even think about benching him now. While his case for his second Cy Young Award has clearly taken a hit, fantasy owners have no choice but to start him next Tuesday against the Orioles at Safeco Field and hope for the best.

NL Quick Hits: After telling the Los Angeles Times that he "wasn't asked" about the shutdown of Stephen Strasburg, Dr. Lewis Yocum clarified Thursday afternoon that he was involved in the plan and has maintained dialogue with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and the team's doctors this season … Kenley Jansen (heart) is aiming to return Tuesday … Jed Lowrie delivered a pinch-hit go-ahead two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday night to help end the Phillies' seven-game winning streak … Bud Norris won't start Friday due to a blister on the middle finger of his right hand … Marco Scutaro is interested in returning to the Giants next season … Lance Lynn made a spot-start Thursday against the Dodgers and tossed six innings of one-run ball for his 15th win of the season … The Astros interviewed Nationals third base coach Bo Porter for their manager job on Thursday … Ramon Hernandez tore his left distal hamstring tendon Monday and will undergo season-ending surgery next week … Mat Gamel (knee) will not participate in the Arizona Fall League …

AL Quick Hits: Josh Hamilton got an injection in his left knee on Wednesday night and is expected to return Friday … After an MRI didn't show any structural damage in his shoulder, Adrian Beltre went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored Thursday against the Indians … Edwin Encarnacion hit his 40th home run of the season Thursday … Dustin Pedroia will rejoin the Red Sox this weekend in Toronto following the birth of his child… Jered Weaver (biceps tendinitis) tossed seven shutout innings Thursday in a win over the Athletics … Joe Mauer (back) could return this weekend … Manny Machado delivered a walk-off RBI single in the 14th inning vs. the Rays to clinch the Orioles' first non-losing season since 1997 … Thursday's game between the Tigers and White Sox was postponed due to rain. The teams will play a makeup game Monday at 2:10 p.m. ET … As a result of the rainout, Chris Sale will start Friday against the Twins while Francisco Liriano will be skipped in the rotation. Meanwhile, Justin Verlander will start against the Indians on Friday while Doug Fister's next start will be pushed back to Monday … Yoenis Cespedes left Thursday's game against the Angels with a sprained right wrist and is considered day-to-day … Asdrubal Cabrera is scheduled to have his right wrist examined Friday at Cleveland Clinic … Joe Nathan blew his first save since April 11 on Thursday against the Indians, snapping a streak of 31 straight saves … The White Sox won't rush Adam Dunn (oblique) back into the lineup … Jason Hammel still hopes to return this season after an MRI on Thursday didn't show a new injury with his surgically-repaired right knee … Ryan Doumit is day-to-day with a strained muscle in his rib cage … Mike Olt is expected to miss 10-14 days with plantar fasciitis in his right foot …

 

[HacheMan]

Forecaster: Sept. 17-23

By Tristan H. Cockcroft | ESPN.com

On tap: The head-to-head championships are here, as Week 23 marks the first of two "weeks" -- be aware that Week 24 runs 10 days long (plus any potential Thursday, Oct. 4, real-game tiebreakers) in weekly formats -- that determine the champions in ESPN standard leagues. The stakes are high, just as they are in the real games. Through the games of Sept. 13, all three American League division races have two teams within three games of one another for first place, the AL wild card has five teams within 5 1/2 games (and that's excluding the current division leaders), and the National League wild card -- the Senior Circuit's division races are runaways -- has seven teams within 4 1/2 games of the second spot. Do the math: That means 18 of the 30 major league teams have something to play for, and motivation matters in the fantasy game. It means at-bats, at-bats, innings, innings, for your best players.

Week 23 puts a wrinkle in the AL East race, which through Sept. 13 had the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees in a tie, and the Tampa Bay Rays four games back. Both leaders will be fresh off critical weekend series -- the Orioles spending Sept. 14-16 at Oakland, battling the AL West/wild card-hopeful Oakland Athletics and the Yankees spending those days hosting the Rays. The Orioles complete their West Coast swing, described as a "major test" by many analysts, with a week-opening series at Seattle's Safeco Field, offering up favorable pitching matchups for this red-hot team. The Yankees, meanwhile, host those Athletics for a three-game weekend set, potentially facing three rookie starters: Jarrod Parker (Friday), Dan Straily (Saturday) and A.J. Griffin (Sunday). We know about the Yankees' frequent issues facing pitchers they've rarely seen before; at the same time, we know the pressures a young starter faces pitching at Yankee Stadium. In this instance, all three Athletics rookies will be making their first career appearances there.


The National League, however, is not without its share of excitement. Two of the hotter wild-card combatants, the Milwaukee Brewers (winners of 18 of their past 23 games) and Philadelphia Phillies (winners of 18 of their past 25) will get a crack at some of the higher-ranked teams in the playoff races. The Brewers play three games apiece at Pittsburgh and Washington, while the Phillies host the division rival Atlanta Braves for three during the weekend. Meanwhile, the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers face perhaps their most critical test: They play three road games apiece against the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds, the top two teams in baseball in terms of winning percentage. One plus for the Dodgers, if you're sweating their recent hitting funk: They'll avoid Gio Gonzalez, on an inevitable path to 20-plus wins, during their week-opening series.


ESPN leagues: Week 23



ESPN standard head-to-head leagues pit first-round (Weeks 21-22, Sept. 3-16) winners against each other for their league championships, and if you've advanced this far, congratulations! This is the first week of championship matchups, but the full matchup extends 17 days (plus potentially those aforementioned tiebreakers), concluding on Wednesday, Oct. 3.


A Sept. 13 postponement shifts the finale of the past week's Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox series to Monday, with a 2:10 p.m. ET start time. That pushes the lineup deadline in weekly formats approximately five hours earlier, so plan accordingly. Here are the scheduled 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 9/17</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2:10 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CHW, DET</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Fri 9/21</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2:20 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CHC, STL</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Tue 9/18</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CLE, DET, LAD, MIL, MIN,
NYY, OAK, PIT, TOR, WAS</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Sat 9/22</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CHC, MIL, NYY, OAK,
STL, WAS</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Wed 9/19</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CLE, DET, LAD, MIL, MIN,
NYY, OAK, PIT, TOR, WAS</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Sun 9/23</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">DET, MIN, NYY, OAK</td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Thu 9/20</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">12:05 p.m.</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">CLE, MIN</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 23 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
9/17 </center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Tue
9/18 </center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Wed
9/19 </center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Thu
9/20 </center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Fri
9/21 </center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Sat
9/22 </center></th><th style="width: 14%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Sun
9/23 </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"> @SEA
Gonzalez
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
Chen
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
Saunders
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @BOS
Britton
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @BOS
TBD

P: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @BOS
Gonzalez
(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"> @TB
Cook
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @TB
Doubront
(LHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
Matsuzaka
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
Buchholz
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
Lester
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> BAL
Cook
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> BAL
Doubront
(LHP)
P: 1 </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
Quintana
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @KC
Floyd
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
Sale
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
Liriano
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
Peavy
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @LAA
Quintana
(LHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @LAA
Floyd
(RHP)
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"> MIN
Huff
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
McAllister
(RHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
Kluber
(RHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
Masterson
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
Jimenez
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @KC
Huff
(LHP)
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"> @CHW
Fister
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> OAK
Scherzer
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
Verlander
(RHP)
P: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
Sanchez
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
Porcello
(RHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> MIN
Fister
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> MIN
Scherzer
(RHP)
P: 7 </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"> CHW
Hochevar
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
Mendoza
(RHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
Chen
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CLE
Guthrie
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CLE
Smith
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> CLE
Hochevar
(RHP)
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"> TEX
Santana
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
Weaver
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
Wilson
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
Greinke
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
Haren
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> CHW
Santana
(RHP)
P: 6 </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"> @CLE
Walters
(RHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CLE
Hendriks
(RHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CLE
Vasquez
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
Deduno
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
Diamond
(LHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @DET
Walters
(RHP)
P: 2 </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
Pettitte
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
Hughes
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
Sabathia
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
Nova
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
Kuroda
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> OAK
Pettitte
(LHP)
P: 7 </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"> @DET
Griffin
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
Anderson
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
Milone
(LHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
Parker
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
Straily
(RHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @NYY
Griffin
(RHP)
P: 9 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
Noesi
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
Ramirez
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
Hernandez
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
Iwakuma
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
Vargas
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
Beavan
(RHP)
P: 3 </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
Cobb
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> BOS
Hellickson
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BOS
Price
(LHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BOS
Shields
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
Moore
(LHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> TOR
Cobb
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> TOR
Hellickson
(RHP)
P: 8 </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"> @LAA
Dempster
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
Holland
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
Darvish
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
Feldman
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
Harrison
(LHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @SEA
Dempster
(RHP)
P: 8 </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
Romero
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
Alvarez
(RHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
Laffey
(LHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
Villnueva
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
Morrow
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @TB
Romero
(LHP)
P: 6 </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"> SD
Kennedy
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
Cahill
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
Skaggs
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @COL
Miley
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @COL
Corbin
(LHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @COL
Kennedy
(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"> @MIA
Hudson
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @MIA
Maholm
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @MIA
Medlen
(RHP)
P: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PHI
Hanson
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PHI
Minor
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @PHI
Hudson
(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"> PIT
Wood
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> CIN
Germano
(RHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CIN
Rusin
(LHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CIN
Berken
(RHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> STL
Volstad
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> STL
Wood
(LHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> STL
Germano
(RHP)
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"> @CHC
Leake
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
Bailey
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
Arroyo
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
Cueto
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
Latos
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> LAD
Leake
(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"> @SF
Chacin
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @SF
Francis
(LHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
Chatwood
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
Pomeranz
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ARI
White
(RHP)
P: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> ARI
Chacin
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> ARI
Francis
(LHP)
P: 2 </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;" align="center"> @STL
Abad
(LHP)
P: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @STL
Harrell
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @STL
Norris
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
Gonzalez
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
Keuchel
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
Lyles
(RHP)
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"> @WAS
Harang
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
Beckett
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
Capuano
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CIN
Blanton
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CIN
Kershaw
(LHP)
P: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @CIN
Harang
(RHP)
P: 3 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">

</td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
LeBlanc
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
Eovaldi
(RHP)
P: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
Johnson
(RHP)
P: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
Turner
(RHP)
P: 5 </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></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
Estrada
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PIT
Gallardo
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PIT
Fiers
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
Marcum
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
Peralta
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @WAS
Estrada
(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"> PHI
Dickey
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PHI
Harvey
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PHI
Niese
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIA
Mejia
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIA
Young
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> MIA
Dickey
(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"> @NYM
Lee
(LHP)
P: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
Cloyd
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
Hamels
(LHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
Kendrick
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
Halladay
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> ATL
Lee
(LHP)
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"> @CHC
Correia
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> MIL
Burnett
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
McDonald
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
Locke
(LHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @HOU
W.Rdrguez
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @HOU
Correia
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @HOU
Burnett
(RHP)
P: 6 </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"> HOU
Lohse
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> HOU
Lynn
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> HOU
Kelly
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
Garcia
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
Wainwright
(RHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> @CHC
Lohse
(RHP)
P: 7 </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;" align="center"> @ARI
Stults
(LHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @ARI
Volquez
(RHP)
P: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @ARI
Richard
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
Cashner
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
Kelly
(RHP)
P: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
Werner
(LHP)
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"> COL
Bumgarner
(LHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> COL
Lincecum
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> COL
Cain
(RHP)
P: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> COL
Zito
(LHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
Vogelsong
(RHP)
P: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> SD
Bumgarner
(LHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> SD
Lincecum
(RHP)
P: 8 </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"> LAD
Zimmrmnn
(RHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
Lannan
(LHP)
P: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
Detwiler
(LHP)
P: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
Jackson
(RHP)
P: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
Gonzalez
(LHP)
P: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> MIL
Zimmrmnn
(RHP)
P: 6 </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 from 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst.




Tristan's Week 23 pitcher rankings: Top 75



1. Cliff Lee (PHI) -- Mon-@NYM (Dickey), Sun-ATL (Hudson)
2. R.A. Dickey (NYM) -- Mon-PHI (Lee), Sun-MIA (Nolasco)
3. Clayton Kershaw (LAD) -- Sat-@CIN (Latos)
4. Max Scherzer (DET) -- Tue-OAK (Griffin), Sun-MIN (Walters)
5. Justin Verlander (DET) -- Wed-OAK (Anderson)
6. Ryan Dempster (TEX) -- Tue-@LAA (Santana), Sun-@SEA (Beavan)
7. Gio Gonzalez (WAS) -- Sat-MIL (Peralta)
8. Doug Fister (DET) -- Mon-@CHW (Quintana), Sat-MIN (Diamond)
9. Kris Medlen (ATL) -- Wed-@MIA (Johnson)
10. Madison Bumgarner (SF) -- Mon-COL (Chacin), Sat-SD (Kelly)
11. Cole Hamels (PHI) -- Wed-@NYM (Niese)
12. Jered Weaver (LAA) -- Wed-TEX (Holland)
13. Josh Johnson (MIA) -- Wed-ATL (Medlen)
14. Mat Latos (CIN) -- Sat-LAD (Kershaw)
15. Kyle Lohse (STL) -- Tue-HOU (Abad), Sun-@CHC (Germano)
16. Ian Kennedy (ARI) -- Tue-SD (Stults), Sun-@COL (Francis)
17. Matt Cain (SF) -- Wed-COL (Chatwood)
18. Jeremy Hellickson (TB) -- Tue-BOS (Doubront), Sun-TOR (Romero)
19. Tim Hudson (ATL) -- Mon-@MIA (LeBlanc), Sun-@PHI (Lee)
20. David Price (TB) -- Wed-BOS (Matsuzaka)
21. Tim Lincecum (SF) -- Tue-COL (Francis), Sun-SD (Werner)
22. Roy Halladay (PHI) -- Sat-ATL (Minor)
23. Felix Hernandez (SEA) -- Wed-BAL (Saunders)
24. Zack Greinke (LAA) -- Fri-CHW (Peavy)
25. Jordan Zimmermann (WAS) -- Tue-LAD (Harang), Sun-MIL (Estrada)
26. James Shields (TB) -- Thu-BOS (Buchholz)
27. CC Sabathia (NYY) -- Thu-TOR (Laffey)
28. Marco Estrada (MIL) -- Tue-@PIT (Burnett), Sun-@WAS (Zimmermann)
29. Yu Darvish (TEX) -- Thu-@LAA (Wilson)
30. Johnny Cueto (CIN) -- Fri-LAD (Blanton)
31. A.J. Griffin (OAK) -- Tue-@DET (Scherzer), Sun-@NYY (Pettitte)
32. Ervin Santana (LAA) -- Tue-TEX (Dempster), Sun-CHW (Floyd)
33. A.J. Burnett (PIT) -- Tue-MIL (Estrada), Sun-@HOU (Lyles)
34. Brett Anderson (OAK) -- Wed-@DET (Verlander)
35. Hiroki Kuroda (NYY) -- Sat-OAK (Straily)
36. C.J. Wilson (LAA) -- Thu-TEX (Darvish)
37. Chris Sale (CHW) -- Wed-@KC (Mendoza)
38. Adam Wainwright (STL) -- Sat-@CHC (Wood)
39. Matt Moore (TB) -- Fri-TOR (Villanueva)
40. Yovani Gallardo (MIL) -- Wed-@PIT (McDonald)
41. Dan Haren (LAA) -- Sat-CHW (Quintana)
42. Clay Buchholz (BOS) -- Thu-@TB (Shields)
43. Wandy Rodriguez (PIT) -- Fri-@HOU (Gonzalez)
44. Travis Wood (CHC) -- Mon-PIT (Correia), Sat-STL (Wainwright)
45. Alex Cobb (TB) -- Mon-BOS (Cook), Sat-TOR (Morrow)
46. Brandon Morrow (TOR) -- Sat-@TB (Cobb)
47. Wei-Yin Chen (BAL) -- Tue-@SEA (Ramirez)
48. Trevor Cahill (ARI) -- Wed-SD (Volquez)
49. Jhoulys Chacin (COL) -- Mon-@SF (Bumgarner), Sat-ARI (Corbin)
50. Matt Harrison (TEX) -- Sat-@SEA (Vargas)
51. Ross Detwiler (WAS) -- Thu-LAD (Capuano)
52. Miguel Gonzalez (BAL) -- Mon-@SEA (Noesi), Sun-@BOS (Doubront)
53. Anibal Sanchez (DET) -- Thu-OAK (Milone)
54. Mike Minor (ATL) -- Sat-@PHI (Halladay)
55. Homer Bailey (CIN) -- Wed-@CHC (Rusin)
56. Hisashi Iwakuma (SEA) -- Fri-TEX (Feldman)
57. Mike Fiers (MIL) -- Thu-@PIT (Locke)
58. Phil Hughes (NYY) -- Wed-TOR (Alvarez)
59. Edwin Jackson (WAS) -- Fri-MIL (Marcum)
60. Jake Peavy (CHW) -- Fri-@LAA (Greinke)
61. Derek Holland (TEX) -- Wed-@LAA (Weaver)
62. Jonathon Niese (NYM) -- Wed-PHI (Hamels)
63. Jon Lester (BOS) -- Fri-BAL (Britton)
64. Zach Britton (BAL) -- Fri-@BOS (Lester)
65. Tommy Hanson (ATL) -- Fri-@PHI (Kendrick)
66. Ricky Nolasco (MIA) -- Sun-@NYM (Dickey)
67. Ryan Vogelsong (SF) -- Fri-SD (Cashner)
68. Jarrod Parker (OAK) -- Fri-@NYY (Nova)
69. Mark Buehrle (MIA) -- Sat-@NYM (Young)
70. Carlos Villanueva (TOR) -- Fri-@TB (Moore)
71. Bronson Arroyo (CIN) -- Thu-@CHC (Berken)
72. Kyle Kendrick (PHI) -- Fri-ATL (Hanson)
73. Matt Harvey (NYM) -- Tue-PHI (Cloyd)
74. Jeremy Guthrie (KC) -- Fri-CLE (Masterson)
75. Joe Saunders (BAL) -- Wed-@SEA (Hernandez)



Two-start options for AL-/NL-only leagues:
Kevin Correia (PIT) -- Mon-@CHC (Wood), Sat-@HOU (Keuchel)
Gavin Floyd (CHW) -- Tue-@KC (Hochevar), Sun-@LAA (Santana)
Luke Hochevar (KC) -- Tue-CHW (Floyd), Sun-CLE (Huff)
David Huff (CLE) -- Tue-MIN (Walters), Sun-@KC (Hochevar)
Andy Pettitte (NYY) -- Tue-TOR (Romero), Sun-OAK (Griffin)
Jose Quintana (CHW) -- Mon-DET (Fister), Sat-@LAA (Haren)



"No, thank yous," among two-start pitchers:
Aaron Cook (BOS) -- Mon-@TB (Cobb), Sat-BAL (TBD)
Felix Doubront (BOS) -- Tue-@TB (Hellickson), Sun-BAL (Gonzalez)
Jeff Francis (COL) -- Tue-@SF (Lincecum), Sun-ARI (Kennedy)
Justin Germano (CHC) -- Tue-CIN (Leake), Sun-STL (Lohse)
Aaron Harang (LAD) -- Tue-@WAS (Zimmermann), Sun-@CIN (Leake)
Mike Leake (CIN) -- Tue-@CHC (Germano), Sun-LAD (Harang)
Ricky Romero (TOR) -- Tue-@NYY (Pettitte), Sun-@TB (Hellickson)
P.J. Walters (MIN) -- Tue-@CLE (Huff), Sun-@DET (Scherzer)



Pitching notes



• This could be the week that the San Francisco Giants clinch the National League West -- their magic number to do that was 12 entering play on Sept. 14 -- and they'll be counting upon their pitchers to lead the way. My Baseball Challenge pitching staff pick of Week 23, the Giants play a full seven games, all at home, at an AT&T Park that ranks 29th in terms of runs scored and 30th in home runs on our Park Factor page, four of those against a Colorado Rockies team sporting .238/.288/.370 team rates and a 3.40 runs-per-game average on the road this season, their team OPS in road games 200 points lower than in home games. You could not ask for much better bounce-back matchups for two-start pitchers Madison Bumgarner, who has gone four straight without a quality start, or 2012 disappointment Tim Lincecum, whose 5.09 ERA is sixth-worst among qualifiers. If the Giants' rotation as a whole could be deemed in a funk, and their five quality starts and 5.43 ERA in 11 games so far in September support the claim, this is the ideal matchups set for a rebound. Among other recommended BBC pitching staffs: Philadelphia Phillies (@NYM-3, ATL-3), Detroit Tigers (OAK-3, MIN-3), Baltimore Orioles (@SEA-3, @BOS-3), St. Louis Cardinals (HOU-3, @CHC-3).


The following visiting pitchers are scheduled for starts at Coors Field, No. 1 in runs scored on our Park Factor page and home to the Colorado Rockies, baseball's No. 1 team in terms of runs scored per game and OPS in home games:
• Wade Miley (Friday): Won only career GS at Coors, 7 IP, 2 ER (9/5/11). Had 3 shutout IP in relief at Coors (4/14/12). Sit, except in NL-only formats. He's coming off a poor outing at Petco.
• Patrick Corbin (Saturday): Lost only career GS at Coors, 6 IP, 9 H, 6 ER (5/16/12). Sit. He has one quality start in his past five outings, despite facing mostly soft competition.
• Ian Kennedy (Sunday): 4 career GS at Coors, 2.52 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 3 QS. Start. That's a solid Coors track record, and he has seven quality starts in his past 10 turns to boot.


There are no games scheduled at Petco Park, No. 26 in runs scored on our Park Factor page and home to the San Diego Padres, No. 26 in terms of runs scored per game and No. 27 in terms of OPS in home games.


The following visiting pitchers are scheduled for starts at Safeco Field, No. 30 in runs scored on our Park Factor page and home to the Seattle Mariners, baseball's worst team in terms of runs scored per game and OPS in home games.
• Miguel Gonzalez (Monday): Has never pitched at Safeco. Start. He has quality starts in five of his past seven games, and look at those brutal matchups he overcame to do so.
• Wei-Yin Chen (Tuesday): 1 career GS at Safeco, 7 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 9 K (7/3/12). Start. He's a pretty predictable matchups type, at worst, and this is an obviously favorable matchup.
• Joe Saunders (Wednesday): 8 career GS at Safeco, 2.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 5 QS. Start. Besides that track record, Saunders' repertoire is best suited for a venue like Safeco.
• Scott Feldman (Friday): 9 career G, 3 GS, at Safeco, 4.63 ERA, 1.20 WHIP. Start, though primarily in AL-only leagues. He's generally a quality-start-minimum type.
• Matt Harrison (Saturday): 5-for-5 in QS at Safeco, 0.96 ERA in 7 career G there. Start. Harrison owns the Mariners.
• Ryan Dempster (Sunday): 1 career GS at Safeco, 8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER (6/22/10). Start. He has feasted upon the meaty portion of his schedule, and this one's another gem.


• Only three days after welcoming Ivan Nova back to their rotation, the New York Yankees will restore veteran Andy Pettitte to their starting five Tuesday. In no way, however, should he be regarded a "safe" fantasy play in a home game against the Toronto Blue Jays, being that he'll have gone 82 days between starts due to a fractured bone above his left ankle, not to mention he has thrown only a 55-pitch simulated game on Sept. 12 as a tuneup for his first start back. The Yankees' aim here is to get Nova and Pettitte ready for their playoffs, not yours, so while Pettitte might be able to contribute in larger leagues facing a Blue Jays team averaging 4.27 runs per game with .226/.291/.364 rates and Oakland Athletics team averaging 3.92 runs with .226/.295/.395 rates in the month of September, understand that he might do so in a limited number of innings. And considering win potential is a big part of Pettitte's fantasy game, that's not a good thing.


• R.A. Dickey's quest for a 20-win season finally nets him a two-start week, and his second turn is a particularly outstanding matchup: He's 7-0 with seven quality starts, a 0.71 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in seven starts versus the Miami Marlins since the beginning of 2011. In what has been a breakout season for the knuckleballer, it's nice to see him sustaining a high-level fantasy performance into these waning weeks of the season, the most critical for our purposes.


• Don't cast the Brewers aside so casually; The Phillies might have gotten some attention for their rally back into the wild-card race, but the Brewers deserve equal, if not greater, respect. This is a big week for the Brew Crew, and Marco Estrada, their two-start pitcher, is a critical piece for them. His career prowess against the Pirates (Tuesday), a 1.76 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in seven games (four starts) and the only game he previously pitched at PNC Park a quality start, bodes well, as does the potential motivating factor of facing his former team, the Nationals (Sunday).


• Matt Harvey is expected to make his final start of the season versus the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, and while the Phillies' matchups are promising from a pitching perspective, their hitting isn't quite scary enough to detract from the rookie's matchups appeal. (Think of the Phillies' "favorable" overall schedule as a signal they might play a lot of close, low-scoring games.) Harvey has struck out seven or more hitters in five of his nine starts thus far, and he tossed a quality start on the road against these same Phillies on Aug. 29. Just be prepared to drop him a la Stephen Strasburg in re-draft leagues afterward.


Streamer's delight



Among streaming starters -- something I define as single-start options in daily leagues among pitchers owned in 25 percent of ESPN leagues or fewer -- for Week 23, here are my picks by day. At this critical stage of season, I'm picking two per day, listed in order of preference.


Monday, Sept. 17: Miguel Gonzalez at Seattle Mariners, Travis Wood versus Pittsburgh Pirates
Tuesday, Sept. 18: Marco Estrada at Pittsburgh Pirates, Tyler Cloyd at Houston Astros
Wednesday, Sept. 19: Trevor Cahill versus San Diego Padres, Joe Saunders at Seattle Mariners
Thursday, Sept. 20: Joe Kelly versus Houston Astros, Andrew Cashner at Arizona Diamondbacks
Friday, Sept. 21: Jeremy Guthrie versus Cleveland Indians, Scott Feldman at Seattle Mariners
Saturday, Sept. 22: Alex Cobb versus Toronto Blue Jays, Kevin Correia at Houston Astros
Sunday, Sept. 23: Andy Pettitte versus Oakland Athletics, Marco Estrada at Washington Nationals


Past picks
Friday, Sept. 7: Francisco Liriano -- 5 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Saturday, Sept. 8: Bronson Arroyo -- W, QS, 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Sunday, Sept. 9: Jeremy Guthrie -- QS, 8 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Monday, Sept. 10: Eric Stults -- W, 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Tuesday, Sept. 11: Jhoulys Chacin -- 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Wednesday, Sept. 12: Trevor Cahill -- W, QS, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Thursday, Sept. 13: Lucas Harrell -- 5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K


Week's total: 7 GS, 3 W (42.9%), 3 QS (42.9%), 42 IP, 41 H, 18 ER, 13 BB, 30 K, 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP
Season total: 149 GS, 65 W (43.6%), 77 QS (51.7%), 893 1/3 IP, 871 H, 387 ER, 292 BB, 655 K, 3.90 ERA, 1.30 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
9/17 </center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Tue
9/18 </center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Wed
9/19 </center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Thu
9/20 </center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Fri
9/21 </center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Sat
9/22 </center></th><th style="width: 11%; vertical-align: bottom;"><center> Sun
9/23 </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"> 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: 7
L: 6
R: 6
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
H: 6
L: 8
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
H: 4
L: 4
R: 3
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @BOS
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @BOS
H: 9
L: 10
R: 6
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @BOS
H: 10
L: 5
R: 10
S: 10 </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
2 vs. L
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 4
L: 5
R: 5
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 4
L: 8
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 3
L: 6
R: 1
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 1
L: 1
R: 3
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 3
L: 2
R: 3
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
H: 4
L: 1
R: 6
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
H: 6
L: 4
R: 7
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"> 7 total
1 home
1 vs. L
6 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 7
L: 9
R: 5
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> DET
H: 3
L: 4
R: 1
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
H: 8
L: 10
R: 5
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
H: 9
L: 10
R: 7
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
H: 2
L: 4
R: 1
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
H: 4
L: 3
R: 4
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
H: 5
L: 8
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
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: 9
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
H: 8
L: 7
R: 9
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
H: 10
L: 6
R: 10
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
H: 7
L: 9
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
H: 7
L: 8
R: 6
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
H: 8
L: 10
R: 7
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @KC
H: 8
L: 10
R: 5
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
6 home
4 vs. L
3 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 8
L: 7
R: 8
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHW
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
H: 2
L: 2
R: 1
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
H: 7
L: 8
R: 7
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
H: 5
L: 3
R: 8
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
H: 8
L: 9
R: 8
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIN
H: 9
L: 8
R: 9
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
3 vs. L
3 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
H: 5
L: 7
R: 3
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
H: 3
L: 1
R: 4
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
H: 6
L: 1
R: 8
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CLE
H: 5
L: 8
R: 1
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CLE
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CLE
H: 7
L: 7
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
2 vs. L
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 3
L: 3
R: 4
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
H: 4
L: 4
R: 3
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
H: 5
L: 1
R: 7
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
H: 4
L: 3
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CHW
H: 5
L: 7
R: 3
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: 7
L: 9
R: 6
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CLE
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CLE
H: 10
L: 10
R: 10
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CLE
H: 8
L: 7
R: 9
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
H: 8
L: 10
R: 4
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
H: 2
L: 4
R: 1
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
H: 4
L: 7
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
6 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 6
L: 7
R: 5
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
H: 6
L: 9
R: 4
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
H: 8
L: 10
R: 5
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
H: 8
L: 5
R: 9
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
H: 4
L: 8
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
H: 6
L: 5
R: 7
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> OAK
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
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"> 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: 2
L: 3
R: 4
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @DET
H: 4
L: 7
R: 1
S: 5 </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: 3
R: 6
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
H: 7
L: 6
R: 8
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
H: 4
L: 5
R: 3
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
H: 4
L: 1
R: 6
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
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: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
H: 5
L: 3
R: 6
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BAL
H: 6
L: 1
R: 8
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
H: 7
L: 5
R: 9
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
H: 5
L: 3
R: 5
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TEX
H: 4
L: 4
R: 3
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
7 home
2 vs. L
5 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 8
L: 8
R: 7
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BOS
H: 8
L: 10
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BOS
H: 10
L: 4
R: 10
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BOS
H: 6
L: 10
R: 1
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> BOS
H: 3
L: 2
R: 4
S: 9 </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: 4
L: 2
R: 7
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> TOR
H: 5
L: 8
R: 3
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
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 1
L: 3
R: 2
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
H: 5
L: 8
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @LAA
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 6 </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"> @SEA
H: 3
L: 3
R: 4
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
H: 4
L: 2
R: 5
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SEA
H: 7
L: 7
R: 7
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
3 vs. L
3 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 3
L: 2
R: 4
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
H: 4
L: 1
R: 6
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
H: 5
L: 3
R: 8
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYY
H: 3
L: 1
R: 4
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 5
L: 1
R: 6
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 4
L: 8
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @TB
H: 3
L: 6
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
3 vs. L
3 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 8
L: 5
R: 9
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
H: 3
L: 1
R: 6
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
H: 7
L: 6
R: 7
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
H: 6
L: 2
R: 7
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @COL
H: 10
L: 10
R: 10
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @COL
H: 6
L: 7
R: 5
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @COL
H: 10
L: 6
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
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 3
L: 6
R: 1
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @MIA
H: 7
L: 10
R: 4
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @MIA
H: 9
L: 10
R: 6
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @MIA
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PHI
H: 6
L: 7
R: 4
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PHI
H: 2
L: 4
R: 1
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PHI
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"> 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: 8
L: 8
R: 7
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
H: 7
L: 6
R: 8
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CIN
H: 9
L: 10
R: 9
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CIN
H: 5
L: 4
R: 6
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> CIN
H: 6
L: 10
R: 2
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> STL
H: 6
L: 4
R: 6
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> STL
H: 4
L: 5
R: 2
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> STL
H: 5
L: 6
R: 4
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
2 vs. L
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 9
L: 7
R: 9
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 8
L: 5
R: 9
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 9
L: 7
R: 10
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 9
L: 9
R: 9
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
H: 8
L: 8
R: 8
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
H: 8
L: 8
R: 7
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
4 vs. L
3 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 6
L: 3
R: 8
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 3
L: 4
R: 2
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 6
L: 3
R: 7
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ARI
H: 6
L: 1
R: 8
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ARI
H: 9
L: 8
R: 10
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ARI
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
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
1 vs. L
5 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 5
L: 7
R: 4
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @STL
H: 4
L: 5
R: 3
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @STL
H: 5
L: 9
R: 2
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @STL
H: 6
L: 10
R: 2
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
H: 4
L: 1
R: 4
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
H: 7
L: 5
R: 8
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PIT
H: 6
L: 6
R: 7
S: 10 </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: 4
L: 3
R: 6
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
H: 5
L: 4
R: 5
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
H: 5
L: 2
R: 6
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
H: 3
L: 1
R: 5
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CIN
H: 3
L: 4
R: 2
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CIN
H: 2
L: 2
R: 3
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CIN
H: 9
L: 9
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"> 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: 2
L: 3
R: 2
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
H: 2
L: 3
R: 1
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
H: 7
L: 5
R: 8
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
H: 6
L: 3
R: 7
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
H: 5
L: 8
R: 2
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
H: 2
L: 2
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"> 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: 4
L: 5
R: 5
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PIT
H: 6
L: 5
R: 7
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PIT
H: 6
L: 5
R: 7
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @PIT
H: 6
L: 9
R: 5
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
H: 5
L: 6
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
H: 1
L: 1
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @WAS
H: 5
L: 4
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
6 home
3 vs. L
3 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 3
L: 5
R: 3
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PHI
H: 1
L: 2
R: 1
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PHI
H: 7
L: 10
R: 4
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> PHI
H: 2
L: 2
R: 1
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIA
H: 7
L: 6
R: 7
S: 10 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIA
H: 5
L: 4
R: 6
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIA
H: 5
L: 6
R: 4
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
3 home
2 vs. L
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 2
L: 6
R: 1
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
H: 2
L: 2
R: 1
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
H: 5
L: 6
R: 4
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @NYM
H: 5
L: 4
R: 6
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
H: 5
L: 7
R: 3
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
H: 5
L: 10
R: 3
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> ATL
H: 2
L: 3
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
2 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: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
H: 4
L: 5
R: 2
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
H: 4
L: 6
R: 2
S: 5 </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"> @HOU
H: 6
L: 9
R: 4
S: 6 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @HOU
H: 7
L: 5
R: 8
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @HOU
H: 7
L: 6
R: 7
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
2 vs. L
4 vs. R </td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(239, 230, 186);" align="center"> H: 7
L: 7
R: 6
S: 8 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> HOU
H: 10
L: 6
R: 10
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> HOU
H: 3
L: 7
R: 1
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> HOU
H: 5
L: 8
R: 3
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 8
L: 10
R: 5
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @CHC
H: 8
L: 5
R: 9
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: 3
L: 3
R: 5
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @ARI
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 2 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @ARI
H: 3
L: 4
R: 3
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @ARI
H: 7
L: 4
R: 8
S: 1 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 5
L: 5
R: 5
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> @SF
H: 3
L: 4
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"> 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: 10
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> COL
H: 4
L: 5
R: 3
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> COL
H: 9
L: 5
R: 10
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> COL
H: 8
L: 9
R: 7
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> COL
H: 6
L: 1
R: 9
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
H: 4
L: 5
R: 4
S: 9 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
H: 9
L: 10
R: 8
S: 7 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> SD
H: 4
L: 1
R: 5
S: 10 </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: 6
L: 5
R: 6
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
H: 7
L: 8
R: 7
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
H: 5
L: 6
R: 5
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> LAD
H: 6
L: 2
R: 8
S: 3 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
H: 4
L: 3
R: 6
S: 5 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
H: 5
L: 7
R: 5
S: 4 </td><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="center"> MIL
H: 4
L: 5
R: 3
S: 6 </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 as well as 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 from 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst.




Hitting notes



• A full slate of Wrigley Field games is a plus for the Chicago Cubs, as is the fact that they will miss Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto during their three-game series Tuesday-Thursday. Be aware, this is a team with an OPS 54 points higher in home (.709) than road (.655) contests. Anthony Rizzo, injured in a nasty collision in the past week, returned to the lineup on Sept. 14, right in time for a week in which the Cubs will face six right-handed starters. He's a .344/.400/.536 hitter against righties this season, so it's fortuitous timing. David DeJesus also warrants consideration facing such a righty-heavy schedule, being that he's a .297/.373/.465 hitter against that side. In deep NL-only leagues -- stress deeeeeep -- there might even be more opportunity for left-handed hitting Bryan LaHair, a .292/.367/.506 hitter against righties himself.


• Though that lofty Cleveland Indians team hitting rating might not catch many fantasy owners' eyes -- this team isn't chock-full of viable starters -- there's one beneath-the-radar gem who might surprise: Lonnie Chisenhall. The left-handed hitter is a .324/.352/.559 hitter in his 68 at-bats versus right-handers, has started two of four games since returning to the team and the Indians, looking toward 2013, would be well served to take a longer look at him in these concluding weeks.


• How many people have noticed that, through their first 11 games of September, the Giants are batting .292/.344/.444 as a team? Small sample, sure, but that's encouraging nevertheless when describing an offense that routinely is cast aside in fantasy … not to mention lost a key contributor in Melky Cabrera to suspension a few short weeks ago. The Giants sport a few gems who could plug lineup holes in fantasy: Marco Scutaro is a .375/.377/.479 so far in the month (11 games), and Brandon Belt a .343/.378/.600 hitter in his 11 contests. If you play in an uberdeep NL-only league, Xavier Nady's health also bears watching. He has an OPS 240 points higher versus left-handers -- granted that OPS against lefties is merely .672 -- and could sneak in a couple starts if healthy.

 

[HacheMan]

Pettitte Prepped For Return
Thursday was a pretty good day for the Yankees. In addition to getting 7 1/3 shutout innings from Phil Hughes to top the Red Sox and keep pace with the upstart Orioles, Andy Pettitte received clearance to return from the disabled list to start Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

Pettitte has been sidelined since June 27 with a fractured left ankle. The 40-year-old southpaw didn't make a rehab start since the minor league season is over, but he declared himself ready to return after throwing 55 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday. He will be limited to around 75 pitches in his first start back, but he currently projects to make four starts -- 9/18 vs. TOR, 9/23 vs. OAK, 9/28 at TOR and 10/3 vs. BOS -- before the end of the regular season.

Pettitte's comeback was off to a great start prior to the injury, as he had a 3.22 ERA and 59/15 K/BB ratio in 58 2/3 innings over nine starts. I'd be hesitant to trust him right out of the gate in fantasy leagues, especially if you are in the middle of the playoffs or are watching your innings pitched limits, but he is absolutely worth stashing in a DL-spot wherever available.

Don't Nap on Napoli

Some fantasy owners will get a nice boost to their lineups this weekend, as Mike Napoli is expected to return from the disabled list after missing a month with a strained left quadriceps muscle.

Napoli is 1-for-6 with a home run over two rehab games with Double-A Frisco this week and hasn't had any setbacks while catching 15 innings. The current plan calls for him to serve as the designated hitter on Friday night before being activated Saturday.

Napoli naturally entered this season with some pretty big expectations after batting .320 with 30 homers and a 1.046 OPS last year, so it's fair to call his .223/.343/.429 batting line and .771 OPS a disappointment, but he's still eighth among all fantasy catchers with 17 homers despite appearing in just 92 games. Granted, seven of those home runs came in April, but he should be able to help in all formats if he's finally feeling healthy.

What's Up With King Felix?

Felix Hernandez's recent funk continued Thursday against the Blue Jays, as he was roughed up for seven runs on 10 hits and a walk over just 4 2/3 innings. The seven earned runs allowed tied a career-high.

Hernandez has now lost three straight starts while allowing 16 runs in 16 innings. Just to put things into perspective, he allowed a total of 16 runs in his previous 13 starts from June 23 to August 27. He has also served up three homers in his past two starts after giving up just two in his previous 16 starts. While King Felix led the American League with a 2.43 ERA at the end of August, it now sits at 2.92 on the year.

Hernandez has thrown a major-league high 212 2/3 innings this season and he also struggled a bit down the stretch last year as his innings mounted, but I'm willing to chalk this up to a blip. Bold statement, I know. But this is King Felix we're talking about here. Don't even think about benching him now. While his case for his second Cy Young Award has clearly taken a hit, fantasy owners have no choice but to start him next Tuesday against the Orioles at Safeco Field and hope for the best.

NL Quick Hits: After telling the Los Angeles Times that he "wasn't asked" about the shutdown of Stephen Strasburg, Dr. Lewis Yocum clarified Thursday afternoon that he was involved in the plan and has maintained dialogue with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and the team's doctors this season … Kenley Jansen (heart) is aiming to return Tuesday … Jed Lowrie delivered a pinch-hit go-ahead two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday night to help end the Phillies' seven-game winning streak … Bud Norris won't start Friday due to a blister on the middle finger of his right hand … Marco Scutaro is interested in returning to the Giants next season … Lance Lynn made a spot-start Thursday against the Dodgers and tossed six innings of one-run ball for his 15th win of the season … The Astros interviewed Nationals third base coach Bo Porter for their manager job on Thursday … Ramon Hernandez tore his left distal hamstring tendon Monday and will undergo season-ending surgery next week … Mat Gamel (knee) will not participate in the Arizona Fall League …

AL Quick Hits: Josh Hamilton got an injection in his left knee on Wednesday night and is expected to return Friday … After an MRI didn't show any structural damage in his shoulder, Adrian Beltre went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored Thursday against the Indians … Edwin Encarnacion hit his 40th home run of the season Thursday … Dustin Pedroia will rejoin the Red Sox this weekend in Toronto following the birth of his child… Jered Weaver (biceps tendinitis) tossed seven shutout innings Thursday in a win over the Athletics … Joe Mauer (back) could return this weekend … Manny Machado delivered a walk-off RBI single in the 14th inning vs. the Rays to clinch the Orioles' first non-losing season since 1997 … Thursday's game between the Tigers and White Sox was postponed due to rain. The teams will play a makeup game Monday at 2:10 p.m. ET … As a result of the rainout, Chris Sale will start Friday against the Twins while Francisco Liriano will be skipped in the rotation. Meanwhile, Justin Verlander will start against the Indians on Friday while Doug Fister's next start will be pushed back to Monday … Yoenis Cespedes left Thursday's game against the Angels with a sprained right wrist and is considered day-to-day … Asdrubal Cabrera is scheduled to have his right wrist examined Friday at Cleveland Clinic … Joe Nathan blew his first save since April 11 on Thursday against the Indians, snapping a streak of 31 straight saves … The White Sox won't rush Adam Dunn (oblique) back into the lineup … Jason Hammel still hopes to return this season after an MRI on Thursday didn't show a new injury with his surgically-repaired right knee … Ryan Doumit is day-to-day with a strained muscle in his rib cage … Mike Olt is expected to miss 10-14 days with plantar fasciitis in his right foot …

 

[HacheMan]

Picking Up The Slack Seeing Stephen Strasburg listed among two-start pitchers has been an exciting occurrence for fantasy owners this year, but sadly we won't find his name again now that the phenom has been shut down by Washington.

Fortunately, the Nationals have a strong remaining group to fall back on. John Lannan has taken Strasburg's place in the rotation and he performed well in his return. He's listed as a streamer suggestion below. Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler have obviously been very good. And then there's Jordan Zimmermann, next week's two-start pitcher for the Nats.

Zimmermann's overall numbers this year are very good: 3.01 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 137/37 K/BB ratio in 176 2/3 innings. Yet, he's looked more human since the All-Star break, with a 3.66 ERA after finishing the first half with an incredible 2.61 mark. Only two of Zim's eight starts since the beginning of August have been quality. He's given up five homers in his last five starts, which is the same number he had allowed in 14 previous starts.

This isn't meant to diminish the right-hander, who remains an integral cog in Washington's rotation and a recommended option with home starts against the Dodgers and Brewers this week. But with Strasburg gone, the Nationals will need Zimmermann to once again find that next level.

Going Twice…

American League

Strong Plays

Ryan Dempster: @LAA (Santana), @SEA (Millwood)
Jeremy Hellickson: BOS (Doubront), TOR (Romero)
A.J. Griffin: @DET (Scherzer), @NYY (Pettitte)
Max Scherzer: OAK (Griffin), MIN (Walters)

Decent Plays

Alex Cobb: BOS (Cook), TOR (Morrow)
Andy Pettitte: TOR (Romero), OAK (Griffin)
Ervin Santana: TEX (Dempster), CWS (Floyd)
Miguel Gonzalez: @SEA (Noesi), @BOS (Doubront)

At Your Own Risk

Ricky Romero: @NYY (Pettitte), @TB (Hellickson)
P.J. Walters: @CLE (Gomez), @DET (Scherzer)
Luke Hochevar: CWS (Floyd), CLE (Gomez)
Gavin Floyd: @KC (Hochevar), @LAA (Santana)
Jeanmar Gomez: MIN (Walters), @KC (Hochevar)
Felix Doubront: @TB (Hellickson), BAL (Gonzalez)
Aaron Cook: @TB (Cobb), BAL (Tillman)

National League

Strong Plays

Jordan Zimmermann: LAD (Harang), MIL (Estrada)
Kyle Lohse: HOU (Lyles), @CHC (Wood)
Madison Bumgarner: COL (Chacin), SD (Kelly)
A.J. Burnett: MIL (Estrada), @HOU (Keuchel)
R.A. Dickey: PHI (Lee), MIA (Nolasco)
Cliff Lee: @NYM (Dickey), ATL (Hudson)
Marco Estrada: @PIT (Burnett), @WAS (Zimmermann)

Decent Plays

Tim Lincecum: COL (Francis), SD (Werner)
Kevin Correia: @CHC (Germano), @HOU (Gonzalez)
Aaron Harang: @WAS (Zimmermann), @CIN (Leake)
Jhoulys Chacin: @SF (Bumgarner), ARI (Corbin)
Travis Wood: CIN (Leake), STL (Lohse)
Tim Hudson: @MIA (LeBlanc), @PHI (Lee)
Ian Kennedy: SD (Volquez), @COL (Francis)

At Your Own Risk

Jeff Francis: @SF (Lincecum), ARI (Kennedy)
Mike Leake: @CHC (Wood), LAD (Harang)
Justin Germano: PIT (Correia), STL (Wainwright)
<!--RW-->
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, 9/19: Joe Saunders @ SEA
Saunders has fared well in his past couple starts against good offenses, so he'll look to carry it forward against a bad one in Seattle.

Thursday, 9/20: Corey Kluber vs. MIN
Over his past five starts, the rookie has posted a 3.51 ERA and 23-to-6 K/BB ratio in 25 2/3 innings.

Friday, 9/21: Samuel Deduno @ DET
Deduno has turned in five quality starts in his past six outings and his control problems actually seem to be dissipating.

National League

Tuesday, 9/18: Tyler Cloyd @ NYM
The rookie has been impressive in early action for the Phillies, showing good strikeout stuff.

Wednesday, 9/19: John Lannan vs. LAD
Lannan has some big shoes to fill in the Nats rotation. He got off to a good start with five scoreless frames against the Mets this past week.

Thursday, 9/20: Tyler Skaggs vs. SD
The uber-talented 21-year-old should have no trouble overpowering San Diego's feeble lineup.

Total Games

American League

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

National League

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

Lefty/Righty Breakdowns

American League

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

National League

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

Jason Hammel: Out indefinitely (knee)
Nick Markakis: Out for the season (thumb)
Ryan Raburn: Out until late September (thumb)
Adam Kennedy: Out for the season (groin)
Cole De Vries: Out for the season (ribs)
Lance Berkman: Out for the season (knee)
J.A. Happ: Out for the season (foot)

 

[HacheMan]

.J. Ups the Ante B.J. Upton blasting away highlights this week’s edition.

Before jumping into the baseball news, I just wanted to make sure you all know to tune into Colton and the Wolfman Tuesdays from 11pm-1am eastern on SiriusXM (Sirius 210, XM 87). A full rundown of week 2 in fantasy football, a look forward to week 3, some real and fantasy pennant race analysis and more.

Ok, now back to current business . . . .

B.J. Upton: B.J. Upton went yard again last night to help the Rays beat the Yanks (sigh!) Just like last year, Upton’s year-long stats while solid, are well below the awesome talent he possesses -- .250 with 23 homers, 68 RBI and 30 stolen bases. However, also like last year, he has been a monster in September. Over the last 10 games, Upton has gone yard 7 times. Will he ever have that monster .290 40/40 season of which he is capable? Probably not. Is he capable of putting your fantasy team on his back and carrying you to a title? Yes! If you are in contention, call the B.J. Upton owner in your league, carp about his low average and get a guy that could make the difference.

Carlos Gonzalez: Carlos Gonzalez continues to have a very, very good year. Last night, he went 4-5 with 2 swipes, to raise his average to .310 and guaranteed himself another 20-20 season. Cargo is one of the best players in baseball -- real or fantasy. Get him for this year, next year or for any time in this decade. 5 category veterans who are only 26 are a true rare commodity. Start with confidence in your head to head playoffs this week and draft with confidence in 2013.

Jason Bourgeios: Jason Bourgeois has finally returned from the minors and could be a huge factor in fantasy pennant races. Last night, Jason had a very good night, going 2-3 with a run scored, RBI and two stolen bases. Lorenzo Cain is done for the year and Bourgeios will play, run and run a lot. Last year, he stole 31 bases in just 93 games. So, in the remaining 20, he could easily steal 7 or 8 -- a huge addition to the often tightly contested stolen base category.

C.C. Sabathia: CC Sabathia was mediocre again last night, giving up 4 runs in 6 2/3 innings. While CC has not been what the Yankees have hoped this September -- a solid and reliable ace -- he has not been nearly as bad for roto purposes as many people think. In 5 starts since returning from the DL, CC has a 3.93 ERA and 1.34 WHIP -- hardly all-star stats but still helpful to deep league roto staffs. My hunch is CC’s elbow is much worse than he is letting on. However, I have learned not to bet against him. Buy if you need to make a move in the final 20 games.

Jacob Turner: Jacob Turner showed why he is one of the most highly touted young hurlers in the game by holding the Reds to two hits and no runs over 7 innings. Over the last two weeks, Turner has a 1.38 ERA and a ridiculous 0.69 WHIP. When you get to your draft table next year, remember the strong finish and pitcher’s park in which he will pitch. For this year, he is a must start against the Mets when you set your fantasy lineup.

Phil Hughes: Phil Hughes, a frequent subject of criticism by this author for losing focus and hanging curves at bad times, deserves kudos for his stellar outing Thursday in which he held the Red Sox to five hits and a walk over 7 1/3 shutout innings. Oh and he struck out 7. The bottom line here is that while Hughes still worries me in big games, he has been really good roto-wise over the last three months -- 11-7 with a 3.24 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a better than 3/1 K/BB ratio. Buy in roto, worry in big pennant race game.

Chris Carpenter: In an inspiring story, Chris Carpenter is scheduled to make it all the way back from thoracic outlet syndrome and pitch for the Cards next week. While it is hard to predict success right away, many have lost betting against Carpenter. The big roto opportunity here is in keeper leagues. Grab Carp cheap this September and you might have an ace cheap for 2013. No sure thing, but certainly worth the small investment.

I laid out 5 rules for fantasy football drafts in last week’s column. This week, a few rules of thumb for dealing with week 1 events:

1. Don’t panic. Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady are still fantasy studs. A low scoring game or two does not change that. Don’t make a panic move you will regret.

2. Don’t violate Rule number 1.

3. Mediocre players don’t become stars in just one week. Alfred Morris and Kevin Ogletree had great games. They may yet produce this whole year. However, Morris is not all of a sudden Emmitt Smith and Ogletree is not Jerry Rice. Do not go out and trade a big name proven player on the strength of one good game.

4. Don’t violated Rule number 3.

5. Study, study, study. Make sure you know who is hurt and won’t play, who is hurting and will be less likely to play well, whether there is going to be a big storm during a particular game to make passing more difficult, etc. Everyone makes mistakes, just don’t make the avoidable ones.

I am going to stop here and turn it over to the Carlton the Doorman of Fantasy Sports -- Schultz says: “Schultz is back to the third person and going rogue this week (even if he did almost call it going rouge, which would have likely entertained our Canadian football fans/readers to no end). Schultz wagers that many rotisserie baseball players are also purveyors of the football variation of the fantasy pastime and thus this information may come in handy to your other related endeavors. Schultz couldn't help noticing that this year, like every year, football pundits have predetermined the entire year based upon a single week. After this one week, Schultz saw that the 49ers were destined for the Super Bowl, the Packers, especially their defense, are flailing in despair, the Ravens are unbeatable, Brandon Weeden is irredeemable as a starting quarterback, Cam Newton was a freshman flash in the pan and the Bears juggernaut need to be broken up. Schultz cautions everyone to remember that most football pundits, especially the roto-brand, are hysterical, superlative-obsessed and (here comes the shocker) not always correct.

While some of the things that can be discerned from Week 1 may pan out, for the most part, it's just too small of a sample size. Just look at last Thursday's game. Apparently, Brandon Marshall isn't going to be spectacular every game. Seemingly, the reports on the Packers' defensive demise were premature. Randall Cobb? Not going to be the next Roger Craig. Cedric Benson? Not going to be the Bears version of Cedric Benson. Ever since Bill Belichick (recently elevated to the most hated Cleveland football figure alive after many years as a distant second) showed the success of the art of deception (and videotaping the opposition), what happened one week either serves as a symptom that needs correcting or a smoke screen for the next. The failure to run Cedric Benson in a loss in week 1 only highlighted the fact that the Packers needed to run him more in week 2. Surely the Bears were ready for the Randall Cobb series of backfield plays, so they disappear from the playbook. Keep this in mind throughout the season. When one of your regulars has a bad week, it's unlikely the start of a trend. More likely, it means a big week could be upcoming as defensive coordinators will focus elsewhere and offensive coordinators will strive to "include them in the offense."

Remember, the key for fantasy football owners is to think like a closer (see, Schultz brought this back to baseball) and have a short memory. Don't let one bad outing ruin your planning for the next.”

Response: Great stuff from Schultzie. I do not read his section until I complete mine. So, it scares me a bit that we preach the same thing for fantasy football. Yes, I believe in the don’t overreact to week one plan but it still scares me to think like Schultz. [Yeah, I am messing with him, but hey, it's my column!]

Final Note: I want to repeat this final note from last week: “Last week I wrote this plea “Jason Garrett -- please do not forget about the run Wednesday night!” Jason uncharacteristically stuck with the run and the Boys are 1-0! Nice work. Stick to the plan and keep on chugging!”

 

[HacheMan]

Surprises/disappointments: RPs

By Todd Zola | Mastersball.com

So how'd that Alfredo Aceves deal work out for you? Did you really think this was the season Huston Street would stay healthy? Maybe you "played it safe" and drafted Mr. Reliable, Mariano Rivera.

Ah, closers, the bane of fantasy baseball's existence. Hero one day, goat the next. Yet there might be more fantasy analysis bandwidth dedicated to saves than every other stat combined.


By now, you know this common recommendation: Wait on closers. Heck, some are even proponents of punting saves altogether. Truth be told, all advice, not just that concerning closers, is completely contextual. There is no one-size-fits-all stratagem, regardless of the topic. It all depends on your league format, number of teams and scoring system, not to mention the league dynamics and your personal strengths and weaknesses as an evaluator. It's just that saves are such a specialized position that they garner more attention.


Today, saves are going under the microscope in an effort to get a leg up on the competition for next season, laying the groundwork for you to formulate the most efficient means of attacking the category next spring. I'll start by taking a peak at saves in the League of Alternative Baseball Reality and Tout Wars, look at reliever skills and unveil some data that some owners might not even realize exists, data that could go against what is conventionally accepted in the sabermetric community. Those revelations will be applied to upper-tier closers to demonstrate how the top guys do more than just get saves. Finally, I'll dissect a few surprisingly effective closers and talk about their chances of success in 2013, along with analyzing some disappointing relievers to determine whether 2013 could be a bounce-back campaign.



<offer></offer>How do league leaders fare in saves?





As a means to demonstrate just how varied the approaches can be, here is a glance at where the competing teams are situated in saves in the industry's two showcase leagues: LABR and Tout Wars. Where the team stands in the league is in the column heading with the placement in saves listed in each column.



<table><thead><tr><th> League </th><th> 1st place </th><th> 2nd place </th><th> 3rd place </th><th> 4th place </th><th> 5th place </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td> LABR: 12-team American League </td><td> 9th </td><td> 3rd </td><td> 5th </td><td> 7th </td><td> 12th </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> LABR: 13-team National League </td><td> 7th </td><td> 4th </td><td>5th (tie)</td><td>5th (tie)</td><td> 2nd </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> LABR: 15-team Mixed </td><td> 8th </td><td> 7th </td><td>5th (tie)</td><td> 2nd </td><td> 13th </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Tout Wars: 12-team AL</td><td> 2nd </td><td> 11th </td><td> 8th </td><td> 10th </td><td> 3rd </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Tout Wars: 13-team NL</td><td> 1st </td><td> 3rd </td><td> 12th </td><td> 2nd </td><td> 4th </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Tout Wars: 15-team Mixed </td><td> 1st </td><td> 9th </td><td> 15th </td><td> 9th </td><td> 4th </td></tr></tbody></table>




It is interesting to note that the league leaders fare higher in the category in Tout Wars. This is likely due to Tout Wars scheduling their auctions about a week before the season, while LABR auctions about a month before Opening Day. This speaks toward the specific league dynamics, as more is known about the identity of the team's closers during the Tout Wars proceedings.


That said, the real tangible point is that there is no singular strategy that works or does not work. As is usually the case, any strategy can work if you select the right players, though the better fantasy gamer usually chooses the strategy with the best odds of being successful.



Skills: Starting pitchers versus relievers





Below is a table displaying the standard pitching skills. Expected Earned Run Average (xERA) is determined using the Gill and Reeve formula ((0.575 * H/9) + (0.94 * HR/9) + (0.28 * BB/9) - (0.01 * K/9) - Normalizing Factor). The data is current through Sept. 15.



<table><thead><tr><th> 2012 </th><th> BABIP </th><th> K/9 </th><th> BB/9 </th><th> HR/9 </th><th> H/9 </th><th> ERA </th><th> xERA </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Starter </td><td> .298 </td><td> 7.13 </td><td> 2.84 </td><td> 1.09 </td><td> 9.00 </td><td> 4.22 </td><td> 4.16 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Reliever </td><td> .294 </td><td> 8.36 </td><td> 3.46 </td><td> 0.90 </td><td> 8.22 </td><td> 3.64 </td><td> 3.68 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Save Situation </td><td> .280 </td><td> 9.10 </td><td> 3.26 </td><td> 0.79 </td><td> 7.41 </td><td> 3.18 </td><td> 3.05 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Get a Save </td><td> .218 </td><td> 9.68 </td><td> 2.16 </td><td> 0.24 </td><td> 4.86 </td><td> 0.85 </td><td> 0.75 </td></tr></tbody></table>





<table><thead><tr><th> 2011 </th><th> BABIP </th><th> K/9 </th><th> BB/9 </th><th> HR/9 </th><th> H/9 </th><th> ERA </th><th> xERA </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Starter </td><td> .296 </td><td> 6.75 </td><td> 2.85 </td><td> 0.98 </td><td> 8.99 </td><td> 4.06 </td><td> 4.06 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Reliever </td><td> .291 </td><td> 7.91 </td><td> 3.63 </td><td> 0.85 </td><td> 8.21 </td><td> 3.69 </td><td> 3.69 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Save Situation </td><td> .288 </td><td> 8.65 </td><td> 3.34 </td><td> 0.81 </td><td> 7.78 </td><td> 3.43 </td><td> 3.31 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Get a Save </td><td> .220 </td><td> 9.18 </td><td> 2.27 </td><td> 0.29 </td><td> 5.08 </td><td> 1.01 </td><td> 0.97 </td></tr></tbody></table>





<table><thead><tr><th> 2010 </th><th> BABIP </th><th> K/9 </th><th> BB/9 </th><th> HR/9 </th><th> H/9 </th><th> ERA </th><th> xERA </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Starter </td><td> .297 </td><td> 6.77 </td><td> 3.06 </td><td> 0.99 </td><td> 9.00 </td><td> 4.15 </td><td> 4.12 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Reliever </td><td> .298 </td><td> 7.87 </td><td> 3.73 </td><td> 0.90 </td><td> 8.52 </td><td> 3.93 </td><td> 3.94 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Save Situation </td><td> .292 </td><td> 8.76 </td><td> 3.48 </td><td> 0.82 </td><td> 7.91 </td><td> 3.51 </td><td> 3.44 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Get a Save </td><td> .229 </td><td> 10.45 </td><td> 2.64 </td><td> 0.35 </td><td> 5.73 </td><td> 1.08 </td><td> 1.49 </td></tr></tbody></table>




The first thing to note is that all three seasons follow the same trend, so to facilitate this discussion, I will focus on the present campaign. As the data becomes more specialized, the involved skills improve quite significantly. Intuitively, it makes sense that the superior skills will be present when a save is registered, yet it's also true that the best closers comprise this subset.


The real noteworthy aspect is how BABIP drops as the reliever becomes more skilled. This is the part that could rile the sabermetric community, as it has been drummed into our heads that a pitcher exerts limited control over whether a batted ball in play leads to an out or a hit. As the data shows, it's clear that the better relievers exhibit a larger measure of control over their hit rate as compared to the better starters, and this is not a random or sample-size anomaly. This will be relevant when deciding if a pitcher's performance is repeatable. I contend that a better-than-league-average BABIP should be expected from the elite closers, so when you see a reliever sporting what is perceived to be a normal BABIP, it's actually high compared to others at his position.


The xERA is included to show that the extremely low ERAs sported by the elite closers are a result of their elite skills and not some other element of fate. The take-home lesson is if the skills are repeatable, then the ERA is also repeatable and not subject to regression, as other analysts will suggest.


While this is more a topic for another day, it's worth noting that my contention isn't that the elite relievers are better pitchers than the upper-echelon starters, rather that it's completely situational. Their raw skills, when normalized per nine innings, are superior to that of the best starters. But the dynamics of working one inning versus six or more are completely different. The most important aspect of this data is that it's perfectly acceptable to expect a lower-than-league-average BABIP from elite relievers.



A pair with mad skills





This segues into looking at a couple of relievers who some feel deserve NL Cy Young consideration: Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel. Here are their numbers in 2012:



<table><thead><tr><th> Pitcher </th><th> BABIP </th><th> K/9 </th><th> BB/9 </th><th> HR/9 </th><th> H/9 </th><th> ERA </th><th> xERA </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Craig Kimbrel </td><td> .247 </td><td> 16.92 </td><td> 2.28 </td><td> 0.49 </td><td> 3.74 </td><td> 1.14 </td><td> 0.31 </td></tr><tr class="last"><td> Aroldis Chapman </td><td> .261 </td><td> 15.83 </td><td> 2.66 </td><td> 0.53 </td><td> 4.52 </td><td>1.60</td><td> 0.92 </td></tr></tbody></table>




Folks, that's just off-the-charts sick. To fan that many batters with such exceptional walk rates is amazing. There's no doubt that, barring injury, Kimbrel will be the Opening Day closer for the Atlanta Braves next season, while there is still some question as to whether Chapman continues to anchor the Cincinnati Reds' bullpen or if they convert him back into being a starter.


To expect either to repeat these metrics is unfair, especially the walk rate, considering this is the first season that either pitcher has posted a mark that low. It's also good practice to count on some regression with respect to the other skills, so let's be conservative and assume they drop some in strikeouts with a few more hits falling in, leading to the following profile:



<table><thead><tr><th> Pitcher </th><th> K/9 </th><th> BB/9 </th><th> HR/9 </th><th> H/9 </th><th> xERA </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="last"><td> Kimbrel/Chapman </td><td> 14.00 </td><td> 3.50 </td><td> 0.60 </td><td> 5.00 </td><td> 1.51 </td></tr></tbody></table>




This incorporates some significant regression across the board, and it still should result in a sub-2.00 ERA. Granted, the only pitcher who has proved capable of maintaining this level of performance for an extended period of time is Mariano Rivera, but the metrics, especially the strikeout rates enjoyed by Kimbrel and Chapman, are historically excellent. Still, my guess is that next season's projected ERA for this duo will be a little closer to 2.00 than the above 1.51 mark.

To give an idea of just how helpful numbers of this magnitude are, if you replace a closer such as, say, Joel Hanrahan, Jonathan Papelbon or Chris Perez with Kimbrel or Chapman, depending on where you are in the standings, you can amass anywhere from three to six more rotisserie points in ERA, WHIP and K's.


Don't interpret this as a plea to draft a closer early. The purpose, rather, is to demonstrate just how valuable a closer of this nature can be and suggest that it's not crazy to anticipate Kimbrel, Chapman or even a healthy Kenley Jansen to approach this level next season. Choosing whether to invest is still contextual.



On three, everyone yell "Surprise!"





The primary reason many pundits implore fantasy owners to shun saves early in a draft or not to pay for them in an auction is the emergence of several surprise closers during the season. Here's a review of a few examples that have graced fantasy rosters this summer. That said, keep in mind that for every name on this list, there are many more failed closers, such as Rafael Dolis, Ryan Cook, Henry Rodriguez, Dale Thayer and Jim Henderson. While the success of the players below might lead you to believe you can easily pick up saves during the season, there's no guarantee you will choose wisely.

Fernando Rodney, Tampa Bay Rays: Yikes, where in the name of Kyle Farnsworth did this come from? How can a guy who walked 28 batters in 32 frames last season issue half that through 68 innings in 2012? Even throwing out last season, it's hard to believe Rodney would cut his career 4.5 BB/9 rate all the way to 1.9. Other than throwing a few more two-seamers, Rodney's pitch selection and velocity have been the same as before. He has just exhibited immaculate control.


Chances are, if you are in a keeper league, you have him dirt cheap and are therefore debating whether to freeze him for next season. The Rays have a $2.5 million club option on him for next season, so there's a good chance he'll be back in Tampa. While his 9.00 K/9 is nice, it's not exceptional, and I'm suspect about his chances of matching this season's low walk rate. My inclination would be to deal him to someone who believes his 2012 gains are sustainable.

Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles: The knock on Johnson entering the season was that his low strikeout rate would render him susceptible to the occasional blowup, and if a couple of these occur in close proximity, his job could be in jeopardy. Great control would help mitigate this from happening, but that didn't keep the Orioles from acquiring former Rockies fireballer Matt Lindstrom in February, whetting the appetite of those who believe strikeouts are the key to closing games. Forty-three saves later, Johnson is firmly entrenched in the role.


But here's the thing: Baltimore has played, and won, an inordinate number of close games in 2012. The Orioles are 18 games over .500 but have managed to score 20 fewer runs than they have allowed. Their record in one-run games is an extremely lucky 23-8, which is the impetus for Johnson's high saves total.


This is not to say Johnson has not pitched well; it's just that he has been afforded a lucky number of opportunities. Even though lesser teams still get saves, there is little doubt Johnson's total has been buoyed by this wave of Lady Luck that has engulfed the Orioles in 2012. Don't draft him for his 2012 saves total next spring unless you get a discount. Johnson is still a guy who relies on guile and control and is therefore a candidate to struggle.

Ernesto Frieri, Los Angeles Angels: Acquired by the Angels from the Padres in early May, Frieri didn't take long to attain a piece of the closer gig. While the Halos still play the matchups with their closers, the hard-throwing Frieri is the head of the committee. Since leaving San Diego, Frieri has ratcheted his strikeouts to near Kimbrel/Chapman levels, but his BB/9 rate is nearly double that of the dynamic duo. Frieri could pull a Rodney and drop the walks, but there's just as good a chance the whiffs fall back. The other problem with Frieri is he is a fly ball pitcher and is thus prone to the long ball. Even if he is awarded the job next spring, Frieri carries too much risk to invest top dollar on him, despite an attractive strikeout rate. He is the kind of guy I like to use to gauge the closer market rather than supplying my staff with saves.

Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals: If you played in a league in which solid middle relievers are useful, Clippard's 2012 success is no surprise, at least in terms of effectiveness. The surprise could be the Nationals sacrificing his ability to throw multiple innings leading to the ninth. But with the injury to Drew Storen and the ineffectiveness of Henry Rodriguez, the surprising NL East leaders had no choice but to hand the reins to their skilled setup man, and he has not disappointed.


What keeps Clippard from being elite is his inconsistent control. Like Frieri, he is a fly ball pitcher, but he has not been burned by the long ball nearly as much. Clippard's track record is more impressive than any of the examples thus far. If I had him at a price of a solid setup man in a keeper league, I would seriously consider keeping him, figuring at worse I break even with an excellent chance of getting some saves, especially if Clippard excels in the playoffs. On the other hand, I would be wary of paying a full closer price for him in 2013. The track record for his skills is solid, but that does not always translate into success as a closer.

Tom Wilhelmsen, Seattle Mariners: After bouts of injury woes and ineffectiveness, Brandon League ceded the Mariners' closing duties to Wilhelmsen. For a stretch, it was assumed the M's would give the gig back to League once he was healthy in order to build up his trade value, but the team did the right thing and kept the better option in the role. Wilhelmsen has the classic closer profile, fanning 9.8 batters per nine innings while walking a respectable 3.5 per nine.


There could be some owners who are slightly concerned that he is a bit older than many first-year closers (turning 29 in December), but this is not that unusual for a closer and should not detract you from having him firmly on your radar next spring. Wilhelmsen is likely going to get a bad team discount, but he has a good chance at getting 30 saves this season, providing another example that losing teams can still provide ample save opportunities.



What happened?





Those preaching to wait on saves have their fair share of exhibits to state their case, as there were, as always, a plethora of disappointments this season. Here's a look at a few:

Heath Bell, Miami Marlins: If I had a nickel for every time someone wrote, "The Marlins have 27 million reasons to keep Bell in the closer role" or something to that effect. ... Truth be told, I contributed a few dollars' worth myself, as I just did not believe Miami would make Bell a setup guy.


For a while, I and the others were spot on. After early struggles, Bell was stripped of his closer duties in late May, only to be given the job back almost immediately. At this point, his owners looked like geniuses, as Bell went on a tear, but by mid-July, the wildness had returned, and Steve Cishek wrested the job from Bell. It's worth noting, though, that since then, Bell has sported a respectable 3.33 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. More importantly, his 8.5 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 are promising. How or where is unclear, but if Bell is again given a chance to close, he could be worth a roll of the dice.

John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers: This year, Axford's entrance music could be Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side." Axford has reversed a three-year trend of a declining walk rate in a big way; his BB/9 has ballooned to 5.34, up from a fine 3.05 mark last season. His approach is the same; he is just missing his spots. Axford was relieved of his closing responsibility earlier this season, only to get the job back after none of his replacements could get anyone out either. While it's true he has not blown a save since Aug. 10, converting 11 saves over a 14-inning stretch, he has walked an unsightly 11 batters in this span. In other words, Axford is still wild; he has just been lucky not to blow any saves. If a fellow owner looks at his recent success in terms of conversions and wants to pay full price for him next spring, let them. Axford does not have a sufficient track record to assume the walks will again drop to 2011 levels.

Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers: While few figured Valverde would repeat his perfect 49-for-49 saves effort in 2011, Valverde's 2012 campaign still is disappointing for those who paid top dollar or invested a high draft pick in him. Most notable is his drop in K/9 rate, which is down to a mark (6.4) well below league average. Valverde has shaved a few walks off his ledger, but the lower whiff rate has hurt the strikeout column and affected his ERA.


Valverde likely will finish somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 saves, which is what can reasonably be expected from any full-time closer. But his weak peripherals hurt the other categories. The real question is what 2013 will bring. Valverde will be 35 next Opening Day and has been a workhorse of a closer, throwing more pitches than most. I am taking the drop in K's as a bad sign and will avoid Papa Grande next season.

Jonny Venters, Braves: Venters makes the disappointing list as a setup man because the extent of his slide has been monumental. Venters' peripheral numbers were expected to be in the Kimbrel/Chapman territory, which means other than contributing in saves, he would boost a staff several roto points. He went for low-double digit dollars in many NL-only auctions before the season and was one of only a handful of nonclosing relievers taken in mixed leagues. He was at the head of the list of those owners who favor the all-reliever strategy. Long story short, that hasn't worked out.


Venters has been victimized by some exceptionally poor luck on batted balls, especially grounders, hiding the fact that his ground ball rate is higher than normal. In addition, 27.3 percent of the fly balls he has issued have cleared the fences. Think about that: One out of every four fly balls he has given up has left the park. That's just ridiculous. Venters does not allow many balls to be lofted, but that's often what leads to his success, including a paucity of home runs allowed.


But here's a good sign: Since July 4, Venters has not allowed any long balls. His strikeouts are down a bit, as he is sporting a pedestrian (for him) 20/11 K/BB split in 20 1/3 innings since Independence Day. But he also was dealing with an elbow injury - including a DL stint in July because of it - which likely influenced his performance.


If you were looking to add Venters this season, he should be on your radar again next season. The good thing is you're going to get him at a discount. The bad thing is that he is not likely to amass the innings totals he reached in 2010 and 2011, tempering the potential impact his ratios and strikeouts offer.

 

[HacheMan]

Carpenter cleared for take off
Chris Carpenter has been given clearance, and will make his 2012 season debut when he takes on the Cubs on Friday.



Carpenter has missed the entire season with thoracic outlet syndrome, but has made remarkably quick progress in his recovery to get to this point. He threw a pain-free 95-pitch simulated game on Saturday and experienced no abnormal pain afterwards.



Assuming that the Cardinals stick with a five man rotation, Carpenter would get three starts before the end of the regular season. After his debut against the Cubs, he would take on the Astros in Houston on September 26 and then battle the Reds at home on October 2.



After having Tommy John surgery in 2008, Carpenter returned stronger than ever to post a 2.24 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 144/38 K/BB ratio in 192 2/3 innings in 2009. He has shown the ability to come back strong off of serious injuries and long layoffs in the past, and should be owned and active in all formats.



When healthy, he’s always shown the ability to be an elite starter. He draws a favorable schedule for his three starts, and with his extremely competitive nature you know he’ll be giving it his all every time out. He’s a much better option than most waiver wire options at this point of the season, and could be a true difference maker down the stretch.





McDonald booted from Pirates rotation



Wow, how the mighty have fallen. Heading into the All-Star break, James McDonald was one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball, posting a 9-3 record, 2.37 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 100/31 K/BB ratio over 110 innings of work.



Since that point, he’s been absolutely dreadful over 12 starts, going 3-5 with a horrifying 7.08 ERA, 1.74 WHIP and 51/37 K/BB ratio in 61 innings.



His inability to command the strike zone, decline in velocity and propensity to serve up the long ball (13 in the second half vs. 7 before the break) are all very troubling signs. McDonald is unlikely to make another start in the Buccos’ rotation this season, and will attempt to work out his flaws in the bullpen.



Still only 27-years-old, there’s plenty of time for him to right the ship and get his career back on track, but it’s been a terribly frustrating season for the hard-throwing right-hander.





The time is now for Martin Perez



The Rangers have officially announced that 21-year-old left-hander Martin Perez will replace Scott Feldman in the rotation for the remainder of the season.



It comes as no major surprise that Feldman was given the boot, as he posted a 6.99 ERA over his last seven starts. Perez is extremely highly thought of within the organization though, and has done a nice job in his first taste of big league competition.



Through 29 1/3 innings on the season (three starts, six relief appearances), he’s more than held his own with a 3.38 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 18/11 K/BB ratio. He does have some command issues, but there is also strong strikeout potential to be had here.



He’ll make his first start on Friday against the Mariners in Seatt
le, which would also line him up to pitch twice more this season at home and on the road vs. the Athletics. He’s well worth the gamble in mixed leagues.





National League Quick Hits: Jorge De La Rosa is expected to return from the DL and rejoin the Rockies rotation this week… Corey Hart could receive a pain-killing injection for his ailing left foot after an attempt at running Sunday didn’t go well… Troy Tulowitzki (groin) is aiming to return to the Rockies lineup for the final week of the season… Angel Pagan left Sunday’s game with a lower back injury, but it’s not believed to be serious… Shelby Miller earned his first career victory, tossing a scoreless inning of relief against the Dodgers… Though he is improving, the Reds are still unsure when Zack Cozart (oblique) will be able to return to the lineup… Kyle McPherson will make his first MLB start on Wednesday against the Brewers, taking James McDonald’s spot in the rotation… Yonder Alonso went 4-for-5 with a game-winning single against the Rockies, and is hitting .289 with five homers and 31 RBI since the All-Star break… Josh Reutledge blasted his first career grand slam in a loss to the Padres… Ryan Vogelsong was hammered again in a loss to the Diamondbacks and has compiled an abysmal 10.31 ERA over his last seven starts… Justin Upton homered for a second straight game, but still has only 15 bombs and 62 RBI in a disappointing season… Pedro Alvarez homered twice and plated five in a loss to the Cubs. He now has 29 homers and 80 RBI on the year… Anthony Rizzo smashed a pair of homers, and is hitting a stellar .300/.352/.491 with 14 homers and 43 RBI through his first 72 games… Ryan Braun swatted his NL-leading 39^th and 40^th homers in a victory over the Mets… Wily Peralta was outstanding, tossing eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball while fanning five in a victory over the Mets… Chase Headley continues to amaze, smashing his 28^th homer of the season and driving home his 104^th run… Gio Gonzalez was denied his 20^th victory of the season in Sunday’s loss to the Braves… Jonathan Broxton recorded his 25^th save, and second as a member of the Reds, in an extra-inning victory over the Marlins.





American League Quick Hits: The Royals recalled pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi from Triple-A after he posted a 3.03 ERA and 135/50 K/BB ratio in 145 1/3 innings over two minor league levels this season… Alex Avila left Sunday’s contest with an injured jaw and is considered day-to-day… Austin Jackson was scratched from Sunday’s lineup with an ankle injury, but is expected to rejoin the lineup on Monday… Edwin Encarnacion was scratched from the Jays lineup on Saturday due to a sore right big toe… Jim Thome is scheduled to play in a simulated game on Monday, and hopes to return to the O’s as a part-time DH before the end of the week… Chris Archer will start for the Rays on Wednesday against the Red Sox… Matt Harrison earned his 17^th victory, allowing only one run over 8 2/3 innings against the Mariners… Matt Wieters launched a pair of homers in a win over the Athletics, giving him 21 on the season… Lonnie Chisenhall delivered a walk-off RBI single to beat Jose Valverde and the Tigers on Sunday… Miguel Cabrera blasted a three-run homer in a critical loss to the Tribe… Joe Mauer launched a solo homer in his return to the Twins lineup… Dayan Viciedo homered and drove home three, helping to lead the White Sox to a three-game sweep of the Twins… Mark Trumbo snapped an 18-game homerless drought with a three-run shot against the Royals… Matt Moore was hammered to the tune of five runs on three hits in three innings in a losing effort against the Yankees… Brandon Morrow tossed six shutout innings in a win over the Red Sox… Chris Tillman will rejoin the Orioles rotation to take on the Mariners in Seattle on Monday… Jose Valverde picked up his first blown save since July 14 in a crucial loss to the Indians on Sunday… Adam Dunn belted his 39^th home run of the season in a win over the Twins… Jim Johnson matched Fernando Rodney with his MLB-leading 43^rd save… With Ernesto Frieri unavailable, Kevin Jepsen recorded his second save of the season… Hiroki Kuroda struck out 10 and earned his 14^th victory in a win over the Rays.

 

[HacheMan]

Feeling Blue

The Dodgers are fighting for their playoff lives, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that they’ll have to do battle without their ace.



And, not only could Clayton Kershaw be lost for this season, but surgery on his right hip would likely knock him out for the first month and a half of the 2013 campaign, as well, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.



Kershaw has been scratched from two of his last three starts and has yet to report any improvement with his ailing hip. His fate will be decided on Tuesday after he receives a second opinion from Dr. Bryan Kelly on in New York. Manager Don Mattingly said that if there’s any chance the left-hander can do further damage to his hip by pitching, he will not return this year.



It wouldn’t be the first (or second) season-ending injury to a member of the Dodgers’ rotation, as Chad Billingsley (elbow) and Ted Lilly (shoulder) have already gone down. Mattingly said over the weekend that he would consider Josh Beckett his No. 1 starter in Kershaw goes on the shelf. Stephen Fife is currently occupying Kershaw's spot in the rotation.



Rangers Extend Lewis



Colby Lewis’ season ended in July after he underwent surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow, but his tenure with the Rangers isn’t over just yet.



Texas re-upped with the pending free agent Monday, signing him to a one-year, $2 million contract extension, with an additional $4 million potential available in incentives. The right-hander's rehab is expected to keep him out until around midseason next year.



Because of the injury and subsequent surgery, Lewis missed out on what surely would have been a big free agent payday. The 33-year-old will now hope to pitch well in the second half next season before trying to strike it rich that winter.



De La Rosa Finally Set to Debut



It might be coming months after the Rockies wanted, but Jorge De La Rosa is finally set to make his 2012 debut.

Coming back from Tommy John surgery, De La Rosa was originally supposed to rejoin the Rockies’ rotation in late May or early June. However, he had to be shut down from his rehab assignment upon developing tightness in his left forearm, as well as fluid buildup in his elbow. He resumed the assignment earlier this month and is now all systems go, as he'll get the ball Thursday against the Giants.

If De La Rosa can pitch well over the final couple weeks, it would be an encouraging development for a Rockies rotation that’s been woeful this season. Alex White has been bumped to the bullpen to accommodate the left-hander.









National League Quick Hits: Cliff Lee tossed eight innings of one-run ball while striking out 10 in Monday’s win over the Mets. The left-hander has been nearly unhittable over his last seven starts, putting up a 1.63 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 54 strikeouts over 49 2/3 innings ... Carlos Gonzalez didn’t start Monday’s game against the Giants after exiting Sunday’s contest with a strained hamstring. He was able to pinch-hit, though, and shouldn’t be out of the lineup long ... Giancarlo Stanton sat out Monday’s game with soreness in his side. It doesn’t sound like an oblique injury, as Stanton expects to return to the lineup Tuesday or Wednesday ... Brian McCann (hamstring) could also return to the lineup Tuesday. The Braves’ backstop hasn’t played since Saturday due to tendinitis in his hamstring ... Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro isn’t ruling out the possibility of Chase Utley playing some third base before the end of the season. Utley has been taking pre-game grounders there regularly over the past few weeks. The Phils could move him there next year and install Freddy Galvis at second base.



American League Quick Hits: Alex Avila experienced headaches during batting practice Monday. He passed a concussion test following Sunday’s collision with first baseman Prince Fielder, but it’s possible he could wind up missing a few games ... Evan Longoria didn’t play Monday due to “heavy legs.” He’s expected back in the lineup Tuesday ... Joe Nathan is expected to be available to pitch Tuesday. The Rangers’ closer was held out of action over the weekend while going through a “dead arm” phase ... Matt Capps will begin facing batters this week. He could rejoin the Twins’ bullpen for their final series of the season ... Wilson Betemit will not need surgery on his right wrist and will receive a cortisone shot soon. It’s not likely that he’ll return this season, though the Orioles haven’t ruled out the possibility ... The O’s aren’t ruling out Jason Hammel’s (knee) return, either. However, they admit that he’ll be taking his rehab slowly, and he’s obviously running out of time.​