With Wakefield headed to the DL with a bad back (can’t he throw his knuckleball while sitting down?), Clay Buchholz will step into the Sawx rotation. In 99 innings of Triple-A, Buchholz had a line of 2.36/.98 and 89 Ks. His walks were down this year in the minors, though he did walk 3 in his only major league start this year vs.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Fantasy Baseball Daily Notes
Carlos Quentin returned to play yesterday after taking a two month sabbatical for a foot thingiemaboo-boo. So he DH’d right? Nuh-uh. Oh, Jim Thome? Nope, Ozzie Guillen in his infinitesimal wisdom DH’d Josh Fields in the nine hole. It’s almost like Ozzie’s daring Quentin to stay healthy. Why not give him a hot foot with an M-80? So what can we expect from Quentin for the rest of the season? Best case scenario, has him playing 5 games a week and hitting well (as he did in his rehab assignment). Maybe 15 homers, good RBIs and a .270 average. He’s not going to come without risk. At any point, I’m expecting word that he’ll be out for the year. How’s that for a ringing endorsement? So through one game, Quentin’s 1-for-4 and healthy. Now give us forty-five more games. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Gavin Floyd – 7 IP, 3 ER, 5 baserunners, 7 Ks. Now has an sub-2.50 ERA at home. No one tell him his home is a hitter’s park.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Felipe Lopez was traded to the Brewers yesterday. This further cements Casey McGehee’s backup/utility/schmohawk MI behind door number 3 role. McGehee was a Sell on Friday and someone in the Milwaukee brass obviously read that. Felipe Lopez will prolly bat leadoff and primarily play 2nd base. He might get a few more Runs, but his value pretty much stays the same. Right now, Lopez has a 6/6 line on the year. This will put him in line for the middle infielder that everyone looks at late in next year’s drafts and thinks, “12/12 on the year? I’ll take that at my MI spot.” Then by June you’re thinking about how yawnstipating it is. I was as guilty as anyone in the preseason thinking Lopez had a 20/20 season in him and, at the age of 29, maybe he does, but it sure doesn’t seem like it’s coming this year. Going to the Diamondbacks were Cole Gillespie and Roque Mercedes, who were both featured prominently in Buena Vista Social Club. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Cla Meredith – The groundball pitcher, Meredith, went from the Padres to the Orioles for Oscar Salazar, the groundball hitter. Let the trades begin! Meredith now becomes the go-to Cla in Baltimore replacing Senator Clay Davis. I have to get one guy out in the 8th inning?
Please, blog, may I have some more?On July 16th, Padres GM, Kevin Towers, said there’s a 50-50 chance that Jake Peavy would pitch again. Turned out there was a 50-50 chance that he was lying. On July 16th, Peavy’s boot came off and his ankle is healthy. Peavy now says he’ll pitch again this year. Oh, okay. Peavy is the Padres ace, i.e., they’re not going to mess with bringing him back to make sure they win 60 games instead of 58.
Please, blog, may I have some more?So it’s not really the 2nd half mark in the fantasy baseball season, but it’s the All-Star Break so what else are we going to talk about? The newest Real World? Why would you put them in Cancun and then say they can’t drink in public? Go put restrictions on the castmates of 16 and Pregnant and leave the Real Worlders alone. As with all of the other 2009 fantasy baseball rankings, take this list with a grain of salt. If you need a 2nd baseman, but an outfielder is above him that doesn’t mean you can’t trade the outfielder for the 2nd baseman. Also, things change in fantasy baseball. Daily. I could put Albert Pujols number one on the top 50 list for the second half of 2009 and he could get injured tomorrow. Then he wouldn’t be number one. See how that works. This list is a roadmap for where I think guys are valued. It’s not the Holy Grail in the Church of Grey, that would be my ‘stache. This list is NOT (Caps for emphasis, not aesthetics) where I see guys ending up if you were to take the first half and combine it with the 2nd half of their season.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Jay Bruce owners got their first bit of good news from him as he fractured his wrist. This is like when you’re in a terrible relationship that you can’t get out of because you’re scared to be alone, then the other person comes home and says they’re leaving you. In 12 teams or shallower and non-keeper leagues, I’d remove Jay Bruce from the salamander and chuck him. Even if he comes back, he wasn’t hitting when his wrist bone was connected to his forearm bone. As for keepers, I thought Bruce would be a good sleeper candidate for next year. Now with the nature of his injury, I’m not so sure. If he needs surgery, it’ll be a much longer process.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Torii Swelling was almost the title, but with a groin injury… Well, you get the problem. So Torii Hunter got guillotined in the Sell post last week and now seems to be headed to the DL. Let them eat cake! So what to do with the blue state Hunter and his pesky groin? DL him when the Angels do. Can’t do much else now. You shouldn’t sell him for 3 pairs of socks and a Megadeth vinyl record. Hunter should return in a few weeks. Luckily, with the All-Star Break, he’ll get a few extra days to recover where he’s not missing any games. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Geovany Soto – Should’ve mentioned this the other day, but I’m only half-cyborg so sometimes I miss things. Soto’s bothered by an oblique injury (vague!). Hill should get all the starts prior to the break, then Jake “I am the Fatman” Fox could get starts at catcher after the break, if Soto needs a DL stint. Right now, it sounds like that will be in order. (Speaking of which, whenever you see a broken vending machine, walk up to it and scream, “No, you’re out of order!” People love that.)
Pedro Martinez – Sounds like he’s going to the Phillies. In his last 48 starts, he has a 4.74 ERA and that was in a pitchers’ park. On the other hand, he has been solid for Ks even as his career winds down. On the third hand, he gave up 19 homers in 109 innings last year. Oy. I would grab him in an NL-Only league to see if there’s a spark left from the midget era, but I’d hold off in mixed leagues.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Much like a newly married female, the Blue Jays have dropped BJ from the active roster. Imagine this scenario. You walk into your fro-yo distribution job, say what’s up to your TCBY manager who’s twelve years younger than you, open up the jimmies container and proceed to flip them, one at a time, at your manager’s head. Timothy asks you politely to stop. You politely give him a wedgie. Naturally, he fires you. Then you collect your salary for the next year. Man, the life of a terrible baseball player may be better than the life of a marginal one who has to play every day. B.J.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Ryan Dempster hits the DL with a broken toe. No word on how he hurt it, but Cubs fans are blaming Milton Bradley, Milton Bradley’s blaming an Italian Beef sandwich he ate in March but the Italian Beef sandwich refuses to play The Blame Game. Way to take the high road, Italian Beef sandwich! Dempster was at 5-5/4.09/1.37/89 through 105 2/3 innings. Now he’s out until late-July at the earliest. If you have a DL spot, go for it. With a non-arm injury, I wouldn’t be too concerned about Dempster coming back and doing pretty much what he’s been doing so far, which is, well, I just told you. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Mark DeRosa – Went to the DL. It’s a move they were calling “precautionary” and they’re “very optimistic.” They expected him back right after the “All-Star break.” DeRosa wanted to play but the “doctors” “said” “he” “shouldn’t.” Hopefully, his “wrist” will be “fine.” Then it turned out there was a reason they put everything in quotes as it was all lies and he could be out for a month with a torn tendon sheath.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Yesterday, Shane Victorino went 4-for-5, 4 RBIs, 5 Runs scored and his 6th homer. For anyone who read the roundups last year, you’re probably wondering where my Victorino love went. Last year, Victorino was my ’09 Mark Reynolds. I saw good value in Victorino last year and pushed him on everyone. Unfortunately, he met expectations, performed well, his value skyrocketed and I don’t have him on any team this year. This will be the story next year when I rarely mention Reynolds. I won’t own him because he’ll be drafted too high in 2010. Alas, the story of the fantasy baseball ‘pert. Your loves are forever changing. One year Jeremy Guthrie, the next year Wandy Rodriguez. Behind the ‘stache lies a fickle man! But I still gots love for Victorino. My only concern is how low his steals are this year. Sitting — literally — on 13 steals. So run. You’re The Flying Hawaiian for a reason, not The Taro Masher, poi! Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Ryan Howard – The Phils scored 22 runs. Howard went 1-for-4, no Runs and one RBI. Ticker Tease!
Please, blog, may I have some more?