0
6
0Dan Haren was traded to the Angels for a terrible pitcher and some prospects. On a real baseball note, the Diamondhacks got had like they were taking cards from Ricky Jay. I think the desert sun’s baked their brains. To make a deal in the major leagues, you see what the Yankees will give you then you dangle that deal in front of all other clubs. The Yankees will give us their top prospect and dinner with Rudy Giuliani, can you beat that? Here’s our top prospect and Bobby Grich will do your personal taxes for two years. Deal! On a fantasy note, this is about as lateral of a move Haren owners could’ve hoped for. The league change is a negative, but the park change is a positive. Also, if your pitcher gets traded into the AL, the AL West is the place for them. The M’s and A’s are weak and the Rangers are less strong away from Arlington (the Angels are done playing in Arlington until the last weekend of the season). The Angels do get the Red Sox twice, but also the O’s, Royals and Indians. The only real red flag for Haren is his 1st/2nd half splits, but that was a problem prior to the trade. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:
Psyche! Before going into the roundup, I wanted to tell everyone our fantasy football site is doing sign ups for their fantasy leagues. Anyway II, here’s the roundup:
Joe Saunders – The move to the NL doesn’t make him more attractive. A move to the Taiwanese Little League team wouldn’t make him more attractive.
Torii Hunter – 2-for-4 with a homer as he pulled off some Multiplicity shizz.
Magglio Ordonez - While he’s shelved for two months, he can work on what’s really important, growing out his jheri curl mullet. Bring back the Soul Glo! Immediately when I saw the Tigers three hole hitter was knocked out for 2 months the first thing I thought was, is Leyland really going to bat the .280 OBP Ryan Raburn third for two months? He did for the first game of the doubleheader. We shall see.
Carlos Guillen – Off to the DL or as they call it in the Guillen household, “Daddy day care.”
Ryan Raburn – The Magglio/Guillen injuries should give a couple new guys regular time, but the only interesting one is Raburn. (Will Rhymes is interesting for his steals, but I don’t think he gets enough playing time. BTW, no relation to Busta.) Raburn hit 16 homers in 261 ABs last year. His homers per fly balls was a bit out of whack, but if he gets hot, he can provide some pop. In AL-Only leagues, obviously you take what you can get. In mixed leagues, I wouldn’t touch him until he starts hitting.
Orlando Hudson – To the DL with yawnstipation. Wait, checking my notes. Oh, he strained his oblique. If he were on the Mets, he would’ve played tomorrow, then sat out for a week, then played, then sat out for five games, then played.
Kevin Slowey – 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 baserunners, 2 Ks vs. the O’s. Since this was against a terrible team, it doesn’t instill any confidence.
Jason Kubel – 3-for-5 with a grand slam. I ranked Kubel high in my midseason fantasy rankings because of his propensity for 2nd half thunder. Cust kayin’.
Carlos Gonzalez – 1-for-5 with 3 Ks and has been struggling for the last week. Rockies should trade Brad Hawpe for a new finger for CarGo.
J.A. Happ – 5 IP, 3 ER, 8 baserunners, 4 Ks. A just okay return for a guy I’m not high on (unlike this glue I’m huffing). Happ has 12 walks and 9 Ks in 15 1/3 IP. You shouldn’t need more.
Coco Crisp – 1-for-3 with 2 steals and 6 steals in the last week. Coco Quik! Gotta love when a player knows how he provides fantasy value and gives it to you.
Ben Sheets – To the DL as he took one for all the Bennis Carpensheeters out there. (BTW, The White Sox middle man, Erick Threets’ name sounds like a portmanteau of injured players too.)
Michael Wuertz – Wuertz has now picked up his 2nd save in four days as Bailey deals with back problems. Though Bailey said he should return on Tuesday, I picked up Wuertz everywhere I could. He’s heavy!
Brett Anderson – Should return on Friday. I’d be careful with the first start back, but I would own Anderson since when he’s healthy, he’s nasty.
R.A. Dickey – 5 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 baserunners, 6 Ks. He left the game with a strained buttock after stepping in a mound ditch made by Kershaw. Hoping for the NY Post headline, “Dickey In A Hole, Strains Butt.”
Kenley Jansen – This converted catcher is giving herbathrowdites everywhere a good name. He got his first save as Broxton recoups from his two inning outing on Saturday. Leave it to Torre to rest Broxton during save chances because he was overworked then to throw him for two innings. Jansen could be a fun MR pickup for Holds and Ks, but he’s not suddenly the closer.
Buster Posey – 4-for-5 and now batting .371. Pray he doesn’t ask for advice from Soto and Wieters on how to follow up his rookie year.
Barry Enright – 6 IP, 2 ER, 11 baserunners, 2 Ks. Still don’t trust him but he does go into Metco next time out. That’s a decent gamble in some leagues.
Wandy Rodriguez – 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners (1 Hit), 7 Ks. Facing the top hitting club in the NL, the Reds, and he does this after getting shelled by the Cubs last time out. The Wandwagon’s shocks are causing for a bumpy ride.
Chris Johnson – 1-for-4 with his 3rd homer this week. Yeah, he’s a mixed league pickup now. As they say in the porn industry, all aboard the Johnson!
Mike Leake – 6 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 10 baserunners, 3 Ks. He was in Friday’s Sell. How did you know, Grey? Please dish. Well, random italicized voice, I didn’t know he’d pitch poorly, but his innings will soon be limited. And maybe he will pitch poorly going forward because he’s young and might be tiring.
Chris Denorfia – 2-for-5 with his fourth homer this week. In the broad sense, he sucks. In the specific as-of-right-now sense, he’s hot and could help you for a few days while he’s hitting and starting.
Joel Hanrahan – Being reported by Buster Olney that he will take over for Dotel if a trade goes down. Olney’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know. Like when he forgot where his keys were to his money green El Dorado, I didn’t even know he had an El Dorado.
Troy Glaus – 1-for-4 as he hits .204 in July with zero homers. Belch.
Curtis Granderson – 2-for-4 with 2 homers and a steal. He has a modest five game hitting streak. Could end the season with a 20 homers and 15 steals. Right now he’s at 9/8. Do the math!
Phil Hughes – 5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 baserunners, 3 Ks. This start might’ve been slightly shortened by rain, but, since the Yanks won’t try and push him, you should expect similar lines going forward. Ron Washington, “Someone say lines?!”
Reid Brignac – 1-for-3 with his 4th homer in the last week. Own while hot.
Rick Ankiel – 3-for-4 with his first homer since coming back. In most mixed leagues, I’d wait to see more.
Scott Podsednik – 2 homers and 4 RBIs. After the game, he told a reporter, “And I got a hot wife. WHAT?!” Then again, that’s his answer to everything.
Chone Figgins – 2-for-3 with a steal as he’s played in both games since him and Wakamatsu fought in the dugout. Talks are now underway for Figgy and Wakamatsu to star in the re-remake of The Karate Kid.
G’morning Grey — Apropos three players you mention here:
–Who do you like more at 3B in a 20-team roto league between Chris Johnson and Betemit? I need AVE more than power in this league.
–Is it worth picking up Wuertz at the expense of dropping Hanrahan or Frasor (I have Frasor as the hadcuff to Gregg)
–And in the same 20-team league, is it worth holding onto Glaus? I could use the roster spot but there’s time for another May-like hot streak, no?
Many thanks….!
References to glue-huffing again make me think of the Delphic Oracle in a cloud of sweet gas fumes telling Croesus, “I wouldn’t pick up Cappadocia for a creepily-soiled promotional poster for ’300.’ Oh, and Trojan baseball sucks.”
Friday I traded Furcal and Wagner for Krispie and Choo. Done deal, pointless to ask, but I feel like I got the better of this; he was so psyched to kiss Stephen Drew farewell that he forgot he might have to DH Overbay. Or am I misassessing?
Morning Grey, Thanks for the football link! As a replacement for Morneau do you think Reyes and Hart are too much to offer for Ryan Howard? I have the SS Witski coming back off the DL and also Castro Thanks!.
@Grey I just wanted to add that I also have an offer of Montero and Hart for AGonz. Am currently in 1st and would like to solidify my 1B position. Who knows what’s going to happen with Morneau. Look at Wright last year. Am running Ike Shmohawk and Loney for the time being but 1B should be a power point for me.
Hey! What’s up with Taiwanese Little League reference? Joe Saunders can play in our professional league, unless he got too good of moral to play fixed game, otherwise he is welcome, seriously.
Now that Hudson’s hit the DL, I need someone to fill in at 2B until Pedroia gets back. Brian Roberts is available and has a nice schedule this week, the other options are F. Lopez, Hairston Jr, and N. Walker. How do you size up these schmohawks? Thanks!
Good Monday morning Grey. Who is the better pick-up to vulture saves this week in a H2H league: Thornton, Wuertz, Hanrahan?
Also, who is the better start this week at MI: Walker or Brignac?
As always, thanks!
Smoak or Branyan?
…or Chase Headley?
Goodmorning Grey!I’m leaving a roster spot open to decide who to start tomorrow. These are the guys I’ve narrowed it down to.
Brignac vs Verlander
DeNorfia vs Billingsley
Chris Johnson vs Ted Lilly
Clint Barmes vs Zach Duke (@ COL)
Jon Jay vs Jonathan Niese
Billinsgley and Lilly have both been tough in their careers against SD and HOU respectively. Duke is 3-2 witha 6+ ERA against Col. Niese has never started against the Cardinals.
weekly h2h league
who to start:
garza v. det, v. nyy
lilly @ hou
my opponent is looking at 6 starts this week. with lilly i get 6, with garza i get 7.
16-team H2H league: my pitching staff comprises of J.Johnson, Sanchez, Billingsley, Marcum, Floyd, Niese, and B.Anderson. With the playoffs around the corner, should I be getting worried about some of my pitchers (looking at Marcum and Niese) starting to get limited innings (Marcum coming from TJ surgery, Niese having a huge bump in innings this year)? With Anderson coming off the DL soon, one of those two are going to find the waiver wire.
Grey,
Great write up as always, especially liked the huffing glue part.
Would you trade Carlos Gonzalez for Andre Ethier? (Id be movinb CarGo)
Rank for rest of the way this year
Coghlan, Pacman, Bruce, Beltran, Kubel, Beckham
Asdrubal or Brignac?
Unsettling that I have Asdrubal and Dickey on my team.
Fowler or Ankiel? Depends on team needs, yeah?
@Gery – Does my trade a couple weeks back still favor me now that Haren’s been traded?…I traded Haren/Hunter for Johan/Swisher.
Does anyone know if Morrow is getting 2 starts this week? He’s got Balt for sure tonight and possibly Clev this weekend. I heard they might be limiting his innings though.
To Grey and anyone else,
Great site! Long-time lurker with a question. Who wins this deal: Oswalt/Pence/Beckett for Kershaw?
Thanks!
@ThePoonTycoon: Garza of late is like playing with fire…methinks you should go Lilly.
start scherzer or vazquez this week, both double starts. Scherzer (@TB, @Bos) Vazauez (@Cle, @TB)
werth not in the lineup today,hope this means he is traded,as i own brown in 2 leagues,
Hey Grey,
Which side do you like better the rest of the way? (OPS counts)
Krispie/Ervin or Jaime/Rasmus
@Grey: Quick question before I read the run down since I gotta run downstairs and move my whip…
Just made the Dempster + Gardner (plus a 22nd rounder – I make my money at the end of the draft) in exchange for an 8 and a 12 next season.
Which of these guys do you drop?
Enwright or Kennedy at SP
Pagan or Tabata in the OF
I’m leaning towards dropping Tabata and Kennedy – since I’ve read they’re going to limit Kennedy’s innings going forward.
Morrow is probably not getting two starts this week. The Blue Jays are reportedly going with a six man rotation.
In which case, who would you go with:
Kuroda, @ SD
Morrow, BAL
Wandy, MIL
Scherzer, @TB, @BOS
start buchholz @ LAA tonight?
2 Questions: are we sitting Scherzer tonight in a H2H League? He looked pretty good against a tough Texas lineup last week, but it was at home. Also, same league, what do you think about Lilly’s start @ Hou tomorrow? Is he a must start? Those Crawford boxes scare me…
League cats: W, L, SV, BB, K, ERA, WHIP, Ks/9
I decided to browse some other FBB sites to see how they were ranking players. Then I saw that for the rest of the season in h2h leagues, CBS has Duensing ranked above Jurrjens, Hamels, Liriano, Kershaw, Hanson, etc. They also have Zobrist as the 6th best OF option (well above Kemp, at 29). Then I decided to never venture outside this site again.
Also, I just dropped Glaus; in case anyone was considering doing the same, he’s guaranteed to get hot!
Good Morning Grey
Could you please rank the following disappointing hitters for this week (desperate for a win – will take production in any and all categories):
Carlos Lee, Reynolds, Span
Also, is dropping Chipper for Chris Johnson a no brainer? Or do you think Chipper’s got a big week left in him and somehow I’ll be lucky and have to play him when it happens? (he’s maybe played 2 or 3 weeks total all season for me).
Thanks!
Bermuda Triangles
Get Lost!
Tommy Hunter of Jorge De La Rosa?
^or
@Deeeeeez Nuts: I’d sit unless you’re desperate for the start. He’s pitched pretty badly lately, and although his road splits are better than at home, they’re buoyed by some unreal luck.
12 teams, H2H, 5×5, Non Keeper
I have a surplus of outfielders and another team needs one. Should I try to trade my Adam Jones for his Dempster? Or maybe my Adam Jones + Dotel for his Dempster?
In my 12 team h2h mixed league, I need to drop someone from my team to make space for Latos coming off the DL. In a vacuum, without knowing anything more about my team, who do you drop?
These are my bench players for this week:
Bumgarner, Madison SP SF
Kennedy, Ian SP ARI
Morrow, Brandon SP TOR
Volquez, Edinson SP CIN
Rauch, Jon RP MIN
@IowaCubs: I’d drop Kennedy.
Anyone know if Verlander is getting 2 starts this week?
hey grey,picked up soto to fill in for v mart,do we trust soto enough to trade v mart
Dickey in A-Hole — Ha!
Should I feel enough confidence in Tulo’s impending return to insert him in place of Theriot in my weekly NL-only H2H league? Thanks!
@Enrique: I wouldn’t drop Glaus in a 20 team league. Johnson… Hold the MRs you have.
@Aharon: I don’t know this Delphic Oracle gambit. Explain further. Looks like a solid trade for you.
@Howard: That’s not too much for Howard. I’d do the A-Gon deal too.
@Quintero: Ha
@Jordan73: Walker…
@ScoutAbout: Morning! Thornton… Brignac for power, Walker for average and runs…
@Ron Washington’s Stache: Headley…
@Eddy: Johnson…
@ThePoonTycoon: I’d go with Lilly.
@The Cow: I’d be worried about Marcum.
@Dan Z: Thanks! I wouldn’t make that trade.
@Carl Spackler: Kubel, Bruce, Beltran, Jones, Beckham…
@SpiralArchitect: Ha! Asdrubal for runs and steals, Brignac for power.
@papasmurf: Yup…
@Fletch: They’re limiting Morrow’s innings.
@just asking: Hey, good to have you finally commenting. I’d take the Oswalt side, but could change in a hurry if he ends up in a hitters park. Also, the Kershaw side isn’t exactly getting the gas face.
@dingo: Vazquez…
@AL KOHOLIC: That would be nice.
@TheRealTaz: Ervin…
@3FingersBrown: Don’t fully trust Enright, so him and Tabata… Kennedy’s not great either at this point.
@Black Beard: Kuroda
@Deeeeeez Nuts: Yup
@Wilsonian: Lilly’s a start. Depends on how many teams for Scherzer.
@royce!: Yikes.
@Bermuda Triangles: Morning! Reynolds, Span… Lose Chipper.
@Wah: dlR…
@Vince: I’d take Dempster there on either.
@IowaCubs: Agree with Beard.
@AL KOHOLIC: I would.
@magicterp: Hehe… I would.
@Deeeeeez Nuts: I would
@Fletch: Should be
@magicterp: Doh!
@Grey
Good mornin’ Grey! I’ve got a pretty set in stone outfield in my 12 team H2H (Kemp, J.Upton, Holliday), but I’m looking to add Andres Torres. Who on my bench would you drop for him: Jose Lopez, Nyjer Morgan, or Troy Glaus?
@Grey: thanks man…much appreciated as usual. Re: Scherzer – it’s an 8 Team League.
@Grey: I hear you. Either Kennedy or Enright will probably only get one more start for me against los mets before I drop ‘em for another starter over the weekend anyway. Mets have seen Enright once already, so there’s that…
Would you rather have Wood or Perez going forward?
Which SS would you rather have going forward (H2H)?
Alcides Escobar
JJ Hardy
Ian Desmond
Grey-
14 team Keeper League: 2 Trades for you to evaluate……..
Trade A: Give Andrus/Wagner for Beckham/Alvarez (I’d still have Tulo at SS and I need a 3B).
Trade B: Give Lester OR Weaver OR McCutchen to get Posey, which one should I offer for the big Buster…..
Pick TWO for H2H this week:
Lilly @HOU (Myers)
Colby Lewis vsOAK (Cahill)
Hammel @PHI (Blanton) & vsCHC (Dempster)
Zito vsFLA (Nolasco) & vsLAD (Kershaw)
Normally, the two-start guys are preferred (WINS are 10pts.), but I don’t like Hammel in PHI, and Zito, despite being a different pitcher at home, has two tough starts.
Grey,would you loose Lind or Span to pickup Kubel?
Thanks as always!
@Howie Met Your Mother: Morning! Lopez…
@Wilsonian: I’d bench him.
@3FingersBrown: Yeah, I expect Enright to turn into a pumpkin at any point.
@CalCheats: Wood…
@Commish Cauda: Alcides…
@Gibby: A — I’d take Alvarez. B — I wouldn’t trade any of them for Posey.
@Commish Cauda: Lilly and Lewis…
@dingers: Wave the white flag on Lind.
@Grey: whats up, been a while again…. trade deadline approaches, 12 teamer H2H, a guy just offered me
Longoria/Quentin/NIEMANN/VAZQUEZ
for my
HAMILTON/rolen/scherzer and freddy garcia……
Personally i REALLY like the side i’d be getting, my offense is pretty stacked and longo/CQ might pan out better than hammy in the long run, and rolen is still DTD, but niemann/vazquez? thats no huge gain in SP when thats what i’m really looking for…… thoughts? grey and anyone else as well, thanks.
8 team AL only Roto.
Team A sends away Billy Butler / Ichiro
Team B sends Vlad and Paps
Team B lost Morneau and needs a 1B , needs SB and has lots of saves.
Team A has a stalked Infield and decent speed.
Is this trade fair? And who do you think comes out on top???
Thanks Grey!
8 Team H2H League. Trying to catch lightning in a bottle.
Should I go with Hammel’s 2 starts or play it safe with Wainright?
If I can get 2 QS, 1 W and say 8 Ks for the week, he probably out does Wainright. My concern is Wainright has CGSO stuff.
@SpiralArchitect: never bench wainy lol
@Grey:
I also forgot I have Gabby Sanchez as well. I was hoping you’d tell me to drop Glaus, because I like Lopez’s flexibility (1b/2b/3b) on Mondays and Thursdays when there are fewer games.
Hi all,
Which two (H2H, 10-team mixed):
Arroyo vs. @MIL, ATL
Wandy vs. MIL
Richard vs. LA
cruz/padilla for werth/oswalt? what do we think for second half and werth v. cruz as keepers?
@Grey: Thanks Grey
@Tony: I’d take Longoria.
@dave: It’s fair. Take Butler if you need him.
@SpiralArchitect: Agree with Tony.
@Howie Met Your Mother: Lose Glaus then.
@GrandSlamSingle: Wandy and Richard.
@TJ Weihing: I’d take the Werth side.
@Vince: No problem.
Grey, I have infield issues. Miguel Montero at C. Konerko or Garrett Jones at 1B. Cano at 2B. Aybar or Felipe Lopez at SS. Lopez or Rolen at 3B. Two questions- is keeping Montero around as my only catcher, in the face of Kendall or Shoppach being the best available on the wire, a good move? AND Is it time to look at someone like Neil Walker or Jayson Nix at 3B and get rid of Rolen completely. I’m trying to keep my bench filled with pitchers rather than batters. Thanks
@manfromearth: If you’re in a one catcher league, I don’t know why you’d need two catchers. I’d put Walker in over Rolen.
@Grey: which SS to start in weekly roto league? Tulo, tejada or asdrubal? Thanks.
@Grey: thanks! found out that dudes in my league are on the site. paranoia, the destroyer!
@Grey: Thanks.
@Grey: Is Posey a better keeper then Heyward?
@herschel: Tulo
@mc serch: Whatever do you mean?
@GrandSlamSingle: No problem.
@Kendry’s Cart Off Grand Slam: Nope
@Grey: Very fast reply, thank you.
What kind of return would you expect to get if trading Posey in a keeper league?
@Grey: cool thankss
Who would you rather have the rest of the way H2H?
A-Rod or Matt Holliday?
@Kendry’s Cart Off Grand Slam: No problem… Depends what you need. I’d expect someone around Heyward, Andrus, CarGo, Upton and other top young studs.
@Commish Cauda: A-Rod…
“Joe Saunders brings an element to our club that I think we need” Jerry Dipoto… Funny shit. Did you right that Grey?
Too many players on my roster…have to drop someone to get V-Mart off the DL.
Gordon, Borbon, Ludwick, Thornton, or Gutierrez? I was ready to drop Gutierrez but then I saw rumors of a Qualls trade (and can use all the saves, can’t catch the leader, but have 3 guys on my heels in the category). Next on my list was Borbon, but I just got him for Scott Baker, and I can’t take the kick to my soul’s groin that would result from keeping Scott Baker, watching him explode in my ERA and WHIP, tossing gems from my bench, then dropping the player I got in exchange for him a week after the trade went through.
Also, I can keep 2, maybe 3 pitchers. Already got Kershaw, Price, and possibly Liriano as my keepers — would you keep Phil Hughes over any of those 3? I’m thinking I may as well trade Hughes to a rebuilding team now before his ERA and WHIP get any worse.
@3FingersBrown: I tend to agree with him. You need someone to throw garbage innings to save their young arms and someone who won’t need a closer because he won’t be winning.
@Mark Geoffriau: No on Hughes… I’d lose Gutierrez. He’s pretty much death. But if Borbon’s a bench player, no reason for him either.
@Grey: Write even… Hey would you pick up any of these guys over Austin Kearns:
Omar Infante
Bourgeois Pig
Mike Morse
Mike Saunders
Chris Ianetta (I’m -21 games played at catcher and have Smooth and Castro now – 2 C’s)
I need speed but there aren’t any good options available Bourgeois’ got a lousy .294 OBP. OBP would help too. My roto team’s mired in 6th, 24 points from the top.
Rasmus has been terrible for good month now. I need to drop someone to activate V-Mart soon, and eventually Brett Anderson if he turns out ok. Beckham is one I’m sure to drop at this point and I can’t think of anyone besides Rasmus to drop unless Edinson V. sucks again in his next start. That said, Rasmus is very streaky. Would you recommend waiting for him to get hot again then trading him after I get a good chunk of the hot streak, and that way I can avoid enduring another month of uselessness? Or would you just drop him to activate V-Mart or Anderson?
In a 12 team AL only h2h league, I have 99 of my 100 FAAB dollars left, and Haren just hit the wire. Should I go all in on Haren, or wait and hope that Fielder winds up with the White Sox? Haren would join Buchholz, Slowey, Hughes, Liriano and Gio (or I’d drop one of them). I currently have Ortiz at 1B, but he could move to Util.
Thanks.
@3FingersBrown: Infante…
@tall chicks: I advised to trade Rasmus a month a a half ago.
@Earl Battey: Go all in.
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@Grey re: Delphic Oracle: She (I imagine her for some reason as a mustachioed lady) hung out in a cave in the mountains in ancient Greece and dispensed wisdom to all comers, some recos easier to parse than others (Croesus lost his empire because he misinterpreted her advice). Later research indicated her cave may actually have been home to a petroleum seep, and she was high on gas fumes all day, which lent her prophecies a certain vagueness. Of course, we’ve made plenty of advances in 2500 years–glue-huffing is much more sanitary, and Razzball advice is crystalline.
@Aharon: Ha, that’s awesome!
Grey, I just want to make sure you have Coghlan ranked after Kubel, Bruce, Beltran, Jones, Beckham. As always thanks for your help
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corey Patterson or Miguel Tejada for the rest of the year?