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0Mike Stanton snapped out of a 5 for 58 slump with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs in a doubleheader against the Phillies. Was retired lefty reliever Mike Stanton hitting for him? I realize they look a little different (the hitter is 22 years younger, 15 pounds heavier, 4 inches taller, a tad darker) but even a young K-prone hitter should avoid that bad of slumps, right? Well, obviously not. Stanton’s 35% K rate translates to a .235 AVG with an average (.300) BABIP. He’s still a valuable asset because of the power – but you’ll have to either compensate with a high batting AVG guy or absorb the AVG hit.
Danny Espinosa - The rookie 2B looked like the 2.0 version of 2009 Desmond by going 4 for 5 with 2 HR and 6 RBI against the Mets. Where’d this come from? Espinosa was a 3rd round pick out of Long Beach State – the baseball factory that brought you Troy Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria. Espinosa has shown 20/20 potential in AA and AAA over the past 2 years but his AVG has been in the .260 range. So it’s possible he maintains this streak for the rest of the month as an extended audition for a 2011 starting spot. Take a chance if you’ve got dead wood in your MI spot.
Jeff Niemann – The good news is he gave you less earned runs than his past two starts. The bad news is that he still got whomped – 6 ER in less than 2 innings after giving up 17 ER in 8.1 IP in his previous two starts. If he’s still on your team, I’d drop him like he bombed.
Jon Lester – Won with 10Ks over 6 IP – his 3rd straight game with a win and 10 Ks. Last Red Sox player to do that? How would I know – I don’t work for ELIAS. (I’d guess Pedro). I’d say it’s Sabathia’s Cy Young to lose but I think Lester will edge out Buchholz and F-Her if he stumbles. Unless Keith Law is the only voter – then I’d say Felix Hernandez.
Brian Matusz – Won his 4th straight game – this time at Yankee Stadium. This three starts were home against Boston and Texas and at the White Sox. All four were 6 IP and none more than 3 ER. So if you need a pitcher to stream, he’s your guy.
Don Kelly – The man two L’s away from donkey status had a HR/3 RBI game. He’s platooning with Ryan Raburn (Kelly gets righty pitchers) and he’s not that great. I’d stream him for a day if your OF isn’t playing – that’s about it.
Neil Walker – Another HR – making that 5 HRs in his past 9 games. Now hitting .312, this guy has been looking like the second coming of Freddy Sanchez. But Pirates are like people you meet at the Jersey Shore – don’t fall in love with them. His minor league stats and his .370+ BABIP suggest he’s hitting out of his mind right now. Enjoy the ride but drop him in shallower leagues should he struggle for the next hot-hitting MI.
Jim Thome - 2 HRs on Saturday. Took Sunday off. Hit another HR on Monday. The guy is hitting a HR now every 11AB or so. Trying to figure when this guy is going to play is infuriating – Kubel and Mauer DH as well – but he’s a must add now for daily leagues where you can swap him out if he’s sitting.
Jose Reyes – The Mets have been in complete minayal over Reyes’ oblique injury. They’ve been having hit batting practice and claim he might play but he’s been out for 7 days and will probably miss most of next week too. As someone who drafted Reyes hoping for a discount on his typical 60 SB with respectable AVG/R/HR/RBI, the only solace is that at least he hasn’t been completely useless like D’Ellsbury.
Ivan Rodriguez – Had 1 HR and 7 RBIs over the past two days. Congrats to the 3 people who own him in a league.
Carlos Marmol - It was clearly Piniella’s fault that the Cubs were underperforming because it feels like they’ve been streaking ever since. Marmol now has 4 saves in 6 days in September. Even better, he’s still K-ing guys and now has a ridiculous 118 Ks in 66.1 IP. Most relievers couldn’t get that many K’s if they faced a lineup of Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, and Mark Reynolds.
Kevin Kouzmanoff – Will miss a few games with back spasms. I think they’re sympathy spasms for Eric Chavez.
With regards to Stanton I’ll be the first to own up …..sonofabench.
Daric Barton, Michael Morse, or Adam Lind @ first the rest of the season?
@d2bnz: I’ll be the second SONOVABENCH!!! Not to mention the whole rest of my offense yesterday got 2, that’s right 2 hits. H2H playoffs my foot!!!
@d2bnz: Can’t beat yourself up for it but it’s always worth rolling the dice on doubleheader days.
@MrHappyTime: If you need power, Lind. If you need AVG, Barton. If you need code, Morse.
News bulletin – Yuniesky Maya is pitching today for the Nats against the Mets. I’m cautiously optimistic that he’ll put together a couple of good starts.
Hmmmmmmmm. Start Price at Fenway???
If picking up Duensing, drop Brett Anderson or Zimmermann…or give up on J-Upside?
@Rudy Gamble: Yeah picked up Maya this weekend. Lets hope! Risky day as I have Maya and the new, err I mean old, strikeout THiudson going. Glad he has gotten confident in his strikeout ability lately.
Lookin’ for a 12K day from these two.
16-team, H2H-Points League
Which arm later this week?
Pavano @CLE (Carmona)
Myers @CHC (Wells)
Cecil vsTB (Shields)
In the midst of H2H playoffs, so advice much appreciated:
Starlin or Furcal?
Bruce or Beltran?
Thanks…
Who do ya like more for the rest of the year:
Alex Gonzalez, Castro, or Desmond?
@Rudy Gamble:
Would you go with Starlin or Yuniesky at SS for this week only?
@BSA:
What site do you play on? In Yahoo he’s nowhere to be found!
@Lob Ball: I’d start Price. Not saying I feel great about the start but he’s been dependable his past 8 starts.
@danimal35: I’d rather have all those guys vs. Duensing.
@BSA: 12Ks combined? Maybe
@Commish Cauda: I’d narrowly take Myers over Pavano.
@chrisc624: Starlin has been super hot (2+ hits in 7 games straight before yesterday). I’d take Bruce over Beltran.
@Wilsonian: Matters what you need. I’d take Ian Desmond overall but A-Gonz if you’re hurting for power. Starlin if you’re hurting for AVG.
@Eddy: Starlin.
Is Justin Upton droppable in a 10-team roto? For 5 OF spots, I have Holliday, Vlad, Krispie, Granderson, Tabata, Bernadina and J. Upton. I’m concerned that because ARI is not contending they’ll give Upton as much time to heal and rest as possible. If I dropped him, I’d stream RP to bring down my peripherals (I’m in 1st, but only have 5s for ERA and WHIP).
Furcal or Ian Desmond for the rest of the season — probably can’t afford to keep them both and Furcal is off the DL (for the moment)
@royce!: In a 10 team league, anyone is droppable. The shoulder issue isn’t looking good at this point so he might miss more games than he plays. But RPs aren’t going to help your ERA and WHIP at this point – at best, they might goose your Ks a bit.
@fredaycouples: A lot of MI questions this morning. Furcal has looked good since his recent stint on the DL. But I’d keep him only if you’re looking for SBs. Desmond should get more R/HR/RBI.
@Rudy Gamble: Would you drop Carlos Lee for Logan Morrison, Crisp or Granderson?
Also, rank these SS from here on out: Drew, Uribe, Tejada, Infante, Epinoza and Al. Ramirez…
@Rudy Gamble: I’m rolling with Desmond overall (in an 8 Team H2H). I’ve basically been running the hot SS out there on the FA wire. Right now, it looks like Desmond is the flavor of the week. I don’t need anything in particular, more or less just an overall productive guy.
thoughts on maya, would he be better than matusz or kuroda in a pts league.
@Fletch: I’d only drop Carlos Lee if you’re set for HR/RBI. If you need speed, I’d take Crisp.
@Fletch: Al-Ram, Infante, Uribe, Tejada, Espinoza, Drew (i just don’t like Drew)
@dingo: I think Maya has the highest upside and risk. Kuroda is the safest. I’d risk it with those two NLers before Matusz.
Rudy, so do you think Stanton gets his average to .240 next year? I love the 40-homer potential, but I feel carrying a Steve Balboni clone from an Average point of view. Thoughts on Stanton in 2011?
Bernadina (2 v NYM–Gee, Dickey; 3 v FLA–Johnson, Sanabia, Sanchez; 1 @ ATL–Lowe) or Crisp (2 v SEA–Fister, French; 3 v BOS–Lackey, Beckett, Lester; 1 @ KC–Bannister) this week? BB, K and OPS count.
Playoffs this week and already down 9-0 thanks to a craptacular 4-34 yesterday. With Stephen Drew as my current SS and with Jose’s latest pussitis, do I drop Jose?
@Steve Stevenson: Crisp
@Jose’s Pussitis: Drop him.
@Grey: Welcome back!
WTF? Kalish hits a grand slam and steals two bags and sits the next day?
Must be because I picked him up.
@Steve: Thanks! I did see that in the player note. Steve, Razzball commenter, picked up Kalish. In related news, Francona decided to sit him.
@Grey: Hehe. Should have done my research.
I throw right-handed, but judging from his splits, I could change hands and throw one past him.
@Steve: A grown man shouldn’t look at another grown man’s splits. Oh, those!
@Grey: There’s probably a changing hands gag in there too, but I’m not going there.
@Steve: You just did!
I’m in the playoffs in my 16 team H2H keeper. Is it time to drop Torres and/or Lind for:
Morrison, Ike, or Kalish? Ikey hit another bomb tonight and Torres and Lind are currently in an OF spot and a UTIL spot, respectively, for what all that is worth.
@Wilsonian8: Lose Torres for Ike. Then Lind for Morrison, if you need average and not power.
@Grey: I just picked up Branyan for a little power, but I have lost Hamilton (and apparently Wright who was a late scratch tonight), basically here is my starting lineup without Lind and Torres:
Buck, Dunn, Espinosa, Wright, Alexei, Hunter, Murphy, Morrison, Ike, Branyan, Hamilton – Bench
Keep Lind or drop him, based on that?
@Wilsonian: I’d hold Lind.
@Grey: thanks man, sometimes drastic times call for drastic measures. This is my first go at the playoffs in this huge league in 3 years, and I was 3rd in the reg. season (basically because of this site), so I want to make a good run.
Wow – a Nolan Reimold sighting.
@Wilsonian: Indeed.
@Steve: There’s a blast from the sleeper past.
Pujols is picking a very bad time to have a little swoon at the plate…
@Steve: I heard he’s blaming Rasmus.
@Grey: Well, that’s extra bad news as I own him too.
BTW, you know it’s a bad day when you see one of your guys reach base – only to find out that it was as a result of a fielder’s choice.
@Grey: Drop Raburn for LoMo, Gordon, or Snider?
Sonovadrop in Peralta for Desmond…hate when that shizz happens…
@Steve: True
@ThE sHiT: Morrison
@Wilsonian: Ouch
@Grey: Thx! Welcome back. Hope your trip was as fun as mine!
@Grey: You can always count on Car-Go to put a smile on your face, though.
CarGo you are my HeRo.
@ThE sHiT: Thanks! Where did you go?
@Steve: Always
@Elijah: Ha
Could this be an Ibanez hot streak?
@Steve: Maybe for a week or so, but I guess you don’t need much more than that.
@Grey: It’s for roto (have a bye in my H2H playoffs), but I’m prepared to find out.
BTW, what just happened with Yo-Lease? How did Hernandez reach on a fielder’s choice?
@Steve: Was watching Liriano, though, you’re right, I should be watching Chacin.
@Grey: I’m guessing that the fielder, having elected to throw to first, didn’t get the throw there in time.
Was hoping it was an error…
@Steve: Looks like it’s earned, and the Reds are hitting Chacin fairly hard all of a sudden, so hold onto your hat. If you’re, uh, wearing a hat.
@Grey: Hold on to your hat?
What is this? The 50s?
Another clean inning would be nice, but he’s thrown 90 pitches – must be close to being done.
@Steve: Here we go. Fingers crossed…
@Steve: Did I leave off the “time” in front of the “traveling” I was doing?
@Grey: Gee willikers (no, not the urban dictionary definition), you must have.
Madson closing it out in Philly, BTW…
@Steve: Ugh, I just saw the fielder’s choice. Was total crap. Should be a shutout so far for Chacin.
@Grey: Bad fielding? Mora?
@Steve: Yeah, Mora went for a force at third by running to the bag when he could’ve just thrown it. The runner beat Mora and was called a fielder’s choice because they don’t call mental errors.
@Grey: Ah. Who covers the bag there? The pitcher?
Calling it here first. Lincecum, trying to regain his fantasy owner’s love, throws a 19K perfect game. Proceeds to throw one every start the rest of the season, then wins the cy young once again.
Okay, maybe a little optimistic…
@Steve: Nobody, he should’ve thrown the ball across the diamond.
@GopherDay: Ha! Just a little.
@Grey: Gotcha (shakes fist at Mora).
@Grey: Yeah…Stupid Montero!!! Ha!
C’mon Rockies – how about the double steal?
Any rhyme or reason to the Milwaukee closing situation?
@Steve: Don’t think so. Hoffman’s gotta get a few here and there and Axford is the closer.
Need some wheels and average…Victorino or Bourn?
@Grey: Is this his 600th finally?
Can someone explain this EYJ/Barmes business that’s been going on the last few games? Is the coach trying to give them both some PT, or is something wrong with EYJ?
@DrEasy: Yes, it is!
Grey, I’m currently in the playoffs for my nonkeeper, h2h and man my offense has been dead to start the week. Luckily, my opponent’s O is also struggling and it’ll most likely come down to HR and RBI. I’m wondering if I should drop any of my players for the guys on waivers who have power/rbi potential
My team:
LaRoche, Rios, Infante, Gardner, Johan Santana (droppable now?)
Waivers:
Stanton, Ibanez, Kubel, Gomes, Thome
Thanks!
@Grey: Went to San Diego. First time in the Gaslamp District and it was really fun. Although my liver will oppose, I want to go back soon.
Arroyo tomorroyo?
@Wilsonian8: Bourn
@DrEasy: Nothing’s wrong with Young
@gza: Drop Johan for Stanton, drop Infante for Thome, drop Gardner for Ibanez.
@tHe sHiT: Yeah, the Gaslamp is fun. You go to Petco?
@Steve: In the right circumstances, sure.
@Grey: No didnt go to Petco. Only hit up bars and the mall.
@tHe sHiT: Gotcha
@Grey: Thanks as always Grey!
My starters are dropping like flies. First it was Nolasco, then the Adverb (start pushed further back) and now Josh Johnson (start pushed back, something wrong with his back).
@gza: No problem.
@DrEasy: Yeah, bad time for those guys to go down.