Fantasy Baseball Advice

Chicago White Sox 2010 Minor League Review
Overall farm rankings according to Baseball America (2010)
2010 (19) | 2009 (16) | 2008 (28) | 2007 (26) | 2006 (14) | 2005 (12) | 2004 (20)

Record of Major and Minor League Teams
MLB: [88 – 74] AL Central
AAA: [67 – 77] International League – Charlotte
AA: [53 – 87] Southern League – Birmingham
A+: [81 – 58] Carolina League – Winston-Salem
A: [65 – 74] South Atlantic League – Kannapolis
R: [47 – 28] Pioneer League – Great Falls
R: [32 – 36] Appalachian League – Bristol

The Run Down
The White Sox minor league system played in a sandbox of disappointment in 2010. Their top prospect, Jared Mitchell, was out all of 2010 with a torn ACL; they traded their top pitching prospect (pre-draft) in Dan Hudson to Arizona for Edwin Jackson; their hyped catching prospect, Tyler Flowers, the prized piece in the Javier Vasquez trade, struggled all year; the other highly touted Cuban, Dayan Viciedo, showed some flashes of power in the majors but proved you can’t walk from Cuba to Florida; and Brent Morel showed enough potential to be an average at best corner infielder. With an aging team, the outlook of the future rests in some see-sawing prospects – Viciedo, Morel, Flowers – along with other high-ceiling prospects like Mitchell. The 2011 season might be the year that the White Sox actually utilize more than one prospect for the majority of the season. I could see Viciedo, Morel, and especially Chris Sale playing larger roles than expected. Flowers might have a mid-season call-up if he can thrive early in 2011.

Graduating Prospects
#13 (RHP) Sergio Santos

Arizona Fall League Players – Peoria Saguaros
Pitchers – (RHP) Anthony Carter; #27 (LHP) Charles Leesman; (RHP) Johnnie Lowe; (RHP) Henry Mabee
Hitters – #11 (C) Josh Phegley; #19 (SS) Eduardo Escobar. #1 (CF) Jared Mitchell

Players of Interest
Hitters
#2 Tyler Flowers | C | D.o.B: 1-24-86 | Stats (AAA): .220/.334/.434 | 346 AB | 40 XBH | 16 Hr | .214 ISO | 2/1 SB/CS | 121:51 K:BB | .283 BABIP
Flowers struggled mightily at Triple-A this past year, posting disappointing numbers across the board. His lone bright spot would be the ISO rate (.214 ISO). Prior to the 2010 season, Flowers’ hitting has been bolstered by pre-2010 career .358 BABIP, this year his BABIP was substantially lower (.283 BABIP) than his career rate. Marc Hulet of FanGraphs states, “When he’s swinging well, the former Braves draft pick shows plus power and takes a ton of walks (along with a lot of Ks).” BA concurs. The 24-year-old catching prospect didn’t create any believers this past year as A.J. Pierzynski signed a two year contract extension on the second of December. With a career slash line of .148/.343/.185 in the majors with 13 strikeouts in 35 at-bats, the 2011 Spring Training and early 2011 minor league season will have a large bearing on his future with the fantasy world. The upside; Bill James has him hitting .242/.347/.452 with 21 Hr, 519 plate appearances and 121 games.

#7 Dayan Viciedo | 3B | D.o.B: 3-10-89 | Stats (AAA): .274/.308/.493 | 343 AB | 35 XBH | 20 Hr | .219 ISO | 1/1 SB/CS | 78:11 K:BB | .365 BABIP
No one questions Viciedo’s ability to hit, they question his size and his lack of walks. According to Baseball America, Viciedo has “tremendous opposite-field power … can drive the ball to all fields … soft hands … average arm … helpless against off-speed … slow.” Marc Hulet says, “Veteran pitchers … will eat Viciedo alive … there is little point in throwing strikes to him. Defensively, the Cuban is a poor fielder at third base … [should move] across the diamond … He has the raw power for the position.” In 106 major league plate appearances during the 2010 season, Viciedo hit .308/.321/.519 showing he won’t be walking much, but the power is definitely there. See an old Scouting the Unknown article for more details.

#4 Brent Morel | 3B | D.o.B: 4-21-87 | Stats (AA/AAA): .322/.359/.480 | 490 AB | 52 XBH | 10 Hr | .158 ISO | 8/5 SB/CS | .385 BABIP (AA); .363 BABIP (AAA)
Has the ability to help the major league squad in 2011 as he plays good defense, line drive contact driven swing and has the power to hit 15 home runs a year. Borderline third baseman that has thrived due to high BABIP. His line in the majors (.231/.271/.415 in 70 MLB plate-appearances) suggests some moderate power, as does his minor league numbers this past year as he had success at Double-A and Triple-A (AA: .326/.376/.440 in 203 plate-appearances; AAA: .320/.348/.503 in 324 plate-appearances). Morel is boring, but could provide value in deep leagues. Could be a Casey McGehee or another Felipe Lopez.

#5 Jordan Danks | CF | D.o.B: 8-7-87 | Stats (AAA): .245/.312/.373 | 445 AB | 38 XBH | 8 Hr | .128 ISO | 15/6 SB/CS | 151:41 K:BB | .349 BABIP
Danks 2010 season was equally as disappointing as last year in which the 2009 Minor League Review stated “The little brother of John Danks, Jordan plays good defense, lacks power, and has many scouts see-sawing on his future. Some scouts believe he will be able to add more homers and power once he adds more bulk to his frame, while others completely disagree, noting specifically his sketchy swing mechanics … His strikeout rate is worth noting, but he walks a fair amount too. He kind of reminds me of Denard Span – had a lot of hype, loses favor, and then surprises later than expected. He is more of a darkhorse/sleeper after his dismal 2009 season.” After another poor year, Danks, who has been aggressively pushed, will need to rebound to gain any fantasy traction, let alone prospect hype for the future.

#14 Stefan Gartrell | RF | D.o.B: 1-14-84 | Stats (AAA): .255/.316/.448 | 534 AB | 48 XBH | 27 Hr | .193 ISO | 4/2 SB/CS | 152:42 K:BB | .305 BABIP
Gartrell has been compared to Jermaine Dye, as he has a solid frame with good size and strength. Baseball America also says that he has a “solid” swing with power towards all fields and erratic plate-discipline. John Sickels calls him a “tweener,” and that he could help in “2011.” He may get an opportunity if he keeps hitting in 2011, but I fear his batting average and lack of walks indicates he has peaked.

Pitchers
Chris Sale | LHP | D.o.B: 3-30-89 | Stats: 12.3 K/9 | 3.9 BB/9 | 23 1/3 IP | 1.93 ERA | 2.74 FIP | 1.07 WHIP | .8 Hr/9 | 5.8 H/9 | .278 BABIP
Those are his MLB numbers. Need I say more? Fastball sits in low to mid 90′s – this may sit lower when he starts. He also throws a sharp slider and has a promising changeup. If Sale can maintain the 50% ground ball rate he had this past year when starting, he could easily be the AL ROY. Yeah, I said it.

#16 Carlos Torres | RHP | D.o.B: 10-22-82 | Stats (AAA): 7.9 K/9 | 4.0 BB/9 | 160 1/3 IP | 3.42 ERA | 3.89 FIP | 1.22 WHIP | .7 Hr/9 | 7.0 H/9 | .264 BABIP
Has historically been mentioned by Grey and myself as a sleeper candidate. Torres then usually drops a deuce on our announcement with a line in the majors of 5.59 FIP in 42 innings while throwing a 7.5 K/9 rate and 5.6 BB/9 rate. Sounds like I should quit touting him. He throws a “heavy” low 90s fastball, a plus cutter – works good against lefties – a curveball and a changeup, according to BA. Might be better used as a reliever.

#22 Jhonny Nunez | RHP | D.o.B: 11-26-85 | Stats (AA/AAA): 7.8 K/9 | 3.4 BB/9 | 95 1/3 IP | 4.53 ERA | 3.47 FIP (AA); 4.35 FIP (AAA) | 1.42 WHIP | .8 Hr/9 | 9.3 H/9 | .321 BABIP (AA); .333 BABIP (AAA)
He’s a reliever that throws mid 90s fastball that peaks at 97 MPH, a two-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s and a power slider. Sounds like the perfect White Sox reliever.

Honorable Mention
Hitters
#19 Eduardo Escobar | SS | D.o.B: 1-5-89 | Stats (A+/AA): .277/.316/.393 | 570 AB | 43 XBH | 6 Hr | .116 ISO | 11/5 SB/CS | 111:32 K:BB | .352 BABIP (A+); .305 BABIP (AA)
Plays Gold Glove caliber defense but can’t hit — sounds a bit like another Escobar, Alcides. I have to say that Escobar should be looked at as a shortstop that probably will never hit much. Think Neifi Perez but with great defense.

#21 Christian Marrero | 1B/RF | D.o.B: 7-30-86 | Stats (AA): .270/.363/.383 | 488 AB | 38 XBH | 7 Hr | .113 ISO | 12/5 SB/CS | 85:72 K:BB | .311 BABIP
A light-hitting first baseman – there are only so many James Loney’s that the major leagues can handle. I vote for only one. Has good bat speed with an uppercut swing and looks to be a role player at best.

Pitchers
Andre Rienzo | RHP | D.o.B: 7-5-88 | Stats (A): 11.1 K/9 | 2.9 BB/9 | 101 IP | 3.65 ERA | 2.38 FIP | 1.26 WHIP | .4 Hr/9 | 8.5 H/9 | .360 BABIP
I couldn’t find any scouting reports on Rienzo, but in a pitching thin system a 11.1 K/9 rate definitely raises eyebrows — mine at least. He was “unlucky” (.360 BABIP), kept the ball in the park (.4 Hr/9) and had good control (2.9 BB/9). I think he might be a sleeper candidate to rise fast in the White Sox system.

#30 Justin Collop | RHP | D.o.B: 5-30-88 | Stats (A): 7.6 K/9 | 1.8 BB/9 | 154 1/3 IP | 4.26 ERA | 3.17 FIP | 1.30 WHIP | .6 Hr/9 | 9.9 H/9 | .342 BABIP
Throws a 88 to 93 MPH sinking fastball, a splitter, an inconsistent slider and sporadic changeup. John Sickels wanted him to improve his command and he did this past year. With a clean delivery and a good sinking fastball, Collop could rise fast in a pitching thin system. His 2010 season saw good command (1.8 BB/9), a decent strikeout rate (7.6 K/9) all the while being “unlucky” with a high BABIP (.342).

Gregory Infante | RHP | D.o.B: 7-10-87 | Stats (A+/AA): 10.4 K/9 | 4.0 BB/9 | 60 IP | 3.45 ERA | 2.64 FIP (A+); 2.10 FIP (AA) | 1.37 WHIP | .0 Hr/9 | 8.2 H/9 | .348 BABIP (A+); .364 BABIP (AA);
Helped by not allowing a home run in 2010 ( Career: .4 Hr/9), Infante showed value as a power throwing reliever. He has a 93 to 95 MPH fastball, very good curveball and an inconsistent changeup. Known to be erratic, Infante, at this point, is just worth a mention to keep on the radar.

September 1st is an exciting time for fantasy baseballers (<–my mom’s term!).  Seasons change and it’s out with the old and in with new in baseball.  For us in the fantasy baseball trenches, September 1st means rosters expand and rookies are called up.  Unlike the September hitter call-ups I took my magical pencil to the other day, I’d use kid gloves with these pitching call-ups.  Pitchers can hurt you.  If you need to take a flier on a rookie pitcher, tread carefully, young Razzball reader.  Anyway, here’s some potential September call-ups to keep your eye on for fantasy baseball, the starters:

Jenrry Mejia – Was up in the beginning of the year as a reliever then was sent down to get stretched out.  Hey, I’m Mr. Exposition.  Not sure if the Mets will use Mejia in the majors this year as a starter, but I think they should.  Not because his stuff is dynamite (nor is it bad), but I think it’s foolhardy to use a guy as a reliever then as a starter then again as a reliever.  (BTW, foolhardy has no relation to J.J.)  If Mejia is in the rotation in September, he’ll have matchup appeal.

Aroldis Chapman – “I love Aroldis Chapman,” February Grey.  This year he’s in middle relief.  Though I’d grab him in keepers immediately.

Michael Pineda – Mentioned only to say he won’t be called up this year, but you can take a flier on him in keepers for next year.  Look at Stephen’s Pineda fantasy for a more in-depth look.

Yunesky Maya – About three weeks ago, I pushed Maya a little too early in one of my Buy columns.  Hey, better early than late as people who have unprotected sex say.  Maya’s another guy I’d definitely grab in keepers; I’d be shocked if he wasn’t in the rotation next year.  For this year, I like him, but need to see how many starts he’ll get.  Right now, he’s slated for only one start.  Yippee-kay-whatever.

Jordan Lyles – Very young, but being promoted aggressively.  In Stephen’s Scouting the Unknown about Lyles, he said, “(H)e has a ceiling of a number two starter and a baseline of a number three starter.  I’d say the Astros have a pretty good prospect on their hands.”  And that’s me quoting Stephen!  I’d grab him in all dynasty leagues and NL-Only keepers now.  I wouldn’t expect too much this year in redraft leagues.

Simon Castro – I already own him in a deep keeper.  Why, you ask yourself in your library voice so no one thinks you’re talking to yourself.  He’s the top arm in the Padres’ minor league system.  If you need more, you haven’t been following along for the last 3 years.

Zach McAllister – I imagine he’ll be called up, but I won’t be owning him anywhere this year (and probably not next year either).  Right now, he looks like a number 3 starter in his prime.  At 22, he’s not in his prime.

Carlos Torres – Already called up.  He’ll probably be a solid endgame sleeper next year in AL-Only leagues, if he grabs a rotation spot.  In AL-Only leagues and keepers, I could definitely see grabbing him this year.  He won’t be more than matchups in mixed and redraft leagues, if even that.

Zach Britton – Doubtful if he gets called up this year.  He’s number 12 on the top 50 fantasy baseball prospects so could be worth a grab in dynasty leagues.

Chris Tillman – For those keeping score at home, yes, the Orioles should have a great rotation sometime in the near future.  For right now, I wouldn’t touch Tillman outside of AL-Only or keeper leagues.

Tanner Scheppers – Besides his constant complaining about having to tediously carry around tchotkes in the hot sun, he has a great K-rate, but will just be in the bullpen.  Could be an exciting middle man this year…. Okay, middle men aren’t that exciting.  Think Feliz last year.

Chicago White Sox 2009 Minor League Review
Overall farm rankings according to Baseball America (2009)
2009 (16) | 2008 (28) | 2007 (26) | 2006 (14) | 2005 (12) | 2004 (20)

Record of Major and Minor league teams
MLB: [86 – 77] AL Central
AAA: [67 – 76] International League
AA: [92 – 47] Southern League
A+: [73 – 65] Carolina League
A: [82 – 57] South Atlantic League
R: [42 – 34] Pioneer League
R: [27 – 39] Appalachian League

The Run Down
With one of the better rookies of 2009 in Gordon Beckham, and there is an argument that he should have won Rookie of the Year, the White Sox are still in desperate need to become younger. Trading away several top arms for Jake Peavy has seriously weakened the depth of the team’s minor league system. Granted, with Peavy, Buehrle, Floyd and Danks, the White Sox have a nice looking rotation in a rather weak division; especially if youngsters Dan Hudson or Carlos Torres pitch well. So the depth is poor, but the top is heavy. With Tyler Flowers, Dan Hudson, and Jordan Danks, the Sox have young studs. No, I didn’t forget about Dayan Viciedo, he is just an afterthought this year. That’s what happens when your weight may rival your batting average – granted a .280 batting average is still decently pleasant. White Sox fans, don’t look too deep or you might find out why Ken Williams is being questioned for his constant trading.

Graduating Prospects
#1 – (3B) Gordon Beckham

Arizona Fall League Players – Peoria Javelinas
Pitchers – Justin Cassel, Matt Long, Jacob Rasner, Sergio Santos
Hitters – #4 (3B) Dayan Viciedo, #7 (CF) Jordan Danks, #29 (2B/3B) CJ Retherford

Players of Interest
Hitters
#4 Tyler Flowers | C | AA/AAA | 23 | .297/.423/.516 | 353 AB | 28 2B | 15 HR | .219 ISO | 108:67 K:BB | .396 BABIP | 47.8 GB% | 18.8 LD% | 33.5 FB%
Received in Javier Vazquez trade to Atlanta last winter (What kind of scouting do the Braves have that they have so many catchers to trade (i.e. Salty and Flowers)?), Flowers is penciled in as the future catcher of the Sox. With A.J. Pierzynski’s contract ending after this season (2010), a midseason call up should be expected. He only had 105 ABs at Triple-A, but still hit fairly well (.286/.364/.433). His strikeout rates are worrisome (~30.5 K%) as is his extremely high BABIP (.396). He has a career .358 BABIP in 1267 AB in the minors. For the 2010 season, he has 2009 Miguel Montero-like potential.

#7 Jordan Danks | CF | A+/AA | 22 | .266/.359/.405 | 402 AB | 23 2B | 9 HR | .139 ISO | 12/4 SB/CS | 105:55 K:BB | .334 BABIP | 50.8 GB% | 18.8 LD% | 30.4 FB%
The little brother of John Danks, Jordan plays good defense, lacks power, and has many scouts see-sawing on his future. Some scouts believe he will be able to add more homers and power once he adds more bulk to his frame, while others completely disagree, noting specifically his sketchy swing mechanics. The 2009 scouting report said he should hit for average, and he did in 118 AB in High-A (.322/.409/.525) but struggled mightily in Double-A (.243/.337/.356 in 284 AB). His strikeout rate is worth noting, but he walks a fair amount too. He kind of reminds me of Denard Span – had a lot of hype, loses favor, and then surprises later than expected. He is more of a dark horse/sleeper after his dismal 2009 season.

#2 Dayan Viciedo | 3B | AA | 20 | .280/.317/.391 | 504 AB | 20 2B | 12 HR | .111 ISO | 89:22 K:BB | .319 BABIP | 55.2 GB% | 16.4 LD% | 28.2 FB%
Grey mentioned Dayan Viciedo in early November and I mentioned him back in mid-June. Viciedo, if you listened to the hype, was a complete flop. However, if his age is legit, he played really well at Double-A. His power numbers were not quite what everyone was expecting, but that is what happens when you hit more than half of your balls on the ground. In 2010, he needs to put a bit more lift on his swing to see more success. He didn’t walk enough, however, his strikeout rate was respectable (17.7%). Triple-A pitching is next, and if he can adjust accordingly, a late season call-up (or an injury replacement if he is succeeding) would be expected. In dynasty leagues, now is your time to buy low.

#29 C.J. Retherford | 2B/3B | AA | 23 | .297/.340/.473 | 478 AB | 46 2B | 10 HR | .176 ISO | 70:30 K:BB | .328 BABIP | 39.9 GB% | 20.3 LD% | 39.7 FB%
With Brent Morel and Viciedo looking to lock up third and first base for the future, the Sox moved Retherford to second this year. He may have been a low ranked prospect in 2009, but his play moved him into the top of the Sox farm system. With Beckham at second, Retherford will need to repeat 2009 to solidify his rising prospect rating. He doesn’t have great speed and his defense is, at best, slightly above average (and his third base defense is marginal). Truly, Retherford could eventual provide late round depth at second base in terms of fantasy if he could hit .280/.350/.425 with 10 to 15 homers a year.

Pitchers
#24 Dan Hudson | RHP | A/A+/AA/AAA | 22 | 10.1 K/9 | 2.6 BB/9 | 147 1/3 IP | 2.32 RA | 2.43 FIP | .94 WHIP | .3 HR/9 | .288 BABIP | 42.1 GB% | 18.7 LD% | 33.8 FB%
If Flowers wasn’t on this team, Dan Hudson would easily be the top prospect in the system. Rising through the entire minor leagues last year, Hudson dominated at each level. Even his BABIP wasn’t extremely low, aiding his case for prospect breakout player of the year. His worst stop in the minors was in Triple-A at the end of the summer when he saw his walk rate skyrocket (3.4 BB/9), which was the highest since Single-A (2.6 BB/9). Although, he only pitched 24 innings at Triple-A, he was called-up in September and threw 18 1/3 inning with a strikeout rate of 6.8 K/9 and a walk rate of 4.3 BB/9. He has always been a good pitcher, but his senior year of baseball (2008), he slumped and when he was drafted he pitched really well (90 strikeouts in 70 IP). Look for him to compete for the last starting rotation spot in spring training with Carlos Torres. Don’t be shocked to see him start at Triple-A to save service time. If you want the next rookie stud, look no further. He has a low 90′s fastball with tailing effects to lefties and a riding in effect to righties, an average slider, and a spotty change-up (pre-2009 scouting report).

#25 Carlos Torres | RHP | AAA | 26 | 9.1 K/9 | 3.9 BB/9 | 128 IP | 2.39 ERA | 3.04 FIP | 1.19 WHIP | .3 HR/9 | .279 BABIP | 47.6 FB% | 20.2 LD% | 28.5 FB%
He received several starts in 2009 for the White Sox (28 1/3 IP) and pitched admirably. Note that admirably doesn’t mean well. This is just a heads up mention as Torres has a good fastball, a plus cutter, and the experience to help the White Sox in 2010. He is worth a late round flier.

#11 John Ely | RHP | AA | 23 | 7.2 K/9 | 2.9 BB/9 | 156 1/3 IP | 2.82 ERA | 3.68 FIP | 1.22 WHIP | .5 HR/9 | .296 BABIP | 50.5 GB% | 16.4 LD% | 28.9 FB%
His fastball sits between 88 and 94 mph with good movement, a 12-to-6 curve that fluctuates between being an “out” pitch and a “show me” pitch. Nothing spectacular, but nothing to scoff at either. As long as he keeps his pitches down, he should be a back end pitcher. Look only for him in the majors if there is a rash of injuries to the rotation.

Honorable Mentions
Hitters
Christian Marrero | 1B | A+/AA | 22 | .308/.348/.501 | 455 AB | 30 2B | 18 HR | .193 ISO | 94:24 K:BB | .353 BABIP | 44.2 GB% | 20.5 LD% | 35.3 FB%
He laced balls all over the field (20.5 LD%) while hitting his way to gain attention in the baseball world. Splitting the year at High-A and Double-A, Marrero pounded out hit after hit. His ISO raised between his promotion (.168 to .219), as did his walk rates. He’ll start the year in Double-A. Eventually, Marrero could replace Konerko, or platoon with another first basemen. Don’t be surprised to see him, Morel or Retherford used as trade bait.

Stefan Gartrell | OF | AA/AAA | 25 | .281/.358/.513 | 474 AB | 31 2B | 23 HR | .232 ISO | 128:53 K:BB | .340 BABIP | 45.5 GB% | 18.8 LD% | 35.7 FB%
Gartrell mainly played at Double-A. His age is working against him, his strikeouts too. His power on the other hand, definitely playing in his favor. If Jones doesn’t play well, Gartrell might be an option for a rather underachieving outfield gang.

#17 Brent Morel | 3B | A+ | 22 | .281/.335/.453 | 4481 AB | 33 2B | 16 HR | .172 ISO | 25/9 SB/CS | 66:38 K:BB | .304 BABIP | 44.3 GB% | 16.8 LD% | 38.5 FB%
A level too low for a “Player of Interest” mention, Morel projects to play the opposite corner of Viciedo. With good plate discipline, above average power, and good range with a plus arm, Morel is on the fast track to the majors. Look for him to play at Double-A, and potentially Triple-A in 2010.

Pitchers
#16 Jhonny Nunez | RHP | AA/AAA | 23 | 10.1 K/9 | 3.3 BB/9 | 70 2/3 IP | 2.55 ERA | 3.36 FIP | 1.18 WHIP | .8 HR/9 | .307 BABIP | 30.7 GB% | 22.8 LD% | 40.7 FB%
Used primarily as a reliever, Nunez pitched well this year. He was once a pitcher, however, his stuff (a mid 90′s fastball and a power slider) works better as a reliever – mainly because of his inconsistencies and inability to develop a solid third pitch.

Dan Remenowsky | RHP | A | 23 | 15.5 K/9 | 2.3 BB/9 | 63 1/3 IP | 1.99 ERA | 1.63 FIP | .88 WHIP | .4 HR/9 | .319 BABIP | 39 GB% | 13 LD% | 43.9 FB%
Easily the pitcher with the numbers that jump out and poke you in the eye. He is a bit older than his competition, and he’ll need to repeat his season to gain any kind of higher ranking or notoriety.

Stephen Sauer | RHP | A | 22| 7.8 K/9 | 1.2 BB/9 | 142 IP | 3.36 ERA | 2.79 FIP | 1.28 WHIP |.3 HR/9 | .363 BABIP | 56.3 GB% | 15.8 LD% | 21.7 FB%
I like his ground ball rate, and that is why he is here (along with adequate numbers too). His BABIP was a bit high (adjusted for his lower FIP), but his control, ground ball rate, and overall solid numbers makes him someone to watch.

Tim Lincecum missed yesterday’s start vs. the Padres (there goes that 14 K start) and gave way to the Giants big-time rookie pitching prospect, Madison Bumgarner.  Lincecum should be back by this weekend.  A detailed Madison Bumgarner outlook can be found where it says, “Madison Bumgarner outlook.”  (Yeah, still haven’t figured out how to naturally link to something.  I feel like Buzz Bissinger.  Bleh!  What are these things you call links?  Bleh! Actually, that sounds more like The Count.)  So one in for Mad-Bum, and no harm done.  5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 Ks.  I think he can supplant Joe Martinez in the rotation.  He sure as heckfire has a better name… Go with Jose at least, geez.  Bumgarner will have value in all leagues down the stretch if he has a rotation spot.  He’s risky, but in the NL West and with his stuff, well worth a look in mixed leagues.  In keepers, pursue him aggressively.  He’s real and he’s spectacular.  I expect he’ll take the David Price route next year.  Start in the minors, then get the call in June.  Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Brad Lidge – Prior to getting removed from a save situation for Madson, Manuel said that Lidge will remain the Phils closer.  HA!!!  Sorry.  Lidge hasn’t been a closer in three months.  Are they freakin’ kidding me?  Lidge is pitching like he’s wearing contacts that bear Pujols’s face.  Please, someone tie Lidge to a bed and break his ankles to put him out of his misery.

Alex Gordon – He returns from his Triple-A stint.  A lot has been made of his trip to the minors.  (Because of the minors stint, he’ll be under contract through 2013.)  People are saying the Royals pulled a low move to delay free agency.  Um, and Gordon’s done something to stay in the majors?  At this rate, he may not be a major leaguer by 2013.  Though, February Grey still will probably find a way to talk him up for next year.

Pedro Martinez – 6 2/3 IP, 3 ER.  Not great vs. the Nats, but I would’ve taken it over the roofie-ing I took from Carlos Torres.  Don’t worry, I’ll get to that.

Raul Ibanez – 3-for-4 with 2 HRs yesterday.  I swear, after three months of homer sobriety from Ibanez, I was a twitch away from pulling the trigger on him.  Now, he’s hot.  Someone was looking out for me.  They obviously didn’t care enough to warn me about Carlos Torres.  Fantasy baseball, because every day stress is not enough.

Carlos Torres – 2/3 IP, 5 ER vs. the A’s.  I hate you, Carlos Torres.  I swore off rookie pitchers earlier this year because of a start by Hochevar vs. the A’s.  Why do the A’s hate me?  Someone, help!  I was roofied and I’m hemorrhaging from the A’s.

Julio Borbon – 2 HRs yesterday and a steal.  Someone’s been talking to Drew Stubbs.

Elvis Andrus – 2 steals yesterday.  If you need steals, maybe he’s running now, cause he hadn’t been.

Frank Francisco – 1 IP, 2 ER.  Kazaam!

Nick Swisher – 2 HRs yesterday.  Hitting over .300 in the last seven games with 3 homers.

Evan Longoria – Has 5 homers in the last 8 games and is hitting near .500 in his last seven games.  H2H teams rostering Longoria tip their caps.

Garrett Jones – Hit his 19th homer yesterday.  If I didn’t see it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it, but after Robot Jones hit his homer, he elevated five inches off the ground to allow wheels to slide out from his cleats and he rolled around the bases.

Dustin Pedroia – This might be Scrappy Doo’s first appearance in a daily roundup this year.  Well, anyway, he hit two homers yesterday against the Orioles’ Double-A pitching.

Felix Pie – 0-for-3, and 2 for his last 13.  I think he’s back to being lame.

Carlos Beltran – Returned with a 1-for-4.  Now he has three weeks to hit 35 homers and steal 20 bases.  Or if he just outproduced Angel Pagan, that would be nice, too.

Cameron Maybin – You’re going to hear about every positive thing he does until next year.  Yesterday, he hit a homer.

Nate McLouth – Hit his 2nd homer since he returned.  This is a hunch, but I think he realizes he has three weeks to make his season’s stats look somewhat palatable.

Manny Parra – Left the game with neck spasms.  Manny, you don’t watch the ball off the bat.  That’s how you get a crick in your neck.

Mat Gamel – Was recalled.  But McGehee’s got the corner locked down like Marlo Stanfield.

Corey Hart – Is back from the DL.  He says he wants to steal bases.  I have no idea if he’s lying.  I couldn’t see his eyes through his sunglasses.

Chris Davis – 3-for-4 with a HR in yesterday’s nightcap.  In the, uh, daycap he went 0-for-5.

Michael Brantley – He’s stealing bases.  You know you wanna.  Go ahead, pick him up.

Franklin Gutierrez – Hit his 16th homer yesterday.  The Big FraGu’s having a better year than Carlos Beltran, Grady Sizemore and Josh Hamilton.  Cust kayin’.

Matt Murton – Called up by the Rockies.  Score this a victory for the National Association for the Advancement of Gingy People.  But the NAAGP won’t rest until Murton gets playing time, so there will be a lot of late nights for them.

J.A. Happ – His strained oblique is still vaguely hurting and will miss another start.

Jeff Baker – The pride of Bad Kissingen, West Germany went 3-for-4 yesterday as he hits near .400 in the last week.

Jake Fox – Piniella hates him.  Bobby Scales?  Sam Fuld?  They sound like the bassist and drummer for the Cubs’ heavy metal band, Quite The Riot.

In this corner — BJ Upton.  In that corner — expectations.  Should be TKO with BJ clobbering expectations.  Not sure what happened on the way to September, but he hasn’t been right all season.  Maybe he’s hiding an injury.  But that was last season’s excuse.  This season he was supposed to make good on his cortisone-induced playoffs show that had every classy waitress in Tampa standing at attention from their chest.  Well, didn’t happen.  I still think there’s time and I’m excited about him next year (again!).  But until then, he’s now dealing with an ankle sprain.  I’m sure he comes back.  But at what?  87.7 percent?  You need 100% from this schmohawk.  Oh, and at 100%, he’s given you 2 homers and 8 steals with a near-.220 average since July 1st.  If there’s better options, I’d consider looking elsewhere.  Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:

Franklin Morales – Huston Street made it to September without an injury.  Mazel tov, my friends in Brooklyn.  It was a deed no one thought Street capable of in March.  Now he’s suffering from an arm issue.  Rafael Betancourt’s the righty, Franklin Morales is the lefty.  When in doubt, I go with the righty.  But the Rockies obviously got word that Betancourt is a Cuddle Boy, so they’re calling Morales the closer.

Jarrod Washburn – You guys had a good run.  Okay, it wasn’t that good.  But it’s over now.  He’s sucking on the suckhole and the Tigers are skipping him in the rotation.

Carlos Torres – 7IP, 0 ER, 6 Ks. He has a decent amount of Ks in the minors.  I’m not saying to grab him everywhere, but in some deeper leagues, I could see it where you need Ks because batters won’t be familiar with him.  He also walks a ton of guys, so be very careful.  He’s capable of a Spud from Trainspotting type defecation.

Michael Brantley – First steal (and caught stealing).  Nice to see him running.  He should continue to do so.  If not, we have people we can talk to to get him running again.  *wink wink* *nudge nudge* *hand under armpit making farting noises*

Fausto Carmona – 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 9 baserunners as he tied his owners to the WHIPping post.

John Smoltz – 6 IP, 4 ER.  Six innings and four earned is the line you get when you take a pitcher who shouldn’t go more than five innings more than five innings.  Or maybe he decided to tip his pitches again.  In fairness, Lugo bobbled a ball that should have been a double play then the wheels came off.

Jorge Posada – 4-for-5 and his 20th homer yesterday, while batting .288 on the season.  The Jetstream may be doing wonders, but he’s going into territory where he may be overrated next season.

Alfredo Aceves – Middle man who won his 10th game of the season yesterday.  Randy Wolf has 29 starts, 110 extra innings and 9 Wins.  Cust kayin’.

Cameron Maybin – 2-for-3 yesterday as he started, while Hermida deals with a strained intercostal (isn’t that a highway in Florida?).  Maybin should see time this weekend.

Marc Rzepczynski – Shutdown for the season.  And just when I figured out how to spell his last name.

Pedro Martinez – 7 IP, 1 ER, 9 Ks.  Okay, never saw this game coming, but still a very solid effort sans dwarf.

Casey McGehee - Now has three homers in the last four games.  He’ll be discussed in this afternoon’s Buy/Sell.  You lucky you!

Jon Garland – 7 IP, 2 ER, 6 Ks vs. his old team, the Diamondbacks.  So this is what other pitchers were talking about!

Orlando Hudson – Losing time to Ronnie Belliard.  Ouch.

Mark Reynolds – 1-for-4 with 3 Ks.  He now has 11 Ks in the last five games.  Obviously, I have much love for Reynolds this year, but this is the kind of stretch I worry about happening that would give me pause next year when people are going to be drafting him in the top 50 players overall.  When he was priced at an average draft pick of 175, it was much more reasonable.  Though I hope he turns it around and finishes this season strong so no one’s scared away for next year.  Muahahahahaha…

Hanley Ramirez – Missed another game because of his strained hamstring.  Then Uggla called him a faker.

Carlos Beltran – Hopes to return next week.  Wait until he sees what the Mets have done with the team!

Angel Pagan – 3-for-4 yesterday, hitting near .400 over the last week with one homer and one steal.  Maybe Pagan made a deal with the devil. (Pun point for Grey.)

Clint Barmes – Hit his 22nd homer.  Bar-MESS has 5 hits in his last ten games and two homers.  18 hits in August and he had 7 homers.  He’s a Jesse Barfield-Marcus Thames hybrid, the Barmes.