Edinson Volquez left the game after the 1st inning. Hey, that Edinson-Josh Hamilton trade looks pretty even again, huh? Volquez was complaining of finger numbness. Was it cold? Maybe he can pitch wearing mittens. If it’s finger numbness from non-weather related reasons, it’s not a good sign. I wouldn’t be surprised if Volquez ends up back on the DL. Okay, here’s a pretty general thing that generally applies (ain’t that something?), a pitcher is suffering from anything to do with his throwing arm? You want out. Let someone else deal with the agita that comes with a pitcher dealing with arm issues. Kazmir, Ervin, Baker, etc. I’ll probably be touting you to draft them all next year. I wouldn’t go near any of them this year, unless the deal was ridiculously lopsided. Obviously, Volquez has more value than the other three schmohawks I mentioned, but be wary. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Grady Sizemore – News hasn’t gotten better. If rest on the DL doesn’t heal his elbow, he’ll need surgery and will be out at least 6 weeks. I’d say you’d be lucky to get a decent September out of him, if surgery’s necessary.
Chad Qualls – Over the weekend, Mark Grace, the Diamondbacks color man, said that Qualls was experiencing forearm pain. (This info was supplied by one of our commenters. In other words, if it’s incorrect, I wash my hands of it.) Yesterday, Tony Pena got the save. Pena definitely has closer stuff, but I think Rauch, or even Juan Gutierrez will see time as the closer. With Pena getting the first opportunity, he should be the first guy you pickup. I’d pick them up Pena, Rauch then Gutierrez. Hike up your waiver wire skirts, save whores.
Hiroki Kuroda – 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 Ks. Back from his oblique injury… which is so obfuscatory! Solid enough start for a third to fourth fantasy starter, which is what Kuroda is. Remember, last year he led the league in being a FLAKE. (A FLAKE is basically a pitcher who goes from excellent to unusable from start to start. A FLAKE is also Manny Ramirez.)
Scott Hairston – 2-for-4, HR yesterday. It’s the Age of Hairston!
Colby Rasmus – 3-for-4 with a home run. Now batting .750 in June, but only one RBI.
J.J. Putz – 3 earned runs and is probably out as the setup man. Parnell, Feliciano and Stokes should share duties. Though not doodies, that would be weird.
Livan Hernandez – 5 2/3 IP, 3 ER. Had a Win spoiled by the Mets bullpen. He knows the feeling, he’s spoiled plenty of his own wins over the years.
Jack Wilson – Wilson, Adam LaRoche or McLouth, who has the highest average? If you pulled a Brewster’s Millions and guessed none of the above, you wouldn’t be too far off.
Matt Capps – Got the save yesterday. You can lose Grabow for now.
Carlos Beltran – 2nd day in a row his belly was bothering him. Claire Danes sends her love.
Jeremy Sowers – 5 IP, 1 ER and 5 walks. I wouldn’t pick him up with your team.
Roy Oswalt – 7 IP, 1 ER, 8 Ks. Has owned the Rockies in his career, and the way the Rox are hitting right now, I could probably go six scoreless against them. Their cleanup hitter was Atkins. Somewhere Clint Hurdle derisively laughed.
Rich Hill – 7 IP, 5 baserunners, 7 Ks. There’s two hitters batting over .300 on the M’s. Ichiro, obviously, can you guess the other? It’s not their 2nd, 3rd or 4th hitters, if that helps.
Rob Johnson – 933 OPS Mariners backstop? Yeah, Jeff Clement. He’s in the minors. Rob Johnson has a 513 OPS. That’s terrifically awful.
Mike Cameron/Ryan Braun – Cameron left the game in the 6th with knee irritation and Braun left early after fouling a ball off his leg. The Brewers trainer said they’re both day-to-day, but he’ll be monitoring them closely now that he has so much free time without Weeks around.
John Baker – There’s a new Cristal Young in town and he’s catching for the Marlins. He’s caught 8 out of 48 for a terrible .167 CS%. It’s so bad… How bad is it? Prince Fielder tried to steal yesterday. Though he was caught inflating Baker’s numbers.
Gavin Floyd – 7 IP, 2 ER, 8 Ks. Has now thrown three solid starts in a row. I wouldn’t count on four.
Xavier Nady – Felt pain in his elbow during a throwing session. I’m not sitting on this doode in any league. Here’s the thing, he’s injury-prone and he plays in a lineup where he’s not even guaranteed time. I guess if you’re only using a DL slot to hold him, it’s not that big of a deal, but I’d expect nothing and hope for something.
Joba Chamberlain – 8 IP, 2 ER, 5 Ks. Is this Joba’s Mom or is this? You make the call!
