Justin Morneau has a stress fracture in his lower back. Joe Mauer missed a month of the season with back pains. I understand the Twins are a small market team with fiduciary concerns, but it might be a good investment to provide firmer mattresses for the team. Punto can continue to sleep on the couch, if you like. Morneau will be out for the season. In non-keepers, you can drop him. Cuddyer will start at 1st; he hit a homer yesterday. Since Morneau was hitting .201 Post-All-Star Break, this isn’t the worst news for you. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Brian Fuentes – If he were on the Phillies, he’d be hailed as having one of the greatest seasons a closer has ever had. But when you’re the closer for The Town that Bobby Grich Built, you need to save at least 60 games with a 2 ERA. 41 saves and a 4 ERA just ain’t going to cut it. Scioscia’s a tinkerer — Howie Kendrick’s hot… Okay, we’re going to start Maicer Izturis! — So the latest is that Fuentes could lose saves to Kevin Jepsen. I don’t think Jepsen will collect more than a few, but if you’re in a tight race for saves, you may want to grab him.
Reid Brignac – 4-for-4, HR and 3 RBIs yesterday with his first start in a week. It would be wise for the Rays to give Brignac at-bats. Though teams aren’t always wise.
Matt Wieters – 1-for-3, batting .265 on the year with 5 homers. February Grey emailed me this, “I’m preparing Wieters to Posey comparisons.”
Adam Lind – Hit his 29th homer yesterday. In the preseason top 80 outfielders post, I said, “Lind could be worth owning in all leagues. That’s no idle compliment. Man, you really know how to make a beanbag your own. That’s an idle compliment.” And that’s me quoting me! I also harped on him in April telling everyone to grab him. Next year, there will be comparisons of Wieters for 2010 to Lind in 2009. Trust me, when a big time prospect fails, I’m all over them. Ask the People Against the Fantasy Ownership of Alex Gordon.
Jason Frasor – 1 IP, 2 ER and the blown save. Well, that’s one way to get Downs put back in the closer role.
Bronson Arroyo – 7 IP, 1 ER. Has a near 2 ERA in the 2nd half of the year. Yup.
Jay Bruce – Returns from the DL. I’m going to say Jay Bruce is the best outfielder in the history of the world. And I’d be lying. Jay Bruce is perhaps the most underperforming outfielder in the history of 2009. That’s closer to the truth. Jay Bruce can not help you whatsoever. That’s lying again. Jay Bruce might be able to give some slight value in deep leagues. Yes, that sounds about right.
Brandon Phillips – HR yesterday. Now has three straight 20/20 seasons. Cust kayin’.
Brett Tomko – 9 IP, 0 ER. Whatever Tomko’s stats are smoking it’s probably not legal.
Cliff Pennington – 2-for-4, and hitting near .450 in the last week. Plus, his name sounds like he wears plaid trousers.
Ryan Dempster – 8 IP, 0 ER, 5 baserunners. Has given up 4 earned runs in every other start for almost a month now. If I were a betting man, I might say 6 IP, 4 ER vs. the Cards for his next start.
Carlos Gonzalez – 2-for-5, one steal. He hit a huge dip over the weekend, going 1-for-11, but hopefully that was just a matter of playing in Petco. No one wants to provide offense in Petco, it’s just the way it is.
Tim Lincecum – 7 IP, 1 ER, 11 Ks. I’m still undecided, but I might draft Lincecum in the first round next year just to see how it feels to own him.
Ricky Nolasco – 5 IP, 7 ER. It’s nice and all to have a solid K to walk ratio, but walk someone if it’s going to help you avoid giving up 7 earned runs!
Clayton Kershaw – Out at least 10 more days. He originally hurt himself shagging flies. Last person to hurt themselves like that was Jenna Jameson.
