No, there’s probably no cast in Andre’s future. I’m not even sure they make casts small enough for the pinkie finger. That was Pingping‘s downfall, that and the chain smoking. After Andre Ethier broke a bone in his pinkie, he said something was seriously wrong. Seriously? You got a boo-boo on your pinkie! What, you can’t make shadow animals now? When he found out what it was, he said that it’s the leverage point of his swing and it would prevent him from holding the bat the way he normally does. Who’s leverage point is their freakin’ pinkie?! This is like the pea under the princess’s mattress. His biggest concern is probably how he can stick his pinkie out while drinking tea. Ethier could be out for a few weeks or he can play through it. So he’s damned if he does or a half dozen of the other… Or however that cliché goes. If it is his leverage point, you don’t want him playing through it. If he doesn’t play through it, he could be out at least a few weeks. And here I thought the only time Ethier and the word pinkie would be associated would be from this picture. Draw your own conclusions, but I’m guessing he’s in Key West. Anyway, here’s what else I saw this weekend in fantasy baseball:
Chad Billingsley – 7 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 5 baserunners, 6 Ks. What every pitcher needs, a trip to Petco.
Huston Street – Huston, we have a setback. We should just call them streetbacks. This time he strained his groin. Straining your groin is so adolescent! Corpas stays the number one option for saves. He’s by no means safe, but he’s safer than the other options. Those really hurting for saves can look at Cuddle Boy, Rafael Betancourt.
Jeff Francis – 7 IP, 1 ER, 9 baserunners, 6 Ks. Definitely worth grabbing in NL-Only and deeper mixed leagues, but, in the end, he’s a mid-4 ERA, 6 K/9 pitcher. It’s just a’ight.
Brad Lidge – You know those signs that say, “If you lived here, you’d be home right now?” How about the sign, “If you were Brad Lidge, you’d be injured right now?” Lidge returns to the DL and Jose Contreras continues to fill in the closer role. Those is desperate need of saves can look at Danys Baez and J.C. Romero too.
J.C. Romero – And J.C. turns a close game into a save. There were lefties batting and Contreras had pitched two days in a row, so that’s what went on here. Though it does give you an idea of the pecking order when you’re vulturing.
Jimmy Rollins – To return on Monday. Assuming he doesn’t share a doctor with Brad Lidge.
Kila Ka’aihue – Was sent back down. Too bad he couldn’t make the best of his time. Then again, he was only given 4 at-bats in almost two weeks. Here’s a prospect, here’s the Royals stunting a prospect’s growth.
Justin Duchscherer – This Justin, probably out for the season with his grandma hip.
Jack Cust – 2-for-3 as he returns to the A’s. He missed almost 40 games, so how long until you think he leads the club in homers? Week and a half? 2 weeks? If you need power, I’d grab him. Also, everyone in OBP leagues should obviously pick him up.
Scott Hairston – Looks to be headed to the DL with the dreaded strained hamstring. This will free up playing time for Venable and Gwynn. Though I’m not sure that’s a good thing.
Carlos Guillen – As reported here first after reading it elsewhere, Guillen will play 2nd base when he returns next week. Scott Sizemore is no more as he was optioned to the minors.
Brennan Boesch – Now batting .380 over 71 ABs. Member when I effused praise, but hedged that Boesch had no playing time when Guillen returned? Yeah, that’s old news, friend. Boesch should play every day as long as he continues to hit. I’d grab him in most 12 team leagues and deeper.
Max Scherzer – The Tigers weatherman called for a flurry of moves this weekend, huh? Scherzer was sent to the minors. If you owned him, it’s your own fault. I couldn’t have been more vocal about why I was avoiding him this year. At least now he’s done Pwnsoning you. Replacing him…
Armando Galarraga – 5 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 5 Ks. He’s a 4.50+ ERA pitcher with a bleh K-rate. I’d ignore in all leagues, except AL-Only ones.
Scott Olsen – 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 3 Ks. Very respectable start against a team that is good vs. lefties and even better at home. I’d own Olsen in the shallowest of leagues.
Tyler Clippard – 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER as he got the loss. What a decision hog!
Willy Taveras – The Nats DFA’d, which is baseball’s acronym for “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
Drew Storen – Called up to the majors. Storen won’t see any saves unless there’s a total collCapps. Not if there’s just some hicCapps.
Carlos Quentin – I don’t know what’s worst, that Quentin missed his third straight game with a stomach problem or that I was glad Quentin missed three straight.
Gavin Floyd – 6 IP, 5 ER, 11 baserunners, 4 Ks and now has a 7.00 ERA on the year. I think change gonna come, nephew, but I wouldn’t wait for it with him on my team. Let him correct himself on waivers.
Alex Rios – 3-for-4, and his 7th homer while he has 12 steals. It is my belief that James Shields and Alex Rios are conspiring to drive me crazy.
Alexei Ramirez – Now 5 for his last 7. It took him until around this time last year to get hot. Cust kayin’.
Grady Sizemore – Should be day-to-day after he left the game with a left knee contusion. No word on how he suffered it, but my guess is one of his fantasy baseball owners Tonya Harding’d him.
Russell Branyan – Hit his 4th homer on the year yesterday and his 3rd this week. Trust me, I wouldn’t mention some of these guys if they weren’t worth owning immediately. I grabbed Branyan in a few leagues last Thursday, if that helps the medicine go down.
Jake Westbrook – 9 IP, 1 ER, 10 baserunners, 8 Ks. Before this start, he had a 23:19 K:BB rate, which is bad. His WHIP is 1.51. I wouldn’t own him with your team.
Luke Scott – 3-for-4, as he hit his 7th homer yesterday and his 4th homer in his last 7 games. Another guy who is only worth owning while he’s hitting. Currently, he’s hitting.
Brad Penny – 5 IP, 7 ER, 14 baserunners, 7 Ks. That’s not a pretty Penny.
Jonny Gomes – 2-for-3 and batting .350 on the week. He’s been playing every day and, even if he wasn’t, interleague is coming up so he’d play then. (BTW, a interleague post is coming this week about guys to start and sit.)
Bronson Arroyo – 9 IP, 2 ER, 10 baserunners, 4 Ks vs. a slumping Cards team. I’d continue to avoid Arroyo until after the All-Star Break.
Brandon Morrow – 6 IP, 2 ER, 9 baserunners, 8 Ks. His WHIP is hideous (1.68), but I’d grab him in leagues where you need Ks. Right now, 54 Ks in 41 innings. For you noobs, that’s really good. In fact, it’s the best K-rate in the major leagues. Yes, better than Lincecum.
Mariano Rivera – 1/3 IP, 2 ER. Oh, Mo. Hasn’t saved a game in May then this dreckitude. Joba wasn’t much better in this game, but continue to hold Joba just in case Rivera’s hurt. On an amusing side note, my grandfather’s real name is Mariano. Not Panamanian, but Italian. Hey, paisan! But he hasn’t gone by Mariano since he was a kid, opting for Joe. He says Mariano sounds too Italian, even though he has no problem wearing self-tanning lotion to “darken his complexion.” Yes, my grandfather is C. Thomas Howell from Soul Man.
Gaby Sanchez – Went 9-for-17 this weekend, Maybin went 5-for-12 with 6 RBIs. As I told someone in the comments this weekend, I have no idea if this is a good sign for the Marlin youngsters or a bad sign for the Mets pitching. And that’s me paraphrasing me!
Dan Haren – 4 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 11 baserunners, 2 Ks. Did he see his shadow and think it was after the All-Star Break?
Martin Prado – 4-for-6, 2 Runs, 3 RBIs and 2 Homers. I wouldn’t own Prado just because of the complete lack of speed, but if you need average or Runs, that’s what Prado gives you. Pretty yawnstipating, but he is what he is.
Troy Glaus – 3-for-5, 2 Runs, 2 RBIs as he was another guy who homered that showed up in Friday’s Buy/Sell.
Jon Niese – Left the game yesterday after getting hamstrung.
Jose Reyes – Moved back to the leadoff spot, which left a void in the heart of the lineup. Batting 4th for the Mets? It’s a sci-fi mystery scripted by Chris Carter.
