Saturday, May 31, 2008

Manny = 500HR Club


Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox has hit his 500th career home run.

Manny is hitting .286 with 10HR's/35RBI's/33R's.

Congratulations Manny!

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Carlos Gonzalez

After the arrivals of Jay Bruce and Clayton Kershaw on red carpets Carlos Gonzalez of the Athletics arrived through the back door and made his major league debut on May 31 hitting 2 doubles and adding a RBI. This LF'er has the potential to give owners a .290AVG, 10-15HR's, 75-80RBI's, and adding in 10SB's. This player will give you what you need, stats. If you are in need of some help grab this guy off the FA list. For some leagues, he is still considered as a waiver pick but I don't believe you should waste a first overall pick on this guy. He will most likely fall into the FA pool and you can grab him with just a drop/pick.

Al-only owners should pick him up ASAP. Mixed owners should wait and see if he can find a spot in the lineup as a full-time player.

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Griffey

Ken Griffey Jr. of the Reds has hit his 599 career home run and hopeful to reach 600 soon. After only hitting 1HR in May, Griffey and owners are hoping he will start to heat up as the weather starts to warm up.

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Shawn Estes

Shawn Estes of the Padres was placed on the 15-Day DL after falling in the dugout and breaking his left thumb. These injuries always make me laugh because of how much these players make and they end up injuring themselves off the field. Yes, they are freak accidents but they are amusing.

Estes isn't a fantasy game changer but he does have some value in NL-only leagues. DL him or just drop him.

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Kershaw

Kershaw of the Dodgers threw a very unimpressive game by going 3.2IP, 4ER's, 2K's, and 4BB's. At times expect Kershaw to throw games like this because of his movement on his fastball and also his age. He is still very young and owners shouldn't expect him to come out and throw 7 scoreless innings while striking out 8-10 batters. In time it should happen but take your time with this pitcher. Owners don't drop him or trade him unless you get fair value in the trade.

Most people used a first waiver wire pick on him and with this you should relax and go through the growing pains of a young pitcher. His tremendous upside is something no one can overlook.

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Josh Banks

Josh Banks of the Padres just pitched a complete game 6-hitter against the lowly Giants in just his 3rd appearance of the year. This young pitcher who was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 2nd round during the 2003 amateur draft is a promising pitcher but don't expect his 0.00ERA to continue through the year. His minor league career ERA of 4.33 is something closer to expect from this pitcher. His ability to strike batters out, 3-5K's/9IP, is a decent number but nothing special.

Owners, don't fall for this quick start just yet. His first two starts have been against two terrible hitting teams, the Reds BEFORE Jay Bruce and the Giants. Wait until he starts against a stronger hitting team to see how he might fit in the majors.

As always with rookies and pitching, keep him on your radar.

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Howie Kendrick

In my eyes a future batting champion, Howie Kendrick of the Angels made his return after a long 42 game absence after a hamstring injury. Even though he came back and went 0-3, owners shouldn't be worried about his recent injury problems. The only problem that might hurt is the fact he might not be running because he wants to be cautious with his hamstring.

The one problem facing Kendrick is not his abilities on the field but the fact he seems to find himself injured and unable to contribute on the field. Owners who have Kendrick have to make a decision on what to do with this super star in the making, should you keep him or try and grab some value in a trade. This is a hard question to answer because of his tremendous upside but on the other hand his risk of injury. I would lean on the side of his upside and keeping him but if you are not in a keeper league and are looking to win right now, which I always pick, this might be a chance for you to trade him and grab a bat or arm to help you in some categories that you are a little far back in.

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Guzman

Christian Guzman of the Nationals is a great pickup right now, even though he'll most likely be gone, but just in case take a look on the wire. This SS is hitting .310, 5HR, 20RBI, and has added 3SB's this season. Guzman can give you some pop with his bat and throw in a few steals but his value is in his day to day stats that he gives you. What I mean by this is he won't hurt you statistically but at the same time he's not the guy you build a team around either.

He is a great option for your middle infield or an extra utility player. Plus, if you do have him on your team, it is a great option as a sweetener in a deal or asking for him in a deal to sweeten it. Bottom line is, this guy should be on fantasy lineups because his numbers add up but add up quietly.

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Litsch

Jesse Litsch of the Blue Jays recorded his 7th win and has shown he belongs in the big leagues. But I am not sold on his performance as of yet. His numbers are fairly good but he has yet to prove he can pitch through an entire season effectively. The more I see this pitcher throw for the Jays the more I see a pitcher who will get banged up in the future because of his low strikeout rate.

His current ERA of 3.18 will eventually start to creep upwards and most likely land in the high 3's/low 4's. His ability to keep the ball in the park and also throw strikes does help his cause but at the end of the day, I believe this is a great candidate to sell high on. Try and see if there is a team in your league that needs some help in pitching and see if you can grab a mid-tier bat from them.

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Harang

Aarong Harang of the Reds is doing what most people thought he would be doing so far this season EXCEPT the 2-7 record he owns. As most fantasy owners know, the win loss column for a pitcher is a meaningless indication of how well he is pitching. The win loss record is an indication on how well his team is hitting behind him and not how well a pitcher is throwing.

Harang is a victim of poor offensive support from the Reds hitters. So far this season Harang has a 3.81ERA and is still striking out batters at almost the same rate, 8K's/9IP, as his last 3 years of work. So, owners who have Harang just hang in there with his win loss record because he is worth keeping because of all the categories he helps in, besides the W/L columns. But wait, with the shakeup in the Reds lineup of late Harang might be on the right side of run support in the upcoming starts.

If you can grab Harang from another owner who is blind sided by his win loss record go ahead and reap all the benefits from this proven almost ace pitcher.

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Saves in Review for May 30

The Usual Suspects
Wood (13), Papelbon (15), CJ Wilson (11), Rivera (14), Borowski (4), Franklin (5) with 1ER, Rauch (12), and Jones (8).

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Friday, May 30, 2008

Hafner

Travis Hafner of the Indians has landed himself on the 15-Day DL after suffering from a sore right shoulder. After going for 28, 33, 42 HR's for 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively he has declined dramatically over the past two seasons.

In my eyes, this is a great chance for Hafner to recover physically and mentally because he has absolutely looked miserable at the plate. Owners who took a chance and drafted him fairly high this year have seen him produce nothing for you so this stint to the DL, hopefully, will turn this season around for Hafner. Honestly, I don't believe Hafner is the 35+HR and .300AVG hitter he was 3 years ago. I would try to sell this hitter ASAP.

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Saves in Review for May 29

The Usual Suspects
Hoffman (11), Franklin (4), and B. Wilson (16).

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Eric Chavez

Eric Chavez of the Athletics returned from the 60-Day DL after going through surgeries on his back and both shoulders. For owners who have a bench spot open go out and grab this player. He has proven himself as a 20HR/70-80RBI player if he stays healthy, which is not common lately, and get his 400-500AB's.

Chavez is usually a second half player and seems to heat up after the summer heat arrives. Take a chance and he might prove to be a sleeper candidate.

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Daisuke

Daisuke of the Red Sox was put on the 15-Day DL after taking an MRI which revealed a slight strain to his rotator cuff. With his impressive start to the season owners must be a little disappointed with this DL sting but at least the Red Sox are being cautious with him now instead of him over working the shoulder and having his season end prematurely.

Owners, don't worry about this right now. Just focus on pitchers who are on the wire right now and pick up pitchers who are pitching in favourable match-ups.

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Troy Percival

Troy Percival of the Rays was officially put on the 15-Day DL after hurting his ankle and will most likely be back right after the designated 15 days.

For owners who have Percival be happy that this injury is not going to keep him out for a longer period of time. Owners, look to Wheeler for the saves opportunities. But keep in mind the Rays organization has stated they will go with a closer by committee but Wheeler does have the experience closing while he was in Houston after Brad Lidge went down.

If you are over cautious pick up these guys too...Reyes, Miller, and Howell.

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Thursday, May 29, 2008

Pedro

Pedro Feliz, not Pedro Martinez, of the Phillies is finding some playing time and has produced. Fantasy owners who are searching for some hitting, look no further, Pedro is here.

In his last 10 games he has 16H's, 1HR, 10RBI's, and has raised his AVG from .227 to .265.

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Mr. Gold Thong

Mr. Gold Thong, Jason Giambi, is starting to heat up as the summer approaches. This is great news for the Yankees, who are struggling, and also owners who are in need of some power.

In his past 10 games he has 14H's, 4HR's, 7RBI's, and has raised his AVG from .181 to .244. If you see his name on the wire, go out and grab him ASAP.

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Jeff Larish

Jeff Larish of the Tigers was called up from AAA and will see action at 1B. His ability to go deep is a great asset in fantasy leagues and for AL-only owners this is a great chance for you to grab a player who is going to play everyday. In 53 games, he has a .277AVG, 16HR's, and 43RBI's.

If you are in need of some power, go out and grab him.

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Injuries

Ian Kennedy of the Yankees was placed on the 15-Day DL and should be let go in mixed leagues but should be kept in deeper fantasy keeper leagues.

Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Red Sox might be heading for the DL, like I mentioned in a previous post, so owners should just relax and wait for his MRI results.

Troy Percival of the Rays left his last game with tightness in his left hamstring. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday. Go out and pick up Dan Wheeler for back-up, just in case.

Rafael Soriano of the Braves was activated from the DL and will see the closing duties immediately. Just watch out because Smoltz may return as the closer.

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Hairston JR.

Jerry Hairston Jr of the Reds is smoking hot of late going 10 hits and 5SB's in the last 5 games. With the optioning of Patterson and Hatteberg to AAA Hairston will continue to find himself in the regular lineup. Enjoy his services.

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Seth Smith

Seth Smith of the Rockies is getting regular playing time in the big leagues after injuries have ravaged the Rockies lineup. So far, Smith has hit extremely well down in AAA this season going .321AVG, 6HR's, and 30RBI's all in 45 games.

Owners in NL-only leagues should have him on their rosters right now. Mixed league owners should take a look and if you are in need of hitting, Smith isn't a bad choice.

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Saves in Review for May 28

The Usual Suspects
Jenks (14), Torres (4), Nathan (14), Ryan (12), Putz (6), and Rauch (11).

Stupid BS
Saito (3) with 1ER and Gregg (2) with 1ER.

Eye Openers
Wheeler (1) made his first saves of the season after Percival left with an injury. Pick up Wheeler ASAP!!

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Injury Report

Gary Sheffield - Tigers - He is on the 15-Day DL with a strained left oblique. With his age (39) he is growing old and his .213AVG coupled with 3HR's and 12RBI's, Shef is worth dropping to the wire. Of course, try to trade him in a 2/1 deal just to see if their is interest in this former slugger. Jeff Larish will take the empty spot vacated by Shef. Larvish is hitting well this year in AAA batting .277 with 16HR's and 43RBI's. Pick him up in AL-only leagues.

Travis Hafner - Indians - Hafner is not officially on the DL yet but after missing his latest game and with reports coming out of Cleveland saying his sore right shoulder might need a DL stint, expect more days off or a DL stint. Hopefully he goes on the DL so owners can use the DL spot or at least know for certain how bad the injury is. Hafner is a tough batter to judge, he has the ability to carry your team but he hasn't impressed this year or last year. I would wait until this injury is finalized before making and moves. But if someone offers a fair trade, take it.

Eric Byrnes - Diamondbacks - Is on the 15-Day DL with a strained right hamstring. Owners, don't expect a repeat of 2007 from Byrnes, it was a career year. He still ha value though.

Andruw Jones - Dodgers - Had surgery and will be out 4-6 weeks. He should be dropped.

Ian Kennedy - Yankees - Left the game with a strained right latissimus dorsi muscle (muscle in your back). With him pitching so poorly, owners shouldn't even have him on their teams.

Daisuke Matsuzaka - Red Sox - Left the game with a tired shoulder. Keep an eye out for this situation and how it unfolds. He may land himself on the DL just for preventative reasons. He is a keeper for all rosters so just wait for more news.

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Bad Luck for Kuroda

Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers was sent home with another loss, which he didn't deserve. This "rookie", I use this term loosely, has been pitching extremely well during his first season in America. In his latest outing he pitched 6.1 innings and only gave up 1 run but didn't get the win.

Owners shouldn't be too happy with the productivity the Dodgers are giving him with the bats. But look on the good side, this start gives owners a great piece of trade bait to lure in other owners who are in need of pitching. If you have Kuroda I would consider trading him by using him as a sweetener in trade negotiations. I don't believe this pitcher can last the entire MLB season especially since he is use to pitching every 6th or 7th day back in Japan. I think his arm will tire as the year goes on. Plus, he isn't a power pitcher which leads me to believe people will start to hit him and slowly but surely hitters will find the gaps.

So, go out and try to trade Kuroda while he is hot and doing well...sell high!

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Yanks vs. Orioles

What a slug fest it was between the Yankees and the Orioles. With 9HR's and eight different players sending one over the fence many fantasy owners were pleased to see this offensive explosion from both teams.

**Orioles won in the 11th inning by scoring 2 runs.

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Bruce the Hype

With all the hype surrounding the call-up of Jay Bruce of the Reds he sure did live up to it. In his major league debut Bruce did not disappoint the fans who flashed hundreds of cameras when he came up to bat while yelling, "Brrrruuuuuucccccceeeee" something usually reserved for Isaac Bruce of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL.

In his first game, Bruce went 3-3, 2R's, 2RBI's, 2BB's, and 1SB. What, no homer? that's pathetic! For those who don't pick up sarcasm, that was it. It was about time Bruce was called up from AAA because he was absolutely tearing things up down there and had nothing else to prove except that he belongs in the big leagues.

Owners who dropped him and lost his services, too bad. Most owners who dropped him were in need of immediate help and only dropped because of roster inflexibility. It's okay, just try to be vigilant for the next upcoming superstar.

Now Bruce is finally here in the big leagues lets move onto the next big prospect. At the moment it's Colby Rasmus, but as mentioned in a previous post he isn't doing so well in AAA so don't expect a call-up anytime soon.

*Side note, with Bruce being called up S. Hatteberg was optioned to AAA. I honestly thought it was going to be Patterson who was going to be let go. Oh well, Patterson is droppable now since Bruce will be the daily CF.

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Saves in Review for May 27

The Usual Suspects
Wood (12), Wagner (10), F. Cordero (11), B. Wilson (15), Street (12), and Hoffman (10).

Stupid BS
Nathan (1) 1ER. Nothing to worry about.

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Two Pitchers

Bartolo Colon pitched in his second game with the Red Sox and got his second win of the season. This outing was very impressive going 7 innings while allowing 5H's, 1ER, and striking out 4 Mariners. As I mentioned before, go out and pick this guy up!

Fausto Carmona of the Indians is expected to be out 4 weeks with a strain in his left hip. This is terrible news for owners who expected Carmona is be fairly dominating after watching him go 19-8 last year. Stash him on the DL and wait him out. Or as I always try to do, use him as a sweetener in a 2 for 1 deal.

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Pierre

As Jay-Z said in his song, "Use to run bases like Juan Pierre" Pierre is still tearing it up on the base paths. He has 19SB's and with his playing time being solidified after Andruw Jones's DL stint expect him to continue his stealing. This is a great pick up for owners if they have a chance. Pierre is a .300AVG hitter and has stolen at least 45bags since 2001. This guy have the wheels and is the type of person that can make the steals category swing in your favour. Plus, if you are far from the top of the leaders in SB's this is the guy you want because you can easily make up 10-15 bags in a month and a bit.

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Jeter

Jeter of the Yankees is finally running and stealing bags with his 3rd SB of the year (3rd in his past 10 games). With Jeter's fantasy value diminishing every year this is a great chance to sell high on this guy because of his brand name value. Grabbing a high profile pitcher or closer to help in pitching stats is a great way of getting value in return for Jeter. If you are in a keeper league, try to unload this guy for a younger more reliable player. Package a deal and try to grab the other young players out there that are first round material.

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Max Scherzer

Scherzer of the Dodgers has pitched very effectively out of the bullpen by adding another 4K's on 2.2 innings against the Braves. This is a great pitcher for your team so if you have an owner out there that might want to part with this guy because he isn't a starter anymore, try and make a deal. With 28K's in 23 innings, he's not a bad guy to have on your roster.

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JAY BRUCE

Jay Bruce of the Reds was finally called up from AAA-Louisville where he is absolutely tearing things up. According to the Reds website, Bruce will make his major league debut against the Pirates. This is great news for fantasy owners who have been waiting and holding onto Bruce on their rosters. Bruce should make an impact if his AAA stats have anything to do with it.

His 2008 stats in AAA (International League) are as follows 49G, .364AVG, 10HR's, 37RBI's, 1.023OPS. This kid can flat out hit and play ball.

Bruce will immediately take over the centre field duties but his batting position will be decided later. Owners of Patterson should drop him for Bruce because Patterson will most likely be demoted and taken off the roster. With a terrible 2008 season Patterson is the one that will feel the burn when Bruce takes his spot.

Fantasy owners, this kid is a 5-tool player and will provide help in all your categories. The only problem/weakness with this kid is his high K rate. So far he has struck out 45 times in 184 at-bats this season in AAA.

For the lucky owners who held him, which includes me, or the ones who were able to grab him from the wire enjoy his services!

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Saves in Review for May 26

The Usual Suspects
Torres (3), Wood (11), and Jenks (13)

Light schedule tonight.

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Monday, May 26, 2008

18 Inning Game

For some fantasy owners an 18 inning game is great but for some it's a disaster. Here are some fantasy notes from the Reds vs. Padres marathon.

Disasters
Corey Patterson 0-8 with 3K's
Edwin Encarnacion 1-9 with 2K's
Khalil Greene 1-8 with 4K's
Tadahito Iguchi 1-9 with 5K's

Greatness
Kevin Kouzmanoff 3-7 with 2HR's, 3R's, 2RBI's.
Adrian Gonzalez 4-9 with 1HR, 3R's, 4RBI's

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AAA/Prospect Watch

Highly touted prospect Colby Rasmus (Cardinals) is struggling down in AAA this year. So far he's batted .186AVG, 6HR's, and 17RBI's all in 183AB's. For those who were waiting for him to come up and make a bang in the majors this season, it just doesn't seem like he'll be called up until September when the rosters expand.

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Smoltz

John Smoltz of the Braves threw 12 pitches in a rehab start, 8 for strikes, and felt no discomfort in his shoulder. The Braves will decide to re-activate or send him to another rehab start on Monday. For owners who have R. Soriano, this is some news that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If Smoltz returns and goes to the bullpen the closing duties will immediately fall into the lap of Smoltz.

If you have Soriano wait for the Smoltz news because if he returns and goes to the bullpen, Soriano is droppable. There is no point in hanging on to Soriano due to the effectiveness of Smoltz as a closer.

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Holliday

After running out a grounder and injuring his left hamstring, All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday was officially placed on the 15-Day DL yesterday. This is terrible news for owners of Holliday BUT this is a better time for a DL stint than later in the season where production is hard to find. The Rockies will take this DL stint of his very slowly and cautiously so don't expect him to return unless he is 100% healed. With all the other injuries to the Rockies organization this is a huge blow to the team.

Owners, just sit back and try to patch the hole Holliday leaves, even though it is impossible to find a player let alone 2-3 players who can fill his shoes. He will be back so don't worry too much.

2008 Stat line = .321AVG, 8HR, 26RBI, 33R, and 8SB's.

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Clayton Kershaw

Highly touted prospect, who I have mentioned numerous times, Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers made his major league debut at the age of 20 last night against the Cardinals. His final line (6IP, 5H, 2ER, 1BB, and 7K's) was very impressive but at the same time what was expected from this young pitcher.

I can not say this enough to my friends or anyone who has asked me about Kershaw and using a first waiver priority pick on this guy, PICK THIS GUY UP!! Look at his potential and upside. He can put up 9+K/9 inning numbers easily and produce some needed lowering of ERA/WHIP for owners. This kind of pitcher doesn't come along every single year. With the kind of numbers this kid can produce on the mound all fantasy owners should be drooling over the prospects of grabbing him. So, don't even hesitate go out and grab him NOW!!

His 2008 season stats in AAA have proved to be on track to what scouts/management expected. Also, some interesting news, the Dodgers organization has kept his innings to a minimum because they were interested in bringing him up sometime during the season. Down in AAA they kept his innings to 25 per month.

To the ones who are lucky enough to grab him, enjoy his services!

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Saves in Review for May 25

The Usual Suspects
Gregg (10) and a Win in the same day, can you ask for anything more?!?, Rivera (12), CJ Wilson (10), Ryan (11), and Street (11).

Stupid BS
Putz (3) 2ER's, Walker (2) 1ER, Marmol (1) 1ER technically not the closer but people do own him for the odd save opportunity, Sherrill was technically not a save opportunity but still got a loss and couldn't hold the opponent from scoring.

Side Note
I did not mention the 18 inning marathon game, between the Red and Padres, where there were numerous "Stupid BS", so if you would like to take a look here is the Box Score.

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Sunday, May 25, 2008

Saves in Review for May 24

The Usual Suspects
F.Rod (21), Torres (2) will be sharing with Mota, Borowski (3) welcome back, and Street (10).

Side Note
Brocail of the Astros had a save but only because Valverde was getting some needed rest.

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Rockies and their injuries

Clint Barmes, who is replacing Troy Tulowitzky, was placed on the DL with a right knee strain. Just as owners were benefiting from Barmes, he goes down to injury. Expect him back after the DL stint. More news will be reported after an MRI.

Brad Hawpe was also placed on the DL with Barmes with a right hamstring sprain. This isn't huge news for most unless you are in a NL-only league.

But the big news from the Rockies is the injury to Matt Holliday. He suffered a slight strain to his left hamstring while running out a ground ball during the 9th inning. Currently, he is day-to-day but will be re-evaluated on Sunday. This is HUGE news for owners who own Holliday and for others who don't. For owners, just hope he is day-to-day and comes back without having to go on the DL.

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Jones

Andruw Jones of the Dodgers was placed on the 15-Day DL with an injured right knee which required surgery. It will take Jones 4-6 weeks to recover from this injury.

Owners, use the DL spot but if you don't have one or if it is being used, drop Jones. He isn't worth a spot on rosters unless you are in a deep NL-only league.

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Clayton Kershaw

It is official, the Dodgers have purchased the contract of stud prospect Clayton Kershaw from AA-Jacksonville and will make his major league debut against the Cardinals in their 3-game series. So far in AA, Kershaw has accumulated eye-popping numbers with a 2.28ERA, 47K's, and 15BB's all in 43.1 innings.

NOTICE TO ALL FANTASY LEAGUES - Pick him up right now. This is the type of prospect you wait for and pick up with your #1 waiver priority.

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Saturday, May 24, 2008

Jorge Posada

For owners who have Posada on their rosters, which includes me, you will be glad to hear he is planning on returning in early June. After being placed on the DL for the first time his career, this 36 year old is dying to get back on the field to help out the bottom feeders who are looking up at 4 teams in the AL East standings. This is great news for the Yankees and fantasy owners who have had to go on the wire to find some help behind the plate.

This is great news for the rest of the Yankees players and for owners who have Yankees on their rosters. Expect the Yankees to produce more runs especially after the return of A-Rod and the upcoming return of Posada. Look for Melky Cabrera to break out his little funk and hopefully Cano will follow suit.

Look at what the Yankees and their strong lineup can produce. In their last 5 games they have scored a total of 37 runs...yes I know they scored 25 against the lowly Mariners.

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Jesse Litsch

Jesse Litsch of the Blue Jays just threw his first complete game shutout of his career against the Royals. So far this season Litsch has proven his ability to pitch at the big level compiling a 6-1 record with a 3.57ERA in 58 innings. This is a great option for all owners who are in need of help with their pitching. The only problem is he most likely will be on someone else's team especially after his complete shutout.

Litsch is a respectable 4-5 starter in mixed leagues because his inability to strike people out but with his low BB rate (8BB's in 58 innings) he is a good option. Bottom line, he should be owned.

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Carmona

Fausto Carmona of the Indians was placed on the 15-Day DL with a strained left hip. The Indians are not sure when Carmona will return until an MRI is completed. In 2008, Carmona has compiled a 4-2 record with 23K's, 38BB's, and a 3.10ERA in 58 innings. For owners, his stat line is nice except for the BB's which is a little worrisome.

Owners, just stash him on the DL or on the bench. He shouldn't be dropped until further information is available on the extent of his injury.

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Scherzer

Max Scherzer of the Diamondbacks was put into the bullpen after Doug Davis returned from Thyroid Cancer. The hard throwing right hander, who was picked up on waivers, is a guy you still want on your team. His ability to throw heat and strike people out is comparable to J. Broxton of the Dodgers. Max will lower your ERA, WHIP, and increase your K's. Working out of the bullpen might actually increase his K numbers considerably. When he comes out of the bullpen he can focus on just throwing heat over an inning or two but as a start he must keep batters off balance over 5-7 innings.

In conclusion, if Scherzer is out there on the wire go grab him, he deserves a spot on all rosters. In a given week, Max can throw 4-6 innings in relief with 12-15 K's, is that something you'd be interested in? *Entourage line.

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D-Train

The D-Train is back in the majors and threw 1 inning during a relief appearance for the Tigers. As mentioned previously, he will be working from the bullpen to work out some kinks in his pitching. So far it doesn't look good. In this 1 inning of work he allowed a run on 1 hit and 2 walks. This is not a good sign, the 2 walks, because his control is what was getting him into trouble prior to his stint on the DL.

Owners, don't bother with Willis yet. He doesn't offer too much value at the moment.

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Barry Zito

In a previous post, I said I would never mention Zito until he did something productive. Well, after 8 pathetic losses Mr. Zito has produced a win. He pitched 6.1 innings while allowing only 3 hits and 1ER. Finally, he earned himself a win. I was starting to feel bad for that guy, well not too bad bad since he makes more in an hour than I do in a year.

Looking at his numbers he's actually starting to turn things around. Over his past 3 games, prior to his first win, he has allowed 7ER's in 15 innings of work. Not bad compared to what he was doing at the start of the year.

He doesn't deserve a spot on any fantasy roster but of course, all owners should keep an eye out just in case he does turn things around.

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Saves in Review for May 23

The Usual Suspects
Valverde(15)with 2ER's, Percival(14), F. Rod(20), F. Cordero(10), and Franklin(3).

Stupid BS
Wagner(2) with 1ER and Hoffman(3L) (technically only a loss and not a save)

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Friday, May 23, 2008

Joe Borowski

Joe Borowski of the Indians was activated from the DL and will see the closing duties back in his lap immediately. With Kobayashi and Betancourt holding down, NOT, the fort while he was gone owners should have Joe back in their lineups right away.

Even with the high ERA, blown saves, and losses Borowski offers owners the chance to move up in the saves category (he had 45 in 2007). An active closer is valuable in EVERY league format. Remember, there can only be ONE save per game.

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King Felix

F. Hernandez of the Mariners will miss his next scheduled start on Saturday due to soreness in his right leg. Owners, don't worry just yet. He'll most likely be back on the mound throwing smoke for his next start.

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Eric Gagne

The former great closer who seemed to be invincible during the 9th inning while pitching for the Dodgers has seem to have fallen on harsh times. Eric Gagne of the Brewers was officially placed on the 15-Day DL with tendinitis in his pitching shoulder. With Gagne throwing batting practice during games, he isn't really worth of a spot on your team right now.

For owners, this stint on the DL should hopefully re-align his mental state and hopefully bring his pitching mechanics or whatever his problems are back into a resonable fantasy option in the 9th inning. NL-only, don't drop him. For mixed leagues only keep him on your team if you have room to spare. But with the Brewers bullpen not being so reliable these days, the only options you have are Torres and Mota, both not reliable.

If you have Gagne, make sure to keep your eyes on the roller coaster that is closers.

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Joba

Chamberlain of the Yankees is slowly stretching out his innings and will see more opportunities in games. The plan is to work his way up to starting territory with respect to innings and the whole workload. With the Yankees need for starting pitching this was something that needed to be done. I am a little skeptical about this transition during the regular season. Not sure if this will do any damage to his young arm. Hopefully the Yankees will be super careful and give him plenty of time to extend his workload.

Owners who have him on their teams this is a great sign. With Chamberlain being extended with innings you will see a nice boost in almost all your categories, obviously not the SV or W columns but you will see the occasional vulture win. For owners who need help with K's, ERA, and WHIP see if you can grab this guy off the wire, he'll most likely not be there but you never know.

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Kennedy

Ian Kennedy of the Yankees made his return to the mound last night with a 6 inning 4 hitter while allowing only 1ER. This is a nice improvement on his previous outings. Too bad the Yankees couldn't put up the needed runs until the 9th inning where Mariano picked up the win.

Owners, don't jump on the Kennedy wagon just yet. Allow Kennedy to pitch 1 or 2 more games with respectability before putting him back on your team. He is a great prospect but until he starts to put quality starts on the stat sheet, he'll continue to be a great prospect and nothing more. AL-only leagues, put him on your team.

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Howard

Ryan Howard of the Phillies seems to have found his stroke, FINALLY. With his 13th HR of the season, Howard has hit 6HR's in his past 10 games. Owners, you better be glad you waited this out. Be ready for Howard to take your team to the next level. The only thing holding him back is his AVG but with his increase in HR's and RBI's the average doesn't mean crap for owners. Expect him to hit .280 for the rest of the season which will leave his final average at around .250-.265, which is is just below his career average.

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Saves in Review for May 22

The Usual Suspects
CJ Wilson (9) did some clean-up work for Benoit, Papelbon(14), Lidge(12), Ryan(10), and Jenks(12).


The Eye Openers
Ohman (1) of the Braves had a save against the Mets. Nothing to this save, if you have room, pick him up to back up Acosta.
Dolsi (1) of the Tigers had a save but was, again, one of those weird saves where he came in during the 6th inning. Jones is still the closer in Detroit.

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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Nice Pitchers

Dana Eveland of the A's just finished a complete game and allowed 1ER over 3H's. So far this season Eveland has impressed and with his line of 4-3, 62IP, 24BB, 44ER, and a 2.90ERA he should be on all rosters.

D. Cabrera of the Orioles with a line of 5-1, 3.48ERA, 41K's, and 24BB's is a great pick-up right now if he hasn't already been picked up in your league, go and grab him.

C. Billingsley of the Dodgers seems to have found his groove this season by going 4-5, 29BB's, 60K's, and a 3.76ERA. Owners, grab him ASAP.

B. Colon of the Red Sox is finally back on the mound. His first start of the season was impressive going 5 innings, 2ER's, 2BB's, and 4K's which earned him a win. If you are in need of help with your pitching stats, go out and take a chance with Colon. Even if he produces a 4.50ERA he will still add some wins with that powerhouse Red Sox lineup.

S. Ponson of the Rangers just pitched a complete game 6 hitter and only allowed 1ER. After all the problems he's had over the past 2-3 years, Ponson seems to have found a groove in 2008. Again, just like Colon, if you are in need of some help in your pitching stats, take a chance on Ponson. He's doing very well right now.

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Willis and Galarraga

Dontrelle Willis of the Tigers will return from the DL and move into the bullpen to get his control back in order before heading to the starting rotation. Armando Galarraga will continue in his role as a starter.

This isn't huge news since Willis shouldn't be found on any rosters but with Galarraga holding his own on the mound this season (3-1, 35.1IP, 14BB, 24K, and 3.06ERA) he's worth a spot on rosters.

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Saves in Review for May 21

The Usual Suspects
B. Wilson(10), Gregg(9), F.Rod(19), Valverde(14), and Saito(8)

Stupid BS
Fuentes (3) with 2ER's

Side Note
Clay Condrey of the Phillies recorded his first save of the season and only his 3rd of his career. This was one those strange saves where he came in during the 6th inning and held the lead. So, don't expect anything new with respect to the closers role in Philly.

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Saves in Review for May 20

The Usual Suspects
Lidge(11), Papelbon(13), F-Rod(18), Jones(7), Gregg(8), Valverde(13), Jenks(11), Acosta(3), B. Wilson(13) 2ER's, Hoffman(9), Saito(7), and Percival(13) 1ER.

Stupid BS
Rauch (1) 1ER but wasn't a save opportunity.

Eye Openers
Eric Gagne again, adding 2ER's to his so far impressive 2008 resume.

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CJ Wilson

With CJ Wilson of the Rangers struggling to convert saves, owners should look to Benoit. Wilson has allowed 7ER's in his past 4.2 innings. On the other hand, Benoit has allowed only 2ER's in his past 10 innings.

Owners, grab Benoit just in case Wilson loses his closers role.

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Peavy on DL

Now with Peavy on the DL, owners need to think about when he will be back. Well, with information coming out of the Padres camp telling us that he will most likely START throwing in two weeks, owners should expect his return late June to early July.

If he starts to throw in two weeks that brings us to the second week of June. Then he will go on a strengthening program which will last another 1-2 weeks. Making a start or two in AAA for rehab will be another week. So there we have it, late June or early July.

Now what to do while he is out? Owners don't go out and try to trade for another pitcher, there is no one out there that will make up for Peavy's production, except for Johan Santana. Of course, you will have to throw your best bat in a trade for Santana. So, keep your bats on your roster and now you will need to scour the waiver wire and find pitchers who are hot and are pitching in favourable match ups. Look for pitchers pitching against weak teams like the Giants, Padres, and teams who are struggling to produce runs.

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Jeter

Jeter of the Yankees left the game after being hit on the left hand by a pitch from D. Cabrera. So far, X-Rays were negative and he is currently day-to-day with a bruised left hand.

Owners, don't be worried. He'll be back in the lineup soon enough.

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Stanley Cup Finals

What a great time of year for sports with the NBA Conference Finals beginning and the start of the Stanley Cup finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

For some who dwell in all three sports, MLB, NHL, and NBA, like myself, this is one of the greatest times of the year.

Here is the Stanley Cup Finals schedule. Enjoy!

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Piazza Retires

Mike Piazza has retired from the game of baseball. This catcher had an amazing career and gave fantasy owners some eye popping stats for his position. Over his career Mike became an all-star player after his rookie season in 1992 and developed into the best hitting catcher of all time.

Taking look back on his career from a fantasy prospective you will see his numbers are absolutely and with out a doubt first round material. Click here for his career stats.

I think his 1997 season was his best, batting .362AVG, 40HR, 124RBI, and 5SB's.

On top of this season he had 9 seasons where he had 30 or more HR's but many of us will remember his little feud with Roger Clemens. The bean ball and the tossing of a bat.

Enjoy retirement Mike.

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Peavy to DL

Jake Peavy of the Padres is headed to the 15-Day DL after completing a MRI on his ailing right elbow. Luckily for owners there is not structural damage and hopefully Peavy will bounce right back after a two week hiatus. Owners, you don't need me to tell you to just sit back and wait for his return.

Peavy is bidding for another Cy Young award posting a 4-3, 58.2IP, 20BB's, 60K's, and a 2.91ERA in nine starts.

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NBA Playoffs

Conference Finals are set. As a lover of basketball this season is absolutely nuts.

Here is the schedule for the Celtics vs. Pistons and the Lakers vs. Spurs.

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Smoltz

Smoltz of the Braves is still feeling discomfort and has inflammation in his right shoulder and is unsure on when he will be returning to the mound as a starter or a closer. Nothing to do for owners except wait it out. This pitcher is not droppable and is worth the wait no matter if he comes back as a closer or as a starter.

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Bartolo Colon

Bartolo Colon will start on Wednesday for the Red Sox. All owners should take a look at Colon and monitor his outing closely. For owners who are in AL-only leagues, this is worth a pick-up and if you are in a league with bidding, try and grab this player now before his start. Throwing a dollar this guy now before his start might turn out to be a steal because if he has a great start on Wednesday his price will skyrocket. Mixed league owners who have a spot to spare or a player they can spare should pick up Colon and hold him just in case.

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Saves in Review for May 19

Quiet night on the saves front.

The Usual Suspects
Fuentes (6), Percival (12) 1ER, and Saito earned his 2nd win of the season.

Stupid BS
Wilson (2) 1ER.

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Bruce Update

Expect Jay Bruce to be called up around June 12. This is the time where the Reds add another year to his free agency and all the rest of the contractual and business stuff. If Bruce is there on the wire as a FA go and stash him on your bench.

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No No for Lester

Jon Lester of the Red Sox has thrown the first no-hitter of 2008. With a 130 pitch start the cancer survivor baffled Royals hitters all night and earned himself a spot in baseball history.

Lester finished with a line of 9IP, 0H's, 2BB's, and 9K's.

Going into this game Lester was throwing extremely well allowing only 6ER's in his previous 25.1 innings pitched while striking out 17. Fantasy owners should have Lester on their teams, even before the no-hitter, because of his strong outings.

Congratulations Jon Lester!

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Monday, May 19, 2008

Francis

Finally, Canadian Jeff Francis of the Rockies has earned his first win of the season. Pitching 6.1 innings and allowing 2ER's, Francis finally finds himself on the winning side and for owners it isn't soon enough. Owners should continue holding onto Francis for the next few starts just to see if he has turned the corner. He is worth of a roster spot right now in all formats.

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Rookie Sensation

Highly touted 3B Evan Longoria of the Rays has not completely lived up to his hype just like Alex Gordon of the Royals from last year. So far, Longoria is hitting .231, 4HR's, 17RBI's, and 2SB's. For owners, don't jump off the bandwagon just yet but if you have a chance to unload Longoria and you are in a non-keeper, then go right ahead. This is why I don't get too wrapped in highly touted prospects in my leagues. I focus on guys who have done it year in and year out to make the core of my team. Sprinkling in highly touted prospects into my lineup works but basing your team around these prospects just makes you a 2nd tier fantasy team almost every year.

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Injury News

Roy Oswalt of the Astros has a little problem with his hip and had to leave his last start in the 7th inning. As of right now there is no news coming from Houston but he is scheduled to start on Thursday against the Phillies but he may have to miss it. Owners, keep an eye out on this situation. Do nothing until more information is made available.

Stud fantasy pitcher Jake Peavy will miss his next scheduled start due to pain in his elbow. He will go for an MRI on Monday and for owners just sit tight until after the MRI when more information is made available. For now, just hope he doesn't have to sit on the DL for a prolonged time.

Chone Figgins of the Angels, who is currently on the DL with a hamstring injury, is scheduled to return on Tuesday but the Angels have not made it clear if he will be activated. But news coming from Angels camp shows he will most likely be in the lineup by the end of the week. For owners, just hope this injury is completely healed because his entire fantasy value is tied up in him stealing bags.

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Thieves

Ichiro is having a modest season in his standards batting a measly .280 but the stat that really jumps out at you should be his 20SB's. With Ichiro running rabid on the base paths owners can feel a little more comfortable with the low batting average. I would be a little worried if his average does not increase because owners drafted Ichiro because of his .330+ average. Owners shouldn't be worried right now because as we all know, Ichiro is capable of batting .390 in any 4 week span.

Moving onto another high profile player, Derek Jeter of the Yankees has finally stolen his first base of the year. This is great news for Jeter owners because at the moment, Jeter isn't providing much to the stat categories. Just hope Jeter starts to being more aggressive on the base paths.

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Blue Jays Info

Alex Rios of the Jays is looking forward to a new month because the month of May has treated him with nothing more than a warm spot on the bench. Since May 1, Rios' average has dropped from .320 to .253. During this span, he has 15 hits (5 extra based hits with only 1HR), 3RBI's, 23K's, and 1SB. Owners who have Rios were all smiles during the month of April but are finding it hard to swallow his production or lack of it during this month. Don't worry about Rios, the hitting will return and his capability of being a 5-tool player is what should keep you motivated to keep him on your roster. If you look at the Jays lineup, they have all been struggling mightily in the past10-15 games.

Roy Halladay had a rare relief appearance after a prolonged rain delay. Owners who had him in their lineups soaked up 2.1 innings while adding 2K's. This is a prime example of keeping all your pitching positions filled even when a pitcher is not scheduled to start. During the course a season you usually grab a few innings and maybe even a win. Every stat counts.

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Jackson and Guthrie

Edwin Jackson of the Rays has thrown 20.1 innings in his past three starts and has given up 1 EARNED RUN, very impressive. Too bad for owners he was given a no decision in all three games. Over the past three games, he has given up 17H's, 0HR's, 6BB's, while striking out 15. He has also dropped his ERA from 4.98 to 3.29 over that span. For owners in need of a hot starter, look no further than Edwin Jackson of the Rays.



Jeremy Guthrie of the Orioles has made a name for himself so far in 2008. In 10 starts he has given up 3 or more ER's only twice (4 and 5ER's) and has pitched 6 full innings in 7 of his 10 outings. So far, Guthrie has a deceiving 2-4 record with 63IP, 39K's, 20BB's, and a 3.86ERA. Just like Jackson, Guthrie deserves a spot on all rosters.

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Saves in Review for May 18

The Usual Suspects
Wood (10), Cordero (9), Rauch ( 10), Valverde (12), Putz (5), and Ryan (9)

Stupid BS
Bell (2) with 2ER's but at least he gave you 3K's.

Eye Openers
Masset (1) only because Jenks pitched back to nights on Fri and Sat.

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Sunday, May 18, 2008

Lowell

Mike Lowell of the Red Sox is quietly putting together a nice season after a stint on the DL. Currently, Lowell in his past 10 games is showing owners who stuck with him why it was the right choice.

15H's, 8R, 4HR, 13RBI's, and has raised his average by 32 points and now stands at .282.

Owners, don't expect Lowell to repeat his career year in 2007 (.334, 21HR's, 120RBI) but he is still a valuable contributor in all fantasy formats. Enjoy his services at 3B.

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Ryan Ludwick

Ryan Ludwick of the Cardinals is swinging a hot bat in his past 10 games.

10H's, 8R's, 6HR's, 11RBI's, and is now batting .336 for the season.

Owners should not be banking on Ludwick to continue this trend for the rest of the season. In his career he's a .264 hitter and has hit more than 7HR's once in his career, 14HR's in 2007. This is a great player to sell high on. Make some offers to other owners to see if they are interested in Ludwick. The teams you should target are the ones who are in some need for power.

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Beltran

Carlos Beltran of the Mets is on a hot streak with a 9 game hitting streak. Over the past 9 games he's hit 14H's, 6R's, 4 multi hit games, 11RBI's, and 2SB's. Also, he's increased his batting average by 41 points and is now hitting .259.

Owners are happy to see some pop from Beltran's bat but owners should hope for an increase in his batting average. His 5 tool potential is a player, in my mind, that should be a staple that you should never trade unless you get a huge return.

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Mr. Jason Giambi

Jason Giambi of the Yankees seems to wear a golden thong when he's in a slump and trying to get back on track.

Jason Giambi and his magic gold thong

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Soriano...AGAIN

Holy smokes, Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs went off on Pirates pitching again for the tune of 2 more HR's. Soriano just hit another 2HR's for the second straight game and has hit 7HR's in his past 6 games. On top of this he's increased his batting average by 63 points over the span of 6 games to .295.

Again, owners should be happy he's posting such big numbers. Just hope he starts to run in the near future.

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Saves in Review for May 17

The Usual Suspects
Capps (10) 1ER, Wagner (9), Papelbon (12) 1HR, Ryan (8), Sherrill (17), Fuentes (5), Jones (6), Jenks (10), and Putz (4).

Stupid BS
Kobayashi (1) 3ER's after back to back saves.

Eye Openers
Saito with 1ER not a save opportunity.
Street with 3ER not a save oppotunity
Timlin (1) only because it was the second game in a double header and Papelbon already pitched in the first game.

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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Josh Hamilton

Josh Hamilton of the Rangers is continuing his hot 2008 season by hitting another 2HR's last night. In his past 10 games he's had 15H's, 4HR's, 10R's, and 16RBI's. That is absolutely crazy production!! Owners shouldn't expect him to keep this production up for the rest of the season but 35HR's and 110RBI's isn't out of the question.

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Soriano

A. Soriano of the Cubs has hit 5HR's in the past 5 games and it seems he's back to mid-season form after suffering an injury to his right calf. Now that his power seems to be back in form, owners need for him to start running on the base paths.

My advice. For some reason I have never ever been impressed with Soriano because he's so inconsistent from year to year. With his big name value you can grab a stud pitcher or a few bats in return.

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Saves in Review for May 16

The Usual Suspects
Gagne (9), Sherrill (16), Soria (11) had a little trouble with 2ER and 1HR, F. Cordero (8), Percival (11), Nathan (13), F. Rodriguez (17), Jenks (9), and Hoffman (8).

Eye Openers
Pena (1) Only received the save opportunity because Lyon pitched on back to back nights.

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Clayton Kershaw

Here is a great story about a prospect in the Dodger's organization that should garner your first waiver priority pick when he hits waiver wires around the league.

The article is written by Yahoo! Sports Jeff Passen.

Clayton Kershaw's great expectations

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A-Rod

A-Rod of the Yankees who is currently on the DL is expected to play in some extended spring training games. If all goes well expect A-rod to come back to your fantasy roster early next week, most likely Tuesday.

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Isringhausen

The struggling closer for the Cardinals, Jason Isringhausen, was placed on the 15-Day DL with a right hand laceration. The injury was not reported as to where and when it was sustained but reports coming out of the Cards camp is he cut it when he hit a TV in frustration while in La Russa's office.

Owners, should be a little relieved at the moment because his status is kind of solidified right now, he's on the DL. Put him on your DL and see if he can come back mentally and physically strong. Closers in fantasy baseball are vital to the success of any team so keep him and see if he can come back to earn some valuable saves in a couple of weeks. What ever you do, don't drop him, unless you are in dire need of help.

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Manny Being Manny

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Saves in Review for May 15

Starting today I will post a review of the nights saves and who made them. This should help owners who are in need of saves to recognize trends and hopefully find the diamond in the rough that is needed to secure a fantasy championship.

The Usual Suspects
BJ Ryan (7), J. Rauch (9), Kerry Wood (8), Troy Percival (10), Jose Valverde (11), Bobby Jenks (8), and B. Lyon (12).

Stupid BS
J. Isringhausen (6) - With his 6th blown save and his 3rd in his last 5 outings owners should be extremely worried. Keep him on your bench for now and see if he can gain his confidence back and start closing out games and grabbing an S instead of a BS. Like usual, try and see if there is any interest for a trade. Direct your attention to the bottom feeders of the saves categories.

Francisco Rodriguez - It wasn't a BS but it was still a loss. He came in with the game tied at 3 but couldn't keep it that way by allowing Jim Thome to drive in AJ Pierzynski.

Eye Openers
Masa Kobayashi (2) - As mentioned in the previous post, Kobayashi has picked up his 2nd straight save in as many games. Grab him from the wire and stick him into your lineup!

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Masa Kobayashi

Kobayashi of the Indians picked up his second save in as many games last night. This Japanese import was a pick of mine to pick up the closer duties after the loss of Borowski to injury but instead Betancourt was put into the closer role.

For owners who picked up Kobayashi congrats, just a little late. Now, for owners who need saves go out to the wire and see if you can pick this guy up because it seems he will be coming into the 9th to close out games. Combine Kobayashi with Scotty Downs of the Blue Jays and you can start to climb back into the saves category race.

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Ryan Howard

Is Ryan Howard of the Phillies finally jumping back into the box with confidence and ready to take your fantasy team to the next level? Well during his 7 game hitting steak he's hit 3HR's, 6RBI's, and of course 8K's. But if you ask any owner about the high K rate and they will all say the same thing, "As long as he's hitting homers, you just have to take a hit with the K's."

Owners, I think it might be time for you to stop worrying about Howard and move onto another part of your team and focus your attention to a new area. Again, this all goes back to what I seem to always preach during the early stages of any fantasy season, never panic. A stud hitter like Howard and easily fall into a slump for a month or two but for the remaining 4 months he can still pop 35-50HR's and drive in 100!

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Jose Guillen

Jose Guillen of the Royals had a strong 2007 season (.290AVG, 23HR, 99RBI, in 593AB's) and was expected to repeat in 2008 but after a disgusting start to the season where he batted .165 through May 5. Luckily he's turned things around.

For most owners, they have already dismissed Guillen to the wire and while it was justified, it seems Guillen is finally starting to turn things around. In his past 10 games he has 14H's, which includes 5 extra base hits, 1HR, 7RBI, and has raised his average 56 points to .224.

So, if Guillen is still out there on the wire grab and put him into your lineup. Since 2003, when he's had a full season, he's hit at least 24HR's so expect him to repeat this during this year. Currently, he sits at 4HR's so expect him to hit 20-25 more HR's during this season.

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Barmes

Clint Barmes of the Rockies is filling in well for Tulowitzky. He has 12 hits in his past 10 games and increased his batting average from .280 to .337. If you are in need of some help in the middle infield Barmes is a great option for you. With Tulo being absent for a while, Barmes will have plenty of time to play SS.

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Scotty Downs

Scotty Downs of the Blue Jays just recorded his 5th save of the season. With BJ Ryan coming back from Tommy John Surgery and not pitching on back to back nights, Downs has come out and pitched extremely well for the Jays. With 5 saves and an ERA of 2.60 he is the closer for the Jays when Ryan can't pitch. For owners who are seeking some help in the closer position, picking up Downs is a must. Expect Downs to grab 5-10 more saves this season while helping with the other pitching categories. With 18K's in 18.1 innings of work, he's a nice addition to your roster.

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D. Cabrera


Mr. Cabrera of the Orioles just won his 3rd straight game last night against the mighty Red Sox. So far this season, Cabrera has shown his ability to keep his team in the ballgame and it has produce some nice stats. With a 3.58ERA and 40K's in 67.1 innings and a 4-1 record this pitcher should be on all fantasy rosters. If you see him on the waiver wire, go out and grab him ASAP.

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The Moose


Mike Mussina of the Yankees has just recorded his 5th straight victory by pitching 6.1 innings against the Rays last night. He's not going to give you 7-8 innings and 8-10K's a night but he will provide you with some depth in your rotation if he is your 3-5th starter.

In the past 3-4 years, I have not been a fan of Mussina and I have always used his name value to trade him away. My advice is to try and use the 5 game winning streak as leverage and trade him for a nice bat.

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Brewers and blowing saves

Eric Gagne was blowing saves for the Brewers and was demoted from the closer position to only be reinstated again as the closer only 2 days after the fact. Now instead of Gagne blowing saves Mr. Guillermo Mota just blew a save against the Dodgers last night. This string of blown saves for the Brewers is not what they expected after signing Gagne to a $10million one year contract in the off season.

For fantasy owners, expect Gagne to continually see the ball when a save chance is present.

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Ellsbury


Jacob Ellsbury of the Red Sox is putting together a nice season so far. He's added 14 steals to fantasy stats and with his .380OBP the 14 steals will continue to increase as the season progresses. Fantasy owners should expect Ellsbury to end the year with 30+ steals.

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DL Report

Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox has landed himself on the 15-Day DL with a broken nail on his right middle finger. This injury seems a little odd but does make sense since he applies plenty of pressure while pitching. For fantasy owners, this doesn't mean much unless you are in a deep deep deep league or an AL-only league. Look for Clay to be back right after his DL stint is over.

Jeff Keppinger of the Reds is on the DL, as I mentioned in a previous post, and this has a bigger impact on fantasy owners than Clay. So far this season, Keppinger has held the team together by hitting a solid .324AVG, 3HR, 27RBI's, and 2SB's. The injury, a fractured left kneecap, will sideline him for 4-6 weeks. This guy is droppable if you don't have room on your team or if you DL is filled with someone more important. Also, Paul Janish was called up from AAA-Louisville and well I guess Jay Bruce will have to wait another day before being called up. But the Reds would be stupid if they don't call Bruce up soon. With their current spot in the bottom of the standings and with trade rumours flying over Griffey and Dunn, the Reds should give this highly touted and highly proven stud a chance in the majors.

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Eric Gagne

For those of you who bailed on Gagne because he wasn't the closer anymore well take a look at what he just did, he earned a save. Coach Yost has come out and put Gagne back into the closer role only after 2-3 days of being out of the spot.

Sucks to be the ones who dropped him. He should be on all rosters, even though he seems to make closing a game an adventure.

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Billingsley

Chad Billingsley of the Dodgers is currently 2-5 this season but what most people don't see are the real numbers that count for fantasy owners. Billingsley is currently striking out 1.26 batters per inning (48K's through 38IP) and this shows that he has the stuff to get people out. The only problem is when balls are hit they seem to find the holes. The good thing is the hits are staying in the park, with only 2HR's allowed all year.

By looking deeper into the numbers you can see this pitcher is worth a spot on your team because eventually the balls hit into play are going to be hit at people instead of finding the holes. Try and grab this SP if you have room on your team. It should give you a nice boost to your pitching rotation.

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King Felix

Well, after a strong start to the season King Felix of the Mariners has lost his last 4 starts and blowing up his ERA from 1.67 to 3.38 in the process. Don't worry about King Felix right now and continue throwing him out there but for people who don't own King Felix, try and see if an owner is scared and is trying to sell. This is a great chance to maybe grab him for a lower than market value which will help you tremendously. Remember, when you deal for a player you don't deal for his past stats, you deal for his future stats. If King Felix tears things up from now on, you reap all the benefits.

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Keppinger.......and BRUCE

Jeff Keppinger of the Reds suffered a fractured patella bone and surely heading for the DL. So far, Jerry Hairston will take over at the SS position because he has the most experience at that position.

THE BIGS NEWS is if Keppinger goes to the DL, there will be a spot for someone to be called up...and with all the news about Jay Bruce absolutely tearing up the AAA this might be the chance Baker has to call up Bruce. Jay Bruce deserves to be in the majors. He's batting .328 with 7HR's, 29RBI's, and 7SB.

FOR GODS SAKE, CALL UP BRUCE!!!

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Furcal

With Rafael Furcal landing on the 15-Day DL with a lower back strain owners need not to worry just yet. With Furcal batting .366, 5HR, 16RBI, and 8SB...owners should feel a huge pinch in their stats. This SS for the Dodgers was putting up prime time numbers and no player from the waiver wire will ever come close to replacing Furcal's production.

Owners, just sit back and wait for Furcal to heal and come back strong. But make sure to keep your eyes opened to any new developments here on my blog. I will try to keep you posted on any new details. So...just put Furcal on the bench and start to look for a SS on the wire that is hot. Currently, Ramon Vazquez of the Rangers is swinging a hot bat.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Toronto Blue Jays

Just something to think about.

The Toronto Blue Jays have scored a total of 4 runs in their past 4 games. Ouch!

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Hot Hitters/Pitchers

The past week.

Hitters
Akinori Iwamura 2B/3B - Rays - 13/33, .394AVG, 6R's, 3RBI's.
Coco Crisp CF - Red Sox - 7/21, .333AVG, 4R's, 2HR's, 5RBI's, 1SB
Mark Kotsay CF - A's - 8/23, .384AVG, 4R's, 1HR, 6RBI's, 1SB

Pitchers
Vicente Padilla SP - Rangers - 12IP, 1W, 10K's, 2.25ERA, 1.00WHIP
Matt Garza SP - Rays - 13.2IP, 1-1, 5K's, .66ERA, 1.1WHIP
Livan Hernandez SP - Twins - 15IP, 2W, 4K's, 2.40ERA, 1.40WHIP

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Iannetta

For readers who are familiar with my writing, you all know the need for catchers and how difficult it is to find a catcher that will add value to your team outside the top five catchers in baseball. So I tend to focus on hot catchers and who to watch out for if you were unable to grab a top five catcher in the draft.

Chris Iannetta of the Rockies is swinging the hot bat of late. This highly touted prospect of a few years ago is making me write a post about him. In his past 10 games he's had 11 hits, 3HR's, and 10RBI's. Even though he's not the full time catcher right now, with his hot bat he's been placed in front of Yorvit Torrealba (who is the usual starting catcher) for the majority of games in the past week or so.

For you folks out there, go out and grab Iannetta and put him as your catcher. If he continues this hot hitting he'll be the starting catcher.

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Jay Bruce

Jay Bruce of the Reds is currently in AAA-Louisville and is tearing up the league. This 21 year old, highly touted prospect, is batting .328 in 131 at-bats. With 6HR's, 27RBI's, and 7 steals, this prospect has nothing to prove in AAA and is going to be in the big leagues soon!

Dusty Baker has come out and said, "expect Bruce to be called up sooner than later." This is great news for owners who have Bruce in leagues. His 5-tool potential will add great depth to any fantasy roster. Especially those who are in deep leagues.

With Corey Patterson not doing much in 2008 Baker is being forced by Bruce's stats to insert him into the big league lineup. Go out and grab Jay Bruce now!!

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Thursday, May 8, 2008

Category Attack

During the long fantasy season there are plenty of stats out there that any owner can grab from the wire. The strategy I always use in every fantasy league is to attack certain categories throughout the year.

Attacking a category is when you find players from the waiver wire and put them into your lineup just to increase a specific stat. For example, grabbing Jonathan Broxton and putting him into your lineup to attack your ERA, WHIP, and K's for a few weeks is great. He will give you a boost in those categories and if you need to address another problem you can always drop him and grab another player.

My plan is to do this throughout the season looking at where I need to accumulate stats and then I go out and grab certain players off the waiver wire. The best time to do this is on Monday and Thursday. These two days are when major league teams travel and the schedule is light. If you pick up guys who steal on Monday and Thursday you can easily add 10-15 steals for the year.

If you have a few players on your roster that you aren't afraid to put on the wire you can grab a few players and boost specific categories throughout the year.

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