FOXSports.com Fantasy Buzz » posts from August 2012

• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Back to Balfour in Oakland?

  August 17, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  After seeing David Price throw another terrific game last night, I have to say that I'm feeling pretty good about predicting him to win the American League Cy Young Award. I probably shouldn't feel too good, since my NL pick was Tim Lincecum. Oh, well.

  ***

  Kris Medlen's shutout made me look smart and raised the streaming starter record to 74-50 on the season. The weekend picks are Ross Detwiler (owned in 24 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) versus the Mets tonight, Bartolo Colon (17.8 percent owned) against the Indians on Saturday, and Clayton Richard (8.4 percent owned) against the Giants at PETCO on Sunday.

  On to the news:

  • Grant Balfour got Thursday's save for the A's, coming on for the ninth inning after Ryan Cook got the final two outs in the eighth. When Cook got demoted into the A's nominal committee last week, manager Bob Melvin said that he wanted Cook to throw some "clean innings" before getting his job back. Cook has thrown two scoreless innings since then, but allowed at least a hit in each. Balfour, on the other hand, has given up one run in 16 appearances since June 29, and saved two games in the last week. Could Cook get his job back at any time? Sure, because closer job security is always unpredictable. Still, if I was hunting for saves this weekend, I'd grab Balfour (23.3 percent owned) and hope nothing changes for awhile in Oakland.
  • The Cubs and Reds play a doubleheader on Saturday, so get their hitters in your lineup.
  • Mark Teixeira apparently had a recurrence of his left wrist injury, and his status for tonight is uncertain.
  • Unless something has changed - and nothing has publicly - Nationals SS Ian Desmond will be activated from the DL today. Get ready to start Desmond if you have him.
  • Blue Jays 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion was scratched Thursday due to forearm and shoulder soreness, but he thinks he'll be back tonight.
  • Diamondbacks SP Joe Saunders hurt his thumb trying to stop a comebacker on Wednesday, but expects to make his next start.
  • If Brewers SP Shaun Marcum gets through a bullpen session today without any complications, he could be activated early next week instead of making another rehab start.
  • Braves OF Jason Heyward hit his 20th homer of the season last night. J-Hey also has 60 RBI, 72 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. Remember a few months ago, when all his owners hated him?
  • The Marlins' website reports that Emilio Bonifacio is expected to play in one more rehab game tonight before being activated on Sunday.
  • Neil Walker's dislocated pinky seems to be improving, but it's hard to say when he'll be back in the lineup.
  • Phillies 3B Placido Polanco is still on target for a Monday return from the DL.
  • The Mets plan to give 3B David Wright and 1B Ike Davis each a day off this weekend. Watch the daily lineups if you own either player. Sunday is a day-game-after-night-game, so that should be the day for at least one of them.
  • Look for Rockies SP Jhoulys Chacin to rejoin the Rockies' rotation next week. Chacin was pretty bad over his first five starts of the season, and went on the DL with a chest injury in early May. Chacin is owned in 1.3 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, and if healthy, he can be effective enough for deeper mixed leagues. He had ERAs of 3.28 and 3.62 in 2010 and 2011, and that's not bad for a guy who pitches in Coors Field half the time.
  • Orioles 1B/3B Wilson Betemit (wrist) has been placed on the DL, and is aiming for an August 27 return.
  • Tommy Hanson comes off the DL to pitch tonight for the Braves. Start him if you have him.

   

  See you back here Monday morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Farewell to the Melkman

  August 16, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Way to go, Felix Hernandez. It looked like you could have thrown 50 perfect innings yesterday.

  ***

  Bud Norris' shaky outing dropped our streaming starter record to 73-50 for the season, and earned him long-overdue persona non grata status in this space (he hurt his foot, too). Today's pick is Atlanta's Kris Medlen (owned in 15 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) versus the Padres, while Friday's selection is Nats' lefty Ross Detwiler (22.3 percent owned) against the Mets. Detwiler apparently felt ill during his rough start on Sunday, and he's been pretty solid otherwise.

  On to the news:

  • Giants OF Melky Cabrera has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for testosterone, and will miss the rest of the season. The team's website says that speedy Gregor Blanco will take most of Cabrera's playing time in left field, but he's not much of a hitter, and I'd only recommend him in NL-only leagues. The Giants will try to make a trade, so stay tuned.
  • Potential replacements for Cabrera in FOXSports.com leagues include Ryan Ludwick (27.1 percent owned), Cody Ross (23 percent owned), Carlos Gomez (5.8 percent owned) and maybe Andy Dirks (6.2 percent owned). If you have specific questions on free agents from your league, ping me on Twitter (@jhalpin37) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/halpinsports).
  • Signs point to a Friday return from the DL for White Sox 1B Paul Konerko (concussion).
  • Nationals SS Ian Desmond is still tracking to come off the DL on Friday. The Nats' website reports that Desmond is "expected to return." Steve Lombardozzi will lose playing time to accommodate Desmond.
  • The latest on Red Sox DH David Ortiz (Achilles) is that he probably won't play this weekend. Beyond that ... heck if I know. The guy can't even run, for crying out loud.
  • Pirates 2B Neil Walker left Wednesday's game with a dislocated right pinky, and hopes to avoid a DL stint. We should know more today.
  • I didn't watch last night's shaky start from Indians SP Roberto Hernandez (formerly Fausto Carmona, but he had a weird stat line. In six innings, Hernandez allowed five earned runs on 10 hits, with no walks and no strikeouts. He also got 15 ground balls against seven fly balls, which is typical. The AL-only owner in me wants to see what he does next time.
  • Orioles 1B/3B Wilson Betemit will have an MRI today on a sore right wrist, but the O's are hopeful that it isn't serious. Betemit hasn't played since Saturday.
  • Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki had a good workout at Coors Field on Wednesday, and is eyeing an early September return.
  • Mike Trout hit another homer, stole another base and scored two more runs last night. Ho-hum.
  • Jim Henderson got another chance to close yesterday for the Brewers and ... blew it. 
  • I've been seeing stories about a few teams going to six-man rotations, but they always seem to include the qualifier that the adjustment will last only for a week or two. If that's the case, it doesn't mean much for you.
  • Huston Street's calf strain will keep him out longer than 15 days. Dale Thayer is still available in more than 98 percent of FOXSports.com leagues, so go get him if you need saves. 
  • Cardinals C Yadier Molina might not play tonight because of a nagging sore back. Since Diamondbacks-Cards is one of the later games on today's schedule, Yadi should be benched by his fantasy owners if possible.
  • In other Cardinals' news, with Jaime Garcia slated to return from the DL on Sunday, Joe Kelly is headed to the bullpen.
  • DH Luke Scott is ready to rejoin the Rays, but they don't seem to have room for him.
  • There are two afternoon games on today's schedule, starting with Rangers-Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET. Set your lineups accordingly.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Football Morning Update: Desmond close to return

  August 15, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Can someone get me the photo of Dustin Pedroia standing in front of a sleepy Bobby Valentine? I want to frame it and put it in my office. Thanks.

  ***

  A great job last night by Lucas Harrell raised our streaming starter record to 73-49. Today's pick is Bud Norris (owned in 13 percent of FOXSports.com leagues), and Thursday's choice is Kris Medlen (8.9 percent owned) versus the Padres.

  On to the news:

  • The Nationals are targeting a Friday return from the DL for fantasy's best shortstop, Ian Desmond. According to the Nats' website, the date isn't guaranteed, but Desmond should be ready to go if he gets through a workout today and a simulated game on Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed if you own Desmond.
  • Reds 1B Joey Votto, who reinjured his knee last week while rehabbing, says he won't return until he's "100 percent ready to play." The most recent timetable on Votto had his comeback pegged for next weekend, and it's uncertain if his pronouncement changes anything. Stay tuned.
  • Rays SP Matt Moore is rolling, and he's still available in 30.2 percent of FOXSports.com leagues for some reason. Those must be the leagues with two-man pitching staffs.
  • With Kelly Shoppach traded to the Mets, Ryan Lavarnway will share time behind the plate with Jarrod Saltalamacchia for the Red Sox. Lavarnway's eight homers at Triple A this season were a big step down from his 32 minor-league homers last year, but he posted a solid .815 OPS and has a history of good batting averages. The Sox seem to like Lavarnway's defense as well, and I'd take a chance on him in a standard mixed league if I had a spot to fill.
  • Blue Jays OF Colby Rasmus missed his fourth consecutive game on Tuesday due to a groin injury, and hopes to DH today.
  • In other Jays' news, Brandon Morrow threw four-and-two-thirds scoreless innings on 67 pitches in his latest rehab start on Tuesday, and is on target for an August 24 return from the DL.
  • Rockies 1B/OF Michael Cuddyer is expected to come off the DL on Thursday. This Denver Post notebook also mentions that OF Eric Young Jr. is leading the majors in hits since July 31. I wish EY would run a little more.
  • There are six afternoon games on today's schedule, beginning with Phillies-Marlins at 12:40 p.m. ET. Set your lineups accordingly.
  • Reds 3B Scott Rolen is still day-to-day with a sore back.
  • Speedy Royals OF Jarrod Dyson is hoping to play today; he's been out since Friday with a sore ankle.
  • Non-fantasy note: Here's an interesting column on the looming shutdown of Stephen Strasburg.
  • After last night's outing, Tigers SP Doug Fister has a 1.35 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP in his last seven starts, with 48 strikeouts against eight walks in 53 1/3 innings. Pretty impressive, huh?
  • If Jaime Garcia recovers well from last night's rehab start, he could be back on the mound for the Cardinals on Sunday. Joe Kelly is pitching like he doesn't want to lose his rotation spot, though.
  • The Phillies hope to reactivate 3B Placido Polanco on Monday. Try to contain your excitement.
  • Josh Donaldson will be the A's primary third baseman during Brandon Inge's DL stint. This news is more interesting than you'd think because Donaldson is also eligible at catcher. Donaldson batted .335 with 13 homers and five stolen bases in 51 Triple-A games this season.
  • The Twins have sent struggling rookie SS Brian Dozier to the minors. Jamey Carroll started at short last night for the Twins.
  • Angels RP Scott Downs figures to come off the DL later this week. Remember that Downs was sharing closing duties with strike-challenged Ernesto Frieri before he got hurt.
  • Cubs SP Matt Garza (elbow) is probably done for the season.
  • Here's a review of Josh Johnson's season, which looks a lot better if you take April out of the equation.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Remember Andrew Bailey?

  August 14, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Poor Mike Fiers. See what happens when you take a good fantasy pitcher and send him to Coors Field for a night?

  ***

  Mike Minor didn't get it done for us last night, dropping the streaming starter record to 72-48. Today's pick is Houston's Lucas Harrell (owned in 8.6 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) at Wrigley Field, and Wednesday's selection is Harrell's teammate, the improving Bud Norris (10.8 percent owned). Norris has had a disappointing season, but owns a 3.46 ERA over his last four starts, and carries a whiff rate of more than a batter per inning.

  On to the news:

  • Red Sox RP Andrew Bailey will be activated in time for tonight's game. You may remember Bailey as the guy who was supposed to be a top-10 fantasy closer this season before injuring his thumb shortly before Opening Day, and having surgery that has kept him out all year. Bailey is expected to set up for Alfredo Aceves in the short term, but I'd be willing to place a small bet that he gets the closer job back before the end of the season. Keep an eye on this situation, and note that Bailey is owned in just 23.4 percent of FOXSports.com leagues.
  • Dale Thayer got last night's save for the Padres, and could be in line for more while Huston Street is on the DL with a calf strain.
  • The Rangers are reportedly thinking about calling up blue-chip SS prospect Jurickson Profar (.283 BA, 13 HR, 15 SB at Double A) to fill a utility role. Don't get any ideas about Profar becoming Mike Trout in the short term, even if he does take some at bats from Michael Young. 
  • Did I forget to note yesterday that Rangers C Mike Napoli is on the DL with a strained quad? Well, there you go.
  • Angels SP C.J. Wilson left Monday's game after trying to catch a line drive with his pitching hand, but the team seems to think he's OK.
  • Nationals OF Jayson Werth missed Monday's game due to an ankle injury, and will have an MRI today. He sounds iffy for tonight.
  • Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval made only a pinch-hit appearance in his first game off the DL, but he's expected to start tonight.
  • Paul Konerko passed his concussion tests, and the White Sox are hoping he can return on Friday, which would be a "best-case scenario," according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
  • Derek Lowe is the new Yankee closer! OK, that's not true, but he did get a save last night thanks to four shutout relief innings. If Lowe becomes part of the Yankee rotation at some point, remember that's he's struck out only 41 batters in 119 innings this season, and stay away.
  • Roberto Hernandez - formerly known as Fausto Carmona - will make his first start of the season on Wednesday for the Indians. Hernandez had a 4.07 ERA in four minor-league rehab starts, with 20 strikeouts against four walks in 24 1/3 innings. AL-only owners can consider him, but note that his ERAs from 2009-11 were 6.32-3.77-5.25.
  • Rockies SS Josh Rutledge was held out of Monday's game because of a sore quad, but the team apparently doesn't think it's serious.
  • I'll make my regular appearance in the FOXSports.com fantasy chat room today at 2 p.m. ET. Make sure to stop by with your questions!
  • Is it really big news that the Braves are about to use a six-man rotation for 11 days?
  • Here's an update on Joey Votto, who should return sometime next week. The word sometime is intentionally vague.
  • Another day, another game at shortstop for Ben Zobrist. That's four, if you're counting.
  • Speaking of interesting positional eligibility, Hanley Ramirez is up to 11 games at shortstop. He should be eligible in your league, and is on his way to 2013 eligibility in most leagues.
  • And speaking of the Dodgers, Jerry Hairston Jr. is on the DL with a hip injury. More Juan Uribe! Wooooo!
  • Don't read anything into Carlos Santana's appearance in left field last night. It was an emergency situation.
  • With Nate Schierholtz (toe) on the DL, Domonic Brown figures to get everyday at bats in right field for the Phillies. Brown needs to start hitting for power, and steal a base once in awhile.
  • Mariners 1B Mike Carp (hip) is headed to the DL, meaning that Justin Smoak will probably return to Seattle to underachieve some more.
  • The Blue Jays have decided that Brandon Morrow will make two more rehab starts, meaning that an August 24 return is likely. No hurry, Jays. It's not like my AL keeper league team is desperately awaiting Morrow's arrival or anything.
  • The Nats aren't committing to a timetable for Ian Desmond's return from the DL, but his rehab seems to be progressing very well.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: The Strasburg Strategy

  August 13, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Nice job, London. The Closing Ceremony was fun, but I missed the Spice Girls. Did anyone record it on VHS?

  ***

  Cole De Vries got hammered on Friday, Marco Estrada was ineffective on Saturday, and Erik Bedard was just OK enough on Sunday. With the streaming starter record at 72-47, today's pick is Mike Minor (owned in 18.5 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Padres, and Tuesday's selection is Houston's Lucas Harrell (6.3 percent owned) against the Cubs at Wrigley.

  On to the news:

  • The Nationals said over the weekend that ace Stephen Strasburg could max out at 180 innings, with the chance of some skipped turns between now and the end of the season. Strasburg is at 133 1/3 innings now, and FanGraphs' Dave Cameron notes that Strasburg could have eight starts remaining and not get rested until the season's final week, with an extra skipped start or two possibly leaving him available for the postseason. Leaving the controversial real-life playoff implications aside for a moment, fantasy owners are probably going to get more out of Strasburg than they expected. His owners should be prepared to make a move for the season's final week, but all seems well otherwise.
  • Yankee ace CC Sabathia says he plans to make his next start on August 24, which is when he's eligible to come off the DL. David Phelps will take Sabathia's turn in the rotation tonight.
  • Look for 3B Pablo Sandoval to come off the DL and return to the Giants' lineup tonight.
  • A setback in Joey Votto's rehab figures to keep him out until sometime next week.
  • After a tough loss on Saturday, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was non-committal about the possibility of Jim Henderson being his closer. If you're speculating for saves, Henderson isn't a bad option, since Roenicke doesn't seem to have any good alternatives.
  • Red Sox DH David Ortiz (Achilles) isn't sure when he'll be ready to play, but he's going to try to get back in the lineup this week. Manager Bobby Valentine said over the weekend that Ortiz's injury only hurts when he runs straight ahead. Ugh.
  • Speaking of injured Red Sox, 3B Will Middlebrooks is done for the season due to a broken wrist. Pedro Ciriaco started at the hot corner for the Sox on Saturday, and Danny Valencia played Sunday.
  • The Marlins hope to get speedy Emilio Bonifacio (thumb) back in the lineup on Sunday, and they'll probably play him in the outfield, according to manager Ozzie Guillen.
  • The White Sox appear to be targeting a Friday return for 1B Paul Konerko (concussion). 
  • As noted in this week's Free Agent Frenzy, act fast if you want to grab Orioles 3B Manny Machado, who's owned in 25.3 percent of FOXSports.com leagues as of this morning. Machado has three homers in his first four games, and while he won't keep up that pace, he could be a decent free-agent pickup for some of you.
  • Blue Jays 2B Kelly Johnson is day-to-day with a groin injury. He made a pinch-hitting appearance on Sunday, so it's probably not too bad.
  • Remember Freddie Freeman's finger issues, and the week he couldn't play because he was waiting for new goggles? Freeman has been tearing it up for past month and a half. I think he'll be a top-10 fantasy first baseman on draft day in 2013.
  • After throwing five scoreless innings in a Sunday rehab start, Tommy Hanson figures to make his next start for the Braves on Friday. The Braves might use a six-man rotation for awhile after Hanson returns.
  • Youth movement! The Marlins are calling up C Rob Brantly, who was acquired from the Tigers in the Anibal Sanchez trade last month. Brantly hit well in his brief stint with the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate, but he doesn't have a ton of offensive potential. Beyond NL-only leagues, don't consider him.
  • The Astros have reactivated C Jason Castro after a monthlong stint on the DL.
  • The Twins will reactivate 3B Trevor Plouffe today.
  • Reading Bob Melvin's quotes here, Ryan Cook may not have lost his closer job with the A's, but he's at least taking a brief sabbatical. Look for Grant Balfour to get some short-term chances. In other A's news, 3B Brandon Inge (shoulder) might be headed for the DL.
  • Ben Zobrist played shortstop in three straight games for the Rays last week. Keep an eye on his positional eligibility if you own him.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Jays' Lawrie to DL

  August 10, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Every time the Nationals win, the potential for the Stephen Strasburg shutdown story gets just a little bigger. The Nats own baseball's best record, and we're about three weeks away from this getting to the Kristen Stewart-Robert Pattinson level, which is HUGE.

  *** 

  Mike Leake wasn't bad last night, but he didn't quite reach our Fantasy Quality Start criteria, so we're down to 71-45 for the season. The weekend picks are Minnesota's Cole De Vries (owned in 0.5 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Rays today, Milwaukee's Marco Estrada (1.8 percent owned) at Houston on Saturday, and Pittsburgh's Erik Bedard (4.2 percent owned) against the Padres on Sunday.

  On to the news:

  • Are there any Blue Jays who haven't been hurt this season? 3B Brett Lawrie is on the DL with a strained oblique muscle. The move is retroactive to August 4, meaning that Lawrie could return as soon as the 19th. SS Adeiny Hechavarria will start at the hot corner in Lawrie's absence; you shouldn't expect much from him aside from maybe a few stolen bases.
  • The Astros have acquired infielder Tyler Greene from the Cardinals. The always-interesting Greene is batting .218 with four homers and nine stolen bases this season, and will reportedly share time at shortstop with Marwin Gonzalez. Greene's NL-only value gets a bit of a boost here, as he hasn't been getting much playing time lately in St. Louis.
  • Look for Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval to come off the DL on Sunday or Monday.
  • SP Mike Fiers has been such a nice surprise for the Brewers that they might consider shutting him down to protect his arm. We could be looking at only five more starts from Fiers, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  • Has anyone besides me been getting killed by Joaquin Benoit's recent struggles?
  • Through Thursday's solid start, Rays SP Matt Moore is 8-2 with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings since the beginning of June. Young players not named Mike Trout usually require some patience.
  • Brandon McCarthy returns to the mound tonight for the A's, who will face some interesting rotation decisions in the near future.
  • The Cardinals are undecided on whether to give lefty Jaime Garcia one more rehab start. He's close to a return, though.
  • The Padres have recalled catcher Nick Hundley. Hopefully, he'll be able to hit this time around. NL-only owners can take a shot at Hundley.
  • Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe will take batting practice today, and then probably go on a rehab assignment before coming off the DL.
  • Indians DH Travis Hafner is on the DL again? Good grief.
  • The Astros have sent struggling OF J.D. Martinez to the minors.
  • Don't be surprised if Marlins' slugger Giancarlo Stanton gets some occasional rest over the remainder of the season.
  • Joey Votto's return date is still uncertain, and his hoped-for Tuesday comeback now seems unlikely. Plan to bench Votto next week unless we hear some good news over the weekend.
  • Diamondbacks SS Willie Bloomquist was a late scratch on Thursday due to a recurrence of his stiff back. Try not to let this news ruin your day.
  • Ten strikeouts against the Red Sox? You're such a tease, Ubaldo Jimenez.

   

  See you back here Monday morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: O's Machado gets the call

  August 09, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  The Orioles will call up 20-year-old prospect Manny Machado today. Machado, a shortstop who figures to spend most of his time at third base in Baltimore, is batting .266 with 10 homers, 13 stolen bases and a .789 OPS at Double-A Bowie.

  As prospects go, Machado is top-notch, probably one of the 10 best in baseball. However, he's very young, and hasn't exactly been tearing it up at Double A (though he's started August extremely well). Machado might be an upgrade over the current third-base platoon of Wilson Betemit and Robert Andino, and while that's good for the Orioles, it doesn't mean you need to run out and pick him up.

  In an AL-only league, most everyday players are worth grabbing, and that goes for Machado as well (he currently qualifies at SS on FOXSports.com). Deep mixed leaguers can also consider him depending on who their incumbent is. Beyond that, don't get too excited about Machado's fantasy prospects in the short term, since being 20 doesn't automatically make him the next Mike Trout. He's 16th on my SS list, and that doesn't count DL residents Ian Desmond, Jed Lowrie and Troy Tulowitzki, all of whom could return later this month. Guys as young as Machado usually encounter bumps in the road; check Bryce Harper's stats if you don't believe me.

  ***

  Clayton Richard - wooooooo! With the streaming starter record up to 71-44 on the season, today's pick is Mike Leake (owned in 7.1 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Cubs at Wrigley, and Friday's selection is Twins' strike thrower Cole De Vries (0.2 percent owned) versus the Rays.

  On to the rest of the news:

  • Marlins' manager Ozzie Guillen sounds ready to make Heath Bell his closer again. Try to grab Bell now if you're looking for saves. Sorry, Steve Cishek owners.
  • White Sox 1B Paul Konerko missed Wednesday's game after suffering a mild concussion on Tuesday, and with the team off today, they'll wait until Friday to decide if he needs a trip to the seven-day concussion DL.
  • Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie (rib) will sit again today, and might be headed for the DL. Teammate Jose Bautista got some good news on his wrist and plans to start hitting balls off a tee again on Monday, but that doesn't necessarily make his return imminent.
  • In other Jays' news, Brandon Morrow threw 51 pitches over five innings in his latest minor-league rehab start, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk and striking out two. Morrow figures to need at least one more rehab appearance, and could be back next weekend.
  • Jim Henderson saved a Brewers' win for the second consecutive day. Manager Ron Roenicke hasn't named Henderson as the team's closer, but he's saying some nice things.
  • There are five afternoon games on today's schedule, beginning with Marlins-Mets at 12:10 p.m. ET. Set your lineups accordingly.
  • The Cardinals hope to get 1B Allen Craig (chest) and SS Rafael Furcal (back) back in the lineup today. Both players missed Wednesday's game.
  • White Sox OF Alex Rios missed Wednesday's game with a stiff back, but thinks he'll be back tomorrow.
  • Not that this is really a surprise, but OF David Murphy is officially an everyday player for the Rangers. It was sort of unofficial until recently.
  • Mariners SS Brendan Ryan (elbow) missed his fourth straight game on Wednesday, but should be back on Friday.
  • Mets OF Jason Bay is about to start spending more time on the bench.
  • Astros C Jason Castro aims to come off the DL next week.
  • Minor-league update: Reds Double-A SS Billy Hamilton stole his 129th, 130th and 131st bases last night. Hamilton makes Michael Bourn look like David Ortiz on the basepaths. In 2014, he could be a one-category fantasy monster.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Closer committee for Giants

  August 08, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Mike Trout was only 1-for-5 with a homer on his 21st birthday? Slacker.

  ***

  Ross Detwiler was pretty good last night against the Astros, raising our streaming starter record to 70-44 on the season. Today's pick is Clayton Richard (owned in 9.9 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Cubs at PETCO, while Thursday's selection is Cincinnati's Mike Leake (4 percent owned) versus the Astros in Houston.

  On to the news:

  • Jeremy Affeldt got a four-out save last night for the Giants. Manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday that for now, the final six outs of games will be handled by Affeldt, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez. It's hard to say how much Santiago Casilla's recent blister issues factor into this situation, but this is a committee with Affeldt (0.4 percent owned) and Romo (3.9 percent owned) sharing the chairmanship.
  • Blue Jays OF Jose Bautista will undergo an MRI this week after feeling more soreness in his injured left wrist. Bautista's rehab efforts were shut down last week, and there's no return date on his calendar right now. If you own Bautista, don't count on him coming back anytime soon, if at all.
  • In other Jays' news, 3B Brett Lawrie is still day-to-day with a rib injury. According to the team's website, manager John Farrell thought Lawrie would play Tuesday, but needed "at least another day" to recover.
  • David Ortiz's latest target date to come off the DL is Sunday.
  • There are five afternoon games on today's schedule, including Twins-Indians at 12:05 p.m. ET, Set your lineups accordingly.
  • Evan Longoria's return to the Rays' lineup means we're looking at a Carlos Pena-Jeff Keppinger platoon at first base. If you still own Pena, this means that his terrible batting average won't get as many opportunities to hurt you.
  • White Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis (knee) and OF Alejandro De Aza (back) sat out on Tuesday, and might rest today as well.
  • Nationals OF Jayson Werth didn't play Tuesday due to sore legs, and is day-to-day. His legs are apparently fatigued after missing 75 games due to a wrist injury. Yes, you read that correctly.
  • Tigers OF Andy Dirks is 6-for-11 since coming off the DL last Friday, and appears to have relegated Quintin Berry to a part-time role.
  • The Mike Fiers bandwagon is pretty crowded, but even after his latest impressive outing, he's available in more than half of FOXSports.com leagues.
  • If the Twins decide to skip a rehab assignment for 3B Trevor Plouffe, he could come off the DL as soon as Friday.
  • Astros OF Jordan Schafer is on the DL due to a separated shoulder. Look for Brandon Barnes (.319 BA, 5 HR, 14 SB at Triple A) to get much of the playing time in Schafer's absence.
  • After getting more good news on Tuesday, the Marlins expect speedy Emilio Bonifacio to come off the DL on August 19, which is the day he's eligible. I hope you didn't waive Bonifacio when you heard the weekend rumors that he was done for the season.
  • It sounds like the Reds are tentatively targeting a Tuesday return for 1B Joey Votto.
  • Braves SP Tommy Hanson (back) is looking to throw a bullpen session on Friday, with an eye toward an August 15 return.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Rays' Longoria returns tonight

  August 07, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  After reviewing last night's latest gem from Jered Weaver (15-1, 2.13 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 101 K in 131 IP), I started wondering where I would rank him in 2013 drafts. Because strikeouts matter, I think I'd go with Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw ahead of Weaver. After that, he's probably next on the list.

  ***

  Another strong start from Baltimore's Chris Tillman raised our streaming starter record to 69-44 on the season. Today's pick is Ross Detwiler (owned in 25.6 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) at Houston, while Wednesday's selection is Clayton Richard (5.5 percent owned) in PETCO against the terrible Cubs.

  On to the news:

  • Rays 3B Evan Longoria, who has been on the DL since April 30 with a hamstring injury, will be activated before tonight's game. The Tampa Bay Times reports that "Longoria will be limited to DH duties, and probably won't be able to play everyday as the Rays ease him back into it." The Rays' offense has been so bad lately that the "everyday" part of that equation should change soon, as they can't afford to keep Longoria on the bench.
  • The latest development with Matt Garza's elbow has the Cubs' starter in danger of missing the rest of the season. All we know now is that Garza won't pick up a ball for at least two weeks, and that he'll be re-evaluated during each homestand, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Don't hesitate to cut Garza if you have him. 
  • Speaking of the Cubs, yesterday's blog post missed the arrivals of 3B prospect Josh Vitters, who was batting .304 with 17 homers and six stolen bases at Triple A, and OF Brett Jackson, who had 15 homers and 27 steals at the same level. Vitters probably isn't anything more than an NL-only option right now, but he's someone to keep an eye on. Jackson's power-speed skillset makes him interesting in many deep leagues, but his stratospheric strikeout rate (163 K in 415 AB this season) is likely to be his downfall. Bryan LaHair will lose playing time in the wake of Jackson's arrival.
  • Reminder: Mike Stanton is likely to come off the DL tonight for the Marlins.
  • The Brewers have promoted SS prospect Jean Segura - who was acquired in the Zack Greinke trade - and will let him play every day. Segura batted .304 with seven homers and 37 stolen bases at Double A, and can be considered in deeper mixed leagues. 
  • A's OF Yoenis Cespedes missed Monday's game due to a sore right wrist, and is day-to-day.
  • The White Sox have ditched their short-lived six-man rotation and sent Philip Humber to the bullpen. 
  • On a related note, that was a nice game last night from Chris Sale after his nine-day layoff. He's still risky.
  • Rookie Matt McBride (.357 BA, 10 HR at Triple A) will be one of the beneficiaries of Todd Helton's season-ending hip injury. McBride isn't much of a prospect, but Coors Field makes anyone interesting. Still, until we see McBride playing every day, he's only useful in NL-only leagues.
  • Ben Sheets ... unbelievable.
  • Jim Thome's herniated disc is expected to keep him out of the Orioles' lineup until sometime in September.
  • Red Sox DH David Ortiz hopes he can return to the lineup this weekend, but I'll believe that when I see it. Ortiz got a Novocaine injection (not from a dentist) in his injured Achilles on Monday.
  • It sounds like C Jason Castro (knee) is about a week away from returning to the Astros' lineup.
  • Roberto Hernandez - formerly known as Fausto Carmona - is expected to join the Indians' rotation next week. Hernandez cut down his previously terrible walk rate in 2010 and 2011, and while he doesn't strike out enough batters, his excellent ground-ball rate makes him worth a look in AL-only leagues. Assuming that he's his normal self, figure on Hernandez's ERA being somewhere in the 4.00-4.50 range.
  • The Twins are thinking about sending struggling SS Brian Dozier back to the minors.
  • Michael Young played shortstop last night for the Rangers, but it was probably a one-time thing due to Elvis Andrus (shoulder) needing a night off.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

  0 Comments
• Fantasy Baseball Morning Update: Marlins' Stanton set to return

  August 06, 2012 by JohnHalpinFOX

  Roy Oswalt refused to pitch a third relief inning on Sunday? Has he seen his ERA?

  ***

  Clayton Richard was really good for us on Friday, Edinson Volquez stunk on Saturday, and Kris Medlen was his usual solid self on Sunday. With the streaming starter record at 68-44 for the season, tonight's pick is Baltimore's Chris Tillman (owned in 3.1 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) against the Mariners, and Tuesday's selection is Nats' lefty Ross Detwiler (17.8 percent owned) versus the terrible Astros in Houston.

  On to the news:

  • The Marlins expect to get OF Giancarlo Stanton back from the DL on Tuesday. While nothing is guaranteed until you see Stanton in the lineup, you should activate him this week if you have him.
  • Speaking of the Marlins, they'll learn the severity of speedy Emilio Bonifacio's thumb injury today or tomorrow. There were some "done for the season" reports over the weekend, but Bonifacio's X-rays were negative.
  • David Ortiz's recovery from his Achilles injury doesn't seem to have a clear end date. Big Papi will speak with team doctors today about changing his treatment.
  • Phillies C Carlos Ruiz is expected to miss 4-6 weeks due to a foot injury. That's a long time when there are eight-and-a-half weeks left in the season, and you can cut Ruiz if you need the roster slot. Rookie Eric Kratz, who homered over the weekend and has 12 homers in 153 at bats between Triple A and the majors this season, should be in line for most of the playing time during Ruiz's absence. Grab him in NL-only leagues.
  • Chris Sale will be back on the mound for the White Sox tonight after nine days off. If Sale has a really good outing, see what you can get for him in a trade. Considering the way the Sox are handling Sale, I wouldn't count on him staying effective for the rest of the season.
  • Rays manager Joe Maddon thinks there's a 50-50 chance that 3B Evan Longoria (hamstring) will come off the DL on Tuesday. I think there's a 50-50 chance that Longoria's fantasy owners are beating their heads against the nearest wall after reading another non-committal update.
  • A's rookie SP A.J. Griffin is on the DL with a shoulder injury. Brandon McCarthy will come off the DL to take Griffin's rotation slot on Friday.
  • The Angels expect to get SS Erick Aybar (toe) back from the DL tonight.
  • After trading Kurt Suzuki on Friday, the A's have made rookie Derek Norris their No. 1 catcher. Norris is worth a pickup in some deep leagues, as noted in this week's edition of Free Agent Frenzy. Suzuki will become the Nationals' primary catcher, which would be nice for fantasy owners if he could still hit.
  • Drew Storen got Sunday's save for the Nationals, but Tyler Clippard had pitched in the previous three games. It sounds like Clippard is still the guy for the Nats, at least for now.
  • The Giants think that 3B Pablo Sandoval (hamstring) will be back in the lineup next week.
  • Yankees OF Brett Gardner might be able to play in September, but probably not as anything other than a pinch runner or defensive replacement.
  • The Mets are targeting a Saturday return for SP Johan Santana, who's on the DL with an ankle injury.
  • Tsuyoshi Nishioka is about to get regular playing time for the Twins, at least until Trevor Plouffe comes off the DL. If Nishioka was any good, this would be interesting news.
  • The Indians will give speedy Ezequiel Carrera (26 SB in Triple A) the majority of starts in left field, playing him against right-handed pitchers. If you need free speed in an AL-only league, Carrera might still be available.
  • The Royals designated Yuniesky Betancourt for assignment, but still didn't promote Johnny Giavotella? I'm flummoxed. In related flummoxing Royals' news, OF Wil Myers is still at Triple A, where he's hit 20 homers in 72 games.
  • Reds 2B Brandon Phillips (calf) still hasn't played since July 31, but it sounds like he's close to returning.
  • Cubs SP Matt Garza (elbow) won't start Tuesday as hoped, and has been placed on the DL.

   

  See you back here tomorrow morning.

   

  0 Comments