We’re getting back toward our normal schedule, when the Tuesday Emails will contain Minor League updates, letting you know which players you could look for to move up from the minors or up through an organization.
NOTE: We have extended the free period for these Emails again – through Sunday, April 25. After that date, the Emails would go only to those who subscribe.
Before then, we’ll tell you how you can subscribe to receive these Emails five or more times per week, along with timely Articles and other information that will be added to the fantasybaseballscout.com web site.
Subscriptions will include Articles such as our “Pitchers (and Hitters) to Keep and Avoid.” Last year, our recommendation of Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa in itself was worth the cost of what you’d pay, and he was only one of our picks that were on the money. Choosing him was inspired; he was 0-6 when we recommended him, and 16-3 thereafter.
You also would have access to whatever content we’re able to get on to the fantasybaseballscout.com web site.
Let us know of your interest and what you’d like to see by Emailing lary@fantasybaseballscout.com.
Subscribers will be able to ask questions specific to their fantasy teams and leagues, and receive answers through these Emails, the web site or personal Emails.
Leading the way
Through the first six games, no team in Triple-A or Double-A remained undefeated. And for a change, the schedules weren’t disrupted by inclement weather.
The top records were 5-1. In Triple-A, Syracuse (Nationals organization) had the best record in the International League, and Nashville (Brewers) and Las Vegas (Blue Jays) were 5-1 in the Pacific Coast League. The 5-1 teams in Double-A all were in the same division. Akron (Indians), Altoona (Pirates) and Bowie (Orioles) all were 5-1 in the Eastern League’s Western Division.
Here are some of the early individual leaders:
In Triple-A, the top batting averages belonged to veteran players rather than prospects. Atop the IL were SSs Wilson Valdez of Lehigh Valley (Phillies) and Brett Lillibridge of Charlotte (White Sox), both 10-for-22 (.455). The PCL leaders were 1B John Lindsey of Albuquerque (Dodgers), 13-for-22 (.591) and OF Chris Denorfia of Portland (Padres) 10-for-20 (.500).
Home runs – C Carlos Santana, Columbus (Indians), 4.
RBI – 3B/1B Dallas McPherson, Sacramento (Athletics), 11, and OF Chris Duffy, Lehigh Valley 10.
Stolen bases – OFs Clete Thomas, Toledo (Tigers), 5, and Jason Bourgeois, Round Rock (Astros), 4.
Saves – RHP Dale Thayer, Durham (Rays), and Chris Smith, Nashville, 3. There was a wide discrepancy in their effectiveness, however. Thayer’s ERA was 5.40 and Smith’s 0.00 with a pitching line of 310012.
The best starting pitchers in each league have been Sacramento RHP Vin Mazzaro – with a 1-0 record, 0.00 ERA and 12:3 strikeout/walk ratio in 10 1/3 innings – in the PCL, and our Best Arm from the Farm, RHP Jeremy Hellickson of Durham in the IL. He’s 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 13:2 K/W ratio in 11 1/3 innings.
The Double-A batting leaders include 2B David Adams of Trenton (Yankees) at .500 (12-for-24) in the Eastern League and C Guillermo Quiroz of West Tenn (Mariners) at .467 (7-for-15) with seven RBI in the Southern League.
The RBI leaders include OF Lance Duda of Binghamton (Mets) in the EL and 1Bs Koby Clemens of Corpus Christi (Astros) and Steve Kleen of Midland (Athletics) in the Texas League. You’ve probably heard of Clemens’ father. RF Ty Wright of Tennessee (Cubs) also had seven RBI in the Southern League. His teammate, OF Tony Campana, led Double-A with four stolen bases.
The Double-A saves leader was RHP Neil Wagner of Akron with three, from a pitching line of 4 1/3 31124. RHP Matt Buschmann of San Antonio (Padres) was off to a good start in the TL with a 1-0 record and 0.00 ERA in 5 2/3 innings.
In closing
This is a regular feature of our Emails and blog posts. It lets you know who’s getting saves. Equally important is telling you who’s blowing saves or putting his job in jeopardy by getting shaky saves. There’s also a FREE Article on the old fantasybaseballscout.com web site letting you know which pitcher or pitchers each team is using to close games. It will be updated whenever there’s a change or speculation about a change in a team’s closer.
RHP Francisco Cordero picked up his fourth save in the Reds’ 10-8, 11-inning victory at Florida.
Yankees RHP Mariano Rivera’s third save came after he entered their game against the Angels with one out in the ninth inning after Angels OF Bobby Abreu had cleared the bases with a grand slam. Rivera faced just two batters to preserve New York’s 7-5 win. Also receiving his third save was Mariners RHP David Aardsma. Seattle defeated the Athletics 3-0, with its starter, RHP Doug Fister, producing a line of 830004 and all of the runs coming on OF Milton Bradley’s three-run homer in the eighth inning against Oakland RHP Brad Ziegler.
Another third save was by Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gregg in a 3-2 victory over the White Sox. He could take the closer’s job away from RHP Jason Frasor, who also has three saves, or one of them could be traded to a team with some hitters – perhaps an outfielder? – but needing a closer.
RHP Octavio Dotel’s second save for the Pirates was more difficult that it should have been. He entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with a three-run lead in San Francisco, and gave up a two-run homer to OF/2B Eugenio Velez. Dotel and the Bucs escaped with a 6-5 win.
Other second saves went to Tigers RHP Jose Valverde in a 6-5 victory against the Royals, and Rays RHP Rafael Soriano despite giving up a run in an 8-6, 10-inning win at Baltimore.
No comments:
Post a Comment