Happy new year.
And it should be a happier new year in Houston. That's not just because the Astros have signed free-agent RHP Jesse Crain.
Crain is more a symbol of change than a game-changer.
Houston's management has made a series of incremental improvements that won't move the Astros into contention this season, but should move them to a point where they are more competitive on a daily basis.
The change is most evident in the bullpen -- where Crain joins other new RHPs Chad Qualls, Matt Albers, Anthony Bass, Darin Downs and Raul Valdes.
That might not sound like much, but doesn't it sound better than Josh Zeid, Kevin Chapman, Chia-Jen Lo and Josh Fields? They were the unproven youngsters in a bullpen that led or tied for the lead in negative categories with a 4.92 ERA and 29 blown saves.
Fields and Lo were among the part-time closers Houston employed in what we now can call last year.
The most obvious weakness, even with the influx of veterans, is that there is no proven closer. Qualls would be the closest to matching that job description. He and Crain are tied for the most relief wins in the majors over the last 10 seasons, with 45. That says more about their longevity than their ability.
It's quite possible that some of the new Astros won't open the season on the major league roster. Well, Crain might not because he's still recovering from surgery following a bout with biceps tendinitis that ended early a 2013 season during which he was an All-Star for the White Sox (who weren't a whole lot better than Houston).
But let's say Downs and Valdes could go back to the minors or be shipped off to another organization. And maybe Zeid and Lo could be major leaguers in April. The point is that there would be greater competition for jobs, and even the losers in that competition could be viable major leaguers at some point in the season.
I'm planning to do some analysis during the next few days to determine who might be the best closer candidate in Houston. My gut feeling is that the Astros would start with Qualls, but we'll see.
* * *
I'm in two football bowl-picking contests. One is with point spreads, the other without. Haven't seen a recent report on the point-spread pool, but I started out something like 2-7. In the pick-winners pool, I've rallied after a slow start, and went 4-0 Tuesday. It's a pool in which you assign point values based on how much faith you have in a team's winning. Confidence pool, I think it's called. Texas A&M's rally helped because I had 30 points on the Aggies. I'm a little over plus-200, but haven't seen that report since early Monday.
By the way, I ended up making no money in my regular-season office pool. I made a rally in Week 17, tying for third at 12-5, but still finished 13 points behind the winner and four behind third place, the last with prize money.
Now I have a couple of different NFL playoff pools to master. One of those is straight pick-'em; the other is pick-'em while assigning wagers best on a theoretical $1,000 bankroll to begin the playoffs.
* * *
Hockey. I'm stayed at points, but fell 1 1/2 points farther out of second place. I got excited when I saw Keith Yandle, heretofore a drain on my plus/minus, was plus-3 Tuesday. However, my team still dropped another point in the plus/minus. Not many players going today, but I've set up my lineup for the next couple of days so that I'd have pretty much a full roster Thursday.
* * *
Basketball. My team currently is leading 8-0, but four categories are very close. Over the next two days, I had a choice for the 10th player in my lineup between Victor Oladipo and Taj Gibson. Because three of my closest categories are 3-pointers, assists and steals, I'm going with Oladipo.
Showing posts with label Chad Qualls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chad Qualls. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Saturday, April 17, 2010
A's pay Anderson as ace of surprising rotation
Weekly Preview/Pitching Chart
April 17, 2010
A’s pay Anderson as ace of surprising rotation
Here is our Weekly Preview and Pitching Chart for the coming week.
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.
Thanks for your continuing interest in and support of Fantasy Baseball Scout. Thanks also to those who have made suggestions as to content they’d like to see. A reminder: 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.
Projected starting pitchers, April 19-25, 2010
AL Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Bal @Se-Bergesen @Se-Hernandz @Se-Millwood --- @Bos-Guthrie @Bos-Matusz @Bos-Bergesn2
Bos TB-Lackey Tex-Wakfield Tex-Beckett Tex-Buchholz Bal-Lester Bal-Lackey2 Bal-Wkfield2
CWS --- TB-Danks TB-Buehrle* TB-Peavy Se-Floyd Se-Garcia Se-Danks2
Cle --- @Min-Mastersn @Min-Huff @Min-Talbot @Oak-Wstbrook @Oak-Carmona @Oak-Mastrsn2
Det @LAA-Willis @LAA-Porcello @LAA-Bondrmn @LAA-Verlander @Tex-Scherzer @Tex-Willis2 @Tex-Porcello2
KC @Tor-Bannister @Tor-Davies @Tor-Greinke --- Min-Meche Min-Hochevar Min-Bannistr2
LAA Det-Pineiro Det-Kazmir Det-Weaver Det-Saunders NYY-
Santana NYY-Pineiro2 NYY-Kazmir2
Min --- Cle-Slowey Cle-Liriano Cle-Baker @KC-Blckburn @KC-Pavano @KC-Slowey2
NYY --- @Oak-Vzquez** @Oak-Sbthia-3* @Oak-Beckett @LAA-Pettitte @LAA-Hughes @LAA-Vazquez2
Oak --- NYY-Gonzalez NYY-Sheets NYY-Braden Cle-Dchschrr Cle-Adrsn-4* Cle-Gonzalz2
Se Bal-Fister Bal-Vargas Bal-Hernandz --- @CWS-Rld-Smth @CWS-Snell @CWS-Fister2
TB @Bos-Niemann @CWS-Price @CWS-Davis @CWS-Shields Tor-Garza Tor-Niemnn2 Tor-Price2
Tex --- @Bos-Lewis @Bos-Harrison @Bos-Wilson Det-Feldman Det-Harden Det-Lewis2
Tor KC-Morrow KC-Eveland KC-Marcum --- @TB-Tallet @TB-Romero @TB-Morrow2
*-The White Sox are skipping their fifth starter, RHP Freddy Garcia, and using their Opening Day starter, LHP Mark Buehrle, on his usual four days’ rest following a day off. Garcia pitched so poorly Thursday against the Blue Jays that there’s media speculation that Chicago could soon bring up RHP Daniel Hudson to go into its rotation.
**-We thought it was strange when the same Yankees fans who booed RHP Javier Vazquez out of New York in 2004 were excited that he was coming back. Those same fans booed him again when his first 2010 start at Yankee Stadium didn’t go well. Through it all, Vazquez has remained the stand-up guy he has been going back to his days in Montreal.
3*-Following Monday’s off day, it seems likely that the Yankees will move up LHP C.C. Sabathia, RHP Josh Beckett and LHP Andy Pettitte one day each, ahead of their fifth starter, RHP Phil Hughes. It’s almost certain that Sabathia would pitch on four days’ rest because his winning start Friday night ended after just six innings because of rain.
4*-LHP Brett Anderson has been the leader of an Athletics rotation that has a 6-0 record. The 22-year-old was rewarded Friday, possibly as much for his improved conditioning as for his pitching, with a new four-year contract worth $12.5-million and including team options for 2014 and ’15.
AL Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Ari StL-Lopez StL-Haren StL-Jackson --- Phi-Benson Phi-Kennedy Phi-Lopez2
Atl --- Phi-Hanson Phi-Hudson Phi-Lowe @NYM-Kawkmi* @NYM-Jurrjens @NYM-Hanson2
ChC @NYM-Wells @NYM-Zmbrano @NYM-Silva @NYM-Grzlny** @Mil-Dempster @Mil-Wells2 @Mil-Zmbrno2
Cin --- LAD-Bailey LAD-Harang LAD-Leake SD-Cueto SD-Arroyo SD-Bailey2
Col @Was-Cook @Was-DeLaRsa @Was-Hammel @Was-Jimenez Fla-Smith Fla-Cook2 Fla-DLaRsa2
Fla --- @Ho-Volstad @Ho-Johnson @Ho-Sanchez @Col-Nolasco @Col-Robertsn @Col-Volstad2
Ho --- Fla-Myers Fla-Norris Fla-Paulino Pit-Oswalt Pit-Rdriguez Pit-Myers2
LAD --- @Cin-Bilngsley @Cin-Kuroda @Cin-Padilla @Was-Haeger @Was-Kershaw @Was-Bilngsly2
Mil --- @Pit-Bush @Pit-Gllrdo-3* @Pit-Wolf ChC-Davis ChC-Suppan ChC-Bush2
NYM ChC-Niese ChC-Pelfrey ChC-Perez ChC-Santana Atl-Maine Atl-Niese2 Atl-Pelfrey2
Phi --- @Atl-Kendrick @Atl-Hllday-4* @Atl-Happ @Ari-Moyer @Ari-Hamels @Ari-Kndrick2
Pit --- Mil-Morton Mil-Duke Mil-Olndrf-5* @Ho-Maholm @Ho-McCtchn @Ho-Morton2
StL @Ari-Penny @Ari-Lohse @Ari-Carpenter --- @SF-Garcia @SF-Wanright @SF-Penny2
SD SF-Richard SF-Latos SF-Garland --- @Cin-Correia @Cin-LeBlc-6* @Cin-Richard2
SF @SD-Cain @SD-Sanchez @SD-Wlemeyr --- StL-Lincecum StL-Zito StL-Cain2
Was Col-Stammen Col-Olsen-7* Col-Lannan Col-Hernandz LAD-Marquis LAD-Stammn2 LAD-Olsen2
*-Braves RHP Kenshin Kawakami has pitched better this year. The credit for his improvement has gone to replacing a cut fastball with a sinking fastball.
**-Cubs LHP Tom Gorzelanny is considered day to day after leaving today’s game when Astros 3B/1B Pedro Feliz hit a line drive off Gorzelanny’s left shoulder. An alternative for Thursday’s game could be LHP Ted Lilly, currently scheduled to make his final injury-rehab start in the minor leagues Monday. It also seemed possible that Lilly could replace RHP Carlos Silva in the rotation, but Silva allowed no earned runs Friday against the Astros.
3*-With an off day Monday, the Brewers are skipping fifth starter Jeff Suppan in their rotation, moving him from Wednesday to Saturday.
4*-If you had RHP Roy Halladay in your rotation, you’d also probably move him ahead of LHP J.A. Happ to pitch on Halladay’s customary four days’ rest.
5*-The Pirates skipped RHP Ross Ohlendorf’s most recent start because of back spasms. If he couldn’t pitch Thursday, a possible replacement would be LHP Brian Burres. Pittsburgh also is moving LHP Zach Duke ahead in the rotation to pitch on four days’ rest after Monday’s day off.
6*-It would be recently recalled LHP Wade LeBlanc’s turn to pitch Saturday, but … well, there are two buts. One is that the Padres could skip LeBlanc and move LHP Clayton Richard and RHP Mat Latos ahead one day to pitch on their usual rest following Thursday’s off day. The other is that RHP Chris R. Young, who has had a tight shoulder, is eligible to come off the disabled list in time for the weekend series in Cincinnati.
7*-The Nationals recalled LHP Scott Olsen from Triple-A Syracuse to move into their rotation Thursday. His next turn would be Tuesday.
Schedule notes
Four teams in each league are scheduled for seven games this week, which would give their hitters and relief pitchers 17 per cent more chances to perform well (or poorly) than the players on the other 22 teams. Those teams are the Red Sox, Tigers, Angels and Rays in the American League and the Cubs, Rockies, Mets and Nationals in the National League. Boston, LA/Anaheim, the Cubs and Washington will have the added advantage of playing all seven games at home.
It appears that batters could have a slight edge in the NL. Even though the seven games each in New York and Washington might favor pitchers, six games are scheduled in very good hitters’ parks at Arizona and Cincinnati, and another six in a pretty good hitters’ park in Houston. In the American League, seven games in Boston and six on the south side of Chicago, where batters have the upper hand, are balanced by seven at LA/Anaheim and six at Oakland’s extreme pitchers’ park.
Washington’s seven home games could give us an idea of whether the Nationals (currently 6-5) are becoming a legitimate major league team. They’re definitely better than the Orioles up I-95 a little way and the Astros in Washington’s own league.
Pitchers scheduled to start twice at home are RHPs John Lackey, Tim Wakefield, Joel Pineiro, Rodrigo Lopez, Homer Bailey, Brett Myers, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Craig Stammen, and LHPs John Danks, Scott Kazmir, Gio Gonzalez and Scott Olsen. Our highest recommendations are Lackey and Danks, with Pelfrey a live longshot. Rodrigo Lopez? Come on! Do the Diamondbacks actually have a home-field advantage over Philadelphia with RHPs Kris Benson, Ian Kennedy and Lopez as their starters?
News and notes
Today, these are primarily observations made while researching teams’ rotations.
OOO The Orioles put LF Felix Pie (shoulder injury) on the disabled list and recalled OF Lou Montanez from Triple-A Norfolk. Expect to see Baltimore in last place for the remainder of the season, and for manager Dave Trembley to be the scapegoat instead of team president Andy MacPhail.
OOO Yankees RHP Chan Ho Park (hamstring) went on the DL, with LHP Boone Logan up from Triple-A Scranton as a replacement.
OOO Athletics 2B Mark Ellis has missed five games because of a sore hamstring.
OOO A few suggestions for the Rangers: 1. Before merely shipping CF Julio Borbon, a leadoff batter who hasn’t drawn a walk, back to Triple-A Oklahoma City for more seasoning, drop him to eighth in the lineup. The current No. 9 batter, SS Elvis Andrus, has reached base multiple times in multiple games. Treat C Taylor Teagarden, currently in the 8 hole, as a pitcher and have him bat ninth. He doesn’t have a hit yet, and if he did get on base at least he wouldn’t be slowing down Borbon if he also reached safely. 2. Make a deal for a real major league catcher. 3. Last year, suggestions to replace 1B Chris Davis with 1B prospect Justin Smoak were premature. This season, the time might be right. Again Davis has started slowly at bat, but he isn’t even playing good defense in 2010.
OOO The Rockies have returned RHP Esmil Rogers to Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he might be able to work as a starter and return to replace RHP Jason Hammel in the rotation. LHP Joe Beimel came up from Air Force Academy Land to assume a relief/setup role. RHP Manny Corpas might become a long reliever after 2 1/3 effective innings in his most recent appearance.
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. In fact, there’s an update there today.
Just five saves were recorded Friday, but the biggest impact on a team’s closer situation came at San Diego, where Diamondbacks RHP Juan Gutierrez blew a save. He was trying to close the game because Arizona’s closer, RHP Chad Qualls, had pitched – and blown saves – each of the two previous nights. Gutierrez entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-2 lead. He left with a pitching line of 2/3 24421 after giving up a game-winning three-run home run to Padres 3B/OF Chase Headley. Other options to close games for the D-backs are RHPs Bob Howry and Blaine Boyer. You might remember that earlier this week we told you that the Blue Jays have a surplus at the position with RHPs Jason Frasor and Kevin Gregg. Toronto already has noted that it is willing to trade, having acquired OF Fred Lewis from the Giants, and could be willing to deal for another hitter.
Cardinals RHP Ryan Franklin turned an easy fourth save into an adventure. He entered with a 4-1 lead in the top of the ninth, then escaped with a 4-3 victory over the Mets and a line of 132200 that shot his ERA up to 7.20. We wouldn’t consider Franklin a sure thing; last year was the only time he was very effective in any major league role. If he’s on your fantasy roster, keep an eye on him and look for an alternative.
The Phillies seemed to have an even easier win when they led the Marlins 8-2 after eight innings. However, RHP David Herndon allowed three runs while retiring only one batter, and left two runners on base for RHP Ryan Madson. He allowed one of the runners to score, but with a line of 2/3 10000 Madson picked up his third save.
Other saves went to RHP Matt Capps, a big reason for the Nationals’ success with saves in their first five victories, 5-3 over the Brewers; Angels RHP Fernando Rodney, second, 7-5 at Toronto, and Athletics RHP Andrew Bailey, first, 4-2 against the Orioles. That’s how good Oakland’s starting pitching has been; Bailey has been needed for only one save.
April 17, 2010
A’s pay Anderson as ace of surprising rotation
Here is our Weekly Preview and Pitching Chart for the coming week.
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.
Thanks for your continuing interest in and support of Fantasy Baseball Scout. Thanks also to those who have made suggestions as to content they’d like to see. A reminder: 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.
Projected starting pitchers, April 19-25, 2010
AL Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Bal @Se-Bergesen @Se-Hernandz @Se-Millwood --- @Bos-Guthrie @Bos-Matusz @Bos-Bergesn2
Bos TB-Lackey Tex-Wakfield Tex-Beckett Tex-Buchholz Bal-Lester Bal-Lackey2 Bal-Wkfield2
CWS --- TB-Danks TB-Buehrle* TB-Peavy Se-Floyd Se-Garcia Se-Danks2
Cle --- @Min-Mastersn @Min-Huff @Min-Talbot @Oak-Wstbrook @Oak-Carmona @Oak-Mastrsn2
Det @LAA-Willis @LAA-Porcello @LAA-Bondrmn @LAA-Verlander @Tex-Scherzer @Tex-Willis2 @Tex-Porcello2
KC @Tor-Bannister @Tor-Davies @Tor-Greinke --- Min-Meche Min-Hochevar Min-Bannistr2
LAA Det-Pineiro Det-Kazmir Det-Weaver Det-Saunders NYY-
Santana NYY-Pineiro2 NYY-Kazmir2
Min --- Cle-Slowey Cle-Liriano Cle-Baker @KC-Blckburn @KC-Pavano @KC-Slowey2
NYY --- @Oak-Vzquez** @Oak-Sbthia-3* @Oak-Beckett @LAA-Pettitte @LAA-Hughes @LAA-Vazquez2
Oak --- NYY-Gonzalez NYY-Sheets NYY-Braden Cle-Dchschrr Cle-Adrsn-4* Cle-Gonzalz2
Se Bal-Fister Bal-Vargas Bal-Hernandz --- @CWS-Rld-Smth @CWS-Snell @CWS-Fister2
TB @Bos-Niemann @CWS-Price @CWS-Davis @CWS-Shields Tor-Garza Tor-Niemnn2 Tor-Price2
Tex --- @Bos-Lewis @Bos-Harrison @Bos-Wilson Det-Feldman Det-Harden Det-Lewis2
Tor KC-Morrow KC-Eveland KC-Marcum --- @TB-Tallet @TB-Romero @TB-Morrow2
*-The White Sox are skipping their fifth starter, RHP Freddy Garcia, and using their Opening Day starter, LHP Mark Buehrle, on his usual four days’ rest following a day off. Garcia pitched so poorly Thursday against the Blue Jays that there’s media speculation that Chicago could soon bring up RHP Daniel Hudson to go into its rotation.
**-We thought it was strange when the same Yankees fans who booed RHP Javier Vazquez out of New York in 2004 were excited that he was coming back. Those same fans booed him again when his first 2010 start at Yankee Stadium didn’t go well. Through it all, Vazquez has remained the stand-up guy he has been going back to his days in Montreal.
3*-Following Monday’s off day, it seems likely that the Yankees will move up LHP C.C. Sabathia, RHP Josh Beckett and LHP Andy Pettitte one day each, ahead of their fifth starter, RHP Phil Hughes. It’s almost certain that Sabathia would pitch on four days’ rest because his winning start Friday night ended after just six innings because of rain.
4*-LHP Brett Anderson has been the leader of an Athletics rotation that has a 6-0 record. The 22-year-old was rewarded Friday, possibly as much for his improved conditioning as for his pitching, with a new four-year contract worth $12.5-million and including team options for 2014 and ’15.
AL Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Ari StL-Lopez StL-Haren StL-Jackson --- Phi-Benson Phi-Kennedy Phi-Lopez2
Atl --- Phi-Hanson Phi-Hudson Phi-Lowe @NYM-Kawkmi* @NYM-Jurrjens @NYM-Hanson2
ChC @NYM-Wells @NYM-Zmbrano @NYM-Silva @NYM-Grzlny** @Mil-Dempster @Mil-Wells2 @Mil-Zmbrno2
Cin --- LAD-Bailey LAD-Harang LAD-Leake SD-Cueto SD-Arroyo SD-Bailey2
Col @Was-Cook @Was-DeLaRsa @Was-Hammel @Was-Jimenez Fla-Smith Fla-Cook2 Fla-DLaRsa2
Fla --- @Ho-Volstad @Ho-Johnson @Ho-Sanchez @Col-Nolasco @Col-Robertsn @Col-Volstad2
Ho --- Fla-Myers Fla-Norris Fla-Paulino Pit-Oswalt Pit-Rdriguez Pit-Myers2
LAD --- @Cin-Bilngsley @Cin-Kuroda @Cin-Padilla @Was-Haeger @Was-Kershaw @Was-Bilngsly2
Mil --- @Pit-Bush @Pit-Gllrdo-3* @Pit-Wolf ChC-Davis ChC-Suppan ChC-Bush2
NYM ChC-Niese ChC-Pelfrey ChC-Perez ChC-Santana Atl-Maine Atl-Niese2 Atl-Pelfrey2
Phi --- @Atl-Kendrick @Atl-Hllday-4* @Atl-Happ @Ari-Moyer @Ari-Hamels @Ari-Kndrick2
Pit --- Mil-Morton Mil-Duke Mil-Olndrf-5* @Ho-Maholm @Ho-McCtchn @Ho-Morton2
StL @Ari-Penny @Ari-Lohse @Ari-Carpenter --- @SF-Garcia @SF-Wanright @SF-Penny2
SD SF-Richard SF-Latos SF-Garland --- @Cin-Correia @Cin-LeBlc-6* @Cin-Richard2
SF @SD-Cain @SD-Sanchez @SD-Wlemeyr --- StL-Lincecum StL-Zito StL-Cain2
Was Col-Stammen Col-Olsen-7* Col-Lannan Col-Hernandz LAD-Marquis LAD-Stammn2 LAD-Olsen2
*-Braves RHP Kenshin Kawakami has pitched better this year. The credit for his improvement has gone to replacing a cut fastball with a sinking fastball.
**-Cubs LHP Tom Gorzelanny is considered day to day after leaving today’s game when Astros 3B/1B Pedro Feliz hit a line drive off Gorzelanny’s left shoulder. An alternative for Thursday’s game could be LHP Ted Lilly, currently scheduled to make his final injury-rehab start in the minor leagues Monday. It also seemed possible that Lilly could replace RHP Carlos Silva in the rotation, but Silva allowed no earned runs Friday against the Astros.
3*-With an off day Monday, the Brewers are skipping fifth starter Jeff Suppan in their rotation, moving him from Wednesday to Saturday.
4*-If you had RHP Roy Halladay in your rotation, you’d also probably move him ahead of LHP J.A. Happ to pitch on Halladay’s customary four days’ rest.
5*-The Pirates skipped RHP Ross Ohlendorf’s most recent start because of back spasms. If he couldn’t pitch Thursday, a possible replacement would be LHP Brian Burres. Pittsburgh also is moving LHP Zach Duke ahead in the rotation to pitch on four days’ rest after Monday’s day off.
6*-It would be recently recalled LHP Wade LeBlanc’s turn to pitch Saturday, but … well, there are two buts. One is that the Padres could skip LeBlanc and move LHP Clayton Richard and RHP Mat Latos ahead one day to pitch on their usual rest following Thursday’s off day. The other is that RHP Chris R. Young, who has had a tight shoulder, is eligible to come off the disabled list in time for the weekend series in Cincinnati.
7*-The Nationals recalled LHP Scott Olsen from Triple-A Syracuse to move into their rotation Thursday. His next turn would be Tuesday.
Schedule notes
Four teams in each league are scheduled for seven games this week, which would give their hitters and relief pitchers 17 per cent more chances to perform well (or poorly) than the players on the other 22 teams. Those teams are the Red Sox, Tigers, Angels and Rays in the American League and the Cubs, Rockies, Mets and Nationals in the National League. Boston, LA/Anaheim, the Cubs and Washington will have the added advantage of playing all seven games at home.
It appears that batters could have a slight edge in the NL. Even though the seven games each in New York and Washington might favor pitchers, six games are scheduled in very good hitters’ parks at Arizona and Cincinnati, and another six in a pretty good hitters’ park in Houston. In the American League, seven games in Boston and six on the south side of Chicago, where batters have the upper hand, are balanced by seven at LA/Anaheim and six at Oakland’s extreme pitchers’ park.
Washington’s seven home games could give us an idea of whether the Nationals (currently 6-5) are becoming a legitimate major league team. They’re definitely better than the Orioles up I-95 a little way and the Astros in Washington’s own league.
Pitchers scheduled to start twice at home are RHPs John Lackey, Tim Wakefield, Joel Pineiro, Rodrigo Lopez, Homer Bailey, Brett Myers, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Craig Stammen, and LHPs John Danks, Scott Kazmir, Gio Gonzalez and Scott Olsen. Our highest recommendations are Lackey and Danks, with Pelfrey a live longshot. Rodrigo Lopez? Come on! Do the Diamondbacks actually have a home-field advantage over Philadelphia with RHPs Kris Benson, Ian Kennedy and Lopez as their starters?
News and notes
Today, these are primarily observations made while researching teams’ rotations.
OOO The Orioles put LF Felix Pie (shoulder injury) on the disabled list and recalled OF Lou Montanez from Triple-A Norfolk. Expect to see Baltimore in last place for the remainder of the season, and for manager Dave Trembley to be the scapegoat instead of team president Andy MacPhail.
OOO Yankees RHP Chan Ho Park (hamstring) went on the DL, with LHP Boone Logan up from Triple-A Scranton as a replacement.
OOO Athletics 2B Mark Ellis has missed five games because of a sore hamstring.
OOO A few suggestions for the Rangers: 1. Before merely shipping CF Julio Borbon, a leadoff batter who hasn’t drawn a walk, back to Triple-A Oklahoma City for more seasoning, drop him to eighth in the lineup. The current No. 9 batter, SS Elvis Andrus, has reached base multiple times in multiple games. Treat C Taylor Teagarden, currently in the 8 hole, as a pitcher and have him bat ninth. He doesn’t have a hit yet, and if he did get on base at least he wouldn’t be slowing down Borbon if he also reached safely. 2. Make a deal for a real major league catcher. 3. Last year, suggestions to replace 1B Chris Davis with 1B prospect Justin Smoak were premature. This season, the time might be right. Again Davis has started slowly at bat, but he isn’t even playing good defense in 2010.
OOO The Rockies have returned RHP Esmil Rogers to Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he might be able to work as a starter and return to replace RHP Jason Hammel in the rotation. LHP Joe Beimel came up from Air Force Academy Land to assume a relief/setup role. RHP Manny Corpas might become a long reliever after 2 1/3 effective innings in his most recent appearance.
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. In fact, there’s an update there today.
Just five saves were recorded Friday, but the biggest impact on a team’s closer situation came at San Diego, where Diamondbacks RHP Juan Gutierrez blew a save. He was trying to close the game because Arizona’s closer, RHP Chad Qualls, had pitched – and blown saves – each of the two previous nights. Gutierrez entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-2 lead. He left with a pitching line of 2/3 24421 after giving up a game-winning three-run home run to Padres 3B/OF Chase Headley. Other options to close games for the D-backs are RHPs Bob Howry and Blaine Boyer. You might remember that earlier this week we told you that the Blue Jays have a surplus at the position with RHPs Jason Frasor and Kevin Gregg. Toronto already has noted that it is willing to trade, having acquired OF Fred Lewis from the Giants, and could be willing to deal for another hitter.
Cardinals RHP Ryan Franklin turned an easy fourth save into an adventure. He entered with a 4-1 lead in the top of the ninth, then escaped with a 4-3 victory over the Mets and a line of 132200 that shot his ERA up to 7.20. We wouldn’t consider Franklin a sure thing; last year was the only time he was very effective in any major league role. If he’s on your fantasy roster, keep an eye on him and look for an alternative.
The Phillies seemed to have an even easier win when they led the Marlins 8-2 after eight innings. However, RHP David Herndon allowed three runs while retiring only one batter, and left two runners on base for RHP Ryan Madson. He allowed one of the runners to score, but with a line of 2/3 10000 Madson picked up his third save.
Other saves went to RHP Matt Capps, a big reason for the Nationals’ success with saves in their first five victories, 5-3 over the Brewers; Angels RHP Fernando Rodney, second, 7-5 at Toronto, and Athletics RHP Andrew Bailey, first, 4-2 against the Orioles. That’s how good Oakland’s starting pitching has been; Bailey has been needed for only one save.
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