Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn gave up five runs in 1 1/3 innings March 7, but more than made up for that Thursday. He allowed only one hit while striking out 10 Braves in four innings of an 11-0 victory. Lynn has more competition for a spot in St. Louis' rotation this year after slipping late in 2013.
-- Teams looking for a shortstop might cast their eyes on the
Phillies' Jimmy Rollins. New manager Ryne Sandberg apparently took issue
with the fact that Rollins was quoted as saying "Who cares?" about the
team's offensive struggles this spring. After he wasn't in the lineup
for three days, Sandberg explained himself. Freddy Galvis played
shortstop during Rollins' absence. The veteran could be trade bait for a
bat at another position. Third base? Outfield? A right-handed-batting
first baseman?
One possibility could be a trade to the Tigers. SS
Jose Iglesias has been out two weeks because of shin splints. In his
place, light-hitting 22-year-old rookie SS Eugenio Suarez has received playing time.
-- After I wrote nice things about the Pirates' lineup, they've stopped hitting for the most part. That makes sense. No team maintains either a very high or very low success rate for very long. Pittsburgh had roughed up Rays LHP Matt Moore the last time he faced the Bucs, but Moore shut them out for 3 1/3 innings in Thursday's 4-1 victory. Pirates RHP Jeanmar Gomez pitched two scoreless innings, but gave up all four runs in the third.
-- The Astros' future was on display in their 7-5 victory over the Blue Jays. Rookie SS Carlos Correa hit two home runs, and 1B Jonathan Singleton had one. Those came against marginal major league pitchers, RHPs Esmil Rogers and Neil Wagner, but still represent a step forward for Houston.-- For openers: RHP Yovani Gallardo will be the Brewers' Opening Day starter. It would be a franchise-record fifth opening assignment.
Injury update
-- Indians DH Jason Giambi will miss the beginning of the season because of a broken rib suffered when a pitch from Cubs RHP Edwin Jackson hit Giambi Friday.
-- RHP Josh Beckett, down to fifth in the Dodgers' rotation, is planning to start Friday even though he has a sprained right thumb. He has been trying to pitch through the injury since a door hit his thumb a week and a half earlier. Beckett gave up three home runs and five runs in three innings Saturday.
His teammate, CF Matt Kemp, definitely will miss LA's first two games in Australia March 22 and 23, and probably won't play in the Dodgers' third game at San Diego March 30. He's recovering from surgery on his left knee and left shoulder.
-- Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker threw off a mound Thursday for the first time since Feb. 28, when he was shut down because of bursitis. He isn't expected to pitch this season until some time in April.
-- Nationals RHP Doug Fister experienced pain in his elbow after playing catch for the third consecutive day. This time he was throwing 120 feet.
-- Athletics RHP Ryan Cook was scheduled for a bullpen session Thursday, but might not be ready by Opening Day because of shoulder inflammation.
-- The battle to become the Mets' first baseman continues, in slow motion. Neither Ike Davis (sore calves) nor Lance Duda (strained hamstring) is active. For now, playing time is going to 29-year-old journeyman 1B/3B Josh Satin.
Showing posts with label Yovani Gallardo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yovani Gallardo. Show all posts
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Reyes expected back, but not Berkman
On Wednesdays during the regular season our Emails to you would include Injury Updates (which no longer include Mark Prior).
During this weekend, we’ll give you information on how you can subscribe for five (or more)-times-a-week themed Emails during the regular season.
That subscription would include occasional 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. 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.
Yankees, Cards have no players on the DL
Major league teams had 83 players on the disabled and restricted lists when the season began. The Yankees and Cardinals were the only teams with no one on the DL.
Some of those players are in the news because they’re likely to return soon or could be out longer than expected. In addition, someone seems to be added to the DL almost daily in the majors.
OOO Mets SS Jose Reyes went 2-for-5 in an extended spring training game at Port St. Lucie, Fla., Tuesday. He’s coming back from hyperthyroidism.
OOO Astros 1B Lance Berkman, who underwent arthroscopic surgery last month, had fluid drained from his left knee Monday. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, but it’s not certain when he would be able to come back.
OOO Rockies LHP Jeff Francis, on the 60-day DL because of soreness below his shoulder that sounds as if it could be Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, played catch from 60 feet Tuesday. RHP Huston Street visited Dr. James Andrews, who concurred with Colorado’s doctors that Street has no structural damage.
OOO There’s also no structural damage for Twins RHP Clay Condrey (strained flexor muscle in his elbow), but Minnesota has shut him down for 10-14 days.
OOO Indians RHP Kerry Wood (strained back) played catch from 90 feet, and was scheduled to throw from 110 feet Friday.
OOO Cubs LHP Ted Lilly was scheduled to pitch in an injury-rehab assignment for Triple-A Iowa Friday, but that start has been moved back to Sunday. Especially in an organization that has not been forthcoming with injury information, that’s not a good sign for Lilly.
OOO The Dodgers hope OF Andre Ethier, who turned his left ankle, could return to their lineup Saturday. X rays were negative.
OOO Braves manager Bobby Cox said he expected 3B Chipper Jones (right oblique muscle injury) to return in two or three days.
OOO Rays RHP Jeff Niemann was considered day-to-day because of a shoulder contusion caused when Orioles 3B/SS Miguel Cabrera hit it with a line drive.
Other players of note on the DL (15-day unless indicated with 60):
Orioles – RHP Koji Uehara; Red Sox – RHPs Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boof Bonser and Junichi Tazawa (60) and SS/3B Jed Lowrie; White Sox – C Ramon Castro; Indians – RHP Anthony Reyes and 1B/3B Russell Branyan; Tigers – RHP Ryan Miner and LHP Bobby Seay; Royals – RHP Gil Meche, 3B/1B Alex Gordon and 3B Josh Fields; Angels – LHP Scott Kazmir, RHP Anthony Ortega and OF Reggie Willits; Twins – RHP Joe Nathan and C Jose Morales; Athletics – RHPs Trevor Cahill and Michael Wuertz, LHP Josh Outman (60) and OF Coco Crisp; Mariners – LHPs Cliff Lee and Erik Bedard and 3B/1B Jack Hannahan; Rays – LHP J.P. Howell and OF Matt Joyce; Rangers – RHPs Tommy Hunter and Eric Hurley (60) and 2B Ian Kinsler, and Blue Jays – RHPs Dustin McGowan, Jesse Litsch (60) and Scott Richmond (60), and LHP Marc Rzepczynski.
Diamondbacks – RHP Brandon Webb; Braves – OF Jordan Schafer; Cubs – RHP Angel Guzman; Reds – RHP Edinson Volquez (60); Rockies – RHPs Taylor Buchholz and Greg Reynolds; Marlins – RHP Brian Sanches and OF Brett Carroll; Astros – RHPs Yorman Bazardo and Sammy Gervacio; Dodgers (no wonder their bullpen is so bad) – RHPs Cory Wade and Ronald Belisario (restricted) and LHP Hong-chih Kuo; Brewers – RHPs Jeff Suppan and David Riske and 3B Mat Gamel; Mets – RHP Kelvim Escobar; 1B/OF Daniel Murphy and OF Carlos Beltran; Phillies – RHPs Joe Blanton and Brad Lidge and LHP J.C. Romero; Pirates – RHP Joel Hanrahan; Padres – LHP Joe Thatcher; Giants – 2B Freddy Sanchez, SS Emmanuel Burriss and OF Fred Lewis, and Nationals – RHPs Chien-ming Wang (60) and Jordan Zimmerman (60), LHP Ross Detwiler (60) and Cs Chris Coste and Jesus Flores (60).
News and Notes
The Brewers re-signed RHP Yovani Gallardo to a contract that will pay him $30.1 million through 2014, with a team option for ’15.
The Cubs moved their Opening Day starter, RHP Carlos Zambrano, up a day in their rotation to Saturday and pushed LHP Tom Gorzelanny back to Sunday. The reasoning is that they want to have right-handers ready for next week’s series against the Brewers. That tells me that Chicago fears LF Ryan Braun more than left-handed-hitting 1B Prince Fielder. But really, isn’t Milwaukee just a team of three good players – Gallardo, Braun and Fielder – with SS Alcides Escobar potentially a fourth star? I mean, Jim Edmonds? Come on!
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. We’ve also put a FREE Article on the old fantasybaseballscout.com web site letting you know which pitcher or pitchers each team is using to close games.
Twins RHP Jon Rauch is proving to be a worthy successor to RHP Joe Nathan, and the guy I told you they’d come up with to close games. He earned his second save in a 4-3 victory at LA/Anaheim.
Also receiving their second saves were Brewers RHP Trevor Hoffman, 5-4 over the Rockies, and Yankees RHP Mariano Rivera, 3-1 at Boston.
First saves went to Rays RHP Rafael Soriano, 4-3 against the Orioles; Blue Jays RHP Jason Frasor, 7-4 at Texas; Indians RHP Chris Perez (filling in for Wood), 5-3 on the south side of Chicago; Braves LHP Billy Wagner, 3-2 over the Cubs; Cardinals RHP Ryan Franklin, 6-3 at Cincinnati, and Diamondbacks RHP Chad Qualls, 5-3 vs. the Padres.
In the Marlins’ 7-6 victory over the Mets, Florida’s closer, RHP Leo Nunez, was the winning pitcher, with RHP Tim Wood earning a save. Phillies RHP Ryan Madson (replacing Lidge) worked overtime to get a save at Washington. The final score was 8-4, but Madson entered the game with a runner on base and two out in the eighth inning and shut down the Nationals for 1 1/3 innings.
During this weekend, we’ll give you information on how you can subscribe for five (or more)-times-a-week themed Emails during the regular season.
That subscription would include occasional 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. 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.
Yankees, Cards have no players on the DL
Major league teams had 83 players on the disabled and restricted lists when the season began. The Yankees and Cardinals were the only teams with no one on the DL.
Some of those players are in the news because they’re likely to return soon or could be out longer than expected. In addition, someone seems to be added to the DL almost daily in the majors.
OOO Mets SS Jose Reyes went 2-for-5 in an extended spring training game at Port St. Lucie, Fla., Tuesday. He’s coming back from hyperthyroidism.
OOO Astros 1B Lance Berkman, who underwent arthroscopic surgery last month, had fluid drained from his left knee Monday. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, but it’s not certain when he would be able to come back.
OOO Rockies LHP Jeff Francis, on the 60-day DL because of soreness below his shoulder that sounds as if it could be Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, played catch from 60 feet Tuesday. RHP Huston Street visited Dr. James Andrews, who concurred with Colorado’s doctors that Street has no structural damage.
OOO There’s also no structural damage for Twins RHP Clay Condrey (strained flexor muscle in his elbow), but Minnesota has shut him down for 10-14 days.
OOO Indians RHP Kerry Wood (strained back) played catch from 90 feet, and was scheduled to throw from 110 feet Friday.
OOO Cubs LHP Ted Lilly was scheduled to pitch in an injury-rehab assignment for Triple-A Iowa Friday, but that start has been moved back to Sunday. Especially in an organization that has not been forthcoming with injury information, that’s not a good sign for Lilly.
OOO The Dodgers hope OF Andre Ethier, who turned his left ankle, could return to their lineup Saturday. X rays were negative.
OOO Braves manager Bobby Cox said he expected 3B Chipper Jones (right oblique muscle injury) to return in two or three days.
OOO Rays RHP Jeff Niemann was considered day-to-day because of a shoulder contusion caused when Orioles 3B/SS Miguel Cabrera hit it with a line drive.
Other players of note on the DL (15-day unless indicated with 60):
Orioles – RHP Koji Uehara; Red Sox – RHPs Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boof Bonser and Junichi Tazawa (60) and SS/3B Jed Lowrie; White Sox – C Ramon Castro; Indians – RHP Anthony Reyes and 1B/3B Russell Branyan; Tigers – RHP Ryan Miner and LHP Bobby Seay; Royals – RHP Gil Meche, 3B/1B Alex Gordon and 3B Josh Fields; Angels – LHP Scott Kazmir, RHP Anthony Ortega and OF Reggie Willits; Twins – RHP Joe Nathan and C Jose Morales; Athletics – RHPs Trevor Cahill and Michael Wuertz, LHP Josh Outman (60) and OF Coco Crisp; Mariners – LHPs Cliff Lee and Erik Bedard and 3B/1B Jack Hannahan; Rays – LHP J.P. Howell and OF Matt Joyce; Rangers – RHPs Tommy Hunter and Eric Hurley (60) and 2B Ian Kinsler, and Blue Jays – RHPs Dustin McGowan, Jesse Litsch (60) and Scott Richmond (60), and LHP Marc Rzepczynski.
Diamondbacks – RHP Brandon Webb; Braves – OF Jordan Schafer; Cubs – RHP Angel Guzman; Reds – RHP Edinson Volquez (60); Rockies – RHPs Taylor Buchholz and Greg Reynolds; Marlins – RHP Brian Sanches and OF Brett Carroll; Astros – RHPs Yorman Bazardo and Sammy Gervacio; Dodgers (no wonder their bullpen is so bad) – RHPs Cory Wade and Ronald Belisario (restricted) and LHP Hong-chih Kuo; Brewers – RHPs Jeff Suppan and David Riske and 3B Mat Gamel; Mets – RHP Kelvim Escobar; 1B/OF Daniel Murphy and OF Carlos Beltran; Phillies – RHPs Joe Blanton and Brad Lidge and LHP J.C. Romero; Pirates – RHP Joel Hanrahan; Padres – LHP Joe Thatcher; Giants – 2B Freddy Sanchez, SS Emmanuel Burriss and OF Fred Lewis, and Nationals – RHPs Chien-ming Wang (60) and Jordan Zimmerman (60), LHP Ross Detwiler (60) and Cs Chris Coste and Jesus Flores (60).
News and Notes
The Brewers re-signed RHP Yovani Gallardo to a contract that will pay him $30.1 million through 2014, with a team option for ’15.
The Cubs moved their Opening Day starter, RHP Carlos Zambrano, up a day in their rotation to Saturday and pushed LHP Tom Gorzelanny back to Sunday. The reasoning is that they want to have right-handers ready for next week’s series against the Brewers. That tells me that Chicago fears LF Ryan Braun more than left-handed-hitting 1B Prince Fielder. But really, isn’t Milwaukee just a team of three good players – Gallardo, Braun and Fielder – with SS Alcides Escobar potentially a fourth star? I mean, Jim Edmonds? Come on!
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. We’ve also put a FREE Article on the old fantasybaseballscout.com web site letting you know which pitcher or pitchers each team is using to close games.
Twins RHP Jon Rauch is proving to be a worthy successor to RHP Joe Nathan, and the guy I told you they’d come up with to close games. He earned his second save in a 4-3 victory at LA/Anaheim.
Also receiving their second saves were Brewers RHP Trevor Hoffman, 5-4 over the Rockies, and Yankees RHP Mariano Rivera, 3-1 at Boston.
First saves went to Rays RHP Rafael Soriano, 4-3 against the Orioles; Blue Jays RHP Jason Frasor, 7-4 at Texas; Indians RHP Chris Perez (filling in for Wood), 5-3 on the south side of Chicago; Braves LHP Billy Wagner, 3-2 over the Cubs; Cardinals RHP Ryan Franklin, 6-3 at Cincinnati, and Diamondbacks RHP Chad Qualls, 5-3 vs. the Padres.
In the Marlins’ 7-6 victory over the Mets, Florida’s closer, RHP Leo Nunez, was the winning pitcher, with RHP Tim Wood earning a save. Phillies RHP Ryan Madson (replacing Lidge) worked overtime to get a save at Washington. The final score was 8-4, but Madson entered the game with a runner on base and two out in the eighth inning and shut down the Nationals for 1 1/3 innings.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Aces high on list of recommendations
Our Emails previewing the following week’s games take the form primarily of a pitching chart listing the starting pitchers for each team each day Monday-Sunday.
Our target is to get the previews out Saturday morning, but that’s not often easy to do. The reason you don’t see a lot of these pitching charts is that it’s very difficult to project up to a week in advance who will be making something like 180 starts.
Remember, these are pitchers we’re dealing with: probably the most volatile group, with the most physical concerns, of any athletes in any sport. We often get on Friday night what appears to be a pretty good handle for the coming week, only to discover by morning that a pitcher has strained an oblique or slammed his hand in a car door, or that his wife is going into labor.
We’ll stack our pitching charts up against anyone’s, but if it takes us until Saturday evening or even Sunday morning, please forgive us. We’d rather give you the most up-to-date information than come out first with a chart that will be full of holes by Tuesday.
Later in the week, we’ll give you information on how you can subscribe for five (or more)-times-a-week themed Emails during the regular season. Let us know of your interest and what you’d like to see by Emailing lary@fantasybaseballscout.com.
Thanks for your patience and continuing interest and support of Fantasy Baseball Scout.
Projected starting pitchers, April 4-11
AL Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Bal --- --- @TB-Millwod @TB-Guthrie @TB-Matusz Tor-Bergesn Tor-Hrnandz Tor-Mlwod2
Bost NYY-Beckett --- NYY-Lester NYY-Lackey --- @KC-Wakefld @KC-Becktt2 @KC-Bchhlz*
CWS --- Cle-Buehrle --- Cle-Peavy Cle-Floyd Min-Danks Min-Garcia Min-Buhrle2
Cleve --- @CWS-Westbrk --- @CWS-Crmona @CWS-Mastrsn @Det-Huff @Det-Talbot @Det-Wstbrk2
Det --- @KC-Verlandr --- @KC-Scherzer @KC-Willis Cle-Porcello Cle-Bndrmn Cle-Vrlndr2
KC --- Det-Greinke --- Det-Hochevr Det-Bannistr Bos-Davies Bos-Grinke2 Bos-Mdza**
LAA --- Min-Weaver Min-Saundrs Min-Santana Min-Pineiro Oak-Palmr3* Oak-Weavr2 Oak-Sundrs2
Min --- @LAA-Baker @LAA-Blakbrn @LAA-Pavano @LAA-Slowey @CWS-Lrano4* @CWS-Baker2 @CWS-Blkbrn2
NYY @Bos-Sabathia --- @Bos-Burnett @Bos-Pettitte --- @TB-Vazquez @TB-Sbathia2 @TB-Bnt2-5*
Oak --- Sea-Sheets Sea-Braden Sea-Dchschr Sea-Andersn @LAA-Cahill @LAA-Sheets2 @LAA-Braden2
Sea --- @Oak-Hrnandz @Oak-Snell @Oak-Rd-Smh @Oak-Fister @Tex-Vargs6* @Tex-Hrnndz2 @Tex-Snell2
TB --- --- Bal-Shields Bal-Garza Bal-Niemnn NYY-Price NYY-Davis NYY-Shields2
Tex --- Tor-Feldman --- Tor-Harden Tor-Wilson Sea-Lewis Sea-Harrison Sea-Fldmn2
Tor --- @Tex-Marcum --- @Tex-Tallet @Tex-Romero @Bal-Morrow @Bal-Rcpnski @Bal-Marcm2
*- The Red Sox could give a Sunday, April 11, start to their fifth starter, RHP Clay Buchholz, or they could come back with LHP Jon Lester on his usual four days’ rest.
**- With RHP Gil Meche on the disabled list, the Royals will have to come up with a fifth starter. That could be RHP Robinson Tejeda out of Kansas City’s bullpen or RHP Luis Mendoza, just acquired from the Rangers. KC 3B Alex Gordon also is beginning the season on the disabled list because of a displaced fracture of his right thumb.
3*- The Angels put LHP Scott Kazmir on the DL because of a strained right hamstring. Taking his place in the rotation will be RHP Matt Palmer.
4*- The Twins have abandoned an idea to have LHP Francisco Liriano replace their injured closer, RHP Joe Nathan. As a result, Liriano will be Minnesota’s fifth starter and RHP Jon Rauch will be its closer.
5*- The Yankees’ choice Sunday, April 11, will be between RHP A.J. Burnett on four days’ rest or their fifth starter, RHP Phil Hughes.
6*- With LHP Cliff Lee unable physically to start the season, LHP Jason Vargas is expected to be in the Mariners’ rotation as their fifth starter.
NL Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Ari SD-Haren SD-Jackson SD-Kennedy --- Pit-Lopez* Pit-Buckner Pit-Haren2
Atl ChC-Lowe --- ChC-Jurrjens ChC-Hanson @SF-Hudson @SF-Kawakmi @SF-Lowe2
ChC @Atl-Zmbrano --- @Atl-Dempster @Atl-Wells @Cin-Silva @Cin-Gorzlnny @Cin-Zmbrno2
Cin StL-Harang --- StL-Cueto StL-Arroyo ChC-Bailey ChC-Leake** ChC-Harang2
Col @Mil-Jimenez @Mil-Smith3* @Mil-Cook --- SD-DeLaRsa SD-Hammel SD-Jimenez2
Fla @NYM-Johnson --- @NYM-Nolasco @NYM-Sanchez LAD-Volstad LAD-Robrtson LAD-Johnson2
Ho SF-Oswalt SF-Rdriguez SF-Myers --- Phi-Norris Phi-Paulino Phi-Oswalt2
LAD @Pit-Padilla --- @Pit-Kershaw @Pit-Billngsley @Fla-Kuroda @Fla-Haeger @Fla-Padilla2
Mil Col-Gallardo Col-Wolf Col-Davis --- StL-Bush StL-Gallardo2 StL-Suppan4*
NYM Fla-Santana --- Fla-Maine Fla-Niese Was-Pelfrey Was-Perez Was-Santana2
Phi @Was-Halladay --- @Was-Hamels @Was-Kndrck5* @Ho-Happ @Ho-Moyer @Ho-Hlladay2
Pit LAD-Duke --- LAD-Ohlendrf LAD-Maholm @Ari-Morton @Ari-McCtchn @Ari-Duke2
StL @Cin-Carpenter --- @Cin-Wanwrigt @Cin-Penny @Mil-Lohse @Mil-Garcia @Mil-Carpentr2
SD @Ari-Garland @Ari-Young @Ari-Correia --- @Col-Richard @Col-Latos @Col-Garland2
SF @Ho-Lincecum @Ho-Zito @Ho-Cain --- Atl-Sanchez Atl-Wlemeyr Atl-Lncecm2
Was Phi-Lannan --- Phi-Marquis Phi-Stammen @NYM-Olsen @NYM-Detwiler @NYM-Lannan2
*- The Diamondbacks have purchased the contract of RHP Rodrigo Lopez, who has used up most of his nine major league lives, from Triple-A Reno and will have him start while RHP Brandon Webb is on the disabled list.
**- Rookie RHP Mike Leake will be making his professional debut Saturday as the Reds’ fifth starter.
3*- With LHP Jeff Francis on the disabled list because of shoulder discomfort, LHP Greg Smith has moved into the Rockies’ rotation.
4*- The Brewers could have LHP Randy Wolf come back to start again on his usual four days’ rest, but they’re more likely to have RHP Jeff Suppan take his first turn Sunday.
5*- RHP Kyle Kendrick lost a battle to become the Phillies’ fifth starter to ancient LHP Jamie Moyer, but will take RHP Joe Blanton’s place in the rotation. Blanton will be on the disabled list for at least the season’s first two weeks, and possibly for more than a month, because of a strained left oblique muscle. Philadelphia’s closer, RHP Brad Lidge, and LHP J.C. Romero also are beginning the season on the DL. RHP Ryan Madson most likely will replace Lidge.
Schedule notes
All but four teams – the Angels, Twins, Athletics and Mariners, who would play seven games – are scheduled to play six times this week. LA/Anaheim would have the biggest advantage because all seven of its games would be at home.
The fantasy impact is that it’s a good week to play hitters and relief pitchers from those four teams, particularly the Angels, because they would have 17 per cent more chances to play than those in six games.
Scheduled to play six games at home are the White Sox, Royals, Rays, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Reds, Astros, Brewers and Mets. Overall, it should be a better week for hitters than for pitchers with those games on Chicago’s south side and at Texas, Arizona and Cincinnati.
Pitchers scheduled to start twice at home are RHPs Zack Greinke, Jered Weaver, James Shields, Scott Feldman, Dan Haren, Aaron Harang, Roy Oswalt and Yovani Gallardo, and LHPs Mark Buehrle, Joe Saunders and Johan Santana.
The first week of the season features good pitching because virtually every team gets two starts out of its best pitcher – the Opening Day starter. Our highest recommendations among those aces are Greinke, Haren, Gallardo and Saunders, with Shields as a live longshot.
Our target is to get the previews out Saturday morning, but that’s not often easy to do. The reason you don’t see a lot of these pitching charts is that it’s very difficult to project up to a week in advance who will be making something like 180 starts.
Remember, these are pitchers we’re dealing with: probably the most volatile group, with the most physical concerns, of any athletes in any sport. We often get on Friday night what appears to be a pretty good handle for the coming week, only to discover by morning that a pitcher has strained an oblique or slammed his hand in a car door, or that his wife is going into labor.
We’ll stack our pitching charts up against anyone’s, but if it takes us until Saturday evening or even Sunday morning, please forgive us. We’d rather give you the most up-to-date information than come out first with a chart that will be full of holes by Tuesday.
Later in the week, we’ll give you information on how you can subscribe for five (or more)-times-a-week themed Emails during the regular season. Let us know of your interest and what you’d like to see by Emailing lary@fantasybaseballscout.com.
Thanks for your patience and continuing interest and support of Fantasy Baseball Scout.
Projected starting pitchers, April 4-11
AL Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Bal --- --- @TB-Millwod @TB-Guthrie @TB-Matusz Tor-Bergesn Tor-Hrnandz Tor-Mlwod2
Bost NYY-Beckett --- NYY-Lester NYY-Lackey --- @KC-Wakefld @KC-Becktt2 @KC-Bchhlz*
CWS --- Cle-Buehrle --- Cle-Peavy Cle-Floyd Min-Danks Min-Garcia Min-Buhrle2
Cleve --- @CWS-Westbrk --- @CWS-Crmona @CWS-Mastrsn @Det-Huff @Det-Talbot @Det-Wstbrk2
Det --- @KC-Verlandr --- @KC-Scherzer @KC-Willis Cle-Porcello Cle-Bndrmn Cle-Vrlndr2
KC --- Det-Greinke --- Det-Hochevr Det-Bannistr Bos-Davies Bos-Grinke2 Bos-Mdza**
LAA --- Min-Weaver Min-Saundrs Min-Santana Min-Pineiro Oak-Palmr3* Oak-Weavr2 Oak-Sundrs2
Min --- @LAA-Baker @LAA-Blakbrn @LAA-Pavano @LAA-Slowey @CWS-Lrano4* @CWS-Baker2 @CWS-Blkbrn2
NYY @Bos-Sabathia --- @Bos-Burnett @Bos-Pettitte --- @TB-Vazquez @TB-Sbathia2 @TB-Bnt2-5*
Oak --- Sea-Sheets Sea-Braden Sea-Dchschr Sea-Andersn @LAA-Cahill @LAA-Sheets2 @LAA-Braden2
Sea --- @Oak-Hrnandz @Oak-Snell @Oak-Rd-Smh @Oak-Fister @Tex-Vargs6* @Tex-Hrnndz2 @Tex-Snell2
TB --- --- Bal-Shields Bal-Garza Bal-Niemnn NYY-Price NYY-Davis NYY-Shields2
Tex --- Tor-Feldman --- Tor-Harden Tor-Wilson Sea-Lewis Sea-Harrison Sea-Fldmn2
Tor --- @Tex-Marcum --- @Tex-Tallet @Tex-Romero @Bal-Morrow @Bal-Rcpnski @Bal-Marcm2
*- The Red Sox could give a Sunday, April 11, start to their fifth starter, RHP Clay Buchholz, or they could come back with LHP Jon Lester on his usual four days’ rest.
**- With RHP Gil Meche on the disabled list, the Royals will have to come up with a fifth starter. That could be RHP Robinson Tejeda out of Kansas City’s bullpen or RHP Luis Mendoza, just acquired from the Rangers. KC 3B Alex Gordon also is beginning the season on the disabled list because of a displaced fracture of his right thumb.
3*- The Angels put LHP Scott Kazmir on the DL because of a strained right hamstring. Taking his place in the rotation will be RHP Matt Palmer.
4*- The Twins have abandoned an idea to have LHP Francisco Liriano replace their injured closer, RHP Joe Nathan. As a result, Liriano will be Minnesota’s fifth starter and RHP Jon Rauch will be its closer.
5*- The Yankees’ choice Sunday, April 11, will be between RHP A.J. Burnett on four days’ rest or their fifth starter, RHP Phil Hughes.
6*- With LHP Cliff Lee unable physically to start the season, LHP Jason Vargas is expected to be in the Mariners’ rotation as their fifth starter.
NL Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Ari SD-Haren SD-Jackson SD-Kennedy --- Pit-Lopez* Pit-Buckner Pit-Haren2
Atl ChC-Lowe --- ChC-Jurrjens ChC-Hanson @SF-Hudson @SF-Kawakmi @SF-Lowe2
ChC @Atl-Zmbrano --- @Atl-Dempster @Atl-Wells @Cin-Silva @Cin-Gorzlnny @Cin-Zmbrno2
Cin StL-Harang --- StL-Cueto StL-Arroyo ChC-Bailey ChC-Leake** ChC-Harang2
Col @Mil-Jimenez @Mil-Smith3* @Mil-Cook --- SD-DeLaRsa SD-Hammel SD-Jimenez2
Fla @NYM-Johnson --- @NYM-Nolasco @NYM-Sanchez LAD-Volstad LAD-Robrtson LAD-Johnson2
Ho SF-Oswalt SF-Rdriguez SF-Myers --- Phi-Norris Phi-Paulino Phi-Oswalt2
LAD @Pit-Padilla --- @Pit-Kershaw @Pit-Billngsley @Fla-Kuroda @Fla-Haeger @Fla-Padilla2
Mil Col-Gallardo Col-Wolf Col-Davis --- StL-Bush StL-Gallardo2 StL-Suppan4*
NYM Fla-Santana --- Fla-Maine Fla-Niese Was-Pelfrey Was-Perez Was-Santana2
Phi @Was-Halladay --- @Was-Hamels @Was-Kndrck5* @Ho-Happ @Ho-Moyer @Ho-Hlladay2
Pit LAD-Duke --- LAD-Ohlendrf LAD-Maholm @Ari-Morton @Ari-McCtchn @Ari-Duke2
StL @Cin-Carpenter --- @Cin-Wanwrigt @Cin-Penny @Mil-Lohse @Mil-Garcia @Mil-Carpentr2
SD @Ari-Garland @Ari-Young @Ari-Correia --- @Col-Richard @Col-Latos @Col-Garland2
SF @Ho-Lincecum @Ho-Zito @Ho-Cain --- Atl-Sanchez Atl-Wlemeyr Atl-Lncecm2
Was Phi-Lannan --- Phi-Marquis Phi-Stammen @NYM-Olsen @NYM-Detwiler @NYM-Lannan2
*- The Diamondbacks have purchased the contract of RHP Rodrigo Lopez, who has used up most of his nine major league lives, from Triple-A Reno and will have him start while RHP Brandon Webb is on the disabled list.
**- Rookie RHP Mike Leake will be making his professional debut Saturday as the Reds’ fifth starter.
3*- With LHP Jeff Francis on the disabled list because of shoulder discomfort, LHP Greg Smith has moved into the Rockies’ rotation.
4*- The Brewers could have LHP Randy Wolf come back to start again on his usual four days’ rest, but they’re more likely to have RHP Jeff Suppan take his first turn Sunday.
5*- RHP Kyle Kendrick lost a battle to become the Phillies’ fifth starter to ancient LHP Jamie Moyer, but will take RHP Joe Blanton’s place in the rotation. Blanton will be on the disabled list for at least the season’s first two weeks, and possibly for more than a month, because of a strained left oblique muscle. Philadelphia’s closer, RHP Brad Lidge, and LHP J.C. Romero also are beginning the season on the DL. RHP Ryan Madson most likely will replace Lidge.
Schedule notes
All but four teams – the Angels, Twins, Athletics and Mariners, who would play seven games – are scheduled to play six times this week. LA/Anaheim would have the biggest advantage because all seven of its games would be at home.
The fantasy impact is that it’s a good week to play hitters and relief pitchers from those four teams, particularly the Angels, because they would have 17 per cent more chances to play than those in six games.
Scheduled to play six games at home are the White Sox, Royals, Rays, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Reds, Astros, Brewers and Mets. Overall, it should be a better week for hitters than for pitchers with those games on Chicago’s south side and at Texas, Arizona and Cincinnati.
Pitchers scheduled to start twice at home are RHPs Zack Greinke, Jered Weaver, James Shields, Scott Feldman, Dan Haren, Aaron Harang, Roy Oswalt and Yovani Gallardo, and LHPs Mark Buehrle, Joe Saunders and Johan Santana.
The first week of the season features good pitching because virtually every team gets two starts out of its best pitcher – the Opening Day starter. Our highest recommendations among those aces are Greinke, Haren, Gallardo and Saunders, with Shields as a live longshot.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Strasburg, Storen sent down by Nationals
The Nationals’ future will remain in the future. They have sent their 2009 first-round-draft-pick right-handers, Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen, to their minor league camp. The expectation is that Strasburg would be in Washington by June and Storen at least by September.
The Dodgers demoted RHP James McDonald a day after he gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings.
After saying the switch of 3B Chone Figgins to second base and 2B Jose Lopez to third was just an experiment, the Mariners played them both consistently at the new positions. Now the word is that the team will use Figgins at third and Lopez at second on occasion during the remaining exhibitions, but Seattle will almost certainly have Figgins in the middle of the infield and Lopez on the hot corner on Opening Day.
A bigger problem for the Mariners could be OF Milton Bradley. He has been ejected from his last two exhibition games for seemingly minor infractions. The question is whether his reputation has preceded him and put him on a short leash, or that there was more to the ejections than meets the eye and they’re a bad sign for the volatile player.
Game time:
The Padres again had RHP Mat Latos and LHP Wade LeBlanc starting in separate split-squad exhibition games. Again, they both pitched very well, almost identically. In a 4-1 victory over the White Sox, Latos lowered his ERA to 1.93 with a pitching line of 521105. The run came on a home run by OF/1B Andruw Jones. In a 5-1 victory over the Dodgers, LeBlanc lowered his ERA to 1.93 with a pitching line of 511113. The run came on a home run by 2B Ron Belliard after LeBlanc had thrown 4 2/3 hitless innings. San Diego will separate their days to pitch because it’s pretty clear that they’ll both make the season-opening rotation.
The day was full of outstanding pitching performances, with seven shutouts. Our Cy Young Award for the Day goes to Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano, whose line was 530024 in a 4-0 win over the Royals.
In the other shutouts, RHP Felix Hernandez’s line was 520012 as the Mariners defeated the Diamondbacks 4-0 using home runs by OFs Franklin Gutierrez and Ryan Langerhans against RHP Dan Haren; RHP Tim Wakefield was in mid-season form with a line of 520023 in a 6-0 victory over the Orioles; RHP Todd Wellemeyer’s line of 540023 was plenty good enough in the Giants’ 6-0 win over the Reds that included 1B Aubrey Huff’s third homer; Twins LHP Francisco Liriano had a line of 330004 in a 6-0 victory over the Rays that could have been worse except for five Tampa Bay double plays including three involving 2B Sean Rodriguez and SS Reid Brignac; the pitcher who says, “Ni,” Tigers LHP Fu-Te Ni, used a line of 320001 to outpitch RHP Roy Halladay to help defeat the Phillies 3-0, and Brewers RHP Yovani Gallardo not only had a line of 540023, but also hit a homer for the only run in their 1-0 win over the Royals.
Athletics Ben Sheets lowered his ERA to 17.28 with a line of 431134 in a 7-4 victory over the Cubs.
The Indians used an eight-run second inning against RHP Jason Jennings to defeat another team of Athletics 12-4. Included was Cleveland DH Travis Hafner’s three-run homer, his second. He won’t be playing regular-season games in Arizona, but if he can have some offensive success that could make the Tribe’s offense pretty potent.
OF Cameron Maybin hit his first two homers, against Nationals RHPs Garrett Mock and Shairon Martis, and RHP Chris Volstad had a line of 561122 in the Marlins’ 5-3 win.
In the Dodgers’ 5-4 victory over the Rangers, RHP Ramon Ortiz’s ERA increased to 1.38 on a line of 452226. He was the winning pitcher in relief of RHP Josh Towers, over Rangers LHP Derek Holland.
The Rockies overcame the Angels 11-10 with five runs in the bottom of the ninth against RHP Juan Mateo and Nick Pugliese. Colorado 2B Eric Young cleared the bases with a triple. In a sloppy game, 2B Clint Barmes had three of the Rockies’ five errors.
The Cardinals defeated the Mets 6-5 on 2B Ruben Gotay’s homer in the bottom of the ninth against RHP Kiko Calero. St. Louis OF Colby Rasmus hit his third homer, a two-run shot against New York RHP John Maine, and Mets rookie 1B Ike Davis also had his third, against RHP Jason Motte.
The Blue Jays’ 7-6 win over the Braves had a last-inning rally typical of what we see in spring training. Toronto scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, with Michael McDade hitting a game-winning double against RHP Jon Huber. Neither will have an impact in the majors or in fantasy baseball this season.
Injuries:
Mariners LHP Cliff Lee could begin the season on the disabled list because of a lower abdominal strain. Whenever he is ready to pitch, he’s subject to a five-game suspension for throwing at Diamondbacks C Chris Snyder. Lee is appealing the suspension. If he isn’t in the rotation the first time around, LHP Jason Vargas and RHP Doug Fister both are expected to make the rotation. They have been fighting for the fifth starter’s job. Fister left today’s game after Reds 1B Joey Votto hit a line drive off the pitcher’s forearm. The injury has been diagnosed as a bruise.
The Rockies said RHP Huston Street has no structural damage in his sore shoulder. However, he is likely to begin the season on the disabled list, possibly on an injury-rehab assignment. In his absence, LHP Franklin Morales and RHP Manuel Corpas could be Colorado’s closers.
Orioles 2B Brian Roberts (herniated disk) has resumed baseball-related activities.
Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval is expected to be out two days after having five stitches in his right shin to close a cut resulting from a collision at home plate. 3B Ryan Rohlinger will fill in for Sandoval. The news isn’t as good for 2B Freddy Sanchez, recovering from shoulder surgery. He won’t play until late April or early May. Jose Uribe is likely to get most of the playing time at second, but San Francisco also will use LF Mark DeRosa in the infield while Sanchez is out.
Astros CF Michael Bourn is out because of a strained right oblique muscle. Playing in his place, OF Jason Bourgeois stole his fourth base and improved his batting average to .286 in an 8-6 win over the Yankees.
NCAA news and blues:
No, I’m not just bitter because the teams I picked are dropping like flies in the NCAA basketball tournament. I am disappointed in the subjectivity and bias toward big conferences and big programs by the selection committee. If Kansas truly was the No. 1 overall seed, then why did Duke get a road to the Final Four only slightly tougher than Syracuse’s December schedule?
As short as I can make this discussion, the tournament should take one of two paths. 1. Become a tournament of champions, with each conference sending the regular-season champion and the survivor of a post-season tournament excluding the champ to the dance. Who really needs the ninth-place team with a losing record in a major conference to help decide the winner? 2. Let everyone in, using the conference tournaments as preliminary rounds. The tournament champs plus the remaining teams in the losers’ bracket of a double-elimination format would advance. The whole thing would be double-elimination, so the conference tournament champs would have to lose twice to be out. The conference tournaments still would have meaning and produce a champion. The regular season couldn’t be more meaningless than it is now, and it would lead to seedings for the conference tournament.
Sample Scouting Report:
Mat Latos, RHP, Padres
Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 210 T: R Age: 22 Inj. Risk: 10 Alt. Pos.: SP
{2010} Latos so thoroughly dominated low Class A ball last season, that San Diego jumped him to Double-A San Antonio. After he went 5-1 and made the Texas League All-Star game, they only place for him was to go straight to the majors. Latos made another 10 starts for the Padres before they shut him down in September. He throws a mid-90s fastball complemented by both a slider and a curve. The hulking, multi-tattooed Latos has the potential to become a staff ace in time. He should do just fine this year as well. Born: Dec. 9, 1987, Alexandria, Va. 2009: Padres, 51 IP, 4 W, 4.62 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 0 S, 39 SO.
Projection
IP: 133 W: 11 ERA: 3.92 WHIP: 1.27 S: 0 SO: 105 Value: $5
Wade LeBlanc, LHP, Padres
Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 200 T: L Age: 25 Inj. Risk: 10 Alt. Pos.: SP
{2010} LeBlanc completely turned around his 2008 season last year. At Triple-A Portland, he had poorer results (4-9) than in ’08, when he won 11 games, but pitched much better (3.87 ERA and 1.16 WHIP). He was pitching well enough that the Padres called him up for nine starts, in which he turned around his 1-3 major league mark from 2008 by knocking more than four runs off his ERA and 89 points off his WHIP. He’s not likely to become an ace because his fastball barely reaches 90 mph. LeBlanc does have a sharp-breaking curve and a changeup not far on this side of Johan Santana’s. Born: Aug. 7, 1984, Lake Charles, La. 2009: Padres, 46 IP, 3 W, 3.69 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 0 S, 30 SO.
Projection
IP: 124 W: 8 ERA: 4.28 WHIP: 1.30 S: 0 SO: 88 Value: $2
The Dodgers demoted RHP James McDonald a day after he gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings.
After saying the switch of 3B Chone Figgins to second base and 2B Jose Lopez to third was just an experiment, the Mariners played them both consistently at the new positions. Now the word is that the team will use Figgins at third and Lopez at second on occasion during the remaining exhibitions, but Seattle will almost certainly have Figgins in the middle of the infield and Lopez on the hot corner on Opening Day.
A bigger problem for the Mariners could be OF Milton Bradley. He has been ejected from his last two exhibition games for seemingly minor infractions. The question is whether his reputation has preceded him and put him on a short leash, or that there was more to the ejections than meets the eye and they’re a bad sign for the volatile player.
Game time:
The Padres again had RHP Mat Latos and LHP Wade LeBlanc starting in separate split-squad exhibition games. Again, they both pitched very well, almost identically. In a 4-1 victory over the White Sox, Latos lowered his ERA to 1.93 with a pitching line of 521105. The run came on a home run by OF/1B Andruw Jones. In a 5-1 victory over the Dodgers, LeBlanc lowered his ERA to 1.93 with a pitching line of 511113. The run came on a home run by 2B Ron Belliard after LeBlanc had thrown 4 2/3 hitless innings. San Diego will separate their days to pitch because it’s pretty clear that they’ll both make the season-opening rotation.
The day was full of outstanding pitching performances, with seven shutouts. Our Cy Young Award for the Day goes to Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano, whose line was 530024 in a 4-0 win over the Royals.
In the other shutouts, RHP Felix Hernandez’s line was 520012 as the Mariners defeated the Diamondbacks 4-0 using home runs by OFs Franklin Gutierrez and Ryan Langerhans against RHP Dan Haren; RHP Tim Wakefield was in mid-season form with a line of 520023 in a 6-0 victory over the Orioles; RHP Todd Wellemeyer’s line of 540023 was plenty good enough in the Giants’ 6-0 win over the Reds that included 1B Aubrey Huff’s third homer; Twins LHP Francisco Liriano had a line of 330004 in a 6-0 victory over the Rays that could have been worse except for five Tampa Bay double plays including three involving 2B Sean Rodriguez and SS Reid Brignac; the pitcher who says, “Ni,” Tigers LHP Fu-Te Ni, used a line of 320001 to outpitch RHP Roy Halladay to help defeat the Phillies 3-0, and Brewers RHP Yovani Gallardo not only had a line of 540023, but also hit a homer for the only run in their 1-0 win over the Royals.
Athletics Ben Sheets lowered his ERA to 17.28 with a line of 431134 in a 7-4 victory over the Cubs.
The Indians used an eight-run second inning against RHP Jason Jennings to defeat another team of Athletics 12-4. Included was Cleveland DH Travis Hafner’s three-run homer, his second. He won’t be playing regular-season games in Arizona, but if he can have some offensive success that could make the Tribe’s offense pretty potent.
OF Cameron Maybin hit his first two homers, against Nationals RHPs Garrett Mock and Shairon Martis, and RHP Chris Volstad had a line of 561122 in the Marlins’ 5-3 win.
In the Dodgers’ 5-4 victory over the Rangers, RHP Ramon Ortiz’s ERA increased to 1.38 on a line of 452226. He was the winning pitcher in relief of RHP Josh Towers, over Rangers LHP Derek Holland.
The Rockies overcame the Angels 11-10 with five runs in the bottom of the ninth against RHP Juan Mateo and Nick Pugliese. Colorado 2B Eric Young cleared the bases with a triple. In a sloppy game, 2B Clint Barmes had three of the Rockies’ five errors.
The Cardinals defeated the Mets 6-5 on 2B Ruben Gotay’s homer in the bottom of the ninth against RHP Kiko Calero. St. Louis OF Colby Rasmus hit his third homer, a two-run shot against New York RHP John Maine, and Mets rookie 1B Ike Davis also had his third, against RHP Jason Motte.
The Blue Jays’ 7-6 win over the Braves had a last-inning rally typical of what we see in spring training. Toronto scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, with Michael McDade hitting a game-winning double against RHP Jon Huber. Neither will have an impact in the majors or in fantasy baseball this season.
Injuries:
Mariners LHP Cliff Lee could begin the season on the disabled list because of a lower abdominal strain. Whenever he is ready to pitch, he’s subject to a five-game suspension for throwing at Diamondbacks C Chris Snyder. Lee is appealing the suspension. If he isn’t in the rotation the first time around, LHP Jason Vargas and RHP Doug Fister both are expected to make the rotation. They have been fighting for the fifth starter’s job. Fister left today’s game after Reds 1B Joey Votto hit a line drive off the pitcher’s forearm. The injury has been diagnosed as a bruise.
The Rockies said RHP Huston Street has no structural damage in his sore shoulder. However, he is likely to begin the season on the disabled list, possibly on an injury-rehab assignment. In his absence, LHP Franklin Morales and RHP Manuel Corpas could be Colorado’s closers.
Orioles 2B Brian Roberts (herniated disk) has resumed baseball-related activities.
Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval is expected to be out two days after having five stitches in his right shin to close a cut resulting from a collision at home plate. 3B Ryan Rohlinger will fill in for Sandoval. The news isn’t as good for 2B Freddy Sanchez, recovering from shoulder surgery. He won’t play until late April or early May. Jose Uribe is likely to get most of the playing time at second, but San Francisco also will use LF Mark DeRosa in the infield while Sanchez is out.
Astros CF Michael Bourn is out because of a strained right oblique muscle. Playing in his place, OF Jason Bourgeois stole his fourth base and improved his batting average to .286 in an 8-6 win over the Yankees.
NCAA news and blues:
No, I’m not just bitter because the teams I picked are dropping like flies in the NCAA basketball tournament. I am disappointed in the subjectivity and bias toward big conferences and big programs by the selection committee. If Kansas truly was the No. 1 overall seed, then why did Duke get a road to the Final Four only slightly tougher than Syracuse’s December schedule?
As short as I can make this discussion, the tournament should take one of two paths. 1. Become a tournament of champions, with each conference sending the regular-season champion and the survivor of a post-season tournament excluding the champ to the dance. Who really needs the ninth-place team with a losing record in a major conference to help decide the winner? 2. Let everyone in, using the conference tournaments as preliminary rounds. The tournament champs plus the remaining teams in the losers’ bracket of a double-elimination format would advance. The whole thing would be double-elimination, so the conference tournament champs would have to lose twice to be out. The conference tournaments still would have meaning and produce a champion. The regular season couldn’t be more meaningless than it is now, and it would lead to seedings for the conference tournament.
Sample Scouting Report:
Mat Latos, RHP, Padres
Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 210 T: R Age: 22 Inj. Risk: 10 Alt. Pos.: SP
{2010} Latos so thoroughly dominated low Class A ball last season, that San Diego jumped him to Double-A San Antonio. After he went 5-1 and made the Texas League All-Star game, they only place for him was to go straight to the majors. Latos made another 10 starts for the Padres before they shut him down in September. He throws a mid-90s fastball complemented by both a slider and a curve. The hulking, multi-tattooed Latos has the potential to become a staff ace in time. He should do just fine this year as well. Born: Dec. 9, 1987, Alexandria, Va. 2009: Padres, 51 IP, 4 W, 4.62 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 0 S, 39 SO.
Projection
IP: 133 W: 11 ERA: 3.92 WHIP: 1.27 S: 0 SO: 105 Value: $5
Wade LeBlanc, LHP, Padres
Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 200 T: L Age: 25 Inj. Risk: 10 Alt. Pos.: SP
{2010} LeBlanc completely turned around his 2008 season last year. At Triple-A Portland, he had poorer results (4-9) than in ’08, when he won 11 games, but pitched much better (3.87 ERA and 1.16 WHIP). He was pitching well enough that the Padres called him up for nine starts, in which he turned around his 1-3 major league mark from 2008 by knocking more than four runs off his ERA and 89 points off his WHIP. He’s not likely to become an ace because his fastball barely reaches 90 mph. LeBlanc does have a sharp-breaking curve and a changeup not far on this side of Johan Santana’s. Born: Aug. 7, 1984, Lake Charles, La. 2009: Padres, 46 IP, 3 W, 3.69 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 0 S, 30 SO.
Projection
IP: 124 W: 8 ERA: 4.28 WHIP: 1.30 S: 0 SO: 88 Value: $2
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