|
|
| Pedro Feliz hit his sixth home run of the year on Thursday as he knocked in two runs for the Phils. |
Our View: Feliz has been unable to get any traction this season with just 11 runs and 18 RBI on the year, but at least he has brought his average up in May (.304). He figures to hit his customary 20 HR with 75 RBI
but it's often a very bumpy ride.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Howard homered for the third time in five games on Monday, though of course he also struck out in the game. |
Our View: That's nine home runs and 58 K for Howard who continues to be a vexing mix of power and whiffs in the early going.
|
|
|
|
| Chuck James allowed three home runs and five earned runs to fall to 2-3 on the year. James gave up six hits and five walks in four innings of work. |
Our View: James just isn't right, a fact that appears to be obvious to everyone other than the Braves decision makers. James has now allowed seven home runs in just 23 innings covering five starts, and until he reverses that trend he has little chance of being a productive hurler.
|
|
|
|
| Cole Hamels twirled a brilliant complete game shutout of the Braves on Thursday night for the Phillies. Hamels allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six. |
Our View: The only thing holding Hamels back from being a Cy Young candidate this year will be his health as he has continued dominating hitters just as he did last year.
|
|
|
|
| Michael Bourn went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts as his average fell to .181 for the season. |
Our View: Bourn may have 17 SB, but the fact that he has just 16 runs scored batting in front of Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada should tell you all you need to know. Look for him to be demoted to the bottom of the lineup, that is if Cecil Copper has any idea of what he is doing.
|
|
|
|
| Lance Berkman hit his 15th home run of the season into the San Francisco Bay against the Giants on Thursday. Berkman had another hit on the night with three RBI as he is now batting .391. |
Our View: Berkman cannot make an out as he is treating NL pitchers as if they are softball pitchers in a beer league. Berkman is now 26-for-42 (.619) and 30 for his last 54 (.556).
|
|
|
|
| Aaron Rowand continues to be a force in the middle of the Giants batting order as he had two hits and two RBI for the Giants. |
Our View: Rowand is hitting .333 but only has 20 RBI on the year thanks to batting behind the lumbering Bengie Molina who can barely score on a home run. If Rowand continues to bat behind Molina, his RBI totals will likely lag behind his other numbers.
|
|
|
|
| Omar Vizquel had three hits and scored three runs for the Giants on Thursday pushing his batting average up to .444 in the process (18 AB). |
Our View: Vizquel has come back swinging the bat with authority, something that certainly doesn't figure to continue moving forward as he is old, has lost a step, and offers no power.
|
|
|
|
| Jose Valverde picked up two strikeout to close out the Giants on Thursday on his way to his 11th save. |
Our View: May has started out in spectacular fashion for Valverde who has one win and six saves while posting a 0.00 ERA in 8.2 innings as he is once again asserting that he can be a dominating presence on the hill.
|
|
|
|
| Tim Lincecum dominated the Astros for six innings on Thursday striking out 10 batters in a no-decision (the bullpen blew the game). Lincecum allowed five hits, three walks and three runs in the outing. |
Our View: Tim left with a 7-3 lead but the Giants pen imploded blowing what seemed like a sure win. Lincecum now has a 1.92 ERA and 63 K in 56.1 IP in what is shaping up to be one of the most dominating seasons seen on the west coast in years.
|
|
|
|
| After a rain induced postponement Thursday night in Cincinnati, the Reds will keep their pitching schedule intact for this weekend against Cleveland. That means a marquee matchup: Edinson Volquez vs. Cliff Lee. Dusty Baker said after the rain out was made official that Matt Belisle, who had been scheduled to start today, would be skipped until Tuesday against the Dodgers.
|
Our View: Johnny Cueto will start Friday night against the visiting Indians. No makeup date was set for the finale of the scheduled four-game series. The last-place Reds had won the first three against the NL East-leading Marlins.
|
|
|
|
| It appears that Brandon Lyon is going to hold serve as the Diamondbacks closer this year. After blowing two of his first three save opportunities, the right-hander has converted 10 straight. |
Our View: Arizona's ninth inning option has struck out 12, allowed two walks and carries a 2.00 ERA and 1.07 WHIP through his first 19 appearances.
|
|
|
|
| Will the real Brett Myers please take the mound? Myers took an 8-5 beating at the hands of the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night. The hard-throwing right-hander allowed eight runs (six earned) on nine hits, walking three and striking out six in 4.1 innings of work. |
Our View: Myers now has only three quality works in eight starts and his 5.91 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, H/9 of 11.1, and a HR/9 of 2.53 are terribly disappointing.
|
|
|
|
| Wes Helms escaped serious injury when he was struck by a fastball just above his elbow on Wednesday, according to MLB.com. "It hurts," Helms said. "But I'm fine. It's not going to alter my swing." |
Our View: With Mike Jacobs hurt, he hopes to return by the weekend, the team could certainly use the bat of Helms in it's lineup. Unless Jacobs is out long-term don't expect Helms to be much more than a corner infield play in NL Only leagues.
|
|
|
|
| Eric Byrnes was not in the starting lineup on Thursday night as he was given a night off to clear his head, according to MLB.com. "He's going to take it easy today, a little separation," Melvin said. "Hopefully, a little bit of a distance and kind of process some things," manager Bob Melvin said. "Whether or not I give him two [days off] or not is yet to be determined, but if that's the case, two tops, but there's still a chance he'll be in there [Friday]." Jeff Salazar is starting in his place. |
Our View: Byrnes is in the mother of all slumps toiling in a 6-for-62 streak that has dropped his average to .214. We all know that Byrnes will give it his all, but given that nothing is working right now it seems like a benching might be a good idea. Hopefully you have also done the same and have him riding the pine.
|
|
|
|
| Clay Hensley, out with a shoulder strain, has resumed throwing in extended spring training after experiencing a setback in the first week of May, according to MLB.com. "He had a little bit of a setback, but he's back throwing again," manager Bud Black said. "He's going to throw again [Friday], and if he comes out of that, he's going to be shot back to [Triple-A] Portland." |
Our View: Hensley was a solid starter last year with a 3.71 ERA and 1.34 WHIP at the backend of the Padres rotation, and though he could offer some value at some point, don't count on that being any time before the all-star break.
|
|
|
|
| Michael Barrett (strained elbow) could be sent out on a minor league rehab assignment as early as next week, according to MLB.com. "Michael is going to throw to the bases on Friday in Seattle to further test the elbow," Padres manager Bud Black said, "but he's making great strides. With the bat, he's swinging great, so there's no issue swinging the bat at all." |
Our View: Josh Bard has really struggled at the plate barely hitting above .200 as he has been dealing with his own health concerns, so the Padres would welcome back Barret with open arms when he proves himself to be healthy.
|
|
|
|
| Mark Prior is currently meeting with Dr. James Andrews to discuss his shoulder and the results of a recent MRI, according to MLB.com. "Prior is in Birmingham, as we speak," manager Bud Black said. "We'll know more probably over the weekend, or maybe early next week, about the plan for Mark as we move into the summer." |
Our View: Prior appears to be a setback machine whose once luminous career is nothing more than a series of last gasp efforts to return to the mound. This latest setback would appear to signal that the earliest Prior could return to the mound would be June.
|
|
|
|
| Updating an earlier report, Scott Schoeneweis is fine after receiving a medical scare, this according to MLB.com. "I woke up at like seven o'clock and I thought I was going to die," Schoeneweis said. |
Our View: Turns out the doctors think that scar tissue from his bout with testicular cancer caused an inflammation to his appendix, but the decision was made that he doesn't need any further medical work which is great news.
|
|
|
|
| Chipper Jones tweaked his right groin in his last AB on Wednesday, and as a result the Braves will sit him out on Thursday night, according to MLB.com. The pain in the groin continued Thursday while hitting off a tee, but Chipper isn't likely headed to the DL with this latest ailment. "I feel confident that we'll get this thing knocked out and I will get back in there in no time," Jones said. |
Our View: Jones is the heart of the Braves and all the fantasy teams he currently plays for thanks to a .418-11-32 line through 37 games. You know what you're getting with Chipper, and this is just one of those times that you have to be patient. Omar Infante figures to fill in.
|
|
|
|
| Josh Willingham's recent setback with his back will likely keep him out of the lineup for at least a couple of weeks, according to MLB.com. Willingham is now dealing with a strained lower back in addition to a herniated disk. "In my opinion, I might have been a little overanxious," he said. |
Our View: The "S" word, surgery, continues to not be in the lexicon of Willingham who says it won't be needed. However, another setback like this one will cause everyone to rethinking that position. Regardless, his breakout campaign has ground to a halt.
|
|
|
|
| It turns out that John Smoltz did a little more than first thought on Thursday as he ended up throwing 25 pitches off the mound instead of just working on long toss, according to MLB.com. "I wanted to see if I could get that [downward movement]," Smoltz said "It went well." |
Our View: Smoltz will throw his first bullpen session on Saturday when he will throw all his pitches, but today's results are very encouraging news for the potential HOFamer. If all goes according to plan, Smoltz hopes to start a minor league rehab assignment on next Tuesday or Wednesday.
|
|
|
|
| Kyle Lohse skipped his normal between starts throwing on Thursday and may miss his next start due to a sore shoulder, according to MLB.com. If Lohse is unable to go on Sunday, the team will turn to rookie Mike Parisi. "We're just taking precautions to make sure it doesn't get any worse," Lohse said. "It's just been a little rough getting loosened up. But once I get going, it's all right." |
Our View: Lohse has been a solid starer in NL Only leagues this season, but after giving up 19 earned runs in his last three starts it's clear to all that the shoulder is bothering him. Don't be surprised if he misses a start or two.
|
|
|
|
| The Marlins/Reds game was postponed on Thursday due to bad weather, and as a result the Fish will simply push back starter Andrew Miller a day and have him start on Friday against the Royals, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Miller has allowed only two runs in his last two starts thanks to a huge improvement in his K/BB ratio (11 K, three BB). If he can continue to throw strikes he certainly has the stuff to be an effective starter even though he is inexperienced.
|
|
|
|
| The Marlins/Reds game was postponed on Thursday due to poor weather, and as a result the team will skip starting pitcher Matt Belisle and go with Johnny Cueto on Friday, according to the Associated Press. Belisle won't pitch until May 20th. |
Our View: Cueto will be looking to turn around a few rough outings that have befallen him of late. He still has 46 K in 45.2 innings, but the nine home runs he has allowed have conspired to push his ERA to almost six (5.91).
|
|
|
|
| Geoff Geary was removed from his appearance on Thursday due to a strained right groin. No further information is currently available. |
Our View: Geary has been a solid under the cover of night type reliever in the NL this season with a 1.50 ERA covering 18.1 innings. Stay tuned for updates about his health.
|
|
|
|
| Brian Giles had three hits on Thursday to improve his average to .272. |
Our View: With the insertion of Jody Gerut into the lineup, Giles has slide down the order from his leadoff spot into the third hole. Obviously this is a much better RBI slot, but whether or not Giles can take advantage of that opportunity remains to be seen at this point of his career.
|
|
|
|
| Kerry Wood finished off a great start by Ryan Dempster to preserve a 4-0 shutout victory over the Padres. Wood stuck out both batters he faced in the ninth inning. |
Our View: Wood now has 20 K in 20.2 IP with only four walks. As long as he keeps throwing strikes at that rate, there should be little stopping him from being one of the better closers in the NL, provided he can stay healthy of course.
|
|
|
|
| Ronny Paulino, starting for the injured Ryan Doumit, went 2-for-5 with two runs scored for the Pirates. |
Our View: With Doumit out for possibly up to four weeks, Paulino will get the chance to show that he should have been receiving more AB all along.
|
|
|
|
| Chris Duncan had a single and a double which led to two runs and two RBI for the burly slugger. |
Our View: This was only the second extra base hit for Duncan in his last 11 games, so he is still trying to find his power stroke. Look for it to happen soon, so Duncan makes a nice buy low candidate.
|
|
|
|
| Ian Snell had another rough outing on Thursday as he was hammered for 11 hits and five runs in only four innings against the Cardinals. He received a no-decision for his efforts. |
Our View: Snell has failed to even remotely approach the expectations that most had for him entering this season, but there are no indications that he is injured meaning he likely would make a nice target to acquire via the trade route with his value being depressed.
|
|
|
|
| Jason Isringhausen picked up his sixth blown save of the season and fell to 1-5 after allowing four hits and three runs to the Pirates in the eighth inning on Thursday. |
Our View: It's pretty ugly right now for Izzy. Those who picked up Ryan Franklin may be in for a few more saves than originally thought as Isringhausen seems pretty lost on the mound.
|
|
|
|
| Jim Edmonds went 1-for-4 and left seven men on base in his Cubs' debut on Thursday, in a 4-0 win over the Brewers. |
Our View: The Cubs' hitters put him in position to rack up several RBI today, but he failed to come through with a single one. He also struck out once. He will be given an opportunity to succeed and generate favorable numbers in Chicago, like today, but it remains to be seen if he has enough left in the tank.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Dempster claimed his fifth win of the season on Thursday as the Cubs blanked the Padres 4-0 at Wrigley Field. Dempster dominated from the hill, as he hurled 8.1 scoreless innings, with six hits and one walk allowed, with an eye opening 12 strikeouts. |
Our View: He is 5-1 and lowered his season ERA to 2.35. He has also racked up 26 strikeouts over his last three starts (20.1 innings). The former closer's fantasy stock remains on the rise.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Braun went 1-for-4 with one RBI in Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Dodgers. His hit was good for a home run, his 10th of the season. His RBI was also his 30th. |
Our View: Braun got off to a slow start this season, but he now has seven homers, 12 RBI, and 18 hits over 14 games in May.
|
|
|
|
| Ben Sheets was dealt his first loss of the season on Thursday, as the Brewers fell to the Dodgers 7-2. Sheets was lit up for six runs on nine hits over 6.1 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Sheets was 4-0 and held a strong 2.53 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over seven starts, but allowed 10 earned runs over his previous three. He only allowed four home runs over those seven starts as well, but surrendered three today. He should get back on track.
|
|
|
|
| Gary Bennett went 2-for-4 and racked up four RBI in Thursday's 7-2 win over Milwaukee. Most of his damage came on a three-run homer off of Ben Sheets. Bennett started at catcher in place of Russell Martin, who was moved to third base in place of the ailing Blake DeWitt (lower back pain). |
Our View: Bennett had a great day, but won't likely register enough playing time to merit fantasy consideration.
|
|
|
|
| Chad Billingsley nailed down his third win of the season on Thursday, as the Dodgers defeated the Brewers 7-2. He only allowed one run on three hits over seven innings, with four walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Other than the four walks, it was a great outing for him. He has been incosistent as he alternated good and poor performances, but his fantasy stock remains on the rise.
|
|
|
|
| Luis Castillo was able to play with his strained left quad today, and had a solid outing as he went 2-for-2 with one walk in a 1-0 loss to Washington. Both hits were singles. |
Our View: There was previously word that his ailing quad may send him to the DL, but that appears to no longer be the case. He had a favorable outing in his first appearance since Sunday.
|
|
|
|
| Kevin Frandsen has been transferred to the 60-day DL, according to the AP. Frandsen is out for the season recovering from surgery on his ruptured Achilles’ tendon.
|
Our View: Frandsen did not see any action this season, and held no fantasy value prior to today's move.
|
|
|
|
| Merkin Valdez is close to two years out from reconstructive right elbow surgery, so the club isn't about to take a chance with his health now. The Giants placed the reliever on the DL Thursday with a strained elbow on his throwing arm, which isn’t believed to be related to his surgery on September 27, 2006, according to the AP. Manager Bruce Bochy said, "We’ll find out what’s going on. We don’t want to put him back out there and risk a setback. This guy did have surgery not all that long ago. We want to err on the side of caution and let it clear up." The team recalled Alex Hinshaw from Triple-A Fresno to take his place on the roster.
|
Our View: Valdez is a hard-throwing reliever as he racked up 13 strikeouts over 16 innings this season. He also allowed 14 hits and seven walks, and his fantasy value was limited while fighting for playing time out of the Giants' pen.
|
|
|
|
| Mike Pelfrey lost a no-hitter in the seventh inning on Thursday, and went on to lose his fourth game of the season, as Washington topped the Mets 1-0. Pelfrey only allowed the one run on three hits over 7.2 innings, with three walks and four strikeouts. |
Our View: This was a strong outing for him, which was spoiled by no run support by the Mets' hitters. He has only allowed three earned runs over his last two games, but the Mets lost them both.
|
|
|
|
| Felipe Lopez went 0-for-2 but was awarded the game's only RBI on a sacrifice in Thursday's 1-0 win over the Mets. |
Our View: Lopez has now collected an RBI in three of his last four games. He has two multi-hit games over that span as well.
|
|
|
|
| Jason Bergmann picked up his first win of the season on Thursday, as the Nationals edged the Mets 1-0. Bergmann threw seven scoreless innings, with only three hits allowed and two walks, with nine strikeouts. |
Our View: Bergmann pitched well when healthy last season, and is worth targeting following today's strong outing. He should be a hot waiver wire pick-up this week.
|
|
|
|
| Russell Martin is starting at third base today in place of the injured Blake DeWitt, according to the LA Daily News. DeWitt was scratched due to lower back pain. |
Our View: Martin is hitting .302 with three homers and 15 RBI over 39 games. His bat will match DeWitt's, and he is not foreign to third base, as he has been tried there a bit before. This will be his fifth game there (usually in place of the injured Nomar), and some leagues only need five games played at a position for fantasy designation.
|
|
|
|
| Blake DeWitt was scratched for Thursday's game, according to the LA Daily News. He is battling lower back pain. |
Our View: Russell Martin is covering his post at third base, and Gary Bennett is playing catcher. The severity of his ailment is yet to be revealed.
|
|
|
|
| Henry Blanco will start at catcher for the Cubs today, according to the Chicago Tribune. Blanco will catch for starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, and will bat eighth in the Cubs' order. |
Our View: Blanco is 7-for-21 in limited action this season, with one RBI. He is not worth fantasy consideration for one start, especially with Greg Maddux pitching today against San Diego.
|
|
|
|
| Geovany Soto will sit out of action today, according to the Chicago Tribune. Henry Blanco will catch starting hurler Ryan Dempster. |
Our View: Soto is hitting .321 with seven homers and 29 RBI over 37 games, and earned a day off.
|
|
|
|
| Jim Edmonds will make his Cubs' debut against Greg Maddux and the Padres today, according to the Chicago Tribune. Edmonds will start in center field and bat sixth in the lineup. |
Our View: The game is in Chicago, and he will have a good chance to generate RBI with Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome batting ahead of him in the order. His power numbers could also get a boost while playing in the hitter-friendly confines of Wrigley Field.
|
|
|
|
| David Riske has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a hyperextended right elbow, according to the AP. Riske was injured while throwing a pitch in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to the Dodgers. |
Our View: Riske allowed 11 runs on 22 hits over 21 innings, with eight walks and 14 strikeouts. He held little fantasy value prior to getting hurt.
|
|
|
|
| Dmitri Young will be activated from the DL and resume the starting role at first base in place of the injured Nick Johnson, who will be out of action for four to six weeks due to a torn tendon in his right wrist, according to the AP. |
Our View: Young will be activated on Friday, and he has recovered from a lower back sprain. Young can still hit with power, and was notably an All-Star in 2007. He is worth targeting if you need help, especially if you lost Nick Johnson.
|
|
|
|
| Nick Johnson has been placed on the 15-day DL Thursday with a torn tendon in his right wrist, according to the AP. He is expected to miss four to six weeks with the injury.
|
Our View: The injury-prone first baseman missed all of last season with a right leg fracture. He hit five homers over 38 games, but only held a .220 batting average. Dmitri Young will fill his spot at first base while he is out of action.
|
|
|
|
| Brad Thompson threw Wednesday for the first time since the team put him on the DL April 28, and he does not expect to wait long before starting a rehab assignment, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is recovering from inflammation in his right elbow, and said he felt great after the session.
|
Our View: The reliever held a poor 4.58 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over 17.2 innings, and is not worth waiting for as a fantasy prospect.
|
|
|
|
| Tyler Johnson had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder to address inflammation in the joint and repair some slight damage to his rotator cuff, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. |
Our View: Johnson is expected to miss the remainder of the season, and will be rehabbing for a 2009 return. Therapy was not able to ease the ailment, and surgery was required.
|
|
|
|
| Kazuo Matsui returned to the Astros' lineup on Wednesday, according to the Houston Chronicle. He collided with outfielder Hunter Pence while chasing a bloop single hit by the Giants' Bengie Molina. Matsui took a blow to his left knee and slid into Pence's right shin. Matsui commented that he is fine. |
Our View: This is good news for the Astros, as Matsui racked up seven doubles over 24 games, with 21 runs scored and seven stolen bases. He has also drawn 13 walks.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Braun has officially signed a eight-year deal worth $45 million, according to the AP. The contract includes this season and a seven-year extension, meaning Braun will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2015 season. |
Our View: The deal exceeds the six-year, $31 million contract signed by Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who was beaten out by Braun for Rookie of the Year honors in 2007.
|
|
|
|
| Manager Cecil Cooper wants to give Lance Berkman a rest from the field, and is considering using Berkman as the Astros' DH when they play the Texas Rangers this weekend in inter-league play, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Berkman is hitting .388 with 14 homers and 40 RBI over 40 games, with 43 runs scored. He also chipped in six stolen bases. He should continue to generate strong numbers at the Rangers' hitter-friendly ballpark.
|
|
|
|
| Ty Wigginton was still out of the Astros' lineup on Wednesday due to a sore rib cage, two days after being drilled by a pitch on his left side, according to the Houston Chronicle. He said, "It feels like a knife is going through me. It still grabs me. Running it will grab me. I made some progress, but it still grabs me."
|
Our View: Barring a rapid recovery, he's not likely to start until Friday even though he's still available for emergency duty. Wigginton has had no luck staying healthy this season, as he has been limited to only 15 games due to injuries.
|
|
|
|
| Scott Schoeneweis experienced severe abdominal pain at his home in Connecticut on Tuesday, which led to him being hospitalized for six hours, according to the NY Daily News. The doctors at one point feared he was suffering from appendicitis. Schoeneweis, who said his arms turned blue for a while, guessed the illness is probably a bug going around the team. Schoeneweis' stomach was still noticeably bloated after last night's game. He had experienced waves of freezing and shaking the previous night. He said, "I've been through a lot of stuff. For me to call an ambulance, I had to be in dire straits."
|
Our View: He has been pitching well this season, as he held a 1.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over 12 innings, with seven strikeouts. We will keep you posted on his status.
|
|
|
|
| Luis Castillo is going to return to his starting post at second base today and bat second in the lineup, according to Newsday. He has been bothered by a strained left quad. |
Our View: Castillo hasn't been able to play since Sunday, and there was word that the injury may send him to the DL, but that appears to no longer be the case. His performance will be monitored today.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Braun has agreed on a seven-year extension with the Brewers, according to the AP. Braun’s deal is expected to surpass the largest contract in club history. The deal will be officially announced later today. |
Our View: Braun got off to a slow start this season, but is now batting .287 with nine homers and 29 RBI over 39 games. Braun has a bright future with Milwaukee, and is worthy of a seven-year extension.
|
|
|
|
| Daryle Ward will be placed on the 15-day DL due to his back ailment, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Ward had an MRI on Wednesday morning that revealed a herniated disc in his back. One common method of treatment is months of therapy. Instead, Ward and the team agreed to have him receive an epidural in the hope he'll make a speedy and favorable enough recovery to be at full strength within a week or so. Ward said, "One day I feel OK, and the next day I'm taking batting practice and it'll be sore. I've got to be able to at least do work to keep in shape, and right now I can't even do that."
|
Our View: Ward was only hitting .200 over 25 at-bats this season, but is still regarded as the Cubs' best pinch-hitter. He did draw nine walks, and registered six RBI. Jim Edmonds has been made available and brought in just in time.
|
|
|
|
| Fernando Martinez left Thursday's game for Double-A Binghampton after feeling a little "pop" in his right hamstring while stealing second base, according to the NY Daily News. He is expected to undergo an MRI today. Manager Mako Oliveras said, "Right now I just hope it's not serious, especially the way he's been playing." |
Our View: Martinez is a top outfielding prospect for the Mets, and was hitting very well prior to sustaining the injury.
|
|
|
|
| Nomar Garciaparra may be used at shortstop if he returns to the diamond before the injured Rafael Furcal, according to the LA Times. Manager Joe Torre said, "He was taking groundballs at shortstop Tuesday. He volunteered that he could do this. And I certainly would be open to it."
|
Our View: Torre would use Nomar at shortstop, so the team could keep Blake DeWitt at third base. This move could be advantageous (roster flexibility) for Garciaparra owners, if their league allows him to be designated as a shortstop or corner infielder.
|
|
|
|
| Chad Tracy's return to the D-Backs has been slowed by illness, but may return by the end of next week, according to the Arizona Republic. Manager Bob Melvin said he wants to see Tracy play in about a week of games for Triple-A Tucson before activating him. If all goes favorably, Tracy could be activated from the DL by the end of next week. He is recovering from right knee surgery.
|
Our View: Tracy won't beat out Mark Reynolds at third base, or Conor Jackson at first base, so he will have to settle for a backup role when he returns.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Speier has been placed on the 15-day DL, according to the Sports Network. He has been brought down by a right shoulder contusion. The move is retroactive to May 12. The team recalled lefty Josh Newman from Triple-A Colorado Springs to fill his spot on the roster.
|
|
