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| Mariano Rivera needed 13 pitches to get 1.1 innnings against the Mariners for his 33rd save of the season. He gave up no hits and lowered his ERA to 1.43. |
Our View: The Sandman just doesn't quit. Despite being 38, he currently has the lowest WHIP (0.68) of his Hall-of-Fame career.
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| Raul Ibanez had four RBI against the Yankees on Saturday night to bring his season total to 101. He hit his 26th home run of the season in the sixth inning off of Sidney Ponson. |
Our View: Ibanez is having a great year but its unlikely many are noticing since he's in Seattle. The 36 year old will be a free agent after the season.
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| Jason Giambi went 3-for-5 with a home run and a double on Saturday night. He two runs and two RBI in his west coast effort. |
Our View: The slugger has struggled in the second half but his power has remained consistent. He now has 29 home runs on the season.
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| Bobby Abreu was 3-for-4 in Seattle on Saturday. He scored twice and had three RBI to go with his fourth triple and 16th home run of the season. |
Our View: It was his first home run since August second and his first triple since May 30th. The long time fantasy juggernaut and soon-to-be free agent should still hit 100 RBI and 100 runs this season. He currently has 87 in both categories.
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| MLB.com reports that Jeff Niemann flirted with a no-hitter on Saturday night. The 25-year-old right-hander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and struck out 11 as the Bulls took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-5 International League semifinal series with a 3-2 victory over the Louisville Bats. Louisville had 24 hits the on Thursday. Niemann's no-hit bid ended when Craig Tatum slammed a double off the center-field wall leading off the eighth. |
Our View: Niemann only made two starts for the Rays this season and gave up six runs over 9.1 innings. However, he has been spectacular in the minors and will likely be called up after the minor league playoffs end.
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| Josh Hamilton went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs to push his majors-best RBI total to 124 in a 15-8 victory over the Red Sox on Saturday. |
Our View: Hamilton certainly slowed down after his memorable All-Star weekend but he has been seeing the ball well in September while hitting .524.
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| Chone Figgins hit his first home run in over 400 at bats this season on Saturday. He also doubled and scored twice for the Angels. |
Our View: Figgins had been in a slight slump and it appears he has found his slump-buster. The Angels would like for him to heat up as the playoffs approach.
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| Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run shot in his first game back from dealing with a personal matter. His only hit of the night was not enough as the Red Sox fell to the Rangers 15-8. |
Our View: Youkilis had also been dealing with lower back spasms but those are said to be gone. One of the games better hitters should have a productive September heading into the postseason.
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| Nelson Cruz hit two home runs against the Red Sox on Saturday. He scored three times and had five RBI. He had one home run entering the contest. |
Our View: Cruz was the Pacific Coast League MVP, hitting 37 homers in 103 games before being called up by Texas on Aug. 25. He has three homers in 12 games since. His homers were measured at 444 and 417 feet. He could be a good source of power off of the waiver wire.
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| Jason Bulger had his best outing of the season for the Angels on Saturday night against the White Sox. He threw three no-hit extra frames while striking out five. |
Our View: Entering the game he had only made six appearances and compiled a 6.75 ERA. Allowing him to go three innings shows the Mike Sciossia has faith in the rookie yet.
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| Francisco Rodriguez blew his sixth save of the season on Saturday when Dwayne Wise hit a sacrafice fly to score Alexei Ramirez in the ninth. |
Our View: The Angels went on to lose in 15 innings. After 54 converted save chances, fantasy owners should not have a difficult time forgiving him.
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| Jim Thome's only hit in six at bats on Saturday was a timely one. In the 15th inning, he took Angels' reliever Justin Speier deep for a walk-off home run. |
Our View: The blast helped put another game of distance between the White Sox and the Twins and was Thome's 30th of the season.
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| Tim Wakefield's 500th career appearance was a forgettable one. He lasted just 1.2 innings and gave up seven runs in the process. His control was off as he walked four and allowed four hits. |
Our View: This was Wakefield's worst start of the season by a good margin. Look for him to rebound in his next outing.
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| David DeJesus had his third three-hit game in his last four on Saturday. He added two RBI giving him 63 on the season despite batting in the leadoff spot. |
Our View: DeJesus hits as much from the leadoff position as some of the game's best but he is not a big threat to steal and lacks production behind him.
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| Jack Cust homered twice off of Orioles' pitchers on Saturday. His blasts accounted for three RBI in the A's 5-1 victory over Baltimore. |
Our View: Cust's average is still just .230 and he has 171 strikeouts this year but it's hard to ignore his 27 home runs.
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| Joakim Soria needed just eight pitches in a 1-2-3 ninth inning against the Indians on Saturday night, good for his 35th save of the season. The Royals won 3-1. |
Our View: The Mexicutioner continues to have one of the best seasons of any closer. He figures to be a significant fantasy factor in future seasons.
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| Gil Meche struck out 10 Indians in seven innings on Saturday night as he won his 11th game and his first since August fourth. He gave up just one run on three hits. |
Our View: In 10 starts since the All-Star break, Meche has a 2.83 ERA. All-in-all, this has been a good year for Meche, one making him worthy of fantasy consideration once again.
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| B.J. Ryan blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning of Saturday night's game against Tampa Bay. He struck out two, walked one and allowed one hit - a two-run shot to Rocco Baldelli. |
Our View: It was the fourth time in five nights the veteran was called upon so its likely he was a little fatigued. Expect him to get a couple nights off.
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| Anthony Reyes will likely miss his Wednesday start at Baltimore because of a sore elbow according to ESPN.com. The right-hander left his start Friday at Kansas City after three scoreless innings and 39 pitches due to elbow stiffness. |
Our View: Reyes said his elbow felt better on Saturday, but the Indians will likely be cautious because of his prior elbow problems. He was on the St. Louis Cardinals disabled list earlier this season with an elbow injury. The elbow was "a little stiff" warming up Friday, Reyes said. "I tried to do everything I could to loosen up, but it just wasn't happening. We're just being cautious and trying not to push it too much. It felt pretty good my last few starts. This is kind of a new thing." Reyes is 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts with the Indians since being acquired in a July 26 trade with the Cardinals.
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| Jim Leyland said he hoped that Dontrelle Willis would be able to start for the Tigers before the season is over according to the AP. He threw a simulated game on Tuesday in which he hit 94 mph on the radar gun. |
Our View: Willis was a disaster in April and has had a tumultuous season in the minors. He now finally appears like he may be nearing his major league comeback.
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| Nate Robertson will start Tuesday in place of Kenny Rogers according to the AP. He had previously been designated for bullpen duty. |
Our View: Robertson could use a good start. He has a 7.45 ERA since the All-Star break and has given up 18 earned runs in his last 14 innings.
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| MLB.com reports that Sean Gallagher threw 75 pitches in a rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday, feeling no lingering effects of the shoulder fatigue that has kept him out of the rotation since Aug. 19. "I feel good," Gallagher said Saturday. "I felt good going out there and was able to locate my pitches and pitch how I wanted to pitch, and how I know I'm able to." |
Our View: Gallagher will start on Wednesday but don't get excited. He is a below average fantasy player for now, but he will likely be a full-time member of the A's 2009 rotation.
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| Marlon Byrd is out of the starting lineup on Saturday with a sprained thumb. He hurt his thumb while diving for a ball on Friday. |
Our View: Its unclear how severe the injury is at this time but we will update as more information becomes available. Byrd had been hot recently and was named the August player of the month for the Rangers.
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| Fernando Rodney picked up his ninth save of the season with a wild ninth inning on Saturday. He loaded the bases before getting Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau out to end the game. |
Our View: Rodney has not been a reliable closer for the Tigers but he was able to get it done on Saturday. His ERA is down to 4.42. On the road he is 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA.
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| Milton Bradley was scratched from Saturday's lineup due to wrist soreness according to the Star-Telegram. He said to be available to pinch-hit. |
Our View: Bradley does not figure to miss multiple games with this ailment. He remains an excellent play in fantasy leagues.
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| Curtis Granderson hit a two-run home run in the eighth to tie up the game with the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers went on to win 6-4. He also added his 23rd double of the year. |
Our View: The Tigers leadoff hitter is third on the team in home runs with 18 behind Miguel Cabrera and Marcus Thames. He has a .318 avg and a .983 OPS since the All-Star break.
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| Magglio Ordonez missed the cycle by a mere single on Saturday against the Twins. His eighth inning home run put the Tigers on top for good. He finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. |
Our View: Ordonez now has a 10-game hitting streak indicating what could be a strong finish to his season. His triple was just his second of the year.
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| Troy Percival, who has not recorded a save since August 13th, blew an opportunity on Saturday against the Blue Jays. Entering the game in the 13th, he loaded the bases before allowing a walk-off grand slam to veteran catcher Gregg Zaun. |
Our View: Percival has not complained about his knee which had been severe enough to put him on the DL in August. However, in his two appearances since his return, he has allowed two home runs and six earned runs while recording just four outs. Although nothing has been mentioned, it is possible that he may be in danger of losing his everyday closer's job.
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| Lyle Overbay hit two solo home runs off of Rays' starter James Shields in Saturday's 7-4 extra-inning victory. He now has 14 home runs on the season. |
Our View: Overbay is a very mediocre first baseman and should only be owned in deeper formats.
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| Rocco Baldelli had a pinch-hit 9th-inning home run off of Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan on Saturday. It was his third home run since August 22nd. He finished the game 2-for-3. |
Our View: It's good to see the talented yet oft-injured Baldelli swinging the bat well. Since returning in August he is hitting .357 but remains a fourth outfielder for the Rays.
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| 37-year old Gregg Zaun capped off a big game with a 13th inning walk-off grand slam off of Rays' closer Troy Percival. He finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBI and a walk. |
Our View: This was just a spot start for the veteran but he made the most of it. Rod Barajas will continue to make the majority of the starts for the Blue Jays behind the dish.
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| Shaun Marcum pitched seven shutout innings against the Rays in Saturday's 7-4 13-inning victory. He left with a no decision. It was his first game since August 22 and since returning from the disabled list. He recorded seven strikeouts, three walks and four hits. |
Our View: Marcum pitched better than most expected and it appears that he will return as a fantasy impact starter for the remainder of the season.
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| Nick Swisher is starting in left field in place of the injured Carlos Quentin today against the Angels, according to the Chicago Tribune. Ken Griffey Jr. is roaming center field with Jermaine Dye in right. |
Our View: Swisher is going to see action in left field the rest of the way. He remains in a hitting slump as he only registered two hits over his last six games.
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| Kenny Rogers will miss his next scheduled start, according to the Detroit Free Press. Manager Jim Leyland believes he is dealing with a painful hip and said, "It's not his arm. I think he needs to freshen up his body a little bit and get his hip a little better." |
Our View: He will return to the rotation a week from Saturday to battle the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Rogers' next start would have been Tuesday, and Leyland indicated that Nate Robertson may come out of the bullpen to fill his spot.
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| Evan Longoria has been activated from the DL following his recovery from a fractured right wrist, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: The rookie still can’t hit, but will be available for late-inning defense and pinch-running as needed. This is something he wanted to do as he nears full strength. Longoria won't be ready to return to the starting lineup for at least a few days, and manager Joe Maddon previously stated that he wasn't expecting him to return until next Friday's game at Yankee Stadium.
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| Alfredo Aceves will replace Darrell Rasner in the Yankees' rotation, according to Newsday. |
Our View: He is slated for his first start Tuesday against the Angels. He held the Rays to one run over five innings of relief, and is worth a look as a flier in AL-only leagues.
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| Jim Johnson has been shut down for the remainder of the season after an MRI revealed some abnormalities in his injured shoulder, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: The ailment isn't considered very serious or a long-range issue, but the team feels it is best to end his season early.
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| Evan Longoria, who is recovering from a fractured right wrist, reportedly felt no pain after taking 30 swings with a regular bat Saturday, according to the AP. He hopes to take batting practice Monday and feels he is close to 100 percent. |
Our View: Manager Joe Maddon would like to see Longoria have two or three days of batting practice, possibly with a day of rest in between, before activating him off the DL, meaning Longoria could return as soon as Friday’s game at New York.
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| Eider Torres has been designated for assignment by the Orioles, according to the Baltimore Sun. The Orioles also recalled infielder Brandon Fahey from Norfolk and selected the contracts of catcher Omir Santos and pitcher Alfredo Simon from the Triple-A roster.
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Our View: Torres has the versatility to play multiple positions in the infield, but his bat is lacking and does not merit fantasy consideration.
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| The Orioles purchased the contract of Alfredo Simon from Triple-A Norfolk, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: He was previously released by the Dodgers, and has bounced around with the Rangers and Phillies. He will hold no fantasy value as a middle reliever with the Orioles.
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| Brandon Fahey has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: Fahey only hit .239 over 42 games in his previous stint with Baltimore this season, and displays no power at all. He does not merit fantasy consideration.
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| Fernando Cabrera has been released by the Orioles, according to the Baltimore Sun. The Orioles also recalled infielder Brandon Fahey from Triple-A Norfolk and purchased the contracts of catcher Omir Santos and pitcher Alfredo Simon from the Triple-A roster.
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Our View: Cabrera struggled over 28.1 innings of relief with a 5.40 ERA and 1.73 WHIP.
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| David Aardsma, who has been battling a groin ailment, intends to throw live batting practice today, according to the Providence Journal. |
Our View: If that goes favorably without a setback, manager Terry Francona said the Red Sox would figure how to bring Aardsma along so he can contribute out of the bullpen.
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| Tropical Storm Hanna has washed out the first game of today's scheduled doubleheader between Oakland and Baltimore, according to the AP. |
Our View: The first game is postponed and the second game will be played if the rain subsides by early evening.
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| Manager Ozzie Guillen stated that Joe Crede could miss the remainder of the 2008 campaign after experiencing recurring pain in his lower back on Tuesday, according to the Chicago Tribune. Crede will get a second opinion on his back but Guillen said, "I don't expect him to be back anytime soon. Joe is not going to be with us, and I don't expect him to be back this season."
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Our View: This is another tough loss for the White Sox, who will also be without home run leader Carlos Quentin for the rest of the year. Chicago is currently only 1.5 games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central race. Juan Uribe should continue to roam third base, with Josh Fields getting some occasional playing time.
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| Justin Verlander, who lost 15 games this season, is working on his mechanics, according to MLive.com. He only lasted 1.2 innings in his last outing and said, "I didn't feel very good and my control was erratic." The team found some changes in his delivery from previous seasons and are looking to fix his mechanics. Bullpen coach Jeff Jones said, "We are looking for Justin to create the same down angle as he comes down on the mound, and to see that his lower body is on target long enough." Verlander noted that he had a good bullpen session to work on those points, adding that work on mechanics for "muscle memory" must take place before changes carry over to the mound on game days.
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Our View: Fantasy owners shouldn't expect much from him for the remainder of September, but hopefully he can continue to work on his issues in the off-season and bounce back strong in 2009.
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| Michael Cuddyer is progressing from his broken foot as he took swings and played catch for the first time Friday since sustaining the injury, according to the Star Tribune. He said, "I can throw, and I can swing. I just can't run."
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Our View: Cuddyer is hopeful the foot will feel well enough to run in about seven to 10 days. He remains optimistic that he will be able to play before the regular season ends September 28.
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| Joe Nathan commented on Chicago's loss of Carlos Quentin, according to the Star Tribune. Quentin is likely done for the season due a broken wrist and Nathan said, "I feel bad for him. You'd like to see him finish off a really good season. Ask any one of us, we'd much rather try to beat them at full strength. We wish him the best. Hopefully, he'll have a speedy recovery, but it will definitely help us out not having that guy in the lineup the way he's been swinging the bat." |
Our View: Chicago remains on top of the AL Central division with a 1.5 game lead over Minnesota. Quentin was without a doubt the MVP of the White Sox with 36 home runs and 100 RBI.
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| Tim Wakefield is scheduled to make his 500th appearance with the Red Sox tonight, according to the Boston Globe. Wakefield is also the first player in team history with at least 500 appearances and 350 starts. |
Our View: He and Bob Stanley (637) are the only pitchers in team history to reach the mark. Wakefield is also the 46th player to reach the milestone for one team.
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| J.D. Drew, who is recovering from a herniated disc, will try to face live batting practice today, according to the Boston Globe. Manager Terry Francona said, "We'll kind of see where he is. He said it seems like he takes a step forward and then one back. So we'll just see where he's at. I think he's hoping that he's only maybe a couple, three days away. Until it goes away, we'll just deal with it."
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Our View: He is anxious to return, and is hopeful the ailment won't flare up again. Fantasy owners can count on him to play hard and give his best effort when he does return.
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