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| Manager Eric Wedge commented on top prospect Matt LaPorta, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. When Wedge was asked if LaPorta has a chance to make the 2009 roster out of spring training, he answered, "I don't think he will do that out of spring training. But from what I've heard, he will get our attention."
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Our View: He was the prized prospect acquired in the deal that shipped CC Sabathia to Milwaukee, and will work on furthering his development in the Venezualan Winter League this off-season.
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| Daniel Cabrera received a second opinion on his sprained right elbow, which revealed no further damage, according to the Baltimore Sun. Cabrera was examined earlier this week by University of Miami orthopedist John Uribe. |
Our View: Orioles' GM Andy MacPhail indicated that Cabrera will not require surgery, and just needs rest and time off.
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| Dewayne Wise went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer in Thursday's 6-4 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. |
Our View: He started in left field over Nick Swisher. He hit his first homer since September 19, when be collected two against the Royals.
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| Rookie Evan Longoria went 3-for-3 with three RBI in Thursday's 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. Two of his hits were homers and he led the Rays to their first postseason win. |
Our View: The rookie is quickly establishing himself as the face of the Rays' franchise.
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| James Shields was in control in Thursday's 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field, as he allowed three earned runs on six hits over 6.1 innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. |
Our View: Shields went 14-8 in the regular season with a 3.56 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, and did not disappoint in his first postseason start.
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| Rays third baseman Evan Longoria hit a home run in the first two at-bats of his postseason career, joining Gary Gaetti as the only players in baseball history to do so, according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: Gaetti likely wouldn't be the first name most people think of, but the Birdman did have a nice career, hitting 360 home runs. Gaetti hit the home runs with the Twins in the 1987 ALCS against the Tigers. Minnesota would go on to win the World Series that year.
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| In one of the most tiring traditions in sports, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley bet St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard on who would win the playoff series between the White Sox and Rays, according to the Tampa Tribune. Daley bet polish sausages, and assorted food and drink items from the Chicago area, such as peanuts from Fisher Nuts. The three Florida mayors also bet local food items such as oranges, along with locally made cigars. The two cities also pledged to donate sporting goods (Chicago) and beach wear (St. Petersburg) to 150 children in the Boys and Girls Club. |
Our View: We wonder if the winning mayors will be taxed on these items, as they could certainly be construed as profit, right?
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| Rays first baseman Carlos Pena had to leave the team's playoff game in the third inning due to blurred vision, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Pena, who hit 31 home runs and drove in 102 runs this season, is believed to have suffered the injury sometime at his home. The injury is not considered serious and he is expected to play in Game 2.
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| It is likely that the Minnesota Twins will pick up the $950,00 option for next year on Mike Redmond's contract, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Redmond, the team's backup catcher, hit .287 with no home runs and 12 RBI in 129 at-bats. Joe Mauer sees most of the playing time, eliminating any possible fantasy value Redmond holds.
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| As expected, Rays outfielder Carl Crawford is on the team's ALDS roster, and also in their starting lineup for Game 1, hitting fifth, according to the Tampa Tribune. |
Our View: Crawford wasn't given much chance to play this game after having surgery on his hand more than a month ago. But he defied all odds and will take part in the Rays first-ever postseason game.
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| Trading John Danks to the White Sox for Brandon McCarthy still pains Rangers owner Tom Hicks, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Our staff made the judgment that Danks was two years away, and they were absolutely wrong. The comforting thing for me now is we have a new leader, and if Nolan had been there, we never would have done [the Danks deal]. And we will never trade a No. 1 pick, a left-handed pitcher again," Hicks said. |
Our View: Nolan Ryan is now the team president, and Texas general manager Jon Daniels is basically powerless, the paper reports. Trading young pitching to "win now" is almost never a good idea, and though it works sometimes, there are too many examples where it went wrong. Just see St. Louis trading Dan Haren for Mark Mulder, or the Mets trading Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano for two quick examples.
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| It is possible that Jason Giambi could return to his former team, the Oakland A's, in the offseason, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com. |
Our View: Giambi would return to Oakland a different player than when he left after the 2001 season. He never hit less than .291 in any full season with Oakland, but hit above .271 only in his first season with the Yankees. Not to mention the fact that he wouldn't be as, well, beefy since the last time he was in Oakland's clubhouse.
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| Red Sox starter Josh Beckett will throw a bullpen session on Thursday, which will have a great deal of influence on whether or not he will be able to pitch Game 3 of the team's ALDS against the Angels, according to the Boston Herald. |
Our View: If everything goes as planned, and Beckett feels no ill effects from his strained oblique, then he will be able to pitch Game 3, which will be played Sunday.
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| At his press conference on Wednesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he thinks that Yankees hurler Mike Mussina is leaning towards retirement, according to the Lower Hudson Journal News. |
Our View: Mussina shocked the fantasy world by achieving his first 20-win season this year, to go with a 3.37 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He has 270 career wins, and is a borderline Hall of Fame player.
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| The Minnesota Twins are said to be leaning towards keeping soon-to-be free agent Nick Punto, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Punto is a solid part-time player for Minnesota, hitting .284 with two home runs, 28 RBI and 15 steals in 99 games. He has very little fantasy value because of that, but is the type of player major league teams like to have around.
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| Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin was not put on the team's postseason roster, according to the Boston Globe. "I think our obligations are to put the best out there we can," Boston manager Terry Francona said. |
Our View: Timlin did not have a good season, throwing 49.1 innings and sporting an ERA of 5.66 and WHIP of 1.62.
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| White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin said he is feeling good enough that he believes he will be ready to go if the team makes it to the ALCS, according to the Chicago Tribune. |
Our View: Quentin has been out with a broken right wrist since September, and though some pain resides, he thinks he might be able to play through it.
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| Angels catcher Jeff Mathis will get the start behind home plate in Game 2 of the ALDS to catch Ervin Santana according to the L.A. Times. "From what we're looking at on the defensive side, Jeff and Ervin have been incredible together," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. |
Our View: Mathis and Santana work well together, with Santana's ERA at 3.19 with Mathis behind the plate, compared to 4.68 when regular backstop Mike Napoli catches him.
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| The Los Angeles Angels will make a serious attempt to re-sign first baseman Mark Teixeira when the season concludes, according to the Los Angeles Times. |
Our View: Teixeira figures to be one of the more expensive free agents this offseason. The slugging first baseman was traded from the Braves to the Angels in the middle of the year.
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| Howie Kendrick, returning from a left hamstring injury, struggled in Wednesday's Game 1 loss to the Red Sox. He was 0-for-4 with a strikeout and left six runners on base. |
Our View: Kendrick is usually an excellent contact hitter, but the Red Sox had his number tonight. Don't be surprised if manager Mike Scioscia sits Kendrick if his struggles continue. He has some good options on his bench if he chooses to use them.
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| Torii Hunter was 2-for-3 with the Angels lone RBI. He also drew a walk in Wednesday's 4-1 loss. |
Our View: Hunter hits in a favorable to get RBIs. Each of the three Angels in front of him recorded two hits on the night.
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| David Ortiz stretched his hitting streak in AL division series games to 12 with his ninth-inning RBI single. |
Our View: Ortiz lives for clutch moments and the playoffs are full of them. Expect another big postseason from Big Papi.
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| Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI and also reached base on a three-base error by Gary Matthews. Ellsbury did it on the other side of the ball as well by making a diving catch that robbed Mark Teixeira of a hit. |
Our View: Ellsbury shined in last year's postseason and he's off to another spectacular start this time around. Ellsbury embodies the new look Red Sox who seem to promote speed and defense.
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| John Lackey pitched better than he had of late but it was not good enough for the win in Game 1 of the NLDS. He surrendered a sixth inning home run to Jason Bay that put the Angels behind for the rest of the night. He gave up four hits, two walks and recorded five strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. |
Our View: Lackey stepped it up but Jason Bay got the best of him. Historically, the Red Sox hit Lackey very well.
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| Jason Bay stepped up big in his first career postseason game. He was 2-for-4 with two RBI, both coming on his sixth inning home run off of Angels' starter John Lackey. The hit gave the Red Sox the lead for good in their 4-1 NLDS victory. |
Our View: Bay has played extremely well since coming over to the Red Sox in the Manny Ramirez trade. In 49 games with the Sox, Bay hit .293 with nine home runs, 37 RBI and scored 30 runs. He kept it going on Wednesday.
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| Jon Lester was exceptional in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Angels. He allowed one unearned run over seven innings while striking out seven. The Red Sox have now defeated the Angels 10 straight times in the postseason. |
Our View: Lester seemed to get even better as the game went on and made analyst Dennis Eckersley look like a genius. Eck had said throughout pregame coverage that Lester, not Beckett, was the best pitcher on the Red Sox.
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