Answers to fantasy baseball questions (and much more) since 1996
ESPN.com: MLB – Saturday roundup: Percival back on mound
Off the top of my head, wasn’t Percival supposed to spend 10 days in bed? Or at least on the couch? Well, he threw 55 pitches today, and said he feels fine. I never suggest not worrying, but there it looks llike he’s okay for now.
It looks like Roy Oswalt made good use of his time out, no?
ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score: Detroit beats the Yanks
Significant on two levels:
Franklyn German should be considered the Tigers’ closer now, if there was any question. He’s pitching better than earlier in the season, and Trammel seems to now be setting up situations for him.
Jeff Weaver gave up beaucoup hits, and if there’s ever a time to compare results with those of Jose Contreras, back to back games against the anemic Tigers is the time. If David Wells turns out to be ready for his next start, Weaver would appear to be in danger. Still, if he gets sat down, don’t fret. He’ll be back. I promise.
Sox get their man: Swap Hillenbrand for D’backs’ Kim
Grady Little says in this story that once Pedro returns and the starting rotation is set, he’ll move Kim to the closer spot.
And it appears that the call-up of Freddy Sanchez might dim the hopes of owners of Boston’s other infielders. Sanchez won’t get as much playing time as Hillenbrand, but the Red Sox didn’t promote him to sit. He’ll play second base against lefties, spell Nomar from time to time, and fill in at third.
He was a top prospect off to an excellent start this year in Pawtuckett, and well worth using to fill a hole in AL-only leagues.
ESPN.com: MLB – Done deal: Hillenbrand heads to D-Backs for Kim
If you haven’t noticed, Kim has pitched real well this year as a starter. Only his record looks bad, and that’s because the Diamondbacks don’t hit.
I think the Red Sox did real well in this one. Hillenbrand, despite his deficiencies, isn’t a stiff. But he isn’t going to change the tone of Arizona’s attack.
In single leagues go after both these guys aggressively. Are either an all-in FAAB play? Probably not, because either could struggle. But getting a productive player now is very much more useful than getting him at the end of August.
The Seattle Times: Garcia denies off-field rumors
Interesting stuff that suggest Garcia isn’t a wimp, but may be a playboy. I’m not buying it. The talk after he started to struggle last year was that he was afraid to throw his hard stuff, and spent too much time being too clever.
This story opens up other possibilities, but I’ll stick with the cleverness angle.
Dave Boling, up in Tacoma, seems to think that Freddy Garcia just isn’t motivated enough to fix what’s ailing him. He suggests four likely explanations, but then rejects one (he’s tipping his pitches) almost immediately.
The other three: Got big contract and went slacker. Got unmotivated because Mariners argued he didn’t deserve big raise. Got into slump and isn’t dedicated enough to work his way out of it.
Boling argues that the problem isn’t physical because Garcia’s velocity hasn’t taken a hit. And maybe that’s so. But does that really leave “he just doesn’t care” as the only option?
Boling knows Garcia way better than I do, and his story is as much about the way the other M’s might be handling this. But I do think it’s possible for Garcia to want to do well, to work hard to do well, and still not do well.
Not that his good intentions help me any. Garcia and Buehrle are killing me. Get motivated guys!
ESPN.com: MLB – Rock bottom: Mets might lose Piazza for season
It occurs to me that nothing helps Steve Phillips as much as his best players going down with injuries. Mo Vaughn at this point didn’t help him, but losing Mike Piazza for a significant time lowers expectations and makes it harder to blame Phillips for the rather goofy decisions he made putting this team together.
If I owned Piazza I would cling to the hope that Phillips is lowering expectations so that his time just might exceed them. Though that’s unlikely.
This week’s model, with discussions about Ichiro and Bernie, Teixeira and LeCroy, Russ Ortiz and Mark Mulder, and what to do if your team stinks.
Major League Baseball News: Piazza
Piazza could miss the whole season, it says here, though no one knows, it says, how long he’ll be out, really.
There’s not much for Piazza owners to do but hold on tight. At least it didn’t happen while he was catching.
ESPN.com: MLB – With lumber in a slumber, White Sox fire hitting coach
Remember when Daryle Ward was going to be the next big slugger? Just like dear ol’ dad. It’s pretty hard to judge the work of a hitting coach, but all it takes is one Jerry Manuel quote (see the story) to make you sure that Gary may not have been able to fix Daryle’s problems, or Joe Crede’s, but the problem in Chicago is the manager.