Sometimes a minor trade occurs in the final days of spring training and it gets buried because the names aren't interesting to fantasy owners. So it is that we report the Braves traded Josh Anderson to the Tigers on Monday for Rudy Darrow. Ho hum, right?
Well, while Anderson is no longer on my sleeper list because his playing time is likely to take a hit in a star-studded Detroit outfield, this is actually big news in fantasy: The Braves appear willing to let prospect Jordan Schafer start the season in center field. No Anderson, no Gregor Blanco, it's time for Schafer to get his chance, and that is very interesting for fantasy.
Schafer was someone fantasy owners started to watch a season ago, but that season went awry with a 50-game suspension for testing positive for human growth hormone. Schafer hit and ran enough after a slow start with Double-A Mississippi to stay on the fantasy radar, and this spring he's hitting .373. He's already major league-ready defensively, but how much will he help owners this season? I don't think he's on the level of Cameron Maybin just yet, maybe not even Colby Rasmus (who now might not make the Cardinals after all) for sheer cumulative numbers in home runs and steals, but Schafer is an upgrade fantasy-wise over Anderson and Blanco, a potential top-50 outfielder and borderline draftable in mixed leagues right now. And I also like this move for middle infielders Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar. It's assumed each will hit in the top two lineup spots now, whereas with Anderson around, one of them was in danger of hitting low in the lineup. Schafer, a lefty hitter who hasn't proven he can hit lefty pitchers, is likely to hit seventh or eighth. The Braves need outfield production in 2009, just one season after getting arguably the worst numbers from its outfield in the majors, and Schafer does have upside.
As for the Tigers, Anderson gives them a bona fide backup center fielder in case something befalls Curtis Granderson, a guy who can play all three outfield spots, a left-handed hitter and someone who can also steal a base. That said, despite moving quickly through the Houston chain before bring traded to Atlanta for Oscar Villarreal in November 2007, Anderson has never been viewed as a top prospect like Schafer was. He's merely a backup. Detroit is counting on Carlos Guillen, Granderson and Magglio Ordonez for big numbers, but Guillen is hardly durable, and current fourth outfielder Marcus Thames is an all-or-nothing power bat and not a strong fielder. The team released Gary Sheffield on Tuesday (more on that below) to make room for Anderson, but we do wonder if this means Clete Thomas, Ryan Raburn and possibly Brent Clevlen won't make the team. Anderson should end up with around 300 at-bats this season, and he could steal 15-20 bases and hit for a decent average. Consider him a decent dollar pick in AL-only formats.
As for Darrow, I'm surprised the emerging sidearmer was dealt with the Tigers' bullpen being such a mess right now. Joel Zumaya is on the DL, Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon have been ineffective this spring, and the other relievers the team is likely to keep are either unproven (Ryan Perry, Eddie Bonine) or past their prime (Scott Williamson, Juan Rincon). The Braves won't need the sinkerballer Darrow on their major league roster let alone anywhere near the back end of the bullpen, so in terms of fantasy value, Darrow probably lost an opportunity leaving an ugly bullpen for a decent one.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Slugger Gary Sheffield is out of a job … for now.
• As for Sheffield's release, I can't say it's a big surprise. The guy did hit only .225 a season ago, and he's 40 years old. It is stunning the Tigers would eat $14 million, though. I think some team will sign Sheffield on the cheap, but fantasy owners should note the potential for 20 homers isn't worth the bad batting average. He might be done helping mixed-league owners.
• I'm normally a cautious fantasy drafter, often eschewing hitters with low on-base percentages because I feel it limits their upside in other categories. As a result, many readers and listeners, and even those in the Bristol office, have been surprised to see me heavily touting second-year middle infielder Alexei Ramirez. He easily made my top 50, and I'm expecting big things from him in 2009. Of course, the knee injury Ramirez suffered when he slid into home plate Monday could change all that. For now, we have to hope Ramirez simply cut his knee and did no other damage, but we'll keep an eye on this.
• In other news from White Sox camp, the team released Jerry Owens. No, he's not necessarily headed to Triple-A, he's just gone. Owens entered camp as the leading contender to lead off and play center field, and that combination, along with his blazing speed, surely enticed fantasy owners. This guy could steal 50 bases even with a .300 on-base percentage. A month into spring training he still couldn't hit a lick, and manager Ozzie Guillen realized Owens wasn't his man. Look for Owens to find work elsewhere -- the Reds seem to always target players like this -- but his fantasy value is nearly gone. Dewayne Wise and Brian Anderson will platoon in center field, and neither are overly interesting in fantasy, although we should note Wise was a perfect 9-for-9 in steal chances with the big club, in only 57 games.
• The Phillies ended speculation about who will pitch Opening Night against the Braves -- remember, it's this Sunday on ESPN and ESPN Radio -- by officially ruling out Cole Hamels. Instead, the lefty will pitch the day before in an exhibition game against Tampa Bay. Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee says he's encouraged about the progress Hamels and his elbow have made, and targets April 10 for his first start. Regardless, fantasy owners should not be concerned; very few pitchers make every single start in a season, and even last year Hamels made "only" 33. Brett Myers is expected to start Sunday. If you own Hamels, you don't want him pushed too hard. You want better numbers in 30 starts, not a chance for 34 starts and an elbow injury.
• The news on John Lackey of the Angels is worse, though. The team used the teasing word encouraged to describe the latest MRI results on Lackey's right elbow, but there remains inflammation, and the best-case scenario has the right-hander returning in late April or early May. Fantasy owners should act more cautiously with Lackey; that's a month of starts, and he had a similar injury that cost him even more time in 2008.
• The Cardinals still haven't made it official that Jason Motte is the team's closer, but now we have some closure that it won't be Chris Perez, at least not initially after he was sent to Triple-A Memphis. Perez, the team's first-round pick in 2006 and still likely the closer of the future, could still get his chance in the majors this season, but it's now Motte's job to lose, and there are no indications he's going to lose it. He's not a top-20 closer yet, but with his stuff, all he needs is experience, and he'll get there soon.
• Yes, that was me saying "I would never draft Rich Harden" on the Baseball Tonight Fantasy Special last week, and I stick by the comment. On Monday, Harden threw 4 2/3 messy innings against the Royals, allowing three home runs and five earned runs. Harden hadn't pitched in more than two weeks after suffering food poisoning. It's always something with this guy. Harden pronounced himself ready to go. We'll see him again in spring training at least once, as he's not scheduled to pitch in the regular season until April 10. I'm skeptical that he'll make 20 starts in 2009, though I'm sure they will be really good ones.
• Will Ohman finally found work Monday, waiting until the final week of spring training to sign his below-market contract with the Dodgers. Ohman has no fantasy value, but now that Joe Torre has another lefty, more of a one-out guy to work with (like Joe Beimel a year ago), it could signal Hong-Chih Kuo is the next in line for saves if Jonathan Broxton struggles. Many teams are reluctant to use their lone lefty to close games, preferring to spot them in key spots in the seventh or eighth innings. Now that Ohman can do that, Kuo is freed up for work later in games.
• I haven't seen many official lineups announced recently, but they're coming. Mets manager Jerry Manuel tipped his hand Monday, saying left fielder Danny Murphy was going to hit second in the order, between Jose Reyes and David Wright. Murphy bats left-handed and will surely see better pitches in the No. 2 spot, as opposed to the No. 8 spot, where Luis Castillo is rightfully buried. It's tough to be high on Castillo, and this move doesn't help. Murphy, however, could be a real breakout performer, a double-double guy with strong plate discipline.
• The Indians placed corner outfielder Dave Dellucci on the 15-day DL because of a strained right calf, clearing the way for prospect Trevor Crowe to make his major league debut. Crowe has slipped quite a bit in prospect rankings, as the former first-round pick hasn't hit much in the minors. But he is 6-for-6 in stolen bases this spring, and the Indians might not have the longest leash with starting corner outfielders Shin-Soo Choo and Ben Francisco.
• When an office worker gets carpal tunnel syndrome, it's certainly not fun, but they're not throwing 90-mph fastballs a thousand-plus times a season. Many fantasy owners probably have carpal tunnel syndrome, but how many major league pitchers do? Few hurlers can produce nasty pitching lines like Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo, who managed to allow 14 hits and 10 runs in 4 2/3 innings Sunday, in a spring game! Arroyo now blames his poor spring performance on carpal tunnel, which could lead to a DL stint. Must be typing too much. Speaking of which, time for me to stop typing.
• Yankees manager Joe Girardi announced that Brett Gardner has won the center-field competition over Melky Cabrera, and this is a significant fantasy development given Gardner's speed and stolen base potential. He went 13-of-14 in stolen base attempts in just 127 at-bats last season, and has averaged 49 steals per year in his past three seasons of pro ball. He has some on-base ability, and though he won't hit for any pop, Gardner has the potential to be the kind of fantasy contributor like Scott Podsednik was, back when he was playing every day from 2003 to 2006.
As for Cabrera, he'll remain on the roster as a reserve outfielder, with Nick Swisher also around to grab some at-bats. Even playing five times per week, Gardner has the potential to have some mixed-league value if you're desperate for speed, though you might want to be cautious about deploying him in head-to-head leagues.
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• Eric Chavez, who has been out for much of the spring while dealing with his surgically repaired shoulder, is expected to play Monday, which would be the first time this spring that he has played in consecutive games. If things go well this week, he could be on the roster when the season opens. Of course, how many at-bats he's going to be able to take before inevitably winding up on the disabled list again is a complete wild card given his checkered injury history, but if he's healthy it means Daric Barton likely will start the season at Triple-A.
• Dustin McGowan continues to have discomfort in his own surgically repaired shoulder, and the team Web site quoted manager Cito Gaston as saying, "I don't know when he's going to come back, I really don't. I'm not sure if he's going to come back at all this year." With McGowan still experiencing pain, it's probably safe to remove him from your draft lists in AL leagues.
The Jays are also not expecting Casey Janssen, who was penciled in for one of their rotation spots, to be ready before May, as his progress has slowed from a shoulder injury. He's still just throwing lightly off flat ground.
• Stephen Drew's strained abdomen apparently was not too serious, as he returned to action Sunday and had two hits. He should be all set for the start of the season if there are no setbacks this week.
• The Indians' team Web site reports that Victor Martinez will catch anywhere from 90 to 130 games this season, and play first or DH the rest of the time. The bottom line is he will be in the lineup on most days somewhere. What this means is Kelly Shoppach most likely will catch two of out of every five days. At the very least, he will be the personal catcher for Cliff Lee. As expected, Martinez will cut into a good chunk of Ryan Garko's and Travis Hafner's potential playing time.
• The Mariners sent Jeff Clement back to Triple-A to work on his defense; the signing of Ken Griffey hurt Clement's chances of seeing time at DH. Rob Johnson will back up Kenji Johjima for the time being. It's possible Clement may be down for only a month or two, waiting for an injury to open up a spot, but given his defensive woes and his two previous knee surgeries, another position may be in his future.
• Matt Lindstrom threw a successful bullpen session Sunday as he recovers from his WBC shoulder injury, and he's expected to face live hitters Tuesday. If all goes well, he'll be on track to be the Marlins' closer on Opening Day, but he's being kept out of games in case the team needs to backdate a short stint on the disabled list.
• The Tigers put both Joel Zumaya (shoulder) and Dontrelle Willis (anxiety disorder) on the disabled list, and don't have a timetable for either to return.
• Though Max Scherzer technically will start the year on the disabled list, it's just a procedural move. He will remain in extended spring training to get ready for his first start on April 14, but set to begin the season.
• Manager Ken Macha put Carlos Villanueva back in the running to close games for the Brewers while Trevor Hoffman is out, after Villanueva pitched better in recent weeks. He also mentioned Todd Coffey as a consideration. Hoffman played catch Sunday and is still expected to miss the first couple of weeks. For now, expect a couple of early saves out of Villanueva.
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• Kelvim Escobar was touching 94 mph in a minor league game this weekend in his comeback from shoulder surgery, and the Angels are hopeful they can plug him into their depleted rotation in May. Don't forget about him in AL-only leagues, as he should be available in the endgame.
• Pirates GM Neal Huntington told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Andrew McCutchen is "making it tough" to send him back to Triple-A to start the season, but reiterated that Nyjer Morgan is the starting left fielder. McCutchen was eventually reassigned to the minors Sunday. Despite that news, Morgan's hold on that position is extremely tenuous, and he can't afford a slow April.
• Though it is not official yet, it appears that Micah Owings will start the year as the Reds' No. 5 starter, with Homer Bailey a part of the bullpen. Owings will have to get off to a good start to keep his role, but he could be a deep sleeper in NL formats.
• Franklin Morales is another deep sleeper for NL formats, especially as it appears he won the Rockies' fifth-starter job by default Sunday when Greg Smith left his spring start with the proverbial "dead arm." That said, the Rockies' schedule gives them three days off in early April, so they won't need a fifth starter for much of the month.
• Cha Seung Baek left his Sunday start with a forearm strain, putting his first scheduled start of the season, on April 8, in jeopardy. By all accounts, the strain appears to be mild, so he may just wind up missing one outing at the beginning of the season. Baek is an endgame play in NL leagues given his repertoire and favorable home park, but has to show he can be durable enough to take the ball every fifth day.
• With the Padres trading Chris Burke to the Mariners on Sunday, it means Rule 5 pick Everth Cabrera will make the club in a reserve role, and his speed (73 steals last season), makes him worth a spot on NL-only reserve lists. He's going to have to show that big league pitchers can't knock the bat out of his hands, but his wheels and glove are assets.
Lou Piniella apparently has gotten tired of holding that second shoe, since he's been keeping it aloft all spring. Based solely on spring performances, it was clear that Kevin Gregg had done enough to win the closer's job in Chicago. For one thing, he was there in front of the manager's eyes, throwing 8 1/3 shutout innings in nine appearances for the Cubs, while Carlos Marmol struggled for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Still, Piniella declined to give Gregg the job outright, continuing to hold out hope that Marmol would come around. Finally, though, on Sunday, Piniella made the call we all expected, as the Chicago Tribune reports that Gregg has been named the Cubs' closer.
Marmol certainly has struggled this spring, with a 4.50 ERA and five hit batters in eight innings with the Cubs. However, Piniella definitely had reason to be confident in Marmol. He had a 2.68 ERA in 82 appearances for the Cubs last season, including seven saves to go along with 114 strikeouts. He was also incredibly effective against the first batter he faced, a key asset for any potential closer. The combined on-base percentage for the first hitter to face Marmol in a game for the season was a mere .185.
Now Gregg has saved 61 games over the past two seasons, but that was in Florida, and it's always difficult to expect a manager to have confidence in a pitcher he hasn't seen day in, day out. That's why the hesitation to name him the closer wasn't surprising. And there is some reason for concern. Gregg's OBP for the first batter to face him last season was .278 and he isn't exactly a strikeout machine, with only 58 K's in 68 1/3 innings in 2008.
Still, Gregg has the closer's job for the time being and Marmol does not, meaning that Marmol's current place as the No. 12 overall relief pitcher (ADP: 123.4) is due for a huge and immediate decline. Likewise, Gregg should find himself far higher than No. 31 (ADP: 219.3) very quickly. But remember, folks, that it isn't even April yet, and the tide can change very quickly. If you've already drafted Marmol, there's no need to throw him back into the free-agent pool just yet. He may well end up the Cubs' closer at some point this season, and could find himself reaching double digits in saves even if Gregg has a lot of success in the position.
Meanwhile, in Seattle, Brandon Morrow told the Seattle Times that he is the team's closer; today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future. Now the team and manager Don Wakamatsu have yet to confirm this bit of breaking news, but the fact the Mariners released closer candidate Tyler Walker certainly doesn't do anything to contradict Morrow's view. Morrow said a permanent move to the pen, and away from a potential spot in the starting rotation, was his idea. "Once they traded J.J., I thought, I kept going back and forth and back and forth,'' he told the Seattle Times. "Two or three weeks before I came to them with it, it's really kind of been just weighing on me. I just felt like a big relief when I went back to the bullpen because I feel that's like my home now. I've been there two years and I don't know if I could go back.'' This news, if it proves to be true, will certainly benefit the likes of Ryan Rowland-Smith, who will probably get the starter's spot many felt belonged to Morrow and effectively kills any fantasy value that relievers Miguel Batista, Roy Corcoran, or the injured Chad Cordero might have had. After all, if the Mariners go with Brandon today, come the summer, they're certainly going to continue to go to Morrow.
The news keeps getting worse for the Angels. The L.A. Times reports that John Lackey is expected to start the season on the disabled list. Manager Mike Scioscia told the paper that "right now, it's definitely unlikely" Lackey will be ready to pitch the April 6 season opener against Oakland. An MRI showed inflammation in Lackey's throwing elbow and with the starting rotation already depleted because of injuries to Ervin Santana and Kelvim Escobar, this was probably the last thing that the team needed to hear.
The missing trio, and their combined 252 career wins, were supposed to anchor one of the deepest staffs in the league, but now Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver will be joined in the rotation by the likes of Dustin Moseley and his 5.52 career ERA, the inexperienced Nick Adenhart, who didn't make it out of the sixth inning in any of his three May starts last season, and Shane Loux who last started a game in the big leagues back in 2003. For his part, Scioscia is trying to put a positive spin on things: "We have starting pitching depth, but right now we're stretching it as far as we're comfortable with," Scioscia told the Times. "But we're very comfortable with the way Adenhart is throwing, the way Loux has been throwing, and Moseley is reaching his projected talent level -- he's throwing the ball as well as he has in his life. Obviously, any rotation without Lackey, Santana and Escobar is not going to be as strong, but we have confidence these guys are going to give us a chance to win."
Still, this latest development has to give all fantasy owners pause before selecting one of the Angels' injury-ravaged trio; certainly Lackey will no longer be given No. 1 starter status in ESPN standard drafts, and with such a hit to the starting pitching as a whole Brian Fuentes' value as closer is also sure to plummet, as those save situations, at least for April, should be few and far between. I think it might be time for the Angels to give Pedro Martinez a call. After his strong performance with the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic, several teams expressed interest in the veteran, but few have as dire a situation as the Angels … and the Angels' situation is dire, especially after Shane Loux's performance on Friday -- he allowed seven earned runs in only four innings against Arizona. If Loux doesn't do much better in his next start -- Wednesday in the spring finale against the Rangers -- Fern Cuza (Pedro's agent) had best be waiting by the phone.
• The Braves announced that starting pitching phenom Tommy Hanson won't make the major league club, reassigning him to Triple-A. Considering Hanson has thrown 98 innings above Class A, this wasn't completely unexpected, but the young righty did post a 2.45 ERA and fan 14 batters in 14 2/3 innings in four spring appearances. As the Rays are doing with David Price, the Braves might simply be trying to limit Hanson's major league service time; if they bring him up in late May, Hanson (and Price) will avoid becoming Super-Two players, and thus have their arbitration eligibility delayed a year. Now, the Rays avoided this issue with Evan Longoria in '08 (after they sent him down at the beginning of April) by signing him to a six-year deal with three club-option years, so he's under Tampa's control until he's 31. But that hasn't happened (yet) with Price or Hanson, which leads me to believe we won't see either guy in the first third of the season.
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• The Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles will send catching prospect Matt Wieters to the minors Monday. The 22-year-old prospect has hit .343 so far this spring, but these demotions of stud prospects are less about whether the team can get help from a player right away and more about saving a year of eligibility. Gregg Zaun will be Baltimore's catcher to begin the year, and Wieters likely will come to the majors in late May.
• There was lineup news out of the Bronx on Thursday, as Joe Girardi has decided to flip-flop Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter in the Yankees' order. Jeter will now be the leadoff hitter, while Damon will hit No. 2. Newsday reports that Girardi "likes the way Damon has looked" while hitting second this spring, which encouraged him to make the change. The newspaper also speculates that this could mean Brett Gardner is ahead of Melky Cabrera for the Yankees' center-field gig: If Gardner hits ninth, moving Damon to second would split up the two left-handed hitters in the order. Fantasy-wise, this could mean a slight runs bump for Jeter, but those who interpret this as an indication that the shortstop will steal more bases are probably mistaken. After thieving just 15 and 11 bags the past two years, that part of Jeter's game seems to be on the serious wane.
• Charlie Manuel told The Philadelphia Inquirer that his Opening Day lineup will include both Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz. This had been expected, but in Utley's case, it's still very nice to hear. Whether or not you can still draft Utley as fantasy's best second baseman depends on whether you believe his surgically repaired hip can hold up to six months of pounding. I tend to think he'll have a small drop in production, but that he's elevated himself back to being the No. 1 2B. But I think I'd still be too scared to grab him in the first round of a mixed league.
• The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Brewers management told Ryan Braun not to swing a bat for the next few days because of the strained muscle in his side. Braun told reporters the injury is a "non-issue," and that the team is being overcautious, and that an MRI reportedly showed no significant damage. But Braun has also said that his current injury is related to the one that caused him to struggle through most of last September, so the Brewers' concern seems justified. The team does still expect Braun to be ready to go for Opening Day.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Carlos Marmol's draft stock has dropped a bit given the uncertainty over his role in the Cubs' bullpen.
• The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Lou Piniella expects to decide on the Cubs' closer this weekend. He'll be choosing between Carlos Marmol, who struggled in the World Baseball Classic, and Kevin Gregg, who's been relatively unconscious this spring. This is clearly a very important fantasy decision, and I'm guessing Sweet Lou is looking for any excuse to pick Marmol. But Marmol got lit up Thursday night, allowing two runs in an inning. We'll get the official word on this decision before Monday.
• As for another NL closers' battle, the Rockies' Clint Hurdle tells the Denver Post he'll choose between Huston Street and Manny Corpas in the next few days, and that Street has narrowed the gap between the two pitchers with some fine spring outings of late.
• The L.A. Times reports that Brian Fuentes looked better in his Thursday outing, though they didn't discuss whether his velocity actually returned. Angels manager Mike Scioscia still seems adamant that his new closer will be ready to go on Opening Day, though. Fuentes has a stiff back, which bodes poorly for a ton of use this year. I'm treading just a little bit lightly right now when it comes to Fuentes.
• Francisco Cordero had another terrible outing Thursday night, walking two, throwing a wild pitch and allowing three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Like Fuentes, Cordero has had velocity troubles this spring. The Reds don't seem to think their closer is hurt, but he's another guy you need to be wary of right now, if only because he's returning from ankle surgery. If Cordero were to spit the bit early in the year, one assumes Jared Burton or David Weathers would get first crack. If that were the case, I'd certainly like Burton more.
• The L.A. Times reports that Ervin Santana officially will miss the season's first month because of a sprained ligament in his elbow. The good news is that Santana has already begun a throwing program, and, barring a setback, looks likely to avoid surgery. The Angels' rotation is in relatively dire straits right now: Kelvim Escobar probably won't be ready to go at the season's outset, Santana is out and John Lackey has elbow tightness that caused him to miss his most recent scheduled spring start. Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver are fine (so far), and Dustin Moseley seems penciled into the rotation because of Escobar's recovery from shoulder surgery. Now Nick Adenhart and Shane Loux look likely to battle for Santana's rotation spot (Adenhart has the lead there). If Lackey can't go on Opening Day, both of those kids could find themselves in the rotation.
• So much for Justin Duchscherer as my favored sleeper. The Duke's draft value was super-low through all of March because of elbow problems, but in recent weeks he had been making noise about how he felt better, and thought he might even be ready to pitch in the season's first week. Scratch that. The A's official site reports that Duchscherer didn't last an inning Thursday night in a minor league game, and is now virtually certain to start the year on the disabled list. Bob Geren told the San Francisco Chronicle that there's no chance Duchscherer pitches the first week of the regular season, and the paper suggests that "exploratory surgery might be the next step." That isn't good.
• Cole Hamels threw a 48-pitch bullpen session Thursday, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, and reported no pain in his left elbow. He's scheduled to throw 70 pitches against the Red Sox on Saturday.
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• Chad Billingsley, who was scheduled to throw a bit on the side to test his strained groin Thursday, didn't perform that test and was scratched from his next spring start, according to the Dodgers' official site. The team is reportedly still hoping Billingsley will throw a bullpen session Friday.
• The Braves announced that Rafael Soriano might begin the year on the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his side. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Braves aren't exactly sure of the extent of Soriano's injury, which occurred Tuesday, so there's a chance he'll be OK to go to start the year. But it sounds as though they're bracing for the worst from their primary setup man.
• No need to worry about Torii Hunter's face, which was struck by a batted ball that bounced off the center-field wall and smacked his nose. Hunter returned to the Angels' lineup Thursday night and drilled two homers.
In the course of just a few months, David Price has gone from a legendary playoff hero to a member of the Triple-A Durham Bulls. When the move in which the Tampa Bay Rays sent David Price down to the minors came across the transaction wire Wednesday, no doubt many fantasy owners had to read and reread the announcement so that it could sink in, since it seemingly came out of nowhere. After all, Price currently has an ADP of 166.1, making him a No. 4 starter on fantasy staffs in mixed leagues, and now he won't even be the No. 5 starter for the Rays in April.
So what happened? After Price's last scheduled start was rained out, the writing was clearly on the wall. Manager Joe Maddon told the New York Times that, simply put, Price needs a bit more work in order to make it in the big leagues as a starter. "Everybody saw him on the big stage last year pitching in brief spurts as a relief pitcher," Maddon said. "He's going to be a starter with us, and there's a difference with that. If you look at his track record in the minor leagues, he has done well, but a lot of high pitch counts after four or five innings, etc. We don't want that to be a part of his game."
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The added benefit of the demotion, from the Rays' perspective, is taking the "Joba Rules" approach with their young phenom-in-waiting. Maddon told the Tampa Tribune that starting Price in the minors will make it easier for the Rays to limit his innings, keeping him under wraps in the hope that he can join the Rays later in the season and be fresh enough to lead them into the postseason again. That means if you've got a solid staff and can avoid injuries, he's still worth snagging to keep on your bench until he's ready, a la Matt Wieters.
Of course, the problem is this means that the No. 5 starter will be either Jason Hammel or Jeff Niemann, both of whom have struggled to show much consistency this camp. Hammel has a 4.95 ERA this spring, while Niemann lowered his ERA to 6.32 with a decent outing against the Pirates on Wednesday. Neither pitcher has much fantasy value since it's clear they're just going to be keeping the spot in the rotation warm for Price, but it makes you wonder if this "protect Price" plan will be worth it if the Rays end up missing out on the playoffs because Niemann goes 0-for-April and May while Price counts his pitches in North Carolina and waits for the call.
• Ryan Braun left Wednesday's game against the Dodgers after walking twice in two trips to the plate, and not swinging the bat at all. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Braun had some "right-side stiffness" which may indicate that the Brewers' slugger might still be feeling the effects of the injury he exacerbated while playing in the World Baseball Classic. Braun, for his part, was optimistic: "I'm OK. They know it's not 100 percent, but I wanted to get some at-bats." However, the team will likely not take Braun's word for it, so don't be surprised if you hear that an MRI and further tests are being done.
• John Smoltz threw off the mound in a bullpen session, marking his first "action" as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Smoltz's shoulder seemed no worse for the wear after his first 40-pitch session throwing to a crouching catcher, though he was taken by how surprisingly weird the experience was. "I can't explain the awkwardness. I didn't think it would be that awkward," Smoltz told the Boston Globe. "I've been doing this for a long time, but it was awkward. But, I've not gone that long without being on the mound." Awkward or not, Terry Francona viewed it as a huge positive step and says the target date of June 1 for Smoltz' first appearance hasn't changed.
• Shawn Hill, who was signed by the Padres after being released by the Nationals (in what was likely a cost-cutting move, and not a reflection of his ability), will be on the mound Friday against the A's. While Hill may eventually be an asset to San Diego in the rotation, it's far more likely that Hill will start the season in a different capacity. As Bud Black put it on the team's Web site, "It might be a little unlikely he can help us as a starting pitcher [initially]. In the bullpen ... possibly." That's not exactly a ringing endorsement, so perhaps it's best for you to leave Hill to the waiver wire.
AP Photo/Ed Andrieski
You want no part of this. Period.
• Remember when Jason Marquis was a hot fantasy commodity after going 15-7 for the Cardinals in 2004? Anyone? Bueller? Over the past few seasons, pitchers like Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez have had enough success that the old adage of "avoid Rockies pitching" was becoming completely passé. Enter Marquis, who entered this spring penciled in as the Rockies' No. 3 starter. After an incredibly ugly outing in which he gave up 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Angels, his ERA is now 14.14, and yet, he's still probably the best option in camp -- better than Jorge De La Rosa and Franklin Morales, at least, both of whom have been nearly as ineffective. Yet all three may well end up in the rotation come Opening Day. You know what? With all apologies to Cook and Jimenez ... avoid Rockies pitching!
• The Tigers are hoping they can get through this last week of spring games without any further incidents. First, Adam Everett sprained his ankle on the first play of the game Wednesday, sliding hard into second base. Everett limped off the field without assistance but will likely sit out several games, so the Tigers may actually break camp without having played a game in March with their complete Opening Day lineup intact. (Curtis Granderson, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Miguel Cabrera were gone all month due to the WBC.) Then, Nate Robertson got hit with a throw on his left thumb trying to convert a double play. While the Detroit Free Press reports that the injury was also just a sprain, it likely means that Robertson will not be able to make his next scheduled start. This could be the "break" that Tigers top prospect Rick Porcello needs to beat out both Robertson and Dontrelle Willis for the final spot in the Tigers' rotation.
• Meanwhile, the White Sox might be looking at a far more experienced rotation than they could have hoped for. Bartolo Colon pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the A's, walking no batters in the process. Ozzie Guillen & Co. were thrilled that Colon topped 90 mph on the radar gun for the first time all spring, but that wasn't the best news. As Guillen told the Chicago Tribune, "One thing about it is when he wanted to put something on the ball, he wasn't high. When he tried to reach, the ball was around the plate. That's more important." Colon is scheduled for one more start Monday, and if all goes well, he just might replace Clayton Richard in the rotation out of the gate. Between Colon and the return of Jose Contreras, the White Sox would have the experience of 465 career starts at the back of their rotation. That's a huge increase from the start of the spring, when Richard, Jeff Marquez and Lance Broadway (and their combined 10 big league starts) were the leading candidates for those spots.
Chad Billingsley's groin injury does not appear to be serious, so draft him as you normally would.
Chad Billingsley owners -- or those planning to target him in upcoming drafts -- you can stop holding your breath now. The right-hander, who left Monday's game with a strained right groin muscle, apparently won't miss significant time, pushing back his between-starts bullpen session only by a day or two. In fact, he told the Dodgers' official Web site on Tuesday that the injury is similar to one that bothered him early last spring.
"I did it the first day we threw to hitters," said Billingsley. "I took three days' treatment, did a touch-and-feel [bullpen session], two days off and then a simulated game. This seems the same, so we'll treat it and get back on schedule."
Billingsley remains scheduled to start the third game of the regular season for the Dodgers. With news that the injury is minor, he can be drafted confidently as a top-20 starter. In fact, it wouldn't shock me if a healthy Billingsley could contend for top-10 status; he won 16 of his final 28 starts with a 2.75 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
• The news on Cole Hamels was positive as well, as the left-hander tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in a minor league game Tuesday, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out five. But more importantly, he reported no pain, tightness or swelling in his elbow, according to the Phillies' official Web site, and remains on schedule to make his first start of the season April 10 at Colorado. Hamels said Tuesday that the anti-inflammatory injection he received March 17 has cured his elbow woes, so fantasy owners can apparently resume regarding him as a top-10 fantasy starting pitcher.
• Shairon Martis, whom you might recognize as the guy who threw a no-hitter for the Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, tossed six shutout innings of three-hit baseball Tuesday, retiring seven of the final eight batters he faced. According to the Nationals' official Web site, that has him in the thick of the rotation race in Washington, battling rookie Jordan Zimmermann and sophomore Collin Balester for the final two spots. Zimmermann has pitched effectively enough to probably land one of those two, perhaps the No. 4 role, meaning Martis might be the fifth starter the first time the team needs one April 19. NL-only owners might find a little matchups value in Martis, but Balester, looking like a cut candidate, is no longer sleeper-worthy.
• More rotation news: The Indians reassigned Jeremy Sowers to their minor league camp Tuesday, making it almost certain that Scott Lewis will begin the year as their fifth starter, according to the team's official Web site. Anthony Reyes will be Cleveland's No. 4 starter. Both pitchers have a decent amount of AL-only sleeper appeal, with Reyes almost a fringe mixed-league pick, at least in those formats 12-plus teams deep.
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• Turning our attention to the Orioles' rotation, the team removed David Pauley from consideration Tuesday, narrowing the field for the final three spots to six candidates: Danys Baez, Brian Bass, Adam Eaton, Mark Hendrickson, Hayden Penn and Alfredo Simon. Unfortunately, none of those names is appealing from a fantasy perspective, but the relevance here: Rich Hill, the most sleeper-worthy on the original list of candidates, is no longer in the mix because the soreness in his elbow is likely to land him on the disabled list.
• By the way, fellow Orioles starter Koji Uehara struck out seven batters while allowing one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday in his first start since returning from a strained left hamstring. He should be back on track to serve as the team's No. 2 starter, though the adjustment to the U.S. game, coupled with his having to face the loaded American League East lineups of the Rays, Red Sox and Yankees, makes him a risky bet for consistency in fantasy. He's more an AL-only or matchups type than a mixed-league value.
• Wandy Rodriguez marked a successful return from a fingernail issue by pitching four shutout innings Tuesday without any lingering effects, according to the Astros' official Web site. He allowed just two hits and two walks in his longest outing of the spring, and was able to throw his curveball without any issues. Rodriguez might have his next start moved up by a day to Saturday in order to be ready for opening week, but the Astros could also play things conservatively and use him as their "fifth starter." Fantasy owners can treat him as a decent late-round mixed selection, as he seemed to even out his dominant-at-home, terrible-on-the-road trend in a surprisingly decent 2008.
• Michael Young suffered a setback in his first game back from a tight left quadriceps, leaving Tuesday's game after one inning when he aggravated the muscle, according to the Rangers' official Web site. His status remains day-to-day, but it's cutting into a bit of a spring hot streak for him: He has eight hits in his past 12 at-bats. Young should be fine by Opening Day, but his status bears watching the next few days, as he needs as much time as he can get adjusting to his new position of third base.
• Matt Lindstrom, who is working his way back from a rotator-cuff strain, has resumed throwing on flat ground. However, the Marlins' official Web site reports that he's questionable to be ready by Opening Day. He will pitch off the mound for five minutes on Friday and then face batters in batting practice if all goes well, but won't return to a Grapefruit League game until at least a week from now. With Lindstrom's status up in the air, the team's Web site notes that Leo Nunez is the clear front-runner to close in Florida on Opening Day. Logan Kensing is in the mix for a set-up role.
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• It didn't take long for Manny Ramirez to get his swing back. He homered and flied out to the warning track Tuesday in his second game back from a strained hamstring, and plans to return to his traditional position of left field Wednesday, reports the Dodgers' official Web site. It appears Ramirez should be fine well in advance of Opening Day.
• Brandon Morrow pitched an inning Tuesday in his return from a forearm injury, and the Everett Daily Herald reports that the right-hander declared the outing a success. He served up a home run in the outing, but was pleased with his fastball command and his breaking ball. Morrow won't have enough time to get his workload up to the point where he'll be in the opening-week rotation, so he'll presumably begin the year on a minor league rehabilitation assignment if he's not switched to the bullpen. The Daily Herald suggests, though, that Morrow will still be groomed to start, so draft him expecting that.
• Braves prospect Tommy Hanson threw five no-hit innings against minor leaguers in an intrasquad game Tuesday, according to the team's official Web site. He threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of 21 hitters and struck out eight, but remains on track to begin the season in Triple-A ball. Coming off a standout spring and rating as the team's top pitching prospect, though, Hanson should be one of the first players recalled if there's an opening in Atlanta's rotation. He's a prime keeper-league prospect and an NL-only sleeper.
• Tigers relief pitcher Joel Zumaya threw off a mound Monday, his first time doing so in three weeks since dealing with a sore shoulder and muscle cramps. Zumaya's throwing session lasted about five minutes, and he's scheduled to have more extensive sessions in the coming days. Tigers manager Jim Leyland remains skeptical Zumaya will be on the team's active roster when the season opens. However, after seeing incumbent closer Brandon Lyon serve up not one, not two, not three, but four home runs in the sixth inning against the Red Sox on Monday, Leyland might aim to accelerate Zumaya's recovery. Fernando Rodney wasn't much better than Lyon, as he allowed three runs in his one inning of work Monday.
• In that same Red Sox-Tigers game, a hurler who fared much better was former Dodger Brad Penny. His Grapefruit League debut with Boston was a success, as he needed only 33 pitches to breeze through three hitless innings. Penny and John Smoltz aren't expected to be on the team's Opening Day roster, but each could be smart dollar choices late in auction drafts.
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• Speaking of the Red Sox, current or otherwise, those who have already drafted former slugger Manny Ramirez have dealt with bigger question marks this offseason than his recent hamstring injury, but it was a good sign to see the slugger hitting Monday. Ramirez went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts as the Dodgers designated hitter, claiming he was running at about 60 or 70 percent. Ramirez is scheduled to DH Tuesday against the Mariners as well.
• The Angels don't have anyone like Manny, but they also got good news Monday about someone who could play a major role. Kelvim Escobar won 18 games in 2007, then missed all of last season with a torn labrum in his shoulder. He retired four hitters in a minor league appearance, and manager Mike Scioscia was impressed by his velocity. Escobar is one of those late picks in AL-only leagues who could really help fantasy owners.
• Cardinals manager Tony La Russa confirmed Monday that third baseman Troy Glaus would not appear in a spring training game as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Glaus was hoping to play in March and come off the DL in mid-April, but now the Cardinals are targeting early-to-mid May as more realistic. Glaus hasn't had any setbacks, but isn't progressing as quickly as the team would prefer. I view him a bit like I do Alex Rodriguez in that he shouldn't be discounted in drafts too much, since he can be productive in his four-plus months of action. In the meantime, David Freese and Joe Mather remain the top options to replace Glaus early in the season, although neither looks appealing in standard fantasy leagues.
• In better Cardinals news, starter Chris Carpenter tossed a spring-best 76 pitches against the Nationals on Monday, and his ERA remains a pristine Blutarski-like 0.00. Carpenter did allow a pair of unearned runs, but otherwise his five innings were spotless, with three hits allowed, no walks and six strikeouts. Carpenter is being drafted in most ESPN leagues at this point, but he's quickly becoming more than merely a sleeper, and instead someone to depend on.
• The Cardinals news just never stops: Young reliever Chris Perez threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session, and reported no pain in his balky shoulder. The team didn't announce when Perez would throw again, but it's believed Jason Motte is the leader for April saves anyway.
• It was a bit surprising when the Nationals cut starting pitcher Shawn Hill last week, despite how oft-injured the right-hander had been. Hill has had bouts of success in the past, and well, the pitching-starved Nationals could use the help. Hill ended up signing with the San Diego Padres, another club that clearly needs rotation help. Hill might actually make the rotation out of spring training, since Josh Geer, believed to be the No. 5 starter, was optioned to Triple-A Portland on Monday. The team's fourth starter is Kevin Correia. If Hill can get and stay healthy, he could certainly be effective in spacious Petco Park.
Jerry Lai/US Presswire
Gavin Floyd was 29th among starting pitchers in last year's Player Rater but isn't being drafted anywhere close to that.
• White Sox hurler Gavin Floyd comes off his breakout season, winning 17 games with a 3.84 ERA after years of never quite making it in Philadelphia, and now he's been rewarded with a four-year contract for $15.5 million. Fantasy owners seem to believe unilaterally last season was a fluke, as his average live draft position is 59th among starting pitchers. Floyd shouldn't be moved up merely because the White Sox locked up a young starter for a reasonable price, but he might remind people he was pretty good and deserves to be drafted higher.
• Those who remember what damage Chris Shelton did in April 2006 also can't forget what a bust he has been pretty much every month after that. Shelton hit 10 home runs and knocked in 20 runs that wonderful month, then added just eight homers and 38 RBIs in the 11 months of regular season play since. On Monday the Mariners decided ancient Mike Sweeney had made the club, likely signaling Shelton's pending exit. Shelton has been one of Seattle's top hitters this spring, slugging .763, but it appears Sweeney will get to help Russell Branyan at first base. In other surprising Mariners news, Endy Chavez is slated to start in left field, with prospect Wladimir Balentien backing him up. Makes no sense at all, but then again, Jeff Clement is headed to the minors, Carlos Silva has a rotation spot and Ken Griffey Jr. will steal at-bats from kids like Balentien.
• Young Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley left his Monday start after two innings with a groin strain, which the team is calling minor. Billingsley had allowed four runs to that point. According to Billingsley, removing him from the game was precautionary, and he remains on track to pitch the third game of the regular season. The fact a pitcher got hurt and can't blame the WBC for it hasn't been mentioned, but I'm sure it's coming.
• Speaking of the WBC, congrats to both Japan and Korea for an exceptional championship game. I don't think fantasy owners learned a whole lot from the tournament, but it was mostly good baseball. Sure, it appeared half of Team USA went down with injury, but I don't think it affects fantasy baseball. Matt Lindstrom is throwing again, and could be ready to close Opening Day. David Wright, Ryan Braun and the right side of the Boston infield will be ready with plenty of time to spare as well. If anything, those who play fantasy in the United States were able to see how good international competition can be. For example, if electric young right-hander Yu Darvish, who won Monday's title game for Japan, decides to become the next Daisuke Matsuzaka and play ball regularly in the U.S., many fantasy owners can say they scouted him once upon a time.
Trevor Hoffman's regular-season debut for the Brewers could be delayed a week or two.
• Trevor Hoffman's strained oblique muscle may not allow him to be ready for the start of the season, as he's not expected to throw for at least another week. Manager Ken Macha has been vocal in his displeasure with the spring performance of Carlos Villanueva and indicated Seth McClung could be a candidate for some early saves if he is not needed in the rotation. Hoffman isn't expected to miss too much time at the start of the season, so don't downgrade him significantly.
• Rays manager Joe Maddon confirmed that after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery and being hit on the hand by a pitch Saturday, B.J. Upton likely will not be ready for the team's opener and should miss the Rays' six-game road trip to start the season. Gabe Kapler likely will start in center field for the first week. The team does not want to play Upton until he's 100 percent healthy, so you'll need to find a replacement for those first games.
• After missing all last season with a shoulder injury, Curt Schilling officially announced his retirement on his blog Monday. During his peak, Schilling was one of the top pitchers in fantasy, thanks to his high strikeout totals, low ERA and WHIP and ability to win plenty of games for good Diamondbacks and Red Sox teams. With this news, you officially can take Schilling off your draft boards.
• It was announced that Chris Getz won the second-base job for the White Sox, but it's not a job he's likely to keep the whole season. Getz profiles more as a utility player, while Gordon Beckham has been very impressive this spring, indicating he could make his big league debut as early as this season. Though Beckham likely will play shortstop in the minors, he could take over the job from Getz at some point this year if he has a strong start at Triple-A.
• Ricky Nolasco looked in midseason form in his latest spring start, working seven innings of the Marlins' combined no-hitter against the Tigers on Sunday, walking one, striking out eight and facing the minimum 21 hitters. There are no questions about Nolasco's ability to repeat his breakout performance of last season. But questions still remain whether he can stay healthy after his workload last season, which came after he missed most of the previous season thanks to an elbow injury that was treated with rehab instead of surgery. If he keeps taking the mound every fifth day, the strong numbers will be there again.
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• James McDonald is making a late push for the Dodgers' fifth-starter job. It was expected that he would begin the season in the bullpen to limit his innings a bit, but none of the other candidates (Claudio Vargas, Eric Milton) has been impressive this spring, opening the door for the 24-year-old. He's an endgame play in NL-only leagues.
• David Price threw four scoreless innings with four strikeouts against the Yankees on Sunday, keeping his name alive to make the final roster. He is expected to start the season in the minors because Jeff Niemann and Jason Hammel are both out of options. However, neither of those two has pitched well lately, and both are the subjects of trade rumors. Have no fear: If Price is sent to Triple-A, he likely won't be there long.
• The chances are increasing that top prospect Rick Porcello could be the fifth starter for the Tigers when the season opens, as manager Jim Leyland ruled out Zach Miner this past weekend, leaving just Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis as the other candidates. Both Robertson and Willis have had awful springs; Robertson has looked better in his past two outings, but still has to pitch well during the final two weeks. Regardless, expect Porcello to see a good amount of big league time this season, and his potential demands attention in AL formats, even if they aren't keeper leagues.
• Justin Duchscherer, battling a sore elbow, will throw a bullpen session Monday in the hopes of being able to appear in a minor league game later this week. Considering we've added this problem to the chronic hip issue that has required surgery each of the past two offseasons, we can't expect a significant amount of innings out of Duchscherer this season.
Speaking of the A's rotation, Vin Mazzaro was roughed up again on Sunday, meaning he likely is out of consideration for the open fifth-starter spot as well as Duchscherer's spot for however long he is out. With Gio Gonzalez having been ruled out because of a sore shoulder, top prospects Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill appear to be the leading candidates for the job. Both have pitched well this spring, and both are good enough to make the leap from the low minors and have some fantasy impact. Anderson has more polish and command, so he has a better chance at immediate success, but both should be on your radar screen. They are worthwhile reserve-list plays in mixed leagues if you want to take a chance on some pitching.
• J.D. Drew, who was hit on the hand by a pitch Friday, saw the swelling go down Sunday and hopes to be back in the lineup on Wednesday.
• White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said Brian Anderson will platoon in center field with either Dewayne Wise or Jerry Owens, and that battle will go down to the last days of camp. The winner of that battle of left-handed hitters will get the lion's share of at-bats, and their speed potential will give the winner some quiet value in AL-only play.
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• Mike Napoli finally got back behind the plate, playing five innings in an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday. Stealing bases against him was not allowed, but it was an important step in his recovery from shoulder surgery. He's not likely to be ready for the team's opener, but Angels hope his official return to the squad won't be too long after that. He has been playing long toss and making practice throws to second in full gear.
• The Seattle Times is reporting Jeff Clement could head to Triple-A to get regular at-bats to start the season while the club carries Rob Johnson as the backup catcher temporarily. It would be a surprising move, but the fact remains that Clement could spend a month or two in the minors at the season's outset.
• With both Gaby Sanchez and Dallas McPherson battling injuries, Emilio Bonifacio has been turning some heads at third base for the Marlins, leading the club in at-bats this spring and raising the possibility that Jorge Cantu could be the starting first baseman when the season begins. If that occurs, Bonifacio would start the season across the diamond. Watch this situation closely during the next couple of weeks. Bonifacio has no pop but could hit for a decent average with some speed.
• With David Freese playing in spring games in big league camp again, and Joe Mather in an 0-for-19 slump that has caused him to take a couple of days off to work on his swing, the Cardinals' third-base job for the first month has not been decided just yet.
• Scott Lewis may be the front-runner for the Indians' fifth-starter job after throwing five scoreless innings Friday. He's trying to beat out Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey, and the soft-tossing lefty definitely will be a sleeper in AL leagues if he wins the job. He has the most upside of the three remaining candidates.
Jason Motte has struck out 12 batters in 7 1/3 innings this spring.
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that potential Cardinals closer Chris Perez won't pitch for the next "several days," after the reliever required an arthrogram earlier in the week to figure out why he was having shoulder discomfort. The team claims Perez has an impingement related to tendinitis, which they don't consider serious, but this is the second time Perez has been scratched from throwing in a week. This news, combined with how well Jason Motte has thrown over the past couple of weeks, would appear to put Motte down as the heavy favorite to begin the year getting saves in St. Louis. According to the Post-Dispatch, he's consistently hit 98 mph with his fastball this spring, though his slider reportedly isn't a finished product.
• The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Fausto Carmona was hit in the right forearm by a comebacker in an intrasquad game Thursday. X-rays were taken and were reportedly negative, and the Indians will take another look at Carmona's arm Friday, but are hopeful their pitcher emerged relatively unscathed.
• Chipper Jones told the Braves' Web site that he anticipates returning to action at the beginning of next week. Jones injured an oblique playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and hasn't seen any action since March 8. The Braves still don't seem to be concerned that Jones could miss any time to start the season.
• Similarly, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Trevor Hoffman doesn't expect to miss the beginning of the season because of his injured oblique. In Hoffman's case, though, the Brewers haven't yet set a timetable for his return.
• And hey, let's go for the injured-oblique update trifecta. Ryan Braun reportedly will try some "light drills" Friday while trying to return from his injured intercostal muscle. Like Jones, Braun hurt himself playing for Team USA, though unlike Jones, Braun is still with the national team, and hopes to be able to play again before the end of the tournament. It's difficult to imagine the Brewers will let that happen, but it does sound like a good sign.
• Let's make it four injured-torso updates! Dustin Pedroia reportedly will return from the strained abdominal muscle he injured while playing for Team USA, and get back in the Red Sox lineup Friday against the Pirates. Pedroia had previously told Boston fans (and, by association, fantasy owners) not to worry too much about his injury, and it appears he was right.
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• The Houston Chronicle reports that Miguel Tejada will receive only probation, and not jail time, for lying to federal prosecutors in a steroid investigation. There didn't seem to be much chance of Tejada missing time this year because of this incident, and that appears to be the case. Draft (or in my case, don't draft) Miggy as you normally would.
• The A's official Web site reports that possible closer-to-be Joey Devine was able to throw a 20-pitch bullpen session Thursday and reported no problems. He hopes to throw one more session Saturday, and if all goes well, could be back in a spring game Monday. He still looks like the choice to open the season as Oakland's fireman.
• Lou Piniella announced Thursday that Sean Marshall will be the Cubs' fifth starter to begin the year, getting the nod over Aaron Heilman, who'll be in the team's bullpen. Marshall is a decent NL-only option. The big lefty posted a 3.86 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP mostly out of Chicago's bullpen last season.
• The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that new Brewers manager Ken Macha is considering occasionally using Jason Kendall as his leadoff man, as he often did when the two men were in Oakland. Kendall probably still won't be of much fantasy use, but guys like Rickie Weeks and/or J.J. Hardy could find their spots near the top of the Brewers' lineup in jeopardy under such conditions.
• Kenshin Kawakami, whom the Braves have penciled into their rotation from the moment they signed him as a free agent from Japan, had to be scratched from his start Thursday night because of "shoulder fatigue," according to the team's official Web site. According to the site, the injury "isn't considered serious," but Kawakami needs to avoid all the setbacks he can. He hasn't looked good yet against big league hitters.
• Scott Rolen, who had to leave Wednesday's spring training game because of a strained back, will attempt to take batting practice Friday. The Blue Jays' official site reports that Cito Gaston hopes Rolen will be able to get back into the lineup this weekend.
• The New York Daily News reports that Mets catcher Brian Schneider is day-to-day with a strained right knee and calf. The New York media had issued all kinds of breathless and troubled reports about Schneider's health potentially being a serious concern, but apparently the Mets don't agree, at least not yet.
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• All those clever souls who've drafted Andruw Jones in AL-only leagues may need to give up the dream early. Rangers GM Jon Daniels told the Dallas Morning News Thursday that Jones looked unlikely to be added to the team's 40-man roster Friday, the day Jones may opt out of his contract if he's not officially with the big club. Jones may yet accept a minor league assignment by the Rangers, but he's almost certainly not going to have any big league gig to start the season.
• Rangers manager Ron Washington told the Morning News that Chris Davis will play first base exclusively this year, with Michael Young playing third. Davis will retain his third base eligibility in fantasy leagues for '09, but don't expect him to keep that eligibility after that.
• In the World Stops Turning Department, Russell Branyan stole two bases for the Mariners on Thursday in a split-squad win over the Padres. Suffice it to say if Branyan reaches that level of steals production for the entire season, his fantasy owners will be very lucky.
• Rick Porcello, the Tigers' bonus baby starting pitcher, was scratched Saturday because of a torn fingernail, but came through a side session fine Thursday, meaning he'll throw in a game Friday against the Yankees. He's never pitched above Class A, but Jim Leyland contends that Porcello is a legitimate candidate to be Detroit's fifth starter. While Jeremy Bonderman did pitch two scoreless innings Thursday, his pitch count per outing in his return from major shoulder surgery is still quite low, and he may yet have to begin the year on the disabled list.
Aaron Boone never has been short on heart as a baseball player, but sadly, his career might be coming to an end as a result of a faulty aortic valve. Boone has left Astros camp and will undergo open heart surgery to repair a condition he has been aware of since his playing days at USC in the early 1990s.
It's not an emergency situation, but as Boone announced Wednesday, "I'll need surgery to correct the problem. Initially, my doctors thought I could delay corrective surgery for some time. But because of some variations in my condition, they are now advising me to deal with the problem sooner rather than later."
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Boone has been little more than a role player over the past three seasons, but the Astros were hoping he'd be able to platoon at third base with Geoff Blum. Now, Chris Johnson, the team's best power-hitting prospect according to Baseball America, will get a chance to stick with the team. But since Johnson is hitting only .231 with one home run and six RBIs so far this spring, general manager Ed Wade has not ruled out the possibility of a trade.
"If we think there's a need at the end [of camp], there's going to be guys available," Wade said. "I got a call today from a club that's got a guy that they want to make available if we have the need."
However, that's an issue for later on. For now, all are wishing Boone a speedy recovery. Although doctors speculate that after this season-ending surgery, he will be able to play baseball again sometime down the line, since he is 36, this might well be the end of his career. "Am I going to recover well enough to play baseball again? Probably. Will I play baseball again? I don't know at this time. We'll cross that bridge when I get there," he said.
• Hanley Ramirez, the current No. 1 overall pick in ESPN live drafts, still is suffering from some rotator cuff tendinitis and has not played since Saturday. Ramirez had spent much of the spring at the World Baseball Classic playing for the Dominican Republic team, which was eliminated by the Netherlands last week. Whether or not Ramirez overdid it during the intense competition is unclear, but for now, the team is convinced this is not something that will linger. "He'll be fine. He should be good to go in a couple of days," Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest told the Palm Beach Post.
• The Red Sox might be rethinking this whole World Baseball Classic concept. First, Dustin Pedroia suffered a minor strain in an abdominal muscle, and now, Kevin Youkilis is on the shelf for Team USA. Youkilis returned to Red Sox camp with an injury to his left ankle. The Boston Globe reports he was checked out by the medical staff and diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain and mild Achilles tendinitis. The infielder had two MRIs on Wednesday, both of which were negative, according to the team. Youkilis hit three home runs in the first two rounds for the United States but now will be a spectator for the remainder of the tournament.
• Mets fans, are you prepared for Livan Hernandez? With Tim Redding expected to begin the season on the disabled list because of a weakened shoulder, it appears Hernandez is leaving the competition for the fifth starter's job in the dust. He pitched five strong innings against the Braves on Wednesday, allowing only one run and lowering his spring ERA to 3.07. Compare that to Freddy Garcia, who was tattooed for five runs in two innings in relief of Hernandez. There still is time until a decision needs to be made, but manager Jerry Manuel certainly has noticed what Hernandez has done so far.
"Well, I tell you what, he was pretty good," Manuel told Newsday. "He has a good presence about him on the mound, in the dugout, and it's like he brings a little different energy for us. So I would have to say that he's put himself in a real good position."
Cliff Welch/Icon SMI
There might still be some saves in Jason Isringhausen's arm after all.
• Rays closer Troy Percival has looked good so far this spring after undergoing offseason back surgery. However, that doesn't mean he's going to be out there in the ninth inning of every close game come April. Manager Joe Maddon told the St. Petersburg Times that he just might have another pitcher in mind for some of those early season save situations.
"I don't want to just get him out there and start pushing him on a daily basis,'' Maddon said. "If we were to get hot and then you've got 3-4 wins in a row that are close situations, that would be counterproductive to get him out there that many days in a row."
So who does Maddon intend to be Percival's understudy? None other than Jason Isringhausen, himself coming off elbow surgery. "If we were able to figure out how to get [Isringhausen] within the mix, then of course you'd be able to bounce it back and forth, and obviously that's been in the back of my mind," Maddon said. Perhaps there's more life left for baseball's Izzie than Izzie on "Grey's Anatomy."
• Nix Jayson Nix from the White Sox's second-base competition. The Chicago Tribune reports Nix re-aggravated his right quad, the same injury that caused him to miss 10 days of action earlier this month. As a result, the White Sox don't think Nix will be ready for Opening Day. That probably seals the deal for Chris Getz to be the starting second baseman and leadoff hitter for the White Sox when the games start to count. Getz is hitting .364 this spring, and Ozzie Guillen told the paper he's impressed with the youngster. "He's swinging the bat good against good pitchers. That's what I need from him, give me good at-bats and the rest of it will take care of itself," Guillen said.
Brent Lillibridge also is in the mix, but his versatility makes him far more valuable as a utility man. The other option is Gordon Beckham, whose chances of making the roster have improved greatly with Nix's injury and the demotion of Dayan Viciedo to Triple-A. Although Beckham probably needs a bit more time in the minors, Guillen has ruled nothing out, since there are several weeks of spring training left. A lot can happen in that time.
Where should they go?
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• Joe Torre has declared Hiroki Kuroda will be the Dodgers' Opening Day starter, according to the Los Angeles Times. With the Dodgers having a day off April 7, they won't need a fifth starter for the first two weeks of the season. The expected rotation of Kuroda, Randy Wolf, Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw would line up so that Billingsley would get the start against the Giants on April 13, the Dodgers' home opener.
• The Washington Post reports former Dodger Joe Beimel has signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Nationals. In 2008, the left-hander went 5-1 with a 2.02 ERA in 71 relief appearances for Los Angeles. And although the team says the timing was coincidental, it also cut Shawn Hill. By severing ties with the pitcher now, the team won't have to pay him all the $775,000 he was set to earn. For the past three seasons, Hill was besieged by injury, missing close to 100 days of action with right elbow soreness in 2006, dealing with a strained left elbow in 2007 and undergoing reconstructive right elbow surgery in 2008. Hill looked healthy so far this spring, but you can't blame the Nationals for this move.
As acting general manager Mike Rizzo put it, "We thought the uncertainty of what he's going to bring to us on a daily basis was really the factor behind us releasing him. He's healthy for now, yes, but we don't know how long that is going to be for." It looks like top prospect Jordan Zimmermann now is a lock for the rotation, which most likely also will include John Lannan, Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera.
• Tom Gorzelanny won't be doing much for fantasy owners this season. In 2007, he went 14-10, and many thought that would be a launching point for the pitcher. He was a hot sleeper pick before the 2008 season but simply didn't pan out, and now the lefty has been sent to Triple-A by the Pirates. His spring work in 2009 has been disappointing to say the least, with a 7.00 ERA in nine innings of work. Still, the move comes as a bit of a surprise, as the candidates for the final spot in the Pirates' rotation now are Jeff Karstens and Virgil Vasquez, neither of whom is the slightest bit appealing fantasy-wise. As Pirates GM Neal Huntington told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "No one really took the [final] two starting jobs and put the stranglehold on them, so we had to make an interpretation according to what we saw."
So I've got good news and bad news for you. Which do you want first?
What's that, you say? You want the bad news first? So grim, you are; must have already had your draft and are terrified of bad news. Well, here it is: Cole Hamels is a long shot to make his Opening Day start, reports the Phillies' official Web site.
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Cole Hamels already has a couple of long stretches of missed time with elbow injuries in his career.
So what's the good news then, you might ask? Well, fortunately for Hamels, the MRI (and dynamic ultrasound) he underwent Tuesday revealed no structural damage to his left elbow, the one in which he has had inflammation for weeks. The specific diagnosis: inflammation in the posterior lateral aspect of the elbow.
Hamels told the team's Web site that he experiences tightness in that elbow every spring, but typically it subsides within a week or two. That it lingered beyond that point this year put his status into question, and now the team will approach his health cautiously, letting Hamels dictate how quickly he's ready to proceed.
As for that timetable for recovery, Hamels received an anti-inflammatory injection Tuesday, and is expected to resume his throwing program Thursday. If that approach is successful, he might be able to pitch in a minor league or Grapefruit League game early next week. Unfortunately, the reason for his doubtful Opening Day status is that he was only up to the low to mid-50s with his pitch counts before the examination, and two or three more spring starts might not provide enough for him to get that number at or above 100.
So how should fantasy owners proceed with drafting Hamels? Chances are the Phillies will be as conservative as possible with their ace left-hander, especially since he missed almost the entire 2004 minor league season with elbow issues and spent nearly a month on the disabled list with a left elbow strain during his 2007 sophomore season. A two-week, season-opening disabled list stint is possible, and at the very least, Hamels' owners (or prospective owners) should expect a one- or two-start absence.
Hamels is currently being tabbed the No. 6 starting pitcher in ESPN live drafts, but with news of his injury, it might be an appropriate plan of action to drop him behind Jake Peavy, Dan Haren, and perhaps behind No. 9 Roy Oswalt as well. Be aware, though, that might amount to only a one- or two-round drop, perhaps as little as 15 to 20 spots.
Still, stay tuned, because Hamels' health should be closely monitored looking forward.
• The news Tuesday was more promising for another elite, a left-handed starter who calls the National League East his home: Johan Santana tossed four innings of six-hit, two-run baseball against minor leaguers. He struck out five batters and didn't allow a walk while throwing 56 pitches, and reported no problems with his elbow. Newsday reports Santana's velocity was in the 87- to 89-mph range, but at his current pace, barring a setback, he shouldn't have any problems bumping that up a notch while getting his pitch count up to regular-season standards. Chances are, he'll be the Mets' Opening Day starter, meaning he again belongs in your top two starters overall, probably No. 1.
• KSLG 1380 AM in St. Louis reports that with three weeks to go in spring training, Jason Motte, and not Chris Perez, is the current leader in the race to close for the Cardinals. In the event Motte retains that status, Perez most likely will be sent to Triple-A Memphis, partly because the more experienced Josh Kinney would be kept around as a set-up man. At this point, treating Perez like the clear top guy in your closer ranks seems foolish, though all three relievers do warrant consideration as NL-only late-rounders. Don't be surprised if the Cardinals have multiple pitchers manning that role the entire year.
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• According to that same report, top prospect Colby Rasmus will be on the Cardinals' Opening Day roster, in which case it's a virtual certainty that he'll be the team's starting left fielder. Chris Duncan owners (or prospective owners) take note; his value stands to take the biggest hit. I'm not one of the biggest Rasmus fans around, because his batting average took a hit in each jump up to Double- and Triple-A, which suggests to me an adjustment period need be expected. However, it's important to remember that he has managed double digits in homers and steals in each of his three full professional seasons, including his miserable 2008. It's unclear whether Rasmus would be an everyday player or not -- I'd call keeping him around to play sparingly (one to two times a week) a foolish decision -- but his stock will soar with news he'll be on the team. Consider him a mid- to late NL-only pick and a mixed-league sleeper since it's hard to imagine him not playing at least three or four times a week, though again, I'd be concerned about a possible adjustment period.
• Expect to see Brett Myers' draft stock rise in the upcoming days, after he tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings of seven-strikeout baseball Tuesday against a Reds lineup comprised of mostly regulars (OK, regulars and Ryan Hanigan). Myers, an enigma for much of his career, did breeze through the second half of 2008 plus playoffs with a 3.35 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 16 starts, rescuing what initially seemed like a lost season. He's certainly worth more than his current No. 48 ranking among starting pitchers in ESPN live drafts, perhaps as many as 10 spots higher at his position.
• It seems like every member of the Brewers' bullpen is battling some sort of health issue this spring, and now you can toss the team's closer onto the pile; the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Trevor Hoffman has a strained right oblique. It's considered only a minor thing, but manager Ken Macha does have a minor concern that Hoffman needs to pitch on consecutive days before spring training ends. There's plenty of time for that, but let's not forget that the guy is 41 years old, so rehabilitation might not be as quick for him.
As to who might close should Hoffman miss regular-season time, Carlos Villanueva struggled mightily Tuesday, allowing five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. After the game, Macha expressed his displeasure to the team's official Web site, though in criticizing his reliever, he did offer some insights as to the team's ninth-inning emergency plan.
"I'll talk to [Villanueva], maybe talk to [pitching coach] Billy [Castro] and see what our plan of attack is," Macha said. "With Hoffman down, I asked Billy, 'Who's your closer if he can't go?' He answered, [Villanueva]. I said, 'Well, he hasn't had any good outings this spring.' Now you have to look at what your alternatives might be."
Not that Villanueva should be written off yet, but statistically speaking, Mark DiFelice (5 IP, 0 ERs, 6 K's) might find himself in the mix for a set-up role at his current pace.
• Exhibit A in the case against heavily weighing spring statistics: Cliff Lee was pummeled for 10 runs (nine earned) in 2 2/3 innings Tuesday, bringing his spring ERA to 18.90. He admitted to the Indians' official Web site afterward, though, that he was merely working on his fastball location, doing the kind of tinkering that is often common with pitchers in March. Generally speaking, when veteran pitchers have a disastrous outing like this, you shouldn't fret unless there's evidence an injury was responsible.
• The Rangers face a Friday deadline to decide whether to place Andruw Jones on the major league roster. According to the team's official Web site, Marlon Byrd's quick recovery from knee surgery and standout spring make it unlikely the decision will be in Jones' favor. Byrd has 10 hits in his past 20 at-bats and is batting .364 (12-for-33) for the spring, but even with that performance he might not crack a Rangers outfield that probably will have David Murphy in left field, Josh Hamilton in center and Nelson Cruz in right on Opening Day. With Jones gone, Byrd, Cruz and Murphy would become safer AL-only selections, but Jones' rebound potential would take a hit losing the prospect of hitter-friendly Rangers Ballpark helping his cause in 2009.
Where should they go?
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• Hunter Pence left Tuesday's game with a bruised left knee he suffered awkwardly sliding into home plate, though he told the team's official Web site that he has merely a "bone bruise" and that his early exit was "precautionary." Check the Astros' lineups the next few days, though, to ensure it's nothing more significant.
• Max Scherzer's Cactus League debut was both rocky and brief; he was pounded for five runs (one earned) on three hits while recording only two outs Tuesday. The Arizona Republic reports that his velocity was down -- 91 to 93 mph from his usual mid-90s -- and he fell behind in the count to nearly every hitter. Still, that's to be expected to an extent from a pitcher who missed as much time as he has due to shoulder problems. Fortunately for Scherzer, he can be slotted in as the team's fifth starter, meaning he won't be needed until April 14, giving him plenty of time to get up to speed. Fantasy owners shouldn't downgrade him based on this outing unless he fails to show much improvement in his next turn; if he doesn't, then Yusmeiro Petit might be a candidate to take that fifth-starter role.
• Exciting news: Sidney Ponson signed a minor league contract with the Royals on Tuesday, fresh off his solid performance in the World Baseball Classic (4.00 ERA in two starts). He'll actually get an opportunity to compete for a rotation spot, which is more a statement about the Royals' lack of alternatives than it is an endorsement of his talent. Perhaps AL-only owners can find streaming value in Ponson if he makes the team, but this is a signing that probably shouldn't excite the fantasy masses.
• Mariano Rivera made his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday, tossing a perfect inning, including eight of 11 pitches for strikes. He has made a smooth recovery from offseason shoulder surgery and looks entirely safe to select as a top-three fantasy closer.
That seems to be the prevailing opinion from managers who are dealing with injured ballplayers. Sure, if this was July we might see Randy Johnson or Manny Ramirez making visits to the disabled list, but in mid-March, with the season nearly three weeks away, why rush things?
For Johnson, who expects to win his 300th game with the San Francisco Giants this season, he's going to miss his Wednesday start against the Cubs with soreness in his biceps. The team views skipping Johnson's start as precautionary, or as manager Bruce Bochy noted, "normal spring training stuff." Fantasy owners are making Johnson the No. 45 starting pitcher off the draft board in ESPN leagues, ahead of Aaron Harang and Brett Myers, among others who also tend to strike hitters out. Of course, none of them will be 46 years old in September.
Meanwhile, it's hard to believe, but Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez is in the news again! No, it's not a contract issue this time, but a hamstring, one which will cause him to miss at least the next week. Ramirez hurt the hamstring a week ago, then aggravated the injury in Sunday's game. The Dodgers have no reason to rush Ramirez back to the lineup, since the guy could hibernate for a month, fall out of bed and still rake. Thus there's really no reason for fantasy owners to worry, either. There's also no reason for you to be even more tempted to draft the team's top reserve outfielder, Juan Pierre, though it is likely Ramirez will need some downtime during the season as well.
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Matt Lindstrom, who had five saves for Florida last September, left Sunday's WBC game against the Netherlands early.
• An injury that should affect fantasy drafts, however, is the one to Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom, suffered in Sunday's World Baseball Classic game. An MRI on Monday showed Lindstrom has a strained right rotator cuff, and he's been advised to avoid throwing a baseball for at least a week to 10 days. The Marlins can't be pleased that their closer apparently was hurt before he entered Sunday's game, and participating in a non-team event. He could be lost to the team in April, which will certainly create more debate about the timing of the WBC in the future. Leo Nunez appears next in line for saves, and we'll keep you updated as to whether or not Lindstrom will be able to throw by April.
• I know it seems like it, but not everyone in baseball is injured right now. Still, this might seem like really bad news: The Orioles will start the season with Matt Wieters in the minors. Team president Andy MacPhail confirmed this Monday to the Baltimore Sun, but really folks, this is not a surprise at all. Fantasy owners knew this was coming. As MacPhail points out, even if Wieters looks ready, he still has a mere 200 at-bats in Double-A. The catcher will report to Triple-A Norfolk for a month or so, but don't be too scared about drafting him. Even in five months, he can still be a top-10 fantasy catcher. This news shouldn't send starting backstop Gregg Zaun's stock rising in fantasy drafts, either.
• OK, after a brief respite, back to injury news! Seattle Mariners lefty Erik Bedard pitched an inning Monday and pronounced his sore butt to be just fine. Mariners Nation can rest easy. "Just warming up I knew I was fine," Bedard said. Bedard has been a pain in the, well, butt for fantasy owners, but few pitchers have 200-K upside like he does.
• Good news from Yankees camp, as the MRI on second baseman Robinson Cano's right shoulder showed no damage, and pitcher Damaso Marte got a clean bill of health on his upper chest and left shoulder area. Cano is a top-10 second baseman in drafts and Marte might be next in line for saves should something befall closer Mariano Rivera, so the team obviously doesn't need them to join Alex Rodriguez on the disabled list. By the way, fantasy owners who keep asking when A-Rod will get DL eligibility: When the Yankees make the official move, then we will, and that's when fantasy owners can.
• Fantasy owners might not want to draft any Washington Nationals pitchers except closer Joel Hanrahan, but take a look at what 22-year-old right-hander Jordan Zimmermann has been doing lately. Zimmermann allowed two hits over four scoreless innings Monday, and hasn't allowed an earned run in 12 1/3 innings. The Nationals are likely to give the kid a rotation spot, and while he probably doesn't warrant attention in 10-team leagues, Zimmerman does have a bright future. This could be a case where spring stats do matter.
• Fantasy owners don't seem too excited in drafting Conor Jackson, despite a decent all-around game that includes a .287 career batting average and double-digit stolen bases in 2008. Jackson told the Arizona Republic he doesn't intend to alter his approach at the plate to hit for more power. That's not really what fantasy owners want to read.
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• Monday was a big day for the Houston Astros. Not only did they seem to solve a brutal catching situation by signing Ivan Rodriguez to a one-year deal, but the Houston Chronicle reported the team has narrowed its final choices to pitch to Pudge every fifth day to … drum roll please … Jose Capellan and Russ Ortiz. Man, I can't wait to see how this ends up! Capellan was once a top Braves relief prospect, but when they dealt him away for nothing, it gave me and many others the impression he just wasn't that good. Ortiz, despite a 20-win season to his credit, hasn't done much well the past four seasons. Rodriguez might be a future Hall of Famer, but the back end of the Houston rotation isn't near the same level.
• Speaking of fifth starters, the Dodgers haven't settled on their final starter, and now it appears the conversation will continue sans Jason Schmidt, who continues to deal with repercussions of his ailing shoulder. Schmidt has been pitching, but not recovering quickly. The implication is that he could be part of the rotation at some point but won't be ready in early April. For now, the Dodgers don't have an obvious choice for the final rotation spot, with Eric Milton, Eric Stults, Claudio Vargas and Shawn Estes in the mix. Don't be shocked if Pedro Martinez rumors persist in Los Angeles.
• Tuesday shapes up as a big day in baseball, with the USA team aiming to avoid elimination against Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, but also Phillies ace Cole Hamels will have his left elbow checked out in Philadelphia. It could be nothing, or it could be a really big deal for the world champs and fantasy owners.
Besides entertainment value, the World Baseball Classic is serving another important purpose: giving veteran free agents a chance to showcase their talents for 2009 regular-season work. Such is the case with Ivan Rodriguez, who parlayed a hot start in the WBC into a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Astros on Monday.
Pudge has certainly demonstrated during the WBC that he can still hit; he batted .600 (9-for-15) with two home runs and 18 total bases in four games. That's quite a turnaround from his miserable finish with the Yankees in 2008; he batted .219 with a .580 OPS in 33 games for them, one of the most miserable stretches of his entire career.
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Problem is, it's going to take more than four games of an exhibition for Rodriguez to prove he's still a productive enough hitter. His home run total has slipped in each of the past four seasons, to seven in 2008, his lowest total since his rookie year of 1991. Rodriguez also slugged .394, his lowest number in 16 years. He posted a .319 on-base percentage, but has been beneath .300 in two of the past four seasons.
Rodriguez will get his opportunities in Houston, with Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles his primary competition this spring. Neither of the two stands much of a chance at bumping this probable Hall of Famer. That Quintero and Towles were batting a combined .162 (6-for-37) this spring pretty much cinches Pudge's starter status on Opening Day.
In the most likely event, the Astros will keep Quintero as Rodriguez's little-used backup, a more appropriate role for him, while returning Towles, a rookie bust in 2008, to Triple-A for more seasoning. If anything, Rodriguez's arrival in Houston cancels any chance for Towles to enjoy a bounce-back 2009, barring, of course, an injury to the veteran.
As for Rodriguez's draft value, he's capable of at worst batting .270 with 8-10 home runs, making him the kind of No. 2 catcher who won't hurt you. NL-only owners will need to look at him in that kind of role at the very least, though his mixed-league appeal remains limited at this advanced stage of his career. He's not the kind of guy I'd be excited to land as my second backstop in a mixed league, unless it's 16 or more teams.
One of the perils of being in a league that drafts early is that you have to sweat out the spring injuries, hoping all of your guys make it in one piece to Opening Day.
In that regard, this past weekend was not a good one, even as we wait for the results of a second-opinion exam on Joe Mauer's back.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia told Red Sox fans to "calm down" after he suffered a strained left abdominal muscle that knocked him out of the World Baseball Classic. He might as well have been saying it to his fantasy owners. It was originally thought to be an oblique injury, which would have been a bigger issue that could have sidelined him for a month or two.
Pedroia felt some pain while swinging a bat, but his injury is expected to require just some rest. It's not certain when he'll be ready to get back in the field, but this ultimately shouldn't impact his availability for Opening Day, so don't knock him down your draft lists. There's still plenty of time for him to recuperate a bit and be ready to start the season.
His partner in the Sox middle infield was not as lucky. Julio Lugo, who was the favorite to win the starting shortstop position, will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. It will not be known how long Lugo will be out until he undergoes the procedure, but it will be at least three weeks and perhaps more depending on what they find. This gives Jed Lowrie the starting job, and also raises questions about how well Lugo will be running when he does return, as his main fantasy asset is speed. This development makes Lowrie even more of a viable option for the mixed-league endgame, especially because the shortstop pool is relatively weak compared to recent seasons.
Tim Heitman/US Presswire
Cole Hamels has only made more than 30 starts once in his three-year career, and that was last season.
• Persistent discomfort and tightness in his elbow has Cole Hamels headed back to Philadelphia for an MRI on Tuesday. While he does not feel pain when he throws, the elbow continues to tighten up between innings. It's not viewed as too serious at this juncture, but it's serious enough to get it checked out a bit more thoroughly. Tread cautiously in drafts for now, just in case, as this is enough to drop him a round or two until we know for sure it's not anything more serious. Hamels had a strained left elbow that forced him to the disabled list for a month in 2007. There's a possibility that even if it's not too serious, his Opening Day assignment could be in jeopardy.
• Sticking with the elbow theme for a minute, the news continues to not be good for the A's Justin Duchscherer. Already a health risk for this season after offseason surgery on his ailing hip for the second year in a row, Duchscherer had to shut down his long-toss session Saturday due to recurring pain in his elbow. He received a cortisone shot and won't be ready for the start of the season. There are also rumblings that he could wind up being moved to the bullpen to protect his health a little better. This situation creates another opportunity in the A's rotation, and the club is seriously taking a look at prized prospects Brett Anderson (four scoreless innings Sunday) and Trevor Cahill quicker than expected because of it. Another prospect, Vin Mazzaro, is also making his case this spring. Do not overlook Anderson, especially, in AL-only drafts.
• Finally, some good elbow news, as Ervin Santana has begun his throwing program after experiencing tightness, but will still miss a good portion of April as he gets back into his routine and gets stretched out. Still, it's a good sign that we'll be able to get 25 starts of Santana's fantasy goodness.
• Unlike Pedroia, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones really is dealing with a strained oblique muscle, and though he was able to play Saturday against Puerto Rico in the WBC, he felt it grab while taking some swings Sunday. Asked if he thought he would be ready for Opening Day, Jones said: "I hope so as long as we take care of it now and don't come back too soon and have this linger. This is one of those things that can linger, especially for a switch hitter."
• Two more players left Sunday's WBC game for the U.S. Ryan Braun departed in the eighth inning with what was termed a "sore right side," but told the team Web site after the game he was "fine. It's precautionary more than anything else. Just tightened up on me a little bit." Yet another bullet dodged, it seems.
• Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom also left Sunday's WBC tilt with a tight right shoulder, and he will undergo an MRI on Monday. "I still had arm strength," he told the team Web site. "The muscle in my shoulder was slowing my arm down, and I kind of felt it a bit." Lindstrom believes his soreness is just a little inflammation that will calm down. For now, it may not be anything that will delay the start of his season. If it does, Leo Nunez may be a candidate to get some early saves. The club has already reassigned hard-throwing Jose Ceda -- whom they acquired in the Kevin Gregg deal and is looked at as a potential future closer -- to minor league camp after his own shoulder trouble prevented him from throwing early in camp.
• Manny Ramirez departed Sunday's game with a sore left hamstring suffered while chasing after a fly ball. He's the proverbial "day-to-day" at the moment. Keep in mind that for all of his offensive production, he's been under 500 at-bats in two of the past three seasons, so be prepared to deploy some short term fill-ins from time to time.
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• Cubs manager Lou Piniella announced that Mike Fontenot would be his starting second baseman, but that Aaron Miles would still likely see 350 at-bats as the backup at second, third and short. Fontenot can hit for average, and actually has double-digit pop, which you wouldn't expect from such a diminutive player, so there's some quiet value to be had here in NL formats.
• Chase Utley went 0-for-2 in his first action of the year Sunday, playing four innings at second a day after playing in an intrasquad game. It's a good sign that Utley could be ready when the season starts.
• Nomar Garciaparra (who, if you think about it, could have been the Yankees' third baseman if he had waited another week to sign) made his spring debut this weekend and had two hits. He's expected to see time all over the infield this year, at least until his inevitable injuries kick in.
• Gary Matthews Jr., recovering from offseason knee surgery, also made his own preseason debut, grounding out in his only at-bat. He's ahead of schedule in his recovery, but it's still hard to see how he gets more than 250 at-bats this season given how crowded the OF/DH slots are with the Angels.
While Johan Santana didn't look all that great, the fact that he did pitch is a good sign for fantasy owners.
• Mets Nation can breathe something of a sigh of relief Friday morning, as Johan Santana made his spring debut against the Marlins on Thursday night. He wasn't particularly good: He allowed four hits and three runs in 2 2/3 innings, but did throw only 10 pitches in a perfect first frame. His velocity reportedly was down a bit from where it usually is, but that's to be expected. Most important is that the elbow tightness that caused Santana to be scratched from his first spring start hasn't recurred, and Santana no longer looks in danger of missing Opening Day. Until we hear that he's had another setback, it's safe to draft Santana as you normally would, which is to say: optimistically, if cautiously. He has seen his velocity slip a bit the past couple years overall, and he is coming off knee surgery. But he's certainly one of the top starting pitching options in fantasy (if not the top).
• The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Brad Lidge was able to throw an inning in Wednesday's intrasquad game after missing time with a sore forearm. He allowed a home run to J.J. Furmaniak, but came through the session without pain. He can go back to being one of the NL's top fantasy closers, though a season as perfect as 2008 isn't likely to recur.
• The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Ken Griffey Jr. is "slotted to split time between left field and DH, depending on his health," which potentially puts playing time for Jeff Clement in serious jeopardy. Kenji Johjima continues to be the Mariners' top catching option, and if Griffey can't play the field, you'd likely see some combination of Wladimir Balentien and Endy Chavez in left. Clement could still find time at first base, where he's taken some grounders this spring, if Russell Branyan doesn't work out as the starter (not hard to imagine that happening), and it's not as if Johjima's playing time is sacrosanct. But anyone drafting Clement assuming even 400 big league at-bats may be deluding him or herself.
• Just when you thought the Mariners' closing gig couldn't get any messier, the team signed Chad Cordero on Thursday. Cordero is coming off shoulder surgery and reportedly isn't ready to begin pitching in games, but if he's able to make it to the big league squad at some point this season, he's probably got more closing chops than anyone in a group that includes Miguel Batista, Mark Lowe, Roy Corcoran, Tyler Walker and David Aardsma. Cordero is not draftable right now in any but the very deepest AL-only leagues, but we should all stow the name deep in the recesses of our saves-hungry minds.
• MLB.com reports that the Mets continue to discuss the possibility of signing Ivan Rodriguez. Of course, they've currently got Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro behind the dish, so they'd have to make space by ridding themselves of one of those two less-than-exciting players. While Castro is an intriguing offensive guy when he's healthy, he's just not durable enough to rely on; it wouldn't be a shock to see Pudge wind up in some kind of time-share with Schneider before March is over. Of course, Rodriguez was awful in 2008, so it's hard to see how he helps your fantasy team much in '09.
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• ESPN's own Jerry Crasnick reports that the Dodgers have discussed the possibility of signing Pedro Martinez. Los Angeles definitely seems in need of a fifth starter, as Jason Schmidt and Claudio Vargas have looked pretty messy this spring. But Joe Torre did tell ESPN's Tim Kurkjian that while he has had conversations about Pedro, the Dodgers haven't even gone so far as to contact the Hall of Fame righty. It's been pretty funny to partake in AL-only and NL-only drafts early this spring, because Martinez has regularly been drafted in the final rounds of both flavors.
• Chris Carpenter pitched four scoreless innings Thursday against a Red Sox lineup that included Julio Lugo, Jason Varitek, Jed Lowrie and, well, not much else. But hey, the Cardinals have to be thrilled that Carpenter has pitched eight scoreless innings so far this spring, no matter whom he's been getting out. Watch him as the spring progresses, but Carpenter may be on the verge of making himself quite relevant in mixed leagues, in his return from elbow surgery.
• The Chicago Tribune reports that Bartolo Colon has been cleared to start a spring training game for the first time this spring on Monday. Colon had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow last fall, and has reportedly been impressive in side sessions. He's still probably an option in only a deep AL-only league at this point.
• Jorge Posada is expected to catch his first game of the spring this Sunday. How his shoulder holds up this year will be one of the Yankees' primary stories in '09. You know, outside that whole Alex Rodriguez business.
• Vernon Wells performed running drills for the first time since he hurt his left hamstring on Wednesday, and reported "feeling good." He hopes to be able to play in a game by next week, which would be good news, considering initial reports had him tearing the hamstring and possibly missing the start of the regular season.
Normally after an MRI, when a team learns that one of their players has an inflamed joint in their back and might not be ready to play by Opening Day, they're upset. In the case of Joe Mauer, the Twins are actually quite relieved. Mauer, who led all American League hitters with a .328 batting average in 2008, had surgery in December to remove a kidney obstruction, and when he was unable to run without pain, the team feared the worst. "Yeah. We were thinking it could be something huge, the way it has been going," manager Ron Gardenhire told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He added that team doctors were going to step up the medication Mauer has been taking in an effort to get him on the field as quickly as possible: "I don't know what he's been taking, but they are going to go with something more aggressive."
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Because Mauer has been able to do all the things a catcher needs to do -- catch and throw, as well as swing a bat -- the team is optimistic that it won't be too long before he can run as well and possibly even see some action before the end of spring training. Mauer had only one steal in 2008, so it's not like speed was something you were drafting with him anyway, so as long as he can get rid of this inflammation, he shouldn't have to miss much time. Which is a good thing, because neither the Twins, nor fantasy players for that matter, will want to be relying on the likes of 38-year-old Mike Redmond for any length of time. That said, it's hard to justify keeping a catcher with a bad back inside your top-60 rankings, so Mauer has been bumped down to No. 83 in our overall rankings, and to fourth among catchers" behind Brian McCann, Russell Martin and, now, Geovany Soto.
• Josh Willingham joined the Nationals in a trade from the Marlins in November, but now there may not be any place to put him. The team is pretty much ready to go in the outfield with Adam Dunn, Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes. Dunn could move to first base, but for now, the plan is for Nick Johnson to start there, at least until his brittle body breaks down again. Willingham can also catch, but the team has Jesus Flores penciled in behind the plate. "Somebody is going to be sitting on the bench. It's going to happen unless [the Nationals] make a move. I never sat on the bench ever [for a full season]," Willingham said on the Nationals' official Web site. He's saying the right things in public, for now, at least. But he did meet with manager Manny Acta about his situation, and declined to say what the result of their talk might have been.
Acta was a little bit more forthcoming. "He is as good as advertised as a person," Acta said. "As a player, he takes his job so seriously. He doesn't need to show what he can do. I've seen him 18 times [a year] for the last four or five years. He is a high-character guy. People were not lying when they were telling me that." Still, that could all be positive spin, just in case some trade offers come Washington's way. In the end, these things have a way of working themselves out, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Nick Johnson as the eventual odd-man-out, either through a trade or another injury, but until this situation does get settled, don't be willing to go overboard for Willingham.
• Braden Looper threw a bullpen session Wednesday, his first work since straining a ribcage muscle earlier this spring. Manager Ken Macha was happy with what he saw, as this likely puts Looper on course to be ready by Opening Day, as opposed to being placed on the disabled list. "I felt really good," Looper told the Brewers' team Web site. "I was a little fatigued at the end, but that's going to happen when I've only played catch for a few days. I feel healthy, and everything was down [in the strike zone]. That's a good sign, being able to pull the ball down."
• They can put whatever positive spin they want on things, but the Astros are hurting at catcher. First, Toby Hall's contract was voided by the team after he opted to undergo shoulder surgery in February. Then, former first-round pick Max Sapp, who had been a long shot to make the team, had a seizure at his home earlier this week. In the offseason, Sapp nearly died as a result of viral meningitis, but the Houston Chronicle reports that this latest incident probably was just a reaction to his medication. "I feel fine," Sapp said. "This is just for 24 hours." Sapp hopes to be released from the hospital today. Other than Sapp, there are three catchers in camp, playing for two spots, and frankly, none of them has been the least bit impressive. The trio of Humberto Quintero, J.R. Towles and Rule 5 pick Lou Palmisano are a combined 4-for-39 this spring. It makes you wonder, with Ivan Rodriguez playing so well in the World Baseball Classic, homering twice for Puerto Rico in their game against Panama, why the Astros haven't even sniffed his way. Rumor has it that Pudge might be looking to sign with the Marlins, but still, either he or fellow free agent Paul Lo Duca would have to be better options than what the Astros have in-house, wouldn't they?
• Chipper Jones says he will stay with Team USA, and hopes to play in the second round of the WBC. Jones missed Wednesday's game against Venezuela after suffering a mild strain of an oblique muscle over the weekend, but took batting practice and fielded some grounders before the game, declaring himself fit enough to play going forward. Ironically, it is precisely because Jones has been hurt so many times over the years that he's not worried about yet another injury. "If I hadn't had a couple dozen of these during the course of my career, I'd probably be a lot more cautious," Jones said on the Braves' official Web site. "But I know that it was a mild strain." Braves fans can start breathing again, at least for now.
• Jim Thome is not making it easy for fantasy owners to draft him this season. The White Sox slugger, who pretty much is restricted to DH duty because of his perennial bad back, was unable to even do that in Wednesday's game against the Brewers. Ozzie Guillen was forced to insert Ben Broussard in his lineup after Thome's back tightness flared up again. Thome has only had 14 at-bats so far this spring, and won't be making the trip to Surprise, Ariz., for the team's game against the Royals on Thursday. Still, Ozzie is apparently not the least bit concerned, telling reporters that "… spring training is hard for everyone. You get up and spend a lot of hours here swinging the bat and running around. It's different. Everybody at some point is going to be sore in spring training." That may be true, but if the season hasn't even started yet and Thome is too sore to play, how will his back hold up over a 162-game schedule?
For the second straight season, a much-ballyhooed reliever-turned-starter is dealing with injury issues. (But this time, it's not Joba Chamberlain.)
According to the Seattle Times, Brandon Morrow, the Mariners' closer for much of 2008, might miss the start of the season due to tightness in his right forearm. He tested his arm with a 22-pitch bullpen session Tuesday but continued to feel pain, and has been shut down indefinitely. Incredibly, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu believes Morrow has enough time to be ready for the start of the season.
Morrow is in danger of missing the first part of the season if he can't get healthy.
"It's going to be tight, but we still think we have some time," Wakamatsu said. "It depends on how fast he comes back from this. We'll just see where he's at. Another week, or a week and a half, and he's no further along, there's going to be some concerns."
Morrow's woes might lead fantasy owners to question the strategy of shifting pitchers from reliever to starter in-season, something that was done with both Morrow and Chamberlain in 2008. Not that there's any clear evidence that the boost in workload is responsible for their health issues -- Chamberlain is supposedly fine this spring -- but it could be a factor.
The No. 56 pick among starters in ESPN Live Drafts thus far, Morrow should see his draft stock slip looking forward, especially considering that forearm issues often lead to elbow problems down the road. It's not yet time to scratch him from your list entirely, but in mixed formats, the 56th starter generally slots as an end-of-your-staff type anyway. At this point he's more of a reserve pick in mixed leagues, and a back-of-your-staff AL-only choice.
• Speaking of Chamberlain, he held the Reds to one run in three innings Tuesday, helping ease concerns about his wildness in his previous outing. He had walked four of five batters he faced in his previous start, leading some to wonder whether maybe he too was dealing with health issues. Chamberlain appeared fine in this turn, though, and remains a breakout candidate with only moderate risk in mixed formats.
• Sticking with the Yankee theme, Mariano Rivera threw his first live batting practice session of the spring Wednesday morning, according to the team's official Web site. He hasn't reported any problems with his surgically repaired right shoulder through four mound sessions, and he will throw another session Saturday before potentially making his Grapefruit League debut Monday. With no clear setbacks for Rivera thus far, he should be a perfectly safe top-5 fantasy closer on draft day.
• A change in the closer guard might be afoot in Colorado, where the Denver Post reports Manny Corpas has an opportunity to grab the job over the next several days due to Huston Street's health issues and sluggish spring. Street has been dealing with a quadriceps injury and served up six runs on two home runs in his 1 1/3 innings of work in the Cactus League. I'm still of the mind that the Rockies know their best chance at showcasing Street for a midseason trade is by having him close initially, but based upon his performance the two should be drafted fairly close together. Certainly, handcuffing the two is recommended.
• Garret Anderson might miss two or three weeks with a strained right calf, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He initially suffered the injury during pregame warm-ups Friday, though the team expects he should be ready by Opening Day. Anderson is more an NL-only choice than a viable mixed-league bet, and if this lingers any longer, it could help open the door for a Brandon Jones/Matt Diaz left-field platoon.
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• Ubaldo Jimenez has returned to the Rockies, his Dominican Republic team having been ousted from the World Baseball Classic. He's coming off a WBC-record 10-strikeout effort Tuesday. He lasted four innings and 65 pitches, and for the spring has tossed nine shutout innings, allowing six hits with 17 K's. Rockies pitchers do have a limitation in terms of their fantasy upside, since Coors Field makes it tough for them to maximize their ERA/WHIP potential, but Jimenez is shaping up thus far as one of the more appealing late-rounders. He's being picked 76th among starters on average this spring, far too low for a guy with his talent.
• Brad Penny is scheduled for his first spring training game Friday, an intrasquad contest at the team's minor league complex, according to the Red Sox's official Web site. He threw 20 pitches of batting practice Tuesday and reported no issues with his shoulder, and if he gets through Friday's test with similar results, he'll presumably join the team's Grapefruit League rotation sometime next week. Picking Penny in AL-only leagues as anything more than a late-rounder presents high risk, but don't ignore him with the news on him becoming more promising.
• The Rangers' official Web site reports that free agent Ben Sheets, who is recovering from elbow surgery, is doing his rehabilitation work at TMI Sports Medicine in Arlington, Texas, which is owned by the team's doctor, Keith Meister. While the Rangers claim there is no connection, it's interesting from the aspect that the team is precariously thin in starting-pitching depth and was linked to the right-hander in offseason rumors. Of course, Sheets' fantasy value would tumble if he landed in Texas because of its bandbox ballpark, and he's at best a 10-to-15-start pitcher for 2009 besides.
• Though Brandon Webb's results -- three runs on four hits in three innings -- left a bit to be desired, the right-hander told the Diamondbacks' official Web site he was pleased with his work in his return to the spring rotation Tuesday. "As long as you get your work in and stuff, it's not that big of a deal, because the intensity and I think the batters' approaches totally change," he said. Webb threw 49 pitches in his return from forearm stiffness, and it's important to remember he has a history of poor spring statistics. Case in point: He had a 7.90 ERA last spring, yet won his first nine starts of the regular season. Don't fret much about Webb, a certain top-10 fantasy starting pitcher.
• Sleeper alert: Prospect Trevor Cahill tossed three innings and allowed one run for the Athletics on Tuesday, giving him a 2.00 ERA in his nine spring frames thus far. Though he's likely to begin the regular season in the minors, Cahill might yet be a dark-horse candidate for a rotation spot, especially with Justin Duchscherer's status still somewhat uncertain. At worst he's a reserve pick in AL-only formats, and with his ground-ball tendencies, Cahill might be quick to adapt to big league competition once promoted.
Normally fantasy owners shouldn't be too concerned about a big-time fantasy option possibly missing a week or two of the regular season. However, in the case of Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, an MRI scheduled for Tuesday could prove to be big news that, like a certain Yankees third baseman, really affects the draft boards.
Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Joe Mauer's offseason kidney surgery might not have concerned many fantasy owners, but lingering back issues could.
Mauer has been hampered by back pain, and that in turn has slowed his recovery from offseason kidney surgery. He has yet to appear in a spring game, being relegated to conditioning drills, and the Twins have reacted -- until now -- as if their top player would always be ready for April. It doesn't appear that fantasy owners were too worried, either, about Mauer's recovery in spring drafts, as the two-time American League (and defending) batting champion is currently being selected in the top 50 and as the No. 2 catcher overall, even though he's No. 56 overall and third at his position in ESPN's fantasy rankings.
Mauer's fantasy detractors point to a lack of power -- he has reached double digits only once -- but then again, there are no catchers with a career .317 batting average and multiple batting titles, and he's been largely durable. The Twins would turn to Mike Redmond if Mauer misses much time, sort of the Cody Ransom of Minnesota. If he could do the job in a short period of time, fantasy owners might take a look. If Mauer's medical tests prove he needs a longer-term recovery, however, he won't be going in the top 50 anymore.
By the way, unless you've been living in a cave (one without cable and Internet), you're aware Alex Rodriguez won't be playing for awhile. He had what doctors term successful hip surgery Monday, and rehab is scheduled to begin immediately. I'm optimistic -- since I own the guy in soooo many leagues -- that A-Rod will return in May, which is why I wouldn't let him go past the end of Round 2 in drafts. Of course, that's not where I drafted him. Anyway, as for Ransom, at whom I would take a late look in AL-only formats, he did not appear in Monday's loss to the Blue Jays, and he's hitting .241 this spring with a home run.
• Uh-oh, Chipper Jones is hurt again, and a month before the season starts. The Braves' third baseman seems to attract oblique strains, one of the culprits in his missing an average of more than 30 games a season recently. Jones isn't scheduled to play for Team USA in what is a meaningless Wednesday tilt, but he could return for the weekend. This shouldn't affect Jones' value in drafts. You know he's no Cal Ripken Jr. in terms of durability, but how many guys can hit .350?
• Good news for the Mets: Johan Santana is set to make his spring debut Thursday against the Marlins. This doesn't necessarily mean Santana will be ready to make his Opening Day start, by the way. All it means is he's scheduled to pitch, and a whole lot of Mets fans -- and fantasy owners -- will be watching and probably overrate his performance. Remember, with his balky elbow, his throwing is the key; the stats won't matter much.
• The Rays have many options to close games, but that in itself is the problem. In our projections we've got Dan Wheeler leading Tampa Bay, with more saves than Troy Percival, Grant Balfour and J.P. Howell combined. Percival, however, probably has the job when he's healthy. On Monday, according to the Rays' site, he proclaimed himself ready for April after throwing 42 pitches in a bullpen session. "I'm still going to be a work in progress, but physically, I feel great," he said. As closer handcuffs go, if you select Percival, make sure you have Wheeler as well.
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• Old-pitcher alert in White Sox camp: Both Bartolo Colon and Jose Contreras threw live batting practice Monday, and each could appear in a spring training game later this week. The White Sox could actually have room for both in the rotation, after Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd, as only Clayton Richard seems to have a reasonable shot to stick in the rotation among the young pitchers. While those in fantasy might laugh, Colon was somewhat effective in seven starts with the Red Sox last season, earning a 3.92 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, while Contreras was a 2006 All-Star.
• The Orlando Cabrera signing in Oakland pretty much destroyed any value Bobby Crosby had, but then again, it's not like Eric Chavez is the picture of health at third base. Crosby manned the hot corner Monday and didn't make any errors but went 0-for-3, a hitting line we've grown accustomed to. If Crosby ends up qualifying at second base and third base, along with shortstop, he'll become more interesting in fantasy, even if he doesn't hit much. Chavez, by the way, has been shut down with right shoulder pain. Ironically, the A's signed Nomar Garciaparra, who also will end up missing many games, but he can do more for fantasy in half a season than Crosby over six months.
• In retread Texas Rangers news, Andruw Jones and Kris Benson haven't had great springs, and as of now don't appear to be in line for significant major league work. However, Monday was a good day. Jones hit his first official home run of the spring, while Benson allowed only one hit and fanned four in three strong innings. Benson can be sent to the minors for a month, which seems a likely scenario. Both these guys seem like worthwhile dollar options in AL-only formats.
• Spunky White Sox second baseman Chris Getz -- really, all the competitors for that job seem spunky to me -- hit an inside-the-park home run Monday. Nobody in this job battle is having a terrific spring (Brent Lillibridge, Jayson Nix), but keep in mind the White Sox aren't set at the top of their lineup, either. Jerry Owens, who seems the leader in the center-field race, is 0-for-3 in stolen-base attempts, and since that's basically what he does, it's not a good sign.
You are likely well aware of the big news from this weekend, that Alex Rodriguez indeed will undergo surgery on his hip that will sideline him for six to nine weeks.
Stephania Bell has a fantastic take on the issue here.
For what it's worth, in the famed League of Alternative Baseball Reality experts league that drafted Sunday after the news came out, A-Rod was brought up for $20, advanced to $21, went to $22 and that was it. It could wind up being the steal of the draft if A-Rod is able to bounce back from the surgery close to normal. He hit .302 with 35 homers, 103 RBIs and 18 steals despite missing almost a month last season. However, one would expect his base stealing to potentially be curtailed to ease the stress placed on his hip.
Kirby Lee/US Presswire
Ervin Santana was one of the breakout fantasy stars in 2008, but he'll have to wait to follow up that performance.
• Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Ervin Santana will open the season on the disabled list with tightness in his elbow. He first started having trouble in an intrasquad game Tuesday. He's going to try to play catch later this week, but the teams will take it slow with him, and Santana will need at least a few weeks to build up his arm to the point he's ready to start games during the regular season. For now, plan on him missing the first month if all goes well.
In good news for the Angels, Kelvim Escobar is way ahead of schedule in his rehab from surgery to repair a torn labrum. He could be back in the team's rotation by the end of May, according to the Los Angeles Times. Wait and see in mixed leagues, but he's a good endgame play in AL formats.
• The Cardinals made an early decision on who will play third base for them in the first month of the season while Troy Glaus is out, anointing Joe Mather as the starter after he showed enough to convince the club he could handle the position defensively. The team assigned David Freese and Brett Wallace to minor league camp. Freese was the front-runner for the job, but an Achilles tendon injury that he suffered in a car accident right before camp set him back, and he's still unable to play the field. Mather can provide some pop in NL leagues for the first month, and then likely will be a backup at the infield and outfield corners, potentially squeezing out enough playing time to be useful in deep leagues.
• B.J. Upton reported no pain in his surgically repaired shoulder after his first session of batting practice this weekend, but admitted it's not at full strength yet, putting his availability for Opening Day in doubt. That said, if he does miss some time, it likely wouldn't be longer than a week or two.
• Todd Helton made his spring debut Sunday, hitting a monstrous homer to deep center field estimated at over 450 feet. He's still expected to receive regular rest for his surgically repaired back this season, which will give Ian Stewart some more playing time, but that kind of power has been missing from Helton's game in recent seasons, so this is a good sign.
• A's manager Bob Geren said he was not ruling out prized prospect Brett Anderson as a part of the Opening Day rotation if Justin Duchscherer's injury woes continue. Although the team has multiple alternatives, they don't have Anderson's upside, so he has a chance to pitch his way onto the roster. He made his first start against the Indians' regulars Sunday, and allowed no runs and two singles in 2 2/3 innings.
In other news from A's camp, closer Joey Devine has been sidelined with elbow tendinitis the past few days. This is a situation we'll have to monitor. If you didn't think it was necessary to handcuff Devine with Brad Ziegler before, this might change your mind. We'll keep you posted in case this is more than just some common spring soreness.
• White Sox prospect Gordon Beckham has been impressive in camp thus far, and in Sunday's game against the Dodgers, he batted leadoff and hit three doubles. The second baseman could contend for big league at-bats as soon as this season, given that the competition in front of him (Chris Getz, Jayson Nix, Brent Lillibridge), is relatively unexciting.
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• The Baltimore Sun reported that although it still seems unlikely to happen, the Orioles have had internal discussions about signing Pedro Martinez.
• Yovani Gallardo faced 10 batters this weekend in a start against the Royals, and got just two of them out, walking three and struggling with his control. However, try not to read too much into one bad spring outing; the wildness is uncharacteristic, and he's still a pitcher you definitely want to target this season.
• Brad Penny continues to throw bullpen sessions in his recovery from shoulder issues, but there is still no timetable for him to pitch in an actual game yet, putting his original timetable of being ready by April 15 in doubt. Any delays in his return would benefit Clay Buchholz, who has been impressive in camp thus far, and is a sleeper reserve list play in mixed leagues for those looking to stash away some pitchers with upside.
• Matt Joyce hasn't had a spring at-bat yet due to tendinitis in his lower leg, which isn't helping his case to beat out Gabe Gross as part of Tampa Bay's right field platoon with Gabe Kapler. Joyce is a popular sleeper in AL formats due to his power potential, but he could be headed to the disabled list or the minors once the season opens.
• The Braves' team Web site reported that Josh Anderson is the leading candidate to begin the year as the team's starting center fielder. Given his stolen base potential, he's well worth pursuing in NL leagues, and could be a factor in deep mixed play if he keeps the job.
• If it's my day to write our spring training blog, Joba Chamberlain must be in the news. Joba faced five Team Canada batters in an exhibition Thursday afternoon: He walked four, allowed a hit, threw a wild pitch and didn't get anyone out. Youch. The Yankees pulled Chamberlain with the bases loaded and no one out in the first inning after he had walked in two runs. Chamberlain told reporters afterward that he felt fine physically, but that his mechanics were simply messed up. It was March 5, so it's not exactly time to panic. But on the same day we learned Alex Rodriguez may need hip surgery, this wasn't something the Yankees needed to see.
• My buddy AJ Mass noted yesterday that Juan Pierre is the odd man out in the wake of Manny Ramirez finally signing with the Dodgers. Despite the fact that Pierre started the spring with 12 hitless at-bats before finally getting a base knock yesterday, he still came out and told the team's official Web site that he wants to be traded.
"They gave us permission to talk to teams and try to find a situation that can work out for everybody, and that's all I can ask for," Pierre said. It's true that Pierre is no more than a fourth outfielder in L.A., but that's richly deserved. He can run, but that's just about it, and every year he's vastly overrated by the fantasy community. Because he takes so few walks, his runs totals are never as high as they should be, and he's a terrible waste of a roster spot when it comes to the power categories. Pierre has three years and a whopping $28.5 million left on his contract, so good luck engineering that trade.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Erik Bedard hopes to establish himself as a top-notch starter again after an injury-plagued '08.
• Mariners lefty Erik Bedard was stellar again Thursday, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Angels, fanning three, walking one and allowing a single hit. He hasn't given up a run in two outings so far this spring. If this keeps up, he's going to be mighty tempting as a mixed-league sleeper in a few weeks.
• Mariners righty Brandon Morrow, who's looked upon as a sleeper in AL-only leagues, was scratched from his Saturday start because of soreness in his pitching forearm. Morrow has the repertoire for a closer, but Seattle seems to be sticking with the plan of trying him in the rotation first, and allowing the likes of Miguel Batista, Mark Lowe, Roy Corcoran, David Aardsma and Tyler Walker to battle for the closer's gig. Morrow is next scheduled to pitch a week from Friday. If he doesn't make that start, it might be time to worry.
• Matt Wieters went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI while hitting cleanup for the Orioles Thursday. He's hitting .462 and slugging .833 through his first 12 spring training at-bats, making the fantasy world drool over him all the more. I don't expect Baltimore to break camp with Wieters on the big league squad, if only to trim a season off his major-league service time. But he's going to be one interesting hitting catcher when he arrives sometime in 2009.
• Oft-injured speedster Ryan Freel stole his fifth base of the spring for the Orioles on Thursday. Freel figures to play pretty much only against lefties, at least to start the year, but could wind up a cheap source of AL-only speed if he finally stays healthy.
• Brewers fifth starter Braden Looper told the team's official Web site that he was "encouraged" by his recovery from a tight oblique muscle. Manager Ken Macha said there was still a chance Looper could get back on the mound "soon," which would enhance his chances of getting in enough spring work to be ready to start the season off the DL.
• Rangers reliever C.J. Wilson, who racked up 24 saves in 2008 but probably will set up in '09, left Thursday's game against the Padres when he was hit in the pitching hand by a grounder. The Rangers say X-rays were negative, but this doesn't hurt Frank Francisco's bid to lock down the closer's role.
• Shawn Hill of the Nationals couldn't make his start Thursday because of continued pain in his pitching forearm, and the team's official Web site reports that Hill is scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews on Friday. Six words you don't want associated with your fantasy pitcher: "scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews."
• Rockies reliever Taylor Buchholz, who posted a 2.17 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in a set-up role for Colorado last year, will miss the next four to six weeks because of a sprained pitching elbow, according to the Denver Post. Apparently, though, an MRI revealed a "partial tear" in Buchholz's elbow, which does lead one to wonder why Buchholz told reporters he had a sprain. But the team doesn't seem to believe he needs surgery right now. Either way, he'll miss the entire spring, and looks likely to begin the season on the DL.
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• ESPN's own Buster Olney reports that the Cardinals reached an agreement Thursday with reliever Dennys Reyes. Reyes was very good in '08 as a lefty set-up man for the Twins, posting a 2.33 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He was also lights-out in '06. In deep NL-only leagues, he'll be a bullpen option.
• The Giants demoted Keiichi Yabu and Kelvin Pichardo to Triple-A Fresno on Thursday. Yabu, in particular, makes for an interesting case, as NL-only fantasy players know he was good for a 3.57 ERA and a respectable 48 strikeouts in 68 relief innings last year for San Francisco. He evidently has no shot to make the team in April.
• The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Eric Gagne is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his pitching shoulder Friday. He's in camp on a non-roster deal and hasn't been able to throw yet; if tests don't show structural damage, he'll try to get back on a throwing program soon, but it's looking less and less likely he'll help out in the Brewers bullpen. Don't be fooled by the name: Trevor Hoffman is the closer in Milwaukee, with Gagne far out of the picture.
• The Giants released Dave Roberts and swallowed his $6.5 million salary rather than keep him as an extra bench player. Roberts can't stay healthy (he has never played in more than 129 games in a single year, and got into just 52 in '08 for San Francisco), but he's just two seasons removed from a 31-steal season. He can't do much more than run, but even at age 36 (he'll be 37 in May), Roberts figures to find a part-time gig with someone in the majors.
Alex Rodriguez's fantasy fortunes definitely are not looking up for this season.
This has not been a good offseason for Alex Rodriguez. First we had the whole steroid issue, but it was expected that the hubbub would fade into the background, especially if no disciplinary action is handed down as a result of the revelations. But on Thursday, his older brother, Joe Dunand, told Enrique Rojas of ESPNdeportes.com that Rodriguez will have surgery to remove a cyst from his right hip and that the resulting rehabilitation would take about 10 weeks.
The story took a couple of turns late in the day, as Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, confirmed that A-Rod had a torn labrum in his hip in addition to the cyst. However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that Rodriguez would undergo conservative treatment in order to avoid an operation. If Rodriguez were to have surgery, Cashman said the three-time AL MVP would miss up to four months of action.
If we took Dunand at his word and assumed Rodriguez ends up missing action only until mid-May, how far would you drop him on your draft lists? Let's put the number of missed games for A-Rod at about 35. That means you would be paying for about 127 games. Well, last season's numbers of 35 home runs, 103 RBIs and a .302 batting average were accomplished in only 138 games, so it wouldn't be too farfetched to assume that you'd be able to get similar numbers from Rodriguez, assuming a complete recovery in that time frame. But even so, that would probably drop him out of the first round, and into the mid-to-late second round.
The problem is that if Rodriguez does need surgery, 10 weeks of recovery time is probably a very optimistic forecast. ESPN.com's own Stephania Bell says that if surgery is needed, it is unlikely (though not impossible) that he would be back on the field for the Yankees as quickly as Dunand is intimating, and that it would be closer to the four months that Cashman suggested. That puts a whole new spin on things, because if Rodriguez could possibly be out until perhaps the All-Star break, there's no way you can pay full price for what may end up being a half-season of action.
If you halve Rodriguez's pre-cyst projection to 22 home runs and 65 RBIs, you're looking at someone contributing at a level far closer to Adrian Beltre (ADP: 114.3) and Alex Gordon (ADP: 149) than David Wright (ADP: 4.9) and Evan Longoria (ADP: 26.4), both of whom have already moved to the top of third base pecking order with the latest news.
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Let's say Rodriguez follows the Yankees' current approach of avoiding surgery, sitting out the World Baseball Classic as a precaution, and heading into Opening Day feeling fine. Is it still worth it to make Rodriguez the overall No. 1 selection and wait at the edge of your seat all March long, waiting for the other shoe to drop? I don't think so.
Given the uncertainty across the board about his status, Rodriguez drops from the No. 1 overall player in ESPN.com's rankings to No. 31, the top of the fourth round. If you do decide to select him, you must make sure that you snare a second option at the hot corner sooner rather than later, just to cover yourself, and I don't mean taking Cody Ransom either. That may end up being Plan B for the Yankees, but it won't work for you. And for those of you who already have drafted Rodriguez, perhaps it might be the best option to try to get maximum value out of him now, before the worst fears become reality.
Who is Yu? He's Yu Darvish, the 23-year-old pitching sensation who went 16-4 with a 1.88 ERA last season for the Nippon Ham Fighters. Darvish threw four no-hit innings against China in the first game of the World Baseball Classic in the wee hours Thursday morning, as Japan won 4-0, a far cry from the 18-2 drubbing it gave China in the first WBC in 2006. While buzz over Darvish has been building for some time, the fact is that he's not coming to the majors any time soon. Sure he could probably fetch a hefty posting fee, a la the $51 million the Red Sox paid for the right to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka after the last WBC, but with the current state of the economy, it is unlikely that many teams would be able to afford the asking price. So don't get too excited. It may be a few years before Darvish becomes eligible for your fantasy roster.
Junko Kimura/Getty Images
Yu Darvish looked great Thursday, but fantasy owners may have to wait many years before he does it for a major league team.
But it's hard to get excited by any pitching performance in the Classic, not only because the level of competition in some of these early games leaves a lot to be desired, but also because players are simply not yet able to play at their peak performance levels. How else can you explain Ichiro Suzuki, Kosuke Fukudome, Kenji Johjima and Akinori Iwamura going a combined 0-for-11 against the likes of -- not Cliff Lee -- but Chenhau Li. The point is that while you should enjoy the games for what they are. Don't go changing your draft lists as a result of anything that happens in this tournament, short of a major injury, because it doesn't tell you anything.
• Speaking of injury, Shin-Soo Choo may not be sticking around for South Korea's opening game Friday against Taiwan, at least not if the Indians have their way. According to a report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Choo is suffering some soreness in his surgically repaired left elbow, and Cleveland would prefer the outfielder get checked out by team doctors. Choo started last season on the disabled list, and the Indians are hopeful that their planned starting right fielder doesn't have a similar start to 2009.
"At this point the Indians' wishes are to get him back here so we can examine him," general manager Mark Shapiro told the paper, "just because we're not comfortable with him being somewhere else and experiencing an injury." If Choo's injury does force him to miss action, Dave Dellucci would probably be the initial beneficiary, but any significant absence might eventually see the Indians decide to press Matt LaPorta into service sooner than expected.
• In Mariners camp, Ken Griffey Jr. saw his first action with his old team, walking and flying out in two plate appearances as a designated hitter against the Australian WBC squad. Seattle has said it will take things very slowly with Griffey, who had arthroscopic knee surgery only four months ago. But for the first time out at least, the knee held up fine and all is well, at least as far as Griffey is concerned.
• For Miguel Batista, the game did not go nearly as well. Batista, one of the candidates to claim the Mariners' closer job, allowed four runs in only two-thirds of an inning. Roy Corcoran and Mark Lowe also got roughed up in the contest, so Batista probably remains in the lead in the competition that may well last the entire spring.
• Brandon Webb got roughed up by a Team Mexico that includes Jorge Cantu, Alfredo Amezaga, Scott Hairston and Adrian Gonzalez ... and he couldn't be happier. Despite allowing six runs in 1 1/3 innings, Webb, who had been bothered by forearm tightness, said he felt fine, and that's far more important than results at this time of year.
"No issues with the forearm. The arm felt really good," Webb said on the Diamondbacks Web site. "Just to go out there and get your emotions, your adrenaline and all that stuff to calm down is kind of tough in the first outing. I had that going through me."
Besides, with so many major league hitters on Mexico's roster, giving up a few runs is nothing to be embarrassed about. That wouldn't be the case if you were a pitcher facing Team Netherlands, which has no current big leaguers in the lineup. That's the no-win situation Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo faced in his Wednesday outing, so take from his four scoreless innings of work what you will.
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• Aaron Poreda, the young White Sox pitching prospect with a fastball that regularly flirts with 100 mph, had another solid relief outing, picking up a win again the Cubs on Wednesday. Poreda projects to be a big league starter in the long term, but with the team hoping to have Bartolo Colon and Jose Contreras healthy by the middle of April, there's likely to be no room in the rotation for Poreda. It's possible that a few more solid bullpen outings could earn Poreda a spot on the roster, as insurance in case either Colon or Contreras suffers a setback. The Chicago Tribune reports that both veterans increased their bullpen sessions Wednesday to 45 pitches, with more intensity than previous sessions. The pair will throw another bullpen session Saturday, and if all goes well, they'll move on to throwing live batting practice.
• Another team with a pair of pitchers on the mend is the Angels. Mike Scioscia tells the Los Angeles Times that Jered Weaver should be able to make his first Cactus League start in seven to 10 days, and should have enough time to be ready for his first scheduled start of the regular season. Kelvim Escobar is also ahead of his recovery schedule from shoulder surgery. He should be able to make at least one appearance on the hill before the end of the spring, though Scioscia expects Escobar to start a 30-day minor league rehab assignment once camp breaks. "He's making some great strides," Scioscia said on the Angels' official Web site. "He won't be ready for Opening Day, but if he keeps making strides, he's going to surprise everybody with how quickly he recovers from this."
• J.D. Drew tells the Boston Globe that he's ready to return to the Red Sox lineup Friday. Drew flew back to Boston on Sunday to receive a cortisone shot in his lower back. Drew explained what the problem was, "More than anything, it's just -- we were talking about some of the residual stiffness I had throughout the offseason, and really wished I could get rid of it. So I worked with a chiropractor … He thought that may be the main cause of that residual stiffness, when I'm sitting around, riding on airplanes, sitting around the house." Drew says he's fine, but this bears watching. It may be a case where you pre-emptively bench Drew occasionally, especially for the first game of road trips after a long plane ride.
One last follow-up to the Manny Ramirez signing: My colleague Tristan Cockcroft wrote Wednesday that the odd man out in the Dodgers outfield surely will be Juan Pierre. After going 0-for-3 Wednesday in a game against the Giants, Pierre continues to be oh-fer the spring. If there's any fight left in Pierre, we've yet to see it, and it's even more unlikely that a trade will be forthcoming unless he does something to show he still has a little bit left in the tank, especially with the ridiculous $28.5 million price tag that comes with his services.
It took four long months, but finally, Manny Ramirez has a team.
Ramirez -- predictably -- will be back with the Dodgers, after he agreed in principle Wednesday to a two-year, $45 million contract, reinstalling him as the team's everyday left fielder and No. 3 hitter.
Gary A. Vasquez/US Presswire
Manny Ramirez was the No. 8 player overall in last season's Player Rater.
It's a role in which Ramirez thrived following his trade from the Red Sox on July 31; he batted .410 (87-for-212) with 21 home runs and 63 RBIs in 61 games for the Dodgers, postseason included. Some say it was the result of added motivation to show the Red Sox their mistake in dealing him; some suggest it was his contract-year status. But whatever the reason, Ramirez produced a three-month stretch to rival almost anyone's this decade. That he managed a fourth-place finish in MVP voting in the National League despite only 53 games played for Los Angeles demonstrates his immense impact.
Now, it's highly unlikely that Ramirez will come close to a .400 batting average, an RBI-per-game pace or 50-plus homers in 2009, and some might wonder how motivated he will be with contract security once again. However, since the 36-year-old slugger's deal includes an opt-out clause after this season, might it not suit him to maintain an MVP-caliber performance to improve his contract standing in eight months?
Expect a decline in Ramirez's numbers, although not a devastating one. In his worst season of the past decade, he still hit .296-20-88 hitter in 133 games, and outside of that 2007 campaign, he averaged .322-39-119. That's a potential top-25 fantasy player, and it's not one you should worry about having missed much of the spring. With one month between now and Opening Day, Ramirez should be in playing shape in plenty of time.
For the record, and this draws back to the word "predictably" in the second paragraph, our projections mostly presumed Ramirez would return to L.A. in 2009, meaning little to no change to his draft-day value. We had him forecasted for .319-32-107 numbers and the No. 29 draft position overall, and with his deal now done, you can pick him there -- or perhaps a few spots sooner -- with increased confidence.
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Most hurt by Ramirez's return to Los Angeles is Juan Pierre, who returns to the fourth-outfielder role he occupied following July's trade. Pierre started only 13 of the Dodgers' final 54 regular-season games and one in the playoffs, and didn't seem at all himself on the base paths, stealing only four of 10 chances (playoffs included). He no longer is mixed league worthy and brings only fourth- or fifth-outfielder value to NL-only leagues based on the prospect he can steal 20 or so bases in a reserve role.
Another tasty tidbit: If Orlando Hudson hits second as has been rumored, he perhaps will benefit most from Ramirez's return, getting a boost in runs scored and better pitches to hit. Once the top 10 second basemen are off the board, don't wait much longer to grab Hudson, a potential value especially in NL-only formats.
Tristan H. Cockcroft is a fantasy analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.
Johan Santana is still the top pitcher being taken in drafts, but it's possible his average draft position could fall slightly.
• Johan Santana's elbow tightness is apparently severe enough to prevent him from being the Mets' Opening Day starter. Pitching coach Dan Warthen told Newsday that Santana, who is scheduled to throw another bullpen session Wednesday morning, won't appear in a Grapefruit League game before March 18, eliminating any chance of him being ready for the April 6 opener in Cincinnati. Santana is penciled in for April 11, the Mets' fifth game of the regular season, but that his in-season schedule is already being altered suggests a disabled-list stint might be next if he suffers any further setbacks. It's not panic-button time regarding his draft-day value, but it's something to keep in mind.
• The New York Times reports that Alex Rodriguez might skip the World Baseball Classic due to a hip injury. He is expected to fly to Colorado on Wednesday to see a hip specialist after an MRI exam this past Saturday showed a cyst. A-Rod did play for the Dominican Republic on Tuesday despite the cyst, going 1-for-3, but the Yankees probably wouldn't want him to risk further injury by playing through it in the WBC. It's only a minor issue that shouldn't affect his draft status, especially if he takes that precaution.
• ESPNdeportes.com's Enrique Rojas is reporting that Manny Ramirezhas agreed to a deal with the Dodgers. However, neither the team nor Ramirez's agent Scott Boras would confirm the news, although it appears the sides are getting close to a deal. Right now, ESPN fantasy owners aren't too concerned about Ramirez's status, as he has an average draft position of 26.2, a third-round pick, although it could rise slightly when he officially finds a home.
• Braden Looper might be disabled-list bound, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Manager Ken Macha told the paper that the team plans a conservative approach with the right-hander after Looper experienced tightness in his left oblique while warming up in the bullpen this past Saturday. Looper won't throw again for 10-12 days, leaving little wiggle room for him to be ready for Opening Day. Scratch him off your draft lists in all but the deepest NL-only leagues. Seth McClung is expected to stand in for him for now.
• Randy Johnson was up to his old tricks on Tuesday, striking out seven Diamondbacks in three scoreless innings of work. That brings his spring total to nine K's in five innings, allowing one run on three hits total. It's still pretty early in the spring, but keep the "Big Unit" in mind as a potential mixed-league value, realizing that few fantasy owners are going to put much stock in a 45-year-old pitcher. Johnson did finish 2008 the 35th-ranked starting pitcher on our Player Rater, and this year he'll call home a ballpark much more conducive to masking the effects of the aging process.
• Don't read too much into Joe Nathan's withdrawing from the WBC; the shoulder injury that forced him out isn't an issue. He completed a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday and reported no further pain or soreness in his AC joint, according to the Twins' official Web site. Such minor bumps and bruises are somewhat common with pitchers at this early stage of the spring, but it appears Nathan is in the clear.
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• Sean Marshall took an important step towards nailing down the vacant fifth-starter role for the Cubs, tossing three perfect innings against an Athletics lineup that included Jack Cust, Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi. It's good timing for him; competitors Aaron Heilman, Chad Gaudin and Jeff Samardzija will each make a start in the next two days, having to play catch-up. Marshall, a soft tosser with a 4.08 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 26 starts the past two seasons combined, could be an NL-only late-round value if he's the eventual winner. For one thing, run support won't be a problem for him.
• Prospective Trevor Hoffman owners have to be happy to hear that neither Eric Gagne nor David Riske is pitching in live games yet. Riske, coming off surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow, will throw batting practice on Thursday, but the news for Gagne is more dire; the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that he has been shut down indefinitely due to a shoulder injury. Hoffman should begin 2009 with about the most job security a closer can hope for, but this news might also elevate Carlos Villanueva's sleeper potential as a "next in line" candidate.
• Justin Duchscherer was scheduled to have his elbow examined with an MRI on Tuesday, though the team's official Web site described it as "precautionary." We'll have to wait to hear whether he'll begin the season on the disabled list, but in the meantime, of interest is that the San Francisco Chronicle lists Edgar Gonzalez the most likely rotation stand-in, with Jerome Williams also a candidate. Neither pitcher seems to be a fantasy option even in AL-only formats, and the team's top three projected starters -- Dana Eveland, Sean Gallagher and Dallas Braden -- don't seem all that much more appealing.
Tristan H. Cockcroft is a fantasy baseball, football and hockey analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.
While Manny Ramirez continues to play hard-to-get, the other high-profile unemployed baseball players are desperately seeking work and agreeing to stunning contracts they probably thought they never would have to face. It is, after all, March. Not much time left to haggle.
Cabrera certainly appears to be on the downside of his career, but statistically, he still has something to offer. Even sans an actual job, Cabrera was selected in the later rounds in our first two ESPN mock drafts, as well as in other industry drafts in which I participated. The shortstop position isn't particularly strong, so a fella who generally hits between eight and 10 home runs, steals about 20 bases and has batted no worse than .281 in the past three seasons becomes a de facto top-15 shortstop and decent middle infielder. When we at ESPN originally projected Cabrera, we didn't know where he'd end up, but a season pretty much like his 2008 campaign seemed fitting. Moving to Oakland for what might be a full season (or less, if he becomes trade bait) shouldn't change things much.
Tom Fluegge/US Presswire
Orlando Cabrera's current average draft position is 195, which might go up now that he has a job.
The A's didn't have obvious choices for the top of their revamped lineup that sunk the team in 2008. However, it has received major upgrades this offseason. For example, Cabrera isn't a star hitter by any means, but compared to the below-average plate work of incumbent Bobby Crosby the past two seasons, he looks like a Hall of Famer. In fact, the shortstop could end up batting first; last season for the White Sox, Cabrera received 588 of his near-league-leading 730 plate appearances hitting leadoff. Cabrera's on-base percentage in that spot was only .341, but he scored runs. Cabrera is durable, so even if he doesn't raise that on-base percentage in Oakland, he's going to be a candidate to score 100 runs with Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi hitting after him.
Meanwhile, Crosby's once-promising career has hit a crossroads. The A's could use him in a utility role, but with a .239 career batting average and very little health or production since he was the rookie of the year in 2004, there's little reason to look at him in fantasy. Plus, the team reportedly is wooing another utility infielder, Nomar Garciaparra, which could make Crosby more expendable.
• Remember when Homer Bailey was supposed to be a fantasy ace? Well, let's not give up hope yet. With a career ERA of 6.72 in 17 starts, Bailey certainly has struggled, but it's premature to give up on him. The Reds haven't guaranteed Bailey a rotation spot, but with outings like Monday's, in which the 22-year-old permitted a mere two baserunners over three shutout innings against the Pirates, it will be tough to send him back to Triple-A Louisville.
• Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth made his spring debut Monday after missing time due to a strained right shoulder. The Phillies didn't seem particularly worried, and neither should fantasy owners be concerned, despite Werth's sketchy health track record. He finally has a starting role locked up in the spring and should remain a productive right fielder with the possibility for 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Another Philly people were beginning to worry about is closer Brad Lidge, who had a successful bullpen session Monday and might pitch in a game next week.
• Closer alert! Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu named three right-handed relief pitchers as having stood out in the competition for the saves, and … drum roll, please … they are: Roy Corcoran, Mark Lowe and Miguel Batista. This should excite everyone, notably Mariners fans. OK, so none of this is a surprise, although newcomer Tyler Walker has closing experience and wasn't mentioned. He still has a few weeks.
• More closer news! Those who own Matt Capps in keeper leagues need not worry, but nobody in spring training has more saves than Pittsburgh right-hander Evan Meek, who registered No. 2 Monday. While Capps' job is not in jeopardy and spring stats couldn't mean less when it comes to saves since the closers generally pitch around the fourth inning, Meek's strong spring -- he has allowed only one baserunner in three scoreless innings -- probably moves him to the top of the setup class and next in line for saves. After all, Capps did miss nearly two months of 2008 with a sore shoulder, and the Pirates don't have a top-heavy bullpen. Meek is probably the right-hander next in line for saves.
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• Speaking of sore shoulders, it might be time for the Tigers to really worry about Jeremy Bonderman's. Bonderman was sent back to Detroit on Monday to have his shoulder examined, as he's dealt with soreness after offseason surgery. The Tigers have a competition for their fifth starter job, one Dontrelle Willis doesn't seem to be winning, so if Bonderman starts the year on the DL, Willis might make the rotation by default.
• Carlos Zambrano seems to be going rather late in spring drafts I've seen, but that might cease if he continues to mow through hitters like he did Monday. Zambrano struck out three of the six Diamondbacks he faced as he comes back from his worst season since 2002. In other Cubs news, manager Lou Piniella refused to name his Opening Day starter. Until this becomes an actual fantasy category, we'll worry about it later.
• Dodgers shortstop prospect Ivan DeJesus -- no, not the one the Phillies dealt Larry Bowa and Ryne Sandberg to the Cubs for back in … oh, forget it, I'm no longer bitter -- broke his left tibia sliding into home plate Monday and might be sidelined for the season. There are few fantasy repercussions here, other than my fond memories of his shortstop father, and the fact that the Dodgers aren't as deep at shortstop should something befall Rafael Furcal. Chin-Lung Hu hasn't hit major league pitching yet, and DeJesus was the Dodgers' minor league player of the year in 2008, so this could be lost opportunity for him.
Eric Karabell is a senior writer for ESPN.com who covers fantasy baseball, football and basketball. He has twice been honored as fantasy sports writer of the year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. His new book, "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments," was published by Source Books and is available in bookstores. Contact Eric by e-mailing him here.
Those owners that selected Johan Santana in early drafts are breathing a little bit better this morning.
The Mets' ace threw 31 pitches on Sunday to test his left elbow, which had developed some tightness after his previous throwing session, and things went well enough that a trip back to New York for an MRI or other further tests was canceled, according to the team Web site. Although the winter storm warning for New York was a small factor in the fantasy ace not traveling, it was largely because Santana said his elbow felt fine after throwing only fastballs and changeups.
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He is scheduled to throw another bullpen and at least two batting-practice outings before appearing in an actual game. Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen said that would put Santana on track to making his spring debut on March 13. If it's later than that, Santana might not be ready to begin the season. While we'll continue to monitor the situation, it appears Santana has dodged the proverbial bullet for now.
• Not only is he trying to recover from a second surgery on his right hip, but A's starter Justin Duchscherer is also dealing with a sore elbow. According to the Contra Costa Times, the best-case scenario has Duchscherer making his spring debut on March 12. There were already concerns that the Duke may not pitch more than 150 innings this season given the hip woes that have cut his seasons short the last two years, and now there is an additional issue to throw into the mix. Yes, the numbers were stellar when Duchscherer took the mound last year, but how well he's going to hold up remains a serious question mark.
• Brandon Webb threw a bullpen session without any issues on Sunday, and it appears he is past the forearm tightness that gave him problems last week. There should be no concerns with him going forward.
• Speaking of forearm tightness, Brad Lidge has yet to appear in a spring game due to that issue, according to the News Journal, but as of now it doesn't appear that this will affect his readiness for Opening Day.
• Josh Hamilton left Sunday's spring game due to a strained Achilles tendon suffered while he was running the bases, but said after the game he'd be back in the lineup if it were a regular-season game, so it doesn't appear to be too serious.
AP Photo/Eric Risberg
Eric Chavez was limited to just 23 games last season.
• According to the team Web site, A's third baseman Eric Chavez, recovering from yet another shoulder surgery, didn't experience any setbacks in a set of throwing drills on Sunday, and could make his Cactus League debut in the field later this week. It's possible Chavez could be a mild sleeper in AL-only play, but not much more given his injury history.
• He wouldn't be ready to pitch until midseason due to offseason shoulder surgery, but Curt Schilling hinted this weekend that he may not be done with baseball just yet, and that he would be interested in returning with only the Cubs or the Rays. Stay tuned.
• The Orioles' team Web Site reported that George Sherrill will remain the O's closer, and that Chris Ray will serve in the primary setup role, at least at the season's outset. However, if Ray shows that he's back to his old from, and Sherill continues to struggle with right-handed hitters, those roles could flip-flop at some point. The smart move would be to make sure to handcuff Sherrill if he's one of your primary save options.
• The Orioles also scratched starter Rich Hill on Sunday due to stiffness in his elbow. Hill, a potential sleeper this season, is expected to win one of the open slots in the O's rotation. He told the team Web site, "there's no big concern," that it was just precautionary.
• Eric Byrnes' battle for playing time in a crowded Arizona outfield has not been made easier by the fact that he is still not able to run the bases at full speed following injuries to both hamstrings last year, and it may hold him out of games for the next couple of weeks. Byrnes is going to be relegated to a platoon role against left-handed pitching unless he earns more at-bats.
• The Royals' Billy Butler left Sunday's game after being hit on the hand with a pitch. He'll be re-evaluated today, but told the team Web site that "it's painful" at the moment.
• Don't forget about Chris Carpenter in drafts this year. The Cardinals' starter pitched two hitless innings in his spring debut, and appears on track to be part of the Opening Day rotation.
• Rich Harden threw live batting practice on Saturday for the first time this spring, and is on track to pitch in a game in about a week. You know what to expect from Harden, and the over/under is at about 125 innings, so it's all depending on how lucky you're feeling.
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