Baseball Guru
04-27-2004, 03:20 PM
4-27-04:
Batters:
M. Lowell FLA Career vs S. Estes
.455 AVG, 9 RBI, 2 SB (11 At Bats)
Á. Rodr*guez NYY Career vs T. Hudson
.382 AVG, 3 HR, 7 RBI (34 At Bats)
Pitchers:
T. Wakefield BOS Career vs TB
2.79 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 8 W (84.0 IP)
P. Abbott TB Career vs BOS
1.88 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 2 W (28.2 IP)
Last 7 days:
Who's Hot:
P. Mart*nez Bos
14.0 IP, 0.64 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 13 K, 2 W
R. Sexson Ari
8-27 (.296 AVG), 9 RBI, 12 R, 4 HR, 0 SB
Who's Not:
L. Rivas Min
0-18 (.000 AVG), 1 RBI, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 SB
R. Calloway Mon
1-15 (.067 AVG), 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 SB
More who's Hot & Not:
Reggie Sanders, Cardinals: At least we think he's still on the Cardinals. It's kind of tough keeping track of the name on the front of the jersey for a guy who has played for seven NL teams in the last seven seasons. But the common denominator for Sanders since leaving his original home in Cincinnati has been consistent 20-plus homer power. And despite advancing years and strike-zone judgment that remains questionable at best, Sanders isn't showing sings of slowing down. He has six home runs and five steals in 16 games this season, including four home runs and two steals in a six-game stretch ending April 22. We could point out that Sanders hasn't played more than 140 games in any season, but by this point fantasy owners know they aren't getting a durable player. Even with the injuries, he's going to contribute power and speed.
Lew Ford, Twins: No truth to the rumor that he's considering changing his name to Kareem Abdul Ford. Torii Hunter's replacement is putting up better fantasy numbers than Hunter, including an amazing 13 RBI in a six-game stretch ending April 22. All the more remarkable, and possibly a warning sign for owners expecting even short-term value, is Ford drove in those runs with just five extra-base hits and seven singles. The point being that given Ford's average power in the minors, he's unlikely to emerge as a long-term RBI threat, even with regular playing time. But the biggest obstacle in Ford's path to fantasy usefulness is Hunter, who is due back this weekend. Ford -- who did hit for average throughout his minor league career and in spot duty with the Twins last season -- could steal some DH at-bats from Jose Offerman while Matt LeCroy recuperates, but he isn't going to get 400 at-bats this season.
Danny Bautista, Diamondbacks: Our tour of third outfielders continues with Bautista, the forgotten man alongside Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez. Hitting an already respectable .300 on April 14, Bautista went on a 14-for-28 tear to raise his average to .397. While most of the damage came on singles, Bautista finished off that streak with three home runs and eight RBI in the last two games. A .272 career hitter -- including .296 since 1999 -- Bautista's talent has rarely been in doubt. But through a combination of injuries and crowded rosters, he's never played more than 100 games or logged more than 351 at-bats in a season. But since the job in Arizona is his and nobody can predict injuries, fantasy owners would be advised to make use of him until he breaks.
Aramis Ramirez, Cubs: It seems like he's a seasoned veteran -- and he is, but Ramirez is also just 25, making it easy to forget he's probably still improving. At least it sure looks that way with Ramirez hitting .344 through 15 games, including .441 with five home runs and 15 RBI in his last eight games through April 22. Ramirez has some prime real estate in Chicago's order, having settled in as the no. 5 hitter and RBI producer behind Sammy Sosa. One hot streak isn't enough to gain him entry into a club with Scott Rolen, Eric Chavez and Alex Rodriguez at third base, but he's closer than you might think.
Jose Acevedo, Reds: No, no, we didn't say Juan Acevedo. Cincinnati's hurler might not be a top-tier young pitcher, but he's got plenty of promise. And in three starts this season, he's shown some polish to go with it. The last two starts have been Acevedo's best efforts, working 13.1 innings while striking out 14 and allowing just seven hits and four earned runs. It's the strikeout potential -- something very much missing from Cincinnati's rotation -- that should excite fantasy owners. Acevedo worked just 27 innings for the Reds last season but struck out 23 with a 2.67 ERA. No doubt he'll having growing pains that could prevent him from being more than a fantasy spot-starter, but he'll contribute.
Aubrey Huff
Designated Httr
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Profile
2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R SB AVG
14 1 6 7 0 .180
Who's Not
Aubrey Huff, Devil Rays: A lot of owners who gambled that Huff was no fluke are sweating out a rough start. Huff hit .311 with 34 homers and 107 RBI last season, but it didn't exactly come out of nowhere. Huff had been building towards a breakout year and appeared poised for stardom -- such as it is in Tampa. The betting here is he's still on the path to success, despite a .180 average through 14 games and just three hits in his last 32 at-bats. Huff isn't striking out with abandon, suggesting he's not completely lost at the plate, he's just in a rut and not getting much of anything to fall. Worry if it last through May, but don't worry yet.
Mike Mussina, Yankees: Moose allowed nine hits and four earned runs in eight innings against the White Sox on April 22 ... and it was clearly his best start of the season. Ouch. Forget losing Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte; the Yankees need to find the old Mussina. Not only has Mussina allowed a ton of hits -- which might partly be explained away by bad luck -- he's walked 13 in 28.1 innings while allowing a home run in each of his starts. Like the team around him, Mussina is going to come around, but the question for fantasy owners is when? While not pretty, the April 22 start -- even though it earned him a loss -- might be the first sign of progress.
Derek Jeter, Yankees: Do we like picking on the Yankees? Well, yes, frankly we do, but it's not like Mussina and Jeter haven't earned places on this list -- especially given the expectations placed on them by fantasy owners. But for as much bad press as Alex Rodriguez has gotten for a slow start, infield mate Jeter hasn't been much better. Starting with the four-game set against the Red Sox, Jeter went into a 5-for-31 tailspin at the plate. Perhaps of more concern than anything to fantasy owners is Jeter's running game. It's hard to steal bases from the dugout, but it's definitely a warning sign that he's attempted just one so far, after attempting just 16 in 119 games last season.
Jason Schmidt, Giants: His first start wasn't bad -- seven innings, three hits and two earned runs -- but was it deceiving? Schmidt threw just 56 of 94 pitches for strikes and walked three hitters. In his second start, he was shelled by the Padres for seven hits, six earned runs and just one strikeout in four innings. So is Schmidt still working off the rust after missing spring training, or is he less than 100 percent healthy? Considering Schmidt's four-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio last season was well above his previous career best, it's hard to imagine him coming close to last season's fantasy value if he's not on top of his game ... and health.
Jason Phillips, Mets: The owner of the goofiest picture on ESPN.com, Phillips' slow start is no laughing matter for fantasy owners who thought they had a sleeper. With catcher eligibility in fantasy leagues, Phillips looked like a legit 20-homer 70-RBI threat. But mired in a 1-for-22 slump and still looking for his first home run, Phillips isn't putting up much of anything when it comes to fantasy stats. At some point, Todd Zeile is going to start seeing more time at first base if Phillips doesn't turn things around.
Batters:
M. Lowell FLA Career vs S. Estes
.455 AVG, 9 RBI, 2 SB (11 At Bats)
Á. Rodr*guez NYY Career vs T. Hudson
.382 AVG, 3 HR, 7 RBI (34 At Bats)
Pitchers:
T. Wakefield BOS Career vs TB
2.79 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 8 W (84.0 IP)
P. Abbott TB Career vs BOS
1.88 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 2 W (28.2 IP)
Last 7 days:
Who's Hot:
P. Mart*nez Bos
14.0 IP, 0.64 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 13 K, 2 W
R. Sexson Ari
8-27 (.296 AVG), 9 RBI, 12 R, 4 HR, 0 SB
Who's Not:
L. Rivas Min
0-18 (.000 AVG), 1 RBI, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 SB
R. Calloway Mon
1-15 (.067 AVG), 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 HR, 0 SB
More who's Hot & Not:
Reggie Sanders, Cardinals: At least we think he's still on the Cardinals. It's kind of tough keeping track of the name on the front of the jersey for a guy who has played for seven NL teams in the last seven seasons. But the common denominator for Sanders since leaving his original home in Cincinnati has been consistent 20-plus homer power. And despite advancing years and strike-zone judgment that remains questionable at best, Sanders isn't showing sings of slowing down. He has six home runs and five steals in 16 games this season, including four home runs and two steals in a six-game stretch ending April 22. We could point out that Sanders hasn't played more than 140 games in any season, but by this point fantasy owners know they aren't getting a durable player. Even with the injuries, he's going to contribute power and speed.
Lew Ford, Twins: No truth to the rumor that he's considering changing his name to Kareem Abdul Ford. Torii Hunter's replacement is putting up better fantasy numbers than Hunter, including an amazing 13 RBI in a six-game stretch ending April 22. All the more remarkable, and possibly a warning sign for owners expecting even short-term value, is Ford drove in those runs with just five extra-base hits and seven singles. The point being that given Ford's average power in the minors, he's unlikely to emerge as a long-term RBI threat, even with regular playing time. But the biggest obstacle in Ford's path to fantasy usefulness is Hunter, who is due back this weekend. Ford -- who did hit for average throughout his minor league career and in spot duty with the Twins last season -- could steal some DH at-bats from Jose Offerman while Matt LeCroy recuperates, but he isn't going to get 400 at-bats this season.
Danny Bautista, Diamondbacks: Our tour of third outfielders continues with Bautista, the forgotten man alongside Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez. Hitting an already respectable .300 on April 14, Bautista went on a 14-for-28 tear to raise his average to .397. While most of the damage came on singles, Bautista finished off that streak with three home runs and eight RBI in the last two games. A .272 career hitter -- including .296 since 1999 -- Bautista's talent has rarely been in doubt. But through a combination of injuries and crowded rosters, he's never played more than 100 games or logged more than 351 at-bats in a season. But since the job in Arizona is his and nobody can predict injuries, fantasy owners would be advised to make use of him until he breaks.
Aramis Ramirez, Cubs: It seems like he's a seasoned veteran -- and he is, but Ramirez is also just 25, making it easy to forget he's probably still improving. At least it sure looks that way with Ramirez hitting .344 through 15 games, including .441 with five home runs and 15 RBI in his last eight games through April 22. Ramirez has some prime real estate in Chicago's order, having settled in as the no. 5 hitter and RBI producer behind Sammy Sosa. One hot streak isn't enough to gain him entry into a club with Scott Rolen, Eric Chavez and Alex Rodriguez at third base, but he's closer than you might think.
Jose Acevedo, Reds: No, no, we didn't say Juan Acevedo. Cincinnati's hurler might not be a top-tier young pitcher, but he's got plenty of promise. And in three starts this season, he's shown some polish to go with it. The last two starts have been Acevedo's best efforts, working 13.1 innings while striking out 14 and allowing just seven hits and four earned runs. It's the strikeout potential -- something very much missing from Cincinnati's rotation -- that should excite fantasy owners. Acevedo worked just 27 innings for the Reds last season but struck out 23 with a 2.67 ERA. No doubt he'll having growing pains that could prevent him from being more than a fantasy spot-starter, but he'll contribute.
Aubrey Huff
Designated Httr
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Profile
2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R SB AVG
14 1 6 7 0 .180
Who's Not
Aubrey Huff, Devil Rays: A lot of owners who gambled that Huff was no fluke are sweating out a rough start. Huff hit .311 with 34 homers and 107 RBI last season, but it didn't exactly come out of nowhere. Huff had been building towards a breakout year and appeared poised for stardom -- such as it is in Tampa. The betting here is he's still on the path to success, despite a .180 average through 14 games and just three hits in his last 32 at-bats. Huff isn't striking out with abandon, suggesting he's not completely lost at the plate, he's just in a rut and not getting much of anything to fall. Worry if it last through May, but don't worry yet.
Mike Mussina, Yankees: Moose allowed nine hits and four earned runs in eight innings against the White Sox on April 22 ... and it was clearly his best start of the season. Ouch. Forget losing Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte; the Yankees need to find the old Mussina. Not only has Mussina allowed a ton of hits -- which might partly be explained away by bad luck -- he's walked 13 in 28.1 innings while allowing a home run in each of his starts. Like the team around him, Mussina is going to come around, but the question for fantasy owners is when? While not pretty, the April 22 start -- even though it earned him a loss -- might be the first sign of progress.
Derek Jeter, Yankees: Do we like picking on the Yankees? Well, yes, frankly we do, but it's not like Mussina and Jeter haven't earned places on this list -- especially given the expectations placed on them by fantasy owners. But for as much bad press as Alex Rodriguez has gotten for a slow start, infield mate Jeter hasn't been much better. Starting with the four-game set against the Red Sox, Jeter went into a 5-for-31 tailspin at the plate. Perhaps of more concern than anything to fantasy owners is Jeter's running game. It's hard to steal bases from the dugout, but it's definitely a warning sign that he's attempted just one so far, after attempting just 16 in 119 games last season.
Jason Schmidt, Giants: His first start wasn't bad -- seven innings, three hits and two earned runs -- but was it deceiving? Schmidt threw just 56 of 94 pitches for strikes and walked three hitters. In his second start, he was shelled by the Padres for seven hits, six earned runs and just one strikeout in four innings. So is Schmidt still working off the rust after missing spring training, or is he less than 100 percent healthy? Considering Schmidt's four-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio last season was well above his previous career best, it's hard to imagine him coming close to last season's fantasy value if he's not on top of his game ... and health.
Jason Phillips, Mets: The owner of the goofiest picture on ESPN.com, Phillips' slow start is no laughing matter for fantasy owners who thought they had a sleeper. With catcher eligibility in fantasy leagues, Phillips looked like a legit 20-homer 70-RBI threat. But mired in a 1-for-22 slump and still looking for his first home run, Phillips isn't putting up much of anything when it comes to fantasy stats. At some point, Todd Zeile is going to start seeing more time at first base if Phillips doesn't turn things around.