645
06-30-2004, 12:49 AM
June 28, 2004
White Sox: Ordonez still on schedule
The News
Although All-Star right fielder Magglio Ordonez has been close to an earlier-than-expected return from knee surgery for some time, White Sox trainer Herm Schneider adamantly denied that he has suffered a setback and said he remains on schedule. "If I thought it was going to be two or three weeks, I would have said two or three weeks," Schneider told the Chicago Tribune. "But I said four to six weeks, and that's what it is." Ordonez is only three weeks removed from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Our View
Maggs is working out pretty aggressively—in the batting cage, in the outfield, and on the base paths—so fantasy owners should remain patient. Although he hasn't appeared in the lineup, take solace in the fact that the Sox aren't rushing him back before his knee is fully healed. A healthy Ordonez in the season's second half is much more critical than rushing him back a week or two early. If his absence has absolutely devastated your lineup, consider Sox outfielder Aaron Rowand, who has a .393 average with three homers and four steals in the month of June.
Padres: Burroughs nursing tired shoulder
The News
Third baseman Sean Burroughs was scratched from the Padres' lineup on Sunday after experiencing some achiness and tightness in his right shoulder. Throwing was not a problem, but he could feel it during his at-bats on Saturday. "No worries," Burroughs told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I wanted to be smart about it, not mask it by taking 15 Advils."
Our View
Hopefully this is just a short-term issue because Burroughs has had shoulder problems before. Fantasy owners should consider him day-to-day, but we'll see if he's in the lineup tonight against the Diamondbacks or if he's relegated to pinch hitting duty.
Dodgers: Perez to have MRI on sore shoulder
The News
Odalis Perez will undergo an MRI on his sore left shoulder on Tuesday. The Dodgers' southpaw was still experiencing pain in his shoulder on Sunday, one day after being pulled from his start against the Angels after just five innings. "We're going to see what type of damage I have in there," Perez told the Los Angeles Times. "I hope not to have any damage, but for now it hurts."
Our View
Perez has emerged as the Dodgers' ace this season with a 2.96 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. We'll keep you posted on his status. Have top pitching prospect Edwin Jackson on speed dial just in case the MRI results are bad.
Diamondbacks: Reynolds to make season debut
The News
Shane Reynolds will start his first game with the Diamondbacks tonight against the Padres. The right-hander has spent the first three months of the season on the disabled list with shoulder problems.
Our View
Reynolds won 11 games with the Braves last year and won 14 with the Astros as recently as 2001. But don't get any ideas of picking up Shane as a second half sleeper. Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks are in a bad way right now, losers of a franchise record nine straight games. Fantasy owners are cautioned to avoid all Diamondbacks hurlers not named Randy Johnson.
Royals: Harvey leaves with elbow injury
The News
As if the Royals had not endured enough in the past week, they lost their most productive hitter on Sunday when designated hitter Ken Harvey was forced to leave the game after being hit on the left elbow with an errant pitch from Jason Marquis. "It hit in a bad spot," Harvey told the Kansas City Star. "It's pretty stiff, but I expect to be ready [tonight]." He is fifth in the American League in hitting with a .335 average.
Our View
In the last 10 days, Kansas City has lost its best player (Carlos Beltran) in a trade, its closer and most promising pitcher (Jeremy Affeldt) to the disabled list, and its two veteran catchers (Benito Santiago and Kelly Stinnett) to injuries. They can ill afford to be without Harvey, one of the two bats in the lineup (along with Mike Sweeney) that demand any respect from opposing pitchers. Harvey may be back tonight, but fantasy owners should do their best to avoid the down-trodden Royals.
Mariners: Soriano progressing
The News
Seattle right-hander Rafael Soriano, on the disabled list since early May with a strained elbow ligament, threw off of flat ground over the weekend and is scheduled to have two more sessions this week. There is no specific timetable for his return.
Our View
Fantasy owners should keep a close eye on Soriano's recovery. With ace Freddy Garcia being shipped out, starter Gil Meche in the minors, and the team looking at rebuilding, Soriano could be relied on as a starter in the season's second half. He's got nasty stuff and only needs good health and an opportunity to become a fantasy regular. In 53 innings of middle relief last season, he struck out 68 and posted a 1.53 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP.
Phillies: Angry Lieberthal sits again
The News
Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal knew he'd have the day off on Saturday, but he didn't expect to be sitting on Sunday, when his squad faced former Phillie Curt Schilling. The catcher was not happy about it. "I work harder than anybody here. The only message it sends to me is the confidence [manager Larry Bowa] has in me. He feels more confident with [Todd Pratt] in the lineup than me," Lieberthal told the Philadelphia Daily News. "This is Boston. On Sunday. Against Schilling. I've got a lot of people in town. It's disheartening." Bowa said of the situation, "I want him to hit like he did last year. He was our most consistent hitter last year, without a doubt. We need his bat. This is a good day to get your head cleared."
Our View
We don't know if you noticed Larry, but Lieberthal is hitting like he did last year. After a terrible April and a decent May, the catcher owns a .305 average, three homers, and eight RBI in June. He's also struck out just three times this month, which is well below his usual standards and suggests that he's seeing the ball really well right now. Fantasy owners should expect Lieberthal to be in the lineup on Monday and throughout the week, and he should be in fantasy lineups as well.
Mariners: Ibanez to take batting practice
The News
For the first time since straining his right hamstring on June 3, Mariners outfielder Raul Ibanez will take batting practice today with the goal of returning shortly before the All-Star break. "There's a chance we may see him in Chicago [July 9-11]," manager Bob Melvin told the Seattle Times. "My timetable has always been around the All-Star break. He'd have to be extremely healthy. You don't want to risk injury when you know you have three days off after that." Ibanez was hitting .268 with 11 homers and 28 RBI in 51 games before the injury.
Our View
It sounds like fantasy owners should plan on reserving Ibanez until the midsummer classic. He hadn't exactly been burning it up at the plate, but the Mariners sure could use him. They are last in the American League in runs, homers, RBI, and team batting average.
Brewers: Jenkins day-to-day after being plunked
The News
If Brewers outfielder Geoff Jenkins was insulted by his strikeout in the eighth inning of Sunday's game against the Twins, that pain was nothing compared to the injury. Jenkins swung and missed on a pitch that plunked him in the right knee. The outfielder writhed on the ground in pain for a few minutes before finishing the game. "It doesn't feel too good," he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after the game. Jenkins is day-to-day and not expected to miss any time.
Our View
The Brewers have Monday off, so Jenkins has an extra day to heal up. Fantasy owners should keep him in their lineups.
Rangers: Nix improving
The News
The USA Today is reporting that outfielder Laynce Nix has responded well to a cortisone shot in his sprained right shoulder and is expected to begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment at Class AA Frisco today.
Our View
Due to injuries, the Rangers have been forced to use light-hitting outfielders Eric Young and Gary Matthews Jr. regularly, so having Nix back would certainly help the bottom of the Texas order.
Angels: Percival returns to the mound
The News
The Angels activated closer Troy Percival (inflamed right elbow) on Saturday, and he made his first appearance since June 1 on Sunday against the Dodgers. Percival came on in a non-save situation and faced five batters—striking out two, hitting a batter, and giving up one base hit in an inning of work.
Our View
Manager Mike Scioscia has said that Percival will return to his role as the team's closer despite the fact that Francisco Rodriguez was perfect in five save opportunities during the veteran's absence. We've maintained all along that Rodriguez should remain on fantasy rosters; not only can he contribute as a middle reliever, but Percival has spent considerable time on the disabled list and remains at risk for further arm trouble.
Marlins: Pavano stops D-Rays, bleeding
The News
Marlins pitcher Carl Pavano ended the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' 13-game interleague winning streak on Sunday and also stopped yet another Florida losing streak. Pavano allowed only five hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. He is now 5-0 with a 1.37 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in five June starts. "He's our tourniquet right now," outfielder/first baseman Jeff Conine told the Miami Herald. "Especially after a couple of tough losses, you need someone to stop the bleeding."
Our View
Heading into Pavano's five June starts, the Marlins have carried a four-game losing streak, owned two three-game losing streaks, lost three-of-four, and dropped two-of-three. In other words, he's carrying the World Champs right now, as well as helping a lot of fantasy pitching staffs. The only bad news (we assume) for Pavano is that he recently broke up with actress Alyssa Milano.
Reds: Calf injury sidelines Casey; MRI on Monday
The News
Reds first baseman Sean Casey strained his right calf while running to first base in the seventh inning of Sunday's game, and the National League's top hitter will undergo an MRI on Monday. "We'll re-evaluate it, see where I am and hopefully get back in the lineup in the next few days," Casey told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I'm trying to be the ultimate optimist here."
Our View
The Reds know better than to rush a significant player back from injury, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Casey miss at least three of the team's six games this week. We'll provide an update as soon as more is known. The Reds have plenty of options to fill in at first, including Adam Dunn, Tim Hummel, Javier Valentin, and Wily Mo Pena. Our guess is that they'll start Hummel until Casey can return.
Braves: Giles starts swinging
The News
Braves second baseman Marcus Giles took 25 batting practice cuts prior to Sunday's game against the Orioles. Giles suffered a broken right clavicle on May 15, and he felt some soreness during the session. "I didn't know what to expect, but I was hoping for a little bit more," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Braves hope that Giles can return after the July 12-14 All-Star break.
Our View
Giles was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, and he's just over six weeks removed from the injury. Thus, it's not surprising that he'll likely miss another couple weeks. If necessary, NL-only owners can continue to use Nick Green through the All-Star break, and we expect to have more Giles' updates as his return nears.
White Sox: Ordonez still on schedule
The News
Although All-Star right fielder Magglio Ordonez has been close to an earlier-than-expected return from knee surgery for some time, White Sox trainer Herm Schneider adamantly denied that he has suffered a setback and said he remains on schedule. "If I thought it was going to be two or three weeks, I would have said two or three weeks," Schneider told the Chicago Tribune. "But I said four to six weeks, and that's what it is." Ordonez is only three weeks removed from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Our View
Maggs is working out pretty aggressively—in the batting cage, in the outfield, and on the base paths—so fantasy owners should remain patient. Although he hasn't appeared in the lineup, take solace in the fact that the Sox aren't rushing him back before his knee is fully healed. A healthy Ordonez in the season's second half is much more critical than rushing him back a week or two early. If his absence has absolutely devastated your lineup, consider Sox outfielder Aaron Rowand, who has a .393 average with three homers and four steals in the month of June.
Padres: Burroughs nursing tired shoulder
The News
Third baseman Sean Burroughs was scratched from the Padres' lineup on Sunday after experiencing some achiness and tightness in his right shoulder. Throwing was not a problem, but he could feel it during his at-bats on Saturday. "No worries," Burroughs told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I wanted to be smart about it, not mask it by taking 15 Advils."
Our View
Hopefully this is just a short-term issue because Burroughs has had shoulder problems before. Fantasy owners should consider him day-to-day, but we'll see if he's in the lineup tonight against the Diamondbacks or if he's relegated to pinch hitting duty.
Dodgers: Perez to have MRI on sore shoulder
The News
Odalis Perez will undergo an MRI on his sore left shoulder on Tuesday. The Dodgers' southpaw was still experiencing pain in his shoulder on Sunday, one day after being pulled from his start against the Angels after just five innings. "We're going to see what type of damage I have in there," Perez told the Los Angeles Times. "I hope not to have any damage, but for now it hurts."
Our View
Perez has emerged as the Dodgers' ace this season with a 2.96 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. We'll keep you posted on his status. Have top pitching prospect Edwin Jackson on speed dial just in case the MRI results are bad.
Diamondbacks: Reynolds to make season debut
The News
Shane Reynolds will start his first game with the Diamondbacks tonight against the Padres. The right-hander has spent the first three months of the season on the disabled list with shoulder problems.
Our View
Reynolds won 11 games with the Braves last year and won 14 with the Astros as recently as 2001. But don't get any ideas of picking up Shane as a second half sleeper. Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks are in a bad way right now, losers of a franchise record nine straight games. Fantasy owners are cautioned to avoid all Diamondbacks hurlers not named Randy Johnson.
Royals: Harvey leaves with elbow injury
The News
As if the Royals had not endured enough in the past week, they lost their most productive hitter on Sunday when designated hitter Ken Harvey was forced to leave the game after being hit on the left elbow with an errant pitch from Jason Marquis. "It hit in a bad spot," Harvey told the Kansas City Star. "It's pretty stiff, but I expect to be ready [tonight]." He is fifth in the American League in hitting with a .335 average.
Our View
In the last 10 days, Kansas City has lost its best player (Carlos Beltran) in a trade, its closer and most promising pitcher (Jeremy Affeldt) to the disabled list, and its two veteran catchers (Benito Santiago and Kelly Stinnett) to injuries. They can ill afford to be without Harvey, one of the two bats in the lineup (along with Mike Sweeney) that demand any respect from opposing pitchers. Harvey may be back tonight, but fantasy owners should do their best to avoid the down-trodden Royals.
Mariners: Soriano progressing
The News
Seattle right-hander Rafael Soriano, on the disabled list since early May with a strained elbow ligament, threw off of flat ground over the weekend and is scheduled to have two more sessions this week. There is no specific timetable for his return.
Our View
Fantasy owners should keep a close eye on Soriano's recovery. With ace Freddy Garcia being shipped out, starter Gil Meche in the minors, and the team looking at rebuilding, Soriano could be relied on as a starter in the season's second half. He's got nasty stuff and only needs good health and an opportunity to become a fantasy regular. In 53 innings of middle relief last season, he struck out 68 and posted a 1.53 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP.
Phillies: Angry Lieberthal sits again
The News
Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal knew he'd have the day off on Saturday, but he didn't expect to be sitting on Sunday, when his squad faced former Phillie Curt Schilling. The catcher was not happy about it. "I work harder than anybody here. The only message it sends to me is the confidence [manager Larry Bowa] has in me. He feels more confident with [Todd Pratt] in the lineup than me," Lieberthal told the Philadelphia Daily News. "This is Boston. On Sunday. Against Schilling. I've got a lot of people in town. It's disheartening." Bowa said of the situation, "I want him to hit like he did last year. He was our most consistent hitter last year, without a doubt. We need his bat. This is a good day to get your head cleared."
Our View
We don't know if you noticed Larry, but Lieberthal is hitting like he did last year. After a terrible April and a decent May, the catcher owns a .305 average, three homers, and eight RBI in June. He's also struck out just three times this month, which is well below his usual standards and suggests that he's seeing the ball really well right now. Fantasy owners should expect Lieberthal to be in the lineup on Monday and throughout the week, and he should be in fantasy lineups as well.
Mariners: Ibanez to take batting practice
The News
For the first time since straining his right hamstring on June 3, Mariners outfielder Raul Ibanez will take batting practice today with the goal of returning shortly before the All-Star break. "There's a chance we may see him in Chicago [July 9-11]," manager Bob Melvin told the Seattle Times. "My timetable has always been around the All-Star break. He'd have to be extremely healthy. You don't want to risk injury when you know you have three days off after that." Ibanez was hitting .268 with 11 homers and 28 RBI in 51 games before the injury.
Our View
It sounds like fantasy owners should plan on reserving Ibanez until the midsummer classic. He hadn't exactly been burning it up at the plate, but the Mariners sure could use him. They are last in the American League in runs, homers, RBI, and team batting average.
Brewers: Jenkins day-to-day after being plunked
The News
If Brewers outfielder Geoff Jenkins was insulted by his strikeout in the eighth inning of Sunday's game against the Twins, that pain was nothing compared to the injury. Jenkins swung and missed on a pitch that plunked him in the right knee. The outfielder writhed on the ground in pain for a few minutes before finishing the game. "It doesn't feel too good," he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after the game. Jenkins is day-to-day and not expected to miss any time.
Our View
The Brewers have Monday off, so Jenkins has an extra day to heal up. Fantasy owners should keep him in their lineups.
Rangers: Nix improving
The News
The USA Today is reporting that outfielder Laynce Nix has responded well to a cortisone shot in his sprained right shoulder and is expected to begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment at Class AA Frisco today.
Our View
Due to injuries, the Rangers have been forced to use light-hitting outfielders Eric Young and Gary Matthews Jr. regularly, so having Nix back would certainly help the bottom of the Texas order.
Angels: Percival returns to the mound
The News
The Angels activated closer Troy Percival (inflamed right elbow) on Saturday, and he made his first appearance since June 1 on Sunday against the Dodgers. Percival came on in a non-save situation and faced five batters—striking out two, hitting a batter, and giving up one base hit in an inning of work.
Our View
Manager Mike Scioscia has said that Percival will return to his role as the team's closer despite the fact that Francisco Rodriguez was perfect in five save opportunities during the veteran's absence. We've maintained all along that Rodriguez should remain on fantasy rosters; not only can he contribute as a middle reliever, but Percival has spent considerable time on the disabled list and remains at risk for further arm trouble.
Marlins: Pavano stops D-Rays, bleeding
The News
Marlins pitcher Carl Pavano ended the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' 13-game interleague winning streak on Sunday and also stopped yet another Florida losing streak. Pavano allowed only five hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. He is now 5-0 with a 1.37 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in five June starts. "He's our tourniquet right now," outfielder/first baseman Jeff Conine told the Miami Herald. "Especially after a couple of tough losses, you need someone to stop the bleeding."
Our View
Heading into Pavano's five June starts, the Marlins have carried a four-game losing streak, owned two three-game losing streaks, lost three-of-four, and dropped two-of-three. In other words, he's carrying the World Champs right now, as well as helping a lot of fantasy pitching staffs. The only bad news (we assume) for Pavano is that he recently broke up with actress Alyssa Milano.
Reds: Calf injury sidelines Casey; MRI on Monday
The News
Reds first baseman Sean Casey strained his right calf while running to first base in the seventh inning of Sunday's game, and the National League's top hitter will undergo an MRI on Monday. "We'll re-evaluate it, see where I am and hopefully get back in the lineup in the next few days," Casey told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I'm trying to be the ultimate optimist here."
Our View
The Reds know better than to rush a significant player back from injury, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Casey miss at least three of the team's six games this week. We'll provide an update as soon as more is known. The Reds have plenty of options to fill in at first, including Adam Dunn, Tim Hummel, Javier Valentin, and Wily Mo Pena. Our guess is that they'll start Hummel until Casey can return.
Braves: Giles starts swinging
The News
Braves second baseman Marcus Giles took 25 batting practice cuts prior to Sunday's game against the Orioles. Giles suffered a broken right clavicle on May 15, and he felt some soreness during the session. "I didn't know what to expect, but I was hoping for a little bit more," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Braves hope that Giles can return after the July 12-14 All-Star break.
Our View
Giles was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, and he's just over six weeks removed from the injury. Thus, it's not surprising that he'll likely miss another couple weeks. If necessary, NL-only owners can continue to use Nick Green through the All-Star break, and we expect to have more Giles' updates as his return nears.