Stats of the Day: All Star Balloting Begins

MLB.com has made their online ballot available for the 2008 All Star Game. Today I'm looking at some surprise players who could be making appearances in the game this year and who you should consider when voting.

AL Second Basemen
Ian Kinsler

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	20	2	13	9	20	7	.354	.404	.298

Ian Kinsler is on pace to be the best second basemen in the AL this year and after an impressive showing last year in limited ABs there should be little doubt about what this guy can do in the majors. He probably isn't a .300 hitter due to his strikeouts, but the power and speed are there and he has come charging out of the gate. I think Kinsler is for real and could end up comparable to Brandon Phillips, who was drafted much earlier, at the end of the season.

AL Third Basemen
Joe Crede

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	12	7	22	8	14	0	.320	.527	.258

Joe Crede has come back to earth a bit after a hot start, but looking at his 2006 numbers we can see his upside. With all the talent at third base this year he may not end up an All-Star, but after spotting himself 7 homers in April he may reach 30 and have a season similar to 2006 where he had 30 homers with a .283 average.


AL Outfielders
Josh Hamilton

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	16	6	32	11	15	0	.370	.576	.322

Josh Hamilton has been an offensive force this year with a grand slam last night furthering his major league RBI lead. Hamilton is new to the AL, so pitchers may have yet to figure him out, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. If Hamilton is going to slump it's probably not going to happen until the second half as more teams see him. Enjoy the ride for now.

Carlos Quentin

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	21	7	21	14	15	2	.433	.619	.298

Check out Carlos Quentin's K/BB ratio when asking if he is for real. I think he should be a serious consideration for an All-Star and he should remain a good offensive player if he continues seeing the ball this well.

NL Shortstops
Rafael Furcal

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	28	3	11	18	15	7	.459	.586	.371

If it wasn't for Hanley Ramirez, Rafael Furcal may be the best SS in the league right now. Not bad for a guy who was drafted long after Hanley, Jose Reyes, and Jimmy Rollins were gone. He is no doubt an excellent offensive player and is still only 30 years old.

NL Catchers
Geovany Soto

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	12	5	21	15	25	0	.421	.615	.330

Geovany Soto has been the best offensive catcher in baseball to date, but he is also the most likely on this list so far to fall back to Earth at some point. His time in the majors has been short and he strikes out enough to fall into a slump at some point. His average probably won't end up at .300, but the power is legit.

NL Outfielders
Xavier Nady

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	15	4	26	8	19	1	.378	.523	.327

Xavier Nady is leading the NL in RBIs in the middle of the Pirates offense. He also strikes out enough to probably not end up at .300, but at this point in the season he is deserving of some All-Star votes. He isn't scoring a lot of runs due to batting fifth with nobody to drive him in, but the RBIs are for real as long as the rest of the lineup keeps hitting in front of him.

Nate McLouth

	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
2008	24	7	25	15	15	2	.412	.635	.330

Another Pirate having an impressive season so far, Nate McLouth might be the breakout player of the year. His batting eye has been great and he is crushing the ball. There were some fears he may slump after his hitting streak came to an end, but he has kept on hitting and looks to be for real. If this keeps up the Pirates could have a very good outfield for a few years to come.

Stats of the Day: Rookies Get Rocked

Ok, one of these guys isn't a rookie, but it sounded good.

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Cueto (L, 1-3)	1.2	8	7	6	1	2	0	5.40

Johnny Cueto lit up the majors in his first two starts, totaling 18 strikeouts and no walks in 13 1/3 innings. Since then he has fallen back to earth and inflated his ERA to 5.40 after a disastrous start last night against the Cardinals.

The main issue in Cueto's latest breakdown was control. He was up to 55 pitches in under two innings, partially aided by 2 errors in the field, and often reached full counts against opposing hitters. Cueto missed on a few pitches which ended up over the heart of the plate and turned into hits. His lack of early control also had him relying heavily on his fastball, which the Cardinals feasted upon.

We know Cueto can be great, but the fact is he is still only 22 years old and this is the kind of inconsistency that comes with a young pitcher. Expectations were high after his first two starts, but this kid isn't going to win the Cy Young this year. Cueto owners may be growing impatient so it might actually be a good time to buy low if you can.

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Hughes (L, 0-4)	3.2	8	6	6	3	2	2	9.00

While Johnny Cueto has put together some impressive starts so far this year, we're still waiting on Phil Hughes to do so. His best start to date was on April 3rd when he pitched 6 innings, struck out 4, and gave up 2 runs. Since then he has failed to make it through the 6th inning again.

Hughes big problem has been efficiency and just being flat out hittable. He reached 87 pitches in 3 innings in one start, 65 in 2 innings in another, and racked up 82 pitches last night. So far he has given up 34 hits in 22 innings and things don't seem to be getting any better. Like Cueto, he has missed pitches right down the middle of the plate, resulting in home runs by Curtis Granderson and Gary Sheffield.

Phil Hughes seems to have bigger issues this year, though his stuff hasn't been bad by any means. With a 13/13 K/BB ratio he has some control issues that need to be corrected soon as he is vital to the Yankees chances in 2008.

Stats of the Day: Sleepers Getting It Done

This is the time of year when former sleepers begin hitting waiver wires. We all want the guy we picked to blow up right out of the gate, but if you did that last year you would have missed out a guy like Dustin Pedroia, who turned in a great year. Of course, for every Dustin Pedroia there is a Josh Barfield. Just remember to look deeper than the surface stats to see if guys are hitting poorly or just getting unlucky before cutting them.

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Encarnacion, 3B	4	0	2	2	0	0	3	.298

Edwin Encarnacion found himself being cut heavily early on in the year after hitting .083 through April 8th, but he has turned it on and is hitting .371 since. He's also racking up doubles and home runs, with another two doubles yesterday. Is this the breakout we've been expecting for so long?

Edwin is hitting for power and making great contact with a 13/13 K/BB ratio. If this plate discipline he's displaying is for real he definitely has the power and ballpark to keep things going strong. He will certainly have plenty of RBI opportunities with Adam Dunn's high OBP in front of him in the lineup if he sticks in the fifth spot.

Topping out at 16 home runs in his career, this could finally be the year Edwin busts out and hits 25 or more. He's now 25 years old and if Dusty Baker truly believes in him as much as he seems to then you can expect big things this year.

Chi White Sox	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Quentin, LF	4	1	3	1	1	0	0	.312

Carlos Quentin was more of a deep sleeper this year as he fought through spring for a starting job. However, an injury to Jerry Owens has apparently opened the eyes of the White Sox and fantasy owners alike and Quentin may not be giving up this job anytime soon.

The tandem of Chris Young and Carlos Quentin were favorite sleepers for a few years in Arizona. Now Young has established himself as a regular player, but it apparently took a trade after some injury plagued years for Quentin to start hitting.

Still only 24 years old, Quentin has a good minor league track record, hitting 21 homers in 2005 in AAA along with a .300 average. Throughout his career in the minors he kept his K/BB ratio pretty even, walking as often as he struck out. He's obviously got a good batting eye and some power potential, and with that comes the upside for a solid batting average.

If Quentin does slump at some point in the year the White Sox have other options in the OF, so he needs to continue hitting to establish himself now. I wouldn't be hesitant to sell high on him because of this, but I think he will be a valuable player throughout the year as he comes of age. He has the track record in the minors and solid skills to succeed in the majors and now he has a full time job.

Stats of the Day: Rays Sweep Sox

The April standings are still playing tricks on us with the Rays atop the AL East, but as May draws nearer their hot start might start giving some legitimacy to a very talented young team who is finally getting help from their pitchers.

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Shields (W, 3-1)	9.0	2	0	0	1	7	0	2.54

James Shields flat out dominated the Red Sox on Sunday in a game I was lucky enough to attend. I've always been a Sox fan, but with me fantasy often comes first and I was rooting on every strikeout Shields racked up as he cruised his way to a 2-hit complete game shutout of an ailing offense.

Shields was a personal favorite target of mine this offseason. Even after his breakout last year in 2007 he was tremendously undervalued in most drafts at the start of the season. His command was phenomenal last year when he finished with 184/36 K/BB ratio and has started off the year with 28 strikeouts to 9 walks. He gave up 28 bombs last year, but has only given up 2 in 39 innings so far in 2008. If he can keep his walks down and continue to lower his home runs allowed he could actually improve on his 3.85 ERA from 2007.

Scott Kazmir is scheduled to come off the DL this weekend, so Shields time as staff ace may be short lived, but he will end up as one of the best #2 starters in the AL as the Rays look to finish over .500 for the first time.

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Volquez (W, 4-0)	7.0	5	1	1	3	10	0	1.23

Throughout spring Edinson Volquez showed some remarkable skills with a stellar K/BB ratio and no home runs allowed. I warned up his flyball tendencies and history of control issues, but none of those have been evident so far this year. In fact, Volquez has been inducing a ton of ground balls. So far this year he has a 57% GB/FB ratio... those are Chien-Ming Wang numbers.

Volquez is still walking a lot of hitters, but if his new found groundball skill is for real then combined with his high strikeout ratios he can survive in any park, even Great American. If the home runs stay away then even the high number of walks aren't going to hurt him other than not letting him go very deep into games. Some owners may be selling high on Edinson after this start, but he might be worth buying into if he keeps this up.

Cleveland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia (L, 1-4)	8.0	4	1	1	1	8	1	7.88

C.C. Sabathia's re-emergence continues. He takes a tough loss here against the Yankees, but everything points to him getting things back together. The time to buy low is over, but with his early struggles and huge innings totals last year I still wouldn't hesitate to sell on him. Let someone else believe he will be Cy Young from here on out if they will pay for it... there are still plenty of reasons to be concerned about his health.

Stats of the Day: Outfielders Heating Up

Those cold bats are finally starting to heat up around the league. Now if only Ryan Howard and Robinson Cano could stop killing my fantasy teams...

Florida	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Willingham, LF	4	1	3	4	0	0	1	.329

Josh Willingham has remained hot over the past two weeks, seemingly have a multi-hit game every other day. He's not quite at the level of Chipper Jones or Chase Utley, but I bet you got him for much cheaper than those guys.

Willingham is 29 years old, so don't think he is suddenly going to blossom into an MVP candidate this year. This is a player in his peak years, but he has pretty well established what he can do in the majors to this point. A peak in power is a possibility though, with him currently slugging .659. You might want to bump up your home run projections for him, but the average should end up around .280 still.

Baltimore	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jones, CF	4	0	3	3	0	0	0	.270

Adam Jones finally had a big game to bring his average back up to respectable levels. There was a lot of buzz on Jones over spring when he was included in the Erik Bedard deal. He's still only 22 years old, but has the skills to succeed some day. I wouldn't put a lot of eggs in this basket, but in a deep league he might be worth grabbing down the road since he should be able to put together a hot month or two. Keep an eye on him to see if he gets hot now or if this was just a one game aberration.

Houston	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Pence, RF	4	1	2	0	0	0	2	.268

Hunter Pence had a rough start to the year, but sometime between hanging out in hot tubs and playing World of Warcraft he decided to show up to the park. His current hot streak has him making an occasional appearance in the leadoff spot as he continues to crank out extra base hits. Hopefully this is the start of a great year for Pence, but the jury remains out on whether or not he can match last year's stellar numbers.

Detroit	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Granderson, CF	4	1	1	1	1	0	2	.375

Not the most impressive line score, but Curtis Granderson hit a home run on cue last night after I questioned his ability to hit for power following a finger injury. It's also good to see him taking walks in his first few games back without striking out. The Tigers lineup and fantasy teams are happy to have him back.

Cleveland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Lee (W, 4-0)	9.0	3	0	0	0	9	0	0.28

A complete game, 3 hit shutout for Cliff Lee. I don't think anybody has a real explanation of what has gone on with Cliff, although he has faced some weaker lineups between Oakland and Kansas City. His next start is scheduled to be against Seattle, conveniently missing the entire series against the Yankees. With that kind of luck he could keep putting up great numbers for a while, but expect him to get hit around sooner or later when he faces better teams.

Stats of the Day: Igniting the Offense

A bit of an unplanned day off to the blog yesterday. Never got the chance to sit down long enough to type up an entry. Sorry to those who were looking for it!

Between Tuesday and Wednesday's games there were two leadoff men igniting their teams' offense. Jacoby Ellsbury kept the Sox in the game even though Josh Beckett was out and Curtis Granderson sparked the biggest offensive day of the year for the Tigers, getting on base four times. It's like I said all along: all that offense was missing was Granderson.

Detroit	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Granderson, CF	4	3	2	2	2	0	2	.500

Granderson picked up right where he left off last year, picking up two hits along with two RBIs and three runs scored. He was a huge surprise contributor to the Tigers last season and after a DL stint he is back at the top of the lineup.

While Granderson did strikeout a lot for a leadoff hitter last year, his other skills more than made up for it. He probably won't hit .300 again but I could see him being close. The real thing to watch is his power. After breaking his finger this spring he needs to show he has no lingering effects and is able to hit doubles, triples, and home runs like he did last year. That was a huge part of his game, so if he continues putting up singles he might not be the same player he was until he heals completely.

Boston	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Ellsbury, CF	5	3	3	2	0	0	3	.308

The savior of Red Sox Nation and fantasy teams alike, Jacoby Ellsbury came through big Tuesday night with two home runs after stealing four bases in his previous two games. Fantasy owners were hesitant to draft him due to Coco Crisp's apparent starting job in center, but Coco's hamstring injury has opened up playing time for Ellsbury.

Since being the starter in center field Jacoby has gone 10 for 32 with eleven runs scored and six stolen bases. Coco will probably challenge for playing time once he is healthy, but the Sox can't keep Ellsbury out of the lineup much. The only real issue here is that while Coco Crisp has been mentioned in numerous trade talks, his leg issues have likely kept teams at bay. With Crisp still on the team Jacoby won't show his true potential, but it's clear he's ready for The Show.

Stats of the Day: Tale of Two Shortstops

Shorter commentary today because I am having such a busy day at work. Yes, I don't do this professionally... just out of sheer joy. On with some updates along with some quick hits ("infield singles") at the end that I might keep going through the year.

Houston	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Tejada, SS	5	3	4	3	0	0	0	.342

Boston	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Lugo, SS	4	2	4	1	1	0	0	.314

Miguel Tejada and Julio Lugo had big days yesterday, both collecting four hits. I was skeptical of Tejada this year in Houston due to all the issues surrounding him that could affect him mentally, but fresh off declaring his true age to the world he has continued to rake. I might change my opinion of Tejada if he keeps this up, but I still wouldn't be targetting him in a keeper league.

Julio Lugo underperformed last year and while I don't think he is a .300 hitter this year he should prove useful as the Red Sox seem to not mind playing a little small-ball at the end of the lineup with Lugo, Coco Crisp (still out with a sore hamstring, I don't know if he is ever going to get traded), and Jacoby Ellsbury. Lugo's power has all but disappeared, but he will rack up some steals and runs for you and might be the AL version of Ryan Theriot. I actually like Theriot a little more this year, although Lugo probably went first in mixed league drafts.

Chi Cubs	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Zambrano (W, 3-1)	7.0	5	1	1	2	4	0	2.67

Carlos Zambrano picked up the win and looked very composed and dominant at times in this game, though it might not show in his final stat line. On the ESPN Broadcast of this game Orel Hershiser mentioned how he has calmed down some, possibly due to the Cubs curtailing his excessive use of caffeine and energy drinks. There might actually be something to that as his performance this year has been encouraging.


Infield Singles

Texas	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Hamilton, CF	5	0	2	2	0	2	2	.305

Josh Hamilton keeps on hitting for the Rangers and continues making those who drafted him as a top 25 outfielder look good. He's doing this with good contact and power, so don't start thinking of selling high. He can hit some home runs and maintain a good average for you.

Philadelphia	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Burrell, LF	4	1	3	2	0	0	0	.364

Pat Burrell is the poster boy for selling high. He's still striking out plenty and he isn't going to be hitting like this all season. 40% of his batted balls are falling in for hits, not at all sustainable. Let someone else believe he can have an MVP year, I know I heard some of the announcers on ESPN last night thinking he could. If you happen to be in a league with them, congratulations, make a trade!

Milwaukee	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Villanueva	7.0	3	2	2	4	1	0	5.09

Carlos Villanueva didn't exactly stink up the joint, but his four walks to one strikeout wasn't a shining performance with his rotation spot possibly on the line. Look at Manny Parra's outing today; whoever pitches worse may find themselves in the minors.

Stats of the Day: Ranting at Ned Yost

I'm starting off the week with a rant. There are plenty of topics this week to write about, like the Phillies' mishandling of Jimmy Rollins' injury situation, but I'm going to talk about an even dumber move than that: Pitching a reliever with a reconstructed elbow four days in a row.

Milwaukee	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Gagne (BS, 3)(L, 1-1)	0.0	2	3	3	1	0	2	8.22

Say what you want about Eric Gagne's three blown saves this year, but he had just come off of pitching three consecutive days, putting up scoreless outings in each appearance. Gagne had been cruising along and the Brewers were actually unbeaten in every game he appeared in before Sunday.

That was until Ned Yost stepped in. While the Brewers' bullpen isn't full of great options, both Guillermo Mota and Salomon Torres have been pitching well enough to warrant a save chance in the event of a fatigued Gagne. Instead, Yost chose to march Gagne out to the firing squad. On Sunday Gagne's fastball topped out at 91 mph, down from his usual velocity this year of 94 to 95 mph. He was obviously fatigued and quickly served up two homers.

One positive note to take from this outing is that Yost may have so little trust in the rest of his bullpen that Gagne is not losing this job anytime soon. The negative is that if Yost has no conscience of Gagne's past health issues then he may be visiting the trainer's table again this season.

In preparing this blog I tried looking into other good closer's stats when pitching for the fourth day in a row. The funny thing is, I couldn't find them. Very few managers send their guys out without a break and it is something to worry about if Yost hasn't already learned his lesson. Keep an eye on his usage of Gagne for warnings signs he may end up breaking down this year.

Oakland	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Crosby, SS	4	1	3	1	1	1	0	.313

Former rookie of the year in 2004 and Peter Gammons' pick for the 2006 AL MVP, Bobby Crosby has had an up-and-down career filled with injuries. Currently he is batting .313/.368/.475 with excellent contact and walk rates. It appears Crosby is both seeing and hitting the ball very well.

Crosby hasn't shown enough consistency or even health in the past to determine if this is something he can keep up, but scouts have always been high on his skills and potential. There just aren't many stats to go on with him being unable to reach 100 games played in any year after 2004. Still, I believe he is worth a pickup right now in just about any league if you are in need of a SS or MI. He appears to be healthy and if he can stay that way all year he could be a real surprise.

Stats of the Day: Extra, Extra Innings

This morning's (yes, it did in fact last past 4AM EST) game between the Padres and Rockies was the longest since 1993. I would be remiss to not look at a few of the line scores from this one, but what can we gather from 22 innings of play?

Colorado	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Helton, 1B	9	0	1	0	1	0	2	.242

San Diego	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Giles, RF	9	0	1	0	0	0	3	.298
Bard, C	9	0	2	1	0	0	4	.292

Todd Helton, Brian Giles, and Josh Bard were the only players to stay for the duration of the game and not strikeout one time. How do you make contact with the ball nine times and only get one hit, in Helton and Giles' case? They certainly aren't hitting the ball with authority as they did in years past, but Petco Park didn't help their cases.

What does this say about Josh Bard to be lumped into the same group with two very good veteran hitters? Well, he isn't going to hit you any home runs or steal any bases, but a catcher making this kind of contact can only help your team when many others are struggling to stay above .250. If you need a slight batting average boost and don't mind sacrificing the minimal numbers most catchers may give you anyway, Bard is not a bad pickup.

Washington	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Lannan	6.0	3	1	1	0	11	0	4.86

I'll be honest, before reading this box score I had no idea who John Lannan was. Turns out he's a 23 year old lefty pitching for the Washington Nationals who managed to strike out eleven Mets last night.

Lannan had mostly middling stuff last night with a fastball in the mid to upper 80's and a curve clocking in around 70 mph. He was obviously in good control of the strike zone though, not walking any batters. Lannan had an amazing path to the majors last year, going from high-A, to double-A, to triple-A, then finally debuting in the majors in August.

He had a phenomenal game last night, but it's hard to get excited about a pitcher who debuted last year in A ball, where he only struck out 35 batters in 50 innings. If you are the one person in the world who picked Lannan up for this start, buy a lottery ticket. Everyone else should probably let him hang on the waiver-wire until he proves he can do this again.

Stats of the Day: Cleveland Stinker

Sorry for the horrible pun in today's title. You know you still laughed.

Cleveland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sabathia (L, 0-3)	4.0	8	9	9	5	1	2	13.50

C.C. Sabathia has actually gotten worse in each of his starts this year, never a good sign for a pitcher and often foretelling of an injury. Since his Opening Day start against the White Sox where he struck out 7 and walked 3, Sabathia has a K/BB ratio of 7/11. He has also given up 5 homers in 18 innings, but only gave up 20 all of last year. The most shocking stat of all: in four starts this year, Sabathia has already allowed one-third as many earned runs as he did in 2007. Even if he stays lights-out for the rest of the year, he is nearly guaranteed of an ERA over 4.00.

Looking at the start last night on MLB.com Gameday, CC's velocity seems ok, but some pitches are missing the plate by a large margin. Part of his awful fifth inning was also him facing the heart of the lineup with a few ABs at or near ten pitches. That will take its toll on any pitcher. Still, it looks like Sabathia doesn't quite have his control together and has not shown any improvement there. He could still bring things together come May, but I would personally be sitting him for a few starts until he can start striking people out again.

Texas	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Blalock, 3B	5	1	2	0	0	0	6	.302

Hank Blalock left yesterday's game with a sore back and could be heading to the DL. This is bad news for Blalock owners who were enjoying his good production.

Blalock got off to a great start in the second half last year after recovering from shoulder surgery and so far this season he has kept up that pace. In 53 ABs he has only 5 strikeouts to 7 walks, excellent contact numbers which make him a legit .300 hitter. His career average is only .274, but Blalock is now 27 years old and has evidently made some strides towards becoming a better hitter. He still hasn't hit lefties well this year (.188 in 16 ABs), but his mashing of right handers has more than made up for that (.351 in 37 ABs.) Especially encouraging is that Blalock, long thought to be a product of Arlington, is hitting .300 both at home and on the road.

He probably won't match his 2005 season when he hit 32 home runs, but Blalock could be very useful in Texas if he manages to hit around .300 with 20+ homers in the launchpad of Arlington. Back issues can sometimes cripple power hitters, so hopefully this turns out to be something minor that won't have him out for long.

Stats of the Day: Jackson Cleaning Up

On the injury front, Alfonso Soriano left yesterday's with a calf strain. If he misses any significant time Matt Murton will be called up and could be productive out of the gate. Last year in the second half over 116 ABs Murton hit .310/.375/.543 with 7 homers. Definitely a situation to keep an eye on.

Arizona	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jackson, 1B	4	1	2	3	1	0	1	.333

Conor Jackson continues to develop as a hitter and has gotten off to a good start this season. Although he has topped out at 15 home runs in both his prior seasons, he did so in only 415 ABs last year. This year Jackson is thriving in the cleanup spot and looks to get over 500 ABs. As a full time player expect him to put up career numbers. Up to 20 homers and a near .300 average are within reach.

San Diego	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Wolf (W, 1-0)	7.0	1	0	0	4	9	0	1.42

Randy Wolf has shown the skills to succeed in the past, but injuries and inconsistency have managed to catch up with him in recent years. With both elbow and shoulder surgeries over the past two years he certainly isn't without risk. However, a pitcher with the ability to strike people out (94 Ks in 102 innings last year) in the best home park in the majors is someone worth hanging onto.

I would expect Wolf to deal with some injuries as the year goes on, but now is the time to jump on the bandwagon until something goes wrong. Every start Wolf can give you is money in the bank at this point because he was so undervalued early this season.

Stats of the Day: Keeping the Pirates at Bay

Joe Borowski heads to the DL today, opening up speculation on the new closer in Cleveland. This has been a topic of discussion all season. If Rafael Betancourt continues his early season struggles, take a look at Masa Kobayashi or Jorge Julio.

Pittsburgh	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Bay, LF	5	0	0	0	0	3	4	.250

Jason Bay continues his on-again/off-again season, striking out three times yesterday. While his contact hasn't been great (striking out about 30% of the time), he has thrived in the past while striking near this rate. The key to Bay's success while striking out this much is his ability to hit the ball hard.

So far this season, Bay has 11 hits with a double and 3 home runs. He isn't exactly mashing the ball, but he is hitting for some power. Last year in April and May he hit .310 with 8 home runs only to slump through the remainder of the season, ending up with a .247 average. The only apparent reason for his abysmal production was a bad knee that was limiting him at the plate and in the field.

Bay did undergo knee surgery in the offseason so if he is healthy again he could produce close to 2005. The steals aren't going to be coming back, so don't expect double digits there. Still, Bay could hit above .275 with 25 home runs. Good production, but not what many expected from Bay before his terrible 2007. Don't expect much more than that and accept his streakiness and you won't be entirely disappointed by Jason Bay.

Detroit	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Bonderman	6.1	8	7	4	2	5	0	4.58

Jeremy Bonderman was a very popular breakout target and was drafted in early rounds last year after striking out 202 batters in 2006. So far this year he has only struck out 8 batters while walking 8 in 17 innings.

Bonderman had his season derailed last year by an elbow injury and had soreness in it through spring. It looks like whatever was ailing him in his elbow is still present as evidenced by the spotty control. While Bonderman still has the potential to be an ace with such elite strikeout numbers in the past, this may be potential that goes forever wasted. Expect a DL stint in his future if he doesn't start striking more people out.

Stats of the Day: Spittin' Blood

This week has the Orioles, White Sox, and Athletics sitting atop the AL. Three teams that will likely be contending for last place in their respective divisions. Remember, even two weeks in, the season is indeed still young.

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Reyes (W, 1-1)	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0	10.80

Al Reyes had a busy week celebrating his birthday, getting tazed at a bar for spitting blood at patrons, then picking up a win the next night in relief.

Reyes had a serviceable year in 2007 and could still be in line for closer duties should Troy Percival falter. Both Reyes and Percival are 38 years old, so a younger and safer option may be Dan Wheeler if you are hunting for saves down the road.

Wheeler still has some upside and a good track record in the majors, but at this point the days of Danys Baez's teal uniformed dominance are over. Just take what you can get from the Rays' pen and don't go hurting your ERA and WHIP rostering these guys unless you are desperate.

Arizona	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Snyder, C	4	2	3	1	1	0	2	.194

Chris Snyder entered the weekend with two hits and managed to triple his total by the end of Sunday's game. Snyder definitely needed to start producing as talk of Miguel Montero returning is intensifying and he hopes to hold the starting job as long as possible. Three of the four hits this weekend were doubles and as long as Snyder is hitting the ball hard he will be capable of producing. It also doesn't hurt that the Diamondbacks are red hot and their starting pitchers have been excellent so far.

I still think Snyder is a good option heading forward, especially compared to most other catchers available on the waiver-wire in a two catcher league. Hopefully this weekend will present a a fresh start to the season. At the very least, both the D'Backs and fantasy owners have to be excited that this meager bit of production actually has Snyder outhitting Robinson Cano.

Stats of the Day: Cubs Win Again

Chi Cubs	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Soto, C	5	1	4	2	0	0	0	.333

The Cubs won their fifth straight game yesterday with the help of Geovany Soto, who hit two doubles and a two-run homer. Soto was never a highly regarded prospect until last year when he hit .353 in AAA Iowa and then .389 in 54 ABs during his big league call-up. That was all it took for the Cubs needed, looking for a replacement for Michael Barret, to name him the starter this year.

As of right now this looks like a good decision, but the odd thing here is the lack of a track record. Soto has only hit like this in the past year, and only for a month or two's worth of ABs in the majors. While he has hit well enough to convince many people he is for real, there is still some reason for caution in case he enters a slump, which we haven't really seen from him yet. It might be time to sell high on Soto if you can get a high impact player in the deal.

Oakland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Eveland	6.1	3	0	0	3	6	0	0.68

Dana Eveland turned in his second great start of the year in Toronto, not the easiest of parks to pitch in. Part of the Dan Haren deal to the Diamondbacks, Eveland seems to be the player most likely to pay dividends now. In both starts Eveland has struck out a batter per inning and kept his walks in check.

In his other short stints in the majors Eveland has walked over 5 batters per 9 innings while striking out over 8. However, his minor league numbers point to better control as he walked half that number and struck out even more in 413 innings.

Eveland has the skills to succeed in the majors in an excellent pitcher's park and in front of a good defense. He's definitely worth a pickup in any league.

Stats of the Day: Kubel's Big Day

Big news today is that Rafael Soriano headed to the disabled list. There was talk of elbow soreness throughout spring and into the season, so many owners began speculating on who the backup closer would be.

Bobby Cox hasn't said it outright yet, but it seems to be between Manny Acosta and Peter Moylan. Moylan is probably the better pitcher right now, but his ability to go multiple innings may have Cox leaning in Acosta's direction so he can get more use out of Peter. We may get a chance to find out tonight, so keep a close eye on the game in Colorado.

Minnesota	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Kubel, RF	4	1	2	6	0	1	0	.269

Jason Kubel has always been a favorite sleeper of mine. I began targetting him in AL Only leagues in 2006. Kubel's banner year was 2004, when he hit .343/.398/.560 with 16 home runs in AAA Rochester. Unfortunately a knee injury that year caused Kubel to miss the entire 2005 season and he hasn't been able to replicate those numbers ever since after missing a key developmental year.

Kubel still has some power upside and actually hit .303 in the 2nd half last year, so his average is capable of being a positive as well. He still hasn't done this over a full season, but he has shown enough glimpses for me to believe he is capable of putting it together some day in the big leagues. That could happen this year.

San Francisco	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sanchez	6.0	3	0	0	2	10	0	6.30

I've talked about Jonathan Sanchez in the past and while his first start this season was not inspiring, this one certainly was. Sanchez was hit hard when he faced Milwaukee on April 4th, but he was able to dominate the Padres last night with ten strikeouts.

The real key to Sanchez's season is his command, and in 10 innings this season he has struck out a whopping 18 batters and only walked 4. His offense could be the worst in baseball and will provide no run support at all, as can be seen by the no decision here, but his ability to strikeout batters makes him an interesting option as long as he continues to keep his walks down.

Stats of the Day: Thinking About the Panic Button

It's far too early in the season to start hitting the panic button on a player, but sometimes trends point in the direction of concern.

Two pitchers who had some spring issues are Erik Bedard and Chad Billingsley. While Billingsley has been yanked around enough by Joe Torre that his issues are understandable, Bedard has been handled gently in hopes he will come around.

Seattle	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Bedard (W, 1-0)	6.0	5	5	3	4	5	2	3.27

Two more home runs allowed for Bedard to go along with continued spotty control. If you recall, Bedard struggled with the same issues in spring when he had a 10/8 K/BB ratio and gave up 9 home runs. Spring stats may not mean much, but they can certainly give off some warning signs.

Bedard was originally scratched from his start earlier this week with a hip injury, but was able to pitch in this game two days later. So far the Mariners are reporting there's nothing to worry about with Bedard, but the poor control and all those homers allowed point to something wrong with him.

Be on the lookout for injury news concerning Bedard and tread carefully in the early going. If he doesn't straighten things out in his next few starts, it's time to worry.

Also worth noting is Seattle's current bullpen situation. Yesterday, Ryan Rowland-Smith picked up the save in what has been a closer-by-committee approach so far in JJ Putz's absence. Personally I am avoiding this situation with a ten foot pole. I feel bad for the play-by-play guys having to call these games. "Ryan Rowland-Smith is on a roll, picking up his first save of the season!"

Arizona	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Reynolds, 3B	5	2	2	3	0	1	4	.344

Mark Reynolds becomes the major league leader in home runs and RBIs with a big night versus the Dodgers. Usually in cases of players off to hot starts like Reynolds I have to warn about uncharacteristically high contact rates or a lucky hit rate. The thing here is Reynolds is actually still striking out in over 28% of his ABs, but when he does make contact the ball is flying off his bat.

Reynolds batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is .333, which is a bit high but the league average is right around .300. Last year Reynolds showed huge power potential and put up good slugging percentages all through the minors. He was very streaky in 2007, batting .426 in May, then .178 in June and July. He rebounded to hit .319 in August and September. This goes to show you that he can sustain these streaks for months at a time, but he will also go into prolonged slumps, something a 24 year old still developing consistency will be prone to.

There is always a risk of Reynolds losing some playing time if Chad Tracy comes back healthy and starts hitting during one of Reynolds' slumps, but for now hang onto him and don't hesitate to bench him if he hits a cold snap.

Toronto	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Hill, 2B	4	1	4	2	0	0	0	.444

Just a quick reminder to take a look at Aaron Hill. He is off to a good start in what could be a career year for him as he develops his power stroke.

Stats of the Day: More Closer Woes

Great game to wrap up the NCAA tourney last night. Memphis really blew it in regulation and it was a really sloppy game all around, but it was fun to watch for a casual fan who would rather see the fast paced action opposed to foul shots all game.

There was a light schedule of games last night in MLB because of the tournament, but we are now in full-on regular season mode as the off days become less frequent.

Pittsburgh	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
McLouth, CF-LF	6	0	3	2	1	1	0	.441

I've put off featuring Nate McLouth for a few days, just to see if his streak would eventually come to an end. It hasn't. In fact, he's only gotten better with has hits in all seven games this season while leading off for the Pirates, five of those being multi-hit games.

McLouth ended up as a bench player due to a mix of injuries and poor performance in the past, oddly starting some games against lefties as a left-handed hitter. In fact, McLouth's career numbers are actually superior when facing southpaws, against whom he has hit .270 opposed to .254 against righties. Last year with more playing time he managed to hit 13 home runs and steal 22 bags to go along with a .258 average, pretty good numbers over only 329 ABs.

Finally given a shot at the center field job this spring, McLouth has seized the opportunity beginning with his first Opening Day start. Since then he hasn't let off the gas, hitting .441 and slugging an impressive .735. He is making good contact so far, only striking out four times in the seven games he has played. McLouth is an excellent mix of both power and speed, though he has had issues with making contact in the past and hits enough fly balls to partially nullify that speed and hurt his average a bit.

The .441 average obviously isn't sustainable, but the power and speed numbers will be there. If you were lucky enough to land McLouth at the end of the draft or via the waiver-wire, congrats. He should continue to put up good numbers, but unless this new found ability to make contact is for real (too small of a sample size to make any judgement here) then that average will likely end up in the .260 range again.

LA Angels	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Rodriguez, F (BS, 1)	0.1	2	3	3	2	0	0	8.10
Shields (W, 1-0)	0.2	2	0	0	1	1	0	0.00

Cleveland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Betancourt	1.0	2	1	1	0	1	1	8.10
Borowski (BS, 1)(L, 0-1)	0.1	2	4	4	2	0	1	19.29

Another pair of blown saves in the same game, reminiscent of the Cubs/Brewers matchup on Opening Day. These two closers have slightly different concerns and not an entirely clear picture on who their backups may be.

Francisco Rodriguez has begun complaining about a sore ankle that he apparently has been coping with since last year. The reasons behind the Angels not renewing his contract are beginning to become more clear now, as his violent delivery seems to have begun to wear him down. There is some reason for optimism with this injury, as K-Rod's reported lost velocity has been more a conscious effort by the pitcher to put less stress on his body rather than any issues not being able to throw hard.

If K-Rod's injury does result in ineffectiveness or a DL stint, Scot Shields seems to be the choice to fill in for him as he has done in years past. Shields is coming off a poor year by his standards, putting up an ERA near 4.00 for the first time in his career. He is also coming off the DL for soreness in both his shoulder and forearm, which is a real concern. If this situation comes down to the healthiest pitcher, don't be surprised to see Justin Speier's name called in to close a few game. He becomes an excellent pickup in all leagues until this shakes out.

In Cleveland, Joe Borowski has been a favorite of many fantasy leaguer's to eventually lose his job ever since last year. Rafael Betancourt was likely in the top two middle relievers taken in most drafts, although he doesn't have a vast amount of experience in the closer role with only 12 total saves, compared to 17 blown saves. Other options here include Jorge Julio, Masahide Kobayashi, and possibly lefty Rafael Perez. The safest option remains Betancourt, but if you're desperate for saves the others might be worth speculating on.

Of course, that's all assuming Borowski will lose the job. He wasn't truly as bad last year as his ERA may have appeared, a flew blow ups where he allowed 4+ runs three times were a large cause and he didn't lose his job then. Also note that Borowski converted his other two save chances this season successfully and this doesn't look like a guy on the verge of losing his job. He will likely be given a long leash and will need to put together a series of bad outings before really being at risk.

Stats of the Day: For Hoffman the Bell Tolls

Ah Mondays. The day I try to wrap up my blog as quickly as I can before work begins piling up on my desk. Onto the box scores...

San Diego	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Bell	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Hoffman (L, 0-2)	1.0	1	1	1	1	1	0	12.27

Trevor Hoffman is up to two saves on the season, but they are surrounded by two that were blown. Yesterday's save chance was not actually much of a blowup, with a leadoff walk coming back to bite him. Giving up a walk and a single in an inning along with a strikeout and two groundouts certainly isn't a total failure, but the margin of error here was small.

Hoffman has had some early command issues which are natural at this time of year for a 41 year old pitcher. He was also pitching for the fourth time in six days, something he may not be capable of doing much this year.

Heath Bell is a great insurance policy and Hoffman should be getting more days off if he can't find some consistency when called into action frequently. Even if Hoffman does hold the job for the year, Bell could end up with ten or more save chances. He will be overvalued for now with Hoffman opening the season poorly, so if you've got him enjoy the ride and if you don't... well, just don't give up the farm to acquire a guy who may not be a full time closer this year. If Hoffman does eventually lose the role, expect Bell to emerge as a top-tier saves option.

Milwaukee	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Sheets (W, 1-0)	9.0	5	0	0	0	8	0	0.00

Ben Sheets has thrown 15 1/3 scoreless innings to start off the year, giving up only 7 hits to go along with 15 strikeouts. The skills have always been here, the real question is the risk involved.

It's the same old song and dance with sheets; we know if he can stay healthy he will put up Cy Young caliber numbers. This is a very good Brewers team behind him that will compete for the Central divison and should help him rack up wins as long as he pitches. This seems as good a year as any to target Sheets given the strong team behind him.

So how good can Sheets be? Take a look at his 2004 season and remember that while he isn't the young hurler he once was, he won't turn 30 until July. Sheets is still in his prime years, so the upside here is huge.

Speaking of 2004, take a look at the 2004 Cy Young leaderboards. How spoiled were we back then?

Kansas City	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Butler, DH	4	1	3	0	0	1	1	.400

Billy Butler has been a star in many scouts eyes ever since being drafted in 2004 right out of high school. In only three years he advanced all the way through triple-A and made his major league debut last year hitting .292 with 8 home runs and 23 doubles in 329 ABs.

Butler will only turn 22 this year and is already a legit major league hitter. Anyone that can hit for average and power at this age has some great days ahead of him. This year, expect close to a .300 average and over 15 home runs, but in later years Butler could be an MVP-candidate type hitter.

Keeper leaguers should take note that Butler is limited enough defensively, even at his young age, that he is only taking up DH duties for this season. This may hurt roster flexibility, but other than David Ortiz there may not be a better hitter to clog up your DH spot with in coming years.

Stats of the Day: Batting Champ in the Making?

Only one weekend update this week, it's been a busy one. In other sports I've got Memphis winning the final game in my bracket... if that works out and I'll be winning my pool. Why Memphis? Well, I work at a C-USA school (UCF), so it was only natural.

LA Angels	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Kendrick, 2B	4	0	2	1	0	0	3	.435

Howie Kendrick has been touted for the past few years as a potential batting champion and with a career line of .359/.402/.567 in the minors, it's easy to see why. Last year while getting regular time with the Angels he hit .322 while missing time with a broken finger. Just ask Coco Crisp what that can do to a hitter and you'll see how impressive this feat was. With his finger healed to start the year we could be seeing even better production out of Kendrick this year.

Kendrick is hitting at a torrid pace to start the year with hits in every game played so far to start a six game hit streak. The only downside to him is his position in the Angels lineup, currently batting sixth without a lot of quality hitters behind him. However, if he continues to put up multi-hit games don't be surprised if he moves into the two slot in the lineup in place of the overrated Gary Matthews.

If Kendrick's continued growth in the majors can result in him moving up in the lineup you can expect excellent runs and RBIs for a second-baseman, and yes, possibly a batting title.

Detroit	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Willis	5.0	1	3	3	7	0	0	5.40

Dontrelle Willis' terrible spring has carried on into the regular season. Although he did technically have a no-hitter to start the sixth inning before giving up a double to Jim Thome, this isn't a pitcher you should be interested in.

Though touted by some as a possible sleeper in 2008, there is absolutely nothing to like about a pitcher who put up a 5.17 ERA in the National League, especially when he moves into the American League Central. Dontrelle will be facing some very tough lineups and the only reason to think he won't reach a 6.00 ERA this season is that he is lucky enough to not have to face his own team.

Dontrelle's control is in serious decline and while he may get things together as the year goes on, don't expect many good starts out of him. Undoubtedly his near-Cy Young season in 2005 has taken a major toll on his arm. He averaged over 215 innings pitched per year from 2004 to 2007 and he is still only twenty-six years old. His arm hasn't fallen off yet, but in mixed leagues you might as well pretend it has - stay away.

Stats of the Day: Rookie Dominance

The theme of the week seems to be young and inexperienced pitchers having dominant starts. Johnny Cueto impressed more than anyone this week, allowing just 1 hit, a home run to Justin Upton, in his start against the Diamondbacks.

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Cueto (W, 1-0)	7.0	1	1	1	0	10	1	1.29

One of the most impressive parts about Johnny Cueto's start is that he struck out ten using almost only fastballs and sliders, topping out at 94 mph. It wasn't until the fifth inning that he started mixing in cutters and changeups.

Cueto was the most highly touted rookie pitcher in the offseason and he didn't fail to disappoint in his first start. As his rotation spot became more solidified he quickly went from an end-of-draft bargain to a guy going in the middle rounds.

Can Cueto keep up this performance all season? The skills here are evident, but he has only pitched a total of 83 career innings above single-A ball. At only twenty-two years old it's easy to fall in love with a pitcher like this before seeing any chinks in his armor. Cueto is simply too young and inexperienced to remain this dominant throughout the season. Major leaguers will eventually figure him out.

The other issue at play is his home ballpark. He allowed few home runs in the minors and only one in 17.2 innings of spring training, but he is a slight flyball pitcher and that won't play well at home. If Cueto can continue getting strikeouts at a good rate and maintain his control the home runs won't hurt too badly, but control is something that likely won't be consistent for a young pitcher. Know that Cueto is still a slight risk at Great American Ballpark, but that his upside is huge. He is good enough to be an above-average fantasy starter this year. Even with this dominant start, expect a best-case ERA of 3.60 and likely closer to 4.00.

San Diego	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Hairston, CF	3	2	3	0	1	0	0	.400

Scott Hairston has given glimpses of his power potential in the past. Last year between San Diego and Arizona he slugged .452 while hitting 11 home runs and 18 doubles. He is a bit of a risk in batting average hitting only .248 in his major league career and at 27 years old there isn't going to be a lot of growth here.

The positives are that Hairston has excellent pop and doesn't strikeout too badly while keeping his walks up, putting up 55/26 K/BB last year. As long as he is making decent contact and taking walks Hairston could outperform his career average if given the chance.

Petco Park may not be the most cooperative place for a guy with only one skill you really want: power. He has started out the season hot though, with 6 hits in 15 ABs, 4 of those for extra bases. Definitely worth a look as a reserve outfielder if you are desperate for power, but expect more than a few 0-for-4 days too.