with Chris from Atlanta
League 17
Week #16
Controversy in the All-Star game usually is about who didn’t play in the game … not who played too much. I’m not going to step into that ring right now (see below). Before we get into the major happenings from last week, I promised you readers that I would take a look at the league leaders in the five fantasy scoring categories and offer up my observations.
(These stats are current through Friday’s games)
Wins - Quite a few surprises here. All five pitchers tied for 2nd with 12 wins could be classified as surprises (Mussina, Lohse, Lee, Saunders & Volquez). Everyone knows that Lincecum is a stud, but to be 11-2 on an awful Giants team is astounding.
Saves - K-Rod leading the league is not surprising … having 38 saves is what is surprising. Sherrill (29-2nd), Brian Wilson (25-T5th), and Joakim Soria (25-T5th) are the only names that you wouldn’t expect to be in the Top Ten.
Strikeouts - Again, nothing too out of the ordinary. The only names you wouldn’t have expected to see in the Top Ten at the beginning of the season are Billingsley (128-4th) and Volquez (126-T5th). Where is Johan? He is 11th with 116 strikeouts.
ERA - Duchscherer leading the league with a 1.82 ERA is the definition of surprising. Volquez, Lee, and Danks just reinforce the idea that you can wait on pitching.
WHIP - Duchscherer is again at the top of the list with a 0.87 WHIP. Two words: sell high. The 30-year old has never pitched more than the 108.7 innings he has pitched so far in 2008. Cliff Lee’s name shows up again in 6th.
Blanton traded to Philadelphia - Have you ever gone out drinking with your buddies and one of them just goes a little too crazy? Everyone else is pacing themselves and this clown is pounding shots? Well, the Phillies are that guy. They gave up too much, too soon. They gave up three prospects (two of which were in the top four of the Phillies’ organization) for a player that is more than likely sitting out on your waiver wire (Blanton is owned in 57% of Sporting News leagues).
Is Blanton the answer? If the question was who can we put in the rotation to make the 107-year old Jamie Moyer look even better, the answer is yes. Word also came out on Friday that Adam Eaton will be bumped to the bullpen to make room for Blanton. This means that Brett Myers will reclaim his starting spot in the rotation later this week when he returns from the minors.
New Philadelphia rotation:
NL Avg - 4.26 ERA - 1.39 WHIP - 6.87 K/9 - 3.48 BB/9 - 1.97 K/BB
Hamels - 3.15 ERA - 1.02 WHIP - 7.95 K/9 - 2.14 BB/9 - 3.71 K/BB
Moyer - 3.95 ERA - 1.39 WHIP - 5.53 K/9 - 2.61 BB/9 - 2.12 K/BB
Kendrick - 4.47 ERA - 1.46 WHIP - 4.04 K/9 - 2.75 BB/9 - 1.47 K/BB
Blanton - 4.96 ERA - 1.42 WHIP - 4.39 K/9 - 2.48 BB/9 - 1.77 K/BB
Myers - 5.84 ERA - 1.56 WHIP - 7.79 K/9 - 3.90 BB/9 - 2.00 K/BB
This staff is not good. For the price they paid, they could have gotten a better pitcher than Blanton. Rumors are out there that AJ Burnett, Bedard, Duchscherer and others are available. I’m not so sure that the Philly front office made the right move. Before you go thinking to yourself that the move to the NL will improve his numbers, chew on this. The National League ERA, WHIP, BB/9 and K/BB rates are all worse than the American League.
Blanton’s value stays about the same as before the trade. He should get a few more wins with a better offense behind him. But look for his other numbers to increase moving from a pitcher-friendly park to a hitter-friendly park.
What happens in Oakland? - The Blanton deal was about making room for some of Oakland’s top prospects. The three players that Oakland received in the trade should not see any playing time in the Major Leagues in 2008. LHP Josh Outman is in Double-A while the other two (2B Adrian Cardenas and OF Matt Spencer) were in High-A.
Dallas Braden will replace Blanton in Oakland’s rotation. He had a 3.28 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 10.16 K/9, 2.37 BB/9 and 4.28 K/BB rate in 349 minor league innings. He is worth picking up if you need some pitching help.
Shortly after the trade, the A’s started talking about LHP Gio Gonzalez. Although he has been a starter in the minors, he would start out in the bullpen. In 611 minor league innings:
3.68 ERA - 1.26 WHIP - 10.33 K/9 - 3.92 BB/9 - 2.64 K/BB
Look for Gonzalez to get an occasional start when available. He may not have to wait long as there are rumors that Oakland is shopping Duchscherer. They may also be shopping closer Huston Street, so keep an eye on Joey Devine’s health. If he comes back healthy, before the deadline, Oakland may trade Street and move Devine into the closer role. Devine’s stat line in 22 innings with Oakland:
1.23 ERA - 1.05 WHIP - 11.45 K/9 - 2.86 BB/9 - 4.00 K/BB
Is that Jonathon Broxton music I hear? - Takashi Saito, the Dodger’s 38-year old closer, will not be back before late August and could be out for the season with a sprained ligament in his right (throwing) elbow. The closing duties have been handed over to the 24-year old fireballer Broxton. He has been dominant the last two years in the setup role.
2006 76.3 IP - 2.59 ERA - 1.23 WHIP - 11.44 K/9 - 2.94 K/BB
2007 82.0 IP - 2.85 ERA - 1.15 WHIP - 10.87 K/9 - 3.96 K/BB
2008 40.7 IP - 3.32 ERA - 1.18 WHIP - 10.62 K/9 - 3.20 K/BB
After struggling out of the gates in 2008, he has settled down giving up just two earned runs in 17 appearances since June 1st. The fantasy world has been waiting patiently for Broxton to take over the closer role. All indications are that he will excel, so go out and pick him up if he is available.
Dodgers’ manager, Joe Torre, has said that Chan Ho Park, Hong-Chih Kuo and Joe Beimel could also see save opportunities depending on the situation. I think that that is just coach-speak. Look for Broxton to be the man.
Big Sexy swings his way into the Bronx - The Yankees signed the recently released Richie Sexson. The initial word is that he will platoon at first; getting the starts against lefties. He is batting .344 with 5 HRs and 13 RBIs against lefties in 2008. He might be a good Monday/Thursday hitter if you know for sure that he is starting. The player that stands to lose playing time is Wilson Betemit.
Overuse of pitchers in All-Star game - Here is the problem in a nutshell: Major League baseball is trying to turn an exhibition game into a game that has real significance. That puts the players, and especially the managers, in a precarious situation. While pride dictates that the players play to win and that the managers manage to win, having World Series home field advantage weighing in the balance could cause a manager to have to make decisions he would not otherwise make.
Put yourself in the place of Terry Francona, the manager of the American League team. The Red Sox look to be the favorite to represent the AL in the World Series. If so, he wants home field advantage. But he might have to use or to overuse pitchers from someone else’s team … a team with which he in competition for the rest of the season … for the sake of winning an exhibition game.
Pay attention to their next start to see if they experience an All-Star hangover. Friday night, Sherrill and Lidge (two pitchers that many claimed to be overworked) both picked up saves. This might be much ado about nothing.