You know you’re hard up for cash when Wes Helms is your highest paid player. (Reuters) We’ve been remiss on keeping up to pace with our baseball off-season coverage, focusing lately on basketball, hockey, and, of course, the NFL playoffs. But don’t worry, we’re already planning the 2009 RotoRob Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit, so before […]
Free Agency Report: National League, Part VI Read Post »
Torii Hunter has been relatively healthy this year, on pace to play his most games in three seasons, and he’s responded with some solid totals. On Sunday, he extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 3-for-5 performance with a run and pair of RBI. Hunter was just a home run short of the cycle and has lifted his average from .269 to .280 during the run. Our chief complaint about him is the lack of steals — just six so far after topping 20 in each of the last two seasons, even last year when injuries held him under 100 games played.
Fantasy Notes: Healthy Hunter is Producing Read Post »
So we’ll need to see more to believe he’s out of his slump. Apparently, the problems have resulted because he’s been tipping his pitches. We wouldn’t want to risk it against a hungry Yankee squad and showing-no-signs-of-cracking Detroit team this week. That’s a tall order for Buehrle even if he were on his game, which he clearly hasn’t been in the last month (0-5, 11.48 in July).
A Look Ahead: Buehrle Purely for Bench Read Post »
After a solid career at Arizona State, Bordes was picked by the Orioles in the ninth round in June and assigned to the Aberdeen IronBirds of the NYPL. Bordes was actually taken by the Tigers in the 24th round last year, but opted to return for his senior season at ASU, and he improved his stock by going 7-1, 3.15. With the IronBirds, he’s 1-1, 3.86 and has given up just 13 hits in 18 2/3 IP, but he’s walked 12 while fanning 15. The southpaw has a quality arm capable of bringing it at 91 mph, but obviously he’ll need to rein in those walks if he wants to carve out a career as a lefty reliever.
Fantasy Notes: IronBird in the Hand Read Post »
Oh baby! That was a seriously fine All-Star game last week. Sure, the whole “this time it counts” mantra is tiresome, but these past three midseason classics have really lived up to the title and been worth watching. The game has evolved into more than just a stupid fly-by followed by four hours of boredom.
Spikes Up: Same Old Nats Read Post »
Despite being just a 16th round pick out of high school in 2003, Laffey has moved through the Cleveland system fairly quickly. He began the season at High-A Kinston, going 4-1 through 10 games (four starts), with one save. Laffey did not allow a single home run and walked just six through 41 1/3 IP, a nice combination. Promoted to Double-A Akron, Laffey has been used exclusively as a starter with the Aeros, going 3-2, 4.04, through nine starts and 55 2/3 IP, with 14 walks against 30 strikeouts. His adjustment to Double-A has been fairly smooth until a start last weekend when Laffey was shellacked for eight runs (seven earned) and a dozen hits in just 5 1/3 IP.
Fantasy Notes: Akron Aeros Pitching Report Read Post »
The outfielder, who turns 28 on Thursday, was never quite able to stick in the majors, making brief appearances every season since 2002. All told, he’s appeared in 104 major league games, going 79-for-334 with 14 homers, 44 RBI and four steals. It’s that .299 OBP that hurts and his .416 SLG does not speak well to his power. This season, Ludwick has already produced 19 doubles and 16 homers in 89 games and 330 at-bats for Toledo. He’s racked up 51 runs and 85 hits with an 810 OPS, but is dogged by a horrible K/BB ratio. In fact, the Florida native has already topped 100 Ks. Still, considering he hit just .191 at Triple-A Buffalo last year, at least Ludwick is showing something in the minors this year, perhaps enough to earn another call at some point.
Fantasy Notes: Ryan Ludwick Bashing at Toledo Read Post »
