For the first time in his major league career, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez has been placed on the 15-day disabled list (DL) with a back strain.
The move is retroactive to May 30th, which means Ramirez will be eligible to come off the DL on June 14th when the Marlins open up a four-game series against the Phillies.
"I think I feel better today, way better than yesterday and the day before," Ramirez said (via the Miami Herald). "Today is the first day where I feel like everything is coming along. My lower back is getting looser and my hip is better."
So, how soon will he be back on the field?
While Ramirez hopes it's as soon as possible, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said, "Nobody knows, not even him."
The Marlins called up left-hander Brad Hand, who was 7-1 with an ERA of 3.53 in Double-A this year. Hand will start Tuesday's game.
Ramirez has struggled -- .210 batting average, four home runs, 17 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases in 48 games this season.
Showing posts with label Florida Marlins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida Marlins. Show all posts
Monday, June 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Hanley Ramirez misses third straight game, DL decision to come Friday
Earlier in the week, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez described his back pain as the "worse pain I've ever had in my life, in my career."
Today he missed his third consecutive game.
Per Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, the Marlins will decide whether or not to place Ramirez on the disabled list on Friday.
The Marlins have Thursday off and then begin a four-game series against the Brewers on Friday.
“We can’t keep going with only one shortstop,” manager Edwin Rodriguez said today (via Capozzi). “Pretty soon we have to make a decision.”
Ramirez is hitting only .210 and has four home runs, 17 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases.
Today he missed his third consecutive game.
Per Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, the Marlins will decide whether or not to place Ramirez on the disabled list on Friday.
The Marlins have Thursday off and then begin a four-game series against the Brewers on Friday.
“We can’t keep going with only one shortstop,” manager Edwin Rodriguez said today (via Capozzi). “Pretty soon we have to make a decision.”
Ramirez is hitting only .210 and has four home runs, 17 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Marlins place Josh Johnson on DL, retroactive to May 17th
With the exception of a five-run outing on Cinco de Mayo, Marlins starter Josh Johnson has allowed only one or no runs in six of his last seven starts, the last of which was against the Mets on May 16th.
In that start, Johnson left after the fifth inning due to a forearm bruise caused by a Carlos Beltran groundball, but he had allowed only one run.
Instead of starting tomorrow as scheduled, it's going to be a while before Johnson gets his next start.
Per Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, the Marlins have placed Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Since he hasn't started since the 16th, the move is retroactive to May 17th.
The Marlins called up Jay Buente, who will take Johnson's roster spot and start tomorrow's game against Tampa.
In 60 1/3 innings this season, Johnson has struck out 56 batters while allowing only 39 hits. He has a 3-1 record with an ERA of 1.64, which is tied for the lead in the National League.
In that start, Johnson left after the fifth inning due to a forearm bruise caused by a Carlos Beltran groundball, but he had allowed only one run.
Instead of starting tomorrow as scheduled, it's going to be a while before Johnson gets his next start.
Per Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, the Marlins have placed Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Since he hasn't started since the 16th, the move is retroactive to May 17th.
The Marlins called up Jay Buente, who will take Johnson's roster spot and start tomorrow's game against Tampa.
In 60 1/3 innings this season, Johnson has struck out 56 batters while allowing only 39 hits. He has a 3-1 record with an ERA of 1.64, which is tied for the lead in the National League.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Hanley Ramirez is day-to-day
Considering Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez needed assistance to get off the field in yesterday's game, it certainly could have been worse.
Bill Hall's attempt to break up a double play resulted in a left leg bruise for Ramirez, who is considered day-to-day, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Through seven games, Ramirez is hitting only .207 with no home runs and one stolen base.
There's no official word yet on his status for tonight's game against the Astros.
Bill Hall's attempt to break up a double play resulted in a left leg bruise for Ramirez, who is considered day-to-day, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Through seven games, Ramirez is hitting only .207 with no home runs and one stolen base.
There's no official word yet on his status for tonight's game against the Astros.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Starting Pitcher Rankings
How early should you draft starting pitchers in fantasy baseball?
The answer you get to that question will probably vary quite a bit from person to person, but there is a fairly consistent strategy I've used in drafting my teams. Typically, I will look to add one elite pitcher, a top-five (or so) starter, within the first five rounds. After I draft my "ace," I will look to find one or two solid values in the 10-12 round range (or so) and then a few guys with lots of upside late in the draft.
Here are my top 40 starting pitchers for fantasy baseball in 2011:
1. Roy Halladay, Phillies: In the past three seasons, Halladay has posted sub-3.00 ERAs, struck out 200-plus batters and thrown nine complete games each season. During that span, Halladay has won 58 games, which doesn't include a post-season no-hitter in his first ever post-season start last year.
2. Tim Lincecum, Giants: Through four seasons, Lincecum has struck out 907 batters in 811 innings pitched. That's a career K/9 rate of 10.07. Lincecum, who's averaged 252.3 strikeouts per year over the past three seasons, is 248 away from tying Tom Seaver's record for most strikeouts in a pitcher's first five years during the modern era.
3. Felix Hernandez, Mariners: "King" Felix, who is more like a 2(a) in these rankings, won the A.L. Cy Young last year despite finishing with a 13-12 record due to poor run support. Hernandez struck out 232 batters and posted a 2.27 ERA in 249.2 innings last year.
4. Cliff Lee, Phillies: In 2010, Lee walked a total of 18 batters in 212.1 innings pitched, which was a league-best 0.76 walks per nine innings. Not surprisingly, Lee, who struck out 185 batters, led baseball in K/BB ratio (10.28) last year as well. In fact, Halladay, his new teammate, finished second in the category (7.30) while Jered Weaver finished third (4.31).
5. Jon Lester, Red Sox: Similar to Lincecum and Hernandez, Lester and Yankees' ace C.C. Sabathia are 5 and 5(a) in these rankings. In the past three seasons, Lester has posted an ERA under 3.50 each year while compiling a record of 50-23 during that span. In addition, he has struck out 450 batters in 411.1 innings over the past two seasons.
6. C.C. Sabathia, Yankees: By limiting the Cap'n Crunch this off-season, Sabathia was able to shed 25 pounds. Regardless, Sabathia has a 40-15 record in his two seasons in the Bronx with ERAs of 3.37 and 3.18, respectively.
7. Justin Verlander, Tigers: With the exception of 2008 (11-17 and 4.84 ERA), Verlander has won 17-plus games with a sub-4.00 ERA every year since 2006. He has 488 strikeouts in the past two seasons and posted a career-best ERA of 3.37 in 2010.
8. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: Kershaw, who just turned 23 years old earlier this month, has finished with a sub-3.00 ERA for two consecutive seasons in addition to setting career highs in wins (13) and strikeouts (212) last year. The sky's the limit for the former high school teammate of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.
9. Tommy Hanson, Braves: Hanson, who is only 24 years old, has put up solid back-to-back seasons. In his first full season, Hanson struggled a bit in the first half last year, but he finished strong (2.51 ERA after the All-Star break).
10. Chris Carpenter, Cardinals: While 2007 and 2008 were wiped out due to injury, Carpenter has finished with an ERA under 3.50 in his other five seasons with the Cardinals. In the past two seasons, Carpenter has compiled a record of 33-13 and finished with ERAs of 2.24 and 3.22, respectively.
11. Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies: In his first 14 starts last year, Jimenez allowed more than two earned runs only once (three earned runs vs. the Blue Jays on June 11th). Before the All-Star break, Jimenez won 15 of his 18 starts and posted an ERA of only 2.20. After the break, he finished with a record of 4-7 and 3.80 ERA. That said, he made year-over-year improvements in strikeouts, wins and ERA in the past two seasons.
12. Josh Johnson, Marlins: Johnson led all of baseball in home runs allowed per nine innings with a ratio of 0.34. Johnson only started 28 games, however, because he was shut down for the last month of the 2010 season. That said, he posted career bests in ERA (2.30), K/9 (9.11) and BB/9 (2.35).
13. Cole Hamels, Phillies: Hamels bounced back nicely in 2010 by posting a career high in strikeouts (211) and a career low in ERA (3.06). And he was even better after the All-Star break (2.23 ERA and 9.68 K/9) and in the post-season (1.20 ERA and 10.20 K/9).
14. Dan Haren, Angels: Haren actually had better splits after he was traded to the American League last year. In 14 starts with the Angels, Haren finished with an ERA of 2.87 and a WHIP of 1.16 (versus 4.60 and 1.35, respectively, with the Diamondbacks). That said, his K/9 rate dropped from 9.00 in Arizona to 7.18 with Los Angeles.
15. Francisco Liriano, Twins: Last year, Liriano bounced back with career highs in wins (14) and strikeouts (201). While switching to Target Field may not be a welcome move for the team's hitters, it helped Liriano set a career low in HR/9 of 0.42, which was the fourth lowest in baseball.
16. Jered Weaver, Angels: Last year, Weaver finished sixth in baseball in K/9 ratio (a career-high 9.35) among qualified leaders. Weaver also set career bests in innings (224.1), strikeouts (233), BB/9 ratio (2.17) and HR/9 ratio (0.92).
17. Yovani Gallardo, Brewers: Gallardo, who turned 25 in February, has recorded 200-plus strikeouts and sub-4.00 ERAs in back-to-back seasons.
18. Roy Oswalt, Phillies: After Oswalt was acquired from the Astros, he was 7-1 with an ERA of 1.74 and WHIP of 0.90. While his peripherals were good before the trade (3.42 ERA and 1.11 WHIP), Oswalt was only 6-12 in 20 starts with Houston.
19. Matt Cain, Giants: Who was the "dark horse" candidate for N.L. Cy Young by Yahoo!'s Steve Henson? Considering where I'm asking this question, you surely know the answer (whether you or I agree with Henson or not). Despite having a career ERA of 3.45, however, Cain has an all-time record of 57-62 and has yet to win more than 14 games or strike out more than 186 batters in a season. In other words, I can see Cain finishing with about 15 wins, 180 strikeouts and and ERA of 3.25 (but no Cy Young).
20. Zack Greinke, Brewers: The good news is Greinke should have much better run support when he pitches in 2011 in addition to getting the opportunity to pitch to pitchers (and boost his strikeout rate). That said, we will have to wait to see that as Greinke, who will begin the season on the disabled list, might be out for all of April.
21. David Price, Rays
22. Mat Latos, Padres
23. Max Scherzer, Tigers
24. Brett Anderson, A's
25. Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
26. Wandy Rodriguez, Astros
27. Jonathan Sanchez, Giants
28. Matt Garza, Cubs
29. Tim Hudson, Braves
30. Shaun Marcum, Brewers
31. Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays
32. Gio Gonzalez, A's
33. Ted Lilly, Dodgers
34. Madison Bumgarner, Giants
35. Clay Buchholz, Red Sox
36. Brett Myers, Astros
37. Jeremy Hellickson, Rays
38. Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
39. Daniel Hudson, Diamondbacks
40. John Danks, White Sox
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
See our fantasy rankings for everyday players: C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B - OF
The answer you get to that question will probably vary quite a bit from person to person, but there is a fairly consistent strategy I've used in drafting my teams. Typically, I will look to add one elite pitcher, a top-five (or so) starter, within the first five rounds. After I draft my "ace," I will look to find one or two solid values in the 10-12 round range (or so) and then a few guys with lots of upside late in the draft.
Here are my top 40 starting pitchers for fantasy baseball in 2011:
1. Roy Halladay, Phillies: In the past three seasons, Halladay has posted sub-3.00 ERAs, struck out 200-plus batters and thrown nine complete games each season. During that span, Halladay has won 58 games, which doesn't include a post-season no-hitter in his first ever post-season start last year.
2. Tim Lincecum, Giants: Through four seasons, Lincecum has struck out 907 batters in 811 innings pitched. That's a career K/9 rate of 10.07. Lincecum, who's averaged 252.3 strikeouts per year over the past three seasons, is 248 away from tying Tom Seaver's record for most strikeouts in a pitcher's first five years during the modern era.
3. Felix Hernandez, Mariners: "King" Felix, who is more like a 2(a) in these rankings, won the A.L. Cy Young last year despite finishing with a 13-12 record due to poor run support. Hernandez struck out 232 batters and posted a 2.27 ERA in 249.2 innings last year.
4. Cliff Lee, Phillies: In 2010, Lee walked a total of 18 batters in 212.1 innings pitched, which was a league-best 0.76 walks per nine innings. Not surprisingly, Lee, who struck out 185 batters, led baseball in K/BB ratio (10.28) last year as well. In fact, Halladay, his new teammate, finished second in the category (7.30) while Jered Weaver finished third (4.31).
5. Jon Lester, Red Sox: Similar to Lincecum and Hernandez, Lester and Yankees' ace C.C. Sabathia are 5 and 5(a) in these rankings. In the past three seasons, Lester has posted an ERA under 3.50 each year while compiling a record of 50-23 during that span. In addition, he has struck out 450 batters in 411.1 innings over the past two seasons.
6. C.C. Sabathia, Yankees: By limiting the Cap'n Crunch this off-season, Sabathia was able to shed 25 pounds. Regardless, Sabathia has a 40-15 record in his two seasons in the Bronx with ERAs of 3.37 and 3.18, respectively.
7. Justin Verlander, Tigers: With the exception of 2008 (11-17 and 4.84 ERA), Verlander has won 17-plus games with a sub-4.00 ERA every year since 2006. He has 488 strikeouts in the past two seasons and posted a career-best ERA of 3.37 in 2010.
8. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: Kershaw, who just turned 23 years old earlier this month, has finished with a sub-3.00 ERA for two consecutive seasons in addition to setting career highs in wins (13) and strikeouts (212) last year. The sky's the limit for the former high school teammate of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.
9. Tommy Hanson, Braves: Hanson, who is only 24 years old, has put up solid back-to-back seasons. In his first full season, Hanson struggled a bit in the first half last year, but he finished strong (2.51 ERA after the All-Star break).
10. Chris Carpenter, Cardinals: While 2007 and 2008 were wiped out due to injury, Carpenter has finished with an ERA under 3.50 in his other five seasons with the Cardinals. In the past two seasons, Carpenter has compiled a record of 33-13 and finished with ERAs of 2.24 and 3.22, respectively.
11. Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies: In his first 14 starts last year, Jimenez allowed more than two earned runs only once (three earned runs vs. the Blue Jays on June 11th). Before the All-Star break, Jimenez won 15 of his 18 starts and posted an ERA of only 2.20. After the break, he finished with a record of 4-7 and 3.80 ERA. That said, he made year-over-year improvements in strikeouts, wins and ERA in the past two seasons.
12. Josh Johnson, Marlins: Johnson led all of baseball in home runs allowed per nine innings with a ratio of 0.34. Johnson only started 28 games, however, because he was shut down for the last month of the 2010 season. That said, he posted career bests in ERA (2.30), K/9 (9.11) and BB/9 (2.35).
13. Cole Hamels, Phillies: Hamels bounced back nicely in 2010 by posting a career high in strikeouts (211) and a career low in ERA (3.06). And he was even better after the All-Star break (2.23 ERA and 9.68 K/9) and in the post-season (1.20 ERA and 10.20 K/9).
14. Dan Haren, Angels: Haren actually had better splits after he was traded to the American League last year. In 14 starts with the Angels, Haren finished with an ERA of 2.87 and a WHIP of 1.16 (versus 4.60 and 1.35, respectively, with the Diamondbacks). That said, his K/9 rate dropped from 9.00 in Arizona to 7.18 with Los Angeles.
15. Francisco Liriano, Twins: Last year, Liriano bounced back with career highs in wins (14) and strikeouts (201). While switching to Target Field may not be a welcome move for the team's hitters, it helped Liriano set a career low in HR/9 of 0.42, which was the fourth lowest in baseball.
16. Jered Weaver, Angels: Last year, Weaver finished sixth in baseball in K/9 ratio (a career-high 9.35) among qualified leaders. Weaver also set career bests in innings (224.1), strikeouts (233), BB/9 ratio (2.17) and HR/9 ratio (0.92).
17. Yovani Gallardo, Brewers: Gallardo, who turned 25 in February, has recorded 200-plus strikeouts and sub-4.00 ERAs in back-to-back seasons.
18. Roy Oswalt, Phillies: After Oswalt was acquired from the Astros, he was 7-1 with an ERA of 1.74 and WHIP of 0.90. While his peripherals were good before the trade (3.42 ERA and 1.11 WHIP), Oswalt was only 6-12 in 20 starts with Houston.
19. Matt Cain, Giants: Who was the "dark horse" candidate for N.L. Cy Young by Yahoo!'s Steve Henson? Considering where I'm asking this question, you surely know the answer (whether you or I agree with Henson or not). Despite having a career ERA of 3.45, however, Cain has an all-time record of 57-62 and has yet to win more than 14 games or strike out more than 186 batters in a season. In other words, I can see Cain finishing with about 15 wins, 180 strikeouts and and ERA of 3.25 (but no Cy Young).
20. Zack Greinke, Brewers: The good news is Greinke should have much better run support when he pitches in 2011 in addition to getting the opportunity to pitch to pitchers (and boost his strikeout rate). That said, we will have to wait to see that as Greinke, who will begin the season on the disabled list, might be out for all of April.
21. David Price, Rays
22. Mat Latos, Padres
23. Max Scherzer, Tigers
24. Brett Anderson, A's
25. Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
26. Wandy Rodriguez, Astros
27. Jonathan Sanchez, Giants
28. Matt Garza, Cubs
29. Tim Hudson, Braves
30. Shaun Marcum, Brewers
31. Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays
32. Gio Gonzalez, A's
33. Ted Lilly, Dodgers
34. Madison Bumgarner, Giants
35. Clay Buchholz, Red Sox
36. Brett Myers, Astros
37. Jeremy Hellickson, Rays
38. Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
39. Daniel Hudson, Diamondbacks
40. John Danks, White Sox
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
See our fantasy rankings for everyday players: C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B - OF
Monday, March 28, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Shortstop Rankings
The top two fantasy shortstops are two of the best options in all of fantasy baseball, regardless of position. After Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki are gone, however, major question marks exist with many of the rest.
Here are our top 15 fantasy shortstops for 2011:
1. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: Ramirez has hit .300-plus and 20-plus home runs in each of the past four seasons. In addition, HanRam has stolen 30-plus bases in four of five seasons. The ceiling? A season of .342-125-33-106-51 (BA-R-HR-RBI-SB) would tie all of his career highs.
2. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: Tulowitzki is one season removed from a 30-20 season. Despite missing one-quarter of last season, Tulo still managed to hit 27 home runs with 95 runs batted in while hitting .315. While he's the second-rated shortstop on our list, Tulowitzki could be one of the top three or four overall players selected in your draft based on average draft position from Mock Draft Central.
3. Jose Reyes, Mets: From 2005 to 2008, Reyes stole 58-plus bases per season while missing only 15 games during that four-year span. Over the last two seasons, Reyes has stolen 41 bases in 169 games. With a new contract on the line, how many steals and games will we see from Reyes in 2011?
4. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies: Over the past three seasons, Rollins has missed 106 games. While he likely won't duplicate his 2009 numbers (21 homers and 31 steals), it wouldn't surprise me to see Rollins finish with 15 home runs and 25 steals (or better).
5. Derek Jeter, Yankees: The good news? Jeter posted double-digit homers and steals for the 15th consecutive season. The bad news? Jeter hit only .270, his lowest average during that 15-year span, and only ten home runs, which ties a low during that span. Jeter will likely score more runs and hit for a higher average than Rollins while Rollins will likely hit more home runs and steal more bases.
6. Alexei Ramirez, White Sox: Through his first three seasons, Ramirez has been remarkably consistent in the five standard categories in 5x5 leagues. Career lows for Ramirez: .277 average, 65 runs, 15 home runs, 68 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases. Career highs: .290 average, 83 runs, 21 home runs, 77 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases.
7. Elvis Andrus, Rangers: In each of his first two seasons, Andrus has stolen 30-plus bases. But hamstring issues slowed him down last year as he had 18 of his 32 steals in the first two months of the season.
8. Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks: At a position with a scarcity of power, Drew is one of a handful of shortstops with 20-homer potential and he had double-digit steals last year. If you're league rewards for triples, Drew has finished in the top three in the category in each of the past three seasons.
9. Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: Over the past three seasons, Furcal has missed a total of 203 games including 65 of them in 2010. On a positive note, Furcal stole 22 bases, which is his highest output since 2007 (25 steals) and he enters a walk year.
10. Starlin Castro, Cubs: As a 20-year-old, Castro hit exactly .300 in his rookie season. Through 20 spring games, Castro is hitting .344 with four home runs and 15 runs batted in. Although he has four homers this spring, he hit only three in 125 games (463 at bats) last season.
11. Ian Desmond, Nationals: In his first full season with the Nationals, Desmond had double-digit home runs and steals with ten and 17, respectively. Desmond hit higher after the All-Star break (.283) than before it (.255) so a season with a .280 average, 15 home runs and 20 steals seems reasonable.
12. Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians: Cabrera failed to play 100 games last season due to a broken forearm, but he's having a great spring, for what it's worth. Through 17 spring games, Cabrera it hitting .385 with three home runs, 12 runs and four steals. He won't help in homers, but when he played 131 games in 2009, he hit .308 with 81 runs scored, 68 runs batted in and 17 steals.
13. Erick Aybar, Angels: Aybar won't help much at all in the power categories, but he stole a career-high 22 bases last year and hit a career-high .312 the year before that. If he hits .300 with 20-plus steals, he's a solid value at this spot.
14. Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays: Escobar entered 2010 as a career .301 hitter while coming off career highs in runs (89), home runs (14) and runs batted in (76). However, last season was mostly a year that Escobar would like to forget as he posted career lows in batting average (.256) and home runs (four) while driving in only 35 runs. Perhaps a higher post-trade average in Toronto (.275) over his average in Atlanta (.238) bodes well for a bounce-back in 2011.
15. Jhonny Peralta, Tigers: Although Peralta is struggling this spring (.206 with no home runs or runs batted in through 21 games), you can do worse than get 15 homers and 81 runs batted in from a late-round shortstop as he put up last season. In addition to shortstop, he's eligible at third base, another talent-scarce position. Since 2005, Peralta has driven in 68-plus runs every season with 81-plus in each of the past three. During that same span, he has belted 20-plus homers three times.
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Here are our top 15 fantasy shortstops for 2011:
1. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: Ramirez has hit .300-plus and 20-plus home runs in each of the past four seasons. In addition, HanRam has stolen 30-plus bases in four of five seasons. The ceiling? A season of .342-125-33-106-51 (BA-R-HR-RBI-SB) would tie all of his career highs.
2. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: Tulowitzki is one season removed from a 30-20 season. Despite missing one-quarter of last season, Tulo still managed to hit 27 home runs with 95 runs batted in while hitting .315. While he's the second-rated shortstop on our list, Tulowitzki could be one of the top three or four overall players selected in your draft based on average draft position from Mock Draft Central.
3. Jose Reyes, Mets: From 2005 to 2008, Reyes stole 58-plus bases per season while missing only 15 games during that four-year span. Over the last two seasons, Reyes has stolen 41 bases in 169 games. With a new contract on the line, how many steals and games will we see from Reyes in 2011?
4. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies: Over the past three seasons, Rollins has missed 106 games. While he likely won't duplicate his 2009 numbers (21 homers and 31 steals), it wouldn't surprise me to see Rollins finish with 15 home runs and 25 steals (or better).
5. Derek Jeter, Yankees: The good news? Jeter posted double-digit homers and steals for the 15th consecutive season. The bad news? Jeter hit only .270, his lowest average during that 15-year span, and only ten home runs, which ties a low during that span. Jeter will likely score more runs and hit for a higher average than Rollins while Rollins will likely hit more home runs and steal more bases.
6. Alexei Ramirez, White Sox: Through his first three seasons, Ramirez has been remarkably consistent in the five standard categories in 5x5 leagues. Career lows for Ramirez: .277 average, 65 runs, 15 home runs, 68 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases. Career highs: .290 average, 83 runs, 21 home runs, 77 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases.
7. Elvis Andrus, Rangers: In each of his first two seasons, Andrus has stolen 30-plus bases. But hamstring issues slowed him down last year as he had 18 of his 32 steals in the first two months of the season.
8. Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks: At a position with a scarcity of power, Drew is one of a handful of shortstops with 20-homer potential and he had double-digit steals last year. If you're league rewards for triples, Drew has finished in the top three in the category in each of the past three seasons.
9. Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: Over the past three seasons, Furcal has missed a total of 203 games including 65 of them in 2010. On a positive note, Furcal stole 22 bases, which is his highest output since 2007 (25 steals) and he enters a walk year.
10. Starlin Castro, Cubs: As a 20-year-old, Castro hit exactly .300 in his rookie season. Through 20 spring games, Castro is hitting .344 with four home runs and 15 runs batted in. Although he has four homers this spring, he hit only three in 125 games (463 at bats) last season.
11. Ian Desmond, Nationals: In his first full season with the Nationals, Desmond had double-digit home runs and steals with ten and 17, respectively. Desmond hit higher after the All-Star break (.283) than before it (.255) so a season with a .280 average, 15 home runs and 20 steals seems reasonable.
12. Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians: Cabrera failed to play 100 games last season due to a broken forearm, but he's having a great spring, for what it's worth. Through 17 spring games, Cabrera it hitting .385 with three home runs, 12 runs and four steals. He won't help in homers, but when he played 131 games in 2009, he hit .308 with 81 runs scored, 68 runs batted in and 17 steals.
13. Erick Aybar, Angels: Aybar won't help much at all in the power categories, but he stole a career-high 22 bases last year and hit a career-high .312 the year before that. If he hits .300 with 20-plus steals, he's a solid value at this spot.
14. Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays: Escobar entered 2010 as a career .301 hitter while coming off career highs in runs (89), home runs (14) and runs batted in (76). However, last season was mostly a year that Escobar would like to forget as he posted career lows in batting average (.256) and home runs (four) while driving in only 35 runs. Perhaps a higher post-trade average in Toronto (.275) over his average in Atlanta (.238) bodes well for a bounce-back in 2011.
15. Jhonny Peralta, Tigers: Although Peralta is struggling this spring (.206 with no home runs or runs batted in through 21 games), you can do worse than get 15 homers and 81 runs batted in from a late-round shortstop as he put up last season. In addition to shortstop, he's eligible at third base, another talent-scarce position. Since 2005, Peralta has driven in 68-plus runs every season with 81-plus in each of the past three. During that same span, he has belted 20-plus homers three times.
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Jose Reyes to leadoff tonight vs Marlins
When the Mets face the Marlins in Miami tonight, shortstop Jose Reyes will return to a familiar spot. (And, no, I don't mean the disabled list.)
Reyes, who is hitting only .207 on the season since returning from the DL, will be the leadoff hitter in tonight's lineup, according to Brian Costa of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Meanwhile, Angel Pagan will bat third in the order in front of left fielder Jason Bay tonight.
Only six teams have a lower batting average than the Mets (.240).
Through 55 at bats so far in May, Reyes has only ten hits (.182 batting average), but he has stolen four bases.
In addition to struggling in May (even more so than in April), Reyes is struggling on the road (.136 average and .329 OPS). His home batting average is a solid .290 with an OPS of .763.
Reyes is hitless in his past three road games and has never faced Nate Robertson, who will start for the Marlins tonight.
Reyes, who is hitting only .207 on the season since returning from the DL, will be the leadoff hitter in tonight's lineup, according to Brian Costa of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Meanwhile, Angel Pagan will bat third in the order in front of left fielder Jason Bay tonight.
Only six teams have a lower batting average than the Mets (.240).
Through 55 at bats so far in May, Reyes has only ten hits (.182 batting average), but he has stolen four bases.
In addition to struggling in May (even more so than in April), Reyes is struggling on the road (.136 average and .329 OPS). His home batting average is a solid .290 with an OPS of .763.
Reyes is hitless in his past three road games and has never faced Nate Robertson, who will start for the Marlins tonight.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sanchez beats out Morrison for Marlins' 1B job
Gaby Sanchez, who hit .409 this spring, beat out Logan Morrison to win the starting first baseman job for the Florida Marlins.
"To be able to do it with a team I grew up watching, it's even better,'' Sanchez said, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Last year, Sanchez pressed too hard last spring, which is something that Morrison was doing this spring.
"[In] Morrison, I see a very good major leaguer, not just an average major leaguer,'' [manager Fredi] Gonzalez said. "This guy's going to hit. Maybe he's going through what Gaby went through last year.''
Morrison, who is 22 years old, ranks 20th on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list (via SI).
"To be able to do it with a team I grew up watching, it's even better,'' Sanchez said, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Last year, Sanchez pressed too hard last spring, which is something that Morrison was doing this spring.
"[In] Morrison, I see a very good major leaguer, not just an average major leaguer,'' [manager Fredi] Gonzalez said. "This guy's going to hit. Maybe he's going through what Gaby went through last year.''
Morrison, who is 22 years old, ranks 20th on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list (via SI).
Monday, March 29, 2010
Ricky Nolasco lowers spring ERA to 1.78
Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco retired the first 16 Astro batters he faced yesterday and only allowed one hit (a single) in 7 1/3 innings.
According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, however, Nolasco was "very upset" about allowing his first walk of the spring.
"You don't want to end a day like that -- ever,'' Nolasco said. "It's not acceptable."
"It's frustrating, especially being 0-2 to that guy. I don't care how many walks I have, or don't have. In that situation, it's the absolutely worst way to do it. He was completely overmatched there, and I didn't do my job and let him back in the count. That just can't happen.''
This spring, Nolasco is now 3-0 with an ERA of 1.78 and a K/BB ratio of 21.0.
"The biggest thing I learned as far as pitching is to throw strikes, not walk guys. It just makes your job a million times easier. It's something I've learned and thought about since maybe I was 12."
Despite a horrible start to 2009, Nolasco was 11-4 with an ERA of 3.82 since June. In those 141 1/3 innings, Nolasco struck out 158 batters.
With his strong spring performance, Nolasco is poised for a big season.
According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, however, Nolasco was "very upset" about allowing his first walk of the spring.
"You don't want to end a day like that -- ever,'' Nolasco said. "It's not acceptable."
"It's frustrating, especially being 0-2 to that guy. I don't care how many walks I have, or don't have. In that situation, it's the absolutely worst way to do it. He was completely overmatched there, and I didn't do my job and let him back in the count. That just can't happen.''
This spring, Nolasco is now 3-0 with an ERA of 1.78 and a K/BB ratio of 21.0.
"The biggest thing I learned as far as pitching is to throw strikes, not walk guys. It just makes your job a million times easier. It's something I've learned and thought about since maybe I was 12."
Despite a horrible start to 2009, Nolasco was 11-4 with an ERA of 3.82 since June. In those 141 1/3 innings, Nolasco struck out 158 batters.
With his strong spring performance, Nolasco is poised for a big season.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Not quite mid-season awards: N.L. Cy Young
Over the next day or two, I'm going to select my winner (i.e., current leader) and runner-up for the Cy Young and MVP (not to be confused with MP3) in both leagues.
It goes without saying, although I'll say it anyways, this is highly subjective and is merely my (well-thought-out, compelling, coherent) opinion.
That being said, I encourage that you provide feedback (and your selection, if you disagree) in the comments' section.
So, let's begin with the N.L. Cy Young Award.
The N.L. Cy Young Award goes to ... (drum roll, please) ... Matt Cain, San Francisco. With a 9-1 record, Cain is one of three nine-game winners in the N.L. Chad Billingsley (Dodgers) and Jason Marquis (Rockies) are the other two. He's also third in ERA (2.39) behind Johnny Cueto (Reds) and Dan Haren (D'Backs).
In his past five starts, Cain is 5-0 with three complete games. His three complete games lead the N.L. In his past five starts, he has 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings pitched. During that span, Cain has an ERA of 2.02.
With the exception of a five-inning performance in a 4-1 win over the Nationals, Cain has pitched six (or more) innings in every start.
Runner-up: Dan Haren, Diamondbacks - Haren leads the NL in innings pitched (101), strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.38), WHIP (0.82), BAA (.193) and is second in ERA (2.23). He is tied for third in strikeouts (96) with Chad Billingsley. He's pitched six (or more) innings in every start and he has only allowed more than three runs in one start (May 23rd).
While he has a mediocre win-loss record of 6-4, it's not his fault. He allowed only seven runs in 26 innings, which is an ERA of 2.42, in his four losses. His team gave him two runs (total) in those four losses as support. If only he and the D'Backs (29-39) had a better record...
Honorable Mention (not necessarily in order): Tim Lincecum (Giants), Johnny Cueto (Reds), Johan Santana (Mets), Chad Billingsley (Dodgers), Yovani Gallardo (Brewers), Josh Johnson (Marlins), Javier Vazquez (Braves)
It goes without saying, although I'll say it anyways, this is highly subjective and is merely my (well-thought-out, compelling, coherent) opinion.
That being said, I encourage that you provide feedback (and your selection, if you disagree) in the comments' section.
So, let's begin with the N.L. Cy Young Award.
The N.L. Cy Young Award goes to ... (drum roll, please) ... Matt Cain, San Francisco. With a 9-1 record, Cain is one of three nine-game winners in the N.L. Chad Billingsley (Dodgers) and Jason Marquis (Rockies) are the other two. He's also third in ERA (2.39) behind Johnny Cueto (Reds) and Dan Haren (D'Backs).
In his past five starts, Cain is 5-0 with three complete games. His three complete games lead the N.L. In his past five starts, he has 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings pitched. During that span, Cain has an ERA of 2.02.
With the exception of a five-inning performance in a 4-1 win over the Nationals, Cain has pitched six (or more) innings in every start.
Runner-up: Dan Haren, Diamondbacks - Haren leads the NL in innings pitched (101), strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.38), WHIP (0.82), BAA (.193) and is second in ERA (2.23). He is tied for third in strikeouts (96) with Chad Billingsley. He's pitched six (or more) innings in every start and he has only allowed more than three runs in one start (May 23rd).
While he has a mediocre win-loss record of 6-4, it's not his fault. He allowed only seven runs in 26 innings, which is an ERA of 2.42, in his four losses. His team gave him two runs (total) in those four losses as support. If only he and the D'Backs (29-39) had a better record...
Honorable Mention (not necessarily in order): Tim Lincecum (Giants), Johnny Cueto (Reds), Johan Santana (Mets), Chad Billingsley (Dodgers), Yovani Gallardo (Brewers), Josh Johnson (Marlins), Javier Vazquez (Braves)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Giants interested in Dan Uggla?
Per Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the San Francisco Giants have reached out to the Florida Marlins to inquire about second baseman Dan Uggla.
The Marlins will move Uggla and his $5.35 million salary before the trade deadline, according to Rodriguez. When they do, Emilio Bonifacio or Chris Coghlan will move to second.
In return, the Marlins would seek one of the Giants' young arms - either lefty Jonathan Sanchez or righty Matt Cain. The Giants would obviously be less willing to part ways with Cain.
However, the Giants currently have pitching prospects Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson at Double-A.
On the season, Uggla is only hitting .205, but he has eight home runs (tied for first on team) and 30 runs batted in (second on team).
The Marlins will move Uggla and his $5.35 million salary before the trade deadline, according to Rodriguez. When they do, Emilio Bonifacio or Chris Coghlan will move to second.
In return, the Marlins would seek one of the Giants' young arms - either lefty Jonathan Sanchez or righty Matt Cain. The Giants would obviously be less willing to part ways with Cain.
However, the Giants currently have pitching prospects Madison Bumgarner and Tim Alderson at Double-A.
On the season, Uggla is only hitting .205, but he has eight home runs (tied for first on team) and 30 runs batted in (second on team).
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Hanley Ramirez hit on wrist, won't play Tuesday
Florida Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez left last night's game against the New York Mets in the first inning when John Maine hit him in the wrist with a pitch.
MRI results show that Ramirez doesn't have any broken bones.
However, he won't play Tuesday night and there's a good chance that he won't play Wednesday night either.
Ramirez says he's seeing more inside pitches "know what's going to happen if I throw my hands out front."
On the season, Ramirez is hitting .292 with 2 HRs and 12 RBIs and took an eight-game hitting streak into last night's game.
MRI results show that Ramirez doesn't have any broken bones.
However, he won't play Tuesday night and there's a good chance that he won't play Wednesday night either.
Ramirez says he's seeing more inside pitches "know what's going to happen if I throw my hands out front."
On the season, Ramirez is hitting .292 with 2 HRs and 12 RBIs and took an eight-game hitting streak into last night's game.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Marlins' fans mad at Hanley?
Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez is the object of ire from Marlins' fans per South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
In Friday's game, closer Matt Lindstrom blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning. In total, Lindstrom gave up seven earned runs in 2/3 of one inning.
However, the base-running of Ramirez in the fifth inning is the source of frustration for many Marlins' fans.
He admired a shot off the wall for his double. Hustle woulda, coulda, shoulda put him on third. Then, he failed to tag up when Ross Gload lined out to left-center. Then, he decided to attempt to steal third while Dan Uggla was batting and got thrown out.
In Friday's game, closer Matt Lindstrom blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning. In total, Lindstrom gave up seven earned runs in 2/3 of one inning.
However, the base-running of Ramirez in the fifth inning is the source of frustration for many Marlins' fans.
He admired a shot off the wall for his double. Hustle woulda, coulda, shoulda put him on third. Then, he failed to tag up when Ross Gload lined out to left-center. Then, he decided to attempt to steal third while Dan Uggla was batting and got thrown out.
"We would have won the game because I would have tagged?" Ramirez said. "I tell you what, it's 162 games. Everybody's going to make mistakes. That's in the past."The Marlins, who are in first in the N.L. East with an 11-6 record, are on the verge of back-to-back sweeps by Pennsylvania teams this week if Philadelphia wins Sunday's game.
"We talked about a lot of stuff," [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez said. "Everything's fine. Players make mistakes. Not only young players but 15-year veterans make mistakes. It happens."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Hot Corner, 4/21 edition
Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann is back in the lineup after seeing a specialist about his blurry vision. He was fitted with a contact, but still says: “Lasik surgery is the best thing I ever did.”
Yankees outfielder Xavier Nady won't need season-ending surgery and his rehab is being measured in "weeks" not "months."
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit will have wrist surgery on Thursday and miss 8-10 weeks.
Oakland A's reliever Joey Devine is out for the season (probably more) after having Tommy John surgery.
After their 5-7 start, Texas Rangers' GM Jon Daniels says Ron Washington's job is safe. "Ron's our manager. I read about some of the stuff, but there have been zero discussions internally to the contrary. We believe in this team. We believe in this staff."
Through Monday's game, Houston's Lance Berkman is hitting just above the Mendoza line. So, he's taking in more BP. “Anytime you’re not hitting the ball like you’d like it’s always a good idea to try to figure out what’s going on to try to get some extra swings,” Berkman said.
Doc Gooden's signature on the Ebbets Club wall will beremoved kept removed from where it is and placed in a more "public" part of the stadium. The men's room, after all?
''The first three games of the season in Miami was a lot like spring training for him,'' [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez said [of closer Matt Lindstrom]. "He [is getting stronger] and by the end of the month he should be good to go.''
Tom Browning, dead-beat Dad and pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Reds, is out of jail (for missing child support).
Home-plate umpire Kerwin Danley, who was hit in the head with a broken bat, left the Texas-Toronto game on a stretcher.
Doug Waechter was placed on 15-day DL and Brian Bannister was recalled by the Royals.
The rain delays were worth the wait. Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmerman got his first career win.
Last but not least, Bob Feller will be throwing some high heat at the Inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame Classic game in Cooperstown, N.Y. in June. "About 10 miles an hour," he said in a statement. "I'll be throwing just as hard as ever, but the ball probably won't be going quite as fast."
Yankees outfielder Xavier Nady won't need season-ending surgery and his rehab is being measured in "weeks" not "months."
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit will have wrist surgery on Thursday and miss 8-10 weeks.
Oakland A's reliever Joey Devine is out for the season (probably more) after having Tommy John surgery.
After their 5-7 start, Texas Rangers' GM Jon Daniels says Ron Washington's job is safe. "Ron's our manager. I read about some of the stuff, but there have been zero discussions internally to the contrary. We believe in this team. We believe in this staff."
Through Monday's game, Houston's Lance Berkman is hitting just above the Mendoza line. So, he's taking in more BP. “Anytime you’re not hitting the ball like you’d like it’s always a good idea to try to figure out what’s going on to try to get some extra swings,” Berkman said.
Doc Gooden's signature on the Ebbets Club wall will be
''The first three games of the season in Miami was a lot like spring training for him,'' [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez said [of closer Matt Lindstrom]. "He [is getting stronger] and by the end of the month he should be good to go.''
Tom Browning, dead-beat Dad and pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Reds, is out of jail (for missing child support).
Home-plate umpire Kerwin Danley, who was hit in the head with a broken bat, left the Texas-Toronto game on a stretcher.
Doug Waechter was placed on 15-day DL and Brian Bannister was recalled by the Royals.
The rain delays were worth the wait. Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmerman got his first career win.
Last but not least, Bob Feller will be throwing some high heat at the Inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame Classic game in Cooperstown, N.Y. in June. "About 10 miles an hour," he said in a statement. "I'll be throwing just as hard as ever, but the ball probably won't be going quite as fast."
Monday, April 20, 2009
Marlins sweep Nats for an 11-year first
The Florida Marlins are owners of baseball's best record after playing a dozen games (11-1).
And for the first time in 11 years, the Marlins swept a series in which they were trailing in all three games heading into their last at bat.
The last team to win three consecutive games after trailing heading into their last at bat were the 1998 Detroit Tigers.
With only 150 games to go, there's still a chance that the Mets, Braves and Phillies will pass the red-hot Marlins. But, then again, could they be this year's Rays?
And for the first time in 11 years, the Marlins swept a series in which they were trailing in all three games heading into their last at bat.
The last team to win three consecutive games after trailing heading into their last at bat were the 1998 Detroit Tigers.
''We stole a game yesterday, we stole another one today, we stole one the first day,'' [Marlins catcher John] Baker said Sunday. He delivered one of the clutch hits in the latest comeback. "It's kind of like Crime and Punishment, isn't it? We're worried sneaking off the field that we're going to get arrested for stealing these games.''The Marlins won the World Series in 1997. The Marlins won the World Series in 2003. If they continue their six-year trend, they are due to win another World Series in ... 2009.
With only 150 games to go, there's still a chance that the Mets, Braves and Phillies will pass the red-hot Marlins. But, then again, could they be this year's Rays?
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