Author: Scott Orgera

Scott has been covering several major sports for almost 20 years in multiple capacities including statistician, datacaster, and reporter. He has covered well over 1,000 MLB games from the press boxes of various venues including Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Citi Field, and Fenway Park. Scott has also provided live NFL statistics from Giants Stadium (now the New Meadowlands Stadium) for both the Giants and Jets for several seasons. He has recently begun providing official statistics for NCAA Basketball television broadcasts. Scott is also an IT Team Lead for a major telecommunications company, in addition to being a technical reporter for a well known news outlet.

Joe Nathan Returns to Action

Minnesota’s four time All-Star returned to the hill yesterday, his first outing in almost a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery last March.

Analysis: Although both Jon Rauch and Matt Capps filled in admirably this past season, the Twins still missed their elite closer. Nathan, who hasn’t had an ERA over 2.10 since 2005, has consistently ranked among the best in the game since taking over the fireman role seven years ago. Now 36 years old, the big righty out of Stony Brook University is looking forward to pitching the ninth for the first time at Target Field. Nathan threw 20 pitches in a scoreless inning against Boston on Tuesday, showcasing each pitch in his arsenal. His velocity was a tick below 90 mph and he felt a little soreness this morning. It is early March and this is all to be expected. The good news is that Nathan was able to make his pitches, and showed no real adverse effects.

Projection: Tommy John surgery is no longer the career death sentence it once was. As a matter of fact, many pitchers come back from it stronger than ever nowadays. This is good news for the Twins and Fantasy owners, as Nathan should prove to once again be a Top 5 closer. Owners may shy away from taking Nathan early because of a perceived risk, and this could allow you to scoop him up when nobody is looking. Aside from the great Rivera in the Bronx and the man with the big beard in San Francisco, no
stopper offers as much potential when it comes to saves and strikeouts as Nathan does. He’ll get plenty of opportunities, and 40+ saves to go along with 80+ strikeouts would not surprise me in the least.

Erik Bedard Makes First Major League Appearance In 18 Months

It only took the Mariners southpaw nine pitches to retire the Padres in order yesterday, after spending all of the 2010 season on the DL.

Analysis: Arriving in Seattle in February of 2008 as part of the Adam Jones deal, Bedard was expected to provide a stabilizing force toward the front of the M’s rotation. Coming off a 2007 campaign in which he averaged 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings and finished fifth in Cy Young voting, hopes were high for the Canadian with the wicked curveball. While on the mound Erik did deliver as promised, putting up impressive numbers in both 2008 and 2009. However, the key phrase here is “while on the mound”, as Bedard was only able to make 15 starts in each season due to shoulder issues, the most serious being a torn labrum. Now Bedard is back, inking a non-guaranteed contract in December with the same team who traded a package of prospects for him over three years ago. Folks in Seattle are hoping that their investment finally pays off in 2011 and that the 31-year-old lefty can stay healthy for 28+ starts.

Projection: Most Fantasy owners are aware of Bedard coming into their drafts, but these same owners will be understandably gun shy when it comes to this type of risk. My stance on Bedard is a bit different as the potential upside, especially when it comes to strikeouts, is tremendous. Yesterday was only one inning in late February, but it’s more than we’ve been able to see from the former Orioles ace in what feels like an eternity. Nothing is guaranteed for Bedard right now, including a spot on the Mariners Opening Day roster. If I was forced to draft my team today, however, I would take a flyer on him in the later rounds. This is a veteran who has worked his way back from what is considered to be one of the most devastating injuries for a pitcher, and he will be pushed along carefully over the next four weeks. This is also a guy who could still have an exciting career ahead of him. My crystal ball may still have some snow covering it, but a closer look shows Bedard fitting in nicely behind King Felix and winning 12-14 games in 2011.

Adrian Beltre Shelved With Grade 1 Strain

The Rangers’ $96 million dollar man is expected to miss up to two weeks of Cactus League games with a strained right calf muscle.

Analysis: Injured before he reported to Arizona, Beltre’s MRI on Thursday revealed a mild strain. This certainly does not sound serious, as nothing was torn and test results revealed no other issues in the calf area. The team has already stated that Beltre’s Opening Day status should not be affected by this minor setback, and it appears that this is simply a case of being overcautious with a very expensive commodity. Adrian has never missed time with a calf issue in the past, so there is no worry here about a chronic or recurring injury.

Projection: When it comes to a player with Beltre’s prowess on both sides of the ball, any type of injury can put a scare into Fantasy owners. There is minimal reason for fear this time, though, as Adrian should get back to baseball activities by the end of next week and will hopefully see some game action by March 11 or earlier. Although he has a brief history of putting up huge numbers in contract years (see 2004 and 2010) and then disappointing thereafter, I do believe his lean seasons in Seattle are permanently in the rear view mirror. Beltre’s 2010 All-Star campaign was not an aberration, and being surrounded by the likes of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz should serve him well. Some skeptics have attributed his impressive figures last year to playing in Fenway, but the fact is he was actually better on the road in every relevant category. Beltre may not reach a .321 batting average again, but you can still count on him for 25-30 home runs, 38-45 doubles, and between 85-95 runs batted in.

What to Expect From Domonic Brown

Ranked fourth on Baseball America’s latest Top 100 Prospects list, Brown is fighting to become Philadelphia’s starting right fielder on Opening Day.

Analysis: A hidden gem not selected until the 20th round in 2006, the 23-year old Brown has rapidly ascended through the Phillies system over the last few years, making his Major League debut this past summer. The youngster scuffled a bit over 35 games in the bigs, to the tune of .210/.257/.355 in 70 plate appearances. During this cup of coffee, however, Brown displayed flashes of brilliance including an RBI double in his first at-bat. A true five-tool player, Domonic’s potential emergence has softened the blow of losing Jayson Werth to free agency. Currently in competition with both John Mayberry Jr. and Ben Francisco for the starting right field job, Brown appears to have the upper hand in manager Charlie Manuel’s eyes. Although Manuel has stated that the position if “up for grabs” he plans to play the phenom a lot this spring, getting him as many at-bats as possible. This stance says a lot about the team’s immediate plans for Brown, and they are giving him every chance possible to work his way onto that April 1st lineup card.

Projection: Unless he has a terrible showing in the Grapefruit League, expect to see Brown patrolling right field at Citizens Bank Park when that first pitch is thrown against the Astros. The Philly brass wants him there, and so does young Domonic who seems to have the right mindset about winning the job. Surrounded by a monster (albeit lefty heavy) lineup, Brown should thrive in the cozy confines of the Phillies home park. Look for something in the .280/.350/.490 area over a full season, with 20-25 stolen bases to boot.

Adam Wainwright May Be Lost for Season

In what would be a devastating loss for the Cardinals and Wainwright owners alike, the runner-up for last year’s NL Cy Young is headed back to St. Louis for further tests on his right elbow after a Monday throwing session went awry. Reports indicate that the 6’7″ righty felt pain and stiffness yesterday, and further evaluation by trainers have led the team to believe that a significant ligament injury is possible.

Analysis: Panic has set in around Tony LaRussa’s club, as the cornerstone of their pitching staff may be headed for Tommy John surgery. Amassing 39 wins over the past two seasons, Wainwright and Chris Carpenter form one of the best 1-2 tandems in the game. A budding workhorse, the 29-year-old has established himself as an elite and irreplaceable arm within a divison that has suddenly become much more competitive considering the Brewers’ beefed up rotation. Fantasy owners who claim Wainwright as a keeper will certainly be holding their collective breath over the next 48-72 hours, along with all of St. Louis.

Projection: Although the verdict may not be in for several days, you can be sure that the Cards are already scrambling behind the scenes for a potential replacement in the rotation. Internal candidates include P.J. Walters, Lance Lynn, and veteran Ian Snell, with the upper hand probably going to Walters. However, a very serviceable option still remains on the free agent market in the form of Kevin Millwood. The two time 18-game winner could certainly benefit from a return to the National League, and has made it known that he is holding out for a Major League deal; something other rotation-thin teams such as the Yankees have been unwilling to offer thus far. I believe that Millwood would slot in nicely right behind Jaime Garcia, and could be good for 12-14 wins in 30+ starts.