Category: MLB

Nelson Cruz hits the DL – Rangers offense sputters

Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz was placed on the Disabled List today with a strained right quadriceps muscle.

Cruz had struggled since his epic 1st week of the season, down to a .219 batting average and a .741 OPS, well below the .318 and .950 he hit last season. In his last 6 games before he went on the DL, Cruz had gone 2-23 with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Nellie was on the DL last season three times for hamstring issues, so leg issues are not foreign to him.  Hopefully the time off will help him regain his focus.

Analysis: While the Boomstick is sidelined, Mitch Moreland will see regular playing time in the outfield. Mitch has been solid in his second season, with 11 RBI’s and 15 runs in 30 games, along with 4 home runs. His lefty/right splits are horrific (.100/.280/.100 vs. .315/.383/.616), but with Craig Gentry as the only other outfield option, Moreland will get his chances to experience “growing pains” against left-handed pitchers. But remember, he did blast a home run off the Giants’ Jonathan Sanchez in the World Series.

Ron Washington could also change up the lineup, dropping Kinsler to a run-producing spot. But that might just be against left-handed pitchers.

NOTE: Moreland is hitting 7th tonight against the Yankees against RHP Bartolo Colon.

Recommendations: While Moreland has nice potential, his numbers against lefties does not bode well for a two-week stint in fantasy baseball. Both Gerardo Parra (owned in 1% of leagues) and Nate McClouth (owned in 11% of leagues) are top-50 players over the last two weeks and have higher ceilings across the board.

Rangers lose another arm, O’Day to 60-day DL

The Texas Rangers placed right-handed setup pitcher Darren O’Day on the 60-day DL today with a torn labrum in his left hip.

Aside from one of the best chants in baseball when he pitches, O’Day had become a viable part of the Rangers’ bullpen. With Alexei Ogando moved to the rotation, combined with Mark Lowe’s ineffectiveness and Neftali Feliz’s injury, O’Day was arguably the best righty left in the bullpen.

Apparently O’Day has had this injury for years, but it flared up after his scoreless inning Tuesday night, prompting the Rangers to place him on the disabled list.

Analysis: With 6 wins and a 2.03 ERA last season, O’Day was a decent option for those fantasy owners who like to play the middle-relievers-as-a-starter strategy. But through 7.1 innings in 2011, he had walked 4 batters and given up 7 hits. He walked 12 all of last year in over 60 innings.

This move won’t affect too many fantasy owners, since he was owned in just 5% of Yahoo Leagues (far more than most middle relievers), but it does thrust Pedro Strop into a more prominent role. Strop has strong strikeout/inning potential, with a 10.9K /9 IP over his minor league career. He’s struggled with command so far in 2011 with 6 walks in 6 innings, but has struck out 8 and only allowed 2 hits.

Strop is worth keeping an eye on, as his strikeout per inning rate is very valuable in rotisserie leagues.

Projection (Strop): 48 innings, 3 wins, 3 saves, 2.25 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 60 strikeouts

 

Broxton Still The Closer

After General Manager Ned Colleti said he was removing Jonathan Broxton from the closer’s role following a blown save against the Marlins, Manager Don Mattingly has endorsed Broxton as the team’s closer.

Analysis: Broxton will still be the closer but he is suffering with elbow soreness. Broxton hasn’t pitched well this year but he has only blown one save. His strikeouts are down and his walks are up but we have to accept the fact that Broxton isn’t an elite closer, he’s just a high strikeout closer. What really is concerning is his velocity- it’s down across the board. You really cannot drop him at this point but it would serve you well to go closer shopping on the wire. When Broxton gets his act together for a stretch you should sell high. The only case where I would consider keeping the right hander would be if his fastball and slider velocity return to form. Patience in this case is key. He is capable of top ten closer numbers but he may not have the job down the road either.

Projection: If Broxton can get his act together expect 27 saves, 75 K’s, 3.6 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.

Is Randy Wolf For Real?

Randy Wolf is now 3-0 is his last three starts pitching 20 innings and allowing just one earned run. Wolf has also struck out 29 batters this year, ninth best in the National League but is this guy for real?

Analysis: To put it simply…no. While I love his career 7.2 K/9, Wolf is just a decent innings eater who shouldn’t blow up your roto ratios. Wolf’s left on base percentage is sitting at 80 percent, a career high and six percent above his career average. Wolf may also have a nice 2.64 ERA but his FIP is a pedestrian 4.16. It really is a mixed bag with Wolf. He’s going to strike out a lot of batters and he doesn’t walk many (2.3 BB/9) but he is prone to giving up big inning and his streaky nature deters me from endorsing him as anything other than a bottom tier fantasy starter. I have been impressed with his slider’s command and bite but he’s still throwing the same soft stuff every fifth day. His next scheduled start is against Houston this Saturday and after that I would consider trading the flavor of the week before a four inning, six earned run outing rears its ugly head.

Projection: Randy Wolf will put up numbers very similar to his last year with the Brewers- 13 wins, a four plus ERA and about 160 K’s.

Rolen To DL, What’s Next?

The Reds have placed third baseman Scott Rolen on the 15 day disabled list with a strained left shoulder.

Analysis: Scott Rolen hasn’t been the most productive fantasy player this year hitting just .217 with two home runs, however, he has scored 11 runs and driven in 12. In standard leagues it is a bit of a question on whether to drop Rolen but you cannot deny that the Reds’ lineup and ballpark boost Rolen’s value. In deeper leagues he is a must keep and a great buy low option being available in about fifty percent of fantasy leagues nationwide. As for replacements, Angels’ third baseman Alberto Callaspo is hitting .303 and is still getting plenty of at-bats. Callaspo is the clear batting average third base option on the wire. The other third baseman in LA is the surging Casey Blake. Blake has four multi hit games in his last five contests. Blake has already scored 15 runs in just 14 games and has also been hitting behind Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp atop that Dodger order which is great news for runs scored totals. Blake may be 37 years old but he still has pop in his bat and he is available in over ninety percent of fantasy leagues.

Projection: Scott Rolen does get banged up a lot but when healthy he rakes. I like keeping Rolen and playing the hot hand until he gets off of the DL but Callaspo and Blake still have long term value.