Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Tribe starting rotation "pitching in"

If you're looking for the best starting rotation in the majors right now, you'd be crazy to look anywhere else but Cleveland. The numbers speak for themselves. Sliding Shorts breaks down the unbelievable numbers here.

Cueto pinch-runs, scores winning run

If you count pitchers' offensive stats in your fantasy league, then you need to seek professional medical help...but if that describes your fantasy league, then you received an unexpected boost from Johnny Cueto on Wednesday night. Sliding Shorts has the story.

Darn it, Doumit

Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit hit the DL today, sidelined indefinitely. He's been tearing it up offensively, stepping out of a platoon with Ronny Paulino as Pittsburgh's primary backstop. Thumb fractures have varying degrees of seriouness, and the fact that this one deals with the tip of the thumb and not the joint is good news for Doumit.

Fantasy Impact: Paulino's going to get a bunch of at bats while Doumit's out. Don't underestimate a hand or wrist injury to a hitter, especially when that player is a catcher who handles 130-150 pitches every night. These things can last a while.

Jonesin' in the minors?

Dodgers outfielder Andruw Jones lost his job recently and may head to the minors. That's Joe Torre's idea for getting the slumping slugger out of his, um, slump.

Fantasy Impact: And you thought Juan Pierre's days were numbered? Looks like he's a full-time starter again.

To pitch and not to pich

Eric Gagne is back at closer for the Milwaukee Brewers. It only took one day for the Brew Crew brass to realize he's their only true option at the position. This from a staff that had a meeting to decide to do nothing about anything earlier in the week. Good work, guys.

As it turns out, Clay Buchholz will not pitch Sunday. Instead, he's headed for the DL.

Fantasy Impact: The Brewers go back to Gagne, as exepected. Buchholz' replacement, Justin Masterson did well his first time out. Give him a look.

Figueroa doesn't like girls, Nats or his outright release

Nelson Figueroa had had enough, so he tongue-lashed the Washington Nationals for their anticts during his latest start. Figueroa compared the Nats' dugout behavior to that of a girls softball team.

"They won tonight," Figueroa said after dropping the 10-4 decision, "but again, in the long run, they are who they are." Sounds like a page out of Dennis Green's postgame press-conference handbook.

Figueroa won't have to worry about witnessing Washington's ways anymore. The Mets released him before Tuesday's game, bringing up Claudio Vargas to take his spot on the roster.

Fantasy Impact: Figueroa wasn't a big fantasy player and Vargas has never been much of one over his career. Figueroa needs to check himself for his own pitching debacle before he rails on the opponent's bench.

Boston's no tea party

Keep a close eye on Boston's outfield today. J.D. Drew sprained his left wrist, and Coco Crisp left with an apparent migraine during Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Orioles.

It could leave Boston juggling the lineup for at least the next few days.

The Bo Sox also named a starter for Sunday's home game against Milwaukee. Clay Buchholz, who's really been struggling of late, gets the nod. That gives Buchholz two starts this week. The second one is a chance to make up for his horrendous outing in Minnesota.

Fantasy Impact: Drew seems to miss a chunk of every season, and the fact that he couldn't turn his wrist after the injury could be significant. If Crisp recovers quickly the Red Sox will start both him and Jacoby Ellsbury as one of the speediest duos in the major leagues. Kevin Youkilis played emergency right fielder on Tuesday.