(Chase)ing dollars

Credit Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune for a great piece on Padres prospect Chase Headley. Sullivan's position is that the Padres are penny-pinching and that's the only reason Headley hasn't climbed to the big leagues yet.

To paraphrase, players become eligible for salary arbitration after three years of major league service, but some are lucky enough to reach that milestone after just two-plus seasons based on a yearly fluctuation in the cutoff. Sullivan writes:

The specific requirements fluctuate from year to year, but “Super Twos” represent the top 17 percent of those players with more than two years of service time and less than three, with the proviso that they log at least 86 days on the roster the previous season.

Last year's cutoff was two years, 140 days. Howard qualified with two years, 145 days. Yet the historic range is sufficiently broad – since 1990, it has fallen variously from two years plus 128 days to two years plus 153 days – that roster decisions become exceedingly delicate this time of year.

There are 122 days left in the 2008 baseball season, meaning the Padres are entering a safe-zone in terms of calling Headley up and still limiting his service time, thereby pushing back his arbitration eligibility until 2012. At the latest he should be on the Major League roster within the first couple of weeks in July, which is good news for the Padres as they can use some help offensively. It's bad news for Headley, however, as his big paychecks will by that time be another year away.

Three little bears

Three Cubs lead their respective positions in All-Star voting. Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome hold down two outfield positions at this time while catcher Geovany Soto is attempting to become the first rookie catcher to be voted to the game.

Soriano and Fukudome certainly had the bigger names and commanded more attention than Soto entering the season, but a this point Soto appears to be the most deserving of the honor. At least a dozen other outfielders are as (or more) All-Star worthy as the Cubs' vote leaders. Soto's only competitions is Brian McCann.

Bourn ultimatum

With steals in each of his last two games, the Astros' Michael Bourn tied Ichiro for the Major League lead (21). Sixteen players now have 10 or more steals this season with Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury and Colorado's Willy Taveres tied for third with 19 steals apiece.

Bourn is, on pace to steal almost 70 bases this year, remains the ultimate steals threat in MLB. Only five players have reached 70 steals since 1993:

Jose Reyes (NYM) - 78 in 2007
Scott Podsednik (CWS) - 70 in 2004
Tony Womack (ARI) - 72 in 1999
Brian Hunter (DET) - 74 in 1997
Kenny Lofton (CLE) - 75 in 1996
Kenny Lofton (CLE) - 70 in 1993

Hit and miss

Philadelphia's Ryan Howard went 3-5 Thursday night with his 13th home run. He's on pace to hi 43 this season. Howard also struck out twice. With 71 Ks in 179 AB he's on pace to whiff 235 times.

Howard strikes out or homers in 47 percent of his at bats.

One harry Haren

In what is becoming a theme this season, Arizona's Dan Haren continues to suffer one rocky inning, derailing a great start with a single sub-par frame. Thursday at Florida he gave up three earned runs in the 7th inning, turning a great statline into mediocrity. His numbers with and without the 7th inning:

Plus 7th: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 8 K
Minus 7th: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8 K

Florida's Andrew Miller allowed no runs in 6 innings to pick up the win as Haren falls to 5-3.

Friday's intriguing matchups

OAK: Zito (0-8, 6.25) vs.
FLA: Olsen (4-1, 2.82)
*Zito's been respectable the last three times out. Olsen's walk numbers point to an inevitable collapse.

ARI: Davis (1-1, 3.72) vs.
ATL Reyes (2-1, 4.12)
*Davis makes his first start back from thyroid cancer. Reyes is still looking for his first quality start.

NYM: Perez (4-3, 4.25) vs.
COL: Reynolds (0-1, 3.09)
*Perez dominated the Yankees last time out. Reynolds is a first-round pick cutting his teeth in the Bigs.

LAA: Saunders (7-2, 2.48) vs.
CWS: Floyd (4-2, 2.92)
*Two of this season's biggest surprises go head-to-head.

KC: Greinke (5-1, 2.18) vs.
TOR: Halladay (4-5, 3.38)
*Greinke has yet to give up more than three runs in an outing. Halladay last pitched in relief.

MIN: Slowey (0-4, 5.49) vs.
DET: Galarraga (3-1, 3.06)
*Slowey, who's lost all of his starts this season, beat Detroit the only time he faced them last season. Galarraga is trying to keep a starting job.

Sunday silence

Sunday offers a bunch of average to below-average pitching match ups, but there's one that stands out:

CLE: Lee (6-0, 0.67) vs.
CIN: Volquez (6-1, 1.12)

These two standouts seem to have everything going their way. Volquez owns the better stuff, but Lee's the best pitcher in baseball right now. It's too bad this isn't the Sunday night primetime game, which pits this so-so match up:

NYM: Perez (3-3, 4.61)
NYY: Wang (6-1, 2.90)

Wang is the heavy favorite in that one, and last year he dominated the Mets (1-0, 2.18 ERA).

Not very Sori

Alfonso Soriano is heating up like the weather in Chicago. He's hit seven home runs this week and four in his last two games. His batting average was at .188 entering last weekend's series with Arizona. Now he's hitting .265.

Fantasy Impact: Ride the wave, but proceed with caution. Soriano's battled a number of leg injuries in the last couple of seasons, and he doesn't look too good running the bases or chasing fly balls in left. He's healthy enough to hit, but how healthy is he?

Livan on the edge

Livan Hernandez continues to defy the odds that say he's about to slip back to mediocrity. The 33-year-old right hander pitched well enough to win his seventh game (perfect through five innings) on Saturday night, but lost his second, instead.

Hernandez's line for the night:
7.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Hernandez's numbers over the past few seasons show a steady decline in production since arguably his career best season in 2003 with Montreal: 15-10, 3.20 ERA. That he's pitching more like he did that year (when he was 28) than he is like his most recent seasons is a huge surprise. Hernandez' ERA is now at 3.88, and his record is 6-2. A closer look at his numbers, however, reveals cracks in the foundation. In 65 innings he's allowed 80 hits. He's giving up a home run per start, and while his walk numbers are improved, they're approaching a career low while his hits allowed are approaching a career high. It would seem only a matter of time before the walk rate balloons back to normal, pushing up the ERA while restoring his record closer to .500 (his career norm).

Fantasy Impact: Hernandez has started strong in his return to the American League. Don't expect it to last. Most of his success has come against light-hitting teams, and his second tour through the A.L. should prove a bit more difficult. Treat him like any pitcher switching leagues; expect less success as the year goes on.

Gonzo for road games

Padres 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez was hitless in his last 15 at bats before launching his 10th home run of the season in the fourth inning off of Seattle's Erik Bedard on Saturday. Gonzalez went 1-4 on the night after rocketing a line out to right in the ninth against Mariner closer J.J. Putz.

Fantasy Impact: Gonzalez rarely slumps, and he hits a majority of his home runs on the road. Eight of his 10 bombs this year are away from spacious Petco Park. Last year he hit 20 of his 30 round trippers on the road. Imagine what he could do with a different organization.

Will the real Shaun Marcum...

...please stand, or sit? All season long, Shaun Marcum's seemingly pitched over his head. Or not. If you take a look at his minor league stats, Marcum's displayed the kind of pedigree built for success at the major league level: striking out a batter per inning. Sunday at Philadelphia is a huge test for the 2nd-year right hander. Pitch well against arguably the best lineup in baseball, and Marcum's first-quarter success looks legitimate. Struggle, and well, the "he's not overpowering enough to be successful" naysayers will say "nay."

Fantasy Impact: Keep a close eye on this one. Pitching in a bandbox ballpark against that lineup forces Marcum to locate his decent stuff as well as he ever has. If he does, watch out! He's becoming a fantasy steal. If he doesn't, nobody expected this anyway.

CP works the... 7th?

Chris Perez, the Cardinals call-up who replaced an injured Jason Isringhausen, hit 100 mph on the radar gun in his MLB debut. While he appears an obvious candidate for the closer role, St. Louis used him in the 7th inning of Saturday's 9-8 extra-inning win over Tampa Bay.

Fantasy Impact: Ryan Franklin remains the Cardinals' closer while Isringhausen is on the shelf. Russ Springer is expected to pick up a save or two as well. If those two falter before Isringhausen returns, Perez might get a look. Then again, Perez is talented enough that he might get a look even before Isringhausen returns. You have to figure Tony La Russa will exhaust each an every opportunity to win games.

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.

Pitching recap - Tuesday night games

A follow-up on the night's best pitching matchups:

FLA 3 F
CIN 5
L: Hendrickson (5-2, 3.91) W: Volquez (6-1, 1.12)
...Eddie V gave up 1 run in the win, and his ERA rises .06!

NYY 1 F
TB 2 (11)
No dec.: Wang (6-1, 2.90) No dec.: TB: Jackson (2-3, 3.47)
...Both went 7, only run earned was Wang's. Both deserved to win, but neither got run support.

WSH 3 F
NYM 6
L: Lannan (3-4, 3.74) W: Maine (5-2, 2.81)
...Maine looked dominant & notches his 5th win. Lannan gave up 12 H, 4 ER in 6 IP.

SEA 2 F
TEX 5
L: Hernandez (2-4, 3.38) No dec.: Gabbard (1-0, 2.12)
...Both reached the 6th, both give up 2 earned.

CWS 0 F
LAA 2
No dec.: Danks (3-3, 2.74) No dec.: Weaver (2-5, 4.86)
...Danks reached the 7th, Weaver completed the 7th. Neither gave up a run.

Notables:

-Randy Johnson notched career win No. 287 as the D'backs beat Colorado, 8-4.