Advertise Write for Us

The Simpsons “Homer at the Bat” (video)

May 20, 2011 – Matt De Lima

This, for me, is one of those classic Simpsons episodes. It originally aired on February 20, 1992. For any that don’t remember this episode, this is the one where Homer joins the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team. Mr. Burns spends a bunch of money to bring in professional baseball players from Major League Baseball. The episode feature a “who’s who” of great baseball players from the late-80s, early 90s: Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr., Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, Darryl Strawberry (my favorite player at the time), Don Mattingly, Mike Scioscia and Steve Sax. But I won’t spoil the full plot for you! Enjoy the episode! Check out this Wikipedia page to learn more about some of the interesting details that went into the episode. Please contact me if this video no longer works!

2011 MLB Mock Draft

May 18, 2011 – Matt De Lima

The MLB Draft is less than a month away. There’s still plenty of time for this mock draft to change but here’s how I see it.

1. Pittsburgh Pirates
LHP Danny Hultzen, Virginia
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 200 B/T: L/L

Anthony Rendon

2. Seattle Mariners
3B Anthony Rendon, Rice
Ht: 6′ Wt: 190 B/T: R/R

3. Arizona Diamondbacks
RHP Dylan Bundy, Owasso HS (OK)
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 200 B/T: S/R

4. Baltimore Orioles
RHP Gerrit Cole, UCLA
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 220 B/T: R/R

5. Kansas City Royals
RHP Trevor Bauer, UCLA
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 185 B/T: R/R

6. Washington Nationals
LHP Jed Bradley, Georgia Tech
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 224 B/T: L/L

7. Arizona Diamondbacks
SS Francisco Lindor, Monteverde Academy (FL)
Ht: 5’11″ Wt: 170 B/T: S/R

8. Cleveland Indians
RHP Alex Meyer, Kentucky
Ht: 6’9″ Wt: 220 B/T: R/R

Bubba Starling

9. Chicago Cubs
OF Bubba Starling, Gardner-Edgerton HS (KS)
Ht: 6’5″ Wt: 200 B/T: R/R

10. San Diego Padres
RHP Matt Barnes, UConn
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 203 B/T: R/R

11. Houston Astros
SS Cory Spangenberg, Indian River State College
Ht: 6′ Wt: 185 B/T: L/R

12. Milwaukee Brewers
RHP Archie Bradley, Broken Arrow HS (OK)
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 215 B/T: R/R

13. New York Mets
RHP Taylor Jungmann, Texas
Ht: 6’6″ Wt: 200 B/T: R/R

14. Florida Marlins
OF Larry Greene, Berrian County HS (GA)
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 230 B/T: L/R

Sonny Gray

15. Milwaukee Brewers
RHP Sonny Gray, Vanderbilt
Ht: 5’11″ Wt: 180 B/T: R/R

16. Los Angeles Dodgers
RHP Taylor Guerrieri, Spring Valley HS (SC)
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 180 B/T: R/R

17. Los Angeles Angels
RHP Jose Fernandez, Alonso HS (FL)
Ht: 6’5″ Wt: 235 B/T: R/R

18. Oakland Athletics
OF George Springer, UConn
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 200 B/T: R/R

19. Boston Red Sox
3B Javier Baez, Arlington Country Day School (FL)
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 205 B/T: R/R

20. Colorado Rockies
OF Josh Bell, Dallas Jesuit HS (TX)
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 206 B/T: S/R

21. Toronto Blue Jays
RHP Joe Ross, Bishop O’Dowd HS (CA)
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 180 B/T: R/R

Levi Michael

22. St. Louis Cardinals
SS Levi Michael, North Carolina
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 220 B/T: R/R

23. Washington Nationals
LHP Tyler Anderson, Oregon
Ht: 5’10″ Wt: 180 B/T: S/R

24. Tampa Bay Rays
C C.J. Cron, Utah
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 230 B/T: R/R

25. San Diego Padres
CF Brian Goodwin, Miami Dade College
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 200 B/T: L/R

26. Boston Red Sox
RHP John Stilson, Texas A&M
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 200 B/T: R/R

27. Cincinnati Reds
LHP Grayson Garvin, Vanderbilt
Ht: 6’6″ Wt: 220 B/T: L/L

Tyler Beede

28. Atlanta Braves
RHP Tyler Beede, Lawrence Academy (MA)
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 200 B/T: R/R

29. San Francisco Giants
LHP Henry Owens, Edison HS (CA)
Ht: 6’7″ Wt: 200 B/T: L/L

30. Minnesota Twins
OF Mikie Mahtook, LSU
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 192 B/T: R/R

31. Tampa Bay Rays
C Blake Swihart, Cleveland HS (NM)
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 175 B/T: S/R

32. Tampa Bay Rays
OF Brandon Nimmo, East HS (WY)
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 185 B/T: R/R

33. Texas Rangers
LHP Daniel Norris, Johnson City HS (TN)
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 180 B/T: L/L

Nine Innings: Vin Mazzaro’s Epic Fail

May 17, 2011 – Matt De Lima

Every week, “Nine Innings” covers nine topics ranging from Fantasy, injuries, big performances, streaks, slumps, rumors and whatever else that pops into my head.

1. Indians score 19, crush the Royals
I don’t know what’s gotten into the Cleveland Indians, but they just keep on winning. Last night, fueled by a 10-run fourth inning, the Tribe smoked the Kansas City Royals, 19-1. Cleveland’s starting pitcher Josh Tomlin improved his record to 5-1 for the season by only allowing five hits and one earned run in six innings. But enough about the stats, these guys are just getting it done as a team. They don’t have any established superstars. This is a fairly young team. Looking at the roster and the Spring Training reports, I don’t know how anyone could’ve predicted this early season result. On the other hand, the Royals got torn to pieces. Reliever Vin Mazzaro may have just pitched himself into unemployment. In just 2.1 IP, he allowed 11 hits and 14 earned runs. Wow. More on Mazzaro later.

Mets 3B David Wright has a stress fracture in his lower back

2. David Wright injured, outlook uncertain
Another week of the 2011 season, another injured third baseman. Wright has a stress fracture in his lower back. Wright was having a sub-par season up to this point. If his back has been an issue for weeks, some rest is definitely needed. New York is seeking a second opinion before a final decision on whether or not to place him on the DL. But considering this injury has lingered and wouldn’t go away on its own, don’t be surprised if he’s sidelined for a few weeks.

3. Jose Bautista proving 2010 was no fluke
Not that I needed to tell you, but Bautista is out of control good. Too good. He’s got 16 HRs, 27 RBIs and 35 runs. He’s also being walked at a 22.6% rate, giving him a .516 OBP to go along with his .370 BA. Ridiculous. His three homer game on Sunday against the Twins was very impressive. If the Blue Jays can get some guys on base, he could compete for a Triple Crown.

4. Jered Weaver’s awful two-week stretch
Since May 2, Weaver has had three losses in three starts. His ERA has ballooned from 0.99 to 2.26 (5.50 so far in May). Maybe the pressure has gotten to him? It may be too late to sell-high on him, but he’s still a good for Fantasy purposes so don’t panic.

5. Vin Mazzaro makes history
As discussed by Joe Posnanski over at Sports Illustrated, Kansas City Royals’ “Vin Mazzaro became the first reliever since World War II to allow 14 runs in a game.” Anytime you can reference a World War II in a sports article, you have to do it. Posnanski does a great job detailing the series of events of Mazzaro’s awful outing. Check it out, but you do it after you finish reading my article!

6. Tampa Bay Bucs decline to be on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’
I know, I know, wrong sport. But I’ll talk about whatever I want!

I understand why they would decline, wait, no I don’t. Tampa Bay would have been a great choice. They’re young, under the radar and maybe I’m speaking from my own point of view but Tampa isn’t one of those teams that people have any strong opinions about. That neutrality would keep the hype machine to a minimum. Oh well. For those who have never seen the show, if you’re a NFL fan, it’s a good watch.

7. Rumors swirling in Minnesota
The Twins are awful this year. Injuries, weak pitching and a painfully slow-start have them last in the AL Central. They’ve got a lot of cheap options available to trade for prospects: Jason Kubel, Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Michael Cuddyer and so on. These guys won’t make for any blockbusters, but this team is done. Stick the proverbial fork in ‘em.

8. Seattle having closer issues
Seattle closer Brandon League was humming along pretty well this season until May 8. Since then he’s had a four-game losing streak in four straight appearances. His 2.08 ERA jumped up to 7.31 and all that goodwill he had earned through the first month of the season is now gone. Keep an eye on Jamey Wright to take over.

9. The Yankees, oh, those crazy Yankees
An article here on The Dugout Doctors which briefly covered the Jorge Posada melodrama over the weekend blew up due to my harsh criticism of the 16-year vet. But look, let’s be honest, the Yankees put themselves in these positions.

I’m a firm-believer, across all sports, that the only legitimate way to win is by building through the draft. I’m not a fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder, but I like them more than the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics. I definitely like the Green Bay Packers more than the Washington Redskins. These preferred teams build themselves up through the draft.

Guys like Posada, Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon are all big names to serious baseball fans. But why waste a roster spot and at least a couple million bucks on a guy who has one or two sub-par seasons left in the tank? It makes no sense to me.

Follow Matt on Twitter and Facebook!

What’s a Jorge Posada?

May 15, 2011 – Matt De Lima

This weekend’s “big” news is all about how New York Yankees designated hitter Jorge Posada decided to take himself out of the lineup due to back stiffness. Right, sure he did.

Could it actually be that he’s too old and can’t hit anymore? The guy is months away from his 40th birthday and he’s hitting .165 this season with 30 Ks in 109 at-bats. To make matters worse, he only has 11 hits in the last month.

I understand that Posada has done a lot for the Yankees but are they just giving out paychecks now? Cut this bum loose and save everybody the trouble. It’s one thing to be a 40-year-old, but he’s been a catcher for 16 years. The wear-and-tear has obviously set in. This is yet another classic example of the Yankees clinging to old talent far past its prime. For every Mariano Rivera, there’s a Posada tarnishing his legacy by clinging to a career that should have ended in 2009.

To make matters worse, behind him on the depth chart is former great Andruw Jones. It’s as though the Yankees purposely seek out washed up guys to overpay. There are at least 500 guys in the majors and minors I’d rather have over Jones and Posada right now at a fraction of the cost. Posada, Jones, Rivera and Bartolo Colon should start their own “Golden Girls” reboot. The premiere episode can feature Rickey Henderson, I’m sure he’d love to come off the bench.

Fantasy Five: Take Action With Jackson

May 13, 2011 – Matt De Lima

Every Friday, Matt De Lima suggests five fantasy baseball players to add to your lineup and five players to drop.

Hello my Fantasy brethren! As summer quickly approaches, the bats are heating up as well as the temperatures. A few of my teams struggled at the plate to start the season so my hitter suggestions today will focus on contact players. These are the guys who typically hit at the top of the lineup and accumulate a lot of runs, stolen bases and hit for a good average. I’ll also recommend dropping guys who are killing your batting average.

ADD FIVE

1. OF Austin Jackson, Detroit Tigers (40.3 percent owned)
Jackson can be a burden in your Fantasy league if strikeouts count against players. But considering Jackson has 11 hits in the past week for a .379 batting average, his hot-streak is worth consideration for your lineup. Plus, he has three multi-hit games in his last five games and five multi-hit games so far this month.

2. 1B Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (27.4 percent owned)
Due to the news that Kendrys Morales is out for the season, Trumbo’s Fantasy value receives a big boost. Although that news is unfortunate for the Angels, it couldn’t have come at a better time for Trumbo. So far in May, he has nine hits in 26 at-bats for a .346 average to along with three runs, a double, two homers and four RBIs. These numbers don’t exactly jump off the page but he’s a hot rookie and there’s potential for close to 30 HRs and 80 RBIs here.

Cincinnati Reds RHP Homer Bailey

3. SP Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds (30.9 percent owned)
Bailey entered the majors as a highly-touted prospect but has sputtered his way to becoming a Fantasy afterthought at only the age of 25. Well, it appears he may have started to get his game in order for 2011. In two starts, he has two wins with 12 Ks in 13 innings pitched. And how about a 0.69 ERA and 0.77 WHIP? Add him now but monitor his progress because both of those two wins came against the Houston Astros.

4. RP Eduardo Sanchez, St. Louis Cardinals (38.6 percent owned)
To be forthright, three different relievers have saves for the Cardinals in the last 15 days. Between Sanchez, Fernando Salas and Trevor Miller, Sanchez has three saves in May compared to one for Salas and zero for Miller. This is a fluid situation and I can’t pretend to know what St. Louis’ staff has in mind for the immediate future. For now, Sanchez is the hot-hand so add him if you need saves.

5. OF Julio Borbon, Texas Rangers (26.6 percent owned)
They say steals are easy to find and while that’s mostly true, most guys who get a good number of steals have weak peripheral stats. I prefer to use one or two specialist steal guys on my teams as opposed to relying on a guy who will have five steals per month if he’s lucky. Borbon is hitting .367 in May and has swiped four bags since May 3.

DROP FIVE

1. SP John Danks, Chicago White Sox
Yikes. Danks is 0-6 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. His last start against the Angels on May 10 was just awful (10 hits, six earned runs and two walks in 5 innings).

2. C Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers
His April numbers were unsustainable (6 HRs, 12 RBIs and a 1.164 OPS). Now that reality has set in, he’s already struck out 11 times and his BA is .083 in eight May games. Drop this guy like a bad habit.

3. OF Nick Swisher, New York Yankees
Why did you own him in the first place? Swisher does have a five-game hitting streak going, but his batting average is a drag (.214). Considering the OF depth available, there’s no reason to cling to him unless you’re in a very-deep or AL-only league.

4. OF Coco Crisp, Oakland Athletics
This is an example of when you don’t pay for steals (I know, I’m such a hypocrite). Crisp is hitting .167 in May with only one steal. He’s also part of a platoon with Conor Jackson and Ryan Sweeney. Blah.

5. SP Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins
I mentioned Liriano is last week’s “Drop Five” but I’ve got to do it again. He’s still owned in 71.5 percent of leagues, which is ignorant for lack of a better word. In his last start against the Detroit Tigers, he lasted only three innings and was pulled because of an apparent illness. Yeah, he’s got a serious case of the sucks.

Gloria Allred Gets Frisky With A Baseball Bat

May 11, 2011 – Matt De Lima

I’ll be the first to tell you. What a woman, a man and their baseball bat do behind closed doors is none of my business. But if you film it for all the world to see, I’m more than willing to take it out-of-context for some cheap laughs. Needless to say, this video is very silly but leaning towards inappropriate so if you’re at work, use your better judgment.

Nine Innings: Jeter’s Back?

May 10, 2011 – Matt De Lima

Every week, “Nine Innings” covers nine topics ranging from Fantasy, injuries, big performances, streaks, slumps, rumors and whatever else that pops into my head.

1. Bill Hall ejection
This bit of news came and went a few days ago. Here’s a link to an opinion column from MLB.com, written by Larry Dierker, about the ejection and it includes a video of the incident. For those who are unaware, this isn’t a big fight. Don’t click on that link expecting to see something crazy. It’s not. This is just a paragraph about baseball code.

My two cents is Bill Hall showed up the ump. A quick glance over at Baseball-Reference.com shows that Hall has been struck out 938 times in his career. This isn’t a knock on him, Hall is a good player, it’s only to point out that he should be used to emotions of it and do better job of controlling them. He’s a vet. Baseball isn’t like other sports and I don’t consider myself to be all that old school by saying that. In basketball, almost every call is argued to some degree. In football, they’ve set up instant replay and an entire set of rules on how you can behave on the field. For baseball, it’s all common sense. Some like to call it “the unwritten rules” of baseball. Everybody can see your body language, but they can’t hear what you’re saying. Next time, say something smartassed under your breath, Bill. Save yourself the emotional outburst.

2. Milton Bradley released
It’s about time. Did you know Seattle had him on salary for $13 million? Really? In his prime, which wasn’t even all that special, Bradley was an above-average glove with a little pop. Nothing more, nothing less. At his worst, he was an ass. For a team that’s rebuilding, there was no reason to have him on the team in the first place. Why not bring someone in with some long-term potential and give them a shot? There’s really just no good reason to overpay him and deal with his drama.

3. Justin Verlander’s no-hitter

Detroit Tigers RHP Justin Verlander

I’m not a Tigers fan but I do like Verlander. I’m not sure why since I don’t have many strong opinions about pitchers. That said, it’s been great to see him develop his game over the years and let’s not forget, this guy was a Rookie of the Year in 2006. He won 17 games that year. I say this because he’s one of those guys who gets lost in the shuffle when people talk about the elite pitchers out there. Of course, it’s easy for me to say this just days after he throws a no-hitter, but I have felt this way for awhile. Little factoid for the baseball nerds: the last five pitchers to throw multiple no-hitters in their career are Verlander, Mark Buehrle, Roy Halladay, Randy Johnson and Hideo Nomo. That’s some pretty good company.

4. Andre Ethier’s hit streak ends at 30
It’s been said before but Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hit streak is easily one of the best records in sports. That’s not to say it’s the toughest to break. But once a hitter gets to 20 or so straight games, the media starts to take notice and the pressure has to become intense. 30 seems to have some kind of stigma attached to it, maybe because it’s a round number. Since 1997, nine players had their hitting streak end at 30 games. Congrats to Ethier who I’m sure is both disappointed yet relieved that the streak is over.

5. Derek Jeter hits a couple home runs, so what?
How is this news? Yes, we understand that he was off to a slow-start. Why make such a big deal out of it? Analysis, reaction, reflection, side-by-side comparisons of his batting stance, fuhgeddaboutit. It’s all a bit much. Let’s be clear, there are a lot of players out there slumping. Jeter’s great, I’ve got respect for the guy even though I’m not a Yankees fan. He’s one of the best players of his generation. But c’mon, it shouldn’t stop the presses when a guy hits a couple home runs, it’s borderline condescending. He’s not a bum (yet).

6. Max Scherzer and Trevor Cahill are 6-0
Want to understand why wins is a fickle category that doesn’t hold much weight in baseball? Cahill has pitched 52.1 innings, allowed 41 hits, 10 earned runs, given up 3 home runs, issued 16 walks, struck out 45, batters are hitting .209 against him, he has an ERA of 1.72 and a 1.09 WHIP.

Scherzer has pitched fewer innings but allowed more hits, earned runs, home runs and walks. He’s also got a worse BAA, ERA and WHIP. Yet in eight starts, each guy has six wins. There’s a Fantasy lesson to be learned in there somewhere.

7. Josh Johnson versus Roy Halladay tonight
Amongst baseball fans, we know the rivalries and the history. But it’s good to see ESPN building a little hype behind this matchup. It’s certainly not a rivalry between the teams or the players but why doesn’t the media play up these things more? What is the “Manning vs. Brady” in MLB? Where is the “Who’s better? Kobe or LeBron” in baseball? Those arguments are meaningless to diehard fans, mostly because they formed an opinion on the matter years ago, but for casual fans, it’s a good way to get into the game.

8. Chicks dig Web Gems!
Okay, maybe they don’t, but I do.

9. For the Fantasy nerds: Pickemfirst!
A great web app all fantasy sports junkies should know about is Pickemfirst. Here’s a video below that explains how it works and click here to check out their website and download the app.

The MLB’s 3,000 Hit Club

May 9, 2011 – Matt De Lima

The Dugout Doctors present the 3,000 Hit Club.

Picture 1 of 29

Week 6 Waiver Wire Help: More Closer Drama

May 7, 2011 – Sean E. Douglas

Sean E. Douglas is a talented baseball writer and you can find a lot more of his free Fantasy baseball advice at his website Fantasy-info.com.

This may be the craziest season for closer changes I’ve seen in the past ten years as Fantasy baseball owners seem to be scrambling for saves and trading away talented every day starters for a few crumbs in the bottom of the ninth.

For some reason, I thought perhaps the closer chaos would slow down when the calendar flipped over to May, but instead the madness has only accelerated. No matter what the season throws at you, a successful Fantasy owner needs to adapt with bending changes and find a way to stay competitive even when key players fade away.

Below I have a short write-up on the projected closers to go after on the waiver wire and a few closer situations that may change soon.

Dodgers: Jonathan Broxton Goes To DL, Vicente Padilla In

Just a few seasons ago Jonathan Broxton was one of the top closers for Fantasy baseball but a horrible season in 2010, made Fantasy owners skeptical about his outlook for this season. If you banked on a return to dominance, you’ve been disappointed thus far, and it looks like Broxton may not return to form.

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton

Sure, Broxton may come back by June but his 5.68 ERA and 7.1 K/9 (by far career low) won’t be missed.

Hong-Chih Kuo would have been the next in line for the Dodgers as he posted 12 saves last season and has electric stuff when healthy. Problem is that Kuo’s throwing arm has undergone four surgeries, latest one being this past off-season.

Couple Kuo’s heath history and his ineffectiveness in the first month of the season and veteran Vicente Padilla is the man of the hour in Los Angeles.

Padilla has been solid in the Dodgers’ bullpen and should get the job done. Maybe he won’t bring an electric fastball to the ninth inning like Brian Wilson but much like Jose Contreras of the Phillies, he knows how to pitch and should do a respectable job for your squad.

Because of Padilla’s starting pitching eligibility, he has an added bonus for Fantasy in that you can roster him as a starter or relief pitcher.

Astros: Brandon Lyon Goes To DL, Mark Melancon In

Another veteran closer headed to the disabled list is Brandon Lyon. He was flown back to Houston and shut down with shoulder weakness. The Astros have already announced that 26-year-old right hander Mark Melancon is the new closer.

Houston Astros closer Brandon Lyon

Melancon is still available in 75% of ESPN leagues and 77% of Yahoo leagues so make sure you pick him up right away. Only time will tell if Melancon will be a success, but if he’s up to the challenge, he could keep this job for a good stretch.

Lyon may work his way back into the ninth inning, but (much like the Mariners’ situation below) the Astros will give their veteran an extended amount of time to “strengthen his shoulder” if Melancon is nailing down saves on a consistent basis.

Cardinals: Looney La Russa and the Three Headed Closer

At first it seemed so simple (in my mind anyway) that Mitchell Boggs was the chosen one to save games for the Cardinals after he nailed down his first three attempts. Sure, history shows that Tony La Russa is crazy, and he stabs Fantasy baseball owners in the back every chance he gets, but this time was going to be different, right?

Not so fast as Boggs blew one save and La Russa went wild with random opportunities for Eduardo Sanchez and Fernando Salas have picked up the saves since. Heck, even Jason Motte received an opportunity but blew a save last week.

In the past three weeks, I’ve owned all four relief pitchers and in the end, I’ve either cut them all or held Sanchez as the lone option to wait on. Sanchez has the best stuff of the group, and I would probably still have him in all my leagues if it weren’t for Melancon and Padilla receiving opportunities.

Look to Sanchez as a low risk / reward option for your team as he could be a strong Fantasy closer if given the job full time. That won’t be easy to do but for the next few month’s it looks like the Cardinals will try to resolve their closers situation internally and even La Russa as to see that Sanchez is the top man for the job.

Mariners: Brandon League To Keep Closer’s Job?

The Mariners turned to Brandon League when they knew David Aardsma would be out with a hip injury this spring. While many Fantasy owners have given League little respect, he’s performed like a top end closer, thus far.

Coming into this weekend, League has been a perfect nine for nine in save opportunities to go with a 2.08 ERA and a WHIP standing in at 0.85 for the year. Aardsma had a setback in his rehab and may not be ready to return to Seattle until June.

If League continues to pitch well I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mariners continue to hand him the baseball in the ninth even when Aardsma returns. Simply put, if you own League, your odds of a 30 plus save season are starting to look realistic.

Blue Jays: Time To Cut Jon Rauch?

The Blue Jays didn’t trade Mike Napoli to the Rangers for nothing as relief pitcher Frank Francisco was brought in from Texas to be the team’s closer. An early injury gave way to Jon Rauch receiving the closers role for the first month of the season.

Much like Rauch’s time as the Twins’ closer last season, the veteran did a good job nailing down saves, but it looks like Francisco has taken the job away. Francisco may receive most of the save opportunities going forward, but his health problems are likely to become an issue throughout the season.

If you can’t acquire one of the closers listed above, it’s a good idea to keep Rauch on your squad as he will return to the closers role if something should happen to Francisco.

Sean E. Douglas is a talented baseball writer and you can find a lot more of his Fantasy baseball advice at his website Fantasy-info.com.

Crazy Red Sox Fan’s Drunk Stunt

May 6, 2011 – Matt De Lima

They say youth is wasted on the young. But I don’t think an old guy could pull this off and live to tell the tale. Actually, the old guy has too much sense to even attempt such a dumb stunt.

« Previous PageNext Page »