Nine Innings: Matt Kemp is the Best Player in Baseball

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. Hanson dominates, Uggla heating up
Dan Uggla had been struggling and then some so far this season. In his first year with the Atlanta Braves, his numbers are certain to decline but there’s still nearly 100 games to get back on track. Uggla went yard for his eighth HR on Sunday against the Houston Astros. His homer was nearly enough to secure the win. Tommy Hanson won his eighth game of the season and struck out 14 batters in only seven innings of work. This win gives Atlanta six straight to pull within two games of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. The National League looks to have a very interesting wild card race developing as seven teams have a record over .500.

2. Derek Jeter seven hits away from 3,000
Although the media is giving this a fair amount of attention, I still think it should receive more attention. The 3,000 Hit Club is a serious achievement. Put it this way, it takes 15 seasons with 200 hits in each to get to 3,000. I know you can do math, my dear readers, but c’mon! 15 years with 200 hits apiece is nuts. This is Derek Jeter‘s 16th full season and it really speaks to his talent, longevity and consistency. Be sure to check out The Dugout Doctors’ photo gallery of all the members of the 3,000 Hit Club!

3. Red Sox crush the Blue Jays, complete sweep
Winners of nine straight, Boston hasn’t lost a game since June 1 and on Sunday, they completed their three-game weekend sweep of Toronto. The Jays were outscored 35 to 6 in the three games. Jon Lester struck out eight and only allowed two hits over his eight inning masterpiece on Sunday. David Ortiz went 0-for-4 on Saturday but that game was sandwiched between two games where he went 7-for-9 combined with 2 HRs, 7 RBIs and 4 Rs.

4. Prince Fielder jacks one to seal win over Cards
Prince Fielder has a great season going with 19 HRs (2nd in the NL), 58 RBI (1st) and he’s also hitting .305. He kept that going on Sunday with a huge bomb, a true “no-doubter” that he pounded into the right field seats against the St. Louis Cardinals. With the win, the Milwaukee Brewers pulled ahead of the Cards by a half-game. The NL Central is locked up with three teams with 34 or more wins (Brewers, Cards, Reds). Cincinnati is 4.5 games back.

5. “No One Cares About Baseball” three-part series
I’d like to thank any and everybody who took the time to read my critique of Major League Baseball and the perception that the game “sucks” or is becoming less popular. It was an overwhelming success and even though it’s not like I’m going to win the Pulitzer or be acknowledged by anyone other than myself, it sparked a great debate about the game. I met some new people who appreciated my point of view and it was an interesting topic to research and write about. If you missed it, check out Part One by clicking here.

6. Fantasy baseball is killing me
After having as many as a dozen Fantasy teams in every sport as recently as 2009, I decided to taper back my Fantasy commitments by limiting myself to only two or three teams per sport this year. One could assume that since I’m focused on fewer teams, it should be easier to succeed with them. You’d be wrong. I’m not in even in the Top 3 in any league and I’m scraping by to remain relevant. My gravitation towards younger players didn’t pay off, but hey, can’t win ‘em all, just ask LeBron! Zing! But in all seriousness, I feel a comeback is imminent. I’ll keep you posted.

7. College baseball, where art thou?
Besides that hilarious video of the game announcer going nuts when Cal won their game against Rice with a walk-off hit, I haven’t been paying enough attention to college baseball’s postseason. We did a recap here at The Dugout Doctors of the MLB Draft’s first-round picks with a brief analysis of each player (I mention this since it does technically count as following college ball), but with so much going on in MLB, the NBA Finals, the NHL Finals and the nice weather keeping me outdoors on weekends, there’s only so much time in the day. I’d like to hear who you guys think has a shot to win it all besides an obvious favorite like UVA. Hit me up on Twitter and let’s talk college baseball, I need to be educated.

8. Matt Kemp is easily the best player in the game
First, let’s focus on the numbers. Matt Kemp is fifth in the majors in batting average (.331), tied for second in HRs (20) and third in RBIs (56). He also has 14 steals. He’s on pace for 196 hits, 109 runs, 48 homers, 135 RBIs and 34 steals. In a year where pitching is wreaking havoc on bats across the league, Kemp stands alone at the top. Kemp does need to improve his defense, I wouldn’t even consider him a Top 20 defensive centerfielder. But that said, he’s at least playing a demanding position. There is definitely an argument for Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez being the best in the league and many people would probably agree, but it should be considered that Kemp plays for a less-talented team in a tougher hitter’s park. He’s not the best player ever, or had the best career, but he’s having the best year right now.

9. FanGraphs: Denard Span is the most underrated player in baseball
Any baseball fan worth a damn knows FanGraphs and they recently published an article attempting to quantify who truly is baseball’s most underrated player. By using stats which are admittedly a little bit beyond me, they present a pretty good argument for guys like Denard Span and Howie Kendrick. As they mention, their system seems to overvalue the underrated-ness of lesser positions like catcher, middle infielders and center fielders. But nonetheless, it’s an interesting read. Click here to check it out.

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Nine Innings: Justin Upton blasts deep HR

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. That time of year
I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend, but it’s back to work! This is always an interesting time of year for sports. The NBA Finals start tonight, May 31, and Stanley Cup Finals begin on Wednesday night. The spring college sports are wrapping up. Horse racing is at its peak and the Indianapolis 500 was a few days ago. NASCAR, the French Open and there was even a UFC pay-per-view event over the weekend. Oh, and UVA just won yet another Lacrosse championship (as a Virginia Tech grad, you’re lucky that I even mention it!) But of all the sports, college baseball is very under-appreciated during the early summer. Maybe this speaks to the health of the sport’s popularity, but the College World Series is always under the radar. It’s too bad. Sports fans are constantly whining about how athletes are overpaid, the tickets cost too much, some away stadiums aren’t safe to go to or family friendly. Yet here is a sport where the athletes aren’t paid, many games are free and you can take your family to the game. Some guys are playing to advance their baseball careers, but the majority are playing because they grew up with the game and they love it. There is something to admire about college sports and it’s disappointing more sports fans don’t see that.

2. NCAA Baseball Bracket
The top eight seeds were announced on Monday. The No. 1 seed Virginia Cavaliers will play Navy in Charlottesville, VA. The remaining seven seeds, in order, are Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida St., Vanderbilt, Texas and Rice. Also keep an eye on Texas A&M who narrowly missed out on being seeded in this tournament. Here is the full bracket for those interested.

3. Diamondbacks crush the Marlins
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Kelly Johnson has struggled for the better part of the 2011 season but that swiftly ended last night when he went 4-for-6 with 2 HR, 3B, 2B and three RBIs. Johnson now has four HRs in the last week and has raised his batting average nearly 100 points since May 1. For video highlights of his near cycle, click here. Not to be outdone, outfielder Justin Upton crushed a home run for his fifth hit in five at-bats. The Diamondbacks embarrassed the Marlins on Monday, 15-4.

4. Two great plays at the plate
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Paul Janish was thrown out at home late in the game by Atlanta Braves left fielder Martin Prado. And in some strange twist of fate, Texas Rangers catcher Mike Napoli slid under the tag of Kansas City Royals catcher Brayan Pena. Both plays were extremely close but who would’ve thought a guy like Napoli would be the one sliding into a walk-off run on a play at the plate, while the diminutive Janish gets tagged out? Great plays.

5. Joakim Soria demotes himself from closer role
Kansas City Royals reliever Joakim Soria asked to be demoted from the closer position. Soria has blown five saves in his last 12 save opportunities. Look for reliever Aaron Crow to take his place in the interim.

6. Jo-Jo Reyes finally wins one
After 28 consecutive starts, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes finally won a game. How long is 28 straight starts without a win? Well it tied a major league record. Thankfully he didn’t win on some technicality, in fact, he won by pitching a complete game in the Jays’ 11-1 win over the Cleveland Indians.

7. Buster Posey drama
In case you missed it, I’ve already discussed the melodrama concerning San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey‘s injury last week. This article blew up over the last few days, possibly because I don’t mince words in my opinion that nothing should be done to amend the rules regarding catcher collisions at home plate.

8. Speaking of drama…
Check out this entry over at Big League Stew, a Yahoo! sports baseball blog concerning the blown call that may have cost the Minnesota Twins the game. Personally, I agree with David Brown, the author of the entry.

9. Colon’s gem and the Danks vs. Bautista argument
I’ve been highly skeptical of Bartolo Colon‘s comeback this season. Why shouldn’t I be? The guy turned 38 last week (Happy Birthday Bartolo!) and hasn’t even won 10 games since his off-the-charts AL Cy Young award-winning 2005 season where he won 21 games. Since that year, he hasn’t even made 20 starts in a year. I won’t win over many hearts and minds saying this, but I feel he was likely on steroids or HGH during his 2005 season. He stopped taking it and his career fell off the map. Now after years of getting himself back in pitching shape, he’s finally able to be a decent No. 5 starter. But Colon pitched a great game yesterday with a four-hit shutout against the Oakland A’s. If you need a starting pitcher in your Fantasy league, you could do a lot worse than Colon. He is 3-3 with 62 Ks, 3.26 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 66.2 IP.

And in case you missed it, I think Jose Bautista was being a punk when he got all hysterical about hitting an infield pop-up out. John Danks had every right to tell him to, well, just watch it here.

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Nine Innings: Remembering Harmon Killebrew

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. Remembering Harmon Killebrew
Killebrew passed away last week and if you ask me, there wasn’t enough time given by the media to provide some context about who the man was. This guy was baseball royalty during a time when baseball was still the unparalleled favorite sport in this country. Millions of baby boomers grew up watching this guy. For those who weren’t alive during the 1960s or early 70s, Killebrew may only be known as a big-time home run hitter. Before the steroid era players made their jump into the top ten, the top five leaders in home runs were Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Frank Robinson (586) and Killebrew (573). Here are some links that share some insight about Killebrew and are definitely worth the read: NYTimes blog, Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Bert Blyleven remembers Harmon Killebrew

Home Run Derby: Mickey Mantle vs. Harmon Killebrew

2. Josh Johnson headed to the DL
Florida Marlins ace and the National League’s ERA leader Josh Johnson is headed to the disabled list due to inflammation in his right shoulder. Johnson has said that he’s been pitching through the pain all season. The pain would start early during his pre-game warm-up, but dissipate after he got loose. For Fantasy owners, this should only be considered a minor setback. But if he struggles upon his return, his trade value can only sharply decline.

3. Chase Utley close to a return
As if the team with the NL’s best record could get any better, Chase Utley is set to return very soon from the DL. On Friday night, he was the DH with High-A Clearwater and on Saturday, he played on the field as well. News should be coming soon about a timetable for his return.

4. Felix Hernandez and James Shields both strikeout 13
In a pair of dominating performances, James Shields and Felix Hernandez each had 13 strikeouts on Sunday night, leading their teams to dominating wins. Shields pitched a complete game three-hit shutout against a very tough Florida Marlins team. Shields lowered his ERA to 2.00 and improved his record to 5-2. As for King Felix, over eight innings, he only allowed six hits and one earned run against the San Diego Padres.

5. LAPD arrests suspect in Bryan Stow beating
Hopefully the Los Angeles PD has the right guy and justice is served. Stow remains in critical condition.

6. Web Gems!

7. Rookie call-ups
The Philadelphia Phillies have already called up OF Domonic Brown. Seattle’s Dustin Ackley should be called up any day now. Kansas City called up Eric Hosmer a few weeks ago and will call-up LHP Danny Duffy very soon. The Braves had to play Julio Teheran due to Brandon Beachy’s injury. Things should get very interesting after June 1. I’m really looking forward to the guys aforementioned, but also Brett Lawrie and Desmond Jennings.

8. Jason Heyward hits the DL
Braves RF Jason Heyward has been sent to the DL due to discomfort in his right shoulder. He’s been struggling with it since Spring Training. Heyward noted that the pain began to worsen in the last week. He only went 4-for-41 in May so some rest should serve him well.

9. News and notes
Sometimes there are just too many news stories to cover so let me hit you with some links and one-liners. The Chicago Cubs played at Fenway Park for the first time since 1918. Cleveland swept Cincinnati for the first time in seven years. Mariners swept the Padres and the Giants swept the A’s. Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd got beaned in the face by Boston pitcher Alfredo Aceves. He was taken to a hospital immediately and has been placed on the 15-day DL with multiple face fractures. Mets’ owner Fred Wilpon criticized some of his top players in the New Yorker. He made comments against Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran.

Nine Innings: Vin Mazzaro’s Epic Fail

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.

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.

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Nine Innings: Jeter’s Back?

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

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.

Nine Innings: Liriano No-No!

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

1. Francisco Liriano’s no-hitter
How bad are the Chicago White Sox? They’re so bad that a guy who in April pitched in 23.2 innings and allowed 24 earned runs threw a no-hitter against them. The White Sox are so bad that Liriano threw 19 first-pitch balls to the 30 batters he faced. So bad that Liriano had six innings where he threw 12 pitches or less. So bad that the White Sox had one fewer man on base than the Twins last night and still couldn’t get a hit or drive in a run. Liriano technically threw a no-hitter but in my book, a struggling pitcher threw against a bad team on their worst night.

2. Shin-Soo Choo DUI
Cleveland Indians’ OF Choo had a .201 blood-alcohol level after taking a breathalyzer on Monday. He was arrested and apparently made apologies to his teammates. Maybe I’m being a little naive, but when compared to the general population, do athletes get DUIs at the same rate? It seems like athletes get caught up with DUIs every week. What is more ridiculous is many teams provide car services to its players specifically to avoid these sorts of situations. I don’t get it.

3. Speaking of the Indians, not that anyone cares apparently
Cleveland has the best record in baseball right now, they’re 20-8. Their attendance average this season? 14,275, dead-last in the league.That is a 32.9 percent capacity. Pathetic.

4. Evan Longoria back from the DL
Fantasy owners rejoice! Longoria was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday after recovering from a strained oblique. In a four-game minor league rehab assignment, he only had four hit in 15 at-bats, but three of them were home runs. In his first game back, he went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

5. Sweet Brandon Phillips “Web Gem”

6. Sweet-swinging Cardinals
Matt Holliday‘s batting average is .419 and Lance Berkman is hitting .402. As a team, the Cards are .293 with a .363 OBP. What is even crazier is that of their everyday players, Albert Pujols has the second-worst AVG at .231. There’s no way they’re able to sustain these numbers but St. Louis obviously has a great trio in the 3-4-5 spots with Pujols, Holliday and Berkman.

7. Franklin Gutierrez to return?
After being slowed by mystery stomach problems, the latest word is that Gutierrez is recovering well now that he’s on a new medication. The rumors state he’s unlikely to play for a couple weeks, likely because he’s lost a lot of weight being able to eat a normal diet. It’s been a tough few months for Gutierrez as I’ve been following this story for awhile now. Good luck to him

8. V-Mart to return soon
Victor Martinez will be back in the lineup today, May 4, after a quick recovery from a groin injury. He’s been on the 15-day disabled-list for 15 days and boom, he’s back. Speaking of the Tigers, I’ve been real disappointed in Austin Jackson and Ryan Raburn. They have combined for 81 strikeouts this year, making them the top two MLB leaders in that category. In geekspeak, they’d call that an epic fail.

9. More Dodger drama
Check out this report from ESPN about the Dodgers being short on funds for their payroll.

Nine Innings: Weaver Fever

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

1. Just Jered
With a complete game, shutout win last night, Jered Weaver has firmly planted himself as the pacesetter for this young season. He’s got two more wins, more innings pitched, the most strikeouts and his ERA (0.99) and WHIP (0.79) are absurd. Between Weaver and Dan Haren, they have 10 of the Angels’ 13 wins. The rest of the pitching staff needs to step their game up; they’re in the presence of greatness. Weaver became the first pitcher in league history with six wins by April 25 and could become the first pitcher to have seven wins by the end of April. Silly good.

2. I’m Embarrassed
I drafted Rays pitcher James Shields this year in one of my leagues. Great, right? Well after his second start of the season (6 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 HR, 1 BB, 0 K) I cut him. I know, I know! Talk about being trigger-happy with the drop button. Considering Shields has back-to-back complete game wins in his last two starts, I look like a goat with that transaction. If it’s any small consolation, I added Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth (1-0, 5 SV, 1.23/0.82) off the wire in this add/drop transaction.

3. Rocky Start
If there is one serious concern for Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, it’s that he’s currently hitting .050 against lefties. He has said that he’s still recovering from a flu he had about two weeks ago. The numbers (12-1-14-3-.217) leave a lot to be desired. Since April 19th, he’s 0-for-21, no runs, no homers, two RBI and no stolen bases. Ugly. But c’mon, Gonzalez is a friggen beast, he’ll turn it around, right?

 

4. PlayStation NOTwork
So the PlayStation Network is still down. For those who may or may not be aware, it’s been down for six days now. There are all sorts of rumors floating around on the web but Sony has confirmed that hackers infiltrated their system and they’re being very thorough before coming back online. Six days is a long time. Hopefully no one’s credit card information was accessed. But I suppose there’s no room for complaints when it is a free service.

5. Phil Hughes and the Curious Case of Dead Arm
Not that this subject hasn’t been covered ad nauseum by the sports media, Yankees righty Phil Hughes suffered a setback on Monday. His condition, you ask? Dead arm. What that means? Well, his arm, it’s dead. During a pitching simulation, there was no improvement to his velocity which seems to disappear from his arm after a dozen pitches. Hughes was supposed to be locked-in as the Yankees No. 3 starter and yet in his place, New York has been relying on Bartolo Colon. Granted, Colon’s last start wasn’t that bad, but he looks like crap out there on the mound to put it mildly. There’s no way he’ll hold up for more than a month or two as a starter.

6. Soaring Into the Ethier
Forget the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership takeover melodrama. Andre Ethier has a 22-game hitting streak going. He’s currently batting .380/.533/.985. Are the Dodgers any good? No, not really. But between Ethier and Matt Kemp, the Dodgers obviously have a great duo in their outfield.

 

7. A Marquis Slow Ball
Read the comical story of how Nationals pitcher Jason Marquis threw a 55-mph pitch for a strike, on accident.

8. In Case You Didn’t Know
Seattle Mariners rookie right-hander Michael Pineda has been filthy. How filthy? How about 21 Ks in 25.1 innings? How about hitters limited to a .202 avg against him? And what do you know about his 3-1 start, 1.78 ERA and 1.07 WHIP? Looks like the Mariners have pocket aces between Pineda and King Felix.

9. Fantasy 411
If you like corny jokes, informalities, irreverent TV hosts and sprinkled bits of fantasy baseball analysis all wrapped up into one TV show, I highly recommend watching the MLB Network’s Fantasy 411. For me, it’s a perfect show to DVR and watch a few episodes back-to-back to get a good grasp of what’s going on around the league and how it relates to fantasy baseball.