What's more popular than stupid baseball injuries? Nothing, really, unless you count baseballs to the groin, which aren't really enjoyable. Add Troy Tulowitzki to the list of players who have hurt themselves doing something stupid, as the Colorado Rockies shortstop is headed to the disabled list after hurting his hand while slamming a baseball bat in frustration.
After being taken out in the seventh inning as part of a double switch, Tulowitzki walked down to the dugout hallway and smashed a bat to the ground in frustration. The bat cracked in his right hand, causing a laceration that stretched from his palm to his index finger.
"I'm obviously sorry to my teammates because I feel like I'm letting them down more than anything, [and] the organization," Tulowitzki said. "Hopefully, it's not too long before I'm back out there, but it's hard to take."
Doh. That's why ... you never slam a baseball bat to the ground in frustration. They are, after all, still made of deadly, sharp and splinterable wood. And yes, palm --> index finger laceration does not sound particularly enjoyable either.
Tulo's injury kind of sums up the Rockies season pretty well though. Chock full of potential and expectations, only to be painfully overhyped once we realized what was going on.
Fantasy Spin: Tulo will hopefully only be out for a few weeks, but this kind of laceration seems like the type of thing that could end up really bugging him down the stretch, given that "hand" is one of those things that is generally considered useful when fielding a baseball and/or batting.
The injuries seemed like they were maybe, possibly, kind of taking a turn for the better for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then they got the brutal news early Thursday that leadoff hitter and sparkplug of the offense Rafael Furcal will miss another eight weeks after undergoing back surgery.
Manager Joe Torre would not concede that Furcal will be lost for the rest of the season, but neither did he say he's holding his breath awaiting Furcal's return.
"From all the numbers I've heard, he'll probably miss a minimum of eight weeks," said Torre, meaning a return of September at the earliest.
That's probably overly optimistic. Watkins performed a similar procedure in 2002 on Dodgers pitcher Kevin Brown, whose disc was badly ruptured. Brown rushed back after two months, but quickly had to shut it down because he was not fully healed. Reliever Eric Gagne underwent a similar operation by Watkins at St. Vincent's Hospital on July 8, 2006. Like Brown, Gagne was also trying to return from elbow woes at the time and did not pitch again that season.
Like I mentioned the other day (link above), I'll believe it when I see it regarding recovery. Eight weeks is still a looooong time anyway and the odds that Furcal will be completely healthy by the beginning of September is possible but as soon as KB and EG's names get tossed around, I get a little skeptical.
And no, the "would not concede" line does not help anything either.
Fantasy Spin: I'm heading to drop him in a 12 team league right now (non-keeper) and grab someone that can help me now. Bear in mind though, that this is a head-to-head league, so not only will I be able to grab him later, but the loss of steals isn't permanent, so to speak. Still, I think he's done.
This is news I didn't think I'd be reporting this season, and it's most certainly something I didn't think would happen in June. This is nothing short of miraculous. After all the setbacksMark Mulder has experienced, he might start this weekend in Kansas City for the Cardinals. As reported in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Tonight's outing is considered a tuneup more than a full-blown start, suggesting the Cardinals have made a decision but will wait to see how Mulder exits the appearance before confirming his return to the major leagues.
"It depends on how it goes. We're not really putting a day on it," general manager John Mozeliak said.
Asked when Mulder would start, Mozeliak said, "We'll know that by Tuesday."
So he's going tonight for Triple-A Memphis, and unless his arm falls off he could be inserted into the rotation? After everything that we've been reading up to this point, it's an absolutely stunning revelation. I'm still skeptical that he's physically okay. I mean, just a month ago we thought he'd never pitch again because they had no idea what was wrong with the shoulder. Now he's ready to pitch in the bigs? C'mon.
Fantasy Spin: Don't bother. There's no way he'll hold up over the course of the season. Even if he somehow does, he's been completely ineffective in triple-A, compiling a 13.50 ERA in 13 1/3 innings of work. He's only punched out eight, while he's allowed 28 hits en route to a horrifying 2.48 WHIP. If that's what the minor leaguers were doing the major leaguers (yes, even the Royals) will tattoo him.
Brad Penny, loser of five consecutive starts including a 3.2 inning, seven run, no strikeout outing against the Tigers the last time he took the mound, was placed on the disabled list today. Penny is dealing with an "inflammation of the bursa sac" (which sounds like something a lot worse, I think) and "mild tendinitis in his right shoulder", according to the Dodgers website.
Penny had complained of discomfort in the shoulder for more than a month without missing a start, but the pain worsened during pregame warmups before his last start, on Saturday against Detroit. An MRI performed on Monday revealed no structural damage.
Tough skids for the Dodgers, of course, but the reality is that Penny had not been pitching well. And if he was performing poorly as a result of shoulder woes -- which seems likely -- then giving him a few weeks to heal up and get right is the correct move.
Fantasy Spin: Penny is obviously DL'd or benched on your roster now (and hopefully before now) but he's not really droppable unless you're in a really shallow league. He finally put together a good second half last year and seems like a reasonable buy low at this point. Always better to inquire before he starts to head back.
I won't go over the dead horse that is the injury-riddled Atlanta Braves bullpen. I will, however, point out that Mike Gonzalez is returning tonight for the first time in over a full calendar year, after a lengthy bbq eating stint, to pitch for the Braves.
It seems pretty, pretty likely, given that John Smoltz and Rafael Soriano are both currently disabled, that Gonzo could be the closer until he gets hurt too for the remainder of the season.
'He's throwing good, they say,' said Cox, who envisions using him in key situations late in games from the get-go. 'Hopefully we can count on him for the very end - eighth and ninth. If he's back to his old form, it's a huge plus.'
The news is finally positive for a Braves team that has endured watching Rafael Soriano return to the disabled list this week with the same elbow problems that kept him out for the first two months and John Smoltz's attempt to return as closer end in season-ending shoulder surgery.
See? Gonzo could close out of the gate. Or simply tear his rotator cuff on the first pitch. The latter is the most likely scenario if you have followed the Braves at all this year.
Fantasy Spin: Grab Gonzalez now -- the Braves are somehow still potent despite dealing with tons of injuries, and he could provide nice saves totals, if he can stay healthy. Soriano might still nab the gig when he comes back, but if Gonzo deals immediately, there's no guarantee.
He's already gotten in five games in Class-A without lingering complications and is headed to Triple-A this week to complete his rehab assignment.
So basically as fast as all the injured Rockies went down, they're coming back just as quickly ... after Brad Hawpe and Matt Hollidayrecently returned and having Clint Barmes back shortly as well. It sounds ridiculous to say, but with the entire NL West sputtering: they actually have a shot. The defending NL Champs are only 8.5 games out of first entering Monday night. Crazier things have happened, and we learned last year to not give up on this bunch.
Fantasy Spin: Tulo really struggled early in the season (.152, 1 HR, and a horrifying 19 OPS+ ... not a typo), but he's a better player than that. Last season he went .291-24-99 as a rookie. Yes, he also brings stellar defense ... but that's of no consequence in fantasy.
Regardless, he's a must-start shortstop in all but the shallowest fantasy leagues ever invented. Even in those he's a consideration. Rank him no worse than 10, and possibly higher; depending on the format.
When you are adding Jorge "Gasoline Soaked Matchbook" Julio to your bullpen, then things have not gone "well" for your team over the course of whatever season it is. At least with regard to the bullpen. And the Braves find themselves in the unenviable spot of having Julio on the roster.
Julio, 29, had a 5.60 ERA in 15 appearances for Cleveland before he was released at the end of May. He has a 13-33 career record and a 4.40 ERA with 99 saves in 131 opportunities, including 83 saves in a three-season span with Baltimore in 2002-04.
'He's got great stuff,' Braves general manager Frank Wren said. 'If a guy like that's a free agent, just makes sense for us to give him a chance. We signed him to give us some additional depth.'
Say what you want about Wren's inability to grasp that the Braves desperately need to trade for another starter, but the guy can flat out spin a boring, lifeless free agent addition/trade to make it sound good.
See, I would say ... well, actually what I would say probably isn't appropriate, so let's just stink with what Wren said.
Fantasy Spin: Yes, there is one. If you're in a deeper league and have a bench spot, taking a flier on Julio isn't that absurd; he could conceivably get save opps for the Braves and that would make him a nice add. High risk, etc.
Apparently the ghosts of deceased Native Americans finally decided to take matters into their own hands in regards to team names like "Braves" and "Indians" this baseball season. I'm not going to get into the whole discussion on the insensitivity of these names because that's neither my inclination nor my job.
Still, it's quite eerie they way these two franchises in particular have been plagued this year.
Both were expected to be contenders for the World Series, chock full of fantasy gems. Instead the disappointments and injuries are plentiful, and sometimes hand-in-hand.
The most recent casualty is Victor Martinez, and he already fit the bill as a bust. He's normally picked in the first five rounds (earlier many times). His owners have been treated with pathetic numbers this year relative to expectations (.277, 0 HR). And now he's on the DL with a bum wing (inflamed right elbow, if you must know ... but "bum wing" is so much more fun). The catcher could be out until the All-Star break, so this is a big blow to both the Tribe and your fantasy squad. Unfortunately, I believe you have to sit on him in fantasy, because he's liable to get hot when he does come back and no one will give you anything valuable for an injured bust in a trade.
There was such little press about Jake Peavy's return yesterday, that for a minute I thought it was in a non-regulation game or something, or maybe he was just tossing around in a rehab start. But, no, Peavy did actually return to the hill for the first time since May 12 and he did actually dominate.
The reigning Cy Young winner went six innings against the Dodgers, allowing a scant three hits while striking out four and picking up the win. But if you listen to the man himself, you would think he gave up five gopher balls over four innings or something.
'I got a long way to go to be where I want to be, obviously,' Peavy said. 'I made some good pitches, I guess, when I had to.'
I suppose it is worth noting that he was on a pitch count of 90 and that he only struck out four, but to me, that seems like he was just being more efficient than anything.
On the other hand, if Peavy thinks he was not all the way there and this is the effort he produced, then all of a sudden, Brandon Webb better watch his back on that early Cy Young run.
Fantasy Spin: Get Peavy active ASAP, clearly. Guy looked pretty sharp from this end, and there is zero reason, after he goes six shutout innings, why he shouldn't be in your starting lineup. Maybe make a stab at him in a trade with the minimal pub he's getting but that almost seems fruitless.
It just makes more sense to give any injuries that occur to the Braves their own following tag, no? After all, if one more person gets hurt in some sort of fashion this season, the entire city of Atlanta might just quit showing up at games.
The latest case of a player suffering some sort of physical problem is Tim Hudson, who is suffering from dehydration.
Hudson, who allowed just one earned run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, seemed to be tiring during the seventh inning. When he left the game and went to the clubhouse, many of his body parts began to cramp.
'He couldn't bend his fingers,' Braves manager Bobby Cox said.
When the clubhouse was opened to the media, the Braves said that Hudson was unavailable to talk. He was still in the trainer's room with an IV providing him fluids.
Certainly, everyone hopes Huddy is alright, and he should be, but come on. This is borderline absurd the way that every single Braves pitcher who gets near the rubber ends up being injured in some shape or form.
Oh, next week: Mark Teixeira gets SARS.br /> Fantasy Spin: Huddy's next start is at Texas, so frankly, I'd sit him. Dehydration + Arlington = Bad.
What's more popular than stupid baseball injuries? Nothing, really, unless you count baseballs to the groin, which aren't really enjoyable. Add Troy Tulowitzki to the list of players who have hurt themselves doing something stupid, as the Colorado Rockies shortstop is headed to the disabled list after hurting his hand while slamming a baseball bat in frustration.
The injuries seemed like they were maybe, possibly, kind of taking a turn for the better for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then they got the brutal news early Thursday that leadoff hitter and sparkplug of the offense 
This is news I didn't think I'd be reporting this season, and it's most certainly something I didn't think would happen in June. This is nothing short of miraculous. After 
I won't go over the dead horse that is the injury-riddled Atlanta Braves bullpen. I will, however, point out that 
Remember when 
When you are adding 
Apparently the ghosts of deceased Native Americans finally decided to take matters into their own hands in regards to team names like "Braves" and "Indians" this baseball season. I'm not going to get into the whole discussion on the insensitivity of these names because that's neither my inclination nor my job. 
There was such little press about 
