Fantasy FanHouse

Troy Tulowitzki Headed to the DL, No Word on Anger Management Classes

Will Brinson — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Rockies, NL West, MLB Injuries, Fantasy MLB

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.

Troy Tulowitzki Headed to the DL, No Word on Anger Management Classes originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Furcal to Miss Eight More Weeks Following Back Surgery

Will Brinson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Injuries, MLB Rumors, Injury Report, Fantasy MLB

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.

Furcal to Miss Eight More Weeks Following Back Surgery originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clayton Kershaw Is Not Particularly Thrilled About Returning to the Minors

Will Brinson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:15:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Transactions, Fantasy MLB

It would be hard to blame uber-prospect Clayton Kershaw for getting upset at his demotion back to the minor leagues; he has pitched well thus far, despite not getting any run support from the Dodgers. I actually watched him last night and the 12-6 he froze Hunter Pence on in the fifth after dialing up 96 the pitch before was a perfect example of his potential to dominate.

But the Dodgers have more than just watching a youngster unleash nasty deuce-balls, and he understands that.

It's disappointing, but it's a business," he said. "I'm going to Jacksonville to keep pitching like I'm supposed to. I didn't expect it. Right now, I'm just disappointed."

Well, of course he's disappointed. (So am I, for the record.) Kershaw has pitched very well at times, while at others looking very much like a rookie, but what did the Dodgers expect? The biggest issue with PE#1 was his control: he only walked one or less batters once, during his first start of the season.

Additionally, tossing under a fairly rigid pitch count didn't help matters, as Kershaw never got to really extend past 90 pitches, much less five innings. His last start was arguably his best of the season but LA still couldn't hold on for the win and Clayton remains 0-2 so far in his MLB career.

Fantasy Spin: He's still a virtual lock to land back in the majors at some point, it's just a matter of where the Dodgers are in the pennant race when they decide to bring him back up. Also, if injuries continue to strike, there's a good chance he won't stay in Jacksonville that long. He's a must have in keeper leagues, but seasonal leagues, particularly smaller ones, can drop him and just keep an eye out.

Clayton Kershaw Is Not Particularly Thrilled About Returning to the Minors originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Clayton Kershaw Hurt? Nope, He's Just Not As Good As You Thought.

Matthew Greber — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:09:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, Fantasy Baseball

In todays game against the Chicago White Sox, Dodgers rookie pitcher Clayton Kershaw was pulled after four innings after only giving up two runs.Kershaw only threw 69 pitches, hardly a yeoman-like effort.

So what's the deal? Is Kershaw hurt? Well, not as far as I can see - no reports suggests Kershaw was pulled for anything besides his ineffectiveness. 29 of those 69 pitches were balls, which isn't terrible but doesn't suggest he was locked into the zone.

Kershaw has yet to notch his first major league victory, and if you are a Dodger fan or in a fantasy league, that comes as a bit of a letdown considering the huge amount of hype surrounding the youngster. Sports talk radio, internet chats and office watercooler talk ask one question - is Kershaw a bust?

Hardly.

Sure, he's a Dodger which means he's partially evil and eats small babies for breakfast. (What? I'm a Giants fan.) But he's also just a kid, and it's expected that things should be a bit rough for him out of the gates. He's barely 20 years old, people.

From a fantasy perspective, he's clearly great if you are in a keeper league. But in standard, single-season leagues the problem is that he's not even doing a good Johnny Cueto impression - that is, inconsistent starts but with a lot of strikeouts. He's doing okay in that category, but until he starts showing a bit more dominance, he's really not worth starting in most of your leagues. I'm holding onto him to see if he gets his act together, but in shallow leagues he's waiver fodder.

Oh look ... I made Tommy Lasorda cry.

Is Clayton Kershaw Hurt? Nope, He's Just Not As Good As You Thought. originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brandon Webb Blaming His Slump on Contract Negotiations

Will Brinson — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:35:00 EST

Filed under: Phoenix, Diamondbacks, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Biz, Fantasy MLB

Brandon Webb is still on pace for 23 wins, which is absolutely ridiculous, considering he's scuffled his way to losses in four of his last seven starts. Obviously he wasn't going to go 118-0, or whatever he started out heading towards, but he should still have a really good, Cy-Young-worthy season.

And it seems, based on what Webb is saying, that he could be due for a drastic improvement, now that negotiations for a contract extension have been called off. Because these negotiations, which have been going on since Spring Training, were clearly just killing him.

'It's off my mind now,' Webb said. 'It's not something I'm thinking about. I'm just going to go out there and pitch; we're still talking about 2 1/2 years here. Yeah, I was very disappointed that we didn't get it done, but I'm moving on from that. I've got a responsibility to pitch for these guys in here and for the fans.'

Yes. Yes, you do, Brandon. And you also have a responsibility to get my fantasy team off the schnide. I tend to side with Bob Melvin on this one when he points out that "it's not like he hasn't pitched in games with that out there" already this year.

I understand the point that continued discussion of the extension finally just wore on him, but come on. It seems like a pretty feeble excuse.

Fantasy Spin: Webb is actually a pretty good buy low right now. There has been discussion about his "dead arm" and his continued struggles over the past four starts might make his owner think injury. Now there's a possibility that there is an injury, but Webb has too much upside not to make him worth the risk.

Brandon Webb Blaming His Slump on Contract Negotiations originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rick Peterson Might Not Be Unemployed Long

Will Brinson — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:45:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NL West, MLB Rumors, San Francisco, Fantasy MLB

You clearly heard about all the drama surrounding Willie Randolph and the ~~wrongful axing~~ peaceful separation of the Mets organization and most of its coaching staff. One of the men without a job is Rick Peterson, the former pitching coach. But Peterson might not be out on the streets for too lengthy a time.

This is because a previous stop on his resume -- Oaktown. Namely because of a certain pitcher he coached there.

However, when asked what type of relationship they had, Zito noted that as far back as college, he and his family hired Peterson for private coaching. When the A's drafted Zito, Peterson was their pitching coach.

"I had success from the start there in Oakland," Zito said. "There's a lot to be said for your first coach in the big leagues, too. He moved me on the mound and did something also with my hands, stuff like that, stuff I still do today."

Now, this is primarily speculation, as noted by a no comment from Zito. However, it does make a ton of sense. The likely move -- because clearly Dave Righetti is doing a good job -- would be to pay Peterson to coach Zito, and Zito only.

And if that seems like too excessive a move to you, then you haven't been following the disaster that is Barry Zito's 2008 season. And you forgot he won a Cy Young award with Peterson.

Fantasy Spin: I'm going to do something stupid here and suggest you take a flier on Zito. I don't think he has "it" (meaning "the ability to pitch well") anymore, but if anyone can get it back for him, it sure seems like Peterson. Obviously the dominoes have to fall right, but it's a pretty decent gamble if you have the bench room.

Rick Peterson Might Not Be Unemployed Long originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Micah Owings Is Doing All He Can to Shatter Hank Steinbrenner's Dreams

Will Brinson — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:15:00 EST

Filed under: Phoenix, Diamondbacks, NL West, MLB Rumors, Fantasy MLB

One has to imagine that Micah Owings and the Arizona Diamondbacks take umbrage to Hank Steinbrenner's ludicrous rants about the National League needing to "grow up" and embrace the Designated Hitter rule.

After all, Owings has a career batting average of .302 and a career OPS of .890. Sure it's only 102 at bats, but he's also got five homers. All of which have garnered some really ridiculous comparisons, and maybe landed him a spot as the Snakes DH during interleague play.

"It's always an option," Melvin said.

Known just as much for his work with the bat, last season Owings won the Silver Slugger Award at the pitcher's position. Owings has slumped at the plate recently, but still owns a .302 career batting average with five homers and 18 RBIs in 102 at-bats.

"It's just not his best stretch going for him," Melvin said. "We'll monitor it going forward."

Yeah, what are you gonna do when one of your pitchers, who bats generally every fifth day, is in a slump. And how do you even know it's a slump with that much time off -- the guy's not supposed to be taterjackin' every time he gets to the plate.

He's had success though, and with Eric Byrnes hurt, it's entirely possible that Owings will bat full time. Of course, with Chad Tracy, Mark Reynolds and Conor Jackson all available it seems like kind of a silly thing to do.

Fantasy Spin: Unless your league counts pitcher batting stats -- unlikely -- you're best to only start Owings when he heads to the mound. Although, if he does play DH, it's possible he could pick up eligibility there, which would be at least interesting on days he pitched for roster movement.

Micah Owings Is Doing All He Can to Shatter Hank Steinbrenner's Dreams originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brad Penny DL Bound with Shoulder Injury

Will Brinson — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Injuries, Injury Report, Fantasy MLB

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.

Brad Penny DL Bound with Shoulder Injury originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Troy Tulowitzki, Dynamic Healer

Matt Snyder — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Rockies, NL West, MLB Injuries, Injury Report, Fantasy MLB

Remember when Troy Tulowitzki went down with that injury earlier in the season? Remember when "they" (whoever that might be) said he'd be out until "at least after the All-Star break?"

Well, he must be some kind of bad-ass, because now the Rockies are expecting him back on Friday. This Friday. As in June 20th.

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 Holliday recently 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.

Troy Tulowitzki, Dynamic Healer originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chase Headley, Uh, Heads to the Majors

Will Brinson — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, San Diego, MLB Transactions, MLB Kids Are Alright, Fantasy MLB, MLB Waiver Wire

Finally, mercifully, the San Diego Padres have decided to bring their top prospect, Chase Headley, to the major leagues. Headley got the call this weekend and will start his first game Tuesday when the Fathers face the Bronx Bombers in Yankee Stadium. So, you know, no pressure.

'He's on his way,' [GM Kevin] Towers said before Saturday's Interleague game against the Indians.

[...]"I think the environment is much better than it was three weeks ago," Towers said. "We have got a lot of guys contributing offensively. When he gets here, he shouldn't have to feel like he's got to carry this ballclub. We're playing good baseball now.

"To me, now is kind of the right time to have him here, when things are going well."

And by "going well", what Towers means is "after his June 1 arbitration date; well enough after, in fact, to make sure everyone forget that's why I kept him down in the first place."

Although, in fairness, the Padres have won seven of their last ten while leapfrogging the Giants and Rockies and somehow climbing within 6.5 games. Additionally, Jake Peavy is back, so maybe things aren't as bleak as they were earlier. Convenient, really.

Fantasy Spin: Headley is going to be OF eligible and likely 3B eligible as he'll spell Kevin Kouzmanoff. He's an impact player, who I would grab in most leagues (if you need 3B help), especially keepers. Of course, he is also a rookie and an OF, so be patient and don't expect him to pull a Ryan Braun or anything.

Chase Headley, Uh, Heads to the Majors originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jake Peavy Makes a Quiet, Dominant Return

Will Brinson — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Injuries, San Diego, Fantasy MLB

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.

Jake Peavy Makes a Quiet, Dominant Return originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brandon Webb Should Totally Be Fine, But That 'Dead Arm' Thing Is a Little Troublesome

Will Brinson — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Phoenix, Diamondbacks, NL West, MLB Injuries, MLB Rumors, Injury Report, Fantasy MLB

That's right, Mr. Diamondback fan, you can leave Mr. Cub fan out on the ledge and step on inside. It would seem, at second glance, that Brandon Webb is going to be just fine. We hope. At least it does not seem like the line drive he took off the sternum is going to be the problem.

"He felt it a little bit, but at that point, the way we had been riding him, I didn't want to run him out there for two more innings and get his pitch counts up," Melvin said. "Innings-wise he's pitched quite a bit for us. Just wanted to give him a little blow."

Melvin pulled Webb (likely "just being cautious" as Mullet said) after he took a "line drive off his belt in the fifth."

Good for freaking you, Bob Melvin. Now, which session of your Managing for Dummies Summer School do you have Ned Yost signed up for again?

Because, really, the sooner the better for him. But despite solid bench work, there's still something a little troubling about the decision, if only because it unveils some potential arm issues.

Webb said his velocity has been down in recent starts and allowed for the possibility that he might be experiencing a "dead arm," in which everything feels healthy and sound but the ball doesn't come out of his hand in the usual manner.

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt," he said. "Maybe a dead-arm period or something like that. Like I said, it doesn't hurt, so it's tough to tell. Everything feels good."

Now for all my medical wisdom, I believe that "dead arm" is not something other than just being tired, no? Which means a little extra rest should actually prevent further injury. So consider the non-fatal liner actually a good thing.

You know, if you're into that sort of pink-cloud/optimism type thing.

Fantasy Spin: I'll admit. I totally and utterly freaked when I saw that Webb left the game after 58 pitches (and wasn't watching so I was confused to boot.) My initial reaction was "okayquickwhocanItradeWebbto?!?!?!" or some variation of that. But the reality is that Webb -- freakiness like last night's liner back to the mound aside -- is one of the healthiest and best fantasy pitching options available.

Because he's been hit recently, both in the box score and on the belt, Webb might actually be a nice trade target right now. I wouldn't trade him for any other pitcher in baseball, honestly (maybe Cole Hamels but I m-crush him), but that doesn't mean someone else won't. Inquire about him now while he's got the red cross hanging out by his name.

Brandon Webb Should Totally Be Fine, But That 'Dead Arm' Thing Is a Little Troublesome originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Holliday Set to Return Tuesday

Will Brinson — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Rockies, NL West, MLB Injuries, MLB Rumors, Fantasy MLB

Things are not looking "good" for the Colorado Rockies, but they are certainly not as bleak as they were a few days ago. That's what the return of a few disabled players will do for you. And given that, the Rockies should be in pretty good spirits come Tuesday night, when Matt Holliday plans on making his return from the disabled list.

A left hamstring strain on May 24 forced Holliday to the disabled list, but after three games at Triple-A Colorado Springs he is ready to return. Holliday is slated to return Tuesday for the opener of a three-game set against the Giants at Coors Field.

He finished his stint on Sunday by hitting a home run in his first at-bat and going 2-for-4 in the Sky Sox's 6-3 loss to Salt Lake City. In three games, Holliday was 6-for-10 with a home run, a double and three RBIs during his rehab.

Holliday is clearly the most important player in the Rockies lineup; his home/road splits aside (he's average outside of Coors) he is still their MVP candidate and all world masher. While trade talks have been discussed, it seems unlikely that Holliday will get shipped out just yet.

The chance the Rockies actually make the postseason are pretty slim, but one has to think as long as a chance is there, Holliday will remain in a Colorado uniform. Oh, and everyone knows about his splits too. Which doesn't help his trade value.

Fantasy Spin: Get Holliday active tomorrow morning, obviously. The guy's a masher and a homestand against the Giants is a pretty nice welcome back present. On the other hand, if/when he comes off hot, you should go ahead and shop him, given the aforementioned splits. If he gets dealt this season, his value takes a hit.

Matt Holliday Set to Return Tuesday originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rafael Furcal's Return Date Bumped Back (Again) to Mid-June

Will Brinson — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Injuries, Fantasy MLB

The seemingly endless Rafael Furcal recovery process took another hit. And no, not the trade for Angel Berroa. Furcal's time for return was pegged for June 17, well over a month since stepped foot on the diamond.

"I think that's reasonable," Torre said.

Furcal, who last played May 5, resumed taking grounders at short Thursday and reported that his strained lower back felt fine the next day.

The Dodgers pretty clearly need Furcal in the lineup in order to make their offensive squad the most effective. They are still only four games out of the Diamondbacks though, with both teams having gone 3-7 in their last 10 games.

I'm still going to be a little skeptical about Furcal's return until I actually see him on the field after all the setbacks, but at least we have a timetable now.

Fantasy Spin: Furcal should still occupy a bench spot or a DL slot depending on your league options, at least until the week following his return. Now's a pretty good time to take a step at trade for the wrecking ball

Rafael Furcal's Return Date Bumped Back (Again) to Mid-June originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ned Colletti Politely Does Not Slam Door on Derek Lowe's Return to Los Angeles

Will Brinson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Biz, Fantasy MLB

You want to know how to be a successful Major League general manager? Two things you need to know. First, always sign multiple, expensive and washed up or worthless centerfielders to your ballclub. Secondly, make sure to use ridiculous verbage when described free agent to be pitchers.

Take Ned Colletti for instance. A true professional indeed, listen (in your head's reading voice) as he politely discusses the Dodgers' starting pitching and the possibility of Derek Lowe's return next season.

'I am concerned about our starting pitching in two cases,' Colletti says. 'I had a nice chat with Derek the other day.

'I told him we're not slamming the door on him from coming back,' Colletti says. 'In Boston he might have known he was not coming back.'

Maybe Boston did treat Lowe -- World Series hero Lowe at that -- poorly on the way out. But not "not slamming the door" isn't anything nice. That's just not being rude. The door, Ned, if you want to maintain a positive stance in negotiations, should always be open.

Unless of course Ned is secretly trying to get D. Lowe down from a 10 mil a year asking price (maybe in the range of 8 a year for the next 12 season, Ned?). That would explain why he's playing hard to get.

Fantasy Spin: Not that you care about Derek Lowe's contract negotiations, but now seems like a good time to point out that Lowe is starting to not be horrible again and is fantasy relevant. Shallow leagues probably saw him get dropped, but you can get the jump by grabbing now.

Ned Colletti Politely Does Not Slam Door on Derek Lowe's Return to Los Angeles originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ian Stewart Might Hang Around With That Whole Second Base Position Available

Will Brinson — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Rockies, NL West, MLB Transactions, MLB Kids Are Alright, Fantasy MLB

Just a few short hours after I mentioned that Ian Stewart was getting no love from fantasy circles -- or real world circles -- he might suddenly be getting a lot more value in both worlds. With the return of Garrett Atkins, and the continued absence of Clint Barmes, Troy Tulowitzki and about eight other middle infielders, Stewart is getting starts at second base.

Stewart field five ground balls, including a pair of impressive plays in the sixth inning, in Colorado's 7-4 loss to Philadelphia, and finished 1-for-3 with a double. It was Stewart's first career start at second base.

'Is he going to be as athletic as Jonny [Herrera] or Q [Omar Quintanilla]? Probably not," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "They're just a little more nimble. As far as athleticism, he did some nice things in Spring Training. We'll see how it works out. He made plays that were there for him.'

If Stewart can step in and play second, and one would think he could, he would instantly become a tremendous asset to the Rockies on the offensive end. He would also instantly have everyone saying "It took you this long to figure this out?"

Stewart has been -- pun intended -- pining on the bench behind Atkins for some time now and despite no real power option at second, the Rockies decided to develop him in the outfield.

Fantasy Spin: If Stewart is going to start and stick at second for the Rockies, he is a must add. Unless you have Chase Utley and Brandon Phillips or something. He has a ton of power and positional eligibility there would give him the upside of being a pretty stout option for fantasy owners.

Ian Stewart Might Hang Around With That Whole Second Base Position Available originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eric Byrnes to the DL as the Diamondbacks Slow Their Roll

Will Brinson — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diamondbacks, NL West, MLB Injuries, Injury Report, Fantasy MLB

Well, at least we all knew that first month of the season wouldn't last forever; the Diamondbacks are totally legit and a stacked World Series contender, but something had to give. The offense caved a little first and then the pitching stopped getting quite as lucky. Now, there are some injuries creeping in. Eric Byrnes is the latest victim, heading to the DL with sore hamstrings, for the first time in his career.

'I'm not thrilled about it, but that's just my competitive nature,' he said. 'I wanted to keep playing. It's something I've been dealing with for a month now, and in my mind I feel like I've gone through the worst of it.'

Manager Bob Melvin said he and general manager Josh Byrnes made the decision that rest was required for the outfielder to regain the ever-hustling style that is his trademark.

'He's not 100 per cent, in my opinion not really even close. Both hamstrings are bothering him,' Melvin said. 'He needs all his weapons to be Eric Byrnes, and we need him 100 per cent. We need him to play a certain way and he's not able to do it right now.'

Of course, the Snakes are still four games up on the Dodgers and the NL West is still theirs to lose at the moment, but it definitely feels like there is a little less confidence in this Arizona team than there was earlier in the year, which is completely understandable.

Give Arizona management credit though, for putting Byrnes on the DL and actually getting him some rest, though. That at least signifies a legitimate long term concern. Although it might be nice to have Carlos Quentin filling that spot right about now.

Fantasy Spin: Obviously reserve Byrnes immediately but certainly hold onto him. Jeff Salazar, his likely replacement, is a decent option in NL-Only leagues, but that's about it.

Eric Byrnes to the DL as the Diamondbacks Slow Their Roll originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kids Are Alright: Quiet Debut for Ian Stewart

Will Brinson — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Rockies, NL West, MLB Kids Are Alright, Fantasy MLB

Fantasy owners are constantly sweating Ian Stewart. He is a tremendously talented prospect who has flashed power, a little speed and decent discipline throughout his career as a minor leaguer. More importantly though, he has always been blocked from playing at the MLB level, mainly because of Garrett Atkins' emergence.

This season, in 171 ABs at the Pacific Coast level, he hit 10 taterjacks, stole six bases and rocked out a .281/.374/.614 line. And now suddenly, because of the rash of Colorado injuries, he has been in the bigs for close to a week, and there has been little to nothing said about his promotion.

Part of the reason for that is he has only one hit, so he hasn't set the world on fire. The other part is that Atkins should return to a starting gig soon and Stewart is seen as a future outfielder. But the Rockies are horrible this year and are not getting any better with those injuries and Atkins has to be seen -- especially when you consider his full season home/away splits from 2007 -- as a pretty tradeable commodity.

The Rox might not move him, but Stewart might get some playing time anyway. And he is talented. And he is the future. But the future isn't shining particularly bright right now, and that makes him a pretty cheap buy option.

You can't reasonably expect huge returns from the young Rock right now and he could be headed back to the AAA sooner than later, but his owner has to at least be concerned, and that means you have a shot to creep in and steal him away while the getting is good.

Kids Are Alright: Quiet Debut for Ian Stewart originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andruw Jones on the Disabled List, Mercifully

Will Brinson — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Injuries, MLB Rumors, Fantasy MLB

It's pretty rare in professional baseball when you think a trip to the disabled list is a good thing. But in the case of Andruw Jones, that is exactly the situation. The former slugger formerly known as a superstar was placed on the DL, in advance of having surgery on his right knee.

Now the club is going to invest 4-6 weeks of recuperatory time in the 31-year-old slugger, who will be on the DL for the first time in his career. Dr. Neal Elahrache, the Dodgers' orthopedic surgeon, will perform the surgery on Tuesday at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic.

'He was really determined not to have it done, but surgery is the best thing,' general manager Ned Colletti said. 'It will not only help him physically, but hopefully it'll help his game. Obviously through seven weeks it's been disappointing for him and for everyone involved.'

Andruw getting out of the lineup, out of the public's eye and out of his head would all be good things. Don't be surprised if the surgery is "quick" followed by six weeks of intense "rehabilitation".

See, my theory is that if Jones would just not be as chunky, his ability to hit and field the baseball will improve. I have to believe that the Dodgers feel the same way and given the opportunity to pull a "golf ball sized wart" out of his knee, they might as well drain his stomach too. So don't be shocked to see Jones come back a little lighter, is what I'm saying.

Fantasy Spin: Obviously you can drop him now. Jones might be worth a flier if he comes back in better shape, but I'd probably wait about a month before making a play for him.

Andruw Jones on the Disabled List, Mercifully originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Sun, 25 May 2008 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Rampant Clayton Kershaw Speculation!

Will Brinson — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:04:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Transactions, Fantasy MLB

The Jacksonville Suns did that thing where they pull a stud prospect pitcher early even though he is fine and pitching well. I say "that thing" because such a manuever is usually followed by a call-up to the major leagues. And that's the news coming out of Dodger-land as well, with Clayton Kershaw dealing and the Dodgers making a run in the NL West.

Beginning with Tuesday's game in Chicago, the Dodgers will need a fifth starter on almost a traditional five-day rotation through the All-Star break. The last time the spot came up Saturday in Anaheim, manager Joe Torre went with a tag-team of Chan Ho Park for four innings (one earned run), followed by Hong-Chih Kuo for four scoreless innings in a 6-3 win.

Bear in mind that a few weeks ago, when we thought Kershaw was getting the call, the Dodgers were not as hot on the heels of Arizona as they are now. The team was inconsistent, except for Andruw Jones, who stunk all the time. Suddenly, they are surging, just three games back. And they have a prospect that their manager has likened to Sandy Koufax (whether that's accurate or not is beside the point).

So a call-up coming seems pretty likely. Or at least pretty reasonable. So, um, welcome to the Kershaw-dome. And any other number of horrible Public Enemy jokes I will be slinging your way.

Fantasy Spin: If you haven't burned through your transaction cap listening to me on Kershaw advice, go ahead and run back out there and grab him. He's a phenom with an otherwordly curveball and tons of strikeout potential. Non-keepers want to be trying to move him as soon as he gets up, if not earlier, because of his innings cap and the hype involved.

More Rampant Clayton Kershaw Speculation! originally appeared on Fantasy FanHouse on Fri, 23 May 2008 12:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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