Post by John on Jun 30, 2006 18:20:06 GMT -4
Selling the future for instant roto gratification
June 28, 2006
By Larry Dobrow
Special to CBS SportsLine.com
So, didja watch your share of ye ole national pastime Tuesday night? Me too. And I decided, mostly out of frustration with my roto clodhoppers (I'm looking at you, Morgan Ensberg and Tim Hudson), to take every small success I witnessed as indicative of a larger trend.
Bobby Crosby stole three bases against the Rockies (he now boasts 14 in 312 career games). Kenji Johjima powered the Mariners with a two-run dinger in the first and a three-run shot in the ninth, giving him nine ribbies over the last two days (which equals his total over the last month). A.J. Burnett shut out the Nationals, striking out seven and walking none in a brisk 92-pitch outing (the Un-Expos rank 24th in the majors with a .738 team OPS).
Longer-term rational thought be damned, I'm trading for each of these guys today, and you should too. If you don't, you'll sink to last place and your mommy, who purports to love you, will stop returning your calls. Rushes to judgment: as uniquely American as baseball itself.
Separately, this one goes out with warm wishes to the great Peter Gammons, hopefully already on the way to recovery following a brain aneurysm on Tuesday. Writers of quick-hit baseball columns -- even those of us who don't claim to be anything more than a moron armed with a remote control and a shaky grasp of metaphor -- owe him a hell of a debt.
Cut your losses
Craig Biggio, Houston Astros: He is a gamer's gamer. He runs out every ground ball. He embodies every characteristic one would want in a son, a manny, or a state senator. Alas, the guy can't get it done with the bat anymore; he's even slumping at Minute Maid, the venue responsible for the uptick in his stats over the last two seasons. This is one of those sad, sobering realizations that seizes upon you in the wee hours of the morning, just like "I'm not getting any younger" and "Danica Patrick really isn't all that cute, when you think about it."
Danys Baez, Los Angeles Dodgers: Even with Eric Gagne having taken up residence in nerve/ligament/rotator cuff/shin splint/splinter purgatory, Baez hasn't stepped up when it matters for roto purposes (see under "blown saves, numerous"). So while there's no shame in being able to steamroller opposing hitters in the seventh and eighth innings -- such an ability has made save-allergic live arms like LaTroy Hawkins and Arthur Rhodes a lot of cash over the years -- only the chronically optimistic could expect a repeat of Baez's splendid eight-save April.
Be patient, fella
Adam Dunn, Cincinnati Reds: That .226 batting average goes down about as well as weeks-old tuna with a beet-juice chaser, don't it? As the heat and humidity increases, so too does the frustration of owners saddled with a relative underperformer like Dunn. Still, it's not like he hasn't produced in 2006 (54 runs, 24 HR, 46 RBI), plus his ascent to the two-hole in the batting order, if permanent, should net him an extra few plate appearances per week. Leave a light on for him.
Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks: Cue that "You had a bad day" song here ... on second thought, don't. Webb has been as Milton-ish in June as he was Maddux-y in April and May, but he remains a ground-ball pitcher on a team with airtight infield defense. That's one webb you wouldn't mind getting ensnared in. Get it? Whooooo!
For real
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox: Me no likey the control issues -- 14 walks in 21-plus innings -- and I worry about his average of just over five innings per start in his four outings. But it doesn't appear that David Wells or Matt Clement will be reclaiming a rotation spot anytime soon, and the Red Sox have been supporting their pitchers with a bounteous outpouring of hits and runs in recent weeks. And do I even need to mention Lester's keeper-league potential? I don't? Good. You're learning.
Sell high
Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres: I know, I know: he's the best young pitcher in the NL, he strikes out a lot of guys, he pitches in a stadium slightly roomier than Rhode Island, blah blah blah. But the amount of time he has been spending in MRI tubes (note the plural) has me a little concerned. You don't get them thingies done unless some more-than-mild discomfort exists, or unless you have a most generous and caring healthcare provider. By comparison, my healthcare plan calls for the liberal application of leeches in cases that don't involve severed limbs or digits.
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox: He blew a save on Monday! He blew a save on Monday! That makes two -- TWO -- earned runs over the course of 40 or so innings of work, which is as clear-cut a sign of professional atrophy as you're likely to see. The Red Sox might have to scotch plans to give him a "Best Closer in the History of Ever" plaque akin to the -- "Greatestistic Clutch Hitter In The World! Yay!" -- one they gave David Ortiz last year. For what it's worth, such designations are legally enforceable in the continental U.S.
Buy low
Choo Freeman, Colorado Rockies: This guy's style of play might most accurately be described as "overcaffeinated." I have no idea if he'll ever develop any power, but Choo (full name: Raphael Desepition Freeman) boasts enough speed to be taken semi-seriously by OF-deficient owners and enough defense to keep him in the lineup.
Tom Gorzelanny, Pittsburgh Pirates: If he were pitching in the Yankee or Red Sox system, he'd have been hyped as the second coming of Bruce Hurst or John Tudor, plus talk-radio fatheads would have already packaged him in a deal for Dontrelle Willis and tagged him with a colorful nickname. Yet since Gorzo the Great plies his trade under the umbrella of baseball's most inept organization, expectations are ankle-low. A look at his minor-league numbers (especially the 94 Ks in 100 innings) suggests that he's more than up to the task. One caveat: he'll face the Tigers and Metsies in his first two starts.
Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels of Death Metal: The Angels' team OPS sits at a vomitous .712; Kendrick's triple-A OPS fell precipitously this week, to a mere 1.085. Current headline on the LAA website: "Cabrera needs fans' help in All-Star vote." Sigh.
June 28, 2006
By Larry Dobrow
Special to CBS SportsLine.com
So, didja watch your share of ye ole national pastime Tuesday night? Me too. And I decided, mostly out of frustration with my roto clodhoppers (I'm looking at you, Morgan Ensberg and Tim Hudson), to take every small success I witnessed as indicative of a larger trend.
Bobby Crosby stole three bases against the Rockies (he now boasts 14 in 312 career games). Kenji Johjima powered the Mariners with a two-run dinger in the first and a three-run shot in the ninth, giving him nine ribbies over the last two days (which equals his total over the last month). A.J. Burnett shut out the Nationals, striking out seven and walking none in a brisk 92-pitch outing (the Un-Expos rank 24th in the majors with a .738 team OPS).
Longer-term rational thought be damned, I'm trading for each of these guys today, and you should too. If you don't, you'll sink to last place and your mommy, who purports to love you, will stop returning your calls. Rushes to judgment: as uniquely American as baseball itself.
Separately, this one goes out with warm wishes to the great Peter Gammons, hopefully already on the way to recovery following a brain aneurysm on Tuesday. Writers of quick-hit baseball columns -- even those of us who don't claim to be anything more than a moron armed with a remote control and a shaky grasp of metaphor -- owe him a hell of a debt.
Cut your losses
Craig Biggio, Houston Astros: He is a gamer's gamer. He runs out every ground ball. He embodies every characteristic one would want in a son, a manny, or a state senator. Alas, the guy can't get it done with the bat anymore; he's even slumping at Minute Maid, the venue responsible for the uptick in his stats over the last two seasons. This is one of those sad, sobering realizations that seizes upon you in the wee hours of the morning, just like "I'm not getting any younger" and "Danica Patrick really isn't all that cute, when you think about it."
Danys Baez, Los Angeles Dodgers: Even with Eric Gagne having taken up residence in nerve/ligament/rotator cuff/shin splint/splinter purgatory, Baez hasn't stepped up when it matters for roto purposes (see under "blown saves, numerous"). So while there's no shame in being able to steamroller opposing hitters in the seventh and eighth innings -- such an ability has made save-allergic live arms like LaTroy Hawkins and Arthur Rhodes a lot of cash over the years -- only the chronically optimistic could expect a repeat of Baez's splendid eight-save April.
Be patient, fella
Adam Dunn, Cincinnati Reds: That .226 batting average goes down about as well as weeks-old tuna with a beet-juice chaser, don't it? As the heat and humidity increases, so too does the frustration of owners saddled with a relative underperformer like Dunn. Still, it's not like he hasn't produced in 2006 (54 runs, 24 HR, 46 RBI), plus his ascent to the two-hole in the batting order, if permanent, should net him an extra few plate appearances per week. Leave a light on for him.
Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks: Cue that "You had a bad day" song here ... on second thought, don't. Webb has been as Milton-ish in June as he was Maddux-y in April and May, but he remains a ground-ball pitcher on a team with airtight infield defense. That's one webb you wouldn't mind getting ensnared in. Get it? Whooooo!
For real
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox: Me no likey the control issues -- 14 walks in 21-plus innings -- and I worry about his average of just over five innings per start in his four outings. But it doesn't appear that David Wells or Matt Clement will be reclaiming a rotation spot anytime soon, and the Red Sox have been supporting their pitchers with a bounteous outpouring of hits and runs in recent weeks. And do I even need to mention Lester's keeper-league potential? I don't? Good. You're learning.
Sell high
Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres: I know, I know: he's the best young pitcher in the NL, he strikes out a lot of guys, he pitches in a stadium slightly roomier than Rhode Island, blah blah blah. But the amount of time he has been spending in MRI tubes (note the plural) has me a little concerned. You don't get them thingies done unless some more-than-mild discomfort exists, or unless you have a most generous and caring healthcare provider. By comparison, my healthcare plan calls for the liberal application of leeches in cases that don't involve severed limbs or digits.
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox: He blew a save on Monday! He blew a save on Monday! That makes two -- TWO -- earned runs over the course of 40 or so innings of work, which is as clear-cut a sign of professional atrophy as you're likely to see. The Red Sox might have to scotch plans to give him a "Best Closer in the History of Ever" plaque akin to the -- "Greatestistic Clutch Hitter In The World! Yay!" -- one they gave David Ortiz last year. For what it's worth, such designations are legally enforceable in the continental U.S.
Buy low
Choo Freeman, Colorado Rockies: This guy's style of play might most accurately be described as "overcaffeinated." I have no idea if he'll ever develop any power, but Choo (full name: Raphael Desepition Freeman) boasts enough speed to be taken semi-seriously by OF-deficient owners and enough defense to keep him in the lineup.
Tom Gorzelanny, Pittsburgh Pirates: If he were pitching in the Yankee or Red Sox system, he'd have been hyped as the second coming of Bruce Hurst or John Tudor, plus talk-radio fatheads would have already packaged him in a deal for Dontrelle Willis and tagged him with a colorful nickname. Yet since Gorzo the Great plies his trade under the umbrella of baseball's most inept organization, expectations are ankle-low. A look at his minor-league numbers (especially the 94 Ks in 100 innings) suggests that he's more than up to the task. One caveat: he'll face the Tigers and Metsies in his first two starts.
Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels of Death Metal: The Angels' team OPS sits at a vomitous .712; Kendrick's triple-A OPS fell precipitously this week, to a mere 1.085. Current headline on the LAA website: "Cabrera needs fans' help in All-Star vote." Sigh.