Yardbarker: Colorado Rockies

Thinking One Step Ahead in Fantasy

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:27:55 -0500

In the deepest of fantasy baseball leagues, sometimes you have to pick up guys that aren't playing everyday... yet. Here, The Lineup takes a look at some players that could be an ankle tweak away from regular playtime and some helpful production for AL- and NL-only managers. Take a ride through the likes of Todd Helton, Rocco Baldelli, Clint Barmes, Greg Dobbs and Jay Payton.

MLB Free Agent Specialty - Week 19

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:48:41 -0500

Not quite like Waiver Wire, this piece examines potentially available players that focus on a specific category. If you need some power, we have a suggestion. If you need some speed, we have a suggestion. If you need some K's, we have a suggestion. Unfortunately, these players will not help your fantasy team (most of the time) outside of the category they are listed.

Inside The Box August 6th Edition

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:45:13 -0500

A look at a guy who you don't want to get traded for, the pitcher who leads the majors in wins since 2005, a minor league lifer who excelled in his major league debut, a hitter with his eyes on an elusive 30-30 mark, a star who was once packaged for Lou Collier and lots more.

Ranking the Top 10 Markets for Relocation or Expansion

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:21:19 -0500

30. Its a number that seems to suit big pro sports leagues in America. The NBA has it. Ditto for the NHL. And yes, MLB has it. Currently, only the NFL is the exception at 32. The number of markets at 30 is manageable. The NFL has the advantage of being highly centralized (revenues are shared more evenly across the franchises), and exceptionally popular. Even with that, there are strains (note that the owners recently opted out of the CBA) with the added teams. Of all these, it is MLB that was the last to expand (1998). NHL? 2000 with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild. NFL? 2002 with the Houston Texans. NBA? 2004 with the rechristened Charlotte Bobcats. And, when you look at MLB historically, the stretch in-between expansions currently is the second longest since, well… the Expansion Era: a decade. There are reasons for this, of course. The rapid period of expansion in the ‘60s occurred shortly after Walter O’Malley and Horace Stoneham moved the Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast. The moves in 1957 showed that with air travel, markets west of the Mississippi could be tapped that had never been considered before. When coupled with the growth of television, untapped revenues could be accessed. The AL and NL were also very much separate leagues vying for markets. Now, most all the prime large markets have been sucked up, and television, once simply an over-the-air matter, is a huge factor given regional sports networks. Below is a listing of markets, along with their respective leagues from the time the Dodgers and Giants relocated, till 2008. Expansion or Relocation in the Modern Era Team Year League Angels 1961 AL Senators relocate, become Twins 1961 AL Senators (Part II) 1961 AL Mets 1962 NL Astros 1962 NL Milwaukee Braves relocate to Atlanta 1966 NL KC Athletics relocate to Oakland 1968 AL Padres 1969 NL Expos 1969 NL Royals 1969 AL Pilots/Brewers 1969 AL Second Senators relocate to Arlington (Rangers) 1972 AL Mariners 1977 AL Blue Jays 1977 AL Rockies 1993 NL Marlins 1993 NL D-Backs 1998 NL Devil Rays 1998 AL Expos relocate to DC (Nationals) 2004 NL Select Read More to see the Top 10 Markets for Relocation or Expansion

The Life and Times of Valerio De La Santos — As a Rockie

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:33:04 -0500

Final Numbers The Good: 2 starts, 6 hits, 5 earned runs, 10 strikeouts The Bad: 8 innings The Ugly: 178 pitches (in 8 freaking innings), 93 strikes, 11 walks Memories of Valerio De La Santos Clint Hurdle We liked Valerio. We like how he spins the ball. We thought his erratic control was a good fit for our rotation. [...]

Evening Events

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:59:59 -0500

-It appears the Rockies have been awarded waiver claims to veteran pitcher Livan Hernandez.

-According to the New York Post, Joba Chamberlain is scheduled to have his shoulder evaluated by Dr. James Andrews. This is very bad news for Yankees fans as it likely indicates a serious injury or befuddlement on the part of the Yankees medical staff. Ian Kennedy will be called up to replace Chamberlain in the rotation.

-The Mariners have designated 2b Jose Vidro for assignment. Vidro was hitting .340 since the all-star break and it wouldn't be surprising to see him picked up by a contender for the final stretch of the season.

Phillies - Marlins Series Preview

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:01:57 -0500

The Phillies come in to this week's series against the Florida Marlins two and a half games up in first place and are looking to extend that lead to a possible five and a half games. They begin Tuesday by sending out Marlins' killer Jamie Moyer (10-6, 3.79) to face off against Josh Johnson (1-0, 4.18). Johnson has four starts this season since coming off Tommy John surgery, and despite only having one win, the Marlins have won all four games. He got his first win his last time out when he went 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs against the New York Mets. In his other start against the Phillies this season, Johnson gave up two runs in 6 2/3 innings, but got a no decision. Moyer, on the other hand, has just completely filleted the Marlins in 10 career starts against them, going 10-0 with a 3.03 ERA. Not only has he factored into the decision every time out, but has gotten the win. His last time out against Florida he allowed two runs over six innings and hasn't allowed more than three runs in a game since June 1. Wednesday night's game is the battle of the young righties, pitting Kyle Kendrick (9-5, 4.59), age 23, against Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 3.18), age 24. Sanchez's last time out was his first start in almost 15 months, in which he went 5 2/3 innings giving up two runs on six hits. According to the Phillies website, Sanchez retired six of the first seven batters he faced, threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the 25 hitters and left the game with the bases loaded and two outs after throwing 95 pitches — 56 for strikes. Prior to a rough sixth inning, Sanchez only allowed three runners to reach scoring position. Kendrick is coming off his second straight quality start after facing the Nationals on Thursday. He went 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. The Phillies are now 15-7 this season when Kendrick takes the mound, tops on the team. That being said, the last time Kendrick faced the Marlins he had perhaps his worst outing of his career, allowing seven runs on three home runs in 4 1/3 innings. He has since rebounded nicely, winning his next two outings. The final game of the series is a 1:05 PM start and pits the struggling Cole Hamels (9-7, 3.37) against Chris Volstad (2-2, 3.25). Volstad has four major league starts in his career and had his worst outing to date on Friday against the Rockies. The 21-year old rookie gave up five runs in just five innings of work on eight hits. He struck out six and walked three. Phillies' ace Cole Hamels has had his share of troubles over the past couple weeks and has not recorded a win since July 3 against the Atlanta Braves, starting with his last start against the Marlins. Hamels actually went into the eighth in that game, and only gave up two runs, both on home runs. The second run came off a Cody Ross in the eighth inning and Hamels has looked shaky ever since. This a pivotal series for the Phillies, as they look to put some serious distance between them and the Marlins and give themselves a little breathing room. They need to take at least two games from this series because the Mets are facing the struggling Padres and will in all likelihood win at least two of their own games and the Phillies need to do everything they can to keep some distance between them and the rest of the division.

Quick Hits: Garcia, Hernandez, Eyre

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:29:56 -0500

-Several teams are expected to be scouting RHP Freddy Garcia today during a workout in Florida as he tries to come back from shoulder surgery. The NY Post reports the Mets will be among those teams as they search for pitching help.
-With pitcher Livan Hernandez clearing waivers today,any team that takes him will only pay a prorated portion of the league $390,000 minimum. the Twins would have to pay the remainder of his $5 million contract.The Rockies, Diamondbacks and Mets are showing interest.
-Speaking of pitching, the Cubs are looking to make a waiver trade for Scott Eyre. Interested teams are the Yankees, Rays, Phillies and Boston. Kerry Wood's return appears to be imminent and that may have factored into the Cubs' decision to try to get something for Eyre.

MLB Waiver Wire - Week 19

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:12:02 -0500

Screaming Sports' Tommy D breaks out the MLB Waiver Wire and runs downs a list of five potential fantasy studs. If you're looking for that extra edge this week and beyond, then this gem is for you.

Mets Big Winners At Deadline !

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:02:00 -0500

The Mets may be considered the losers of the deadline but , the options were really not there and realistically Omar understands the team they have this year is not gonna get it done . If they were one big piece away then maybe you mortgage the future. This team has far to many question marks and unfortunately the players that were supposed to be key factors in the success of this team are on the D.L. This year has not favored the Mets at all . With the Mets shuffling players & coaches all year long they really have not had any time to become a TEAM . I feel Omar has made the proper choice to stand pat and see what he's got in the farms. Bringing up the young guys can prove to be more beneficial then renting a player for two months . As a Mets fan I say thumbs up OMAR ! I really want to see the Young Guns get action ! Win or Lose , Lets build from within . Owning instead of renting is a BIG WIN in my book !

Register called up by Rockies

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:12:56 -0500

The Colorado Rockies called up reliever Steven Register from Colorado Springs to take the roster spot of the recently designated for assignment Valerio De Los Santos. Register who was taken in the Rule 5 draft earlier this year failed to make the New York Mets out of spring training and was returned to the Rockies. The Rockies placed the 25 year old lefty in Triple-A where he compiled a 3.28 ERA and a 45/15 K/BB ratio in 49 1/3 innings as the closer for the Sky Sox. Odds are that he is only be up until Jeff Francis comes off the disabled list.

Week 18's Hottest Hitters

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:19:02 -0500

With double digit Runs (11) scored and RBIs (10), New York Yankees RF Bobby Abreu tops our weekly list while also hitting 4 HRs to go along with a .433 BA, a .514 OBP and a stolen base. Cubs LF Alfonso Soriano has been hot since returning from the DL as he hit 4 HRs last week while scoring 10 runs and swiping 4 bases while hitting .441 with an OBP of .487 last week. As the Phillies are phighting over first place in the NL East last week, CF Shane Victorino hit 3 HRs while knocking in 10 RBIs and stealing 2 bases while also maintaining a .357 BA and .400 OBP. The Rockies LF Matt Halliday also hit 4 HRs while scoring 10 runs with a stolen base, hitting .375 with an OBP of .429, but only had 6 RBIs which means he hit mostly solo shots last week. With splitting time in both Boston and LA, the newest member of the Dodgers, LF Manny Ramirez finds himself at the # 5 spot on our weekly top 10. He hit .448 with an OBP of .484 while hitting 3 HRs and driving in 10 RBIs. Rounding out the bottom 5 of this list are newly acquired Yankee LF Xavier Nady thanks to a big game on Sunday (a HR and 6 RBIs), the Cardinals OF Ryan Ludwick (4 HRs), Twins 1B and 2008 Home Run Derby Official Champion, Justin Morneau (12 RBIs), Royals new SS Mike Aviles (3 HRs) and last but not least, Indians CF Grady Sizemore (3 SBs). Player Team Pos R HR RBI SB Avg OB% Totals ABREU, BOBBY NYY OF 11 4 10 1 .433 .514 26.947 SORIANO, ALFONSO CHC OF 10 4 7 4 .441 .487 25.928 VICTORINO, SHANE PHI OF 8 3 10 2 .357 .400 23.757 HOLLIDAY, MATT COL OF 10 4 6 1 .375 .429 21.804 RAMIREZ, MANNY LA OF 7 3 10 0 .448 .484 20.932 NADY, XAVIER NYY OF 7 3 10 0 .435 .480 20.915 LUDWICK, RYAN STL OF 7 4 8 0 .467 .543 20.010 MORNEAU, JUSTIN MIN 1B 5 2 12 0 .222 .313 19.535 AVILES, MIKE KC SS 9 3 6 0 .567 .581 19.148 SIZEMORE, GRADY CLE OF 5 2 8 3 .300 .462 18.762

History of the Great First Baggers

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:56:42 -0500

The FBHOF explores the storied tradition of first base. From Cecil Cooper to Don Mattingly and Frank Thomas to Albert Pujols, first base has perennially been the premier power position of fantasy baseball.

Phillies - Cardinals Series Recap

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:42:30 -0500

The Phillies came into Friday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals one game ahead of the second place New York Mets in the National League East standings. The Phillies currently stand two and a half games up on the now second place Florida Marlins, and three up on the now third place Mets after taking two of three from the Cardinals. The Marlins lost two games against the Colorado Rockies and the Mets were swept in Houston, extending their losing streak to four. Game 1 Cardinals 6 Phillies 3 In a surprising twist, Phillies' ace Cole Hamels struggled for the second start in a row, giving up five runs on eight hits in six innings. He gave up four runs in the third inning. Outfielder Skip Schumaker singled to start the third and Cesar Izturis walked ahead of Joe Mather, who hit his fifth homer. "Now that I think about it," Hamels said. "The big innings that I have given up (this year), the changeup has been up. I haven't really been able to locate it down in the zone." Hamels was barely outmatched by former Phillie Kyle Lohse, who went five innings and gave up three runs. Lohse failed to get an out in the sixth inning, and has gone seven innings only eight times this season in 24 starts. Coming into Friday, the Cardinals as a team have 25 blown saves this season and current beleaguered closer Jason Isringhausen has eight blown saves of his own and has already lost his job once this season. Nevertheless, he got the final four outs to close out the game for St. Louis on Friday, including two walks and two strikeouts. Game 2 Phillies 2 Cardinals 1 Friday's loss ended a five game Phillies' winning streak and the next day the Fightins did exactly what good teams do: they started a new winning streak. They rebounded nicely for Joe Blanton's first win as a Phillie, giving up just one run on four hits in seven innings. Blanton struck out five, all on called third strikes. Ryan Howard and Greg Dobbs provided Blanton with all the offense necessary on two solo home runs. Blanton took care of the rest, giving up a solo home run to Ryan Ludwick, his third home run in two games. "He kept us off balance, moved the ball around the strike zone and just off the strike zone," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He did a good job of mixing things up." Blanton's opponent, former Mets' reliever Braden Looper, is 2-6 with a 5.53 ERA lifetime against the Phillies. Two of those loses have come this season. Game 3 Phillies 5 Cardinals 4 Phillies' closer Brad Lidge got his 28th save in 28 chances Sunday, but came very close to blowing his first save of the season. With the Phillies leading 5-3 coming into the ninth inning, Troy Glaus led off the inning with a solo home run, just the second home run given up by Lidge this season. The Cardinals then proceeded to load the bases with two outs and the situation was looking dire indeed. Then Lidge reminded us all why he is the best reliever in the National League. Instead of getting overwhelmed and cracking under the pressure, Lidge came back and struck out the next two batters to close out the game. Despite not getting the win, Brett Myers put together his second quality outing in as many chances. It appears that his three week stint in AAA helped him workout his demons and get him back on track. Myers allowed just two runs over six innings and continues to build the confidence he needs to lead the Phillies down the stretch. Down 3-1, the Phillies put together a four run eighth inning capped off by Shane Victorino's three run home run to put them ahead for good. "You kind of have an idea of what he has by watching video, and I was just trying to hit a ball I could drive," Victorino said. "It was a fastball. That's what I think it was." Pat Burrell continues to be the most consistent and timely hitter on the Phillies, getting a two-out RBI single off Cardinals' reliever Russ Springer immediately preceding Victorino. Coming into Sunday, the trio of Howard (31), Chase Utley and Burrell (27) combined for more homers than eight of the 30 major league teams. The Phillies are off Monday and look to extend their current two-game winning streak Tuesday in Philadelphia against the Marlins.

Inside The Box August 4th Edition

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:29:45 -0500

Today's look at the boxscores brings us a modern-day record that won't be beat, a third baseman who defines average, a defensively-challenged left fielder (not Manny) whose defense negates his bat, a future stud closer who picked up his first save, a starting catcher with a .300 batting average who is probably available on your waiver wire and lots more.