• Closer controversy brewing in Minnesota? Well, maybe not a true controversy, but Matt Capps is clearly not as healthy as the Twins would like you believe. We know because it was Glen Perkins, not Capps, who was called in to dust of a 5-4 win in Cincinnati tonight — giving up a couple hits, but also whiffing two. It’s now been over a week since Capps last appeared, and while the fact that he hasn’t been placed on the disabled list shows that Minnesota doesn’t think his shoulder issue is a huge one, it has clearly nagged him longer than originally expected. Perkins has the peripherals of a closer (11.7 K/9, 2.98 xFIP) and seems likely to eventually force Minnesota’s hand in the ninth, whether it be through a Capps trade or a potential Wally Pipp-type situation. One thing is clear: buy Perkins, sell Capps. Even if the latter regains his job in the next week or so, it’s becoming increasingly hard to imagine him lasting the season at the back end of the bullpen. Also, while the Twins threw up a smokescreen about Jared Burton getting save chances, it’s been pretty obvious that Perkins is the guy who is the heir apparent in the Twin Cities. Burton might be worth a glance in super-deep leagues, but probably shouldn’t be on the radar in anything else.

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Every year, at about this time, I like to go back and check in on certain strategies employed on draft day and see how they have served me thus far.  Is it a strategy worth employing again?  What tweaks to it are needed for the next time, if indeed there is a next time?  One strategy in particular, the one that seems to always spur the most discussion, that deserves to be re-visited is the one where I, because of the incredible depth at pitching, draft a beast-like offense first and wait until closer to the middle rounds to pick up my starters.  Nothing but bats to start things off and somewhere around the 10th or 11th round, I grab my first pitcher. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s two-start piece features a trio of veterans, followed by a pair of rookies with accommodating matchups. Read the rest of this entry »

Ben Zobrist had perhaps one of the more bizarre starts to the 2012 season. He staggered out of the gate carrying a .205 batting average in April, but walked at almost a 20% rate, giving him a .364 on base percentage. It was easy enough to chalk the batting average up to rotten luck and small sample size.

Then he spent May hitting .202/.321/.372. Concerns about the 2010 laid egg started to abound, and for good reason.

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No, that’s not the name of a law firm. Rather, those are the last names of three under-the-radar pitching prospects who made their MLB debuts in the past week. Click below to take a closer look at the trio, and as a bonus you’ll get not one, but two more minor leaguers nearing the bigs.

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Through the first two-plus months of the year, Toronto had been fortunate enough to have one of the healthiest rotations in the big leagues. With the exception of one Joel Carreno start in the third game of the season, the quintet of Ricky Romero / Brandon Morrow / Henderson Alvarez / Kyle Drabek / Drew Hutchison had started every Blue Jays game through June 16. Consistency isn’t quite the same as effectiveness, of course, since Alvarez & Drabek were each cruising along with ugly FIP scores over 5.50, but nonetheless, few teams had made it that far into the season with such a low turnover in the rotation.

That situation fell apart completely in the span of four days last week, as Morrow (oblique), Drabek (elbow), and Hutchison (elbow) each hurt themselves and landed on the disabled list. Drabek will have Tommy John surgery and will be out until well into 2013; Hutchison’s fate is yet to be decided but a zipper of his own hasn’t been ruled out. Neither had much fantasy relevance, but the loss of Morrow for a month or more is acute, as he’d evolved into one of the better starters in the game, most recently ranked as the #20 overall starter on the latest Yahoo! leaderboards.

With the trio gone, Toronto suddenly has to fill 60% of their rotation. Let’s look at who’s left standing and who is now in line for opportunity; you might want to take the very young and very old out of the room before continuing, because it’s not pretty…

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Today being June 22, 2012 means several things. I’m sure important things have happened on this date. I’m also sure that it is called “my birthday” by many people. Most importantly, today marks the 8th Anniversary of JoJo’s self titled debut album. I only bring this up because one of my friends was (and quite possibly still is) a massive JoJo fan. And yes, I am laughing as I type these words. Of course, I was just a senior in high school at the time and he was just a junior, but still, JoJo? Everyone has embarrassing things from their high school days, but few are on the same level as thinking JoJo was a supremely talented artist. This one’s for you Michael L. I know you just shipped out to Liberia in service of the Peace Corps, but I hope you read this somehow and laugh. Love you buddy! Tangents aside, here is today’s Roto Riteup:

• Will Middlebrooks‘ BABIP is now up to .380 after a 3-for-4 day at the plate yesterday. With the Red Sox actively pushing the “Trade Kevin Youkilis” angle, it appears as though Middlebrooks will be eventually be the guy to own. I’m not too crazy about Middlebrooks’ skill set of lots of K’s and not many walks, but if he is the starter in Boston, he has to be owned. ZiPS isn’t especially fond of him either, predicting a .255 average the rest of the way. On the bright side, he is only owned in 33% of Yahoo! and 32% of ESPN leagues, so maybe you can pick him up and flip him while his value is still high. I’m guessing here, but I’m going to say that his value will never be higher than it is right now. I’d see if I can do a little dealing. Read the rest of this entry »

• Alfredo Aceves needed just seven pitches to lock down his 18th save tonight in a 6-5 Red Sox victory over the Marlins. Boston’s current ninth inning man got off to a bit of a rocky start in his new role, earning just two saves in his first four chances with a 1.0 K/BB. However, since April 23rd (and entering today) Aceves has “converted 15-of-16 save opportunities with a 1.59 ERA.”

That was the good news for those who own shares of Alfredo Aceves in their fantasy leagues. Now on to the bad: Andrew Bailey threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session on Wednesday and is expected to do the same again on Friday. Bailey, who was acquired from the Oakland Athletics prior to this season, was to assume the closer’s role vacated by Jonathan Papelbon who signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Unfortunately, Bailey suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb that required surgery on April 4th which has delayed the closer’s regular season debut for Boston. Barring any setbacks, Bailey looks to return “around” the All-Star Break. Now may not be a bad time to trade Aceves and/or add Bailey if possible in your league.
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It’s time for me to wave the white flag on this year in Scoresheet. At 27-42, I’m only nine games out of first in my division, but I’m in last. As in dead last in King Kaufman’s AL-Skeeter 12-team AL-only Scoresheet league in the inaugral year. A couple of injuries lasted longer than I thought they would, and I’m not sure I understood how much depth is needed going into the season. In any case, I’m willing to jettison non-keepers to improve my position for next year. Inauspicious beginnings, but there are some things to like about this team still.

Perhaps you can help me identify the best non-keepers. It’s my firm belief that a fire sale should come with a white flag waive — I did that by trading Derek Lowe for a 21st-rounder next year — and then a quick strike with the best tradeable chips leaving first. We keep 13 veterans and as many prospects and/or rookies as we like (rookie is defined as anyone under the rookie eligibility 130/50 PA/IP cap).

So who should I be pushing next? Where are my biggest decisions? I’ve put asterisks next to the veteran keepers I’m looking at — I need three of the guys with (*) next to their name. I shopped Napoli some, but the offers were not exciting, so I’m more likely to work around the edges.

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