Archive for Philadelphia Phillies

While the Philadelphia Phillies sit and scratch their heads, trying to regroup from their Friday night ouster from the playoffs, fantasy owners of Ryan Howard, especially those in keeper leagues, have just as big a fish to fry.  If somehow you missed it, on the final at bat of the Cardinals’ Game 5 victory over the Phillies, Howard stumbled out of the batter’s box, heard a pop, and crumpled to the ground.  MRI results have revealed a torn Achilles tendon which usually requires atleast a six month recovery time, putting Howard’s potential return date sometime in April.  Unfortunately, no legitimate timetable can be given until after the surgery takes place and he starts his rehab.  So now the question is, what do fantasy owners do with him?

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In his first (almost) full year as the Phillies closer, it’s been an outstanding year for Ryan Madson.  With the usual injury issues of Brad Lidge and the seemingly ageless Jose Contreras, Madson, who for years has been the trusted right-handed set-up man and spot closer for the team, took over the ninth inning  job early on and never looked back.  He finished the regular season with 32 saves, a 2.37 ERA (2.25 FIP), and 62 strikouts in 60.2 innings of work.  He posted a rock solid 48.8 GB%, a meager 3.7% HR/FB, and had a manager’s dreamlike 80.7% LOB.  Now he takes his game to the playoffs where his mettle will be further tested as he will be relied upon to be the team’s stopper on baseball’s biggest stage.  All the while, likely sitting in the back of his mind, his impending free agency looms.  That’s quite a load for anyone to handle.  But while all that is fine and dandy for those that live in the real world, we’re still living in a fantasy baseball world here and what Madson owners everywhere want to know is — where will he land next season and will he remain a closer?

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