| Back on the Job |
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It’s been less than a week since the All-Star break, and several stars are finally getting healthy and back to work. Tampa Bay went 2-1 over the weekend and retook sole possession of first place after Boston got swept by the Angels. The Rays also welcome back closer Troy Percival who was activated on Sunday. He pitched the 9th in mop-up duty (Tampa lost 4-9 to the Jays) and allowed 1 hit and struck out 1. Percival should slide back into the 9th inning with Grant Balfour, Dan Wheeler, and company return to set-up roles. The Rays will be more careful with Percival because of his continued hamstring problems. I would bet on another DL stint for him down the stretch and a return to the committee approach. Seattle also got its closer back J.J. Putz was also activated on Sunday. He entered the game in the 7th and needed just 13 pitches to shut down the Indians. Putz will be eased back into closer duties and will continue to pitch in middle relief until he is deemed ready. That means Brandon Morrow probably has about a week to pick up some more saves for you fantasy team as the primary closer. Morrow still holds value because of his excellent strikeout numbers, and Putz hasn’t exactly been durable this season. Ryan Rowland-Smith was optioned to Triple-A where he will become a full-time starter. Rowland-Smith was considered a replacement at the beginning of the season for Putz, but instead ended up filling in in the rotation and did well. His K-rate has declined and the walk-rate has risen however probably indicating his stuff plays up in the pen much better. Still, something to keep an eye on in future seasons. He has some talent. • Alfonso Soriano appears ready to return for the Cubs, and Thursday is the date. • Soriano’s Chicago teammate Kerry Wood has managed to stay healthy all year, but now he appears to have succumbed to…a blister. The fact that his injury is just a blister is very good news given his history of shoulder problems. Conveniently, Carlos Marmol has probably been dropped recently in most leagues because of his terrible recent performance that resulted somehow in an undeserving All-Star appearance. Marmol will be the fill-in for Wood and can now blow games in the 9th instead of the middle innings (unless of course he can rediscover his mechanics). • The Pillow Fight in the NL West continues as the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are tied for first with identical 40-42 records. Arizona is starting to have very big issues in their bullpen giving up five runs in the 9th to blow a lead against L.A. on Sunday. Makes you wonder when we will see Max Scherzer back up in the majors. The Diamondbacks also lost Justin Upton to the DL last week because of an oblique injury. Alex Romero is his replacement and holds almost zero fantasy value. The Dodgers meanwhile signed Pablo Ozuna to help out their creaky veterans at shortstop and second base. He holds even less value than Romero. • Boston’s Justin Masterson is back with the Red Sox, but this time he will be a reliever. He could become the set-up man for Boston given the struggles of Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen, and Hideki Okajima. • Billy Wagner has avoided an MRI on his shoulder for now. He felt tightness Sunday but felt better after the game (where he struck out the side in the 10th against the Reds). • I don’t think Ray Durham will be taking Rickie Weeks’ job, but given that Milwaukee is clearly going for it this season that is not for certain. Weeks has elite talent, and is still just 25 (26 in September) but his performance has been poor. His OPS is just .691 and his defense is erratic at best. Durham has almost no upside left at 36 but his OBP is .385. He can’t run like Weeks, but he surely would get on base much more consistently. These two will probably share second base killing both of their fantasy values. Trackback(0)
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Jonathan Lee AccuScore Analyst
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