Jonathan Lee    AccuScore Analyst
View Blog

The Mets beat the Angels 9-6 Monday, and that’s a good thing for manager Willie Randolph and closer Billy Wagner.  Currently idling below .500 (34-35 after Monday) the Mets have become a non-stop drama with the New York media practically giving minute-by-minute updates to Randolph’s job status.  The win should hold off the hounds for at least another game. 

Fantasy owners were doing the same to Wagner as the normally reliable closer blew three straight games last week.  He gave up six runs in just 2.1 innings, a victim of two home runs.  Instead of remaining patient owners panicked and complained that he was done.  Wagner did allow a walk and a hit against the Angels, but he closed the game without incident for his 15^th save of the year.  His season totals are also completely in-line with his career numbers.  Wagner is still striking out double digit batters for the eighth straight season, and is posting the second best walk-rate of his career.  His numbers are all better than last season when he finished with a 2.63 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 34 saves.  Nobody complained then and they shouldn’t now which means stop the knee-jerk reactions.  Wagner is still one of the best closers in the game.  Panicking is bad for your fantasy health.

• New York starter Mike Pelfrey gave up six runs in six innings yet managed to get the win behind two Carlos Beltran home runs.  Pelfrey is no more than a spot starter at this point, and is unreliable is you plan on competing in the ratio categories.

• Similarly bad Jered Weaver has to be one of the most overrated pitchers in fantasy.  He also gave up six earned in 6.1 IP which raised his ERA to 4.73.  His K-rate isn’t all that great, and his WHIP is over 1.3.  Why do people love this guy again?  Weaver seems destined to follow the career path of his brother: remain touted while he’s young but never fulfill that supposed potential before a journeyman’s career.

• Two young aces squared off in Detroit’s Justin Verlander and San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum.  The Giants’ right-hander has been much better this season, but Verlander won this battle even though his team lost.  Verlander struck out 7 in 6 innings allowing just 2 earned, his seventh straight solid start.  Lincecum gave up 4 earned in his 7 innings and allowed 2 home runs while striking out just 3 batters.  Lincecum has pitched like one of the best in baseball so far this season.  Verlander has finally joined him.

• The Mariners are all kinds of bad, and Monday they fired GM Bill Bavasi.  That won’t change the losing culture of this year however, and Seattle got thumped by the Marlins 6-1.  Rookie Andrew Miller continues to shine giving up just one run in seven innings.  One good note for Seattle, temporary and future closer-in-training Brandon Morrow struck out all three batters his faced without allowing a baserunner.

• Atlanta rookie Brandon Jones now has 8 hits in his first 17 at-bats.  It looks like he will be getting plenty of time in left with all the injuries the Braves have suffered.  He has flashed some talent in the minors with a little pop and on-base skills.  His numbers don’t suggest that he will be any kind of star though so don’t buy in here. 

• More importantly for Atlanta is that Mike Gonzalez is expected to be activated Wednesday.  He has been out since last May after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and should be in the mix for the muddled closer role.  The Braves bullpen has been riddled with injuries to Peter Moylan, Rafael Soriano, and John Smoltz.  As a whole, the bullpen has just 11 saves by 6 different players this season, but Gonzalez could end the committee approach.  Things will start cautiously of course because of the long lay-off, but if he proves healthy he will be the guy in the ninth inning.  If you need saves, he is an immediate add with the caveat that he may not be closing quite yet until he gets a few innings under his belt.  

• Ryan Howard smacked two home runs off Bartolo Colon to push his season total to 19.  Is anybody still worried about him now?  The fat man in the Red Sox uniform (Colon) had his worst start of the year giving up four earned in four innings.  Manny Ramirez was back in left field though which is good news, and J.D. Drew continued his torrid streak hitting his 12^th dinger off Cole Hamels.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Title

Comment

Add Comment