Day 180

Notes from yesterday:

On the penultimate day of the 2007 fantasy baseball season, one can only shake his head and think, "What could have been." I have lost ten points in ten days with no obvious reason why. Every coin-toss category came-up tails when I called heads.

I needed AVG and cut Andruw jones for Edgar Renteria. I was close in Saves and added Brian Wilson. I needed Wins and added Oliver Perez. I was close in SBs and added Michael Bourn. Noe of the moves cost me anything I couldn't afford to lose.

Losing that way hurts more than pinning one's season on Chris Carpenter

Day 179

Notes from yesterday:

Two days left. Has Daisuke Matsuzaka won the Al ROY award now that he has surpassed 200 Ks?

*

Let's go Phillies!

Day 178

Notes from yesterday:

Rockies rookie starter Franklyn Morales won his 3rd game to continue the Rockies improbable run to the NL play-offs. Originally, I wanted to note the difference in his numbers between August and September (4.40 ERA/1.81 WHIP/6K in 14.1 IP versus 2.88 ERA/0.88 WHIP/20K in 25 IP), but then thought better off it due to the small sample.

However, I did notice in this process of examination that despite the disparate results between the two months, he has only allowed 2 HRs in those 39.1 combined innings. Over 200 innings, that comes out to 10 HRs allowed. If that rate is legitmate, then he will be legitmate in 2008.

Day 177

Notes from yesterday:

With four days remaining, I am cutting loose the players whose contracts expire this weekend and taking a flyer from the pool. In the NL, I like Dan Ortmeier, the San Francisco Giant who is one game from dual eligibility at 1B and OF for next year.

With Ryan Klesko and Barry Bonds no longer there, the opportunity for ABs at 1B and LF are there for the taking.

Day 176

Notes from yesterday:

SS Chin-Ling Hu hit his 2nd major league HR last night. Need to gamble for a HR or two before the seasons ends and you have an opening at SS or MM, then grab Hu. The injuries to Furcal and Abreu should get him another handful of starts. Hopefully.

Day 175

Notes from yesterday:

Wes Littleton got the save for the Rangers last night. Since Eric Gagne was dealt, the role has been CJ Wilson's, then Joaquin Benoit's, then Wilson got a save and now Lttleton. This looks like a committee entering next season.

Let's hope it is more clear on Draft Day 2008.

Day 174

Notes from yesterday:

Finally! The Dodgers started Chin-Lung Hu at SS yesterday. More important, second-year hurler Chad Billingsley won his 12th game to accompany his 3.09 ERA. Throw-in a 140 Ks in a 145.2 IP, and you have the makings of a sleeper in next year's drafts.

Day 173

Notes from yesterday:

Brian Wilson successfuly converted his second save opportunity since being given the role. If you grabbed him when I began touting him, congrats. He will save you $20+ in next year's NL-only drafts.

*

Chin-Lung Hu still isn't playing. What is going unreported?

Day 172

Notes from yesterday:

Finally! Chin-Lung Hu got into a game. He didn't start one, that was Tony Abreu, but he did get a third AB. And struck out.

Now one worries he is going to get Torre-ed - left to rot on the bench for weeks and then given some playing time and fails due to the time on the bench and then doesn't get to play again because he failed. Inspired by Joe Torre's action with reliever Edwar Ramirez in July 2007.

Day 171

Notes from yesterday:

Once again, no Hu.

*

Not sure where he fits in, but Astros rookie CF Josh Anderson is hitting .444 in 36 ABs. He is a player to watch as a source of $1 SBs next season. He swiped 40 in AAA this year.

Day 170

Notes from yesterday:

Rookie Tony Abreu started at SS for the Dodgers. Why not Hu?

*

Ervin Santana pitched a gem against the Devil Rays yesterday. After a season's worth of ratio-killing, he has pitched very well in September - 2 Wins in 21.1 IP with three earned runs and 24 strikeouts. Are you losing in Ks or Wins because some out-of-it team picked hum up as a gamble for next season?

*

Anyone else notice Pirates' OF Nate McLouth has 12 HRs and 20 SBs on the season? I'll take than for a $1 next year.

Day 169

Notes from yesterday:

Dodgers' SS Raphael Furcal was rmeoved from the 1st game of yesterday's doubleheader with back spasms. He was replaced by Winston Valdez. In the second game, Ramon Martinez started at SS.

Why isn't Chin-Lung Hu getting any playing time?

Day 168

Notes from yesterday:

White Sox rookie 2B Danny Richar hit his 6th HR since being recalled following the Tadahito Iguchi trade at the end of July. More interesting is how well he has done in his second month versus his first.

In August, he hit 195/290/366 with 3 2Bs, a triple and three HRs. In September, his numbers improved markedly to 309/345/600 with the same number of extra base hits in 17 fewer ABS (55 v. 82).

Is this more than statistical noise due to small sample sizes or has Richar adjusted to major league hitting?

*

Brian Wilson successfully converted his first save since former closer Brad hennessey was dmeoted to sixth inning work. Even better, Hennessey pitched to two batters in the 6th and walked both.

Day 167

Notes from yesterday:

From yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle:

"We're going to shuffle the deck here a little bit," Bochy announced before the game, revealing he plans to move Hennessey to the sixth and seventh innings and use Tyler Walker and Brian Wilson in the later innings."

Day 166

Notes from yesterday:

With 11 Ks last night, Devil Rays' lefty Scott Kazmir has 220 on the season. He has defintely pitched his way to into the second tier of SPs in leagues that count Ks. 200 K pitchers are too rare for Kazmir to be anywhere else.

What is as notable is he has rung-up this total in 195.2 IP. In his rookie season, he pitched 10 fewer innings and struck out 46 fewer batters. He also walked 15 more batters in those ten fewer innings. That "progression" will support the bandwagon as we roll into 2008.

Day 165

Notes from yesterday:

Oakland rookie, and likely starting 1B in 2008, Daric Barton hit his 1st major league HR and doubled for the 3rd time since being recalled earlier this week. With only two weeks left, he may have slipped through many fantasy players attention. Grab him if a 15/80/.290 1B has value in your league.

Day 164

Notes from yesterday:

Am I the only fantasy player who is shocked how little the Dodgers have used Chin-Lung Hu? He has one official AB, and it was a HR.

Day 163

Notes from yesterday:

I went all in yesterday in an effort to preserve a 3rd place finish. The categories that are close are AVG, SB and Saves. My actions were to activate Edgar Renteria and waive Andruw Jones to boost average, waive Willy Tavares for Michael Bourn for SBs, and activate Brian Wilson and waive Antonio Alfonseca.

This is an NL-only keeper league that allows transaction until the end of the season. Both Jones and Tavares are in the last year of their contracts and I lose a year of eligibility for Wilson by activating him this season rather than holding him on my reserve.

The big risks are Jones and Tavares falling off waivers and into the free agent pool where both would carry salaries of $10.

Day 162

Notes from yesterday:

A day after Brad Hennessey blew a save, the Giants used Brian Wilson to close yesterday victory. If you're desparate for Saves, grab Wilson. He may get another couple opportunities. I'll be activating him from my farm and losing a year of keepability because my lead in Saves has dropped to two, and the point loss would drop me out of the money.

Day 161

Notes from yesterday:

I just noticed that David Wright has 31 SBs. He was a late first round pick last year. Can he rise any higher?

*

Have you noticed the quality of MM? Jimmie Rollins, Brandon Phillips, Chase Utley, Hanley Ramirez, and Jose Reyes look like locks to be selected in the first two rounds.

Day 160

Notes from yesterday:

Is there any doubt that next season's #1 overall pick will by Alex Rodriguez? 52 HRs in a power-starved year is going to look very good when rankings are calculated.

Day 159

Notes from yesterday:

The Braves activated SS Edgar Renteria from the DL. He went 2-4. The question is whether he ready to play everyday. If so, adding his AVG for the last 20 games and dropping an Andruw Jones average killer who make a lot of sense for the AVG category.

Day 158

Notes from yesterday:

Don't look now, but Rockies' rookie SS Troy Tulowitzki is having a great season. With a 19/80/7/293 line with 20 or so games remaining, he is going to be an under-drafted player in next seasons' drafts.

There are just too many SSs with 20+ SBs for him to be anything but a value pick.

Day 157

Notes from yesterday:

Wunderkind Cardinals' OF Rick Ankeil hit two HRs and drove-in seven runs. Then the Daily News story broke that he received HGH shipments in 2004.

Day 156

Notes from yesterday:

Mariners' rookie reliever brandon morrow allowed two earned runs without retiring a batter. he is in the midst of a spell that will destroy competitve WHIP races. Since August 28th, he has made 5 appearances and allowed nine earned runs over 3 2/3s innings of work. If that wasn't enopugh, he has allowed 15 runners and struck out just two.

This reminds me of the damage Jeremy Accardo and Ryan Z. Braun did to my team last September - 11.74 ERA and 2.48 WHIP and 7.25/1.55 respectively.

Day 155

Notes from yesterday:

The Orioles recalled Fernando Cabrera from AAA. This is noteworthy for two reasons. First, he isn't that far removed from the label of "future closer", and second, the 2008 Orioles' closer job is an open competition.

Adding Cabrera now could pay-off in a cheap closer come draft time 2008.

Day 154

Notes from yesterday:

Mike Mussina had his best appearance in a long time - 3 2/3s IP with 7H and 2 ER. With Roger Clemens out with an elbow problem, Moose has reclaimed a rotation spot, and that is not good for the Yankees' wild card chances.

Any thoughts about Joba in the rotation?

*

Over at Halos Heaven, there is an excellent take down of the Genius of Bill Beane.

Day 153

Notes from yesterday:

The Dodgers recalled 2007 Futures Game MVP Chin-Lung Hu. He is blocked at SS by Raphael Furcal and at 2B by Jeff Kent, but he could provide some Macier Izturis-esque production if given a full-time utility role in 2008.

Day 152

Notes from yesterday:

With a no-hitter in his second major league appearance, Boston's Clay Buchholz has added to the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox. Is there any doubt this next seven months will be a spitting match between fans of either team as they debate who is better, Buchholz or Joba Chamberlain?

Day 151

Notes from yesterday:

The Pirates have recalled slugginb 1B Stephen Pearce, as with 1B Brad Eldred, the team has no place to play him. This time the presence of Adam LaRoche blocks the slugging firstbaseman.

Regardless, keeper leagues should take a flyer on Pearce and his .600+ SLG. One never knows what will happen between now and Opening Day 2008.