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| J. Mitchell slated for surgery | Friday 3/12, 10:22 PM CT |
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Updating an earlier report, Jared Mitchell is slated for ankle surgery next week, according to Joe Cowley's (Chicago Sun-Times) twitter page.
Rototimes View: Mitchell was carted off the field in today's game against the Angels, and unfortunately the injury was not minor. He is a top prospect among outfielders for Chicago, and has looked good in the early going of spring training. |
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| Hanson throws sim game | Friday 3/12, 7:58 PM CT |
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Tommy Hanson threw four innings in a simulated game Friday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Hanson fired 66 pitches, and notched seven strikeouts while issuing just one walk and hit.
Rototimes View: Hanson was slated to pitch against the Yankees today, but the game was rained out. Skipper Bobby Cox thought he looked great, and appears to be the real deal after holding a strong 2.89 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 21 starts as a rookie in 2009. |
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| No front-runner for No. 5 spot in NY | Friday 3/12, 7:53 PM CT |
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There is currently no front-runner in the race for the No. 5 spot in the Yankees' rotation, according to the New York Daily News.
Rototimes View: Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes are the top candidates, the latter of which has performed better so far in spring training. It appears that Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre remain in the hunt as well. They are all being evaluated on more than just their stats. |
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| Stewart performs well Friday | Friday 3/12, 7:22 PM CT |
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Ian Stewart went 2-for-2 with a single and a double in Friday's 9-2 loss to the Giants in the Cactus League.
Rototimes View: Stewart broke out with 25 homers and 70 RBI over 425 at-bats in 2009, and should continue to improve in 2010. He looks to be a good pick among fantasy third basemen. |
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| Wellemeyer shuts down Rockies | Friday 3/12, 7:16 PM CT |
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Todd Wellemeyer only gave up two hits over four scoreless innings in Friday's 9-2 win over the Rockies in the Cactus League. He had no walks or strikeouts.
Rototimes View: This strong performance should help Wellemeyer's chances to claiming a spot in San Francisco's rotation. He is trying to bounce back after holding a dismal 5.28 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in an injury-spoiled 2009 campaign with St. Louis. |
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| Richard gunned down by Rangers | Friday 3/12, 7:04 PM CT |
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Clayton Richard was tagged for six earned runs on six hits over two innings of work in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Rangers in the Cactus League. He issued four walks with one strikeout.
Rototimes View: Richard should remain in the running for a spot near the bottom of San Diego's rotation, and the club will be hoping he will benefit from playing his home games at pitcher-friendly Petco Park. The former member of the White Sox held an unimpressive 4.41 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 153 innings in 2009. |
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| Davis has big day for Rangers | Friday 3/12, 6:56 PM CT |
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Chris Davis went 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI in today's 6-2 win over the Padres in the Cactus League.
Rototimes View: Davis has great power potential and overall upside - but will need to cut down on his strikeouts in order to have stability as the Rangers' No. 1 first baseman. He ranks as a good sleeper at the position. |
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| Harrison sharp for Texas | Friday 3/12, 6:49 PM CT |
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Matt Harrison only issued three hits over three scoreless innings in Friday's 6-2 win over the Padres in the Cactus League. He had no walks and two strikeouts.
Rototimes View: This was a strong outing for Harrison, but he still has a lot of work to do in his bid to win a spot in the Rangers' rotation. He is coming off Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery. |
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| Barton has good day at the plate | Friday 3/12, 6:42 PM CT |
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Daric Barton went 3-for-3 in Friday's 10-1 loss to the Diamondbacks in the Cactus League. He hit a double and two singles.
Rototimes View: Barton wasn't ready to push for regular playing time with Oakland in 2009, but that could change in the new season. He is competing with Jake Fox for the starting gig at first base, and Chris Carter is in the mix as well. |
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| Kennedy fares well Friday | Friday 3/12, 6:37 PM CT |
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Ian Kennedy only allowed two hits over three scoreless innings in Friday's 10-1 win over Oakland. He had one walk and two strikeouts.
Rototimes View: This was a strong performance for Kennedy, who is trying to nail down a spot near the bottom of Arizona's rotation. He was a top prospect for the Yankees, and would be worth targeting as a flier for NL-only leagues if he continues to fare well in spring training. |
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| Tuiasosopo has good day with Seattle | Friday 3/12, 6:32 PM CT |
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Matt Tuiasosopo went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in today's 6-6 tie with Kansas City. He hit a double and a solo homer off Juan Cruz.
Rototimes View: Tuiasosopo is batting .474 so far in spring training, but the Mariners may prefer him to start the season in the minors, in order to get him regular at-bats to further his development. He is viewed as a future starter at the hot corner in Seattle. |
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| Guillen looks good for KC | Friday 3/12, 6:21 PM CT |
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Jose Guillen went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 6-6 tie with Seattle. Both of his hits were singles.
Rototimes View: Guillen worked in right field, and looks to be OK so far while coming off ankle and lower-back surgery. He could post solid numbers if healthy this season, but will likely see less at-bats after the club added Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel in the offseason. |
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| Kershaw hurls three scoreless | Friday 3/12, 6:10 PM CT |
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Clayton Kershaw only issued two hits over three scoreless innings in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Reds in the Cactus League. He had two walks and fired three strikeouts.
Rototimes View: Kershaw is 22, and may be ready to pitch up to his hype as one of the top pitching prospects in the bigs. He will certainly have a good supporting cast and home pitcher's park to help him break out in 2010. |
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| Arroyo sharp for Reds | Friday 3/12, 5:56 PM CT |
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Bronson Arroyo allowed two hits over three scoreless innings in today's 3-2 win over the Dodgers in the Cactus League. He had no walks and one strikeout.
Rototimes View: Arroyo may be 33, but he earned 30 wins over his previous two seasons with Cincinnati, and averages 210 innings pitched over the span. He should have another quality season left in the tank. |
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| Escobar has good day with Brewers | Friday 3/12, 5:51 PM CT |
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Alcides Escobar went 3-for-3 with two runs scored in today's 12-3 win over the Cubs. Both of his knocks were singles.
Rototimes View: Escobar continues to have a fine spring training, and the young shortstop ranks as a strong sleeper at the position for 2010. |
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| Samardzija lit up by Brewers | Friday 3/12, 5:42 PM CT |
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Jeff Samardzija surrendered four earned runs on five hits over two innings in Friday's 12-3 loss to the Brewers in exhibition action. He had one walk and two strikeouts.
Rototimes View: This was a disappointing outing for Samardzija, who is competing for a spot at the bottom of the Cubs' rotation. At least he has time to bounce back and try to show Chicago he is ready to make an impact as a starter. |
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| Rios homers for Sox | Friday 3/12, 5:33 PM CT |
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Alex Rios went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in today's 10-7 preseason win over the Angels. He hit a double and a two-run homer off Travis Chick.
Rototimes View: Rios is having a good spring training, with two homers and four RBI so far. He seems primed for a strong campaign with Chicago, who play their home games at launching pad U.S. Cellular Field. |
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| Saunders struggles against Chicago | Friday 3/12, 5:25 PM CT |
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Joe Saunders gave up four earned runs on five hits over a mere 1.2 innings of work in today's 10-7 loss to the White Sox in exhibition action. He had no walks and a strikeout.
Rototimes View: Saunders held a poor 4.60 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 186 innings with the Angels in 2009, and his fantasy stock does not rise following today's dismal performance. |
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| Bourjos swipes another base Friday | Friday 3/12, 5:18 PM CT |
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Peter Bourjos went 1-for-4 with a single in today's 7-7 tie against the Indians. He also stole a base.
Rototimes View: The speedy outfielder has now swiped four bases so far in spring action. Bourjos could emerge as the Angels' leadoff hitter in the future, but is not currently worth targeting in fantasy leagues while fighting for a roster spot as a deep reserve. |
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| Westbrook roughed up by Angels | Friday 3/12, 5:13 PM CT |
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Jake Westbrook was tagged for four earned runs on four hits over three innings in Friday's 7-7 tie with the Angels. He had one walk and four strikeouts.
Rototimes View: Westbrook did not have an encouraging outing, while coming off Tommy John surgery. He still has time to convince Cleveland that he can handle a spot at the top of their rotation though. |
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| Benson throws for Arizona | Friday 3/12, 4:45 PM CT |
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Free agent Kris Benson threw five innings in a simulated game for Arizona Friday, according to the Arizona Republic.
Rototimes View: Further details regarding his performance were not disclosed. Arizona could add the veteran hurler to their bullpen for depth, but he wouldn't likely hold much fantasy value. |
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| Sanchez is leading candidate? | Friday 3/12, 4:41 PM CT |
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Gaby Sanchez is believed to be leading in the race for the starting job at first base with the Marlins, according to the Miami Herald.
Rototimes View: Sanchez is competing with the struggling Logan Morrison, who is 1-for-18 so far in spring action. Morrison could still push into Sanchez's playing time more than fantasy owners would like though. |
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| Peavy suffers bruised shoulder | Friday 3/12, 4:27 PM CT |
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Jake Peavy suffered a bruised left shoulder when struck by a come-backer in today's game against the Angels, according to Joe Cowley's (Chicago Sun-Times) twitter page.
Rototimes View: Peavy noted that he does not believe in ice, so it appears that the ace hurler will be fine. |
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| Jared Mitchell carted off field | Friday 3/12, 4:24 PM CT |
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Jared Mitchell was carted off the field in today's game against the Angels, according to Joe Cowley's (Chicago Sun-Times) twitter page.
Rototimes View: It is believed Mitchell suffered an ankle injury, and his status is yet to be updated. The young outfielder is a prized prospect for Chicago. |
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| A. Cabrera leaves game | Friday 3/12, 4:21 PM CT |
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Asdrubal Cabrera left today's game against the Angels with an undisclosed injury, according to the Associated Press.
Rototimes View: Cabrera has been working in the leadoff spot in Cleveland's lineup, which would help his run scoring and steals potential if he holds onto the role for opening day. His fantasy stock is on the rise - if today's injury is not serious. |
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| Derrek Lee scratched from lineup | Friday 3/12, 4:12 PM CT |
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Derrek Lee was scratched from Friday's lineup due to his bruised foot, according to MLB.com.
Rototimes View: Lee suffered the injury on Wednesday, and is day-to-day. The veteran first baseman is expected to be fine. |
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| Beltran's knee healing nicely | Friday 3/12, 3:33 PM CT |
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Carlos Beltran (knee surgery) has been progressing nicely in his rehab thus far and believes he'll be able to play in rehabilitation games at some point in April, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
Rototimes View: Beltran would likely only need a week or two of rehab games before returning to action for the Mets, meaning he could potentially be back on the field by late April or early May. This comes as great news, as it was originally speculated that he'd be out longer. Beltran has been one of the better five-tool talents in the majors for the past decade, so be sure not to let him slip too far in your draft. |
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| Ankiel out Friday with sore ankle | Friday 3/12, 2:25 PM CT |
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Rick Ankiel was scratched from the Royals' lineup today due to a sore right ankle, according to the Kansas City' Star's Bob Dutton.
Rototimes View: No need to worry about anything here, as he should be back over the next few days. Brayan Pena filled his vacancy at designated hitter. |
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| Betancourt could open season on DL | Friday 3/12, 1:49 PM CT |
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Rafael Betancourt (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Friday but is still a few weeks away from being ready for in-game action, according to the Denver Post.
Rototimes View: He could potentially open the season on the DL, though the Rockies would probably place him on the list retroactively so that they could activate him after a few games. With Huston Street getting back to full health, Betancourt has very little value, regardless. |
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| Street gets through batting practice session | Friday 3/12, 1:46 PM CT |
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Huston Street (shoulder) threw 20 pitches of live batting practice on Friday, according to the Denver Post.
Rototimes View: Look for him to appear in a game next week. He's on track to be healthy by the start of the season and to be closing games for the Rockies right off the bat. |
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| Duchscherer throws to live hitters Friday | Friday 3/12, 1:08 PM CT |
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Justin Duchscherer (back) threw two successful 15-pitch sessions to hitters this morning, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser.
Rototimes View: The next step for Duchscherer is a simulated game on Tuesday. He continues to progress and could be in line to be in Oakland's initial starting rotation if he doesn't suffer any setbacks. |
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| Berkman out 2-4 weeks with minor knee surgery | Friday 3/12, 12:23 PM CT |
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Lance Berkman will have arthroscopic surgery on his knee tomorrow to clear out debris and will be out the next two to four weeks, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.
Rototimes View: Berkman bruised his knee last week, but we didn't realize it was a relatively serious issue until now. The surgery certainly puts Berkman's Opening Day status in jeopardy, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if he ended up opening the season on the DL. While it's still unlikely that he'd miss much more than the first week or two of the season, this is something that owners should certainly keep in mind on draft day, and is reason to bump him down a bit on your cheat sheet. |
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| Lyon faces live hitters on Friday morning | Friday 3/12, 12:19 PM CT |
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As expected, Brandon Lyon (shoulder) faced live hitters this morning and felt fine afterward, according to MLB.com.
Rototimes View: The next step will be action in Grapefruit League, which could come sometime next week. He'll continue to battle with Matt Lindstrom for Houston's closing gig. |
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| Roberts' health issues lingering | Friday 3/12, 12:16 PM CT |
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Brian Roberts (back, illness) was placed on new anti-inflammatory medicine today and will need a few more days to rest before resuming his rehab program, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Rototimes View: We still expect Roberts to be ready to play by Opening Day, though his health problems have seemed to linger longer than expected. Luckily, we're still early on in spring training, and he has enough time to recover. |
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| Kinsler rolls ankle, scratched Friday | Friday 3/12, 12:14 PM CT |
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Ian Kinsler was scratched from the Rangers' lineup today after rolling his ankle in pre-game drills, according to the Forth Worth Star-Telegram's Anthony Andro.
Rototimes View: The injury does not appear to be serious, and you can expect Kinsler within the next few days. Kinsler's somewhat brittle nature is a factor to keep in mind on draft day, though today's ankle injury should not deter you from drafting him. |
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| Hunter returns for Angels | Friday 3/12, 12:11 PM CT |
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Torii Hunter (groin) will be back in action for the Angels today, according to the L.A. Times.
Rototimes View: Hunter had been out this past week after slightly aggravating his groin and appears good to go. Howie Kendrick, who was out the past three days with a sore arm, will return as well. |
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| Pujols could be back in action tomorrow | Friday 3/12, 11:25 AM CT |
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Albert Pujols (back) should return to St. Louis' lineup tomorrow, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Rototimes View: Pujols has been out the past week with back discomfort, but it hasn't appeared to be serious, and he's simply been held out for precautionary reasons. If you had him tabbed as the No. 1 overall pick, as most people do, there's no reason to bump him down from that pedestal. |
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| Shields gets the call for Opening Day | Friday 3/12, 11:04 AM CT |
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James Shields has been officially announced as the Rays' Opening Day starter, according to the St. Petersburg Times' Marc Topkin.
Rototimes View: No surprise here, as Shields was expected to get the first call among the Rays' young staff. Shields would seem to be a nice candidate to bounce back this season after a subpar 2009. |
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| Encarnacion to start seeing action next week | Friday 3/12, 11:01 AM CT |
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Edwin Encarnacion (wrist) should start to be worked into spring games next week, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
Rototimes View: It couldn't hurt to monitor Encarnacion's effectiveness once he gets out on the field. He's always had pretty nice talent, and maybe, just maybe, this is the season he puts it all together and stays consistent. |
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| Wuertz will make spring debut next week | Friday 3/12, 9:53 AM CT |
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Michael Wuertz will make his spring debut on Wednesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Rototimes View: Wuertz is in fine health and simply likes to build up his arm strength in different ways before jumping into action. He was one of the best middle relievers in all of baseball last year and is worth a look in leagues that count holds. Andrew Bailey is entrenched as the closer for now, and Wuertz could alternate with Joey Devine as Oakland's setup man. |
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| Devine feeling fine | Friday 3/12, 9:49 AM CT |
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Joey Devine (elbow) was able to play catch on Thursday morning and said that he's feeling fine, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Rototimes View: As long as Devine can stay healthy this spring, he could be worth drafting as a late-round flier in either leagues that count holds, or in especially deep leagues as a handcuff to Andrew Bailey. |
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| Lowe scheduled for bullpen session on Saturday | Friday 3/12, 9:46 AM CT |
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Derek Lowe's toe blister has improved and he's scheduled to throw a bullpen session tomorrow, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien.
Rototimes View: Lowe is still in line to start for Atlanta on Monday. Hopefully he can begin to improve his effectiveness and start to convince fantasy owners that he's ready to bounce back from last season's poor performance. |
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| Jeter should be back tomorrow | Friday 3/12, 9:02 AM CT |
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Derek Jeter (flu) is expected to be back on the field on Saturday, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
Rototimes View: Jeter caught a case of the flu and, as expected, will not be forced to miss much time. Continue to draft the veteran shortstop as you normally would. |
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| Whitesell assigned to minor league camp | Friday 3/12, 8:36 AM CT |
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Washington has sent Josh Whitesell to minor league camp, according to MLB.com's William Ladson.
Rototimes View: Catcher Devin Ivany was sent down as well. Whitesell logged some at-bats in the majors with Arizona last season, but it looks like he'll have to work his way up with the Nationals. There's no fantasy value here. |
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| Mauer held out today with sore shoulder | Friday 3/12, 8:32 AM CT |
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Joe Mauer will be held out of Minnesota's lineup today with a sore right shoulder, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Rototimes View: Mauer took a foul tip off the shoulder in yesterday's game, though the Star-Tribune speculates that he would have played today had this been the regular season. Expect Mauer back in the next day or to, and thus this clearly should not be anything that docks his fantasy value. |
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| Tejada could open season as Mets' starter | Friday 3/12, 8:23 AM CT |
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Ruben Tejada has a real shot to open 2010 as the Mets' starting shortstop, according to the New York Daily News.
Rototimes View: Once news leaked the Jose Reyes would open the season on the DL, many assumed that either Alex Cora or Anderson Hernandez would fill the vacant spot at shortstop, though it appears that may not be the case. Still, while the 20-year-old Tejada has a bright future, he's not worth drafting given that Reyes isn't expected to miss too much time. |
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