Taking a look around the league, here’s a recap of last night’s action and suggestions for your fantasy baseball team.
Mr. Clutch (pitcher) – Felix Hernandez threw a gem last night – eight innings, five hits, one earned run and seven strikeouts. This is what you expect from a quality number-one pitcher. The elbow concerns before the season started we’re obviously overblown. Felix Hernandez is a flat-out machine.
Mr. Clutch (hitter) – It may have been an old man’s game out there Saturday because Travis Hafner was the star of the show. He went 2-for-4, with four RBIs and two runs. I mean someone has to produce in that lineup right? Hafner is going to get regular at-bats, but I doubt he can keep up the production.
Surprise, surprise! – If you drafted Omar Infante, you were basically looking for a limited upside 2B who wasn’t going to kill you in any certain area. Decent average, little bit of pop and a little bit of speed. Before Saturday, you were getting almost none of that (other than average). Against the Braves, however, Infante went 3-for-4, with a home run, a stolen base, three RBIs and two runs. Infante has been dropped in most leagues, and a game like this might change that. Second base has been fairly solid this year, but if you are waiting for a guy like Jason Kipnis to turn it around, Infante could be a good substitute.=
Here comes the heat – Josh Donaldson continued is torrid week going 4-for-4 and chipping in two RBIs against the Orieoles. In one week, his batting average went from .246 all the way up to .318. Though he only has two home runs on the season, his ISO is .176 and he already has nine doubles on the year. He has double-digit power, and if he can turn some of those doubles into home runs, he could be a valuable asset at third base.
Left out in the breeze – Tony Cingrani owners have to be jumping for joy right now, because every time Mike Leake gets rocked, it makes it more difficult for Dusty Baker to send Cingrani to the minors when Johnny Cueto comes back from the DL. Leake lasted three innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs and three walks while striking out only one. This loss could be the nail in the coffin for Leake.
Who’s trending? – Carlos Gomez is someone I’d be after. He was a 20-homer, 40-steal guy last season. The question is can he follow up those stats this season? He has been a bit ordinary thus far, but going 3-for-5, with one home run, two RBIs and two runs gets you on the radar. The biggest problem for me is he’s not running. With 37 stolen bases last season, I expected a bit more than two stolen bases at this point. Three home runs have not very impressive either. However, he has held strong with a .195 ISO and a .338 batting average. I’m still holding strong that Gomez makes a big splash this year.
Bench me, please? – Remember when Emilio Bonifacio was good? He was a guy who could net you 30 steaks in a blink of an eye. Now? He is just flat overrated. If he starts stealing bases again, he will have value. Until then, just stay away, no matter how much you covet his OF and 2B eligibility.
The Streamer – John Lackey coming off of the DL against the Astros is very tempting, but Ryan Vogelsong at the Padres is too good to pass up. He has struggled a bit this season, but it is the Padres. He should be good for an easy win.