I'm actually not that worried about Maine, just one of those days. What troubles you, if you are a Sosa owner, is Nelson Cruz, who went 3-for-3 with a run. Sosa was the DH and Cruz was in right field, but there will be a lot of nights when only one of them makes the lineup and if you were the manager of the Rangers, who would you pick?
Exactly.
Corey Patterson continues to bat low in the order and struggle -- he was 1-for-4 with four left on base Monday night -- but at least he's stealing ... base No. 2. Never liked him but if you got him, it could be worse. Patience. Daniel Cabrera continues to get my hopes up only to one day crush them, I am sure. I said in the preseason this was the year that he would breakout but, then again, I also said that last year. I like Cabrera too much. Last year he broke my heart like I was a stupid Tim on "The Apprentice." But so far so good. Another strong start for D-Cab -- I call him D-Cab -- 7 2/3 innings, 7 hits and a 5/0 K/BB. Of concern are the 122 pitches he threw. That's a lot for a pitcher, period, but for less than eight innings of work? That's something to monitor. But that's the only downside I can see to his start and he's available in most mixed leagues. Except, you know, the ones I am in.
Speaking of hate, three pitchers I have never liked were on the mound Monday. Carl Pavano, Sidney Ponson and A.J. Burnett. If you started Ponson, you deserve it. He is big and fat. Pavano's was the gutsiest start and, well, he looked good. He goes seven strong, only six hits and two earned runs. Of concern: only two strikeouts. I never like guys with low K-rates, so I'm not ready to declare him back or anything, but better than his last start.
The best start of the night (of the three guys I don't like) was Burnett's, who went 6 2/3 innings, giving up only three hits, one run and posting a 5/3 K/BB rate. Not as high as I would like (I prefer 3-to-1 to feel truly comfortable), but he did have a 12/3 ground ball to fly ball ratio, so he was keeping the ball down, which is good.
Both Burnett and Pavano will win a decent amount of games this year, because they are on good teams. Sometimes I like to write obvious stuff out of the blue. The sun is hot. The sky is blue. Lyle Overbay had 3 RBIs on Monday. That was good.
Alex Gordon, come on down. You left six men on base last night. Congrats to all the guys who took you ahead of Mark Teahen. If Eric Karabell and I each got a nickel for every time we marveled at that, on air or in print, well, we'd be sitting on an island, sipping margaritas instead of writing fantasy, I tell you that. Yes, together. What? Islands are expensive. We'd definitely have to go halfsies.
You know who is an underrated little middle-infield type, especially for deep mixed leagues or AL-only? Aaron Hill, who went 3-for-3 last night with two runs scored and two RBIs. He's hitting .348 on the young season and is just one of those guys that doesn't do a whole lot of anything, but he never hurts you and is just a solid little player. Again, only as an "MI" for deep mixed or AL-only.
Akinori Iwamura of Tampa Bay, however, needs to be gobbled up in all the leagues he's available in. There's definite corner infield potential, with two RBIs and a stolen base in Monday's game. Yes, he is this good.
Looking for a sell-high candidate? Geoff Jenkins, he of three home runs and the .350 batting average, is one of the streakiest players in the bigs. Over the past three years, he has hit .268 in April. Then .254 in May. And .226 in June. Ride him for a little while longer, but his value is at an all-time high. And then, get him back after the All-Star break, after which he hits almost 50 points higher.
So, you already know to go grab Dan Wheeler, the new closer in Houston, in all formats. Or, you should. Because he is. Lidge is out -- never pay for saves! -- and Wheeler is in, nailing down No. 1 last night. But let me, if I may, take you back.
Back to yesterday's TRUM (4/9), where I wrote this:
"With Jorge Julio almost blowing another save (and pitching poorly, to boot), look to Kevin Gregg and Henry Owens before Lee Gardner, who got the two-out save. My guess is Gregg gets the first shot while Taylor Tankersley is still on the DL, but Owens is all sorts of yummy as a pitcher. He had 74 strikeouts and 10 walks in only 40 innings in Double-A last year. Like I said ... yummy."
Back to present day where I was wrong about Gregg getting the first shot, but was right about Owens, who got the save last night. Now, it wasn't smooth sailing if you watched the game, it was a bit of an adventure, but he got the job done and he throws haaaard. Definitely worth the flyer. Julio hasn't lost the job yet -- he was given the night off because he worked Saturday and Sunday -- but now we know who's first in line when he blows the gig.
Meanwhile, I am concerned about Anibal Sanchez's start. It may look good from a distance, but look closer. He goes six innings and gives up three runs. Okay, fine. A quality start. But he gives up eight hits and three walks. That's a lot of baserunners for six innings. He also strikes out just one and needs 97 pitches to get through six innings. Lotta red flags there. Just saying.
Speaking of just saying ... I should make that a section. The "just saying" section. In fact, I will. That's the rule of the TRUM, which I forgot to remind you again -- and I'll continue to remind you until I get my header which explains it -- stands for Thoughts, Ramblings, Useless information and Musings, that it's written in one take and I just go where it leads me.
That Kazuo Matsui now has three steals on the season, and is hitting .333. He hit more than .300 over the second half of the year and was a sleeper I liked and was mocked for much of the preseason. He's also available in almost every league, save for NL-only...
That my beloved Ian Snell had another great start, giving up only one ER in seven innings ... I might marry Ian Snell, I love him so much...
That Shane Victorino stole a base last night. And is another source of cheap speed...
That Braden Looper plays for a very good team, with a solid bullpen and needed only 94 pitches to go seven strong innings while giving up no earned runs...
That even though I drafted him in one league (got stuck, is more like it) and it was his second strong start, I am still feeling uneasy about Ted Lilly. Maybe because I have owned him before. I don't know. But the numbers back Lilly up. Six innings, three runs, a 5/1 K/BB. Very solid. I just ... I don't know, you know? One of those guys.
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