- Maybe it’s time to reevaluate how valuable Jamie Moyer is as a fantasy pitcher, at least if you play in a daily transaction league. The sample set is large enough now to realize the home/road splits are not a fluke and can be fully taken advantage of. Since last year, Moyer has a 5.79 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 121 2/3 road innings. At home, he has a nifty 2.85 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 183 1/3 innings. While not a big strikeout contributor, Moyer is seriously a valuable commodity if used right.
- Jonathan Papelbon tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief Saturday, and the outing lowered his ERA by 0.01 points. Unreal, all the way from 0.25 to 0.24. The second place finisher for AL Rookie of the Year (Francisco Liriano) is going to have some pretty ridiculous numbers for a non-winner.
- In case you haven’t seen the footage yet, check out Minor league manager Joe Mikulik’s recent tirade.
- Defenses get edgy when Ichiro Suzuki hits. He has reached base on errors seven times this year, more than any other AL player.
- Ryan Anderson was the Mariners’ top draft pick in 1997, and he was called the “Little Unit” because he was a 6-foot-10 lefty who threw a triple-digit fastball and emerged as baseball’s best prospect. But he never made the majors, having undergone three shoulder surgeries. Now he’s a student at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and hopes to be an executive chef and restaurant owner.
- Jason Johnson was a bust in Cleveland after signing for one year and $4 million. Before being traded to the Red Sox, he basically served as a batting-practice pitcher. Check these numbers: .341 (opponents’ batting average), .403 (average for lefties), .469 (average for hitters swinging at the first pitch), .447 (average for hitters leading off innings), .387 (average for No. 9 hitters) and .467 (average for No. 8 hitters). Good luck, Boston.
- The Twins have won 15 of 17 games but gained just .5 game in the standings on Detroit and 3 on the White Sox.
- Last year the Angles allowed the fewest unearned runs in the majors – this year, the most.
- Not only does Jose Reyes have more walks this year than all of last, but also his June has been white-hot. Check out these numbers: .430/.480/.720 for a 1201 OPS. He’s also chipped in 14 stolen bases. In mid-season leagues, he looks like a top-5 pick.
- Fox Sports Network, which failed miserably in attempts to challenge ESPN’s SportsCenter several years ago, will try again at 11:30 p.m. starting July 3. But this time, there’s a catch – FSN’s program will feature nothing but highlights. In other words, no ponderous lead-ins from anchors trying to show us how clever they are. The concept just might work, though it’s unrealistic to think it will challenge SportsCenter in the ratings.
- Barry Bonds is a 13-time All-Star but will probably have to make it as a reserve this year, as he stands ninth among outfielders in the latest balloting. Will National League Manager Phil Garner take him? As vulnerable as Bonds has looked at times, his .476 on-base percentage towers over the leading vote-getters among N.L. outfielders: Jason Bay (.407), Carlos Beltran (.395) and Alfonso Soriano (.340.).
- When the Baltimore Orioles took a chance by signing Russ Ortiz Sunday, both sides touted the way pitching coach Leo Mazzone worked miracles with Ortiz in Atlanta. In 2003, Ortiz finished fourth in Cy Young balloting behind Eric Gagne, Jason Schmidt and Mark Prior. But the Mazzone magic has yet to follow the coach to Baltimore: The Orioles’ 5.19 ERA is second-to-last in the majors. If Russ Ortiz isn’t the very worst pitcher in the AL from here on out, Mazzone is a genius.
- The Dodgers’ starting infield Saturday and Sunday consisted of four shortstops: Nomar Garciaparra (1B), Ramon Martinez (2B), Cesar Izturis (3B) and Rafael Furcal (SS).
- Tim Hudson is 90-4 in his career when given four or more runs to work with.
- The Marlins have the best record in baseball over the last month-plus, at 22-9. All of a sudden, Willis, Josh Johnson and Scott Olsen shape a formidable trio. They have plenty of more talent in the farm system as well. Maybe this rebuilding thing won’t take nearly as long as most anticipated.
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