The Scoop

By Dalton Del Don

I write this coming down from a 103-plus degree fever, so if anything comes across as even more off the wall than usual, blame the meds.

Edwin Encarnacion currently has a .167 batting average, but his 4:8 K:BB ratio is highly encouraging. He makes for a decent buy-low if the opportunity presents itself.

At least so far, it certainly looks like Nelson Cruz is going to live up to all that hype. All those strikeouts will likely lead to a mediocre average, but he already has five homers, 12 RBI and a steal. Playing in Arlington is just such a big advantage as well.

Anyone hoping for a bounce back season from Fausto Carmona is likely to be sorely disappointed. He finished spring with a 2.67 ERA, but that was accompanied by a 13:8 K:BB ratio over 27 innings. The seven Ks over 10 innings so far this season are actually encouraging, but since he’s also walked six batters there’s just little room for optimism. Ever since his impressive 2007, his control has completely abandoned him.

Because David Ortiz finished strong last season, his early struggles are less worrisome. However, just one extra-base hit through 34 at-bats is a bit eye-opening. Someone of his stature never figured to age well, and the wrist injury was always a concern moving forward. He’ll probably be fine, but there’s no doubt Ortiz has looked lost at the plate so far.

The Chris Carpenter return sure was fun while it lasted. And he looked so good before going down with yet another injury too. At least it wasn’t to his arm.

I’m not saying Lastings Milledge deserved to get sent down to the minors, but since it means consistent playing time for Elijah Dukes (at least until his next injury), the move was fine by me. Dukes is the team’s best player and had no business getting benched in the first place, and while sitting the perennial disappointing Austin Kearns and moving Milledge to right field may have made more sense, the team needs to get Kearns at-bats in an effort to trade him. Other than August of last year, Milledge has never lived up to his potential, and the fact he’s terrible defensively (his -20.1 UZR/150 ranked dead last among center fielders last season), and combines that was serious character issues (at least Dukes makes up for that with strong play on the field), some humility in Triple-A may do him some good.

Octavio Dotel has a 26.1 K/9 IP mark this season.

Because of Jason Motte’s early struggles and Ryan Franklin is, well, Ryan Franklin, Chris Perez simply needs to be owned in all leagues as of now. It wouldn’t surprise if he led the team in saves this season. While I still like Motte, he’s dug himself quite a hole already.


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19 responses to “The Scoop”

  1. Mark Avatar
    Mark

    Feel better man. Go Edwin!

  2. Poincare Avatar
    Poincare

    I’m a proud Edwin Encarnacion owner in two leagues, including the one in which I compete with you Dalton, so you know I’m rooting for him along with you. I’ve been doing a little blogging myself at a site called Fantasy Baseball 101. I just published a piece called “Instant Feedback”. I’d like to share it with you. Tell me what you think.

    ———————————————————————————

    I still remember the very first trade I made in my primary fantasy baseball league. The year was 2004. I had a slumping $6 Kevin Millar on my team along with a surplus of starting pitching. I badly wanted to upgrade that one spot in my offense so I packaged $5 Mark Redman (fresh off his best season, actually his only good season), $10 Brandon Webb (fresh off his rookie of the year season), and Millar to get a young multi-talented outfielder who I was sure would give my offense an instant jolt. His name: Austin Kearns ($10). OK, you can stop laughing now. Seriously, while that was before Brandon Webb became BRANDON WEBB, that was also before Austin Kearns became austin kearns. Just for the record I also got a $2 pitcher named Shingo Takatsu out of the deal. He pitched well for me for over a month before I ended up trading him to another team–about a week before he was annointed the White Sox Closer for the remainder of the season.

    The powers that be in the league thought I had made a bad enough trade that they made the other guy throw in “future considerations” to balance it out. He ended up giving me a $5 outfielder named Jason Lane, who sounds like nothing now but actually had some potential value at this time. Anyways, despite what you may all be thinking right now the point of all this is not to share with you all what a poor trader I am, nor is it to share with you all that I too once suffered from the affliction that is Austin Kearns.

    The following is literally true: the first day that Kearns was officially on my team an inside pitch broke his arm putting him on the shelf for a couple of months. I still remember driving home from work that day, listening to the baseball news on the radio, when I heard the broadcaster mention that Austin Kearns can’t seem to catch a break. Before I even had time to react he mentioned how Kearns had a broken arm after being hit by a pitch in that day’s game. Talk about instant feedback from the fantasy baseball gods.

    Well I just experienced something quite similar the past couple of days with my first trade of the 2009 fantasy baseball season. In one of my 12-team NL-only leagues I just traded away Mark Reynolds and Aaron Miles for Lastings Milledge and Gregg Dobbs. Reynolds hit a two-run homer earlier tonight, about the same time the Nationals optioned the petulant and irresponsible Milledge to the minors. There is nothing quite like instant feedback, is there?
    ———————————————————————————-

  3. Donald Trump Avatar
    Donald Trump

    If I am in 11th place, am I allowed to talk smack to the team in 13th?

    On Jason Motte: he pitched the 9th inning yesterday in a non save situation. C Perez has no idea where the strike zone is, does he? I would think Motte makes a nice target right now.

  4. Donald Trmup Avatar
    Donald Trmup

    Poincare: Personally, while the writing is good, this type of fantasy article would lose me after the first sentence. I am much more an ‘news and ideas’ guy, and this was too long of a personal story to keep my interest. In the same number of words, DD gives me 8 things to think about, which is one of the reasons I think this site is the best.
    It is always tough to take constructive criticism, and I hope you don’t think I’m a jerk for saying it. It think it is well written, but for me I want to get at the meat of the info quickly.

  5. Poincare Avatar
    Poincare

    Donald Trump,

    I don’t think you are a jerk at all for saying what you said. I asked for feedback, and you took the time to provide it. Sincerely, thank you for your opinion. I do appreciate it.

    Poincare

  6. The Jewru Avatar
    The Jewru

    I have watched Motte pitch. He is awful. He does not locate well. His fastball has no movement. He will not succeed as a closer at the major league level. Not saying Ryan Franklin is the answer ( although I hope so since I own him) but Motte is the pits. You know who else is the pits, my good friend Kritter.

    Carpenter looked like he had returned to form. Really unfortunate luck for him and the Cards.

    I told Dalton preseason preseason my two favorite breakout pitchers were Slowey UGH so far and Josh Johnson. I am declaring it now. Josh Johnson is going to win the Cy Young. Yeah he is that good. Anyone else see his first two outings?

  7. Donald Trmup Avatar
    Donald Trmup

    Is is time to cut bait on Chris Young, OF? Maybe for C. Duncan?

  8. chad Avatar
    chad

    DDD you can also blame your last place standing in Rotoscoop league on the meds…

  9. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Mark – Thanks. Still recovering though.

  10. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Poincare – Good stuff. Well written. I too was way too high on Kearns back in the day. Do you have a link to your work over there?

  11. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Donald – With my start in the RS Invitational, you are allowed to talk smack no matter your place in the standings…I agree C. Perez’s control is definitely an issue…I would NOT drop Chris Young. However, I do like Duncan quite a bit – any other way you can add him?

  12. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    The Jewru – While I’ve heard this a few places (Motte’s fastball is straight), I wouldn’t read too much into the times you’ve watched him pitch. That type of sampling can be dangerous. You may very well turn out to be right, but pitchers who record 11.9/9 IP in the minors typically don’t suck in the majors. And he’s still learning to pitch after converting from catcher. I’m not giving up on him. Location has never been a problem with him before.

    Josh Johnson is sick, and Kevin Slowey will be fine.

  13. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Chad – Good call. Lord knows I need some excuse.

  14. Donald Trmup Avatar
    Donald Trmup

    The more I think about it, the more i realize that C Young is just Mike Cameron in a young person suit. I have never thought of cameron as being really valuable.

  15. Walt Weiss Avatar
    Walt Weiss

    Ryan Ludwick just jacked out a couple more bombs today. That gives him 5 HRs in 37 ABs (compare with Alberto Pujols pedestrian 4 HRs in 43 ABs).

  16. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Donald – It’s possible. They certainly seem comparable right now. I do feel like Young has room for growth, and he wasn’t a BA drain over the second half last year, but he’s hasn’t been good so far. In fact, he wishes he were Cameron right about now.

  17. RotoScoop Avatar
    RotoScoop

    Walt Weiss – Ya it’s safe to say La Russa won’t be sitting Ludwick again anytime soon. Bad news for Ankiel/Rasmus, at least until Duncan cools down.

  18. Stevie YaYo, Pro from Dover Avatar
    Stevie YaYo, Pro from Dover

    Jewru — has the Cy Young ever been won by someone who gave up a grand salami to Austin Kearns? Heh.

    I love this here game of baseball!

  19. The Jewru Avatar
    The Jewru

    How’d I know that was coming? lol My faith has not wavered at all. JJ for Cy Young. How good is my staff in the scoop league!!!!!!! HOLLA

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