The Scoop

By Dalton Del Don

It’s obviously too early to make any conclusions, but Ryan Dempster owners can’t be feeling too comfortable right now. He was fantastic last season, which was a big surprise considering the switch to the rotation figured to result in a decline in performance, not significant improvement. The main problem with Dempster throughout his career has been command, and he’s regressed back to his norm this year (4.20 BB/9 IP). He hasn’t been unlucky (.296 BABIP), and his G/F ratio has gone from 1.23 in 2008 to 0.83 so far in 2009. His K rate has also dropped, although 7.50 K/9 IP remains above average. Bottom line, he’ll improve, but it would be unwise to expect him to approach last year’s numbers.

Can someone please explain to me why Ryan Spilborghs has received 17 starts, and Seth Smith has received just nine? Spilborghs has an .822 OPS. Smith’s is 1.084. Spilborghs has a 16:6 K:BB ratio. Smith’s is 9:12. Smith has the far superior minor league track record and is also left-handed, meaning he should be seeing the greater portion of any platoon. He’s also better defensively (2.8 UZR/150) than Spilborghs (-5.6 UZR/150). I might be bias since I own Smith in LABR, but that doesn’t mean I’m not right.

Dan Haren is currently one of the five best players in major league baseball. How about a 36:5 K:BB ratio with a 1.54 ERA and 0.74 WHIP over his first 35.0 innings this season? He’s been lucky with balls in play (.223), but it’s pretty much impossible not to have a crooked number somewhere with that low of an ERA. His walk rate (1.29 BB/9 IP), K rate (9.26 K/9 IP) and G/F ratio (1.23) are all currently career-bests. His 7.20 K:BB ratio easily leads the National League. And this has all occurred with four of his five starts coming at Chase Field, which has played as by far the most extreme hitter’s park so far in 2009.

Last week, Barry Zito was dropped in NL LABR. To put this in perspective, there are currently only two other starting pitchers available on the waiver wire – Livan Hernandez and Russ Ortiz. As it turned out, I was the only team (out of 13) who put in a FAAB bid for Zito. Now, I’m not here to say he’s worth adding in most leagues – in fact, it was a gamble even in this deep of a format, but it needs to be noted his velocity is way up this year. His fastball is still one of the slowest in the majors, but after averaging 84.7 mph over the past two seasons, he’s up to 86.6 this year, which is a fairly significant change and actually above his career average of 86.3. During his last start, he hit 88-89 a couple of times (not sure how reliable the radar gun was, though). His curveball’s velocity is also way up (73.6 mph compared to 70.9 last season), and he’s throwing a slider more than ever (13.1%). He posted a 3.15 ERA and 1.28 WHIP last September, so maybe he can become a league average No. 4 starter moving forward. Probably not, and maybe I’m just trying to justify spending FAAB on such a scrub.

Mike Jacobs is off to a slow start this season, batting just .236. Still, it’s worth noting the left-hander has faced an inordinate amount of southpaws in the first month of the year, as 42 percent (30-of-72) of his at-bats have come against them.

How can a basketball team not foul its opponent up three points with fewer than 10 seconds left? I just don’t get how this isn’t an automatic strategy.

This story continues to just get sadder.

It’s safe to say Marco Scutaro has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2009 season. His career-high for homers in a season is nine; he has five over his first 89 at-bats this year. He also leads all of baseball with 24 runs scored, and shockingly, only one player (Jason Bay) has more base on balls than Scutaro, who has already walked 22 times. He’s obviously a sell-high candidate, but it’s pretty doubtful there are many believers out there.