The Baseball Ticker: Week of July 18, 2005

by Jonathan Leshanski and Ray Flowers
July 17, 2005

Our two start pitcher selections for the week:
Tony Armas (COL, HOU) 7/18, 7/23
Bronson Arroyo (TB, @CHA) 7/19, 7/24
Eric Beddard (@MIN, @TB) 7/18, 7/24
Jose Contreras (DET, BOS) 7/19, 7/24
Doug Davis (@STL, @CIN) 7/19, 7/24 - he’s that good.
Rich Harden (@LAA, @TEX) 7/19, 7/24 - not thrilled with matchups.
Cliff Lee (KC, SEA) 7/18, 7/23 love the matchups!
Wade Miller (TB, @CHA) 7/18, 7/23
Kevin Millwood (KC, SEA) 7/19, 7/24
Matt Morris (MIL, CHN) 7/18, 7/24
Mike Mussina (@TEX, @LAA) 7/19, 7/24 - could be a slugfest
Mark Prior (@CIN, @STL) 7/19, 7/24

You make the Call
Kris Benson (SD, LAN) 7/18, 7/23 - solid lately
Jeremy Bonderman (@CHA, MIN) 7/19, 7/24
Kevin Brown (@TEX, @LAA) 7/18, 7/23 - have to be a braver man than I.
Orlando Hernandez (DET, BOS) 7/18, 7/23
Ted Lilly (SEA, @KC) 7/19, 7/24 - dreadful opponents.
Mike Maroth (@CHA, MIN) 7/18, 7/23
Brett Myers (LAN, SD) 7/19, 7/24 - at home and not pitching well.
John Patterson (COL, HOU) 7/19, 7/24
Victor Santos (@STL, @CIN) 7/18, 7/23 - not for me.
Carlos Silva (BAL, @DET) 7/18, 7.23
Ian Snell (HOU, COL) 7/19, 7/24 -watch this one - lots of potential
Jeff Suppan (MIL, CHN) 7/19, 7/24

other projected two start pitchers.
Brandon Backe (@PIT, @WAS), Shawn Chacon (@WAS, @PIT), Brandon Claussen (CHN, MIL), Kevin Correia (ATL, FLA), Mike Gosling (FLA, ARI), Zack Grienke (@CLE, TOR), J.P. Howell (@CLE, TOR), Luke Hudson (CHN, MIL), Scott Kazmir (@BOS, BAL), Byung-Hyun Kim (@WAS, @PIT), Brian Lawrence (@PHI, @NYN), Kyle Loshe (BAL, @DET), Brad Penny (@PHI, @NYN), Ricardo Rodriguez (NYA, OAK), Wandy Rodriguez (@PIT, @WAS), Kirk Saarloos (@LAA, @TEX), Ervin Santana (OAK, NYA), Aaron Sele (@TOR, @CLE), Jorge Sosa (@SF, @ARI), Jason Vargas (@ARI, @SF), Jarrod Washburn (OAK, NYA), Dave Williams (HOU, COL), Jerome Williams (@CIN, @STL)

At the best hitters’ parks this week:
At Ameriquest Field (Rangers): Yankees (3 games), A’s (4 games).
At Bank One Ballpark (Diamondbacks): Marlins (3 games), Braves (3 games).
At Citizen’s Bank Ballpark (Phillies): Dodgers (3 games), Padres (3 games).
At Coors Field (Rockies): No games.

Teams with 7 games: A’s, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Indians, Nationals, Pirates, Rangers, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees
Teams with 8 games: Astros
Everyone else plays 6 times.


Ratchet them up!
Tim Hudson (SP, Braves): Will be activated over the weekend and should be back in your rotation.

Gary Sheffield (OF, Yankees): As if you didn’t know he was really good, he has been really great the past week- .538 (7 for 13), 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 Runs.

Vernon Wells (OF, Blue Jays): Is riding a ten game hit streak with 3 home runs and 13 RBI over that streak.

Jerry Hairston (OF/2B, Cubs): Has taken over the leadoff spot and should get more at bats and runs if he can stay at the top of the lineup in front of the incomparable Derrek Lee.

Trot Nixon (OF, Red Sox): The forgotten man outside of BOS, finally appears to have things going in the right direction after hitting .400 the last 7 days with 3 HR, 9 RBI and 6 Runs.

Cory Sullivan (OF, Rockies): Will take over the majority of the CF duties since Preston Wilson was shipped away. He’s been unimpressive thus far but might become a true Coors creature and find some fantasy value.

Cesar Izturis (SS, Dodgers): Was activated from the DL and should be back in the Dodger lineup. His injury was a hamstring though which could slow him down if your need is steals. Plus, he went 9 for 86 (.105) in June to fall from 2nd in the NL in batting all the way down to .272 on the season.

Bret Boone (2B, Twins): Was acquired by the Twins and should get plenty of at bats in order to turn his fantasy value around.

Doug Mienkiewicz (1B, Mets): Was activated but is only an option for the most desperate of fantasy players, and probably only in an NL-only league (watch out for a trade though).

Kevin Brown (SP, Yankees): Is expected to start at least one game next week and could be a two-start pitcher. Just hope that back holds up.

Eric Byrnes (OF, Rockies): The move to COL must improve his value. Despite only a .266 overall AVG, he is actually hitting .293 if you take out his terrible April.

Steve Finley (OF, Angels): Was activated from the DL.

Damaso Marte (RP, White Sox): Was activated from the DL and should rejoin the bullpen setting up for Dustin Hermanson.

Chad Bradford (RP, Red Sox): Was traded to the Red Sox and pitched his first game of the season the other night. This side-winding submariner is one of a dying breed…he often scraps his knuckles on the ground while throwing a pitch. Make sure you check him out sometime.

Ryan Church (OF, Nationals): Was activated from the DL and should be a viable fantasy option at least until Nick Johnson returns to 1B and Brad Wilkerson is forced back into the OF at which point he becomes the 4th guy (Preston Wilson, Jose Guillen, Wilkerson).

Kyle Farnsworth (RP, Tigers): Troy Percival is injured again. He might be forced to miss the rest of the season which means this fireballing muscle man might be the long-term answer in DET. He has been spectacular in middle relief this year (1.89 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 48 K in 38.1 IP).

Orlando Cabrera (SS, Angels): Activated from the DL. Hopefully his elbow can hold up, there have been rumors of season ending surgery. Maicer Izturis loses all his value for now.

Shingo Takatsu (RP, WSox): Rumors that he might get traded to an NL team on the left coast have intensified. Even if he doesn’t become a closer again, he is bound to have some value facing hitters who have never seen him before if his trade to the Senior circuit goes through.


Ratchet them down!

Jason Bay (OF, Pirates): Don’t look now but this all-star performer is in the midst of an 0 for 15 streak which has brought his AVG down to .293 (from a season high .313 on July 5th).

Preston Wilson (OF, National): Loses the Coors field advantage with the trade but might get more chances for RBIs since the Nationals actually get runners on base.

David Wells (SP, Red Sox): Was suspended 6 games for bumping an umpire but will appeal so he won’t miss time this week.

Johnny Estrada (C, Braves): Was suspended 3 games for making contact with an umpire the last week of June. He should have completed his suspension in time for next week’s games.

Ryan Wagner (SP, Reds): Was placed on the 15 day DL with shoulder problems.

Chien-Ming Wang (SP, Yankees): Has a rotator cuff injury with the possibility looming that he might be done for the season (at least according to the New York Daily News).

Troy Percival (RP, Tigers): Was placed on the DL again this time with a torn muscle in the right forearm. Surprise, surprise, think they are missing Ugueth Urbina right now? Kyle Farnsworth should close in the meanwhile.

Al Leiter (SP, Mariners): Was designated for assignment and reports are circulating that he will join the Yankees with the Yanks sending 250,000 to the Marlins and paying 150,000 of Leiter’s salary.

Brad Hawpe (OF, Rockies): Was placed on the 15 day DL with a hamstring injury in the left leg. Byrnes will step right in to fill his spot.

Jay Payton (OF, A’s): Was traded to the A’s for Chad Bradford. He won’t be a fantasy factor and might actually get traded again from Oakland.

Scott Rolen (3B, Cards): After bowing out of the all-star game, something he should have done on principle for Morgan Ensberg, it now appears that he might have to go back on the DL. Rolen himself is saying that wont happen, but he has gone 66 AB without a HR since returning from his injury, and he even admitted that something just isn’t right.

Nick Johnson (1B, Nats): Always injured, it was just a matter of time. Unfortunately for his owners the mild foot tweak that was supposed to keep him out 3-7 days originally became a DL trip. Now word is that he has yet to resume baseball activities because of a setback he suffered. Its’ already been 21 days and counting…

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