The Baseball Ticker: Week of September 19, 2005

by Jonathan Leshanski and Ray Flowers
September 18, 2005

Those of you in Yahoo! head to head leagues need to remember this is a long “Week” running from the 19th to the end of the season. That being said, all pitchers are two starters in those leagues. In points leagues things are as usual.

Our two start pitcher selections for the week:
Mark Buehrle (CLE, MIN) 9/20, 9/25
Roger Clemens (@PIT, @CHN) 9/19, 9/24
Bartolo Colon (TEX, TB) 9/20, 9/25
Freddy Garcia (CLE, MIN) 9/19, 9/24
Livan Hernandez (SF, NYN) 9/20, 9/25
Kevin Millwood (@CHA, @KC) 9/19, 9/24
Andy Pettitte (@PIT, @CHN) 9/20, 9/25
Barry Zito (MIN, TEX) 9/19, 9/25

You make the call:
Kris Benson (FLA, @WAS) 9/20, 9/25
A.J, Burnett (@NYN, @ATL) 9/20, 9/25 - lost last 5 outings badly.
Doug Davis (CHN, STL) 9/20, 9/25
Sean Douglas (@KC,SEA) 9/`19, 9/25 - two dreadful opponents
Cory Lidle (@ATL, @CIN) 9/20, 9/25
Francisco Liriano (@OAK, @CHA) 9/20, 9/25
Brad Radke (@OAK, @CHA) 9/19, 9/24
Horacio Ramirez (PHI, FLA) 9/20, 9/25
Chien-Ming Wang (BAL, TOR) 9/19, 9/25
Jake Westbrook (@CHA, @KC) 9/20, 9/25

Other two Start Pitchers
Erik Bedard (@NYA, BOS), Matt Cain (@WAS, @COL), Juan Dominguez (@LAA, @OAK), Scott Downs (SEA, @NYA), Mark Hendrickson (BOS, @LAA), Jeff Harris (@TOR, @DET), D.J. Houlton (@ARI, PIT), Randy Keisler (STL, PHI), Byung-Hyun Kim (SD, SF), Sun-Woo Kim (SD, SF), Brian Lawrence (@COL, @ARI), John Maine (@NYA, BOS), Jason Marquis (@CIN, @MIL), Jamie Moyer (@TOR, @DET), Oliver Perez (HOU, @LAN), Jerome Williams (@MIL, HOU), Woody Williams (@COL, @ARI), David Wells (@TB, @BAL), Mike Wood (DET, CLE)

At the best hitters’ parks this week:
At Ameriquest Field (Rangers): No Games
At Bank One Ballpark (Diamondbacks): Dodgers, Padres (3 games each)
At Citizen’s Bank Ballpark (Phillies): No Games
At Coors Field (Rockies): Padres(4 games),Giants (3 games)

Teams with 7 games: Astros, Blue Jays, Giants, Indians, Mariners, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Royals, Twins, White Sox, Yankees
Everyone else plays six times.


Ratchet them up!

Moises Alou (OF, Giants): Looks like Alou may return this week. If you’ve been hurting without him in the lineup you can probably plug him back in.

Robinson Cano (2B, Yankees): .481 with 3 HR and 12 RBI in the past week. Guess he’s trying to make up for his recent defensive lapses.

Chris Capuano (SP, Brewers): Who is the 2nd winningest lefty in baseball this year? You got it, its Capuano (behind Dontrelle Willis). 4 wins, 3.28 ERA, 1.15 WHIP in the last 30 days.

Jose Contreras (SP, White Sox): In last 8 starts he has finally begun to pitch the way that his talent says he should: 6-1, 2.33 ERA, 1.19 WHIP.

Bobby Crosby (SS, A’s): Expects to rejoin the club early this week. The A’s can sure use his bat and I suspect most fantasy owners feel the same way.

Ryan Dempster (RP, Cubs): Hasn’t given up a run in his last 14 IP, also has 10 saves in the past 30 days.

Zach Duke (SP, Pirates): Was activated from the DL on Friday. He went 4 innings yielding one run before being pulled.

Scott Elarton (SP, Indians): In his last two starts he has thrown 15.2 innings, earned 2 Wins, and produced a 1.72 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. One of the main reasons the Indians are making a playoff push.

Kyle Farnsworth (RP, Braves): His last 14.2 innings have produced even better numbers than his time in DET – 0.61 WHIP, 0.61 ERA and 7 SV.

Sunny Kim (SP/RP, Rockies): His last 23.1 IP have produced 4 Wins, 20 K, a 3.09 ERA an a 1.33 WHIP. Do you take the chance?

Kameron Loe (SP/RP, Rangers): 4 Wins with a 1.23 ERA in his last 33.1 IP. Much like Kim, do you risk it?

Derek Lowe (SP, Dodgers): I know everyone stopped noticing anything happening in the NL West, but Lowe has been dealing the past month: 2.08 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 3 Wins in 43.1 IP.

Wade Miller (SP, Red Sox): Should return to the rotation for next week, good luck.

Rafael Palmeiro (1B/DH, Orioles): Will return mid-week though considering what a slump he was in when he left the team his value is dubious at best.

Jake Peavy (SP, Padres): Returned to the hill and took a loss in his first game back after experiencing shoulder pain. He’s due to start in Colorado this week so it’s probably wiser to bench him for another week.

Jimmy Rollins (SS, Phillies): Uh, he’s kinda hot right now. .567-1-7-11-4 in the past week. Has 5 three hit games in his last 8 played. Also has a 21 game hitting streak going.

Reggie Sanders (OF, Cardinals): Returned from the DL last week. Get him back in the lineup.

Jeff Suppan (SP, Cardinals): Since the all-star break, he has been the Cards #2 starter based on performance going 6-3, with a 2.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.


Ratchet them down!

Carlos Silva (SP, Twins): Is done for the season and will undergo surgery this week on his right knee. He should be ready for next season.

Zack Day (SP, Rockies): Had his thumb broken by a line drive on Friday. Sucks for him but he shouldn’t have been on anyone’s fantasy radar in any case.

Sean Casey (1B, Reds): Suffered a concussion in a collision with Humberto Cota on Friday. He’ll probably be out at least a few days but could miss all of next week.

Ronnie Belliard (2B, Indians): Has a strained abdominal muscle and could miss time next week.

Chris Burke (OF, Astros): Has a torn labrum in his left shoulder. His return is up in the air but probably wouldn’t be until midweek at the earliest.

Ken Griffey (OF, Reds): His bum foot is obviously more of a problem than the Reds have admitted. He’s flown away to see another specialist so don’t expect more than a token appearance if that.

J.D. Drew (OF, Dodgers): Is done for the year after rehab failed to help his wrist heal properly. He’ll have surgery and be ready for next season.

Morgan Ensberg (3B, Astros): Has not had enough improvement in his hand to return to the lineup. Expect him back sometime this week though.

Jose Mesa (RP, Pirates): Has been pretty brutal the past two months since the break (6.14 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, .314 BAA). If you have another option, go with it.

Michael Barrett (C, Cubs): Was beaned on Thursday and just when he’ll return is unknown though he appears to be mending well.

Gabe Kapler (OF, Red Sox): Ruptured an Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of this year and possibly all of next year too.

Damaso Marte (RP, White Sox): After being accused of faking an injury by manager Ozzie Guillen it’s hard to imagine he’ll get any save chances or have much to offer the rest of the way.

David DeJesus (OF, Royals): Says he may not return from his strained shoulder before the season ends. Looking at the Royals team, I can’t say I blame him.

Jarrod Washburn (SP, Angels): Was shut down with tendonitis and will miss at least one start but it’s probably best to bench him this week.

Dmitri Young (1B/OF, Tigers): Missed all of last week with a leg injury and could miss more time next week.

Chris Young (SP, Rangers): Has been suffering from arm fatigue but could return next week.

Willy Taveras (OF, Astros): The young outfielder lacerated his finger last week and got five stitches when he bunted for a hit with his hand (use the bat next time Willy). Expect him to miss at least the first half of the week, possibly more.

Brad Radke (SP, Twins): Has been dealing with shoulder pain and may be shut down for the season sometime this week.

Nate Robertson (SP, Tigers): Just cant buy a win, his last 30 IP have produced just one. Over that same time span he also has a 7.20 ERA an a 1.50 WHIP, so its not like he’s really helping matters anyway.

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