Daily Scoring Drought Scorecard: 9 games, 18 teams
Teams Shutout: 1
Teams w/1 run scored: 4
Teams w/2 runs scored: 3
Teams w/ 3 runs scored: 1
Teams w/ > 3 runs scored: 9
Monday brought us news that Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton will be out for at least six weeks, and when he returns he may not get his closer job back. With that news, manager Don Mattingley said Vicente Padilla would be the closer as long as he pitches well. Some think Hong-Chih Kuo will eventually wrest the closer job from Padilla. He very well could, but he will have to become more consistent before he does so. And he didn't look too good last night, as he took over for Chad Billingsley with a man on second, and proceeded to give up two hits and a run.
Padres starter Mat Latos is struggling to start the season and he hasn't put together two solid starts in a row yet, as he gave up 4 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts in 5 2/3rd innings on Monday. He is 0-5 with a 4.86 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and a 34-14 K/BB rate. I am glad I didn''t raise him in the UBA league this year.
White Sox starter Jake Peavy is set to return from the DL on Wednesday and start against the Angels. If you need a starter, go ahead and put him in your lineup if you can. If not, there is no problem with waiting to see how he performs in his first start back.
More Roundup after the jump:
Red Sox starter Josh Beckett appears to be back to the ace he was a few years ago. He shutout the Twins on 6 hits, a walk, and 5 Ks in 7 innings. His ERA dropped to 1.99, and he owns a WHIP of 0.88. I recall saying in a pre-season chat that R.A. Dickey would have a better year than Beckett. That was a poor response, huh?
Rockies manager Jim Tracy stated a few days ago that this year is a make or break year for third baseman Ian Stewart. I had the same thoughts this offseason when they added Ty Wigginton and Jose Lopez.
Brewers starter Zack Greinke rebounded from a rough first start last week by holding the Padres to two runs on 5 hits, no walks and 9 Ks. Greinke has struck out 15 in his two starts, covering 10 innings, and owns a 1.10 WHIP.
Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley was cruising for 7 innings, and then opened the 8th inning by walking the first batter, then giving up a run scoring double to Neil Walker. All told, Billz gave up 3 runs on 7 hits, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. He is 2-2 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 7 starts. The Dodgers pitiful lineup gave him all of one run on Monday.
Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins went 2-5 with a HR, 2 runs and an RBI. He is hitting .289-.381-.385 with 2 HRs, 8 RBIs and 8 SBs. He appears healthy and could approach 30+ SBs again this season.
Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez is on fire, so much so that he was named the Fake Teams Fantasy Player of the Day, as he went 3-4 with 3 RBIs on Monday night.
Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez went 2-4 with a run scored on Monday night, only his 5th game with at least 2 hits this season. Needless to say, Hanley is stuggling this year, and disappointing many fantasy owners. He is hitting .205-.297-.270 with just one HR, 13 RBIs and 7 SBs, but still owns an excellent 21-16 K/BB rate.
Athletics starter Trevor Cahill held the Rangers to one run on 5 hits, a walk and 7 Ks, and is now 6-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Cahill won 18 games last year, and appears on his way to duplicating that win total this season.