Roto Roundup: Derek Jeter to DL, Bryce Harper to AA?, Co-Closers in Atlanta?

Daily Scoring Drought Scorecard: 14 games

Teams shutout: 4

Teams scoring 1 run: 2

Teams scoring 2 runs: 1

Teams scoring 3 runs: 3

Teams scoring > 3 runs: 18

The Yankees decided to place shortstop Derek Jeter on the DL last night with the calf strain. He is eligible to return on June 29th to continue his quest for 3,000 hits.

I was watching the Dodgers-Reds game two nights ago and I saw the good and the bad in shortstop prospect Dee Gordon. He made two terrific plays in one inning, diving to grab a sharply hit ground ball and another where he bare-handed a ball that caromed off of pitcher Hiroki Kuroda to throw out both runners. The next inning, he booted a groundball hit right to him that lead to 3 runs. Last night, he went 2-4 with his 3rd SB, and made two more great defensive plays, one where he threw out a Red at the plate.

Someone tweeted the following to ESPN's Keith Law last night regarding Nationals prospect Bryce Harper's expected promotion:

keithlaw keithlaw 

@ 

Would surprise me. Surefire way to infuriate the affiliate. RT @HendoDC Heard Harper might skip hi-A

The South Atlantic League All Star game is set for June 21st and Harper was an obvious selection, so its possible he gets promoted after that game, with an announcement before the game a possibility. 

More Roundup after the jump:

Tigers starter Justin Verlander was his dominant self on Tuesday, as he shutout the Indians, throwing a complete game 2 hitter. He struck out 12 and walked just one to win his 8th game of the season. He lowered his ERA to 2.66, his WHIP to 0.89 and now owns a 105-26 K/BB rate. Verlander is a top 10 starter for me.

Rays starter James Shields pitched a gem against the prolific Red Sox lineup last night. He threw a complete game 5 hit shutout, walking 3 and striking out 5 to win his 6th game of the year. His ERA now sits at 2.60 and his WHIP dipped to 1.05. 

It appears more and more that the Braves are moving toward a co-closer setup with Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters, as Kimbrel pitched the 9th inning of a game the Braves were losing last night. Here is a tweet from David O'Brien from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

ajcbraves David O'Brien 

Kimbrel comes in with a 4-3 deficit in the ninth for #Braves....more evidence that Fredi is looking to Venters as co-closer

Venters has been one of the best, if not the best, relievers in baseball this season, so you can't blame manager Fredi Gonzalez for making this move. Then again, Venters has pitched an awful lot this season, and you wonder when he will blow up.

Mets starter Jonathan Niese held the Braves to 2 runs in 6+ innings last night to win his 3rd straight decision and 5th in his last 6 decisions. He allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, no walks and 4 strikeouts, and is now 6-5 with a 3.46 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He has given up 2 runs or less in his last 6 starts to lower his ERA from 5.03 to 3.46.

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman went 1-5 with a run scored and an RBI in his first game back from the DL. He batted third in the Nat's lineup ahead of cleanup hitter Mike Morse.

Zimmerman's teammate Jayson Werth batted in the leadoff spot again and went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. He raised his average to .240-.342-.408 with 8 HRs, 24 RBIs and 9 SBs, but he has had a disappointing season for fantasy owners this season. He is hitting more ground balls and less fly balls this season, and his HR/FB rate has dropped as a result.

Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown went 2-4 with 2 HRs last night, and is now hitting .250-.321-.486 with 3 HRs and 11 RBIs in 72 at bats thus far. Brown is doing his best to stay in the Phillies lineup and his 2 home run effort should keep him in the lineup for quite awhile.

Rangers starter Alexi Ogando was due to get knocked around and that is what he did last night. In 1 2/3rd innings he gave up 6 runs on 6 hits, a walk and a strikeout. Ogando had given up 2 runs or less in 8 of his starts coming into this game, and owned an extremely high strand rate, so that changed this evening.

Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson went 2-4 with a HR, 2 runs and 4 RBIs last night and now has 21 HRs and 51 RBIs in this young season. I still can't believe he has 21 HRs already. HIs HR/FB rate will come down eventually, but sometimes power hitters go on power streaks, and Granderson is doing just that. He has homered in 4 of his last 6 games, but he won't continue to hit HRs in 22% of his fly balls going forward.

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau was placed on the DL with an injured wrist. Luke Hughes and his .270 BA was penciled in as the Twins first basemen before last nights' game was postponed.

Nationals first baseman Adam Laroche has decided to have season ending shoulder surgery. Mike Morse's value is already pretty high and now he will be the Nationals starting first baseman all season now. Morse could hit 20-25 HRs in a full-time role.

Adam Lind went 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBIs last night, and continue to prove that his 2010 season was just a down year for him. He is now hitting .331-.374-.595 with 12 HRs and 39 RBIs in 163 at bats. In is last 10 games, he is 14-35 with 5 HRs and 12 RBIs. I scheduled my updated first base rankings for later this afternoon and Lind is in the top 10.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is heating up as he went 2-3 with a walk, HR and 2 RBIs last night, and is now hitting .278-.388-.486 with 3 HRs, 10 RBIs and 3 SBs in 72 at bats. He is still an injury risk at this point.