Roto Roundup: Cliff Lee Dominates Bosox, Jose Reyes Goes 4-4

Last night, Peter Gammons reported the Red Sox will not add payroll before the trade deadline and it appears they have not decided on what their most pressing needs are. I don't know about you, but I think it is obvious they need a starting pitcher.

Speaking of starting pitchers Cliff Lee has been downright dominant of late, as he threw a complete game 2 hit shutout against the new Big Red Machine, the Boston Red Sox. Lee has now thrown three straight complete game shutouts where he has given up just 15 base runners in 27 inning pitched. For the season, he is 9-5 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and a 119-27 K/BB rate in 122 innings. He has given up just one earned run in his last 5 starts covering 42 innings.

More Roundup after the jump:

Padres first round pick in the 2009 draft, Donovan Tate, was suspended for a second time yesterday. This time for 50 games for testing positive for a drug of abuse. What a waste of a draft pick. He received something like a $6 million signing bonus two years ago.

Phlllies outfielder Domonic Brown went 2-3 with 2 runs scored, a HR and 2 RBIs. He homered off of Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, and is now hitting .220-.320-.422 with 5 HRs, 13 RBIs, 2 SBs and an excellent 16-13 K/BB rate. I can see him breaking out in the second half of the season. 

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI in the first game of the day-night double header with the Cubs yesterday. In the nightcap, he went 1-4 with an RBI and is hitting .293-.331-.443 with 5 HRs and 18 RBIs. He has hit in 9 of his last 10 games, but with just 3 extra base hits and 3 RBIs in those 10 games. Will the Giants try him at catcher this year or no?

Cardinals third baseman David Freese returned from the DL to go 2-4 with a run scored and 2 strikeouts. Freese should get plenty of playing time at third base and will be counted on in the Cardinals offense with Albert Pujols out. 

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes went 4-4 with a walk, 3 runs scored and his 15th triple of the season last night. He and Matt Kemp are the fantasy MVPs to date, as Reyes is hitting .349-.394-.528 with 29 SBs thus far. I said at the beginning of the season that he would be the 3rd ranked fantasy shortstop this season, but he will be #1 when I publish my mid season shortstop rankings. I also said he wouldn't steal more than 40 bases this season, but he should easily surpass that.

Here is a tweet from ESPN's Buster Olney on Reyes and Kemp:

@Buster_ESPN Matt Kemp and Jose Reyes would probably be No. 1 and 2 for NL MVP conversation as of today; Brian McCann (4 hits last night) also in Top 5. about an hour ago

Is it time to call Tigers starter Rick Porcello a bust? Ok, maybe I am late to that game, but he got shellacked for 7 runs on 11 hits in 3+ innings last night vs the Mets. He is 6-6 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.49 WHIP thus far in 2011.

I was close to trading for Brewers starter Zack Greinke in an NL keeper league about a month ago, and I am glad I didn't. I wasn't as high on Greinke as others were in the offseason, and he has made me look right thus far. Last night he got lit up for 7 runs on 5 hits, 3 walks and no strikeouts in just 2 innings against the Yankees. He is 7-3 with a 5.63 ERA and 1.25 WHIP thus far this season, with an excellent 80-12 K/BB rate.

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira went 1-5 with a HR and 4 RBIs last night, and is now hitting .246-.356-.542 with 24 HRs and 62 RBIs. Tex doesn't need to hit for a high BA to still be productive in the Yankees lineup. He is on pace to hit 50 HRs and drive in 130 runs.

Yankees catcher Russell Martin is back to being the Russell Martin that Dodgers fans saw the last few seasons. He went 1-5 with an RBI last night and is hitting just .229-.333-.393 with 9 HRs, 31 RBIs and 7 SBs. The power and SBs are nice for a catcher, but his BA and SLG continue their downward spiral.

Pirates outfield prospect Alex Presley went 2-5 with a HR and 3 RBIs last night batting leadoff for the Buccos. He replaced Jose Tabata who was placed on the 15 day DL yesterday. Presley hit .336-.389-.500 with 8 HRs, 36 RBIs, and 18 SBs in AAA this season. He should continue to see time until Tabata returns from the DL.

Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz blew the save last night as he gave up a monster HR by Indians catcher Carlos Santana. He has now given up HRs in two straight games now, and I have to wonder if David Hernandez will replace him as the DBacks closer in the near future.

Marlins ace Josh Johnson is scheduled to pay a visit to Dr. James Andrews to check out his ailing shoulder. Anytime a pitcher visits Dr. Andrews, you have to raise your level of concern a bit.

Indians third base prospect Lonnie Chisenhall went 1-4 with a run scored in his second major league game last night. Chisenhall struck out looking with a man on second with the score tied at 4 in the 9th inning. 

Rays starter David Price pitched a gem last night, giving up 2 runs in 7+ innings against the Reds last night. He gave up 6 hits, walked one and struck out 12 batters. He has struck out double digit batters in his last two starts and has an excellent 116-22 K/BB rate in 118 innings pitched this season.

Athletics starter Gio Gonzalez might be the best pitcher no one hears about much but he did his best to get his name noticed last night as he threw 8 one-hit innings against the Marlins. Gonzalez walked 3 and struck out 9 to win his 7th game of the season, and lowered his ERA to 2.38 and his WHIP to 1.25. The 25 year old lefty has given up 2 runs or less in 8 of his last 10 starts. If he could learn to limit the walks, he could be dominant.

Braves catcher Brian McCann went 4-5 with 2 RBIs last night and is now hitting .317-.391-.533 on the season with 14 HRs and 46 RBIs. Wow. I could have traded for McCann in the offseason and am now second guessing myself. McCann is putting up first baseman power numbers at catcher. Pretty damn valuable.

Mariners outfielder Dustin Ackley went 1-4 with an RBI last night and is hitting .297-.366-.514 with a HR and 4 RBIs in his 37 at bats in the big leagues. He is picking up where he left off in AAA, hitting for a high BA and getting on base. Fantasy owners are looking for his first SB though.

Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo is doing his best to make Angels fans forget about the injured Kendrys Morales. After going 2-5 with a HR, 2 runs and 3 RBIs last night, he is hitting .261-.304-.467 with 15 HRs and 35 RBIs. He doesn't get on base much, but is providing solid power numbers in his rookie season.