Roto Roundup: Casey McGehee Homers 3 Times, Jason Kipnis Homers in 4th Straight Game

Brewers third baseman Casey McGehee was the hitter of the day yesterday as he homered 3 times and drove in 5 runs in the Brewers 10-5 win over the Cardinals. McGehee is having a down year this season, hitting .240-.289-.349 with 8 HRs and 48 RBIs. He has had such a rough year that the Brewers pondered sending him down to AAA at one point during the season. 

Because Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa used every pitcher in the pen in last night's 11 inning game, he left starter Edwin Jackson in to pitch 7 innings yesterday. In those 7 innings, EJax gave up 10 runs, 8 earned runs, on 14 hits, including 4 home runs. Jackson took one for  the team for sure, but fantasy owners, I am one of them, wished LaRussa took him out much earlier yesterday.

The Reds have first base prospect Yonder Alonso taking ground balls at third base to get his bat in the lineup more. If Alonso can be serviceable at third, he could see several starts per week there. We'll keep an eye on this.

More Roundup after the jump:

Braves second baseman Dan Uggla is back to being the Dan Uggla we all drafted back in March. Too bad he was terrible for the first three months of the season. Yesterday, he went 2-4 with a HR, 2 runs and 3 RBIs. He now has 23 HRs on the season and appears to be a shoo-in for 30 HRs for the 5th straight season. I didn't realize he had a 25 game hitting steak going.

Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart was almost traded at the trade deadline on Sunday, and one has to wonder what happened to the former top prospect. He is hitting all of .148-.234-.217 with no HRs, 4 RBIs, and a 35-13 K/BB rate in 115 at bats this season. His K rate is terrible, but no HRs playing in Coors? Does he need a change of scenery or is he a bust?

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley missed a good part of the season recovering from a knee injury, but he hasn't missed a beat at the plate. In 228 at bats, he is hitting .289-.383-.491 with 8 HRs, 33 RBIs, 34 runs and 11 SBs. He's healthy and should be back at the top of second base rankings in 2012. 

Mariners first baseman Mike Carp went 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs yesterday and is hitting well since his call up to the big leagues. He is hitting .297-.366-.440 with 2 HRs, 13 RBIs and a 27-9 K/BB rate in 91 at bats. The strikeout rate is way too high, but the walk rate is solid. 

Tigers catcher Alex Avila went 2-3 with a HR and 2 RBIs yesterday and is hitting .285-.371-.490 with 12 HRs and 52 RBIs this season. He is on pace for an 18-77 season which would probably put him in my Top 5 catchers in 2012. The question is can he build on his breakout 2011 season next year?

Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong held the hot Diamondbacks to one run in 6 innings, giving up 5 hits, 3 walks and striking out 7. He is now 9-1 with a 2.19 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and an 86-40 K/BB rate. At 34 years of age, I am not sure if he can duplicate his performance in 2012, but he certainly seems like he has the lock on Comeback Player of the Year.

Rays outfield prospect Desmond Jennings is off to a solid start to his big league career. He went 2-5 yesterday, and is hitting .333-.440-.643 with 2 HRs, 9 RBIs, 8 runs, 5 SBs and an 11-6 K/BB rate in his first 42 at bats. What took the Rays so long to call him up? Carl who?

Indians second base prospect Jason Kipnis is showing everyone the power he had on display in the minors, but I don't think anyone thought he had this much power. Kipnis homered in his 4th straight game last night, as he went 1-2 with 2 walks. He's another guy where you ask what took the Indians so long to call him up. That Indians lineup could be very good in the next year or two with Kipnis, Carlos Santana, Lonnie Chisenhall, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Matt Laporta should he decide to reach his potential one of these years.

I think the Yankees have found their leadoff hitter in Brett Gardner. I know I am late to that news, but he makes a lot more sense than Derek Jeter leading off. Gardner went 3-5 with 4 runs scored and a SB in last night's softball game in Chicago. Gardner is now hitting .280-.359-.397 with 4 HRs, 27 RBIs, 60 runs and 33 SBs. He is on pace for 90 runs and 50 SBs this season and should be a top 20ish outfielder in 2012.

As I write this, the Yankees are up 18-7 over the White Sox in the 8th inning. Derek Jeter is 5-6 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Curtis Granderson is 4-6 with 2 runs and 5 RBIs. Robinson Cano is 3-5 with a HR, 2 runs and 4 RBIs. Sick night for the Yankee hitters.