Houston closer, and possible headcase, Brad Lidge blew a save last night after giving-up a Ryan Braun home run in the 9th. If Lidge succeeds in his next opportunity, he will put to rest the idea that he can't handle closer adversity. It should also be a "clean" save as opposed to one of those hit-wild pitch-foul out-two walks-double-play type of saves.
Edwin Jackson pitched a shutout yesterday to get his ERA under 6.00. This was his third consectuive quality start, by the offical definition (6 IP 3 ER) and my own (a sub-4.00 ERA for the game). I wouldn't touch him for this year, but a strong finish will get EJax on the fantasy sleeper radar for 2008. Sadly, Al Reyes was not given the save opportunity. That is something that would have benefited fantasy owners. Shutouts by starters with 6.35 ERA entering the game do not.
Oakland reliever Santiago Casilla allowed two runs in an inning and a third. Since a scoreless appearance on July 21st that brought his ERA to a Putz-esque 0.70, he has allowed 11 ERs in 9.1 IPs to see that ERA rise to 3.34. He has struck out ten over that period, though. There is no reason he should be owned in the most competitive races. He still has value in AL-only keeper leagues thanks to the Street babying and the long-term prospects of Alan Embree, Successful Closer.
Mark Teahen stole his 11th base and went 2-4 in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays that brought his AVG to .289. Both those stats are everything any fantasy owner could have hoped for entering this year. Unfortunately, his 5 HRs qualify him as a fantasy disaster as the worst case power output in 2007 was last year's 18. His 35 XBH in 429 ABs versus last season's 46 in 393 explain the drop in SLG from .507 to .408. However, everything else, ex-HR, is right on target. He is a sleeper for 2008.