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Twins starter Brian Duensing threw 7 solid innings on Saturday giving up just one run on 5 hits, a walk and 3 strikeouts. He is now 2-0 with an ERA of 3.00 and WHIP of 1.22. Duensing is not a big strikeout pitcher, but he has pitched 6 innings or more in each of his 4 starts this season, and given up 2 runs or less in his last three starts.
Twins outfielder Denard Span went 2-4 with a walk, 3 runs scored and a SB on Saturday. He is now hitting 320-.360-.420 with a HR, 5 RBIs and 9 runs scored.
Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore went 1-4 with a HR and 2 RBIs on Saturday. He is hitting .391-.440-.783 with 2 HRs, 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored in 23 at bats since coming off the DL earlier this week.
More Roto Roundup after the jump:
Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is proving me, and many others, wrong this season, as he has continued his power surge with 2 more HRs on Saturday, giving him 7 on the year. He went 3-3 with a walk, 2 HRs, and 2 RBIs and is now hitting .371-.505-.774 for the season. He only hit 4 HRs in April 2010. Is his power for real, and if so, why aren't other hitters using his newfound power stroke?
Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow returned from the DL and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts in 5+ innings vs the Rays on Saturday. Morrow lead the majors in K rate last year with almost 11 Ks per 9 innings, and is well on his way to retaining that title this year.
Sam Fuld, the fantasy God, went 1-3 with 2 walks, 2 runs scored and a SB in the Rays win over the Blue Jays. Fuld now has 10 SBs this season and his OBP is over .400 now. Manny who? Are the Cubs wishing they held onto Fuld?
I ranked Indians catcher Carlos Santana as my 2nd ranked catcher in my last set of rankings this year and he has had a very slow start to the season. He is hitting .206-.321-.324 with 2 HRs and 11 RBIs. Is his knee still bothering him?
Mets outfielder Jason Bay went 2-4 with a HR and 3 RBIs on Saturday. I bet a friend that Bay would hit 20 HRs this season. Can he hit 20+ HRs this year?
Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, hitting second yesterday, went 2-5 with 2 RBIs and is now hitting .289-.333-.444 with a HR and 8 RBIs this season. He is playing almost everyday now that Brad Emaus was DFA'd last week.
Cubs shortstop went 4-5 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored on Saturday to lead the Cubs to a come from behind 10-8 win over the Selig Dodgers. Castro was a nominee for the Fake Teams Fantasy Player of the Day, and is hitting .393-.419-.528 with a HR and 10 RBIs. Starlin is pushing himself into the Top 5 shortstops in fantasy baseball.
Who the heck is Darwin Barney? Well, I wrote him up over at Minor League Ball in my Top Fantasy Shortstop Prospects for 2011 during the offseason, and he has made me look good so far this season as he is hitting .323-.357-.415 and 10 RBIs after going 3-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs on Saturday. You might want to pick him up and ride his hot streak.
Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake has been hot since he came off the DL about a week ago. He went 2-3 with 2 walks, a HR, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI yesterday. Hitting in the 2 spot in the Dodgers lineup, Blake is hitting .333.-433-.529 with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs. Blake may still be available in some mixed leagues, and you may want to look to add him while he is hot.
Blake's teammate Matt Kemp went 2-5 with a HR, and 2 RBIs yesterday and is now hitting .402-.484-.659 with 5 HRs, 17 RBIs and 8 SBs so far. It's still early, but Kemp is on his way to a 30-30 season. Is he worth $33 (or was it $35) in a mixed league auction?
Tigers starter Brad Penny pitched a gem yesterday, shutting out the White Sox on one hit in 7 innings, giving up 2 walks and striking out 3. Penny is 1-2 on the season with an ERA over 6. I would not go out and pick him up based on this outing. By the way, what the heck is wrong with the White Sox?
Tigers catcher Alex Avila is not a household name in fantasy circles, but maybe he should be. He went 3-4 with a run scored and 2 RBIs on Saturday, and is now hitting .327-.397-.615 with 3 HRs and 13 RBIs in 52 at bats.
Giants starter Tim Lincecum struggled with his command on Saturday as he gave up 5 runs on 6 hits, 6 walks and 6 strikeouts. He threw 110 pitches, but only 62 for strikes, and only 7 swinging strikes. He has a 38-13 K/BB rate right now, so no cause for concern from fantasy owners. There are plenty of other starters we should be concerned about including Mat Latos and Ubaldo Jimenez, among others.
Giants hitting prospect Brandon Belt, sent down to the minors recently, hit his first HR in AAA last night, and was playing LF. How long before he comes back to the big league club? June? July?
Speaking of prospects, the Padres have a first base prospect in Anthony RIzzo who could be up with the big league team within the next month or so, if not sooner. He is hitting .444-.507-.839 with 6 HRs and 24 RBIs at AAA Tuscon. The Padres currenty first baseman, Jorge Cantu and Brad Hawpe are both hitting below the Mendoza line. And Hawpe, hitting .106-.157-.128 is approaching the half-Mendoza line. Cantu is hitting .148-.203-.222. Does Kyle Blanks make it to San Diego before Rizzo?
Was I wrong for selling Russell Martin this year. Wow. He went 2-3 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBIs yesterday, with 2 of his hits being the leaving the yard variety. Martin is now hitting .333-.410-.722 with 6 HRs and 15 RBIs.
About a week ago Mark Teixeira was hitting in the .220s if I remember correctly, and now is hitting .279-.408-.656 with 6 HRs and 16 RBIs. He has hit in 6 of his last 8 games to raise his BA over 50 points.
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers is looking like a genius at this point for dealing third baseman Mark Reynolds to the Orioles this offseason. Reynolds is hitting just .177-.268-.306 with 1 HR, 10 RBIs and a 20-7 K/BB rate in 62 at bats this season. Third base prospect Josh Bell is hitting .285-.295-.467 with 2 HRs and 8 RBIs at AAA Norfolk. He isn't hitting well enough to push Reynolds....yet.
Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen went 1-2 with 2 walks, 3 runs scored and 2 SBs on Saturday night. McCutchen now has 3 SBs for the season, and is hitting .221-.354-.397 with 3 HRs and 10 RBIs. He has a hot streak in him real soon, I think.
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun went 2-5 with a HR, 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs on Saturday night and is hitting .384-.489-.712 with 7 HRs and 18 RBIs so far this season. I guess we can call his 2010 performance a fluke at this point. is 40 HRs possible for Braun this year?
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez went 2-5 with a HR and 6 RBIs on Saturday. He's hitting .370-.483-.826 with 5 HRs and 16 RBIs so far. I think one fantasy expert was mocked for picking ARod early in the first round of an experts draft back in March. I forget which draft it was, but that expert is looking pretty smart right now. I admit, I thought ARod would have trouble hitting more than 30 HRs this season.
Phillies reliever Ryan Madson earned his second straight save on Saturday night, and I am beginning to wonder if closer Jose Contreras is hurting as he got two nights off in a row now. It could be the Phillies are just giving Contreras an extra day of rest, but if he doesn't pitch in a save opportunity tomorrow night, I would begin to worry.
Rangers new closer Darren Oliver earned his first save last night, striking out one in his one inning of work. Teammate Alexi Ogando pitched well again, giving up just one run on 5 hits and a walk, while striking out 5 , in earning his third win of the season.