Roto Roundup: Hanley Ramirez Suffers Leg Injury, Manny Ramirez Retires

Hanley Ramirez had to be helped off the field last night after Astros second baseman Bill Hall barreled into him at second base. But word is he just suffered a leg contusion. Suck it up Hanley! I drafted you with the 2nd pick in a recent NL-only draft, so get out there tomorrow.

Rays outfielder/DH Manny Ramirez suddenly retired yesterday due to a failed drug test in spring training. He is a Hall of Famer in my eyes no matter what the voters say. The Rays called up Casey Kotchman to replace Manny on the Rays roster. Here is what Erik Hahmann had to say about the callup:

It's official, Casey Kotchman will serve as the primary first basemen with Dan Johnson moving to DH. It's not the most desirable play the Rays could have made. This leaves Damon in left field with Sam Fuld going back to fourth outfielder duty. While Kotchman's glove is a bonus, his bat is not. The Rays offense is already struggling, adding Kotchman to the mix wouldn't be a vertical move.

The Red Sox finally won a game on Friday and beating the Yankees made it all that much sweeter. Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia lead the Red Sox attack going 3-5 with a HR and 3 RBIs. The Sox scored 9 runs on Friday, and I expect many more days like this for opposing pitchers.

Adrian Gonzalez batted 3rd and went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. AGonz should have a monster season should he stay healthy. I am thinking he can go 35-115-.295 this year.

More Roto Roundup after the jump:

Yankees starter Phil Hughes got knocked around and lasted just 2 innings on Friday, giving up 6 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks and no strikeouts. Hughes velocity is way down, and I see a DL stint for Hughes real soon. Not what the doctor ordered for the Yankees pitching staff. Who gets called up first from the Yankees stable of pitching prospects?

Red Sox starter John Lackey didn't fare much better than Hughes, but did last 5 innings and got the win for the Sox. I was calling Lackey "Lacking" to a Red Sox friend yesterday as we were trading emails during the game. Lacking gave up 6 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in 5 innings. The Red Sox rotation issues isn't too far behind the Yankees. If this continues, the AL could be wide open this year.

What was Giants manager Bruce Bochy thinking when he brought Brian Wilson in to preserve a one run lead yesterday? Wilson got hit around in his first outing off the DL and got hit around again giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks in 2/3rds of an inning to blow the save. I think Sergio Romo should get at least a few save opportunities before Wilson gets another.

Speaking of questionable bullpen decisions, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman brought in closer-in-waiting Drew Storen to pitch the 8th inning after he pitched 2 innings in yesterday's game. Storen was efficient enough to get 3 outs in his scoreless inning on just 10 pitches, 9 of which were strikes. Riggleman said before the game that Storen will be in the mix for saves, and I think he will be the closer in short order.

Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson had a fantastic rookie season in 2010, but is struggling here at the beginning of the 2011 season. He went 1-5 with a SB on Friday, but is only hitting .200-.273-.333 to date. I mentioned this last year, but when Jackson was playing for AA Trenton, he caught the final out of an inning and as he approached the dugout, he tossed the ball to my daughter who was waiting for him, along with about 4-5 other kids, to throw the ball to her. 

Tigers starter Max Scherzer won his second game of the year, giving up 1 run on 7 hits, 2 walks and just 3 strikeouts. He pitched well, but where are the Ks? Scherzer has a 9-4 K/BB rate in his two starts this season. Many fantasy owners were expected more Ks from Mad Max this season, but the season is still early.

Many fantasy owners aren't sure of what to make of Alex Gordon's hot start to the 2011 season. Gordon had two more hits last night and is now hitting .394-.444-.636. You have to ride his hot start for now.

Gordon's teammate Billy Butler went 2-4 with his 5th RBI on the season and is now hitting .385-.500-.654 and is easily out-hitting Kila Ka'aihue who is hitting just .185-.313-.370. Eric Hosmer could push both of them later this season, or in 2012 at the latest. Hosmer started the season at AAA Omaha, so he is very close.

Twins starter Carl Pavano out-dueled A's starter Brett Anderson on Friday. Pavano gave up just one run on 4 hits, a walk and a strikeout in 8 innings of work. Anderson also pitched 8 innings giving up 2 runs on 8 hits and 5 strikeouts.

Wow. Who said Pedro Alvarez was overweight? I was watching the Rockies-Pirates game last night and Alvarez made a diving stop of a groundball off the bat of Ty Wigginton with the bases loaded and two out in the 10th inning. He saved at least two, maybe three runs with the diving stop and throw. He was 1-4 with 2 walks at the plate.

Ian Desmond's stay at the top of the National's lineup may be short-lived after he went 0-5 to bring his triple slash line to .214-.214-.286. Teammate Danny Espinosa went 0-1 with 2 runs scored and 3 walks. Espinosa is hitting .314-.391-.421 on the season. He could see more SB attempts hitting ahead of Jayson Werth.

I was listening to the end of the Mets-Nationals game last night, and I think it was Howie Rose who said that the Mets are seriously considering bringing in their fences next season, speciifically in right centerfield. Something to watch next offseason as it could impact the value of David Wright and Ike Davis.

Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols went 1-6 with a SB on Friday, and is now hitting just .179-.226-.286. Seriously? This is King Albert. No reason to worry...yet. If he is hitting like this at the end of April, then I would start worrying.

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is making fantasy owners forget about his 2010 season, as he is hitting .440-.481-.560 after going 3-5 on Friday. 

Phillies starter Cliff Lee got knocked around by the Braves on Friday as he gave up 6 runs on 10 hits and a walk in 3+ innings. He threw first pitch strikes to 18 of the 22 batters he faced, but it appears Braves hitters were swinging on the first pitch.

Chipper Jones went 2-4 with 3 RBI on Friday and is now hitting .345-.387-.483 with 6 RBI to date. If he is healthy, the Braves are going to be tough to beat this year. Jones was an after-thought on draft day, and could go 20-80 if healthy all year.

White Sox closer Matt Thornton blew another save on Friday, and he did so in a big way. He gave up 5 runs, only 2 of which were earned, on 4 hits in 2/3rds of an innings. Thornton owners should look to grab Chris Sale soon.

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham went 3-5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI on Friday. Beckham is a must start in mixed leagues and is a solid choice for a bounceback season.

Rockies closer Huston Street will not be available on Saturday after pitching 3 innings of relief vs the Pirates last night. He came out to pitch the 13th inning after throwing only 15 pitches in his two previous innings. Why manager Jim Tracy would have him come out to pitch the 13th inning is beyond me, especially considering how injury prone Street has been in his career.

Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy had another solid outing on Friday pitching 8 innings of one run ball, giving up 7 baserunners and striking out 9. Were the Yankees too quick in dealing Kennedy? They certainly could use him now.

Justin Upton went 2-4 with a HR, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI on Friday night. He's struggling a bit to start the season, and fantasy owners are expecting a bounceback season from him after his disappointing 2010 season.

Blue Jays rookie starter Kyle Drabek had another solid, albeit a little wild, start on Friday, giving up one earned run on 6 hits, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts.

Indians catching phenom Carlos Santana went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI on Friday night, and is quietly hitting .346-.400-.462 with 6 RBIs in the early going,