:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6512655/20120415_ajw_su8_188.jpg)
I got a late start on the Roto Roundup, so if it ends up short, you will know why. I made a huge deal in my AL-only league yesterday and will have a separate post on that either later today or tomorrow. And that deal is the reason why I got a late start on the Roundup.
So we all know Angels outfield prospect Mike Trout is fast, but yesterday he scored from first base on a single. A SINGLE!! I don't see Vernon Wells or Bobby Abreu holding him back once he is ready to play everyday in the big leagues.
ESPN's Jim Bowden tweeted the following last night on some closers who could be on the market already:
Carl Crawford expected to DH Tuesday in Extended Spring Game for Red Sox......teams already calling on Brett Myers & Huston Street
#closers
I am not sure who would take over the closers role in Houston should Brett Myers get dealt, but would imagine David Carpenter and Wilton Lopez are the favorites to close. Carpenter has the better strikeout rate, but Lopez keeps the ball on the ground. If the Padres deal Huston Street, and why wouldn't they, Andrew Cashner becomes an immediate pickup in all mixed and NL-only leagues.
More Roto Roundup after the jump:
If Matt Kemp played all of his games against the Padres this season, he could very well hit 50 HRs. Kemp went 3-4 with a solo HR, his 6th, off of Edinson Volquez. Kemp is now hitting an insane .487-.523-1.026.
Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek held the Orioles to 2 runs, 1 earned, on 6 hits, a walk and 6 strikeouts in his 7.1 innings of work yesterday. He is now 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA. He threw 63 of his 103 pitches for strikes, of which 12 were swinging strikes, and also induced 10 ground ball outs. Drabek could be on the verge of a breakout season in Toronto. Ugh. I just traded him in my AL-only league. Oh well.
Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon went 2-6 with the game winning RBI yesterday, but fantasy owners don't care so much about his RBIs, just his stolen bases. Well, he stole two bases yesterday, giving him 7 SBs in 10 games. According to Jon Weisman at DodgersThoughts, Gordon is on pace for 113 stolen bases this season, with an OBP of .273. Think about that for a moment. What happens when he starts hitting better?
Marlins third baseman Hanley Ramirez went 4-5 with a HR, his first, and 3 RBI yesterday in the Marlins come from behind win vs the Astros. Hanley now has his triple slash line up to .282-.364-.487 with 2 HRs, 7 RBI and 2 stolen bases thus far in 2012. Hanley has 2 HRs, teammate Omar infante has 4 HRs, and Giancarlo Stanton has zero home runs at this point.
Tigers starter Rick Porcello has started the 2012 season on the right path as he tossed his second quality start in a row yesterday, holding the White Sox to a run on 5 hits, no walks and 4 strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work. He tossed 7 innings of 2 run ball on April 10th vs the Rays, and now owns an ERA of 1.84.
Royals outfielder Alex Gordon was moved back to the leadoff spot yesterday,after the team sent Jarrod Dyson back to AAA, and he responded by going 0-4 with a walk and a run scored. He is off to a cold start to the 2012 season, hitting just .118-.231-.206 with a HR, 3 RBI and a 11-5 strikeout to walk rate in 34 at bats. He is due to get hot very soon.
Ever since the Indians announced they were signing DH/outfielder Johnny Damon, Shelley Duncan and Travis Hafner have started to hit. Duncan went 1-2 with 3 walks, a HR, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI, and is now hitting .320-.485-.600 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI. Hafner went 3-4 with a HR and 2 runs scored, and is hitting .292-.393-.583 with 2 HRs and 5 RBI.
So why did the Indians sign Damon again? Who sits when Damon plays?
Twins rookie starter Liam Hendricks held the Rangers to just one run on 7 hits in his 6 innings or work yesterday. He struck out 4 and walked none in his first start of the season yesterday. Should I pick him up in my AL-only league? I just looked at his Baseball-Reference page and decided the answer was no.
Reds closer Sean Marshall earned his first save of the season yesterday, but did give up two hits in the process. If for some reason he loses the closers job, and the odds are that he will, Aroldis Chapman should be the guy to replace him. Chapman struck out 4 batters in his two innings of work yesterday. For the season, Chapman has worked 8 innings, given up just 3 hits and owns a 15-0 strikeout to walk rate. THIS is the guy the Reds paid $30 million for a few years ago.
Mariners DH Jesus Montero hit his first home run of the season on Saturday and started the game at catcher. The Mariners starting catcher is Miguel Olivo and he is starting to look like he may not be the starter for long, as he is hitting just .111-.135-.139 thus far. Could Montero become the starting catcher in Seattle by late May?
Rays starter Matt Moore struggled in his start at Fenway Park vs the Red Sox as he gave up 6 runs on on 8 hits, 2 of which were home runs, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts in 6 innings yesterday. He currently owns an ERA of 5.56 and a WHIP that is approaching 1.70. He is a solid buy low candidate if there is such a thing.