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I switched from the Dodgers game to the Phillies-Nationals game on ESPN last evening, and saw Bryce Harper get hit by a pitch, go from first to third on a single to left field and then steal home when Phillies starter Cole Hamels threw to first base to keep Jayson Werth close. The guy keeps doing things on the field that tell you he will be pretty damn special once he gets comfortable.
Angels first baseman Albert Pujols sat out Saturday night's game, and came back refreshed on Sunday. Pujols homered for the first time this season, going 1-4 and is hitting .196-.237-.295 thus far. Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton got hot once he hit his first home run last week, so I can see Albert doing the same. If you can find an owner looking to deal him, I would pay first round value for him.
Rangers starter Yu Darvish lost for the first time of the season yesterday, giving up 4 runs, 3 earned, on 6 hits, 4 walks and 11 strikeouts. Darvish is now 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and a 44-21 strikeout to walk rate in 39 innings so far. In his last 3 starts, he has struck out 30 and walked 8 in 21.1 innings.
More Roto Roundup after the jump:
Dodgers closer Javy Guerra blew his 3rd save of the season yesterday, giving up a run on 2 hits, a walk and 2 strikeouts. Set up man Kenley Jansen gave up a hit and struck out 2 in his inning of work. Guerra almost took the loss but second baseman Mark Ellis threw a strike to home plate on a relay throw to cut down David DeJesus at the plate. With that said, Guerra's BABIP is an absurd .452 right now, so that should come down real soon. His FIP sits at 1.55 vs his ERA of 5.84. I still think Jansen gets the job in the near future.
Sabremetric stats aside, here is Eric Stephen from TrueBlueLA on Guerra after Sunday's blown save:
As for Guerra, he has allowed six runs and 12 hits in his last four innings, over five appearances. That includes two blown saves, another loss, and a game in which he allowed two runs in the ninth inning of a tie game.
A little over a week ago, Mattingly said of Guerra, "The game will tell us what to do with him. If he has trouble [as closer], we'll put him in a different spot."
That time is now.
I think manager Don Mattingley gives Guerra another shot in the 9th inning, but if he blows another save, it will be a virtual certainty that Kenley Jansen will take over the late game responsibilities for the Dodgers.
Reds starter Mat Latos dominated the Pirates for 6 innings yesterday, shutting them out on 2 hits, 3 walks and striking out 11. Latos, a notorious slow starter, is now 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA and 1.44 WHIP for the season. I see him improving from here on out.
Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth broke his left wrist while attempting to make a sliding catch last night and will be out for at least 6 weeks, which set his return date toward the end of June. It appears Bryce Harper will move from left field to right field as a result. The Nationals should get Ryan Zimmerman back this week, so he should make up for the loss of Werth.
Speaking of the Nationals, ESPNs Buster Olney reported during last night's game that the team expects Michael Morse back for a June 8th game vs the Red Sox, where he will DH. That's one month away and a lot can happen, so stay tuned.
Rays outfielder Desmond Jennings left yesterday's game with knee soreness and will be evaluated on Monday. Jennings is hitting .270-.339-.405 with 3 HRs, 11 RBI, 20 runs, 8 stolen bases and a solid 22-11 strikeout to walk rate in 111 at bats thus far.
I traded Adam Jones in the offseason in my AL-only keeper league and I wish I had not. Jones went 3-8 with a HR, 2 runs and 3 RBI, and is hitting .304-.350-.591 with 8 HRs, 17 RBI, 23 runs, and 5 stolen bases thus far in 2012. He is certainly breaking out in 2012.
Am I the only one worried about Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista? Bautista went 1-4 on Sunday and is hitting just .183-.313-.356 so far in 2012. After 69 extra base hits in 513 at bats last season, he has just 8 in 104 at bats this season.