Seesaw Report: June 23-29

Welcome to what has turned into the pitcher edition of the Seesaw report. Almost all the relevant names hitting the DL and getting called up this week stood 60 feet 6 inches from the mound. Without further delay...

Hitters Up

Anthony Rizzo - The long-awaited Cubs debut for Rizzo was a success, as he rapped two hits and drove in the winning run. Worth an add in all leagues for the upside, but expectations should be that he'll help in power and potentially hurt in average.

Drew Stubbs - Stubbs is back, and the biggest effect this has is reducing playing time for Ryan Ludwick and Chris Heisey, neither of whom have been particularly great. If you've been waiting on Stubbs, get him back in there.

Yasmani Grandal - Grandal was oddly called up a few weeks back only to be sent down after a couple games. It looks like he's here to stay this time, as Hundley was sent down in a corresponding move. As I said then, Grandal isn't going to hit for a ton of power in PETCO, but his linedrive stroke should play well, and he shouldn't hurt you in average. In 10 team leagues he won't be an improvement on anyone, but in deeper leagues he's an interesting add.

Xavier Avery - Avery was up earlier this season and while he struggled with an OPS under 700, he did steal 5 bases in 17 games. Worth an add if you're desperate for speed, as long as he has the playing time.

Hitters Down

Franklin Gutierrez - The west coast version of Jason Bay? The guy just can't stay healthy and is now on the 7-day concussion DL.

Nick Hundley - Optioned to Triple-A after a tremendously off year, that seems like it's been a lot of bad luck. Unfortunately for Hundley, Grandal is the future at the position, so he might be looking at a change of scenery since he's signed to a reasonable contract. We'll see if he can recalibrate himself in the PCL.

Justin Maxwell - Maxwell has been interesting this year, with a terrible average but a passable OPS, especially if you play in leagues with LF/CF/RF instead of OF. He hit the DL with some loose bodies in his left ankle and I wouldn't expect him back by the time he's eligible.

Pitchers Up

Trevor Bauer - The other long-awaited callup, Bauer was what we thought he was. I watched his start and he showed some great stuff, some nerves and his patented inefficient nature, throwing 74 pitches in only 4 innings. He left early with a minor groin injury that shouldn't affect his next start, as it is something he's been dealing with for a few months. Bauer was my prediction for NL ROY and while I thought he'd be up earlier, I think he's still got a shot. Expect high strikeouts, high walks, a solid ERA, a mediocre WHIP and some decent wins as Arizona is better than they've shown.

Andrew Cashner - Making his first start in a Padre uniform, Fangraphs' Dave Cameron wrote that perhaps Cashner wasn't getting his due in terms of hype, and boy was he right. Cashner impressed with 6.1 2 hit, 2 run innings (6 no-hit) and a 9/1 K/BB ratio. Pitching in PETCO will help, and with Cashner it has never been about his talent, merely about his ability to stay healthy. If he can, he's worth owning in all leagues.

Martin Perez - Perez is an enigma wrapped in a riddle, as he's shown three average-to-above pitches for years, but has struggled with results. He gets the call, not so much by earning it but by being an arm that isn't injured in the Texas organization. I'm taking a wait and see approach with Perez, and if that means I don't get him, I'm willing to take that risk. Too much downside here to justify dropping another decent player to get him.

Drew Smyly - He's back from the DL and if he was useful before, you can plug him back in. He is also worth a look as a guy to fill in for one of the MANY injured pitchers below.

Edwar Cabrera - Cabrera was 2011's minor league strikeout leader, but one could have predicted his struggles in his Major League debut. He has a devastating change up, which can dominate the lower minors, but his K/9 had dropped by 4 in his performance at Double-A, and he doesn't have a ML breaking ball at the moment. While he's not as bad as he was in his debut, Cabrera is more of a back end rotation candidate than someone like Bauer or Cashner.

Pitchers Down

CC Sabathia - Sabathia hit the DL with a strained abductor muscle, and as with other side injuries, I remind you that the average length of time on DL is 34.5 days. Obviously, CC could beat that timetable, but it's something to keep in mind when deciding what to do with him.

Andy Pettitte - Pettitte went straight to the 60 day DL with a fractured left ankle. Adam Warren was called up to fill in for CC/Pettitte and has been an interesting guy in the past. He'll likely be no more than serviceable, but that's worthwhile in deep leagues when you pitch for the Yankees.

Daniel Hudson - Hudson is done for the year and likely much of next year with a torn UCL. This keeps Bauer in the rotation as long as he performs when Saunders returns. Pat Corbin was recalled and while he pitched in relief of Bauer he might get a crack at Hudson's rotation spot.

Shaun Marcum - Marcum has been mostly underwhelming in his Brewer's career, so it's unclear how much this will hurt fantasy owners. He's got tightness in his right elbow and it's unclear if that is a precursor to something more worrisome or something that will resolve itself with rest. The Brewers could turn to Tyler Thornburg in his stead, and Thornburg is talented but will give up home runs due to lack of plane on his fastball.

Bartolo Colon - Big Fat Bartolo Colon (nickname courtesy of the 06010 podcast) heads to the DL with a strained oblique. See what I wrote re: side injuries in the Sabathia post. The A's will make do with a mixture of Graham Godfrey and Tyson Ross. No one that should really interest you.

Brandon McCarthy - Everyone's (see: my) favorite MLB twitter account holder returns to the DL with a shoulder strain. They're just going to give him rest and rehab and hope it works itself out.

Clay Buchholz - Buchholz originally had his start pushed back a few days with what was thought to be a minor illness. It turned out to be much more than that, as he had a gastrointestinal illness that involved internal bleeding. I imagine he'll take his time getting healthy and get some minor league time to regain his strength. Franklin Morales has been astonishingly good in his place.

Drew Hutchison - The Blue Jays won't have a rotation by next week the way things are going. Henderson Alvarez appeared to be OK, but it looks like they're going to go with Jamie Moyer as a fill-in, and I don't want to know what that looks like in the AL East.

Colby Lewis - The impetus for the Martin Perez call up, Lewis hit the DL with forearm tendinitis, which is always concerning as forearm soreness can often turn into UCL damage. See the Perez write up for what I think about him.