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If you have any fantasy related questions, trade offers, roster decisions, keeper questions, questions about when to bail, or how to bail, feel free to post them in the comments section of the Roundup.
Bryce Harper injured
Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was injured while running down an A.J. Ellis fly ball last night in Los Angeles. I was watching the game, and he slammed into the right field scoreboard very hard, and dropped onto the warning track like he was out cold. He laid there for a few minutes before getting up and walking out under his own power. His neck was bleeding as he walked off, and many on Twitter, including Nationals beat writer Amanda Comak, wonder if he suffered a concussion. Roger Bernadina took over in right field and will stand to gain should Harper need a few days off, or a DL stint. We should learn more about his injury later today.
Here is a link to video of Harper running into the wall.
Zack Wheeler won't be called up till mid-June
Those of you waiting for Mets top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler to be called up will have to wait till mid-June for him to be called up. This from Adam Rubin from ESPN New York:
If avoiding an extra year of arbitration eligibility for Zack Wheeler is important to the Mets -- and a team insider says it is a priority -- the top prospect may not make his major league debut for another month.
Still, the insider projected, Wheeler will spend a half-season in the majors to get any growing pains out of the way before the 2014 season begins.
Wheeler has started to put things together at AAA Las Vegas of late. He is currently 2-1 with a 3.74 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 1.34 WHIP and a 47-18 K-BB rate in 43.1 innings thus far. Over his last three starts, covering 20 innings, he has given up just 3 earned runs on 14 hits, 3 walks and 19 strikeouts.
Jean Segura: Top fantasy shortstop in 2013?
Brewers shortstop Jean Segura might be one of the biggest surprises of the 2013 season thus far. We ranked him as our 22nd ranked shortstop in the Fake Teams Consensus position rankings in the offseason, and no one could have predicted his fast start. Last night, he went 3-5 with an RBI and 3 stolen bases, and is now hitting .368-.412-.588 with 6 HRs, 20 runs, 16 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a solid 19-10 K-BB rate. He won't hit .370 all season, as pitchers will find his weaknesses and he will have to make some adjustments, but he is on pace for 59 stolen bases this season. He is currently leading the majors in stolen bases right now, and should be a slam dunk for 40+ steals this season.
Travis Wood is the best pitcher in baseball
Last week, Cubs manager Dale Sveum called Travis Wood "the best pitcher in baseball". Many, including me, laughed at the thought, but maybe Sveum is onto something here. Wood silenced the Rockies bats on Monday night, shutting them out 2 hits, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 7 innings of work. Wood is now 4-2 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 36-17 K-BB rate in 53.1 innings thus far. He has given up 3 runs or less in all eight starts this season, all quality starts, and fantasy owners are left to wonder whether they should buy high on him or not. If he is available in your league waiver wire, I would pick him up and ride him while he is pitching well.
More Roundup
Well, it appears the Indians just won't give third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall a full season in the big leagues to either prove himself or fail. He is the Cleveland version of Andy Laroche, the Dodgers former top third base prospect.
Chisenhall was hitting just .213-.253-.352 with 3 HRs, 7 runs and 11 RBI in 94 at bats. They gave him 94 at bats at the big league level this season before saying "we've had enough". He was hitting .250 vs right handed pitching this season, but a woeful .091 vs left handed pitching. He has always struggled vs left handed pitching, so I am not sure he will improve much with the demotion to AAA.
Indians starter Justin Masterson is confounding fantasy owners this season, as he is outperforming his draft ranking by a wide margin. He stepped on the mound at Yankee Stadium yesterday and proceeded to shutout the hot Yankees. He threw a complete game, 4 hit shutout, striking out 9 and walking 3. He is now 6-2 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 60-24 K-BB rate in 63 innings. He is currently top 5 in the AL in wins, IP, Ks, BBs, and complete games.
In the second game of the Yankees-Indians double dip yesterday, the Yankees called up Vidal Nuno to start. Nuno was making his second major league start, and tossed 5 shutout innings, giving up 3 hits, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. In his two starts, he has thrown a total of 8 innings, giving up just 7 hits and walking three. I imagine he will be one of the first pitchers called up should one of the Yankee starters go on the DL this season.
Brewers starter Marco Estrada bounced back from two horrible starts in a row, to limit the Pirates to one run on 3 hits, a walk and 5 strikeouts in 7 innings in the Brewers 5-1 win over the Pirates. Estrada is now 3-2 with a 5.32 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and a 44-13 K-BB rate in 45.2 innings. He has given up an astonishing 11 home runs in 45.2 innings thus far.
Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday had a slow start to the 2013 season, but has started to catch fire of late. He went 2-4 with a HR, 2 runs and 2 RBI last night in the Cardinals 6-3 win over the Mets. He is now hitting .271-.369-.450 with 6 HRs, 28 runs and 23 RBI thus far.
The day that Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson lands on the 15 day DL, the Tigers move left fielder Andy Dirks into the leadoff spot, and it appears he likes hitting leadoff. Dirks went 3-4 with a double, a grand slam, 2 runs and 4 RBI, raising his triple slash line to .260-.345-.427 with 4 HRs, 13 runs, 12 RBI, 4 stolen bases and an excellent 18-13 strikeout to walk rate in just 96 at bats. Not so bad for a part time player.
Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks was the talk of spring training for about a week, and then again when he made the Twins Opening day roster. But, since then, many questioned whether he was ready for the big leagues, as he has whiffed at an alarming rate, striking out 35 times in 105 at bats thus far. But last night, he had his best game as a major leaguer, going 2-3, with a walk, 2 HRs, 3 runs and 2 RBI, and is now hitting just .152-.256-.286 with 3 HRs, 16 runs, 15 RBI and 3 stolen bases. Hicks also took a home run away from Adam Dunn in the game.
Closer News
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said closer Brandon League will remain his closer "for now". To me, that was not a strong endorsement and I can see League losing the job very soon. I would not be surprised to see Kenley Jansen get the next save opportunity for the Dodgers.
Some Injury News
In case you missed my comment in Daniel's Injury Report yesterday afternoon, here is what I wrote:
Austin Jackson went on the DL with a hamstring injury right about the time Daniel posted his Injury Report. Avisail Garcia was called up to replace him.
It appears Zack Greinke may return from the DL on Wednesday to face the Nationals. This from Eric Stephen over at True Blue LA:
We will find out Monday whether or not Zack Greinke starts the series finale. If so, his return to the mound will be 34 days after breaking his collarbone.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has not decided whether Greinke will start on Wednesday or go on another rehab start, so his owners are in limbo right now.
Reds starter Johnny Cueto is set to make his second rehab start on Tuesday, and if all goes well, he will start next Sunday.
For more MLB coverage from SB Nation, make sure you check out Baseball Nation and SB Nation/MLB.
More fantasy goodness from Fake Teams
Injury Report: Sometimes, you just don't know
Fantasy Baseball: Two-Start Pitchers for Week 7
Has anything changed? Tyler Skaggs
Coming Soon to A Stadium Near You: Matt Wisler, RHP, San Diego Padres
Minor League Level Review (High-A): Concerns about Mason Williams, Tons of Players Hit Disabled List