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I am back after a one day break from the Roto Roundup. Make sure you post any fantasy baseball questions you may have in the comments of the Roundup every day.
Fake Teams Podcast Episode 4: All We Talk about is Prospects
Make sure you check out Episode 4 of the Fake Teams podcast, where Andrew and Zack discuss some prospects including Michael Wacha and Nick Franklin, as well as other fantasy news.
Michael Wacha called up
The Cardinals have decided to call up top pitching prospect Michael Wacha to start on Thursday night in place of injured starter John Gast. Wacha could stay up with the big club even when Gast comes off the DL, but will be limited to 150 innings this season, aoccording to GM John Mozeliak. Wacha has already thrown 52.2 innings, so he will throw about 100 innings with the big league club.
Jason Hunt wrote this updated Coming Soon piece on Wacha on Monday.
Jose Bautista is on fire
Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is proving this he is fully healthy from the wrist surgery he had last season. Yesterday, he went 2-4 with a walk, HR, 3 runs and an RBI, raising his triple slash line to .299-.410-.585 with 12 HRs, 34 runs and 28 RBI in 164 at bats this season. Bautista has two or more hits in six of his last eight games, raising his batting average from .244 to .299. He currently ranks in the top 10 in the American League in HRs, runs, walks, slugging percentage and OPS.
For more on Baustista and the Blue Jays, make sure you check out Blue Bird Banter, SB Nation's Blue Jays fan site.
Kevin Gausman struggles in second start
Orioles pitching prospect Kevin Gausman had his way in AA this season, but is finding the big leagues a lot more challenging. Gausman got knocked around for seven runs on eight hits, a walk and no strikeouts in four innings of work vs the Nationals last night. Of the eight hits he gave up, three were home runs. The question now for fantasy owners is whether to start him in his next scheduled start vs Detroit. Manager Buck Showalter stated that he would make the start, but they have time to change their minds.
For more about Gausman's performance, and the Orioles in general, check out Camden Chat, SB Nation's Orioles fan site.
Hyun-Jin Ryu dominates the Angels
Unlike Gausman, Ryu has found his first season in the major leagues a little less challenging. Ryu dominated the Angels last night, pitching a complete game shutout. Ryu gave up just two hits, no walks and struck out 7 in the Dodgers 3-0 win. Ryu is now 6-2 with a 2.89 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 67-22 strikeout to walk rate in 71.2 innings. He has given up two runs or less in eight of his eleven starts this season.
For more on Ryu and the Dodgers, make sure you check out True Blue LA, SB Nation's Dodgers fan site.
Round'em Up
Braves catcher Brian McCann is making owners who grabbed him late in drafts this year look like geniuses. McCann went 2-5 with two home runs, one of them was of the walk-off variety in the Braves 7-6 win over the Blue Jays. McCann is now hitting .281-.354-.614 with 6 HRs, 7 runs, and 14 RBI in 16 games this season.
Oscar Taveras was placed on the DL at AAA Memphis with lingering soreness in his ankle. Keith Law ranked him as his #1 prospect in baseball in his updated Top 25 Prospect Rankings yesterday.
Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper missed his second straight game on Tuesday, and will not play until Friday, due to bursitis in his knee. He will apparently play through the injury rather than be placed on the 15 day DL. If the Nationals weren't 5 games behind the Braves in the NL East, I imagine they would have placed him on the DL already. But, they run the risk of the injury leading to a different injury as well. I would DL him if I were the Nationals.
Dodgers third baseman Hanley Ramirez ran the bases for the second day in a row on Tuesday and could begin a rehab assignment later this week. If all goes well, Hanley could be back in the Dodgers lineup next Monday vs the Padres.
Rockies starter Jorge de la Rosa is having a great season to date, and is not pitching like a normal Rockies pitcher. JDLR continued his un-Rockie like pitching on Tuesday, giving up just one run on 5 hits, 2 walks a 4 strikeouts. He did not factor in the decision, but is 6-3 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 38-22 K-BB rate in 62.2 innings this season. He has given up three runs or less in eight of his eleven starts as well.
Mets starter Matt Harvey dominated the Yankees, limiting them to one run on six hits, no walks and striking out 10 in a no decision on Tuesday night. Harvey was lifted after throwing 114 pitches in eight innings, and is now 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and an 84-17 strikeout to walk rate in 78 innings. He has given up one run or less in seven of his eleven starts, and two runs or less in nine of those eleven starts this season.
Nationals first baseman Adam Laroche appears to be at the beginning of one of his hot streaks. Laroche went 2-3 with a walk, 2 HRs, 3 runs and 4 RBI in the Nationals 9-3 win over the Orioles. Over his last six games, he is 9-23 with 3 walks, 3 HRs, 8 runs, and 7 RBI, and is now hitting .243-.325-.462 with 10 HRs, 25 runs and 27 RBI. He should be good for 25 HRs and 85 RBI this season.
Tigers starter Rick Porcello turned in his best outing of the season, shutting out the Pirates for eight innings, giving up just 3 hits, walking one and striking out a season high 11 batter. Porcello is now 2-2 with a 5.29 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and an excellent 40-10 K-BB rate in 51 innings.
Closer Roundup
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera came on to preserve a 1-0 lead in the ninth inning last night, but gave up two runs, one earned on three hits to blow his first save of the season. The 43 year old closer has been his old self this season, saving with 18 saves in 19 chances, a 1.85 ERA, A 0.98 WHIP and a 16-2 K-BB rate in 19.1 innings.
Rays closer Fernando Rodney earned his second win of the season, throwing a clean inning for the second straight outing, so maybe he has figured things out. Prior to those two outings, Rodney had blown three of his last save opportunities.