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Before I get into the Roundup, make sure you post any fantasy baseball questions you may have in the Fantasy Baseball Questions Thread. There are some good questions there already, so check it out.
Fake Teams Podcast - Episode 5: Already down one host
Make sure you check out Episode 5 of the Fake Teams podcast, where I filled in for Andrew Ball. Zack and I discussed several players including our thoughts on Chris Davis, Domonic Brown, Michael Wacha and more.
Yasiel Puig: Will he get the call up?
Carl Crawford left Saturday's game with a hamstring injury and the status of his injury is not known at this time, but the Dodgers sent a signal, as they pulled top prospect Yasiel Puig from his AA game as a precaution. Here is Bill Shaikin's tweet regarding Puig:
I'm told #Dodgers pulled Puig out of AA lineup to ensure he doesn't get hurt while team determines status of Crawford.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 1, 2013
If Crawford needs a few days off or a DL stint, it is highly likely that Puig will get the call up to replace him in left field. They can't continue running a partial AAA lineup out there on a daily basis if they expect to get out of the basement in the NL West.
Puig is hitting .313-.383-.599 with 8 HRs, 26 runs, 37 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 147 at bats at AA Chattanooga. He has some maturing to do, but the bat can play at the major league level, and the team needs a spark with Matt Kemp, and possibly Crawford, on the DL.
For more on Puig, and the Dodgers in general, make sure you check out True Blue LA, SB Nation's Dodgers fan site.
Jose Fernandez: Future ace
I think Jose Fernandez should be receiving more attention due to his performance this season. The 20 year old pitcher, though, plays for the Marlins, so he gets lumped into the "that team is terrible" commentary. Maybe his performance on Saturday will make more people take notice. Fernandez limited the Mets to one run on three hits, a walk and eight strikeouts on Saturday afternoon. He is now 3-3 with a 3.34 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 60-22 K-BB rate in 59.1 innings. He has given up 3 runs or less in 7 of his 11 starts this season, and has given up 2 runs or less in 5 of his 11 starts.
To put his performance in perspective, his ERA is lower than aces Justin Verlander, CC Sabathia and Gio Gonzalez. For the more sabremetric persuaded, his 3.58 FIP is lower than the FIP of Matt Moore, Sabathia, and Cole Hamels this season. Mets third baseman David Wright had this to say about Fernandez after the game, courtesy of Marc Carig, Mets beat reporter for Newsday:
Wright just compared Fernandez to Harvey -- 97 mph fastball with command of secondary stuff.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) June 1, 2013
He might not be an ace right now, but he will be sooner rather than later should he continue to perform at this level.
For more on Fernandez and the Marlins, please check out Fish Stripes, SB Nation's Marlins fan site.
Round'em Up
The Cardinals already have an ace in Adam Wainwright. They may have a future ace in Shelby Miller as well. And we have seen just one start from Michael Wacha, so look out NL Central teams. Miller held the injury-riddled Giants lineup to six hits, a walk and seven strikeouts in seven shutout innings yesterday in the Cardinals 8-0 win yesterday afternoon. Miller raised his record to 6-3 with a 1.82 ERA, 2.61 FIP, 3.58 xFIP, 0.98 WHIP and a 72-17 K-BB in 69.1 innings this season.
Nothing Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera does amazes me anymore. Cabrera went 1-4 yesterday, but his one hit was a grand slam, and he is now hitting .369-.445-.676 with 17 HRs, 45 runs, and 65 RBI this season. He is on pace for 195 RBI, which would break Hack Wilson's record of 191 RBI back in 1930.
Rays pitching prospect Chris Archer struggled in his first start of the 2013 season yesterday, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 4 innings. He needed 94 pitches to get through the four innings, and two of the hits he gave up went yard.
Archer went up against indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who had his way with the Rays lineup yesterday. Jimenez shut out the Rays on 4 hits, a walk and 7 strikeouts. Jimenez is now 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and a 60-27 K-BB rate in 59.2 innings. He has given up two runs or less in six of last seven starts, lowering his ERA from 10.06 to 4.83.
Has Jimenez turned the corner?
Speaking of turning the corner, is it time for Eric Hosmer to turn the corner? Hosmer went 3-5 with a run scored batting third in the Royals 4-1 win over the Rangers. He has struggled in a big way this season, but maybe the presence of George Brett as the Royals hitting coach will turn his season around for fantasy owners. Slotting him in the three hole is a good start. He is owned in just 44.4% of ESPN leagues right now, so those of you looking for someone to slot in your utility spot, he could be a nice addition right now.
Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava is making the most of his opportunity to play everyday this season. Nava went 4-5 with a HR, 2 runs and 4 RBI in the Red Sox 11-1 win over the Yankees last night. Nava raised his triple slash line to .296-.398-.485 with 8 HRs, 31 runs, 37 RBI and an excellent 37-26 K-BB rate in 169 at bats this season.
In one of the better pitching duels this week, Mike Leake and Francisco Liriano both dominated last night. Leake held the Pirates to 7 hits, a walk and 5 strikeouts in 6 shutout innings, while Liriano gave up just one run on 4 hits, a walk and 11 strikeouts in six innings. Leake has surprised this season, and is now 5-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.31 WHIP, while Liriano is now 3-2 with a 2.17 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 39-9 K-BB rate in 29 innings. Liriano has struck out 9 or more batters in three of his five starts since his return from the DL.
Closer Roundup
With closer Huston Street on the 15 day DL, the Padres turned to Luke Gregerson in the first save opportunity last night. Gregerson, who has been relatively unhittable this season, gave up a run on three hits but earned his first save of the season. I will be interested to see if manager Bud Black stays with Gregerson in the next save opportunity, or gives Dale Thayer a chance.
Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez was called upon to close the game for the Brewers for the second straight game on Saturday. KRod gave up a run on 3 hits and a walk in a shaky ninth inning, but got Michael Martinez to ground out to earn his third save in as many chances.