Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.One fantasy baseball question becoming increasingly more prevalent these days is very succinct: Is David Ortiz done? The problem? It's a tough question to answer. What do we actually mean by "done?" Is he ever going to be the guy who hit 54 home runs or the one who drove home 148 runs again? No. Not a chance.
Let's not get crazy and go overboard, though. Big Papi is still a useful fantasy player, and he took a big step in the right direction on Patriot Day. A double and a triple (yes, you read that correctly) upped his average to .196, and he drove home his 5th and 6th men of the season.
He hasn't been healthy for the past two seasons, and it's entirely possible he's finding it difficult to get himself back into game shape early this season. I still have faith that he's a 30-100 guy in that lineup, and that he'll get that average up close to .300.
Stick with him, and if someone in your league wants to trade him, why turn them down? That wouldn't be cordial, and you know us fantasy players are all about the manners.
Bits From the Boxscores:
- Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury are both really starting to swing the bats well for the Red Sox, which means the middle of the order guys (like Papi) will start reaping the rewards of the two speedy table-setters touching home plate.
- How much longer can Clint Hurdle justify not playing Ian Stewart everyday? In Hurdle's defense, Stewart has started the past three games -- so it's possible he's done sitting the phenom. Stewart's certainly getting his money's worth, even when not consistent. Monday night was a pedestrian 1-4 game, but his hit was a home run -- his 3rd of the season in only 24 at-bats. You'll find him playing the majority of the games from here on out, and he's going to be eligible at 3B, 2B and OF. This is a guy worth watching in every format, if you hadn't already been doing so.
- After another solid game, Nate McLouth has 4 home runs and 13 RBI. It's pretty safe to say that last season wasn't a fluke.
- Chad Qualls pitched a perfect ninth inning and only need 7 pitches for his 3rd save. He's blown one save, but been stellar in his other three chances. Once the Diamondbacks start hitting more consistently, he'll start moving up the save chart. I firmly believe Qualls can be a top-10 closer this season.
- Cameron Maybin is still scuffling at the plate, as his average drops to .194. With the Marlins playing as good as anyone in baseball (arguably better), you start to get worried about a possible return to the minors. For now, stick with him because of the immense potential. Just keep your eyes on playing time. The Marlins can't afford to stick with him through thick and thin if they are in the middle of a heated pennant race.
- So much for Francisco Cordero's poor spring. He now has 5 saves -- only the Padres' Heath Bell has more -- and a 1.50 ERA in this young campaign for the 7-5 Cincinnati Reds. I think someone told you this before, but spring stats for established veterans don't mean squat.
- It was nice to see Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee both hit the ball out of the ballpark. Maybe they'll both get back on track soon.
- Great debut for the 22 year-old Jordan Zimmerman -- outdueling Derek Lowe for the win. He only needed 72 pitches to get through 6 innings against the Braves, striking out 3 and walking only 1. Wins will probably be tough to come by moving forward, but with the Nationals going absolutely nowhere, they'll stick with this kid all season. He's worth a look in deep NL-Only leagues, big keeper leagues, and all dynasty leagues (should have already been owned). Tons of potential here, and you can see the formidable 1-2 punch of Zimmerman and Steve Strasburg making the Nationals relevant a few years from now.
The Afflicted: Brian McCann is having vision issues, which is a scary thing for this sport. You want to see that little white sphere as clearly as possible when it's humming past your body at upwards of 95 miles per hour. I'm very concerned, especially considering the high price you had to pay for the heavy-hitting backstop. Ryan Doumit sat Monday night with a wrist issue, and he's likely to miss a few more games.
Don't look now, but Alex Rodriguez is reportedly picking up the pace on his baseball activities. His return is on the horizon.
Down on the Farm: The Angels shouldn't be able to keep Brandon Wood down in the minors for long, not if they want to find a way to improve their anemic offense (only the A's have scored less runs in the American League). The 24-year-old Wood is absolutely raking right now. In 30 plate appearances, Wood already has 4 home runs and 8 RBI. He's hitting .346 with a .433 on-base percentage and a .923 slugging percentage. It's true he didn't adapt well to the transition in the past, but we can always hold out hope his first 190 plate appearances in the majors were a learning experience. He's still awfully young. When Wood does get the call, look for the Angels to use Chone Figgins both at second and in the outfield a bit, where Figgins, Gary Matthews and Howie Kendrick would all lose at-bats.
Jeff Samardzija threw six solid innings his last time out for the Iowa Cubs -- meaning he sports now a 1.80 ERA in his two starts. Should the Chicago Cubs continue to get nothing from Neal Cotts (their only left-hander in the bullpen), it's entirely possible Samardzija is recalled as a starter and Sean Marshall is moved to the bullpen to serve as their lefty.
Lineup Lock Time: Take the work day off! We don't have a first pitch until 7:05 PM ET, when more than half the games get going.
Rush to the Wire For: Wood. The Angels really need the offense at this point, and he's finally got enough seasoning to stick at the big league level.
Tuesday's Ace in the Hole (and this time we're serious): After horribly missing Monday, we need a bounce-back to legitimacy. So here we go: Aaron Laffey has thrown more innings against the Royals than any other team in his young career. He's put together a 2.73 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 29 2/3 innings against them. David DeJesus, Billy Butler and Mark Teahen are a combined 4-32 with 1 extra base hit against him. Mike Aviles and Mike Jacobs have never faced him (which means advantage Laffey). I love this matchup for him.
Final, Unrelated Rant: This is just to fill the time since there weren't many games to cover Monday night.
I probably shouldn't let it bother me so much, but it really grinds my gears when people spew incorrect information over the national airwaves. It's just that when people are paid a decent chunk of money to be educated on a specific topic -- and have plenty of time to prepare -- I really wish they would do their homework. Two ESPN instances caught my eye in the past two days.
1. On Sunday Night Baseball's little ditty in place of the washed away game, they had each broadcaster discuss the two teams who would have played. Steve Phillips mentioned how Aramis Ramirez was off to a slow start. I'll grant that he said something about the previous day's walk-off jack and that "hopefully that's a sign of things to come." Still, look at Ramirez's baseball-reference page. Compare how things are shaping up this season to years past.
2. Monday, during First Take -- which I only turned on because FanHouse's Dan Graziano was in the house, otherwise I would never, ever subject myself to this person -- Jamelle Hill said the Marlins had a great April in both of their previous championship seasons, so this one was no different. Now, I remembered that in 2003 they actually fired their manager early in the year and replaced him with Jack McKeon. So I went back and looked. The Marlins were 14-15 in 2003 when they turned the calendar to May.
I just don't think it's too much to ask to actually have a factual basis for an opinion, that's all. If you really think Ramirez being on pace for a career best OPS is a slow-start, tell me why. If you really think 14-15 is a hot start, tell me why. If you can't do so, be better at your job.
On that note, it's probably best to call it a day. Good luck in all your fantasy leagues, and we'll see you tomorrow.
Got specific fantasy baseball questions and/or comments? Hit us up, and we'll help.
