Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday."Taterjack" is a term I like to employ for a "home run." I find it to be awesome. Nearly as awesome as I found Chris Davis, the power-swinging, Texas Rangers first basemen ... before the season. But news hit the proverbial fan yesterday that Davis had been demoted and that he would no longer be on the Rangers' big league team.
This is highly problematic for fantasy owners who wasted used a high pick (and, invariably, it was high) on Davis: because he doesn't seem likely to get a lot more opportunity in the Rangers lineup. This is true for a number of reasons. First, he stinks. Second, Justin Smoak is the minors and probably ahead of Davis on the "track to the bigs" now. Additionally, Hank Blalock is playing first base. And, finally, the Rangers need pitching.
All of those things combine to form a distinct notion that we may have seen the last of Mr. Davis in a Rangers uniform. Which in fantasy terms means ... drop him! Yes, you can drop Chris Davis from your fantasy team, or at least should; I'm one of those stupid, stubborn owners who having traded Scott Baker for Davis before the season even started, won't let go of the guy just because a) my team stinks (thanks Brandon Webb) and b) I can't deal with watching Davis hit 20 homers in the second half of the season for the owner who originally drafted him.
The good news for you, though, is that such a thing ain't happening. So cut him loose and move on with your life. Smoak is on his way too, so if you have room available to wait (or Davis was just wasting a bench spot) on a guy, make it for him.
Bits From the Box Scores
• Nate McLouth hit his 13th home run (and this one's with the Braves) as Atlanta lost to the Nationals. Sigh. Derek Lowe is now 7-7, and while the team only provided him three runs, you have to wonder if that's the signifying game that makes the Braves either "sellers" or "non-buyers" at the deadline.
• In quasi-bizarre home run news, Adam Lind hit his 18th and Aaron Hill hit his 20th for the Blue Jays last night. They still lost because the Yankees' offense can't be stopped. Lind's isn't as crazy but Hill with 20 already? Como se dice "sell high"?
• Of course, that offense was the same thing that helped Joba Chamberlain from looking really stupid (again) at home: he's now 0-2 with nine games started at home, walking 25 in 42 IP while striking out 41 and posting a 5.36 ERA. We know that New Yankee Stadium is a home-run-friendly park, but it might be time to make Joba a "start on the road only" guy until further notice.
- Matt Wieters hit his third home run last night. Woo. Wieters. Thanks. A lot. Guy. As I've mentioned earlier, Wieters wasn't guaranteed a hot start, and while he hasn't been "horrible" per se, he hasn't been tearing the cover off the ball either; buy low, kids.
- Ricky Nolasco posted another measty outing yesterday; the Marlins' pitcher K'd 12 as he recorded his fourth straight win and sixth straight start without allowing more than two earned runs (the shortest of which was five innings at Boston, four of which have been at least seven innings long). He's sitting squarely in must-start territory at this point.
- Andre Ethier homered for the second time in five games, which coincides nicely with the return of Manny Ramirez. It seems folly to state that his numbers will go up simply because Man-Ram returns, but, um, they went down when my dreadlock'd buddy left, didn't they? I'd say you're probably looking at your last chance to sell high on a guy who was staring a breakout year in the face before he lost his lineup protection.
- Rick Porcello's downward slide continued Sunday, as he's now allowed 31 hits in his last four starts while posting only nine strikeouts; not great numbers. Also, he's 1-2 in that span and hasn't gone longer than 5.2 innings. Many owners may be thinking "BAIL!" but I say now's a prime time to grab the youngster in a deal and stash him on your bench.
The Afflicted: Randy Johnson's injury is already well documented by our superb MLB team. I suggest you read the bad news over at the Starting Five.
The Demoted: See: Above. I hope Chris Davis finds himself in a very uncomfortable place. Like the back of a Volkswagon.
Lineup Lock Time:
1:00 PM ET, which is kind of cool but kind of annoying. After all, early baseball on Monday = awesomeness. However, not having until 7 PM to pick out my starters always kind of sucks. Whatevs.
Tuesday's Ace in the Hole:
Scott Baker. Why? Because there are tons of big names pitching already. Oh, also, he's against the Yankees so he shouldn't pitch well, right? But I think it's fitting that because I traded Davis for Baker that in the Roto Rush where I bash Davis, he'll pitch well. Tread with caution but I expect a win and six K's, maybe two earned over six innings.
