Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.Many times when fantasy owners wait patiently on a potential star to be promoted to the majors, they have to deal with disappointment initially before the payoff finally comes. Take Adam Lind and Felix Hernandez as a few guys who didn't start to fulfill their potential until this year. Sometimes, though, you get a Ryan Braun, Evan Longoria or Tim Lincecum, who immediately start paying dividends. The latest? Braves' 22-year-old phenom hurler Tommy Hanson.
He'd been cruising along with solid outings -- 2.85 ERA in 7 starts, allowing 2 runs or less 5 times and sporting a 4-0 record -- but we had yet to see the big-time strikeout production he showed in the minors.
That all changed Monday night. Sure, he put up a quality start and garnered a win, pushing his record to a spotless 5-0. The difference was that this time he had 11 strikeouts. There's more where that came from as he perfects his craft on the big league level. Remember, Hanson struck out 163 hitters in 138 minor league innings in 2008. In 66 1/3 innings of Triple-A work this season, before his promotion, he punched out 90 hitters.
As with the overwhelming majority of talented pitchers learning to pitch at the big league level, there will be the occasional bump in the road, sure, but Hanson is talented enough to be a must-start in every league -- especially now that he's flashed us a glimpse of his strikeout potential.
Bits From the Box Scores:
- Jonathan Sanchez followed up his no-no with a quality start. More importantly, his strikeout-to-walk was 8:1. Immediately when he was removed from the game, the Braves' offense went nuts (8 runs in just 2 innings). Since being demoted to the bullpen (and this stat-line obviously includes his return to the rotation), Sanchez is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings. He's struck out 23 and walked only 1 in that stretch. I still wouldn't count on an extended stretch of success, but this is intriguing because it could increase his trade value as the Giants search for a bat. Remember, they have Madison Bumgarner waiting in the wings and can keep using Ryan Sadowski until he's ready. The only mitigating issue is the injury to Randy Johnson. Still, it's worth watching.
- I love Adam Jones, but in the past two months he's showing signs that he may not quite yet be ready for stardom. It's hard to blame him, I mean, he is only 23. Since May 22, Jones is hitting just .251 with a .653 OPS.
- Things are still going rough for John Smoltz. He was actually fine through five Monday night, but then the wheels came off. I know the Rangers are a solid offensive team, but I wouldn't be counting on tons of help from Smoltzie anymore. He's far past his prime. I'm ready to just see him a Hall of Famer from the Braves, not a pitcher for the Red Sox.
- Evan Longoria has had a rough July, but he did hit his third home run in the past seven games Monday night.
- Big night for the underrated Jason Kubel. He now has a .319 average, 16 home runs, 52 RBI and 40 runs. And he's only owned in just over half of the fantasy leagues out there.
- Matt Holliday watch is sure to kick into overdrive now. The trade deadline is in less than two weeks, and he's on a nice streak right now. He's hitting .333 with a 1.008 OPS in July, and he's now coming off a huge night in which he headed a ridiculous comeback with 2 bombs and 6 RBI.
- Jeff Francoeur went yard Monday night and he's now hitting .345 for the Mets. Perhaps he just needed a change of scenery?
- Rough outing for Ted Lilly, but there are a few mitigating circumstances. First of all, he was battling through an injured knee. Secondly, he was facing the Phillies overly potent offense -- and they are particularly scorching hot at present. I'd still trust Lilly moving forward, as long as he's healthy.
- If you were waiting on Raul Ibanez to slow down, you might have to wait a lot longer. This isn't just a hot streak anymore.
- Anyone noticing Garrett Jones yet? He's dabbling in obscurity presently, due to being on the Pirates, but he's about as hot as anyone. He's been with the Pirates for 15 games, and he already has 8 home runs. The 28-year-old has been in the minors since he was 18 and only had a 31 games stint with Minnesota in 2007 to show for it. He's always hit for power, but lacked the on-base percentage needed to play at the big league level. With the Pirates, though, he's improved greatly and is a good, cheap source of power in NL-Only leagues.
- Felipe Lopez likely made quite the impression on his new team. He led off for the Brewers, going 4-4 with a walk and a triple. His value takes an immediate spike, going to a much better lineup. He's likely going to yield some at-bats, but the Brewers don't have to platoon if they don't want to. He's a switch-hitter. Keep an eye on the situation, as Lopez has enough talent to really help in runs scored atop the Brewers lineup.
- Brian Moehler can't seem to get through seven full innings. He's done so only twice, and not at all since May 29. The thing is, though, he's really been consistent of late. Starting June 14, he's made 7 starts, 6 of them quality starts (the other only wasn't because he didn't work enough innings). In those starts, he sports a 5-1 record with a 2.79 ERA. It's hard to figure how the 37-year-old can keep this up, but we might as well ride him while he's hot in deep NL-Only leagues. His next start is against the injury-riddled Mets.
- Stephen Drew still hasn't put together a full season, but he's always excelled in the second half. He's hitting .326 with a 1.110 OPS since July 4. Monday night, he broke out the power stick, hitting his first home run since that July 4th beginning.
- Tim Stauffer is a great story, as told by the San Diego Union-Tribune. Monday night he made his second consecutive quality start in as many tries -- and hopefully you saw R.J. White hype him up in advance. Of course, Stauffer plays for the Padres, so he's 0-1. Still, he's got a 2.08 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and an 11:3 K:BB in just 13 innings. Pitching in spacious Petco Park, he's a quality option going forward -- as long as you don't need wins.
- Leo Nunez is filling in as the Marlins closer with Matt Lindstrom on the shelf, but he's actually throwing much better than Lindstrom did. His season totals are better than Lindstrom (except number of saves, but that's obviously tied to opportunity), and he's been even better as the closer. Since June 27, Nunez is 3-for-3 in save chances with a 1.08 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. He's struck out 12 and walked only 3 in 8 1/3 innings during the same span. He's worth a look in leagues where you need save help and he's ready to boost your ERA, WHIP and K.
- Jason Schmidt returned to the hill after a long, long absence and he garnered a victory. There's a lot more that goes into things than just the win, though (don't tell that to old people, they'll blow a gasket). His velocity was way down from in his prime, meaning he'll have to reinvent himself as a pitcher. He probably has the innate ability to do so, but he's 36. Monday night, he walked 3, hit a batter and struck out only 2. He also gave up 5 hits in 5 innings. The signs aren't great for much beyond a few wins due to run support.
The Afflicted: Jonathan Papelbon has the flu. It might take him a few days to get back, but it won't linger.
Demoted: Andrew Miller has been sent down by the Marlins. It appears as though he's not getting things figured out this season, but he's still got long-term potential.
Lineup Lock Time: The Angels and Royals need to get an early start, since they are playing two tonight. Have those lineups set by 5:10 PM ET.
