PT Today
Frank Francisco (RHP, NYM) has been his team's favorite to close for the past two seasons, only to lose the job early due to health and / or performance issues. Is it happening again?
Apr 3 2012 12:11am
Apr 3 2012 12:11am
The Red Sox have finally determined who will open the season as the fourth and fifth members of their rotation. But fear not for the fantasy value of one of the runners-up, who may become the source of some early season saves.
Apr 1 2012 11:14pm
Apr 1 2012 11:14pm
The Orioles placed Alfredo Simon (RHP, BAL) on waivers Saturday, clearing up some questionmarks about the team's starting rotation, while also freeing up space on BAL's 40-man roster for additional offense. Simon compiled pedestrian stats in 16 starts for the Orioles in 2011 with a 6.6 Dom and 3.1 Ctl. However, his xERA (4.18) and slight uptick in Cmd from 2010 to 2011 (1.7 to 2.1) provides hints of usefulness.
Apr 1 2012 11:11am
Apr 1 2012 11:11am
Manager Joe Girardi's recent remarks that the loser in the starting rotation competition is not guaranteed a bullpen spot merely added fuel to recent media speculation that off-season acquisition Michael Pineda (RHP, NYY) might begin the season in Triple-A. While Pineda's 2011 skills clearly rank him as one of NYY's top rotation options, he reported to spring training camp overweight and has shown less velocity than during his rookie season with SEA.
Mar 30 2012 11:04pm
Mar 30 2012 11:04pm
Along with the regular season's first real game comes the regular season's first injury. Mike Carp (OF/1B, SEA) sprained his shoulder in Wednesday's opener in Japan. It was enough to send Carp to the DL. Carp 's surprising 2011 MLB production in his first extended look (290 AB) was due in part to high hit and hr/f rates (35%, 18%). Still, he had won the LF job in spring training and at 25 and with some pop (12 HR, 136 PX in 2011) he held, and still holds, some promise.
Mar 29 2012 11:05pm
Mar 29 2012 11:05pm
Adam Lind (1B, TOR) has been shut down for at least three days with stiffness in his lower back. He is scheduled to take batting practice on Friday, March 30. The Blue Jays are treating this as a potentially serious issue, since Lind spent 27 days on the DL last season with the same problem. As we know, back problems tend to linger and recur. Manager John Farrell acknowledged that Lind's back would need to be monitored throughout the season. What are the Blue Jays options?
Mar 28 2012 11:05pm
Mar 28 2012 11:05pm
As expected, Mike Aviles was named the starting shortstop in Boston to begin the season. His main assets are his contact rate (86 percent career) and his speed. Aviles has stolen 14 bases each of the past two years, and did so in just 286 at-bats last year. A consistently low walk rate makes getting on base a struggle, though, which could eventually cut into his playing time somewhat. At this point, though, that doesn't seem to be a major concern, as manager Bobby Valentine is thinking of using Aviles in the leadoff spot.
Mar 27 2012 11:05pm
Mar 27 2012 11:05pm
Both Pedro Alvarez and Lonnie Chisenhall entered March as their teams’ Opening Day 3B favorites, but their spring performances haven’t cooperated. Thames wins TOR’s LF job, and more observations as April approaches …
Mar 26 2012 11:05pm
Mar 26 2012 11:05pm
Minnesota OF Josh Willingham will be shifted from right to left field, where he has played most often during his career, manager Ron Gardenhire announced March 25. The fallout from the move may impact the playing time of some of Willingham's OF colleagues.
Mar 25 2012 11:05pm
Mar 25 2012 11:05pm
Chris Johnson has reclaimed the Astros' third-base job while trying to make sense of his Jekyll and Hyde 2010 and 2011. We also take a look at developments in the Angels' and Rangers' rotations and some injury updates for prominent hurlers.
Mar 25 2012 12:05am
Mar 25 2012 12:05am
Joakim Soria (RHP, KC) is headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery, due to the right elbow ligament damage cited by BaseballHQ.com analyst Jock Thompson in his detailed March 20 PTT coverage. KC has yet to reveal Soria's replacement as closer. The situation could be fluid, as KC's bullpen is deep in replacement candidates, headed by Greg Holland (RHP, KC) and Jonathon Broxton (RHP, KC).
Mar 24 2012 12:05am
Mar 24 2012 12:05am
Frank Francisco (RHP, NYM) has been his team's favorite to close for the past two seasons, only to lose the job early due to health and / or performance issues. Is it happening again?
Apr 3 2012 12:11am
Apr 3 2012 12:11am
The Red Sox have finally determined who will open the season as the fourth and fifth members of their rotation. But fear not for the fantasy value of one of the runners-up, who may become the source of some early season saves.
Apr 1 2012 11:14pm
Apr 1 2012 11:14pm
The Orioles placed Alfredo Simon (RHP, BAL) on waivers Saturday, clearing up some questionmarks about the team's starting rotation, while also freeing up space on BAL's 40-man roster for additional offense. Simon compiled pedestrian stats in 16 starts for the Orioles in 2011 with a 6.6 Dom and 3.1 Ctl. However, his xERA (4.18) and slight uptick in Cmd from 2010 to 2011 (1.7 to 2.1) provides hints of usefulness.
Apr 1 2012 11:11am
Apr 1 2012 11:11am
Manager Joe Girardi's recent remarks that the loser in the starting rotation competition is not guaranteed a bullpen spot merely added fuel to recent media speculation that off-season acquisition Michael Pineda (RHP, NYY) might begin the season in Triple-A. While Pineda's 2011 skills clearly rank him as one of NYY's top rotation options, he reported to spring training camp overweight and has shown less velocity than during his rookie season with SEA.
Mar 30 2012 11:04pm
Mar 30 2012 11:04pm
Along with the regular season's first real game comes the regular season's first injury. Mike Carp (OF/1B, SEA) sprained his shoulder in Wednesday's opener in Japan. It was enough to send Carp to the DL. Carp 's surprising 2011 MLB production in his first extended look (290 AB) was due in part to high hit and hr/f rates (35%, 18%). Still, he had won the LF job in spring training and at 25 and with some pop (12 HR, 136 PX in 2011) he held, and still holds, some promise.
Mar 29 2012 11:05pm
Mar 29 2012 11:05pm
Adam Lind (1B, TOR) has been shut down for at least three days with stiffness in his lower back. He is scheduled to take batting practice on Friday, March 30. The Blue Jays are treating this as a potentially serious issue, since Lind spent 27 days on the DL last season with the same problem. As we know, back problems tend to linger and recur. Manager John Farrell acknowledged that Lind's back would need to be monitored throughout the season. What are the Blue Jays options?
Mar 28 2012 11:05pm
Mar 28 2012 11:05pm
As expected, Mike Aviles was named the starting shortstop in Boston to begin the season. His main assets are his contact rate (86 percent career) and his speed. Aviles has stolen 14 bases each of the past two years, and did so in just 286 at-bats last year. A consistently low walk rate makes getting on base a struggle, though, which could eventually cut into his playing time somewhat. At this point, though, that doesn't seem to be a major concern, as manager Bobby Valentine is thinking of using Aviles in the leadoff spot.
Mar 27 2012 11:05pm
Mar 27 2012 11:05pm
Both Pedro Alvarez and Lonnie Chisenhall entered March as their teams’ Opening Day 3B favorites, but their spring performances haven’t cooperated. Thames wins TOR’s LF job, and more observations as April approaches …
Mar 26 2012 11:05pm
Mar 26 2012 11:05pm
Minnesota OF Josh Willingham will be shifted from right to left field, where he has played most often during his career, manager Ron Gardenhire announced March 25. The fallout from the move may impact the playing time of some of Willingham's OF colleagues.
Mar 25 2012 11:05pm
Mar 25 2012 11:05pm
Chris Johnson has reclaimed the Astros' third-base job while trying to make sense of his Jekyll and Hyde 2010 and 2011. We also take a look at developments in the Angels' and Rangers' rotations and some injury updates for prominent hurlers.
Mar 25 2012 12:05am
Mar 25 2012 12:05am
Joakim Soria (RHP, KC) is headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery, due to the right elbow ligament damage cited by BaseballHQ.com analyst Jock Thompson in his detailed March 20 PTT coverage. KC has yet to reveal Soria's replacement as closer. The situation could be fluid, as KC's bullpen is deep in replacement candidates, headed by Greg Holland (RHP, KC) and Jonathon Broxton (RHP, KC).
Mar 24 2012 12:05am
Mar 24 2012 12:05am
