Fantasy owners have been drooling over the potential of plenty of promoted pitching prospects this season, but one that has yet to make it to the bigs is Athletics prospect Trevor Cahill. Cahill was promoted to Double-A Midland after a very impressive start for Single-A Stockton.

“Cahill prepares himself so well, and his numbers are phenomenal,” Single-A manager Darren Bush told the Stockton Record. “It’s tough to replace him, but that’s the process. We want him to get to the next level and succeed.”

Cahill put together a 5-4 record with a 2.78 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 10.95 k/9IP in 87.1 innings.

Considering the A’s could be selling off most of their talent in a month, it’s not out of the question that Cahill is promoted to make his major league debut straight from Double-A before the major league season is over.  It would be particularly aggressive even for a franchise like the Athletics, but if he is successful at Double-A the team will have little reason to hold him back. Regardless of where his progress takes him this season, he is clearly a pitcher that should be near the top of every fantasy owner’s top prospect lists next season.

Photo courtesy of Scout.com

Every time I read about Tigers pitching prospect Rick Porcello, I can’t help but recall the famous quote from “Major League.”

“Forget about the curve ball Ricky, give him the heater.”
- Manager Lou Brown

Porcello is pitching well so far in his first professional season, and the guys at Fangraphs had a blurb about him that I found worthwhile. Enjoy it here.

Photo courtesy of DetroitTigersWebblog.com

The Padres have had their ups and downs this season, and while they have been playing better as of late, the organization can longer resist the temptation to promote their top prospect outfielder/third baseman Chase Headley from Triple-A. Headley, the converted third baseman who has been playing the outfield this season, was hitting .305 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 65 games for Triple-A Portland.

Headley wasn’t able to play on Sunday, but will be with the team when they open an interleague series against the Yankees in the Bronx on Monday. “I think the environment is much better than it was three weeks ago,” Padres general manager Kevin Towers told MLB.com. “We have got a lot of guys contributing offensively. When he gets here, he shouldn’t have to feel like he’s got to carry this ballclub. We’re playing good baseball now.  To me, now is kind of the right time to have him here, when things are going well.”

The Padres have been looking forward to his arrival for at least a season now and Towers elaborated on the kind of potential he has. “He’s kind of been our, the last two years, top prospect in the system,” Towers added. “So it’s always exciting when a [Jake] Peavy, an [Oliver] Ollie Perez, Khalil Greene … when they finally get here. You’ve been waiting for that event to happen.”

To offer my take on Towers assessment,  I don’t think Headley makes the kind of impact a Jake Peavy does, but he has much more potential than Khalil Greene. He really committed himself to ascending to the majors this past offseason, adding 15 pounds of muscle and putting in the extra work to show the Padres he’s put the necessary polish on his hitting ability. He’s certainly major-league ready and at this point it would behoove fantasy owners in all but the shallowest mixed leagues to consider picking him up and plucking him into a third base/corner infielder spot. He should get the number of at bats common for regulars as early as this week given the fact outfielder Scott Hairston is hurt and starting third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff is overdue for a routine day off (he’s played in all but one game this season).

Photo courtesy of MLB.com

I studied art and communications in college, not science. On top of this, I was not given the gift when it came to understanding biology, chemistry, and other sciences like my father. Had I shown a greater affinity for the sciences, I could probably call upon some sort of medical background to offer a more detailed examination of Mariners’ closer J.J. Putz. Since I’m not, I’ll have to rely on my 16 years of experience of reading through the cryptic injury speak thrown around by major league teams.

I don’t buy that a hyperextended elbow is all we are dealing with when it comes to Putz. Chris at Disabled List Informer agrees with me to a certain extent.

The Mariners placed Putz on the 15-day DL on Friday after seeing the results of an MRI exam taken on Thursday. Despite that exam showing no structural damage in his elbow, the team seemingly rushed to get him on the shelf despite previously mentioning waiting until Monday to determine a course of action.

On top of that, Putz told The Seattle Times that he experienced numbness in his fingers after throwing a split-fingered fastball on Wednesday in Toronto, and he immediately began to wonder about what he’s heard other pitchers claim–numbness being the symptom of serious arm injuries.

“They said the first thing they felt was the numbness in their fingers and that shooting pain,” Putz said. “So when I had that, [Thursday] was miserable until we got the results.”

I just have a tough time believing that he isn’t dealing with a more serious injury. So even if he comes off the DL and reclaims the closer role for a period of time, I don’t believe he’ll make it through the rest of the season without a flare up. In fact, Brandon Morrow, who has a 4.2 K:BB ratio in his last 14 innings, is a must add in all fantasy leagues in which he hasn’t already been claimed. I think his future in coming seasons is in the M’s rotation, but for now I’d make him an even bet to have the most saves of any arm in the Mariners’ bullpen through the rest of the season. Sounds like a bet that you won’t need science to prove.

Photo courtesy of Prospect Insider.Wordpress.Com

Knowing when to buy and sell players in fantasy baseball is not unlike playing the stock market. Correctly predicting a streak of excellence or futility is a difficult, but essential ingredient to the success of a franchise. The players that follow are a couple key sell high candidates for fantasy owners looking to avoid future slumps and make a push in their standings over the remaining few months of the season.

Jorge Cantu, 3b, Marlins
Anyone who tells you they expected Cantu to club 14 homers, drive in 46 runs, and hit .291 through 254 at bats is full of it. His 14 dingers puts him half way to his career high and while he’s the right age (26) for a breakout, he’s simply hitting at a level that is too great to maintain. The main reason he won’t be able to remain as successful is the fact his batting eye is questionable. Case in point, his very average batting eye (K/BB) of 2.5 in 258 at bats. He may be making more contact with the ball these days, but the margin between his current success and his average numbers of the last few seasons isn’t that great.

Milton Bradley, OF, Rangers
Over the last two weeks, only one player has driven more balls into the stands than Bradley and we just finished discussing him (Cantu). Bradley has been benefitting from hitting behind the blistering hot Josh Hamilton in the Rangers’ lineup, and has connected on six homers and has driven in 14 runs in just 35 June at bats. The reason why fantasy owners should strike while the iron is hot is Milton’s lengthy injury history. He hasn’t accrued more than 351 at bats in a single season in any of the last three years and he’s already dealt with knee, hamstring, shoulder, and quadriceps soreness this season. He’s a ticking timebomb and while fantasy owners will likely continue to benefit from his hot hitting, but that run may come to an abrupt end if fantasy owners don’t act fast.

Bartolo Colon, SP, Red Sox
Over the last 28 days, only the Phillies’ Jaime Moyer has more wins than Colon. I don’t fault fantasy owners for picking up Fatolo when he came back to the majors. I did. I do turn up my nose at them if they expect his success to continue through much of the rest of the season. Sure he’s 4-1 on the season, but he’s gone into the seventh inning just once in five starts and he’s given up at least five hits in each of those outings. In case you don’t remember last year, he came back from an injury just like this year, rattled off five straight wins, and then proceeded to lose eight of nine decisions over the rest of the season (albeit missing all of August). This kind of pattern has become commonplace with Colon throughout his career and it would behoove those fantasy owners who took a chance on him to recognize this and make an appropriate move while he still has some value.

Indians catcher Victor Martinez gutted it out as long as he possibly could. After playing through a left hamstring strain since Opening Day and an inflamed right elbow since mid May, Martinez was finally put on the disabled list on Thursday.

“I gave it everything I had for the longest I could,” Martinez told MLB.com. “I just couldn’t take it any more.”

An MRI exam taken on Thursday revealed what the Indians already suspected–loose bodies floating around the back of Martinez’s elbow. The 29-year old catcher will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday at the Cleveland Clinic, and be sidelined for at least six to eight weeks.

“When I really wanted to put something on a swing, I wasn’t able,” Martinez said. “Every time I tried to get extension, I felt a sharp pain in my elbow. Man, it was tough. It’s tough to play like that.”

This development is obviously best for V-Mart in the long run and it may not be as dire as fantasy owners expect. Why? Kelly Shoppach assumes the starting catcher duties and he’s talented enough to be starting on a handful of other major league teams. At first glance his .238 average leaves a bit to be desired, but it’s tough to get in a groove when you’ve got just 84 at bats under your belt. His four walks compared to 27 strikeouts is obviously a bad sign, but his three homers in limited action are enough to suggest he has some potential to contribute in the power categories.

If you aren’t interested in hitching your wagon to Shoppach, consider the following players who could still be free agents in your league: the Pirates’ Ryan Doumit, Rays’ Dioner Navarro, Diamondbacks’ Chris Snyder, or Royals’ Miguel Olivo. As previously mentioned, V-Mart should be sidelined a minimum six to eight weeks, so undertstand that whomever you rely on may only be a temporary replacement.

Photo courtesy of Tribe Treasures

The Cubs have been the talk of Major League Baseball this season, but they were dealt quite a blow on Wednesday when superstar outfielder Alfonso Soriano was hit in the left hand by pitch. Braves pitcher threw a pitch that rode up high and inside on Soriano in the second inning and as the veteran tried to avoid the ball, the sphere hit off his left and he bounced into his head.

Trainer Mark O’Neal and manager Lou Piniella came out of the dugout and Soriano was in noticeable pain, kneeing down and favoring his hand while O’Neal examined him. He was escorted to the dugout and was taken to a hospital for X-rays. Those tests showed a fracture to the left metacarpal bone. The initial reports expect Fonzie to be in a splint for three weeks and be sidelined a minimum of six weeks, putting him in line to return in late July at the earliest.

Mark DeRosa and Reed Johnson should see more regular at bats in the outfield, while Mike Fontenot likely earns more at bats at second base. All of these players are decent fantasy options only in NL-only leagues at this point. Owners in deep mixed leagues may want to roll the dice on DeRosa, but only because his eligibility is an asset (he’s eligible at second, third, and outfield in leagues that use a 20-game requirement). For owners desperate to find a replacement outfielder, consider the Nationals’ Elijah Dukes, Marlins’ Cody Ross, Giants’ Fred Lewis, or Indians’ Ben Francisco.

Photo courtesy of Collegepublisher.com 

Despite my attempt at humor with the headline, it appears the calf injury of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is no laughing matter and actually quite serious. Chris from Disabled List Informer has a great analysis of the injury and he was right in expecting Chris Duncan to come up and fill in. The only question there is exactly how appealing his .252 average, four homers, and 16 RBI in 127 at bats really is to fantasy owners. Here is the link to Chris’ article.

Photo courtesy of Daily Illini.com

Sometimes the biggest bang for a fantasy owner’s buck is the relatively obscure minor leaguers who have earned a promotion to the big show. Sifting through the pile of recent call ups to determine which players are worthwhile investments can have a significant impact on the numbers of any fantasy squad–even if it’s only fill in duty during a couple weeks while a more established player is on the DL. The following are a few of the more notable call ups over the past week.

Josh Barfield, 2b, Indians
I still remember when Barfield was an elite prospect and I made it a personal goal to acquire him in my dynasty-esque keeper league. Lucky for me I was never able to sell my soul to acquire him. When second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera proceeded to asdrubal all over himself to the tune of a .184 average in 158 at bats, Barfield logically got the call, because regardless of his past struggles, he still has the most upside of any middle infield prospect the Indians have at the upper levels of their minor league system. He went hitless through six at bats before spraining his left middle finger during Tuesday’s game and effectively limiting any
potential he had in fantasy leagues.”I’ve never been hurt before,” Barfield told MLB.com with a smile. “I’m not sure what the terminology is, but I’m fine.” He was replaced by Jamey Carroll, who will likely play for a day or two until Barfield is ready to return to the lineup. Even when he does return, it’s too early for fantasy owners to claim and rely on him to produce.

Jeremy Sowers, SP, Indians
When the return of Jake Westbrook became surprisingly brief, Sowers became the beneficiary, making his spot in the rotation for the foreseeable future. The problem was his season debut didn’t exactly inspire, as he scattered seven hits, two walks, and five earned runs while striking out just two. Not unlike Barfield he was once a top prospect and he’s found himself in the dark place forgotten top prospect go when they are discarded and left for dead by fantasy owners. He was pitching effectively at Triple-A Buffalo, with a 4-3 record, 2.08 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 2.5 K:BB ratio, so it’s far too early to write him off yet. For fantasy owners in deep AL-only leagues it’s probably time to stash him on your bench and keep your fingers crossed.

Homer Bailey, SP, Reds
In my only league in which Bailey was a free agent, I made a mistake and claimed him before he had cleared waivers. I got my slap on the hand and was told to wait another seven days for him to clear. The interesting thing is that by the time he cleared said waivers, I really wasn’t interested in taking him any longer. Why? Because when he’s in the minor leagues he’s like Dr. Jekyll, but when he’s in the majors, he morphs into Hyde. His season debut wasn’t nearly as rough as some of his starts last year, as he held the Philies to two earned runs in six and two thirds innings, but the fact he gave up four hits and four walks while striking out a
measly batter is somewhat disconcerting. He is too highly regarded of a talent not to scoop him up immediately and perhaps I’ll regret not staying up to the crack of dawn to claim him, but at this point he’s a stash and follow commodity.

A strained quadriceps is one thing, but any time you have a tear in any muscle or ligament it’s much more disconcerting. Such is the case with Braves third baseman Chipper Jones.

I don’t own Jones in any of my leagues, but I’m growing quite concerned over his injury. Disabled List Informer talks about the blood pooling in the injured area and while I lack the medical background he does, I would agree with his speculation that a mere four-day hiatus will not be enough time for this injury to heal, and it’s likely this malady will continue to hamper Chipper until he gets an extended break.

Chipper has made some progress. “I did swing the bat today and it felt fine,” Jones told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But a simple quad stretch is painful, so running is out of the question, at least for the next couple days.” In fact, Jones may not play until the Braves open a series against the Angels in Los Angels on Friday. I’m VERY concerned.

I believe that despite Jones’ gaudy numbers and potential for more, considering his average is slightly better in the second half of the season than the first over the course of his career. It’s worth noting that the Braves are 0-6 with Chipper out of the lineup and it’s clear that they want him back in their lineup. I don’t think they’ll rush him, but I don’t think they’ll need to in order to put undue added stress on the injured right quadriceps. He’s been dealing with this injury since April and it’s clearly not getting any better. It has the making of one of those tweaks that is supposed to keep him out a few days, but ends up keeping on the shelf for six weeks. That’s not what the experts are saying, but it’s what I have seen play out with nagging injuries such as these with other players I’ve owned on past fantasy teams. This is why when he puts together a solid string of games again, fantasy owners should strongly consider selling high.