Raul Ibanez is trying to get things going, but can't quite seem to turn the corner. After knocking-out 33 HR last season with 120+ RBI, he's hitting just .263 with 1 HR and 10 RBI. He's a great buy-low candidate at this point of the season. Sure, Safeco is the place where HR go to die, but Ibanez was still able to post a HR/AB at home last year of 17.1 compared to 20.9 on the road. He's starting to show signs of really breaking out with 5 hits in his last 9 AB.
Jered Weaver put together a decent outing against the White Sox on Saturday, hurling 5.2 shutout innings while giving up 6 hits and striking out 5. Of his three starts this year, this is easily his best one, keeping the Sox scoreless and not allowing a single walk to earn his first win of the season. Even more important is that he rebounded in this start from his previous atrocious start against the Tigers last week. I'm down on Weaver for two reason - 1) his last name is Weaver and 2) his now-popular low GB/FB rate tendencies which can be a leading indicator of future disaster via the HR. He has given up 2 dingers already this season in just 13.1 IP (HR/9 of 1.35).
Kei Igawa showed up at Yankee Stadium today expecting to maybe see some time out of the bullpen. He saw some time out of the bullpen when he was called to relieve Jeff Karstens in the first inning. On the first pitch of the game, Karstens was hit with a line-drive off the bat of Julio Lugo. Igawa relieved Karstens and hurled 6.0 shutout innings and gave up just 2 hits while striking out 6. He's still having some control problems (evident in four more BB), but he probably has earned his way back into the Yankee rotation. Consider him an AL-only guy for now and a spot-starter if you're really desperate. Rumors of him going to the minor leagues to figure things out are false. Joe Torre has indicated that Igawa's next start will definitely be in the big leagues.
Bobby Abreu's struggles at the plate continue. You know there's a problem when your team is down by two, there's a runner on, you represent the tying run at the plate, and you're trying to bunt in the 7th inning. He is now just 1-for-26 over the last 7 games, dropping his average to .253. Is it just me or does his bat look really slow too? I hope he breaks out of this slump soon (partly because I'm a Yankees fan, partly because I'm also a fantasy owner). But I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about this situation, but I can't put my finger on it.
A little pop and a little speed and before you know it, BJ Upton is posting a 0.99 FPI. He's on fire. He was 3-for-4 yesterday with a double and a dinger, giving him 7 TB on the day with a RBI and 3 runs scored. One glaring stat to keep an eye on is his strikeout rate. He already has 27 strikeouts on the season, averaging out to a K for every 2.8 plate appearances. Its almost like its all or nothing with Upton. If he's not striking out, he's hitting the ball hard somewhere, posting a .357 average, 1.065 OPS, and 12 extra base hits of his total 25.
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