Johnny Damon (OF--Yankees) Johnny Damon has had a bit of an aching back that kept him out of the lineup on Friday and Saturday. It doesn't sound like it’s anything to worry about. This is good news since Damon is enjoying perhaps his best power season of his career and seems to be enjoying the Yankees new home. Not surprising that Damon’s splits show that he has hit 17 of his 24 home runs at home with an impressive .968 OPS. Damon has always been a solid source for average, stolen bases and is a good contact hitter with a above average EYE (0.83 for his career). But he might have slide some in the draft this year at the age of 35. But the new Yankee Stadium has allowed him to increase his HR% to a career high of 4.3% compared to his career average of 2.2% or his next best year in 2006 when it was 3.6%. Chances are that Damon’s value will go up next season as fantasy owners may want to capitalize on his home field production.
Ivan Rodriguez (C--Rangers) Since arriving back in Texas, Ivan Rodriguez has been getting some consistent playing time. The Rangers, who are battling for a playoff spot, obviously feel more comfortable with a veteran like Rodriguez rather than the lesser experienced Taylor Teagarden behind the plate. With Texas, Rodriguez has been providing fairly respectable offensive contributions with a slash line of .268/.339/.528. Not exactly setting the world on fire but decent enough. However, over the course of the whole season, Rodriguez has only been able to provide a modicum of power and as he has aged he has had more difficulty making contact with a CT% of 76%. This has affected his EYE which is at a very poor 0.21. Rodriguez can be a serviceable option down the stretch for this season although he has more value in AL leagues. But for '10, Rodriguez's future is fuzzy. Barring any tremendous resurgence, he will probably fall off the charts as far as his fantasy value goes and he may struggle to latch onto a club for consistent playing time.
AJ Burnett (SP—Yankees) AJ Burnett’s performance on Saturday has to be of some concern to the Yankees. Burnett seems to be following one strong outing with a poor outing after a strong one and so on. The Orioles pounded Burnett for 6 ER over 7 innings. The 7 innings represent the longest Burnett has gone since the middle of August, spanning over 5 starts and it took him 108 pitches to do it. It may be that Burnett’s arm is getting tired and the Yankees may decide to give Burnett an extra day’s rest between starts as they head into post season. Some of Burnett’s numbers have been particularly concerning. With the 2 home runs that Burnett allowed on Saturday, his total for the season has now reached 24 which represent a career high. One could argue that he has been hurt by pitching at Yankee stadium where the balls fly out like they are going out of style but going into Saturday’s game he had allowed just as many home runs away as he has on the road. His control has been particularly off with a league leading 17 wild pitches and has 87 walks which with just 4 more walks on the year will also represent a career high in that category. Burnett’s next scheduled start is to occur against Seattle. He has a 2-1 lifetime mark against the Mariners with a 3.46 ERA, so since his next outing is supposed to be a good one, he may be a safe option to start. But watch his progress as he may need a little R & R.
Brian Matusz (SP—Orioles) Pitching prospect Brian Matusz notched his 5th victory of the year against 2 losses and did it in fine fashion against a formidable Yankee team on Saturday. Matuzs pitched 7 innings allowing just 1 ER while scattering 4 hits and 2 walks. It was Matusz’s third consecutive start where he was able to complete 7 innings. He has excellent peripherals with a K/9 of 8.4 and a BB/9 of 2.9. He was successful staying away from giving up a home run on Saturday which is something that he has had some difficulty doing. Matusz also has a very good CT% of 75% which speaks to his potential to be a great source of strikeouts. Watch these last few starts of the season very closely because if Matusz is able to finish the season as solidly as he pitched against the Yankees, this could be a very good sign of things to come from next year. If so, target Matusz as a potential sleeper pick that you may be able to swing for a good value or in later rounds of the draft.
Brett Anderson (SP—A’s) Brett Anderson put in a dominant performance against the Twins on Saturday night for 9th victory of the season. He pitched 7 innings, allowing 2 ER while scattering 5 hits and walking none. Anderson was able to keep the ball on the ground with 11 groundouts and also induced 2 double plays. Anderson has been a bright spot in the A’s rotation as he has offered consistency that has been lacking with many of the team’s other pitchers. Anderson’s numbers are not eye-pooping but at 21, they suggest a strong foundation from which to build and a taste of what could be. His peripherals are good with a K/9 of 7.4 and a BB/9 of 2.6. He has had some difficulty keeping the ball in the park as he has allowed 19 home runs this year. But with some maturity and experience, Anderson looks to have a promising future. Keep him on your list of young pitchers who may be ready to breakout next year.
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