J. J. Putz- ARI- Hot- Putz doesn't seem to be having any effects from the tendinitis that landed him on the DL last month. He recorded his 30th save of the season yesterday, allowing no hits, striking out 2 and walking 1 in the 9th inning. Putz has converted all 9 save opportunities he has had since returning from the DL and has been very strong in his last 6 games, facing more than 4 batters only once and striking out 6 in his 6 IP.
Roy Halladay- PHI- Caution- Halladay has given up 3 or more runs in 5 of his last 8 starts. He only did that 5 times in his first 17 starts. Throwing 122 pitches like he did yesterday isn't a good way to reduce the possible fatigue he is showing signs of. At the very least he is showing signs of his performance dropping from awesome to very good.
Mike Leake- CIN- Cold- Some regression to the mean may be happening here. In his previous start Leake had given up 11 hits in 7.1 IP, but got lucky and only allowed 3 runs. Yesterday he gave up 7 runs in his 6 IP but allowed 6 runs (5 earned.) After these 2 starts he BABIP still stands at .285 so there is still room for negative movement. On the plus side, Leake's strikeout rate has been on the rise, with 22Ks over his last 4 starts covering 25.2 IP.
Mike Morse- WAS- Hot- After a 4-game stretch in which he went 1-for-12, Morse is 4-for-8 with a homer in his last 2 games. Looking ahead to 2012 don't count on the same kind of average from him, as his .374 BABIP is driving his .323 average. The power numbers (21 homers) though, continue what Morse showed in limited action last year (15 homers in 266 ABs.) That is what you should focus on when you evaluate his potential next year.
Wade Miley- ARI- Rookie- Wade Miley will make the start for Arizona on Saturday. In 8 starts at AAA, Miley is posting a 3.64 ERA and 9.28 K/9 while fighting a BABIP of .327. Before last year he hired a trainer and made some huge strides, increasing his fastball velocity to the mid-90s. He had regressed some when he started the year at AA, but has been solid since his promotion to Reno. He could give a boost in fantasy leagues, especially with the Diamondbacks on a roll.
Follow me on Twitter all season - @fantisticspaul
There are over 100 player news blurbs posted in the member area each morning. Members can read the rest of today's player news by clicking here. Not a member? Join today.
