Lou Blasi - Page 2

Just to preempt some questions that I'll get this week ... I see Prospect Central as a way to talk a little more in depth about some prospects that don't get a huge amount of copy in the fantasy...

A.J. Pollock - Third Base - Diamondbacks The D-backs purchased the contract of A.J. Pollock from AAA in response to Chris Young's injury. The 24 year old missed all of 2010 regular season with elbow surgery but returned for...

Freddy Galvis - Second Base - Phillies 21-year-old Freddy Galvis started off the season 0- for -10 before collecting a 2-run double to snap the streak. He entered the weekend 5- for -14 including his first career HR on...

Drew Smyly - Tigers - SP The Tigers will start the season with Drew Smyly as their 5th starter, even if he will start the season in the minors to get a start in while the 5th slot comes around....

The Rays are expected to announce their starting rotation today and as we speculated last week, it appears that Jeff Niemann will win the 5th starter job over Wade Davis who appears to be headed to the pen. Last Monday...

Clay Buchholz pitched well in his spring start against the Rays on Sunday, 4 Ks, 4 hits, 0 walks, in 5 IP, one run on a solo homer by Evan Longoria, who must not be able to sleep the...

Daniel Bard is one of three high profile conversion projects in the majors this year. He, along with Aroldis Chapman, and Neftali Perez will be attempting to switch to starting roles this spring. The Red Sox say they will...

Jarrod Saltalamacchia – Red Sox – Salty draws more attention this spring as the Red Sox primary catcher with the ancient and venerable Jason Variteck backing him up. The Red Sox chased Salty like a jilted lover before landing him...

Clay Buchholz – Red Sox - Let’s start here. I like Clay Buchholz. I think he has #1 potential and he is capable of being a very special pitcher. That having been said I feel compelled to point out all...

Following our second-year theme of the return of starting pitching in fantasy baseball, let’s look at some profiles of starters from the teams I am covering this spring … Josh Beckett – Red Sox – What to do, what to...

Freddie Freeman – Braves - I am supposed to highlight some of the Braves' position battles as we go along this spring but I am going to start out talking about a player that isn’t in one of them. Freddie...

2011 Top of the Prospect Class It is at this point every year when I am charged with telling you all about prospects who I think will make in impact in 2011. Last year at this time we talked about...

Vance Worley shut down a desperate Braves offense for 5 shutout innings on Saturday allowing just a lone hit and two walks while striking out 3. Worley is 1-1 in 5 appearances and 2 starts, with a 1.38 ERA, and...

Felix Hernandez has had his troubles with the Rangers, his opponent for tonight. He’s 1-3, 5.06 in 5 games, 21 IP against Texas this year and 9-12 lifetime, with a 4.02 ERA in 170.1 IP. Interestingly however, he was 3-2...

The Rays are expected to promote 24-year-old left-hander Jake McGee to augment their bullpen down the stretch. Jake was killer as a reliever after his promotion to AAA (1 start in 11 appearances) posting an 0.52 ERA over 17.1 IP...

The Braves’ Freddie Freeman finished his 2010 minor league campaign hitting .319 in 461 AAA ABs, helped a bit by a .351 BHIP%. He posted a healthy .378 OBP, fueled by a healthy 8.3% BB rate and a .518 SLG%...

The Rangers have exchanged Derek Holland for Rich Harden in their rotation, beginning on Friday when Holland faces the Twins. I’m less than blown over. Derek has been pretty mediocre this year for the Rangers (2-2, 4.76, 1.45) and a...

Jose Bautista hit his 40th HR of the season in Monday night’s win over the Yankees, continuing a torrid second half in which he leads the majors in HRs (16), RBI (39), and XBH (25). If you asked in March,...

If you have daily transactions, keep an eye on reports regarding Carlos Guillen this afternoon. Guillen was roughed up in a play at second base in the 9th inning of last night’s game and was examined by the training...

Thomas Diamond – SP Chicago Cubs Injuries has dimmed the once bright outlook for Thomas Diamond, the 10th overall pick in 2004. Possessed of incredible stuff and a lamentably flawed guidance system, Diamond was derailed by TJS prior to 2007,...

Mike Minor - SP Atlanta Braves The Braves will start Mike Minor against the Astros tomorrow as the left-hander will make his major league debut. The Braves' first round pick last year out of Vanderbilt, Mike signed for $2.42M with...

Trevor Cahill tossed a complete game shutout at the Royals last night allowing 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 7 in a very efficient 109-pitch performance. This, by the way, is the A’s third CG in a row,...

Chone Figgins left last night’s game against Chicago after a fracas in the Mariners’ dugout. Figgins simply decided, it appeared, not to chase a throw from left fielder Michael Saunders to second base that air mailed the cutoff man. It...

The A’s recalled Henry Rodriguez from AAA on Monday. He got knocked around a bit in his first two appearances in Oakland in May but struck out 4 in his last two innings of work in two additional appearances before...

Brian Bannister gets the White Sox tonight and that hasn’t been good news in the course of his career. This year Bannister is 1-2 in 3 starts vs. the White Sox, with a 9.69 ERA, allowing 22 hits and 7...

Matt Garza is among the biggest active Red Sox killers going (2-1, 2.74 in 6 starts vs. the Sox, in 42.2 IP last year) but the bear got him last night. Garza gave up 4 runs in 3 IP last...

Brett Lawrie – Second Base Milwaukee Brewers The Brewers Brett Lawrie may already be, at 20 years old, the best second base prospect in the minors, especially from a fantasy standpoint where you can throw out his defensive limitations. Except...

Mariano Rivera told the Post he’d be willing to accept a one-year deal to continue his career with the Bombers. The question whether the Yankees should consider it. The answer to that question is clearly yes. Mo's K rate is...

A.J. Pierzynski earns 10- and -5 status next Monday, which comes complete with a trade veto power the White Sox may be reluctant to grant, even though he also become a free agent this fall. A.J. may have softened the...

Casey Kelly - Starting Pitcher Boston Red Sox The Red Sox 2008 first round pick wanted to explore his two-way capabilities for a while, but finally arrived at the conclusion himself this past winter that his future was on the...

We have a good pitching matchup tonight in the Inner Harbor when Jeremy Guthrie and Dallas Braden lock horns. Guthrie has strung together three straight quality starts and he has been outstanding in his last two, giving up 2 earned...

Drew Storen - P Nationals In my fantasy career, I have, more than once, cut a pitcher during his appearance but I don't know how many pitchers in major league history have been promoted to the majors during a relief...

David Ortiz has earned some swagger today after two beefy homeruns last night against the Tigers as part of a 4 RBI night. As we say here in the Commonwealth, not for nothing, but after being given his last rights...

The Yankees recalled RHP Ivan Nova from AAA Scranton on Monday. The Yankees lost Nova to the Padres in the 2008 Rule V draft but the Padres opted to return him to NY. Since then he’s made the most of...

Eric Young Jr. – 2B/OF Rockies The Rockies recalled Eric Young Jr. on May 1 to replace the injured Brad Hawpe on their roster as the club searches for an answer to the struggles of Clint Barmes. Young has been...

Jeremy Bonderman (SP - DET) Jeremy Bonderman was relatively sharp last night against the Rangers allowing 4 runs in 5.2 IP on 6 hits and a BB with 3 Ks. I say relatively because Bonderman gave up 11 runs in...