Fantasy owners never like to see their speed guys sitting out due to not hustling. Photo Credit: Icon SMI

Every once in a while, as a journalist you have to remind yourself that these are people you are writing about--and not just people, sometimes young kids who need to be treated as their behavior warrants. Joe Maddon was reminded of that this weekend, when he benched B. J. Upton. Upton is only 23 and already making more money in a year than all of my belongings added up together, plus a few hundred grand.  And then you figure his potential earnings, and you'd need to add a Maybach or two to that, and maybe a house and a boat, and we're in business. But he's still only 23.  Essentially, he's barely out of college, just finding his way. Occasionally, bouts of laziness are bound to set in. When those moments come, punishments get doled out. Joe Maddon did just that and benched Upton when he didn't hustle on a defensive play.

I try to remember stories like these, and how big of a deal they can be. I wish the worst thing that happened to me if I didn't do my job was time relaxing on a bench. Hell, force me out of the office and make me sit down – I'll praise you like you're Buddha himself.  In the end, there's no doubt a baseball player's reality is unlike any other. At the same time, I also don't have to worry that there's a better legal administrator a floor below me who'll steal my day job whenever my managers see fit. So the tradeoffs aren't all that awful.

At this point in the season, it's almost like a bone fide second spring training. The rosters are about to be expanded as the minor league season comes to a close.  Many players will join their teams in an effort to make lasting impressions.  Let's hope it’s the same response Upton had on Sunday: a home run and three RBIs.  For a lot of these guys, not hustling after a fly ball at this time of year will land you at home all right, but without pay.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Week: 2-4          L10: 3-7          Overall: 56-67, 3rd AL West

The Athletics continue to have as much trouble scoring runs as Jerry Manuel does deciding on a closer. So in an effort to rebuild a pitching staff that might actually keep them in games, Gio Gonzalez was recalled last week.  I mentioned Gonzalez's debut on August 6. Well, this week he posted two starts, one against Tampa Bay (5 IP, 5 H 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) and then Sunday versus the streaking White Sox.  The White Sox roughed him up for seven earned runs in only 3 1/3 innings.  At 22, he throws a solid 92-mph fastball combined with a 79-mph curve.  As with most rookies, Gonzalez' issue is his control.  Sunday he surrendered five walks to the dangerous White Sox offense, which led to a minor disaster.  He now has 11 in just over 14 innings of work.  If you had hopes Gonzalez might spell relief for your rotation, don't expect it this year.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bullpen, Brad Ziegler notched his second save and aided in Gonzalez's second win Tuesday.  Ironically, while the starting pitching staff is as unsteady as a narrow pass in the Himalayas, the bullpen boasts a bevy of arms lining up to spell Huston Street at the first sign he's completely relinquished the closer role.  For now, Ziegler appears to have the job for the rest of the year.  Note that Street was put on waivers and a team did claim him, but the A's were not willing to make the deal. 

Lastly Cliff Pennington (no relation to Chad – he plays 3B so I'm assuming he can put some zip on the ball) replaced Brooks Conrad, who was designated for assignment while Lenny DiNardo was sent to Sacramento.  Pennington arrives as a Jack Cust facsimile in the sense that he led the minors in walks.  He also brought with him a .404 OBP and 31 steals.  He played shortstop Sunday and got his first hit, but in general, you can expect Pennington to garner at-bats as a fill-in and pinch hitter.

UPCOMING SERIES: @MIN (8/18-8/20), @SEA (8/21-8/24)


ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Week: 4-2            L10: 5-5           Overall: 64-60, Tied 1st NL West

It's just a slight understatement to say last week wasn't a big deal for the Diamondbacks, who made a waiver wire deal for perennial .230, 40-homer man Adam Dunn.  Chase Field isn't quite as kind as The Great American Ballpark, but for the most part, Dunn's going to be the same player he was, except that being on a winning team could motivate him.  Since the trade, Dunn has hit .333, a number he hasn't seen since the earliest parts of any season or perhaps Little League.

Chris Snyder seems to be in the throes of yet another poor second half run like last year's .269 AVG, 5 HR, 26 RBI finish.  However, he's homered in three of the last six games and carried a six-game hitting streak into Sunday's game before he ran into Roy Oswalt.  Nevertheless, Snyder is one of the best hitters when the bags are full.  He's batting .600 with the bases loaded and .400 with runners on second and third, and when the game is on the line, .323.  Snyder has added 11 RBI this month already and is hitting .265 for August.  He's never likely to eclipse .260 for a season, but he has 20-home-run potential.

Lastly, the loss of Orlando Hudson has seen hot-hitting Chris Burke step in instead of Augie Ojeda.  Burke has hit in four of the last five games, but don't mistake this for anything more than it is--a streak.  Burke has hit .244 for his career and adds a career .685 OPS.  Although it may seem his batting eye is improving (24 BB/27 K), his lack of playing time is to blame.  In his four starts since August 13, he's struck out four times in 15 at-bats.
 
UPCOMING SERIES: SDG (8/19-8/21), FLA (8/22-8/24)

FLORIDA MARLINS
Week: 2-5          L10: 3-7            Overall: 64-61, 3rd NL East

Dan Uggla would love to go back to June 28.  That was the day he rolled his ankle, subsequently putting him on the bench for 11 games. At that time, he had 23 home runs, and was on his way to a career year.  Since that day, he's hit only three home runs, and his OPS for August has slouched to a measly .597, making his season total .885.  On June 28, it was nearly 1.000.  It's possible the ankle is still bothering him, or that he enjoyed the bench time to heal (or what B. J. Upton now refers to as punishment).

Meanwhile, Paul Lo Duca couldn't be happier it's August.  As I mentioned last week, soon after signing with the Marlins, his .458 AVG, 7-RBI performance in six games has earned him a callup. He's an extra bat, is catcher and first-base eligible, and his low BABIP means his average will probably go up.  He might be worth stashing on your NL-only bench, particularly if you're desperate for a catcher.  He's a solid (pun intended) contact hitter and will be relied upon less behind the plate.

Kevin Gregg is in one of the few bullpen situations in which a committee isn't being sought just yet.  See Paul Bourdett's PECKING ORDER column to have a minor heart attack over which closer of yours is about to lose time. However, Gregg blew his first save in over a month this Thursday, then turned right around and earned the save on Friday.  If closers are supposed to have short memories, Gregg's certainly got that, and it served him well.  He's saved 26 out of 33 chances so far this year, and although his walk totals are high, he's not giving up many hits (40 in 57 IP).  It's safe to say that he has Fredi Gonzalez' trust.

Lastly, of note is Anibal Sanchez' continued climb back from labrum surgery last June.  He won his second start Saturday, striking out six in 5 1/3 innings, but much like Francisco Liriano's early-season starts, he walked five. 

UPCOMING SERIES: @SFO (8/19-8/22), @ARI (8/23-8/25)

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Week: 0-7           L10: 0-10           Overall: 44-81, 5th NL East

In an effort to add bats to their weak-hitting lineup, the Nationals traded away reliever Luis Ayala for unremarkable shortstop Anderson Hernandez.  Hernandez is soon to be 26 and has shown some pop in his bat: 33 of his 97 hits are for extra bases, 21 of them doubles.  He hasn't seen major league action since 2005, though, and his peak years are approaching fast.  With Ronnie Belliard and Christian Guzman under contract until 2010, and the recent acquisition of Emilio Bonifacio, Hernandez isn't likely to push through unless an injury occurs.

Little Willie Harris has somehow found a way to hit long-balls, pounding out an uncharacteristic .291 average and four home runs.  The Nationals are expected to re-sign him at the end of the season.

And there's no National Treasure to be found among the closer ranks in D.C.  Since taking over as the closer, Joel Hanrahan hasn't had one save opportunity.  Several weeks back I wrote that the possibilities might be rare, offering up maybe 8-10 more chances before the season ends.  That might have been generous.

UPCOMING SERIES: @PHI (8/19-8/21), @CHC (8/22-8/24)

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Week: 4-3          L10: 6-4          Overall: 60-63, 5th AL East

There's been plenty of speculation about what will happen to Brian Roberts when the year ends, but I think the Orioles would be foolish not to pay the $8 million he's due in 2009.  There is little infield depth in the O's system, except light-hitting Eider Torres down in Norfolk.  The Orioles have already spent the season struggling to find a replacement for shortstop Miguel Tejada.  Speculation that Bowie prospect Blake Davis could be the next to leapfrog Norfolk for the majors was neither confirmed nor denied by Andy McPhail.  Davis is hitting .274 with four home runs and 43 RBI, but he's still a defensive liability, committing 20 errors in just 120 games.

McPhail has shown he's not afraid to dip down into Double-A ball to solve the problem.  Thus, the entrance of Luis Montanez, who is hitting .375 with a home run and five RBI in five starts.

And just because he's not seen, doesn't mean he won't be heard from again.  Radhames Liz’ return to Norfolk has seemed absolutely dominant, with three quality starts in four tries while striking out 27 in 27 innings and walking only seven.  The one blemish is that the fourth start reeks of the inconsistency that plagued him in the majors: 6 IP, 7 H, 6 ER.

UPCOMING SERIES: BOS (8/18-8/20), NYY (8/22-8/24)

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Week: 2-5           L10: 3-7           Overall: 55-69, 5th NL Central
 
The Pirates management appears intent on letting Steven Pearce work his way through his initial struggles.  With the Pirates offense failing to score more than three runs in seven of the fifteen games since the trade, combined with Sunday's injury to Brandon Moss, they may no longer have a choice.  Doug Mientkiewicz has made his case for regular playing time, going 13-for-36 since Adam LaRoche hurt his back.  He's been the best hitter on the Pirates since May, batting .358.  He's also batting .360 with RISP.  He's an NL-only must, because even with Adam LaRoche's return, the loss of Moss means Mientkiewicz will likely share time in the outfield as well as spot start at third when Andy LaRoche needs a breather.

Tom Gorzelanny has had to do some searching down in Triple-A, mainly to find where his control went. His most recent outing was more reminiscent of last year's first half, as he went just over five innings, giving up one hit, while striking out 10.  In his last three starts, he hasn't walked a batter. Although that's partly a product of more free-swinging Triple-A batters, it's the kind of news that Neal Huntington wanted.

Lastly, Tyler Yates has pitched himself out of the closing role.  The role will be shared between left-hander John Grabow and newly acquired Craig Hansen.  Grabow picked up two saves in the last seven days, and Hansen had one back on August 8. Grabow appears to be Russell's initial favorite, but Hansen will be in the mix. Alas, the committee is here until Matt Capps returns, which appears to be early September.

UPCOMING SERIES: NYM (8/18), @STL (8/19-8/20), @MIL (8/22-8/24)

TEXAS RANGERS
Week: 1-5           L10: 2-8           Overall: 62-63, 2nd AL West

Rookie Matt Harrison entered Saturday's game against the Rays with a 4-2 record and a 7.07 ERA. He also had 19 walks versus seven strikeouts. He left with his ERA over a point lower, after pitching eight strong innings, giving up three hits, and walking no one. He also struck out eight, doubling his total for the year.  Considering Harrison is 5-2, it just goes to show that if you have a strong offense behind you, wins can come your way. Even so, Harrison's numbers are too inconsistent to add to your roster.  Monitor him to see if Saturday was more than just a fluke.

Milton Bradley was activated this week, but shortly afterward, he was back on the bench with an illness. Bradley has reached his career-high 20 home runs with a month and a half left to play.  This will mark a career season for him no matter what, and certainly his best fantasy numbers.

There's no doubt that Ron Washington will now turn to Eddie Guardado for the closing duties after he notched his fourth save in four opportunities. 

UPCOMING SERIES: DET (8/18-8/20), CLE (8/22-8/24)

TAMPA BAY RAYS
Week: 4-2           L10: 7-3           Overall: 75-48, 1st AL East

Call the Tampa Bay Rays what you want, but if this team should go on to appear in the World Series, resilient would be among the better adjectives to use.  Less than a week removed from what other teams would simply refer to as catastrophic losses, the Rays continue to swim against the stream.  Just days after Evan Longoria was on the wrong end of a J. J. Putz bean ball that fractured his wrist, Carl Crawford had season-ending surgery on his hand.  The two of them combined for 36 HR, 32 SB, and 128 RBI.  Willy Aybar will get the playing time at 3B, and hopefully you put him in your lineup.  Since August 8, Aybar has done his best Longoria impression, giving you three home runs, seven RBI, and a .281 average.  This is the first year that Aybar's GB/FB ratio favors power at a .78.  Perhaps Aybar has put his past behind him, and certainly his new responsibilities should help the 25-year-old mature.  His BABIP is a low .232, with a high contact rate of 88 percent. He may surprise with regular playing time.  Crawford's outfield duties will be shared by Rocco Baldelli, Eric Hinske, Gabe Gross, and Justin Ruggiano.

Earlier in the year, Carlos Pena's recent incredible resurgence in power might have been described as "Uggla-esque."  The loss of two key players seems to have only sharpened Pena's eye, as he stroked home runs number 22, 23, and 24 in consecutive days, and number 25 Sunday.  That's right, He hit four home runs in five games.

UPCOMING SERIES: @LAA (8/18-8/20), @CHW (8/22-8/24)

COLORADO ROCKIES
Week: 4-2           L10: 5-5           Overall: 57-69, 3rd NL West

Todd Helton officially moves to the 60-day DL, ending his season.  The Kip Wells experiment this year seems to be over, as he was also designated for assignment.  Cory Sullivan was returned to Triple-A Colorado Springs, while Adam Melhuse was called up to replace Yorvit Torrealba.  Torrealba is expected to undergo season-ending knee arthroscopy to remove a torn meniscus.  At age 36, Melhuse was hitting .317 in Triple-A, and he is nothing more than an experienced bat and signal caller for the rest of the season.  Expect him to see occasional spot starts to give Chris Iannetta a break.

Once again, Glendon Rusch has been moved to the bullpen, as his upside is limited compared to that of Jorge De La Rosa.  Ironically, though, there's been constant talk of the Rockies shipping Brian Fuentes down the river. Never has there been talk of De La Rosa becoming a closing prospect.  De La Rosa's problem is control.  He's struck out an impressive 95 batters in nearly 88 innings, but he's also walked 44.  Since he’s 27, and seems to have problems going multiple innings without setting himself up for disaster, one or two innings seem to be what he was meant for.  In his bullpen stints, De La Rosa has a 2.25 ERA in eight innings with nine strikeouts.  Nevertheless, after his win Friday, he'll start Thursday for Rusch in Los Angeles.  The Dodgers don't strike out that much, so he might not be the best spot start, because Ks are the category he can help you with most.

UPCOMING SERIES: @LAD (8/19-8/21), CIN (8/22-8/24)

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Week: 1-5           L10: 2-8           Overall: 55-69, 5th AL Central

The Royals are already planning for next season, and one of the guys they're keeping an eye on is their second round pick of 2007, Mike Moustakas.  He is leading the Midwest League with 21 homers, and his .324 average for July brought his overall average up to .269.  His only drawback is that he plays 3B, and since that position is going to be occupied by Alex Gordon for quite some time, it's not unreasonable to assume he'd switch positions at some point.

Trey Hillman wouldn't mind if he'd consider 2B. With the injury to Mark Grudzielanek, Hillman is trying to figure out who will become his full timer.  Esteban German is the latest to get his shot, but at 30, with a .226 average, Hillman certainly has to keep his options open.  Alberto Callaspo is more likely to play when he returns from the DL, as he's hitting at a .290 clip.  Yet, that number represents limited action, only 42 games.  Neither has any power, and with the evolution of the position as one that can provide more pop in the lineup, a prospect like Jason Smith (called up a few weeks ago after belting 20 home runs at Omaha) is going to be given an opportunity. However, at 31, his upside is limited, and his contact rate in the pros is unremarkable.

Lastly, in my fill-in duties on our Mother Lode article back a few weeks ago, Matt Wirkiowski and I covered Mitch Maier, who at the time wasn't likely to get enough opportunities, even if he was beginning to turn a corner. Well, with David DeJesus battling a sore back and Joey Gathright still not back from the DL, Maier has raised his average to .352.  Before you lather at the mouth like Pavlov's dog, keep in mind that he has zero extra base hits.  If he continues to hit well, he's likely to remain on the roster even when Gathright returns, with spot starts and pinch-hitting duty as the repertoire.

UPCOMING SERIES: @CLE (8/19-8/21), DET (8/22-8/24)

MINNESOTA TWINS
Week: 5-1          L10: 8-2           Overall: 70-53, Tied 1st AL Central

The Twins were rumored to be working with the Mariners to acquire Jarrod Washburn. However, once again, Washburn remains in Seattle because a deal couldn't be struck.  It’s hard to understand what the Twins wanted with Washburn's 5-12 record and 4.58 ERA, except maybe a veteran long reliever due to the struggles of Matt Guerrier and Boof Bonser. 

Alexi Casilla's rehab is ahead of schedule, and he's likely to join the club Thursday for a crucial series against Anaheim.  His return will most likely mean the return to the second spot in the order, meaning Carlos Gomez will remain in the new second leadoff position at ninth.  With Denard Span bringing what Gomez has been unable to, an OBP of.394 versus .286, there's no reason Gomez will be leading off again anytime soon.

Meanwhile, with the loss of Michael Cuddyer, the Twin have recalled 30-year-old prospect Randy Ruiz, who was slamming the ball at a .320 clip, and doing so almost equally against both lefties and righties.  The knock that's kept him below is 116 strikeouts in 416 at bats.  He's got seven already in his first 22 at bats.  Jason Kubel's .162 batting average against left-handers made the move pertinent.  He's worth monitoring for AL-only leagues.

UPCOMING SERIES: OAK (8/18-8/20), @LAA (8/21-8/24)

***STATISTICS FROM THE WEEK OF 8/11 - 8/17****

Jonathan Phillips is a published freelance journalist and script writer.  He got his start in fantasy writing as a semi-finalist in the Open Pen competition for TalentedMrRoto.com and wrote for the site for two years.  Now he can be heard on Blogtalkradio.com, co-hosting ROTOEXPERTISE with Scott Engel Sundays at 11AM EDT/8AM PDT.  Feel free to write or send comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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