Thursday’s action was packed full of great story lines. Two Rookies dueled it out in Toronto, Chris Carpenter returned to the game strong, by nearly throwing a no-hitter. As we head into weekend action, It seems it’s only going to get better. C.C. Sabathia will make his second start on Saturday, so fantasy owners can get a true feel of what is going on in the big man’s head.
In today’s Full Court Press, I’ll put together the first Waiver Wire Lineup and look at Major League Baseball news. Let’s get at it with the news from last night’s games;
Chris Carpenter is Back- For those of you who took a ‘flier’ on Chris Carpenter, it looks like it has paid off (at least so far). Carpenter took a no hitter into the seventh, striking out 7 and throwing 92 pitches. This is looking good folks. He is still available in 10 percent of leagues. If you are in that league by some chance, then snag him up. His fastball hit 93, and he had solid control of his breaking stuff. If he can dominate like this, than watch out opponents.
The closer situation isn’t getting any clearer though. Dennys Reyes got the save last night, and Kyle McClellan was warming up just in case the veteran lefty got caught into trouble. If you have either Jason Motte or Ryan Franklin I would suggest grabbing another Cardinal reliever off the waiver wire. Tony LaRussa will find ways to close out games, so this could help your percentages.
Conglomerate of Starters for today- A bunch of frontline starters are taking the mound today for the first time this season. Cole Hamels makes his first start against the Rockies this season. The Phillies are at Coors Field, so this could be a tough game to gauge, but I expect to see top notch stuff from Hamels. Another Guy going today is the k/9 master; Rich Harden. It will be interesting to see how long Pinella stretches him out. If he can stay healthy, there is a lot of upside for Harden. On the other side of the city, Jose Contreras will return to the mound after missing a good chunk of time in 2009. He is returning to the mound three months early, which could either be a good or bad sign. Watch Contreras closely. He is owned in less than 2% of ESPN leagues.
Here is a list of potential fliers to watch in tonight’s action: Shawn Hill SD, Mike Hampton HOU, John Maine NYM, Scott Lewis CLE, Jon Garland ARI, Barry Zito SFG (a little zen might help your team?).
Waiver Wire Lineup 1.0:
Here is the very first Waiver Wire Lineup for Week One-
C: Brandon Inge, Detroit- You got to love what Inge offers (minus the horrid average). He is eligible at catcher and third base, and with a new stance he has found his power stroke again. He will be hitting in the bottom of the order, but could still provide some run production, while driving in some as well. (33.5% owned)
1B: Hank Blalock, Rangers- His health is finally not a concern. In the Texas lineup, he is going to get a bunch of protection, and will have to slug in his final year under contract to keep his job. If you need Help at first though, there isn’t a better option just yet. (31% owned)
2B: Mike Fontenot, Chicago- Fontenot’s hot start has nearly secured 500 At bats over the season, after stealing the job from Aaron Miles early this season. He is hitting .385 with 4 RBIs and a home run. He should steal a few bases as well. (2.5% owned)
3B: Marco Scutaro, Toronto- Scutaro has been tearing the cover off the ball, while scoring 5 runs and two home runs. He didnt have a great WBC, but he is a good filler player that is hot, and can play multiple positions. (3.3% owned)
SS: Christian Guzman, Washingon- Guzman looks like he could repeat a pretty solid performance in 2008. He isn’t going to steal many bases, but he will carry a high average, while driving in a few runs.
OF: Dexter Fowler, Colorado- It seems that Clint Hurdle is going to go with the youngster at the top of the lineup. If he can consistently find a way on base, he will grab you a good amount of steals, and he has obvious power to both sides of the field. (3.9% owned)
OF: Nick Swisher, New York- Three for Five with five RBIs usually means that you are a constant in the lineup. No matter where he plays, I believe that Swisher is going to get his 500 at bats and produce. By next season, he could be stealing Hideki Matsui’s job. (7.5% owned)
OF: Nelson Cruz, Texas- I still can’t believe that Cruz is not fully owned. He has shown the ability to put on a power display, while starting off the season strong. he has hit a homer in each of his last three games. He is still available in 25% of leagues.
SP: Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado- Ubaldo is continuing his performance from the WBC, and continues to blow by hitters. In his first start he cruised through the game, while collecting 8 strike outs. (42 percent owned)
SP: Edwin Jackson, Detroit- Jackson had the best performance of any Tiger since Justin Verlander’s no hitter. The question is if he can continue to do this. I say why not give him a shot. He coudl finally live up to his potential, and in a weaker AL Central, his ERA should be down, while his wins could go up. (7.4 Percent owned)
RP: Carlos Villanueva, Milwaukee- Villanueva is a safe bet simply because Trevor Hoffman has yet to throw yet. He does have the stuff to close, so if you really need help, Villanueva is your guy for now. (20.7% owned)
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