There are a few news bits that I thought were worth mentioning on this Saturday afternoon:
- According to New York Newsday (click here for the article), a hip flexor will cause Chien-Ming Wang to go onto the DL. I can’t say that this was unexpected, though we were all waiting to see what injury was listed as the reason why. It is expected that Phil Hughes will fill his rotation spot until he is ready to return. At Triple-A Hughes is 3-0 in 3 starts with a 1.86 ERA and 19 K. He’s given up just 1 run over his last 2 starts (13.1 innings). If you are in a deeper format he definitely is worth taking a flier on immediately, though his first start is likely to come against the Tigers, a tricky match-up. Stash him, as he has the potential to stick in the Yankees rotation for the long-term.
- Jesse Sanchez of mlb.com (click here for the article) is reporting that Brandon Webb “experienced tightness in his right shoulder playing catch before a scheduled bullpen session on Friday and has been shut down for three weeks”. This certainly is bad news for fantasy owners, but all you can do is sit and wait for him to return.
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (click here for the article) is reporting that Braves catcher Brian McCann “believes he will land on the DL because of continued blurry vision and dryness in his left eye, which the All-Star catcher is ready to have repaired right away through laser surgery”. Clint Sammons, hitting .263 with 1 HR and 2 RBI at Triple-A, will replace him on the roster, though I would guess David Ross would see a lot of time. With Doumit and Mauer (more on him in a second) also out of action the catching position is looking awfully thin. Scour the waiver wire quickly and hope to find a suitable replacement.
- Joe Mauer has begun his road back to the majors, making his first rehab appearance in Single-A. He went 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI. He’s one of the best catcher’s in the game so owners have got to be excited for this. Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (click here for the article). is reporting that Mauer is expected to return to the Twins on Friday. Just sit tight for a couple of more days.
- According to mlb.com (click here for the article), “Trey Hillman said on Friday that Soria is expected to miss at least the next three to five days because of tightness behind his right shoulder”. Apparently this has been going on for a little while, which was why he had gone 8 games without making an appearance. He’s not going on the DL at this point, but this certainly cannot make fantasy owners happy. Those in daily leagues should move him to the bench and he’s a very risky proposition for weekly owners next week. He’s an elite closer, but if you have a healthy alternative you probably want to use it.
What does everyone think?
To read the previous article, click here.
Picture courtesy of Icon Sports Media, Inc.
