Mark Trumbo is done for the year with a stress fracture in his foot. What an inauspicious end to his rookie season, if I’m using the word inauspicious correctly, or even spelling it right. Year line was 65/29/87/.254/9. Trumbo’s OBP was tizzerrible at .291, but his minor league rates suggest he can grow into someone that can take a walk here and there. He’ll never be a .400 OBP guy. The power and the light speed is for real. His most impressive number for this year? 539. As in the number at-bats Scioscia gave him. Sure, he was a bit hogtied with Kendrys adding an S for “sidelined.” In 2012 when Kendrys returns (or is the verb singular there?), we’ll see if Scioscia learned his lesson that every player doesn’t need to be a variation of a light-hitting middle infielder. I have my doubts. There’s talk Trumbo could see action at third base next year, but he fields about as well as Dalton Trumbo avoided commie accusations. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday for fantasy baseball:
Yovani Gallardo – Scratched from his last start so he’s ready for the postseason. Um, I have fantasy championships on the line? Hello, priorities. On a real baseball note, I hope the Brewers go all the way in the playoffs. That is who I’m rooting for. Or is it whom? Anyhoo! (Anywhom?) Not just because I want to see Selig’s toupee get all bent out of shape when he hands the World Series trophy to the owner that replaced him or because I picked them in the preseason. I want the Sausage Race on a national stage. The kielbasa has toiled in obscurity long enough.
Andrew McCutchen – After being hit in the groin during batting practice, he was scratched. Hopefully by Mrs. Dread Pirate.
Kevin Youkilis – Sawx announced it’s doubtful that he plays in the O’s series. According to the latest ESPN, The Magazine, Youkilis doesn’t need to play because Boston is the greatest sports city in the world and that gets them an automatic bye into the playoffs. For every sport.
Josh Beckett – 6 IP, 6 ER, 11 baserunners, 5 Ks. ESPN, The Magazine said Beckett is the biggest of the biggest big game pitchers in the majors and when a game is on the line he gets it done better than anyone. Unless said game is against one of the worst teams in the majors.
Jed Lowrie – 1-for-4 with a homer after going 2-for-3 in his previous start. When he gets hot, he tends to get very hot, so might be worth looking at him for the last couple of games.
James Shields – 8 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 9 baserunners, 4 Ks. On a related note, Yahoo doesn’t count a playoff game, but ESPN does. I’d start to grab any Rays and Red Sox players you can in case there’s a one game playoff. Kelly Shoppach? Yes. Lowrie? Yes. Salty, Scutaro, Brignac, Kotchman, Joyce… Even grab middle relievers for a possible vulture win. Everyone. This obviously goes for the Cardinals and the Braves too. Matt Diaz, Alex Gonzalez, Freese, Jon Jay, Molina, etc. Grab them now before your leaguemates do.
Mat Latos – 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners, 9 Ks. Ends the year with a 3.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 185 Ks. Well, if this year was a step back, I’ll take it every day and twice on Muesday.
Doug Fister – 8 IP, 0 ER, 3 baserunners, 9 Ks. This season Mr. Fister took my broken wings, and taught me to fly, live and love so free.
Rafael Furcal – Left the game with a tight hamstring. Figures, had been almost a week since his last injury.
Matt Wieters – Hit his 21st homer. Where’s his just desserts? Is he getting them? Did they reopen Matt Wieters Facts dot com?
Ubaldo Jimenez – 5 IP, 6 ER, 12 baserunners, 3 Ks. Gotta be embarrassing for all the baby mommas in Colorado that named their kid Ubaldo during the first half of last year. “Because you were, uh, bald. Um, oh.” That’s the moms explaining their child’s name to them when they turn 13. You know, when they’re prepping for their bar mitzvah.
Randall Delgado – 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners. I love the Braves young pitchers. That is all.
Alex Gonzalez – 1-for-3 as he returned to the lineup. When he left, he was on fire with three homers in his last 6 games.
Angel Pagan – Done for the year. There’s a conspiracy theory why his season is done that you can read about in Dan Brown’s latest novel, Angels & Pagans. I believe the Illuminati is behind it. BTW, if you Google Illuminati, you find Lady Gaga is a puppet for the Illuminati. That made me laugh. I think everyone should have one friend who is a conspiracy theorist. Not a close friend, just someone you talk to once in a while. The smarter the conspiracy theorist friend you have, the weirder the theories. I recently talked to my friend who’s a conspiracy theorist and was told that Bin Laden is still alive, living in Virginia and working with the US government on the war with terror. I wondered if Bin Laden likes Five Guys Burgers. “This is delicious cow meat!” That’s Bin Laden eating a burger in Washington, D.C.
Jarrod Dyson – 1-for-4 with a steal. He should be starting for the final two games of the season and he has speed to burn, if that interests you.
Mike McCoy – 0-for-3 with 2 steals. See what I said about Jarrod Dyson or 1/8th of an inch above.
Brian Wilson – Casilla got the save yesterday as Wilson was shut down for the year. All beards in San Francisco will now be at half mast.
Kevin Slowey – 5 2/3 IP, 5 ER and he was relieved by Hoey. Dewey and Louie stayed in the bullpen.
Shaun Marcum – 4 2/3 IP, 7 ER. Left his September 4th start with a 3.11 ERA and will end the season with a 3.54 ERA. Yeah, I could’ve done without the last three weeks of starts.
Jack McKeon – The 80-year-old is retiring. When the Marlins wouldn’t make their entire schedule day games to accommodate Carrows’ early bird specials, McKeon had no choice. This opens up room for Ozzie Guillen, who was released yesterday by the White Sox. At one point, it was rumored that Ozzie was being traded for Logan Morrison. They could’ve just traded Twitter accounts. I imagine the first day Ozzie is in South Beach he’s going to walk around muttering to himself, wondering why there are so many Jay Mariotti’s.
