2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions

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Ben Zobrist had quite the day today. 10 RBI
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Piece on Pineda.

Spoiler [+]
Miguel Cabrera stepped into the batter's box for his first at-bat against Michael Pineda on Thursday, and with the count of two balls and two strikes, Pineda threw a fastball in the high 90s just out of the strike zone. Cabrera took it for Ball 3, stepped out of the box and said something to catcher Miguel Olivo, with a slight smile. Pineda had his attention.

When Cabrera stepped back into the box, Pineda looked in for the sign; Olivo called for a fastball. Pineda shook his head; he wanted a different sign.

mlb_a_pinedam_288.jpg

Getty ImagesIn Seattle, they've seen this before. And that's a good thing.

Olivo gave the sign he was looking for, and Pineda started his delivery, turning before spinning a slider over the plate. Cabrera -- one of the best hitters on the planet -- took a half-hearted swing for Strike 3, and in the Mariners' dugout Seattle pitching coach Carl Willis turned and said to fellow coach Rob Thompson, "There was no way that Cabrera thinks he's shaking to a slider in that spot," Willis told Thompson.

No. But that's how good Pineda is, at age 22, at 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds. Five starts into the 2011 season, he is the front-runner to be the AL Rookie of the Year, and if you suggested that he's an early fringe candidate for the Cy Young Award, that wouldn't be too crazy, either.

"Tremendous physical ability," said Willis. "A plus fastball. Long arms, long legs, and he's very solid in controlling his body, and in his command. He maintains his velocity really well through 100 pitches."

This is what is overlooked in Pineda, with his explosive stuff: He has a good delivery that he repeats well, and he is learning quickly, Willis feels, in how to make adjustments in the middle of difficult innings, of taking a deep breath and slowing the game down. As Cabrera saw for himself, Pineda now has the ability to command his slider. "So hitters can't come up to the plate and sit on his fastball," said Willis. "He's pitched far beyond his experience."

Willis was asked if there was a pitcher who Pineda reminded him of, and Willis said no. "Hopefully," Willis said, "there will be pitchers going through the organization who remind me of him."

With Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard and Pineda all throwing well, the Mariners swept the Tigers. Jim Leyland found Pineda to be very impressive, as Perry Farrell writes.

From Daniel Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information, how Pineda won:

• Heat upstairs. Pineda threw 32 fastballs up in the zone and none were put in play. He completed five strikeouts and a walk with high fastballs. On the season, hitters are 2-for-32 (.063) on at-bats ended with a fastball up in the zone.

• Got ahead. Of the 25 batters Pineda faced, he faced only one 2-0 count -- and he retired Ryan Raburn on a sixth-inning pop-up. Plus, he started 18 of the 25 hitters with strikes (72 percent; league average is 58 percent).
Also, for the first five starts of their careers, Pineda fairs well next to King Felix. Pineda is 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA and averages 8.6 Ks per nine innings. Felix was 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 9.5 Ks/9 IP. Other guys with an ERA under 2.50 in their first five starts in recent years: Mat Latos, Tommy Hanson and Jered Weaver. [h3]Notables[/h3]

• Ben Zobrist has been seeing a river of off-speed pitches, and in recent weeks, he's been working on an adjustment. It paid off in a big way Thursday against the Twins. Lots of the incredible damage that Zobrist did in Thursday's doubleheader was against changeups, and he had a monster day, as Marc Topkin writes.

Zobrist, as quoted in Topkin's story: "This must be what it's like to feel like Sam Fuld."

From Braunstein: "Zobrist had a doubleheader to remember against the Twins Thursday, collecting seven hits and driving in 10 runs on the day. Zobrist is the fourth player since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to reach both of those levels in the same day. Zobrist joined Earl Averill of the 1930 Indians as the only players with eight RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader and at least one RBI in the second game."

From Elias: Since RBI became a stat in 1920, Zobrist joins only Nate Colbert ('72, Padres), Pete Fox ('35 Tigers), and Jim Bottomly ('29 Cardinals) with seven hits and 10 RBIs in one day. He is the eighth second baseman in the live ball era (since 1920) to have at least eight RBIs in game. The last do it was Ronnie Belliard (
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in 2003. Others include Tony Lazzeri, with 11 in 1936, Adam Kennedy with eight in 2000, and Bobby Doerr (1950), Bob Johnson (1938), Alex Kampouris (1937) and Rogers Hornsby (1931) all with eight.

• It's been a tough week for the Braves, first because of Roger McDowell's situation, and now, with this morning's news of arrest of a pitcher. The Braves are expected to announce a decision on McDowell this morning, writes Carroll Rogers.

• Tom Schieffer is downplaying his role with the team, as he prepares to move into Dodger Stadium. Jamie McCourt is part of the reason Frank McCourt's TV deal hasn't been approved, writes Bill Shaikin. Frank McCourt has suddenly gotten very chatty, as T.J. Simers writes. There has been a cosmic comeuppance for the Dodgers, writes George Vecsey.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Ozzie Guillen may face a fine for tweeting. He is awaiting the decision.
2. Don't look for Peter Bourjos to move into the Angels' leadoff spot, writes Mike DiGiovanna.

3. Brad Mills is going to keep Carlos Lee in place in his lineup.

4. Travis Snider was demoted to the minors, writes Ken Fidlin.

5. Alex White will get the ball for Cleveland on Saturday.

6. Vance Worley will start in place of Joe Blanton today.

7. The Pirates picked up a waiver claim to add outfield depth, as Colin Dunlap writes.

8. Derek Jeter could be a candidate to be dropped in the Yankees' lineup, as Joel Sherman writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. In spending time with the Reds last weekend, you got the feeling as if they were just trying to battle through a tough stretch of games until they could get back their injured players -- and now about a half-dozen are on their way back, as John Fay writes.
2. It's worth reiterating: The Yankees don't know what's wrong with Phil Hughes. There is a small piece of evidence from an examination this week that might be indicative of a circulatory issue, and for this reason, the Yankees are sending the pitcher to a top specialist -- but this is a matter of checking off possible problems, as opposed to a strong lead.

3. Kevin Youkilis is hobbling with a sore hip, writes Michael Silverman.

4. The Marlins are hoping that Chris Coghlan is going to be OK.

5. Within this Henry Schulman notebook, there is word that Barry Zito is a week away from resuming baseball activities.

6. Joe Mauer is improving but is not close to being ready to come back.

7. Takashi Saito was pulled from his rehab outing.

8. Mike Pelfrey might miss his start.
[h3]From The Mailbag[/h3]

Why isn't Jermaine Dye on someone's roster for the past two years? It seem as if he's been blackballed by Major League Baseball. -- Iggy (San Diego, Calif.)

A: Iggy: Teams made overtures to Dye after the 2009 season, but not with the kind of financial offers he was looking for, and so he kept looking -- which was his prerogative, of course. Club executives say they were really concerned about his fade in the final two months of that season.
[h3]Thursday's games[/h3]
1. The Indians continue to win day after day after day -- and on Thursday, they bashed four homers. Grady Sizemore's first 40 at-bats included eight doubles and four homers.
2. Ryan Vogelsong was The Man for the Giants.

3. The Diamondbacks had a really, really big first inning, and Barry Enright took it from there, as Nick Piecoro writes. Watched a lot of this game Thursday night, and the D-Backs' broadcast team jokingly attributed the outburst to the return of Arizona's third base coach.

4. Lance Berkman had another really big day at the plate, writes Derrick Goold.

5. The Royals are going through a really tough stretch, and they got pounded on Thursday, at the end of a winless road trip.

6. Jeff Niemann had a good outing.

7. The Astros were taken down by an old friend, as Zachary Levine writes.

8. Texas made some mistakes. The Rangers' hitters let some good pitching go to waste, writes Gil LeBreton.

9. Corey Patterson executed perfectly.

10. It was a really, really ugly day for the Twins, as Joe Christensen writes. The Twins didn't respond to Michael Cuddyer's challenge.

11. Ryan Dempster had a terrible first inning, a performance which only adds to the concerns for the Cubs.

12. Ian Desmond celebrated the birth of his son in style.

13. Jon Lester continues to be unbeatable against the Orioles, writes Michael Vega.

14. CC Sabathia was The Man for the Yankees, as Ben Shpigel writes.
[h3]The Patience Index[/h3]
[h4]Thinking (Stay) Inside the Box[/h4]
These hitters saw the most pitches per plate appearance on Thursday:
[table][tr][th=""]Hitter[/th][th=""]PA[/th][th=""]Pitches[/th][th=""]P/PA[/th][/tr][tr][td]Mitch Moreland[/td][td]4[/td][td]26[/td][td]6.5[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ryan Raburn[/td][td]4[/td][td]25[/td][td]6.3[/td][/tr][tr][td]Jarrod Saltalamacchia[/td][td]4[/td][td]25[/td][td]6.3[/td][/tr][tr][td]Milton Bradley[/td][td]5[/td][td]29[/td][td]5.8[/td][/tr][tr][td]Reid Brignac[/td][td]5[/td][td]29[/td][td]5.8[/td][/tr][tr][td]Kosuke Fukudome[/td][td]4[/td][td]23[/td][td]5.8[/td][/tr][/table]


Piece on Alex White and the top 11 prospects.

Spoiler [+]
With http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28968/carlos-carrasco">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl...id/28968/carlos-carrasco')" jQuery1304096122108="28">Carlos Carrasco (elbow) having been placed on the disabled list, the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-indians">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...me/cle/cleveland-indians')">Cleveland Indians will need a starter for Saturday. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30127/david-huff">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30127/david-huff')" jQuery1304096122108="29">David Huff is the next starter in line at Triple-A, especially since he's already on the 40-man roster. However, he would be working on three days' rest. So the Indians likely will turn to prospect Alex White, the 15th overall pick in the 2009 draft. White is expected to make his big league debut after posting a 28-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a sub-2.00 ERA in his first four starts of the season (at Triple-A).
[+] Enlarge
Tim Steadman/Icon SMIAlex White has a nice 2.37 ERA in 174 1/3 minor league innings since being drafted out of North Carolina.

White has been on the fast track since he was drafted out of the University of North Carolina. He debuted (professionally) at the high Class A level last season, then finished the year with 18 appearances at Double-A. He has had success from Day One thanks to the plus sink on his low-90s two-seamer, and he can dial up a fastball to the mid-90s when he needs a little something extra. He pairs that sinker with a late-breaking splitter that is a swing-and-miss pitch, and his two-pitch mix is impressive enough that some teams viewed him more as a power reliever.

"We feel he's very close," Indians manager Manny Acta told the team website during spring training. "We feel very confident that he's going to contribute to our major league club at some point."

Acta followed that up by saying this to the team website earlier this week: "With the reports we've gotten, we wouldn't be afraid to bring this guy up to compete up here. And if he has any developing to do, it could be continued up here. We've gotten some reports that his slider is improving."

That slider might determine White's success as a starter. It has shown flashes of being a solid pitch, but too often in the past, it has "slurved" out and broken early as he has struggled with his release point and occasionally tipped it with his arm action. I saw him commanding the pitch a bit better this spring, and the early results from Triple-A have been positive. His sinker/splitter combo and ability to keep the ball on the ground (and in the park) mean that merely an average slider can be enough for him to have consistent success in a big league rotation.

White is aggressive, attacks hitters and has learned to pitch to contact better and trust his stuff. I do want to see that slider be more consistent and see him command his fastball on both halves of the plate a little better. He's just missed the cut for the weekly Top 11 each week, and in Tout Wars I took advantage of the rule allowing you to pick up a minor leaguer with your FAAB and put him on reserve after one week by picking up White in the first transaction period of the season, so clearly I think he's a pitcher that can have an impact in AL-only leagues.
[h3]Top 11 for '11[/h3]
The now-standard caveats: There's a certain throwing-darts-at-the-wall nature to determining a list like this, because there's no telling when a player will actually arrive on the scene. Who will get the summons obviously depends on a variety of factors, such as team needs, injuries and performance. For example, if the Twins' http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6138/delmon-young">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6138/delmon-young')" jQuery1304096122108="30">Delmon Young or http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29087/denard-span">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29087/denard-span')" jQuery1304096122108="31">Denard Span were to get hurt tomorrow, http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29976/ben-revere">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29976/ben-revere')" jQuery1304096122108="32">Ben Revere would shoot up this list. If one of their starting pitchers got hurt, Kyle Gibson would do the same.

Thus, for the purpose of this list, I try to balance a prospect's upside with who is likely to get an opportunity in the near future. I look for potential paths to big league playing time, factor in service-time concerns, and I rank only players who: (1) are still rookie-eligible; and (2) are not already in the major leagues. In order to highlight some different names, I'm also not including players such as http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30901/brandon-belt">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl.../_/id/30901/brandon-belt')" jQuery1304096122108="33">Brandon Belt and http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30624/mike-minor">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30624/mike-minor')" jQuery1304096122108="34">Mike Minor, who have already been in the big leagues this year but have been sent back down, even though both certainly belong in the top half of the list.

And please note that this list is for 2011 fantasy value only, not for the long haul, so you won't see names such as Bryce Harper on it. Not yet, anyway. It spotlights players who could help fantasy teams this season, with no regard for 2012 and beyond. Season the list to your particular taste and your fantasy team's needs.

[+] Enlarge
Kirby Lee/US PresswireService-time reasons are about the only thing keeping Royals top prospect Eric Hosmer from being called up right now.

1. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals: http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29248/kila-ka">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29248/kila-ka'aihue')" jQuery1304096122108="35">Kila Ka'aihue is simply not hitting, and though the Royals do have other short-term options at first base if they don't want to rush the 21-year-old Hosmer, his bat might force the issue. He has posted a .937 OPS at Triple-A.

2. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30493/desmond-jennings">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl...d/30493/desmond-jennings')" jQuery1304096122108="36">Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays: Jennings has posted a .389 on-base percentage in his first 20 games at Triple-A, and could rack up steals in a hurry once he's eventually recalled. That might not be until sometime in mid- to late June, but he can still impact the category if you have a need for speed.

3. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Blue Jays: Even with all the injuries the Jays have had in their infield, the team says they aren't going to rush this 21-year-old. Lawrie's transition to the hot corner is still a work in progress defensively, but after turning heads in spring training, he's not far off. He's also off to a good start with the bat at Triple-A, hitting .407 with four homers and five steals (albeit in a good hitting environment).

4. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals: He's off to a slow start at Triple-A, but neither http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29145/mike-aviles">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29145/mike-aviles')" jQuery1304096122108="37">Mike Aviles nor http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/4968/wilson-betemit">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl..._/id/4968/wilson-betemit')" jQuery1304096122108="38">Wilson Betemit will stand in Moustakas' way once the former No. 2 overall draft pick is ready and the organization decides it can start his service-time clock.

5. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29673/domonic-brown">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl..._/id/29673/domonic-brown')" jQuery1304096122108="39">Domonic Brown, OF, Phillies: Technically, Brown is already in the majors and on the disabled list, but I am including him here for obvious reasons, and because I know there are questions about him. Brown homered Wednesday in the first game of his rehab assignment as he returns from a broken bone in his wrist. That's a good first step in showing that he can avoid the struggles to hit for power that often accompany the early stages of a return from a hamate injury. However, if he does, manager Charlie Manuel indicated this week that there could be room for Brown again in the near future.

6. Dustin Ackley, 2B, Mariners: Another former No. 2 overall draft pick, Ackley could be the Mariners' starting second baseman by June. He's still working on his defense and is batting just .235 at Triple-A, but he continues to have a good approach at the plate.

7. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30764/andrew-oliver">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl..._/id/30764/andrew-oliver')" jQuery1304096122108="40">Andrew Oliver, SP, Tigers: Oliver has fanned 25 batters in 22 2/3 innings in his first four Triple-A starts and is next in line if/when the Tigers need to fill a spot in their rotation.

8. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B. Indians: Chisenhall is expected to become the team's starting third baseman at some point this season, but he still has some questions to answer about how adeptly his sweet left-handed stroke can hit southpaws.

9. Jesus Montero, C, Yankees: There are still major questions about him defensively, but not with his bat. He needs the Yankees' DH spot to open up or another injury to strike at catcher, but he's hitting over .400 in his first 14 Triple-A games.

10. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Padres: With the tandem of http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5955/brad-hawpe">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5955/brad-hawpe')" jQuery1304096122108="41">Brad Hawpe and http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6033/jorge-cantu">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6033/jorge-cantu')" jQuery1304096122108="42">Jorge Cantu not hitting for the Padres, and Rizzo on fire at Triple-A, we could see a shakeup in the near future, although the rehabbing http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29724/kyle-blanks">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29724/kyle-blanks')" jQuery1304096122108="43">Kyle Blanks is also in the mix. I think Rizzo could hit right-handed pitching in the big leagues right now, and he's hitting .417 with seven homers in his first 19 games at Triple-A.

11. Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs: The Cubs are still trying to find playing time for http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28999/tyler-colvin">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl.../_/id/28999/tyler-colvin')" jQuery1304096122108="44">Tyler Colvin, but if their offense continues to flounder, or if there's an injury or two, Jackson could get the call. The 22-year-old is hitting .324 with three homers and six steals at Double-A, and the Cubs have never been shy about promoting prospects aggressively.

Just missed the cut: Mike Montgomery, SP, Royals.

Explaining Jered Weaver's success.

Spoiler [+]
It seems as if every April there's a pitcher who bursts upon the scene and makes us ask: How could he -- how could anyone -- be this good?

Three years ago it was Cliff Lee, redefining himself as baseball's top control artist. The following year it was Zack Greinke, a pitching prodigy who cleared his mental hurdles in order to become a pitching savant. Last April it was Ubaldo Jimenez's turn, as the Rockies right-hander fully harnessed his fastball, the hardest pitch thrown by any starting pitcher. This year it's Jered Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels, who is off to a 6-0, 0.99 ERA start. But why him, and why now?

Weaver has always been good. He began his MLB career in 2006 by winning his first seven starts. In 2009, he became the undisputed ace of the Halos' rotation, and last year, he led all of baseball in strikeouts. Yet the Southern California native had never captured the national spotlight before this season. Perhaps his fastball, just 90 mph, failed to captivate our imagination. Using more advanced PITCHf/x data, we can take a look at what makes Weaver so effective.


Baseball Prospectus

His velocity isn't overpowering, but his stuff plays up for other reasons. The first thing that jumps out is his atypical delivery. Weaver throws across his body. By standing way over to the third-base side of the pitching rubber and using his 6-foot-7 frame to extend his release point even further, Weaver shows batters a look they're not used to. The image on the right displays the average release points among right-handed pitchers, and you can see that Weaver represents something of an outlier. (That plot point next to the right ear represents Roy Oswalt, who stands on the first-base side of the rubber. He doesn't actually release the ball from behind his ear.)

Weaver's stuff is more impressive than the radar gun would imply, given his fastball's movement. We can use whiff rate to more accurately appraise his stuff. An average 90 mph fastball from a righty gets whiffs on about 13 percent of swings, while a 95 mph heater induces whiffs 18 percent of the time. However, because Weaver generates so much movement on his four-seamer, he generates a swing and miss 18 percent of the time. Weaver's lack of velocity on his fastball is completely offset by movement. It doesn't hurt that Weaver is throwing slightly harder than usual this season -- in April, no less, when velocity is supposed to be deflated due to inclement weather.

Good stuff isn't worth a thing if you can't locate it. Last year, Dave Allen of FanGraphs noticed that Weaver was inducing whiffs on his curves by throwing them high in the zone. This year, he's elevating his fastball. Weaver is throwing his four-seam fastball higher in the zone on average than he ever has before. The chart to the right shows the average pitch heights in feet and the corresponding whiff rates for his four-seamer.

[h4]High Hard One[/h4]
Weaver is throwing his fastball further up in the zone each season.
[table][tr][th=""]Year[/th][th=""]Pitch Height[/th][th=""]Whiff Rate[/th][/tr][tr][td]2008[/td][td]2.55[/td][td]17.7%[/td][/tr][tr][td]2009[/td][td]2.61[/td][td]18.0%[/td][/tr][tr][td]2010[/td][td]2.77[/td][td]20.3%[/td][/tr][tr][td]2011[/td][td]2.83[/td][td]25.0%[/td][/tr][/table]

Thrown from a difficult-to-pick-up release point, Weaver's rising fastball explodes on hitters when located up in the zone. In addition, Weaver keeps hitters off-balance with his off-speed stuff. He's thrown his changeup for strikes a whopping 76 percent of the time so far, yet batters have gone 3-for-38 against it.

It's no surprise that as Weaver has continued to climb the ladder with his fastball, he's picked up more and more strikeouts. The downside of such an approach is supposed to be an increase in home runs allowed. Weaver is indeed allowing fly balls, as we would expect, but seldom have those fly balls left the yard.

Weaver has also been somewhat lucky in the opposition he's faced. Generally, opposing lineups are balanced against Weaver, matching a left-handed batter for every righty. But this year, Weaver has had the platoon advantage against 60 percent of the batters he's faced. He's also been getting better support from his defense than he has in the past. The departure of Mike Napoli (a mediocre defensive catcher) and addition of Peter Bourjos (an elite defensive center fielder) cannot be overlooked as an influence on the Angels' staff.

Weaver made the leap to Cy Young candidate in 2010 and is just now getting the recognition he deserves. No pitcher can be this good, and we can point to the usual suspects that indicate luck: a low BABIP and a low home run rate. As he faces more left-handed hitters, both of those figures will rise. Some would-be home run pitches tomorrow are probably getting popped up today. Regressing toward his historic BABIP and home run rates, Weaver has looked more like a 2.00 ERA pitcher than one capable of posting his current otherworldly sub-1.00 mark.

Nevertheless, we have an early Cy Young Award favorite. Even with some regression, you can't take away Weaver's 6-0 start. In Weaver and rotation-mate Dan Haren -- who's off to a 4-1 start of his own with a 1.23 ERA -- the American League has its own version of Halladay and Lee.

Rumors.

Spoiler [+]
http://[h3]Who leads off in Anaheim?[/h3]
11:15AM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Angels [/h5]


Peter Bourjos may be swinging a hot bat, but Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia has no plans to use the rookie outfielder atop the batting order on a regular basis, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

Bourjos (.318 BA), who has raised his average close to 100 points since April 16, has started in five different spots in the order. He has led off five times but has been dropped to eighth the last two games.

Scioscia has used Erick Aybar in the leadoff spot three times in the last four games while Maicer Izturis battles a hamstring injury. Izturis should be ready to return to the lineup Friday.

Bourjos could be a leadoff hitter down the road, but DiGiovanna writes that he needs to improve his plate discipline and take more pitches.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Decision on McDowell Friday?[/h3]
10:46AM ET

[h5]Atlanta Braves [/h5]


It's been a rough couple of days for the Atlanta Braves organization.

First there were the allegations that pitching coach Roger McDowell used anti-gay slurs and gestures in an argument with fans at San Francisco's AT&T Park last Saturday. Now comes word that Derek Lowe has been charged with drunken driving.

Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta JC says an announcement from Major League Baseball on potential discipline for McDowell is expected Friday.

Lowe's next start is scheduled for Sunday against the Cardinals. There was no immediate word if those plans have changed.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Setback for Saito[/h3]
10:27AM ET

[h5]Takashi Saito | Brewers [/h5]


It might be a while before Takashi Saito rejoins the Milwaukee Brewers and takes over the eighth-inning role projected for him in spring training.

Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel reports that things did not go well in Saito's rehab start Thursday might. Saito was removed after facing his third batter and one could assume that his hamstring injury is still bothering him.

Kameron Loe (2.84 ERA) has done a solid job as the eighth-inning replacement, but the addition of a healthy Saito would provide some needed depth.
Saito's extened stay on the disabled list is costly. Earlier this month, Nick Cafardo wrote in the Boston Globe that Saito can earn up to five $100,000 bonuses based on time spent on the active roster. Each extra day on the DL prevents him from reaching the plateau.
- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Jeter's place in the order[/h3]
10:09AM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees [/h5]


Yankees manager Joe Girardi appears to be walking on egg shells anytime the discussion turns to where Derek Jeter bats in the lineup.

It is the most delicate of issues since the franchise icon is off to a lackluster start (.262) as he moves methodically toward the coveted 3,000-hit plateau. The problem is the Yankees may be a better offensive team with Jeter batting down in the batting order.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post expects the Jeter lineup dilemma to heat up after Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher batted 1-2 in the order Thursday night against the White Sox and combined for six RBI in a 12-3 victory.

Jeter, who has batted first or second, was given the night off Thursday and Girardi told Sherman he simply looked at what was available and came up with his lineup. If Jeter continues to struggle, Girardi could have a big decision on his hands.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]How to handle Ozzie's tweets[/h3]
9:44AM ET

[h5]Ozzie Guillen | White Sox [/h5]


White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is expecting to pay a fine for his Twitter comments made shortly after he was ejected from Wednesday's game in New York.

MLB is looking into Guillen's tweet during the first inning, moments after he was ejected by plate umpire Todd Tichenor. Guillen tells the Sun-Times he had not heard from the commissioner's office as of Thursday.

Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com writes that the latest incident of Ozzie being Ozzie is an interesting test case since Major League Baseball has not had to deal with a player, coach or manager sending out social media messages while a game was still in play. There also is no standard policy on how to discipline an individual.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Hurdle: Cedeno still in the mix[/h3]
9:27AM ET

[h5]Ronny Cedeno | Pirates [/h5]


http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle sent a message to http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6254/ronny-cedenoRonny Cedeno by keeping the shortstop out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Giants.

Cedeno was out of the lineup again on Thursday, but Hurdle insists Cedeno is still in the mix at shortstop, even if Brandon Wood has been starting at the position the last few days.

"I'm just riding the hotter hand right now," Cedeno told the Tribune Review.

Hurdle said Cedeno will be back in the starting lineup at some point during the upcoming road trip to Colorado and San Diego. With a .184 batting average, Cedeno will have to swing a hotter bat to stay there. Wood is just 2-for-11 with the Pirates, so he hasn't exactly laid claim to the job, either.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]No timetable for Mauer[/h3]
8:59AM ET

[h5]Joe Mauer | Twins [/h5]


UPDATE: Mauer tells Joe Christensen in Friday's Star Tribune that he lost 15 pounds due to his recent viral infection. Christensen adds that there remains no timetable for Mauer's return.

--

The Minnesota Twins are unsure when Joe Mauer when will be back in the lineup, but GM Bill Smith concedes to Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune the star catcher probably won't be ready when he comes off the disabled list Thursday.

Mauer was placed on the DL because of bilateral leg weakness and lost about a week of recovery time because of a viral infection.

Smith said he isn't sure whether Mauer will be heading on a minor league rehabilitation assignment, but manager Ron Gardenhire has said a rehab stint is a good possibility.

The absence of Mauer has left a gaping hole in the batting order. Drew Butera has had the bulk of the catching duties of late and is hitting a meager .147.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Teixeira could return Friday[/h3]
8:45AM ET

[h5]Mark Teixeira | Yankees [/h5]


UPDATE: Teixeira was forced to sit out Thursday's game with the White Sox, but the New York Post reported that the first baseman's shoulder showed some improvement and he could be able to play Friday against Toronto.

If not, it could mean another night at first base for Eric Chavez.

--

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was forced to leave Wednesday's game against the White Sox in the eighth inning with a sore right shoulder, but believes the injury is not serious.

Teixeira has started each of the Yankees' 21 games, and hopes it is not more than a day-to-day proposition. The Yankees could opt to give Teixeira a night off Thursday and use Eric Chavez at first base.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Jo-Jo stays in rotation[/h3]
8:33AM ET

[h5]Jo-Jo Reyes | Blue Jays [/h5]


The Toronto Blue Jays plan to stick with Jo-Jo Reyes for his next start Tuesday in Tampa, and it is only be default, reports MLB.com's Todd Wills.

Reyes (5.48 ERA) lasted just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Texas on Wednesday night and has allowed 33 hits in 23 frames.

The Blue Jays could have skipped Reyes' next start with a day off Monday before a three-game series at Tampa Bay, but that would have had a ripple effect on the rest of the rotation.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Snider's future in Toronto[/h3]
8:19AM ET

[h5]Travis Snider | Blue Jays [/h5]


During spring training and earlier this month, Blude Jays manager John Farrell said repeatedly that the Jays were "committed" to Travis Snider as an everyday player.

That lasted until Thursday, when the Jays decided to ship the struggling outfielder to Triple-A Las Vegas. Snider is hitting .184 with one homer and the club feels he needs to work out mechanical issues with his swing.

Farrell told reporters the Jays still expect the 23-year-old Snider to develop into the hitter many scouts have projected since he was a first-round draft pick in 2006. But the question remains as to how many more chances Snider will get since he has played parts of four seasons and has almost 700 at-bats.

Snider's demotion opens a roster spot for outfielder Rajai Davis, who will be activated from the 15-day disabled list. Todd Wills of MLB.com reports the Jays also will promote first baseman David Cooper, who has been on a tear for Las Vegas, batting .395 in 20 games.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Blanton to the DL[/h3]
7:52AM ET

[h5]Philadelphia Phillies [/h5]


The Philadelphia Phillies are dealing with yet another injury issue after placing fifth starter Joe Blanton on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a medial impingement in his right elbow. The move is retroactive to April 24, which means he can be activated as early as May 9.

Right-hander Vance Worley will be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will start Friday against the Friday against the Mets. Worley is 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA in four starts this season with the IronPigs.

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki say Blanton will likely be the only player added to the DL before Friday's game. Catcher Carlos Ruiz left Wednesday's game in Arizona because of a back injury. The Phillies will try resting Ruiz for a few days before deciding whether to add another catcher to the roster.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Will Coghlan play Friday?[/h3]
7:28AM ET

[h5]Chris Coghlan | Marlins [/h5]


UPDATE: Manny Navarro writes in Friday's Miami Herald that the Marlins "hopeful" Coghlan will be available for the series opener against the Reds.

--

The Florida Marlins already are dealing with the absence of left fielder Logan Morrison. Now there may be cause for concern with center fielder Chris Coghlan.

Coghlan left Wednesday's game against the Dodgers after telling manager Edwin Rodriguez that his right shoulder was too sore to continue.

Coghlan, who missed the bulk of spring training with a shoulder injury, hopes to be ready for Friday's game in Cincinnati. Emilio Bonifacio and Scott Cousins are center field options if Coghlan is sidelined. Bonifacio already is getting some playing time in left field due to the foot injury to Morrison.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Lyles in 2011 plans?[/h3]
7:03AM ET

[h5]Houston Astros [/h5]


The Houston Astros starting rotation boasts the third worst ERA in the National League at 5.24 entering play Thursday. Their top pitching prospect, Jordan Lyles, just tossed seven shutout innings at Triple-A Oklahoma City and could work his way into a call-up before too long.

Nelson Figueroa and J.A. Happ have struggled throughout the season's first month, posting ERAs of 8.55 and 6.35, respectively, and could be sent to the bullpen if the Astros make a move. Whether or not that move includes Lyles remains to be seen.

The timetable for a change is also unknown, but Figueroa and Happ have made nine starts combined with very little success and the Astros are fading fast in the NL Central.
 
Piece on Pineda.

Spoiler [+]
Miguel Cabrera stepped into the batter's box for his first at-bat against Michael Pineda on Thursday, and with the count of two balls and two strikes, Pineda threw a fastball in the high 90s just out of the strike zone. Cabrera took it for Ball 3, stepped out of the box and said something to catcher Miguel Olivo, with a slight smile. Pineda had his attention.

When Cabrera stepped back into the box, Pineda looked in for the sign; Olivo called for a fastball. Pineda shook his head; he wanted a different sign.

mlb_a_pinedam_288.jpg

Getty ImagesIn Seattle, they've seen this before. And that's a good thing.

Olivo gave the sign he was looking for, and Pineda started his delivery, turning before spinning a slider over the plate. Cabrera -- one of the best hitters on the planet -- took a half-hearted swing for Strike 3, and in the Mariners' dugout Seattle pitching coach Carl Willis turned and said to fellow coach Rob Thompson, "There was no way that Cabrera thinks he's shaking to a slider in that spot," Willis told Thompson.

No. But that's how good Pineda is, at age 22, at 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds. Five starts into the 2011 season, he is the front-runner to be the AL Rookie of the Year, and if you suggested that he's an early fringe candidate for the Cy Young Award, that wouldn't be too crazy, either.

"Tremendous physical ability," said Willis. "A plus fastball. Long arms, long legs, and he's very solid in controlling his body, and in his command. He maintains his velocity really well through 100 pitches."

This is what is overlooked in Pineda, with his explosive stuff: He has a good delivery that he repeats well, and he is learning quickly, Willis feels, in how to make adjustments in the middle of difficult innings, of taking a deep breath and slowing the game down. As Cabrera saw for himself, Pineda now has the ability to command his slider. "So hitters can't come up to the plate and sit on his fastball," said Willis. "He's pitched far beyond his experience."

Willis was asked if there was a pitcher who Pineda reminded him of, and Willis said no. "Hopefully," Willis said, "there will be pitchers going through the organization who remind me of him."

With Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard and Pineda all throwing well, the Mariners swept the Tigers. Jim Leyland found Pineda to be very impressive, as Perry Farrell writes.

From Daniel Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information, how Pineda won:

• Heat upstairs. Pineda threw 32 fastballs up in the zone and none were put in play. He completed five strikeouts and a walk with high fastballs. On the season, hitters are 2-for-32 (.063) on at-bats ended with a fastball up in the zone.

• Got ahead. Of the 25 batters Pineda faced, he faced only one 2-0 count -- and he retired Ryan Raburn on a sixth-inning pop-up. Plus, he started 18 of the 25 hitters with strikes (72 percent; league average is 58 percent).
Also, for the first five starts of their careers, Pineda fairs well next to King Felix. Pineda is 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA and averages 8.6 Ks per nine innings. Felix was 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 9.5 Ks/9 IP. Other guys with an ERA under 2.50 in their first five starts in recent years: Mat Latos, Tommy Hanson and Jered Weaver. [h3]Notables[/h3]

• Ben Zobrist has been seeing a river of off-speed pitches, and in recent weeks, he's been working on an adjustment. It paid off in a big way Thursday against the Twins. Lots of the incredible damage that Zobrist did in Thursday's doubleheader was against changeups, and he had a monster day, as Marc Topkin writes.

Zobrist, as quoted in Topkin's story: "This must be what it's like to feel like Sam Fuld."

From Braunstein: "Zobrist had a doubleheader to remember against the Twins Thursday, collecting seven hits and driving in 10 runs on the day. Zobrist is the fourth player since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to reach both of those levels in the same day. Zobrist joined Earl Averill of the 1930 Indians as the only players with eight RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader and at least one RBI in the second game."

From Elias: Since RBI became a stat in 1920, Zobrist joins only Nate Colbert ('72, Padres), Pete Fox ('35 Tigers), and Jim Bottomly ('29 Cardinals) with seven hits and 10 RBIs in one day. He is the eighth second baseman in the live ball era (since 1920) to have at least eight RBIs in game. The last do it was Ronnie Belliard (
glasses.gif
in 2003. Others include Tony Lazzeri, with 11 in 1936, Adam Kennedy with eight in 2000, and Bobby Doerr (1950), Bob Johnson (1938), Alex Kampouris (1937) and Rogers Hornsby (1931) all with eight.

• It's been a tough week for the Braves, first because of Roger McDowell's situation, and now, with this morning's news of arrest of a pitcher. The Braves are expected to announce a decision on McDowell this morning, writes Carroll Rogers.

• Tom Schieffer is downplaying his role with the team, as he prepares to move into Dodger Stadium. Jamie McCourt is part of the reason Frank McCourt's TV deal hasn't been approved, writes Bill Shaikin. Frank McCourt has suddenly gotten very chatty, as T.J. Simers writes. There has been a cosmic comeuppance for the Dodgers, writes George Vecsey.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Ozzie Guillen may face a fine for tweeting. He is awaiting the decision.
2. Don't look for Peter Bourjos to move into the Angels' leadoff spot, writes Mike DiGiovanna.

3. Brad Mills is going to keep Carlos Lee in place in his lineup.

4. Travis Snider was demoted to the minors, writes Ken Fidlin.

5. Alex White will get the ball for Cleveland on Saturday.

6. Vance Worley will start in place of Joe Blanton today.

7. The Pirates picked up a waiver claim to add outfield depth, as Colin Dunlap writes.

8. Derek Jeter could be a candidate to be dropped in the Yankees' lineup, as Joel Sherman writes.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. In spending time with the Reds last weekend, you got the feeling as if they were just trying to battle through a tough stretch of games until they could get back their injured players -- and now about a half-dozen are on their way back, as John Fay writes.
2. It's worth reiterating: The Yankees don't know what's wrong with Phil Hughes. There is a small piece of evidence from an examination this week that might be indicative of a circulatory issue, and for this reason, the Yankees are sending the pitcher to a top specialist -- but this is a matter of checking off possible problems, as opposed to a strong lead.

3. Kevin Youkilis is hobbling with a sore hip, writes Michael Silverman.

4. The Marlins are hoping that Chris Coghlan is going to be OK.

5. Within this Henry Schulman notebook, there is word that Barry Zito is a week away from resuming baseball activities.

6. Joe Mauer is improving but is not close to being ready to come back.

7. Takashi Saito was pulled from his rehab outing.

8. Mike Pelfrey might miss his start.
[h3]From The Mailbag[/h3]

Why isn't Jermaine Dye on someone's roster for the past two years? It seem as if he's been blackballed by Major League Baseball. -- Iggy (San Diego, Calif.)

A: Iggy: Teams made overtures to Dye after the 2009 season, but not with the kind of financial offers he was looking for, and so he kept looking -- which was his prerogative, of course. Club executives say they were really concerned about his fade in the final two months of that season.
[h3]Thursday's games[/h3]
1. The Indians continue to win day after day after day -- and on Thursday, they bashed four homers. Grady Sizemore's first 40 at-bats included eight doubles and four homers.
2. Ryan Vogelsong was The Man for the Giants.

3. The Diamondbacks had a really, really big first inning, and Barry Enright took it from there, as Nick Piecoro writes. Watched a lot of this game Thursday night, and the D-Backs' broadcast team jokingly attributed the outburst to the return of Arizona's third base coach.

4. Lance Berkman had another really big day at the plate, writes Derrick Goold.

5. The Royals are going through a really tough stretch, and they got pounded on Thursday, at the end of a winless road trip.

6. Jeff Niemann had a good outing.

7. The Astros were taken down by an old friend, as Zachary Levine writes.

8. Texas made some mistakes. The Rangers' hitters let some good pitching go to waste, writes Gil LeBreton.

9. Corey Patterson executed perfectly.

10. It was a really, really ugly day for the Twins, as Joe Christensen writes. The Twins didn't respond to Michael Cuddyer's challenge.

11. Ryan Dempster had a terrible first inning, a performance which only adds to the concerns for the Cubs.

12. Ian Desmond celebrated the birth of his son in style.

13. Jon Lester continues to be unbeatable against the Orioles, writes Michael Vega.

14. CC Sabathia was The Man for the Yankees, as Ben Shpigel writes.
[h3]The Patience Index[/h3]
[h4]Thinking (Stay) Inside the Box[/h4]
These hitters saw the most pitches per plate appearance on Thursday:
[table][tr][th=""]Hitter[/th][th=""]PA[/th][th=""]Pitches[/th][th=""]P/PA[/th][/tr][tr][td]Mitch Moreland[/td][td]4[/td][td]26[/td][td]6.5[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ryan Raburn[/td][td]4[/td][td]25[/td][td]6.3[/td][/tr][tr][td]Jarrod Saltalamacchia[/td][td]4[/td][td]25[/td][td]6.3[/td][/tr][tr][td]Milton Bradley[/td][td]5[/td][td]29[/td][td]5.8[/td][/tr][tr][td]Reid Brignac[/td][td]5[/td][td]29[/td][td]5.8[/td][/tr][tr][td]Kosuke Fukudome[/td][td]4[/td][td]23[/td][td]5.8[/td][/tr][/table]


Piece on Alex White and the top 11 prospects.

Spoiler [+]
With http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28968/carlos-carrasco">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl...id/28968/carlos-carrasco')" jQuery1304096122108="28">Carlos Carrasco (elbow) having been placed on the disabled list, the http:///espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-indians">http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...me/cle/cleveland-indians')">Cleveland Indians will need a starter for Saturday. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30127/david-huff">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30127/david-huff')" jQuery1304096122108="29">David Huff is the next starter in line at Triple-A, especially since he's already on the 40-man roster. However, he would be working on three days' rest. So the Indians likely will turn to prospect Alex White, the 15th overall pick in the 2009 draft. White is expected to make his big league debut after posting a 28-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a sub-2.00 ERA in his first four starts of the season (at Triple-A).
[+] Enlarge
Tim Steadman/Icon SMIAlex White has a nice 2.37 ERA in 174 1/3 minor league innings since being drafted out of North Carolina.

White has been on the fast track since he was drafted out of the University of North Carolina. He debuted (professionally) at the high Class A level last season, then finished the year with 18 appearances at Double-A. He has had success from Day One thanks to the plus sink on his low-90s two-seamer, and he can dial up a fastball to the mid-90s when he needs a little something extra. He pairs that sinker with a late-breaking splitter that is a swing-and-miss pitch, and his two-pitch mix is impressive enough that some teams viewed him more as a power reliever.

"We feel he's very close," Indians manager Manny Acta told the team website during spring training. "We feel very confident that he's going to contribute to our major league club at some point."

Acta followed that up by saying this to the team website earlier this week: "With the reports we've gotten, we wouldn't be afraid to bring this guy up to compete up here. And if he has any developing to do, it could be continued up here. We've gotten some reports that his slider is improving."

That slider might determine White's success as a starter. It has shown flashes of being a solid pitch, but too often in the past, it has "slurved" out and broken early as he has struggled with his release point and occasionally tipped it with his arm action. I saw him commanding the pitch a bit better this spring, and the early results from Triple-A have been positive. His sinker/splitter combo and ability to keep the ball on the ground (and in the park) mean that merely an average slider can be enough for him to have consistent success in a big league rotation.

White is aggressive, attacks hitters and has learned to pitch to contact better and trust his stuff. I do want to see that slider be more consistent and see him command his fastball on both halves of the plate a little better. He's just missed the cut for the weekly Top 11 each week, and in Tout Wars I took advantage of the rule allowing you to pick up a minor leaguer with your FAAB and put him on reserve after one week by picking up White in the first transaction period of the season, so clearly I think he's a pitcher that can have an impact in AL-only leagues.
[h3]Top 11 for '11[/h3]
The now-standard caveats: There's a certain throwing-darts-at-the-wall nature to determining a list like this, because there's no telling when a player will actually arrive on the scene. Who will get the summons obviously depends on a variety of factors, such as team needs, injuries and performance. For example, if the Twins' http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6138/delmon-young">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6138/delmon-young')" jQuery1304096122108="30">Delmon Young or http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29087/denard-span">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29087/denard-span')" jQuery1304096122108="31">Denard Span were to get hurt tomorrow, http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29976/ben-revere">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29976/ben-revere')" jQuery1304096122108="32">Ben Revere would shoot up this list. If one of their starting pitchers got hurt, Kyle Gibson would do the same.

Thus, for the purpose of this list, I try to balance a prospect's upside with who is likely to get an opportunity in the near future. I look for potential paths to big league playing time, factor in service-time concerns, and I rank only players who: (1) are still rookie-eligible; and (2) are not already in the major leagues. In order to highlight some different names, I'm also not including players such as http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30901/brandon-belt">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl.../_/id/30901/brandon-belt')" jQuery1304096122108="33">Brandon Belt and http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30624/mike-minor">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30624/mike-minor')" jQuery1304096122108="34">Mike Minor, who have already been in the big leagues this year but have been sent back down, even though both certainly belong in the top half of the list.

And please note that this list is for 2011 fantasy value only, not for the long haul, so you won't see names such as Bryce Harper on it. Not yet, anyway. It spotlights players who could help fantasy teams this season, with no regard for 2012 and beyond. Season the list to your particular taste and your fantasy team's needs.

[+] Enlarge
Kirby Lee/US PresswireService-time reasons are about the only thing keeping Royals top prospect Eric Hosmer from being called up right now.

1. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals: http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29248/kila-ka">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29248/kila-ka'aihue')" jQuery1304096122108="35">Kila Ka'aihue is simply not hitting, and though the Royals do have other short-term options at first base if they don't want to rush the 21-year-old Hosmer, his bat might force the issue. He has posted a .937 OPS at Triple-A.

2. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30493/desmond-jennings">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl...d/30493/desmond-jennings')" jQuery1304096122108="36">Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays: Jennings has posted a .389 on-base percentage in his first 20 games at Triple-A, and could rack up steals in a hurry once he's eventually recalled. That might not be until sometime in mid- to late June, but he can still impact the category if you have a need for speed.

3. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Blue Jays: Even with all the injuries the Jays have had in their infield, the team says they aren't going to rush this 21-year-old. Lawrie's transition to the hot corner is still a work in progress defensively, but after turning heads in spring training, he's not far off. He's also off to a good start with the bat at Triple-A, hitting .407 with four homers and five steals (albeit in a good hitting environment).

4. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals: He's off to a slow start at Triple-A, but neither http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29145/mike-aviles">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29145/mike-aviles')" jQuery1304096122108="37">Mike Aviles nor http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/4968/wilson-betemit">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl..._/id/4968/wilson-betemit')" jQuery1304096122108="38">Wilson Betemit will stand in Moustakas' way once the former No. 2 overall draft pick is ready and the organization decides it can start his service-time clock.

5. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29673/domonic-brown">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl..._/id/29673/domonic-brown')" jQuery1304096122108="39">Domonic Brown, OF, Phillies: Technically, Brown is already in the majors and on the disabled list, but I am including him here for obvious reasons, and because I know there are questions about him. Brown homered Wednesday in the first game of his rehab assignment as he returns from a broken bone in his wrist. That's a good first step in showing that he can avoid the struggles to hit for power that often accompany the early stages of a return from a hamate injury. However, if he does, manager Charlie Manuel indicated this week that there could be room for Brown again in the near future.

6. Dustin Ackley, 2B, Mariners: Another former No. 2 overall draft pick, Ackley could be the Mariners' starting second baseman by June. He's still working on his defense and is batting just .235 at Triple-A, but he continues to have a good approach at the plate.

7. http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30764/andrew-oliver">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl..._/id/30764/andrew-oliver')" jQuery1304096122108="40">Andrew Oliver, SP, Tigers: Oliver has fanned 25 batters in 22 2/3 innings in his first four Triple-A starts and is next in line if/when the Tigers need to fill a spot in their rotation.

8. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B. Indians: Chisenhall is expected to become the team's starting third baseman at some point this season, but he still has some questions to answer about how adeptly his sweet left-handed stroke can hit southpaws.

9. Jesus Montero, C, Yankees: There are still major questions about him defensively, but not with his bat. He needs the Yankees' DH spot to open up or another injury to strike at catcher, but he's hitting over .400 in his first 14 Triple-A games.

10. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Padres: With the tandem of http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5955/brad-hawpe">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5955/brad-hawpe')" jQuery1304096122108="41">Brad Hawpe and http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6033/jorge-cantu">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6033/jorge-cantu')" jQuery1304096122108="42">Jorge Cantu not hitting for the Padres, and Rizzo on fire at Triple-A, we could see a shakeup in the near future, although the rehabbing http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29724/kyle-blanks">http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29724/kyle-blanks')" jQuery1304096122108="43">Kyle Blanks is also in the mix. I think Rizzo could hit right-handed pitching in the big leagues right now, and he's hitting .417 with seven homers in his first 19 games at Triple-A.

11. Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs: The Cubs are still trying to find playing time for http:///espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28999/tyler-colvin">http://espn.go.com/mlb/pl.../_/id/28999/tyler-colvin')" jQuery1304096122108="44">Tyler Colvin, but if their offense continues to flounder, or if there's an injury or two, Jackson could get the call. The 22-year-old is hitting .324 with three homers and six steals at Double-A, and the Cubs have never been shy about promoting prospects aggressively.

Just missed the cut: Mike Montgomery, SP, Royals.

Explaining Jered Weaver's success.

Spoiler [+]
It seems as if every April there's a pitcher who bursts upon the scene and makes us ask: How could he -- how could anyone -- be this good?

Three years ago it was Cliff Lee, redefining himself as baseball's top control artist. The following year it was Zack Greinke, a pitching prodigy who cleared his mental hurdles in order to become a pitching savant. Last April it was Ubaldo Jimenez's turn, as the Rockies right-hander fully harnessed his fastball, the hardest pitch thrown by any starting pitcher. This year it's Jered Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels, who is off to a 6-0, 0.99 ERA start. But why him, and why now?

Weaver has always been good. He began his MLB career in 2006 by winning his first seven starts. In 2009, he became the undisputed ace of the Halos' rotation, and last year, he led all of baseball in strikeouts. Yet the Southern California native had never captured the national spotlight before this season. Perhaps his fastball, just 90 mph, failed to captivate our imagination. Using more advanced PITCHf/x data, we can take a look at what makes Weaver so effective.


Baseball Prospectus

His velocity isn't overpowering, but his stuff plays up for other reasons. The first thing that jumps out is his atypical delivery. Weaver throws across his body. By standing way over to the third-base side of the pitching rubber and using his 6-foot-7 frame to extend his release point even further, Weaver shows batters a look they're not used to. The image on the right displays the average release points among right-handed pitchers, and you can see that Weaver represents something of an outlier. (That plot point next to the right ear represents Roy Oswalt, who stands on the first-base side of the rubber. He doesn't actually release the ball from behind his ear.)

Weaver's stuff is more impressive than the radar gun would imply, given his fastball's movement. We can use whiff rate to more accurately appraise his stuff. An average 90 mph fastball from a righty gets whiffs on about 13 percent of swings, while a 95 mph heater induces whiffs 18 percent of the time. However, because Weaver generates so much movement on his four-seamer, he generates a swing and miss 18 percent of the time. Weaver's lack of velocity on his fastball is completely offset by movement. It doesn't hurt that Weaver is throwing slightly harder than usual this season -- in April, no less, when velocity is supposed to be deflated due to inclement weather.

Good stuff isn't worth a thing if you can't locate it. Last year, Dave Allen of FanGraphs noticed that Weaver was inducing whiffs on his curves by throwing them high in the zone. This year, he's elevating his fastball. Weaver is throwing his four-seam fastball higher in the zone on average than he ever has before. The chart to the right shows the average pitch heights in feet and the corresponding whiff rates for his four-seamer.

[h4]High Hard One[/h4]
Weaver is throwing his fastball further up in the zone each season.
[table][tr][th=""]Year[/th][th=""]Pitch Height[/th][th=""]Whiff Rate[/th][/tr][tr][td]2008[/td][td]2.55[/td][td]17.7%[/td][/tr][tr][td]2009[/td][td]2.61[/td][td]18.0%[/td][/tr][tr][td]2010[/td][td]2.77[/td][td]20.3%[/td][/tr][tr][td]2011[/td][td]2.83[/td][td]25.0%[/td][/tr][/table]

Thrown from a difficult-to-pick-up release point, Weaver's rising fastball explodes on hitters when located up in the zone. In addition, Weaver keeps hitters off-balance with his off-speed stuff. He's thrown his changeup for strikes a whopping 76 percent of the time so far, yet batters have gone 3-for-38 against it.

It's no surprise that as Weaver has continued to climb the ladder with his fastball, he's picked up more and more strikeouts. The downside of such an approach is supposed to be an increase in home runs allowed. Weaver is indeed allowing fly balls, as we would expect, but seldom have those fly balls left the yard.

Weaver has also been somewhat lucky in the opposition he's faced. Generally, opposing lineups are balanced against Weaver, matching a left-handed batter for every righty. But this year, Weaver has had the platoon advantage against 60 percent of the batters he's faced. He's also been getting better support from his defense than he has in the past. The departure of Mike Napoli (a mediocre defensive catcher) and addition of Peter Bourjos (an elite defensive center fielder) cannot be overlooked as an influence on the Angels' staff.

Weaver made the leap to Cy Young candidate in 2010 and is just now getting the recognition he deserves. No pitcher can be this good, and we can point to the usual suspects that indicate luck: a low BABIP and a low home run rate. As he faces more left-handed hitters, both of those figures will rise. Some would-be home run pitches tomorrow are probably getting popped up today. Regressing toward his historic BABIP and home run rates, Weaver has looked more like a 2.00 ERA pitcher than one capable of posting his current otherworldly sub-1.00 mark.

Nevertheless, we have an early Cy Young Award favorite. Even with some regression, you can't take away Weaver's 6-0 start. In Weaver and rotation-mate Dan Haren -- who's off to a 4-1 start of his own with a 1.23 ERA -- the American League has its own version of Halladay and Lee.

Rumors.

Spoiler [+]
http://[h3]Who leads off in Anaheim?[/h3]
11:15AM ET

[h5]Los Angeles Angels [/h5]


Peter Bourjos may be swinging a hot bat, but Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia has no plans to use the rookie outfielder atop the batting order on a regular basis, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.

Bourjos (.318 BA), who has raised his average close to 100 points since April 16, has started in five different spots in the order. He has led off five times but has been dropped to eighth the last two games.

Scioscia has used Erick Aybar in the leadoff spot three times in the last four games while Maicer Izturis battles a hamstring injury. Izturis should be ready to return to the lineup Friday.

Bourjos could be a leadoff hitter down the road, but DiGiovanna writes that he needs to improve his plate discipline and take more pitches.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Decision on McDowell Friday?[/h3]
10:46AM ET

[h5]Atlanta Braves [/h5]


It's been a rough couple of days for the Atlanta Braves organization.

First there were the allegations that pitching coach Roger McDowell used anti-gay slurs and gestures in an argument with fans at San Francisco's AT&T Park last Saturday. Now comes word that Derek Lowe has been charged with drunken driving.

Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta JC says an announcement from Major League Baseball on potential discipline for McDowell is expected Friday.

Lowe's next start is scheduled for Sunday against the Cardinals. There was no immediate word if those plans have changed.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Setback for Saito[/h3]
10:27AM ET

[h5]Takashi Saito | Brewers [/h5]


It might be a while before Takashi Saito rejoins the Milwaukee Brewers and takes over the eighth-inning role projected for him in spring training.

Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel reports that things did not go well in Saito's rehab start Thursday might. Saito was removed after facing his third batter and one could assume that his hamstring injury is still bothering him.

Kameron Loe (2.84 ERA) has done a solid job as the eighth-inning replacement, but the addition of a healthy Saito would provide some needed depth.
Saito's extened stay on the disabled list is costly. Earlier this month, Nick Cafardo wrote in the Boston Globe that Saito can earn up to five $100,000 bonuses based on time spent on the active roster. Each extra day on the DL prevents him from reaching the plateau.
- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Jeter's place in the order[/h3]
10:09AM ET

[h5]Derek Jeter | Yankees [/h5]


Yankees manager Joe Girardi appears to be walking on egg shells anytime the discussion turns to where Derek Jeter bats in the lineup.

It is the most delicate of issues since the franchise icon is off to a lackluster start (.262) as he moves methodically toward the coveted 3,000-hit plateau. The problem is the Yankees may be a better offensive team with Jeter batting down in the batting order.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post expects the Jeter lineup dilemma to heat up after Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher batted 1-2 in the order Thursday night against the White Sox and combined for six RBI in a 12-3 victory.

Jeter, who has batted first or second, was given the night off Thursday and Girardi told Sherman he simply looked at what was available and came up with his lineup. If Jeter continues to struggle, Girardi could have a big decision on his hands.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]How to handle Ozzie's tweets[/h3]
9:44AM ET

[h5]Ozzie Guillen | White Sox [/h5]


White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is expecting to pay a fine for his Twitter comments made shortly after he was ejected from Wednesday's game in New York.

MLB is looking into Guillen's tweet during the first inning, moments after he was ejected by plate umpire Todd Tichenor. Guillen tells the Sun-Times he had not heard from the commissioner's office as of Thursday.

Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com writes that the latest incident of Ozzie being Ozzie is an interesting test case since Major League Baseball has not had to deal with a player, coach or manager sending out social media messages while a game was still in play. There also is no standard policy on how to discipline an individual.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Hurdle: Cedeno still in the mix[/h3]
9:27AM ET

[h5]Ronny Cedeno | Pirates [/h5]


http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-piratesPittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle sent a message to http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6254/ronny-cedenoRonny Cedeno by keeping the shortstop out of the starting lineup Wednesday against the Giants.

Cedeno was out of the lineup again on Thursday, but Hurdle insists Cedeno is still in the mix at shortstop, even if Brandon Wood has been starting at the position the last few days.

"I'm just riding the hotter hand right now," Cedeno told the Tribune Review.

Hurdle said Cedeno will be back in the starting lineup at some point during the upcoming road trip to Colorado and San Diego. With a .184 batting average, Cedeno will have to swing a hotter bat to stay there. Wood is just 2-for-11 with the Pirates, so he hasn't exactly laid claim to the job, either.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]No timetable for Mauer[/h3]
8:59AM ET

[h5]Joe Mauer | Twins [/h5]


UPDATE: Mauer tells Joe Christensen in Friday's Star Tribune that he lost 15 pounds due to his recent viral infection. Christensen adds that there remains no timetable for Mauer's return.

--

The Minnesota Twins are unsure when Joe Mauer when will be back in the lineup, but GM Bill Smith concedes to Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune the star catcher probably won't be ready when he comes off the disabled list Thursday.

Mauer was placed on the DL because of bilateral leg weakness and lost about a week of recovery time because of a viral infection.

Smith said he isn't sure whether Mauer will be heading on a minor league rehabilitation assignment, but manager Ron Gardenhire has said a rehab stint is a good possibility.

The absence of Mauer has left a gaping hole in the batting order. Drew Butera has had the bulk of the catching duties of late and is hitting a meager .147.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Teixeira could return Friday[/h3]
8:45AM ET

[h5]Mark Teixeira | Yankees [/h5]


UPDATE: Teixeira was forced to sit out Thursday's game with the White Sox, but the New York Post reported that the first baseman's shoulder showed some improvement and he could be able to play Friday against Toronto.

If not, it could mean another night at first base for Eric Chavez.

--

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was forced to leave Wednesday's game against the White Sox in the eighth inning with a sore right shoulder, but believes the injury is not serious.

Teixeira has started each of the Yankees' 21 games, and hopes it is not more than a day-to-day proposition. The Yankees could opt to give Teixeira a night off Thursday and use Eric Chavez at first base.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Jo-Jo stays in rotation[/h3]
8:33AM ET

[h5]Jo-Jo Reyes | Blue Jays [/h5]


The Toronto Blue Jays plan to stick with Jo-Jo Reyes for his next start Tuesday in Tampa, and it is only be default, reports MLB.com's Todd Wills.

Reyes (5.48 ERA) lasted just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Texas on Wednesday night and has allowed 33 hits in 23 frames.

The Blue Jays could have skipped Reyes' next start with a day off Monday before a three-game series at Tampa Bay, but that would have had a ripple effect on the rest of the rotation.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Snider's future in Toronto[/h3]
8:19AM ET

[h5]Travis Snider | Blue Jays [/h5]


During spring training and earlier this month, Blude Jays manager John Farrell said repeatedly that the Jays were "committed" to Travis Snider as an everyday player.

That lasted until Thursday, when the Jays decided to ship the struggling outfielder to Triple-A Las Vegas. Snider is hitting .184 with one homer and the club feels he needs to work out mechanical issues with his swing.

Farrell told reporters the Jays still expect the 23-year-old Snider to develop into the hitter many scouts have projected since he was a first-round draft pick in 2006. But the question remains as to how many more chances Snider will get since he has played parts of four seasons and has almost 700 at-bats.

Snider's demotion opens a roster spot for outfielder Rajai Davis, who will be activated from the 15-day disabled list. Todd Wills of MLB.com reports the Jays also will promote first baseman David Cooper, who has been on a tear for Las Vegas, batting .395 in 20 games.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Blanton to the DL[/h3]
7:52AM ET

[h5]Philadelphia Phillies [/h5]


The Philadelphia Phillies are dealing with yet another injury issue after placing fifth starter Joe Blanton on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a medial impingement in his right elbow. The move is retroactive to April 24, which means he can be activated as early as May 9.

Right-hander Vance Worley will be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will start Friday against the Friday against the Mets. Worley is 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA in four starts this season with the IronPigs.

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki say Blanton will likely be the only player added to the DL before Friday's game. Catcher Carlos Ruiz left Wednesday's game in Arizona because of a back injury. The Phillies will try resting Ruiz for a few days before deciding whether to add another catcher to the roster.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Will Coghlan play Friday?[/h3]
7:28AM ET

[h5]Chris Coghlan | Marlins [/h5]


UPDATE: Manny Navarro writes in Friday's Miami Herald that the Marlins "hopeful" Coghlan will be available for the series opener against the Reds.

--

The Florida Marlins already are dealing with the absence of left fielder Logan Morrison. Now there may be cause for concern with center fielder Chris Coghlan.

Coghlan left Wednesday's game against the Dodgers after telling manager Edwin Rodriguez that his right shoulder was too sore to continue.

Coghlan, who missed the bulk of spring training with a shoulder injury, hopes to be ready for Friday's game in Cincinnati. Emilio Bonifacio and Scott Cousins are center field options if Coghlan is sidelined. Bonifacio already is getting some playing time in left field due to the foot injury to Morrison.

- Doug Mittler

http://[h3]Lyles in 2011 plans?[/h3]
7:03AM ET

[h5]Houston Astros [/h5]


The Houston Astros starting rotation boasts the third worst ERA in the National League at 5.24 entering play Thursday. Their top pitching prospect, Jordan Lyles, just tossed seven shutout innings at Triple-A Oklahoma City and could work his way into a call-up before too long.

Nelson Figueroa and J.A. Happ have struggled throughout the season's first month, posting ERAs of 8.55 and 6.35, respectively, and could be sent to the bullpen if the Astros make a move. Whether or not that move includes Lyles remains to be seen.

The timetable for a change is also unknown, but Figueroa and Happ have made nine starts combined with very little success and the Astros are fading fast in the NL Central.
 
Originally Posted by WearinTheFourFive

swag me the %%@! out. we a raw %+* team if our offense shows up in the slightest. I be drunk as vuck. whats goood. if you think we aint about to be there in the end you crazy. AL west champs whats good.
Click to expand...
roll.gif
 
Originally Posted by WearinTheFourFive

swag me the %%@! out. we a raw %+* team if our offense shows up in the slightest. I be drunk as vuck. whats goood. if you think we aint about to be there in the end you crazy. AL west champs whats good.
Click to expand...
roll.gif
 
Originally Posted by dland24

Originally Posted by WearinTheFourFive

swag me the %%@! out. we a raw %+* team if our offense shows up in the slightest. I be drunk as vuck. whats goood. if you think we aint about to be there in the end you crazy. AL west champs whats good.
Click to expand...
roll.gif
Click to expand...
[frank lucas] I stand behind it, I guarantee it. [/frank lucas]
 
Originally Posted by dland24

Originally Posted by WearinTheFourFive

swag me the %%@! out. we a raw %+* team if our offense shows up in the slightest. I be drunk as vuck. whats goood. if you think we aint about to be there in the end you crazy. AL west champs whats good.
Click to expand...
roll.gif
Click to expand...
[frank lucas] I stand behind it, I guarantee it. [/frank lucas]
 
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