Clearing The Bases

Arizona Diamondbacks: Looks like closer J.J. Putz will be lost to the DBacks for a bit of time and possibly even the rest of the season due to an elbow strain. In his absence Heath Bell will get first crack at the job with David Hernandez most likely next in line. If you’re looking for a dark horse candidate, Matt Reynolds has pitched extremely well in the early going so far…..I know it’s an extremely small sample size, but SS Didi Gregorious looks to be a pretty good player, perhaps that Trevor Bauer deal won’t be so bad after all.

Atlanta Braves: Outfielder Jason Heyward who was originally thought to be out until late May after undergoing an appendectomy will play in a few rehab games this weekend and could come off the DL as early as next week…..Catcher Brian McCann was activated off the DL Monday, Heyward looks to come off the DL next week, this could be the end of the Evan Gattis story…..Fantasy owners are going crazy over what to do with OF B.J. Upton, even seen him released in a few leagues. Hey, you’re going to have to be patient, he really is to good to just waive, you would certainly be selling low if you tried to deal him, assuming you have reserve spots, that is where I would place him until he starts to heat up, which I still believe will happen eventually, but I stayed away from him in drafts mainly because I always shy away from players when they switch leagues unless they are superstars.

Chicago Cubs: I just have to laugh, manager Dale Sveum officially named Kevin Gregg the teams closer. Now you know how bad Carlos Marmol actually is. His trade value is below zero right now…..This really doesn’t say all that much for Kyuji Fujikawa either as he will be the setup man when he comes off the DL…..Does anyone realize that SP Travis Wood now has seven straight quality starts to begin the season? Have to admit I don’t know if this is a sign of things to come or just a hot streak.

Cincinnati Reds: SP Johnny Cueto will throw his second bullpen session Thursday and if all goes well will go on a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. He did have a setback last week when he felt soreness in his oblique but it looks like that won’t delay his return by anything more than a couple of days…..Rumors are swirling more and more that manager Dusty Baker won’t move one of his veterans out of the rotation to make room for Tony Cingrani once Cueto is ready to return.

Colorado Rockies: Once again SS Troy Tulowitzki is out of the lineup for Colorado, this time with a leg issue. An MRI came back clean but it looks like manager Walt Weiss wants to keep him out of the lineup when the weather is cold or rainy. Guess we will call this preventative maintenance…..That was a shutout that Juan Nicasio threw against the Yankees on Tuesday, not sure which is more true, Nicasio pitched a good game or the Yankees lineup is that weak. Probably a combination of both.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Sooner or later you have to wonder if the Dodgers slow start is going to fall on manager Don Mattingly. Is it his fault, of course not, he can’t control the health of the team, but the Magic Johnson ownership group didn’t hire him, and in the end it’s easier to fire the manager than a bunch of underperforming/hurt players…..Speaking of hurt players, SP Zack Greinke is throwing again and is even said to be throwing upwards of 90 MPH, he can’t return soon enough for this rotation.

Miami Marlins: The Marlins are going to eat it this year, no way of getting around that, but they do have some talent in their system. Jose Fernandez looks like a future anchor to the pitching staff, Marcell Ozuna has been raking since being called up from AAA, and we still have OF Christian Yelich to look forward to. If they were to keep Giancarlo Stanton, this could be a monster outfield in a couple of years.

Milwaukee Brewers: After a slow start to the season OF Carlos Gomez has been turning it on of late. Once 1B Corey Hart returns from the DL, end of the month at the earliest, this offense could be as dangerous as any in the league, really no weak spots…..Unfortunately the pitching staff is what will keep this team from contending for a playoff spot in the end.

New York Mets: For those who don’t know, I have three TVs above my fireplace so that I can watch as many sporting events as possible, I’m an avid baseball, football, and hockey fan. Tuesday night, it’s a little before 7pm EST, and I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to watch on each set. Islanders go on the big screen as they are my favorite hockey team and I’m looking forward to watching Game 4. Screen to the left will have on the other hockey game. I’m debating which baseball game to watch on my final screen, I’m looking at the games, remember that Matt Harvey is pitching for the Mets, decision made. I’m not a Met fan, but Harvey is quickly becoming must see TV. He’s a no-hitter waiting to happen every time he toes the bump.

Philadelphia Phillies: So SP Roy Halladay finally admitted that he has been experiencing shoulder discomfort and will now need to undergo shoulder surgery to repair the damage. From the tests it doesn’t look like the damage is to extensive but past history shows that the odds of Halladay coming back and being anywhere near the pitcher he used to be are pretty close to nil…..Does anyone else realize that 3B Michael Young only has six extra base hits on the season so far…..Assuming the Phillies continue to fall out of the race, SP Cliff Lee and 2B Chase Utley will be the names you hear bandied about at the trade deadline.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Have to wonder if the Red Sox wish that had RP Mark Melancon back. He’s been great for the Pirates so far, only allowing one run in 17 appearances…..James MacDonald’s shoulder injury doesn’t look to be to serious and he could be back in the rotation before the month is out. Pirate fans are probably hoping that the team would call up Gerritt Cole or Jameson Taillon would be called up, but that is probably at least a month from happening, once the super-two arbitration date has passed…..In the no big surprise department, the team released SP Jonathan Sanchez.

St. Louis Cardinals: I know some have believed that Trevor Rosenthal would eventually get a chance to close, me included, but the way Edward Mujica is pitching right now, the job is his to lose…..Matt Adams returned from the DL earlier this week, and the guy can hit, but unless there is an injury, he just has no place to play right now, that’s how deep this Cardinals team is…..The Cards also called up flame thrower Carlos Martinez, with Martinez, Rosenthal, and Mujica ready to pitch the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings, teams better not fall behind the Cards.

San Diego Padres: Really is starting to look like that 1B Anthony Rizzo for SP Andrew Cashner trade is going to work out for both teams. Rizzo looks like a pretty good power hitting 1B in the making and Cashner looks like a top of the rotation arm for the Pads…..Outfielder Cameron Maybin still has yet to begin hitting and his return from the DL is still at least a few weeks away.

San Francisco Giants: I’m really starting to believe that the Giants may run away with this division…..Outfielder Angel Pagan had to miss another game Wednesday with an abductor strain, starting to think a DL stint may be in his future…..I know Sergio Romo blew the save on Wednesday but he’s been pretty good in the role, Giants haven’t missed Brian Wilson at all. Wilson won’t be ready to pitch until sometime in July and will more than likely have to accept a setup role with any team he signs with.

Washington Nationals: Outfielder Jayson Werth missed yet another game Wednesday with his hamstring injury, could a DL stint be in his future as well…..The other day OF Bryce Harper was ejected from a game. He checked his swing and was called out by the 3B umpire. Harper did throw up his hands but the umpire didn’t eject him until Harper threw his helmet down. Now, when I say threw, I don’t mean fired it, looked like something that happens quite a few times during a game, and once again, this happened about 100′ away from the ump. Hey ump, no one is paying to see you, but quite a few fans did pay their hard earned money to see Harper.

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