Around the AL: Carmona surges, Thome returns
What's been going on around the American League in the past week? Tristan H. Cockcroft takes a quick-hitting look at the news and notes for each of the 14 AL teams:
Baltimore Orioles: Erik Bedard is quickly shaping up as one of this year's hard-luck pitchers, at least judging by the recent returns. He tossed his fourth consecutive quality start Sunday, and his third double-digit strikeout performance in his last five turns, yet for the fifth straight start he wound up with a no-decision thanks to poor run support and a shaky bullpen behind him. After looking somewhat erratic in early April, Bedard has since bounced back with a 2.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, .168 BAA and 44 strikeouts in 33 innings in his past five starts, numbers that would rival those of anyone in the AL. With him still not picking up wins, though, he's still a bit of a buy-low candidate, though not for much longer. Bedard's season WHIP is now 1.26, the best of his career, and he's averaging 11.07 strikeouts per nine innings, well ahead of last year's 7.84. Those are extremely encouraging signs, and indicators that he could get his ERA close to 3.00 with a 1.00 WHIP and at least a strikeout per inning by season's end. Even if wins wind up his weak category, Bedard's overall value will make him well worth acquiring.
Boston Red Sox: Josh Beckett did land on the disabled list after all on Saturday, though the Red Sox remain cautiously optimistic that he'll be able to return once eligible on May 29. He has an avulsion on his right middle finger, which shouldn't take too long to heal, so it's likely he should be able to pitch the next time the team needs a fifth starter, coincidentally on the very date Beckett can return. Still, his absence did serve to caution Jon Lester owners, who might have been disappointed that the young left-hander was passed over this time around. Lester has been battling some forearm tightness, though he did pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehabilitation start for Triple-A Pawtucket Saturday. He should be ready to take over the fifth starter's role from Julian Tavarez or step in should another starter get hurt by the All-Star break if not sooner, but count on the Red Sox being as patient as possible considering the severity of his health issues the past calendar year. He'll probably need two or three more strong rehab outings before being seriously considered for a promotion ahead of Devern Hansack or Kason Gabbard.
New York Yankees: Poor play has largely been responsible for the Yankees' 9½-game deficit in the AL East race, but don't discount the impact of bad luck in their slow start. For example: Darrell Rasner, Saturday's starter, became the second Yankees starter in three weeks to suffer a broken bone as a result of being struck by a batted ball in the first inning. He suffered a fractured right index finger, sending him to the DL and probably costing him three months. That's an even lengthier absence than is expected for the last pitcher the team lost that way; Jeff Karstens is likely out until the All-Star break with a broken fibula he suffered on April 28. Such developments are the reason Roger Clemens will be rushed to New York after only two warm-up starts in the minors. Clemens is scheduled to pitch Monday against the Blue Jays. On Sunday, Tyler Clippard became the seventh rookie starter for the Yankees this season. Clippard pitched well in his MLB debut, allowing only one run in six innings, perhaps earning another start or two until Clemens and Phil Hughes return. He's not a bad prospect and is someone to keep in mind in keeper formats, but don't count on him to be much more than an emergency starter from June forward.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Rocco Baldelli has had a tough time staying healthy in his brief big league career, and Thursday he landed on the DL for the fourth consecutive season. He's out with a hamstring problem, the same issue that delayed his return from knee and elbow surgeries early last season. Before that, Baldelli had been mired in a terrible slump, batting .060 (3-for-50) with one home run and 16 strikeouts in 13 games in May. Although he has long been an exciting, up-and-coming superstar, Baldelli to date has been more potential than actual results, and it's anyone's guess whether he'll realize that 30/30 -- or even 20/20 -- upside even after his return. He's among the riskiest players in the game at this point, so be aware of what you're getting yourself into by owning him. In his absence, shifting B.J. Upton to center field might seem the most logical move for the Devil Rays, but don't be too hasty. Elijah Dukes has started each of the team's past five games in center field and the leadoff spot and appears to be the biggest beneficiary of Baldelli's injury. The rookie has comparable upside and risk to the man he's replacing, but while he's a batting-average risk, it's not unthinkable he could be a 25-homer, 15-steal player.
Toronto Blue Jays: Neither of the Blue Jays' rotation stand-ins have been nearly as bad as anticipated since stepping in for the injured Roy Halladay and Victor Zambrano. In his first two starts of the season, Shaun Marcum managed a 10-inning hitless streak at one point and allowed two runs on four hits in 12 innings total, including a win at Philadelphia in what appeared to be a poor matchup on paper. Rookie Jesse Litsch, meanwhile, tossed 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his MLB debut on May 15 before being tagged for four runs in four innings on Sunday. Neither seems a great bet in the long term, but both could have a share of matchups potential in AL-only formats in the short term. After all, Marcum was a command specialist throughout his minor league career, with a 3.42 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 6.13 strikeout-walk ratio, and he has a 1.09 WHIP in 15 appearances for the Blue Jays. Litsch had a 0.96 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and .064 BAA in six starts at Double-A New Hampshire. Don't expect too many useful matchups to exploit in the offense-rich AL East, but with games ahead against the Nationals, Rockies, Twins, Mariners and Athletics, there could be one or two useful ones.
Chicago White Sox: The White Sox activated Jim Thome from the DL in time for Sunday's game, a curious move considering he was available only as a pinch hitter due to the game being scheduled in a National League park. He walked in his only plate appearance but returned to the designated hitter role Monday. Thome's numbers during his rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Charlotte weren't exceptional -- he batted .214 (3-for-14) with a double in five games -- but there's little doubt his return can only help boost the White Sox's offensive attack. Expect him to need a few days to fully get back to form after missing three-plus weeks with a rib injury, but Thome's .340 batting average and five homers in 20 games before getting hurt indicate he's still capable of performing at an elite level. He shouldn't have much trouble topping 30 home runs with a decent batting average -- think .280ish -- and his return should also help players like Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko turn their seasons around.
Cleveland Indians: Fausto Carmona has been among the hottest pitchers in the game the past four weeks, winning each of his past five starts while posting a 1.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and .209 BAA in those turns. With his high ratio of ground balls (2.51 GB/FB so far this season) and his command of the strike zone (2.55 walks per nine) Carmona is doing his best to minimize his mistakes. Of course, that he has faced the Twins twice and the Athletics once during his hot streak has played in the right-hander's favor, but that's still the mark of a useful mixed-league matchup option and a solid AL-only starter. The Indians can't afford to bump Carmona from their rotation again with the improvements he has made this year, meaning you should expect him to stick around and retain a decent share of value for the full season. Who might be bumped once Jake Westbrook returns from the DL? Jeremy Sowers, now 0-4 with a 7.13 ERA in eight starts, and winless with a 13.15 ERA in his last three turns, appears the best bet. He could use some time back in Triple-A ball to work out his issues, after which point perhaps he might be useful in the second half.
Detroit Tigers: It took a DL stint from Jeremy Bonderman for top prospect Andrew Miller to finally get his chance at the big league level, but now that he has gotten it, it seems the left-hander should be here to stay. He tossed six scoreless innings while allowing only four hits and three walks, an impressive performance even if it came against one of the game's weaker offenses in the Cardinals. Miller has earned himself another start, though it's possible he isn't up for good since No. 5 starter Chad Durbin is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in his last five starts. The two might be in competition for that role until Bonderman returns, which might come as soon as Friday. Durbin is scheduled to face the Angels on Wednesday, a start that should be closely monitored by Miller owners, and it's possible the left-hander could pitch the following day. Even if Bonderman's return ships Miller back to the minors, the rookie's performance puts him first in line to step in the moment another rotation spot opens up. Keep him on hand in AL-only leagues, and in mixed formats, if you have a deep enough bench, do the same. He could be up for much of the remainder of the season.
Kansas City Royals: Octavio Dotel is scheduled to return from the DL in time for Tuesday's game, and all signs point to him recapturing his closer's role from Joakim Soria. Though a strained left oblique cost Dotel more than a month, he allowed only one run in three innings with a .200 BAA in a rehabilitation stint at Double-A Wichita, decent enough numbers to suggest he's close to 100 percent. The Royals don't provide their closers too many save chances, though the fact that Soria managed eight saves in 11 chances in 13 appearances since April 22 is enough evidence that Dotel could be a 25-save performer given full health the next four months. Still, Soria owners, at least those in AL-only formats, shouldn't drop him just yet. We have yet to see whether Dotel is truly at peak form, and he's among the biggest injury risks in the game. Soria's 4.05 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in that 13-game span are mediocre enough numbers that he wasn't much more than a second- or third-tier closer, but he was effective enough to be Dotel's top handcuff.
Minnesota Twins: Scott Baker stepped up with a quality effort in his 2007 debut on Saturday, lasting 8 1/3 innings and allowing only two runs on six hits to pick up the win. It was an outing much closer to those he managed in a solid late-season performance for the Twins in 2005 than the disastrous ones he strung together a year ago, making him an appealing pickup, at least in AL-only formats. Sure, Baker was one of the most hittable pitchers in baseball in 2006, as he endured the inevitable adjustment period most young pitchers seem to face, but remember that he was once considered a decent prospect, ranking 10th among Twins by Baseball America headed into 2005. Baker has averaged 7.62 strikeouts, 1.81 walks and 0.60 home runs allowed per nine innings for his minor league career. He easily warrants matchup consideration, and perhaps his time in the minor leagues to begin this season has helped him make the necessary adjustments to be successful. For Matt Garza and Kevin Slowey to make the Minnesota rotation, it would likely take Ramon Ortiz or Carlos Silva giving up his spot rather than Baker.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Howie Kendrick is nearing a return from the DL, having played four games of a minor league rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake. He's 4-for-15 (.267) with one home run during that span, not a bad performance at all, and enough to suggest that his finger is now fully healed. The Angels should activate Kendrick by midweek, at which point he'll presumably reclaim the everyday second base role, batting sixth or seventh, as was his role to begin the season. Taking into account he was a .327 hitter (16-for-49) with an .855 OPS in 14 games before suffering that broken finger, Kendrick shouldn't have too much trouble getting back to his .300-hitting, double-digit power ways with a week or two of active duty. Be patient with him in his first few games back from the DL, but by Week 9 of the fantasy season, he should again be one of the better fantasy second basemen around. Meanwhile, Erick Aybar, who batted .276 (29-for-105) in 31 games while Kendrick was sidelined, will return to a utility role.
Oakland Athletics: Closer Huston Street unexpectedly landed on the DL on May 15 with an irritated ulnar nerve in his right elbow, an injury that has kept him from throwing for more than a week. He wasn't diagnosed with any structural damage in his elbow, but it's not unthinkable that he might require surgery if he experiences further pain once he resumes throwing in the next few days. Unfortunately, with Street out, set-up man Justin Duchscherer picked a bad time to be less than 100 percent himself. His hip has kept him on the sidelines since May 14, and it's possible he'll require a DL stint of his own after a cortisone shot Thursday didn't significantly improve his condition. So who does that leave to close for Oakland? Kiko Calero, the next most logical choice, has a 5.79 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 20 appearances, hardly the numbers of a reliable finisher. On Saturday, Alan Embree, called upon with two left-handed hitters due up to begin the ninth inning, picked up the save, a sign that the Athletics are utilizing a true committee approach to save chances. Anyone from Embree to Calero to Jay Witasick could get a chance in the coming days, so keep an eye on things in the meantime. Often, all it takes is one or two solid outings for a reliever to step up as the go-to guy. Calero's my best bet, though.
Seattle Mariners: For the second consecutive season, Richie Sexson is off to a dreadful start, batting only .162 (21-for-130) with five homers and 30 strikeouts in his first 37 games. Compare that to his numbers through the end of May last season: he was batting .205 (41-for-200) with six homers and 64 strikeouts in 54 games through May 31, 2006. Still, while Sexson's strong finish to 2006 serves as an encouraging example of how he can turn around a seemingly lost season, his performance this season has been a bit more troubling. He has seemed completely lost at the plate, and his 3.55 pitches per plate appearance average to date would represent a career worst, and significantly below the 3.94 he managed a year ago. Sexson has the power to get his numbers back into the 30-homer, 90-RBI ranges by season's end, but the concern is that he could begin to lose playing time against right-handers to Ben Broussard if his slump lingers much longer. Be careful not to call him an automatic buy-low candidate, because it's asking quite a bit for a player as strikeout-prone as him to manage a .294-28-78 final four months for two straight seasons.
Texas Rangers: Hank Blalock's owners received surprising and troubling news Friday, when the Rangers revealed he was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a nerve compression that once cost Tigers left-hander Kenny Rogers the second half of the 2001 season. Blalock was immediately placed on the 60-day DL, meaning he'll miss at least the next eight weeks and perhaps closer to 12 after having surgery to remove a rib Monday. In his place, the Rangers have few reliable stand-ins, making a trade -- perhaps for Morgan Ensberg? -- a possibility. For now, journeyman Ramon Vazquez appears the best bet for at-bats. He had two home runs and six RBIs in his first two starts over the weekend, though, more likely, he's a .270-hitting, double-digit steals candidate, at best. In short, Vazquez warrants an AL-only pickup only for those thin at middle or corner infield. He'll platoon with Matt Kata, who should earn only two or three starts a week, mostly against left-handers. Don't expect too much from either stand-in.
Tristan H. Cockcroft covers fantasy sports for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.
