Around the AL: Clemens' Debut
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: Ramon Hernandez is back on the DL, this time the result of a groin contusion he suffered when he was struck by a foul ball in Wednesday's game. It's not the kind of thing that should keep him out for an extended period, as the DL stint seems more a result of the Orioles needing another catcher on hand while he heals for a week-plus. This has been quite a trying season for Hernandez, hitting .244 and on pace for 12 home runs, though his 106-RBI pace is at least encouraging. That's mostly a result of timely hitting with runners in scoring position; he's a .333 hitter (13-for-39) and 25 of his 27 RBIs to date came in those situations. Combine that with Hernandez's ability in 2006 to mount impressive hot streaks and he's a guy you should still keep on hand. Paul Bako and Alberto Castillo will fill in for him again, as they did in Hernandez's last DL stint.
Boston Red Sox: In more of a procedural move than anything, the Red Sox activated Jon Lester from the DL on Monday and optioned him to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he has been pitching since April 27. He had been nearing a return to the big league rotation, but with the left-hander coming off a 2 2/3-inning, three-run appearance on Saturday, his worst effort to date, the Red Sox felt it would be better to keep him in the minors for another couple turns. Lester hasn't pitched poorly at all during his rehab stint, with a 2.03 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and .207 BAA in 10 rehab starts between Pawtucket and Class A Greenville. Still, that he has pitched more than five innings only once suggests he's not quite up to par in the stamina department to make an immediate fantasy impact. Lester remains a second-half sleeper, and a candidate to replace No. 5 starter Julian Tavarez perhaps even by month's end, but don't get your hopes too high with him. He might make 12-15 starts, win half of them and manage an ERA in the 4.00 range.
New York Yankees: Roger Clemens' much-anticipated Yankees debut was a success, as the right-hander allowed only three runs on five hits in six innings against the Pirates on Saturday. He didn't look like his Cy Young-caliber self from his Astros days, but he displayed good enough velocity and lasted 106 pitches, a healthy number for a pitcher making his first appearance of the season. Clemens will almost assuredly see his ERA rise, probably to the mid-to-high threes, back in the AL, but he has the ability to be a big winner on this Yankees team. Not coincidentally, his return helped the Yankees win their fourth consecutive game in a current five-game winning streak, so don't be surprised if the team as a whole endures quite a turnaround in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, while Clemens is once again a solid fantasy option, the hype surrounding his return might be so overblown that he's actually a sell-high candidate. Realistically speaking, he might get 22 starts, win 10 of them and manage an ERA of 3.75, which aren't fantasy ace numbers.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Andy Sonnanstine picked up his first career victory with a seven-inning, two-run, 10-strikeout effort against the Marlins on Sunday, one that should make him one of the more popular pickups of the week. He's hardly a Cy Young candidate in the making, but the right-hander is easily capable of being a matchups type, even in mixed leagues, taking into account his impeccable command. In his first two big league starts, he has yet to allow a free pass in 14 innings, he has thrown 138 of 189 pitches (73.0 percent) for strikes and he had a 1.36 walks-per-nine innings ratio for his minor league career. Sure, it's a worry that Sonnanstine has already served up three home runs in two starts, but so long as he keeps throwing strikes, he should be able to handle the weaker lineups around the league. … The Devil Rays picked David Price with the No. 1 pick overall in the amateur draft last Thursday, a significant development mainly in that they're one of the few teams that could allow the left-hander a quick route to the majors. Price was considered the best prospect by far in the 2007 draft, and as advanced a pitcher as any of those picked in the 2006 draft, particularly Andrew Miller, who debuted late last season. Don't expect Price up with the big club before August or September, if at all this season, but in keeper leagues, he's well worth a pickup as he should advance through the team's minor league system quickly.
Toronto Blue Jays: It's remarkable how Josh Towers continues to earn shots in the Blue Jays' rotation, but that's what happened once again last Thursday, when the team designated Tomo Ohka for assignment. Ohka wasn't at all effective in 10 starts for the Blue Jays, managing only two quality starts with a 5.79 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and .300 BAA, though it's hardly a surprise taking into account the deeper offenses in the American League, particularly the AL East. He'd be better off back in the National League, and it wouldn't at all be shocking to see him land with a team in need of rotation help, like the Braves, Nationals or Phillies. Towers, meanwhile, shouldn't be much more effective a starter, though at least his 4.70 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in four starts earlier this season might indicate some AL-only matchups potential. Keep him in mind when he's scheduled to face the league's weaker offenses, not that there should be too many of those matchups in his future.
Chicago White Sox: Joe Crede landed on the DL last Wednesday with a back problem, which was later diagnosed as two herniated disks and fluid irritating the sciatic nerves. He might require season-ending surgery, though he's waiting for word from back specialists on that front. Crede owners should proceed assuming his season is finished, based on how much pain he says he's in, though at least his stand-in, Josh Fields, isn't a bad replacement for fantasy. Fields, recalled last Wednesday, was batting .283 with 10 home runs in 56 games for Triple-A Charlotte, though it's worth mentioning that since April 23, he was a .322 hitter (48-for-149) with nine homers and 33 RBIs in 40 contests. He might not be a great defender, but with the bat, there's little doubt he's Crede's equal, or at least an equal to the Crede of old, a .260-hitting, 25-homer type given a full season. AL-only owners should add him, and those in larger mixed leagues should consider him as well.
Cleveland Indians: The Indians finally gave up on Jeremy Sowers on Sunday, demoting him to Triple-A Buffalo, a curious move considering Jake Westbrook isn't yet ready to return from an oblique injury, while top prospect Adam Miller is sidelined at Buffalo with a strained flexor tendon in his right middle finger. Sowers simply wasn't getting the job done, though, with a 9.09 ERA, .333 BAA and nine home runs allowed in his last seven starts, only one of them a quality-start effort. He was one of the more hittable pitchers in baseball this season, and might be helped by a brief stint in the minors. Remember, Joe Blanton was pretty hittable in 2006 and has since made the adjustments to get hitters out, and Sowers' future could be similar. For now, though, don't expect the left-hander to help a fantasy team outside of perhaps being an AL-only second-half sleeper. By the time Sowers gets his act together, Westbrook could be back to full health and Miller could be healthy and ready to leap ahead of him into the big leagues.
Detroit Tigers: Andrew Miller is back in the Tigers' rotation, again the result of an injury, but this time to left-hander Nate Robertson. Robertson landed on the DL last Thursday with a tired arm, after he lost three consecutive starts with a 12.27 ERA and .434 BAA. The Tigers felt it would be best to give him a little time off to rest, meaning the move might be more of a short-term thing, though Miller owners have to be happy with the development. The rookie should get three turns in the rotation, though they aren't exactly easy ones: He pitched Sunday against the Mets, and should pitch at Philadelphia on June 16 and at Atlanta on June 22. Still, he pitched respectably enough to pick up a win on Sunday, and it's not like fellow starter Chad Durbin has any easier a schedule. With a strong performance in the next couple of weeks, Miller could stick around, though the Tigers' rotation will be a bit crowded once Robertson and Kenny Rogers return. In other words, the lefty might need a Mike Maroth trade after those two pitchers are activated.
Kansas City Royals: Joakim Soria was activated from the DL last Thursday, though he's apparently no longer the primary set-up man to Octavio Dotel. No, on Sunday, manager Buddy Bell named Zack Greinke the backup to Dotel, putting him next in line for saves in the Royals' bullpen should the latter return to the DL or become ineffective at any point. It's an odd move taking into account the timing of Soria's return and the fact that Greinke has a 5.09 ERA and .284 BAA in 13 relief appearances this season. Sure, he has the kind of power arm that could work in that role, but Greinke has hardly been the consistent type an MLB team would trust in the ninth inning. In AL-only leagues, he's well worth adding, as his 22 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings, as well as his 1.36 WHIP, do indicate some value. In mixed formats, though, Greinke would need to pick up his performance in the next couple of weeks to be considered a worthy second-half sleeper.
Minnesota Twins: Joe Mauer finally returned from the DL on Friday, though not to his traditional spot in the lineup. No, the defending AL batting champion was slotted in the No. 2 hole, as opposed to his usual third spot, which is now occupied by the red-hot Michael Cuddyer. It's actually not a bad arrangement at all; it allows each of the Twins' five best hitters to occupy the top five spots. With Luis Castillo, a career .295 hitter with a .369 on-base percentage, leading off, and Mauer, a career .322 hitter with a .401 on-base percentage, batting second, there should be plenty of runners on base for Cuddyer, cleanup man Justin Morneau and No. 5 hitter Torii Hunter to drive home. Mauer is 1-for-9 in his first two games off the DL, but give him a week's time or so and he should be back to his old .300-hitting form. He's well worth activating in all formats, and should be an elite source of batting average and runs scored from this point forward, even if he winds up a bit of a disappointment compared to his preseason No. 27 overall draft position.
Los Angeles Angels: So Ervin Santana finally managed a quality-start effort in a road start on Saturday, defeating the Cardinals with six innings of three-run ball. Could this be the beginning of a new trend for him? I need to see more than one solid road start. Granted, this isn't his first quality-start effort of the season on the road; Santana managed 6 1/3 innings of three-run ball in a losing cause at Kansas City on May 2. In addition, it's not like beating the Cardinals is any huge feat. Santana served up two homers in the outing, which might have led to a worse performance against a team with better on-base ability. He's still someone to avoid until he strings together two or three strong road efforts, but keep Santana active for all his home starts. He's a perfect 6-for-6 in quality starts at home, with a 4-1 record and 2.41 ERA. For his career, Santana is 23-6 with a 2.98 ERA in 37 starts at Angel Stadium, effectively Cy Young numbers.
Oakland Athletics: Following the trade of backup catcher Adam Melhuse to the Rangers, the Athletics promoted top prospect Kurt Suzuki from Triple-A Sacramento, where he was batting .280 with three homers and 27 RBIs in 55 games. Suzuki should pick up a start or two per week in place of Jason Kendall, making him an interesting AL-only No. 2 catcher. … Left-hander Lenny DiNardo, meanwhile, managed his second consecutive six-shutout-inning effort on Sunday, lowering his season ERA to 1.22. He has been rather effective in three starts since joining the rotation, with a 0.52 ERA and .182 BAA, though his command remains a concern in the long haul. DiNardo has allowed 10 free passes in 17 1/3 innings in his three turns, and he has thrown only 145 of 256 pitches (56.6 percent) for strikes during that span. He has a decent share of AL-only matchups value while he's pitching this well, but be prepared for him to hit a cold spell in the near future.
Seattle Mariners: Jose Lopez continues to be largely ignored in fantasy leagues, perhaps a result of his mediocre showings annually in the power department. Still, he's shown steady improvement each season, and since his move to the No. 2 spot in the lineup, he has appeared a bit more comfortable at the plate. He's a .394 hitter (13-for-33) in seven games since moving to that spot, and surprisingly, he has 10 RBIs compared to three runs scored, rates that most would expect be reversed. In his last 17 games overall, Lopez is a .400 hitter (28-for-70) with 18 RBIs and 11 runs, the type of performance that warrants at least AL-only attention, and perhaps mixed-league middle-infielder status as well. Remember, No. 2 hitters stand a much better chance at lofty runs scored totals than those who bat in the bottom third of the order, meaning a .280-.290-hitting Lopez could easily net a fantasy team another 65-70 runs this year. Don't underrate him.
Texas Rangers: So much for Mark Teixeira's consecutive games played streak, as the normally durable slugger landed on the DL on Saturday with a strained left quadriceps. It's not necessarily a short-term injury, either; the Rangers said it was more than a 15-day thing, and Teixeira has been walking with a severe limp after being forced from Friday's game. That ended his streak at 507 straight games played, and it frustrates his fantasy owners, as the switch-hitter was a .347 hitter (51-for-147) with 12 homers and 38 RBIs in his last 40 contests, recapturing his All-Star caliber form much more quickly than he did in 2006. With Teixeira sidelined, Brad Wilkerson picked up the start at first base in each of the Rangers' past two games, an arrangement we can expect to see fairly often the rest of the month. That's a significant downgrade in production for the Rangers, but for fantasy, it's good news in that Wilkerson's shift to first base could mean additional at-bats for red-hot Victor Diaz. Diaz, a .310 hitter (18-for-58) with eight homers and 21 RBIs in his last 18 games, is well worth an AL-only or deep mixed-league pickup.
Tristan H. Cockcroft covers fantasy sports for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.
