Baseball Daily Dose: Dose: Pollock Picture Perfect
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Follow @Baer_Bill and @Rotoworld_BB on Twitter.
A.J. Pollock played the role of hero on Tuesday, clubbing a pinch-hit two-run home run to send the Diamondbacks to a 4-2 win over the Marlins. He filled up the box score on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with three singles, a walk, three stolen bases, and four runs scored as the Diamondbacks won their third consecutive game since beginning a four-game set in Miami. One of Pollock’s steals was of home, as he took advantage of a David Phelps attempted pick-off of David Peralta at first base.
Pollock, on the season, is batting .298/.346/.418 with four home runs, 15 RBI, 27 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. The 27-year-old is not a world-beater in any particular category, but is good enough across the board to turn him into a fantasy stud. He’s tied for 16th in baseball in runs scored and tied for ninth in stolen bases. He ranks 41st in batting average out of 174 qualified hitters, as well as 66th in on-base percentage.
Looking at outfielders specifically, Billy Hamilton, Jacoby Ellsbury, Gregory Polanco, Brett Gardner, Norichika Aoki, and George Springer are the only ones to have stolen more bases than Pollock. Of those, only Ellsbury, Gardner, and Aoki are in Pollock’s neighborhood or better in average; Pollock is essentially a poor man’s Ellsbury. Ellsbury was drafted 28th overall in Yahoo leagues. Gardner went 110th while Pollock went 171st. Fantasy owners savvy enough to poach Pollock late in drafts are certainly reaping the benefits.
Editor’s Note: Play one-day fantasy baseball for cash! FanDuel is hosting a $50,000 league for Thursday’s MLB games. It’s just $5 to join and first place wins $5,000. Starts today at 12:10pm ET. Enter now!
Hyun-Jin Ryu Elects Surgery
Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu has elected to undergo surgery on his left shoulder on Thursday, SB Nation’s Eric Stephen reported on Wednesday. It will end his season, but he should be ready to go for spring training next year. Ryu had been bothered by shoulder problems since the middle of March and started the season on the 15-day disabled list. The lefty tried his best to work his way back into the rotation, but after throwing a bullpen in late April, he screeched to a grinding halt.
The Dodgers already lost Brandon McCarthy for the season as he underwent Tommy John surgery. Now they’ll be without Ryu, leaving them thin on starting rotation depth behind Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Currently, the back-three is comprised of the fragile Brett Anderson, Mike Bolsinger, and Carlos Frias. To their credit, they have been productive – posting respective ERA’s of 3.50, 1.04, and 2.55 – but it is not the kind of rotation depth with which one would feel comfortable entering a late-September battle for the division crown.
With a payroll approaching $300 million, the Dodgers will likely be very active leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. The Phillies and Reds will have the best available pitching with Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto, though the Dodgers could aim a little lower for someone such as Scott Kazmir (Athletics) or Mike Leake (Reds), or much lower like Aaron Harang (Phillies).
The Dodgers should know, perhaps better than any other team, how unlikely it is for a team to get to the finish line with a rotation fully intact. They may have one of baseball’s best one-two punches in Kershaw and Greinke, but to bet on the trio of Anderson, Bolsinger, and Frias to both be productive and healthy over the remaining four-plus months is to place a foolish wager.
Coco Crisp to See Neck Specialist
Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp had a late start to the season as he had surgery on his right elbow to remove a bone spur and bone chips. He made his season debut on May 6, but did not register his first hit until May 13. In his 30th place appearance, in the fifth inning, he beat out an infield single against Red Sox starter Wade Miley. Needless to say, Crisp hasn’t been very productive.
Crisp left Tuesday’s game against the Astros due to neck tightness and was not included in Wednesday’s lineup. He’ll see a specialist in the Dallas area on Thursday, MLB.com’s Jane Lee reports. Crisp could be headed back to the disabled list. The Athletics have plenty of outfield depth, so they will be able to cope with the loss.
Crisp, 35, was also bothered by neck issues last season en route to hitting .246, his lowest average in a full season in his career.
Matt Adams Ends Power Outage
May has not been kind to Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams. Entering Wednesday’s game against the Mets, he hadn’t registered a single extra-base hit in 51 plate appearances over the course of the month. His last home run came on April 30 against the Phillies in a 3-for-5 effort.
Adams ended the drought with a three-run home run off of Bartolo Colon on Wednesday, striking the big blow in a six-run fourth inning as the Cardinals went on to an easy 9-0 victory. It’s only the fourth home run of the year for Adams, and he’s hitting a meager .250/.277/.379 with 18 RBI.
Adams was productive last year for the Cardinals, batting .288/.321/.457 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI. But his struggles this season have resulted in a more frequent spot on the Cardinals’ bench, particularly against left-handed starters. Adams has hit only .143 against lefties. Mark Reynolds has seen more at-bats in Adams’ stead, but has fared better against same-handed pitching. If Adams can start to heat up, the Cardinals would love to make him a fixture in the lineup again.
National League Quick Hits: Bartolo Colon allowed nine runs (eight earned) in a loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, bringing his ERA up to 4.85 … Bryce Harper was ejected in the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the Yankees for arguing with home plate umpire Marvin Hudson … Williams Perez held the Rays to one run in five innings in his first major league start on Wednesday … Ryan Howard hit his eighth home run in Wednesday’s win versus the Rockies and is now slugging .507 … The Marlins fell to 0-3 under new manager Dan Jennings with Wednesday’s loss to the Diamondbacks … Kolten Wong had three hits in Wednesday’s win against the Mets, bringing his average up to .311 … Kris Bryant knocked in his 25th run in a win against the Padres on Wednesday … Brandon Phillips went 3-for-5 in Wednesday’s loss to the Royals … Josh Harrison has had three-plus hits in four of his last six games following a loss to the Twins on Wednesday … Ryan Braun hit his 10th home run as the Brewers fell to the Tigers on Wednesday, giving him nine since April 28 … Joel Peralta (neck) has started playing catch but there’s no timetable for his return yet … Jake Peavy (back) could begin a rehab assignment with Single-A San Jose on Friday… Padres starter Brandon Morrow (shoulder) will throw a bullpen on Thursday … Chase Anderson threw eight innings of one-run ball on 99 pitches in Wednesday’s win over the Marlins … The Rockies optioned outfielder Drew Stubbs to Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled outfielder Brandon Barnes on Wednesday.
American League Quick Hits: Brian McCann broke out of a 1-for-15 slump, reaching base three times in Wednesday’s loss to the Nationals … Rays DH John Jaso (wrist) has begun taking dry swings, but there is no timetable for his return … Red Sox manager John Farrell said on Wednesday that the club will not promote outfield prospect Rusney Castillo for now… Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will throw live batting practice on Saturday … Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders will be out another six weeks after it was revealed he has a bone bruise in his surgically-repaired left knee … Greg Holland (neck) was available to pitch on Wednesday but wasn’t needed … Tigers reliever Bruce Rondon (biceps) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo on Thursday … Joe Mauer hit his first home run of the season in his 170th plate appearance as the Twins beat the Pirates in 13 innings on Wednesday … Carlos Rodon walked five but allowed only one run in six innings as the White Sox lost to the Indians on Wednesday … Carlos Santana (back) is expected to return to the Indians’ lineup on Thursday … Dallas Keuchel improved to 6-0 after limiting the Athletics to one unearned run on Wednesday … Mike Trout hit his 11th home run to help the Angels beat the Blue Jays on Wednesday … Mariners starter Roenis Elias held the Orioles to one run over 7 2/3 innings on Wednesday, lowering his ERA to 2.76 … The Rangers sent right-hander Stolmy Pimentel outright to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday … The Athletics will likely recall Kendall Graveman from Triple-A Nashville to start on Saturday against the Rays.
Follow @Baer_Bill and @Rotoworld_BB on Twitter.
A.J. Pollock played the role of hero on Tuesday, clubbing a pinch-hit two-run home run to send the Diamondbacks to a 4-2 win over the Marlins. He filled up the box score on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with three singles, a walk, three stolen bases, and four runs scored as the Diamondbacks won their third consecutive game since beginning a four-game set in Miami. One of Pollock’s steals was of home, as he took advantage of a David Phelps attempted pick-off of David Peralta at first base.
Pollock, on the season, is batting .298/.346/.418 with four home runs, 15 RBI, 27 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. The 27-year-old is not a world-beater in any particular category, but is good enough across the board to turn him into a fantasy stud. He’s tied for 16th in baseball in runs scored and tied for ninth in stolen bases. He ranks 41st in batting average out of 174 qualified hitters, as well as 66th in on-base percentage.
Looking at outfielders specifically, Billy Hamilton, Jacoby Ellsbury, Gregory Polanco, Brett Gardner, Norichika Aoki, and George Springer are the only ones to have stolen more bases than Pollock. Of those, only Ellsbury, Gardner, and Aoki are in Pollock’s neighborhood or better in average; Pollock is essentially a poor man’s Ellsbury. Ellsbury was drafted 28th overall in Yahoo leagues. Gardner went 110th while Pollock went 171st. Fantasy owners savvy enough to poach Pollock late in drafts are certainly reaping the benefits.
Editor’s Note: Play one-day fantasy baseball for cash! FanDuel is hosting a $50,000 league for Thursday’s MLB games. It’s just $5 to join and first place wins $5,000. Starts today at 12:10pm ET. Enter now!
Hyun-Jin Ryu Elects Surgery
Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu has elected to undergo surgery on his left shoulder on Thursday, SB Nation’s Eric Stephen reported on Wednesday. It will end his season, but he should be ready to go for spring training next year. Ryu had been bothered by shoulder problems since the middle of March and started the season on the 15-day disabled list. The lefty tried his best to work his way back into the rotation, but after throwing a bullpen in late April, he screeched to a grinding halt.
The Dodgers already lost Brandon McCarthy for the season as he underwent Tommy John surgery. Now they’ll be without Ryu, leaving them thin on starting rotation depth behind Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Currently, the back-three is comprised of the fragile Brett Anderson, Mike Bolsinger, and Carlos Frias. To their credit, they have been productive – posting respective ERA’s of 3.50, 1.04, and 2.55 – but it is not the kind of rotation depth with which one would feel comfortable entering a late-September battle for the division crown.
With a payroll approaching $300 million, the Dodgers will likely be very active leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. The Phillies and Reds will have the best available pitching with Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto, though the Dodgers could aim a little lower for someone such as Scott Kazmir (Athletics) or Mike Leake (Reds), or much lower like Aaron Harang (Phillies).
The Dodgers should know, perhaps better than any other team, how unlikely it is for a team to get to the finish line with a rotation fully intact. They may have one of baseball’s best one-two punches in Kershaw and Greinke, but to bet on the trio of Anderson, Bolsinger, and Frias to both be productive and healthy over the remaining four-plus months is to place a foolish wager.
Coco Crisp to See Neck Specialist
Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp had a late start to the season as he had surgery on his right elbow to remove a bone spur and bone chips. He made his season debut on May 6, but did not register his first hit until May 13. In his 30th place appearance, in the fifth inning, he beat out an infield single against Red Sox starter Wade Miley. Needless to say, Crisp hasn’t been very productive.
Crisp left Tuesday’s game against the Astros due to neck tightness and was not included in Wednesday’s lineup. He’ll see a specialist in the Dallas area on Thursday, MLB.com’s Jane Lee reports. Crisp could be headed back to the disabled list. The Athletics have plenty of outfield depth, so they will be able to cope with the loss.
Crisp, 35, was also bothered by neck issues last season en route to hitting .246, his lowest average in a full season in his career.
Matt Adams Ends Power Outage
May has not been kind to Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams. Entering Wednesday’s game against the Mets, he hadn’t registered a single extra-base hit in 51 plate appearances over the course of the month. His last home run came on April 30 against the Phillies in a 3-for-5 effort.
Adams ended the drought with a three-run home run off of Bartolo Colon on Wednesday, striking the big blow in a six-run fourth inning as the Cardinals went on to an easy 9-0 victory. It’s only the fourth home run of the year for Adams, and he’s hitting a meager .250/.277/.379 with 18 RBI.
Adams was productive last year for the Cardinals, batting .288/.321/.457 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI. But his struggles this season have resulted in a more frequent spot on the Cardinals’ bench, particularly against left-handed starters. Adams has hit only .143 against lefties. Mark Reynolds has seen more at-bats in Adams’ stead, but has fared better against same-handed pitching. If Adams can start to heat up, the Cardinals would love to make him a fixture in the lineup again.
National League Quick Hits: Bartolo Colon allowed nine runs (eight earned) in a loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, bringing his ERA up to 4.85 … Bryce Harper was ejected in the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the Yankees for arguing with home plate umpire Marvin Hudson … Williams Perez held the Rays to one run in five innings in his first major league start on Wednesday … Ryan Howard hit his eighth home run in Wednesday’s win versus the Rockies and is now slugging .507 … The Marlins fell to 0-3 under new manager Dan Jennings with Wednesday’s loss to the Diamondbacks … Kolten Wong had three hits in Wednesday’s win against the Mets, bringing his average up to .311 … Kris Bryant knocked in his 25th run in a win against the Padres on Wednesday … Brandon Phillips went 3-for-5 in Wednesday’s loss to the Royals … Josh Harrison has had three-plus hits in four of his last six games following a loss to the Twins on Wednesday … Ryan Braun hit his 10th home run as the Brewers fell to the Tigers on Wednesday, giving him nine since April 28 … Joel Peralta (neck) has started playing catch but there’s no timetable for his return yet … Jake Peavy (back) could begin a rehab assignment with Single-A San Jose on Friday… Padres starter Brandon Morrow (shoulder) will throw a bullpen on Thursday … Chase Anderson threw eight innings of one-run ball on 99 pitches in Wednesday’s win over the Marlins … The Rockies optioned outfielder Drew Stubbs to Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled outfielder Brandon Barnes on Wednesday.
American League Quick Hits: Brian McCann broke out of a 1-for-15 slump, reaching base three times in Wednesday’s loss to the Nationals … Rays DH John Jaso (wrist) has begun taking dry swings, but there is no timetable for his return … Red Sox manager John Farrell said on Wednesday that the club will not promote outfield prospect Rusney Castillo for now… Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will throw live batting practice on Saturday … Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders will be out another six weeks after it was revealed he has a bone bruise in his surgically-repaired left knee … Greg Holland (neck) was available to pitch on Wednesday but wasn’t needed … Tigers reliever Bruce Rondon (biceps) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo on Thursday … Joe Mauer hit his first home run of the season in his 170th plate appearance as the Twins beat the Pirates in 13 innings on Wednesday … Carlos Rodon walked five but allowed only one run in six innings as the White Sox lost to the Indians on Wednesday … Carlos Santana (back) is expected to return to the Indians’ lineup on Thursday … Dallas Keuchel improved to 6-0 after limiting the Athletics to one unearned run on Wednesday … Mike Trout hit his 11th home run to help the Angels beat the Blue Jays on Wednesday … Mariners starter Roenis Elias held the Orioles to one run over 7 2/3 innings on Wednesday, lowering his ERA to 2.76 … The Rangers sent right-hander Stolmy Pimentel outright to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday … The Athletics will likely recall Kendall Graveman from Triple-A Nashville to start on Saturday against the Rays.
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