Kuzul

The ALDS series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Texas Rangers started when the Rangers Cliff Lee outdueled the Rays David Price.  Twenty-four hours later, the Rays fell again behind James Shields to the Rangers and C.J. Wilson.  In fact, the Rays only had one run in the first two games at Tropicana Field, via Ben Zobrist‘s solo homer in Game 1. 

Then, the series went off to Arlington, Texas.  The Rangers wanted to close out the series in front of the home crowd.  Colby Lewis tried to advance the Rangers, while Matt Garza tried to save the Rays season.  Garza prevailed, pushing a Game 4.  Tommy Hunter tried again to win in Texas, but Wade Davis pitched a gem to defeat the Rangers 5-2. 

Now, the Rangers are feeling the pressure.  The Rays have momentum, and the advantage of the home crowd for Game 5.  The pitching matchup is a rematch of the Game 1 starters, Cliff Lee vs David Price.  Lee won the first match, but David Price is a Cy Young candidate, and will most likely bounce back. 

The Rangers’ bullpen has been real busy in Games 3 and 4, while the Rays have total depth in the pen.  If Cliff Lee gets into any trouble, the Rangers have a tired bullpen, while the Rays are well-rested and have plenty more arms.  Lefty Derek Holland probably won’t be seen out on the mound tomorrow, as he pitched 4.2 innings combined in Games 3 and 4, four of those innings in Game 4. 

The Rays lineup looked lackluster in Games 1 and 2, while the Rangers offense was surging.  However, this completely turned around in Games 3 and 4.  The Rays offense went on a tear, including Evan Longoria going 3-4 with a homer, and B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena, and Ben Zobrist all collecting two hits.

The Rays have offensive momentum, and have field flexibility.  Several players, including Reid Brignac, Ben Zobrist, and Sean Rodriguez being able to play several positions.  The Rays have offensive depth, and a smart manager in Joe Maddon.

Is home field advantage good or bad for the Rays?  The Rays offense was sluggish in Games 1 and 2 home at the Trop, but they picked up at Texas.  The Rangers were dominant at the Trop, but fell in Texas.  Will the road team win yet again?  Or will the home team win the series for their crowd?

Overall, I’d have to give the Game 5 edge to the Rays.  The Rays have all the momentum, which probably won’t disappear at home.  The Rays offense is going good for them, and David Price is ready to rebound.  The Rays offense will have a tough time versus Cliff Lee, and the game will probably end up being a pitchers duel.  I believe that David Price will come out on top this time.

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Let me begin by saying that I am a fan of Ben Zobrist. He is a switch-hitter who can play a multitude of positions and he has a great attitude. Overall, Zobrist is a solid baseball player and a great person. However, that does not mean the Rays should have given him a three-year contract extension worth up to $30 million.

Sure, the Rays have team options for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In other words, the Rays are only liable for $18 million if they decide to part ways in the future. It almost sounds like an NFL contract with the guaranteed dollars. This still is a large amount of money to put forth for a small-market team who is trying to retain upcoming free agents Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena. 

The Rays would have been better off if they had first locked up Crawford to a long-term deal, and then decide on whether they could afford Zobrist as well. In this case, they clearly had their priorities reversed. It is unlikely the Rays would have been able to sign both Pena and Crawford, but the signing of Zobrist may prevent both of them from remaining in Rays uniforms. 

Honestly, I would not lose much sleep if Pena left. Pena is a great clubhouse guy and defensive first baseman, but he is currently hitting .203 and will only depreciate at 32 years of age. He has peaked. Dan Johnson may not be able to replace him in terms of defense, but he will surely be able to replace Pena’s power.

The loss of Crawford will be devastating to this franchise. Yes, Desmond Jennings is a similar player, but he can not duplicate Crawford’s accomplishments. He is a four-time all-star, legitimate MVP candidate, and has been a Ray since the team’s inception. He is a Rays icon.

Crawford is currently having his best year yet as he has the highest slugging percentage of his career along with his usual .300 average, 15 home runs, and nearly 50 stolen bases. 

The signing of Zobrist, who had a career year last season, may lead Crawford to sign with a large market team such as the Yankees or Red Sox. Zobrist’s numbers are average at best. Although he has 23 steals, he is batting a sub-par .247 with a measly 10 home runs. 

Baseball is not all about statistics, but when you add Zobrist’s numbers, defensive flexibility, and leadership together, it still does not add up to $30 million with $18 million guaranteed.

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It doesn’t get any better than this. 

A 19 game winner. 

A 17 game winner. 

The best two teams in baseball. 

Did I forget to mention they play in the same division? 

What about the part that they are only 1/2 of a game apart for the division lead? 

What about the historical significance that no two teams have had this many wins and been this neck-and-neck for a division race in MLB‘s 100 plus year history?

Think about it.  In all these years of the Yankees and Red Sox pounding it out, they have not been this good together in the same season.

Enter the 2010 Tampa Bay Rays.

It has been an exciting season for the Rays.  Their fast start.  Their starting pitching. 

They haven’t gone away. 

National pundits said they’d fade, at least a little bit.  And when the Rays had their first rough stretch of the season, critics were quick to think this was the team they should be expecting.

But the problem is, the Rays haven’t gone away.

Just ask the Red Sox.

If not for the Rays, the Red Sox would be contending for the AL Wild Card.  Instead of setting up their post-season rotation, they are playing the “spoiler” role in late September.

And now, the Yankees and Rays start a three game series with the division on the line.

Every game matters.  Every pitch matters.  Every checked swing, every non-call, every managerial move will be dissected to the “nth” degree.

Post-season baseball has come early.

The Yankees and Rays have another chance to duke it out next week.  In all, the Rays and Yankees play each other in 7 of the next 11 games.  But which team needs to strike the first blow more?  Which team has the upper hand coming into this series?  Who is most likely to shine when the lights are at their brightest? 

Here’s a quick breakdown:

What Team Needs The Series Win The Most:  Tampa Bay Rays

Both sides could really use this.  The Yankees were just swept by the Texas Rangers.  A series loss to the Rays could be damaging.  But the truth is, the Yankees get another crack at the Rays next week.  Even more, those games are at Yankee stadium. 

The Rays need this series win because it will be easier to win at home, than at Yankee stadium.  Sure, the Rays have the AL’s best road record.  But it would be much better to have that confidence going into Yankee stadium with the division lead, rather than trying to win on the road AND play catch-up.

Which Team Has the Upper Hand Coming Into This Series:  Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are at home, they are starting to regain their health, and currently boast the deepest team in baseball.  The Yankees are 4-6 in their last 10 games, and while they have Cy Young contender CC Sabathia in Game 1, they are relying on youngster Ivan Nova for the biggest series of the season to date.  Phil Hughes may have hit a late-year wall, having given up 5 ER or more in two of his last three starts.  As the Yankees have also been watching his innings limit, he had his last start skipped and time will tell if he comes back rusty or refreshed.

Who Are The Potential Difference-Makers:

1)  Ben Zobrist – few players have been hotter than Zobrist in the past week.  He drove in two runs in each of the three games against Toronto this weekend.  Six of his last seven hits have been for extra bases.  Despite not showing as much power as last year, Zobrist has quietly had a productive season in other ways, ranking 5th in the AL in walks and 10th in stolen bases.  If his power re-emerges for this series, the Rays may once again be unleashing “Zorilla” on the defending champs.

2)  Robinson Cano – Due to the injuries to Nick Swisher and Brett Gardener, Yankees manager Joe Girardi is moving Cano up to #2 in the batting order.  Will moving up Cano mess with his approach at the plate?  Or will he continue to tear the cover off the ball?  Cano’s ability to produce at the top of the order will help their run producers do their job.

3) James Shields or James Yields – Shields has already pitched seven shutout innings against the Yankees in a previous start.  But he also leads the AL in home runs allowed.  Shields has been a boom or bust type of pitcher this year.  Which Shields come up in the final game of this series could very well determine who takes home a 2-1 series win in this three game set.

4) Ivan Nova – It’s not easy to pitch in New York and so far, this 23-year-old has more than held his own.  In 4 starts, Nova has compiled a 2.92 ERA.  No one is expecting a CC Sabathia-type performance, but if he can give the Yankees 5 or 6 innings of 3 ER or less, the Yankees will definitely like their chances in game two.

Tonight’s Lineups:

Yankees

Jeter ss
Cano 2b
Teixeira 1b
A-Rod 3b
Thames dh
Posada c
Kearns lf
Granderson cf
Golson rf
Sabathia p

Rays

Upton cf
Bartlett ss
Crawford lf
Longoria 3b
Zobrist rf
Pena 1b
Rodriguez 2b
Aybar dh
Shoppach c
Price p

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Let’s take a look at three players who would be considered hot, as well as three who had their values take a hit:

Three Hot:

1. Vernon Wells – Toronto Blue Jays
   He went 3-3 with 2 HR, 2 RBI and 2 R, giving him four home runs over his last three games.  Over that span, he’s gone an impressive 6-11 with 4 HR, 8 RBI and 5 R.  He got off to a great start, but had just 4 HR and 22 RBI between July and August.  At this point, it looks like he has rediscovered the swing that helped him to 19 HR over the season’s first three months.
2. Ben Zobrist – Tampa Bay Rays
   The power had completely disappeared this season, but after going 2-3 with 1 HR, 3 RBI and 2 R, he’s now homered in two of his last three games.  Is it enough to ease our concerns or make up for a season’s worth of frustration?  Most likely not, but it certainly is better late then never.  His HR/FB entering yesterday had been 6.0%, after posting marks of 17.4% and 17.5% the prior two years.  It’s not hard to imagine a power surge down the stretch and into the playoffs, helping to rebuild his perceived value moving forward.  He certainly has the potential to have a big last few weeks, so just continue to run him out there.  Luckily, his 23 SB has helped to make him viable without the power.
3. Jim Thome – Minnesota Twins
   He certainly is making the most of his everyday AB, isn’t he?  He went 1-1 with 1 HR, 1 RBI and 3 R, homering for the third straight day.  In fact, in his last three games he has 4 HR, 7 RBI and 8 R.  That’s a heck of a three game stretch and if you are in need of power, he’s worth using while he’s scorching hot.  I wouldn’t get overly attached, however.

Three Not:

1. Mike Napoli – Los Angeles Angels
   Mike Scioscia already tries to find a reason to leave Napoli on the bench, now comes news that the Angels have recalled Hank Conger (catcher) and Mark Trumbo (first base).  Of course, those are the two positions that Napoli plays, giving Scioscia two more excuses sit Napoli down more often than not.  The problem for fantasy owners is that Napoli provides significant power from a catcher, with 22 HR in just 387 AB, so you have little option but to leave him in your lineup (especially in two catcher formats).  Just be prepared to be frustrated when he finds himself on the bench.
2. Miguel Cabrera – Detroit Tigers
   After missing time late last week with tendinitis in his biceps, Cabrera was again forced out of the Tigers lineup with the problem according to mlb.com (click here for the article).  While he is currently listed at day-to-day, you have to think that the Tigers will err on the side of caution with their franchise player.  At 13 games behind the Twins, there really is no reason for them not to.  Fantasy owners are going to have to check the lineup, but I would anticipate being without him for a few days.
3. Yunesky Maya – Washington Nationals
   After signing a four-year, $8 million contract out of Cuba and winning the equivalent of the Cy Young Award in the Cuban National Series last season, there were grand expectations.  However, his Major League debut was an inauspicious one, giving up a three-run home run to Ike Davis in the first inning.  He finished with a line of four earned runs on five hits and two walks, striking out three, over five innings.  He was severely out-pitched by fellow rookie Dillon Gee (7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K, W) of the Mets.  It is just one start, however, so don’t push the panic button quite yet.

What are your thoughts from yesterday?

Make sure to check out our extremely early 2011 rankings:

• Catchers
• First Basemen
• Second Basemen
• Third Basemen
• Shortstops
• Outfielders
• Closers

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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Ben Zobrist is the starting second baseman on the Tampa Bay Rays. He made the 2009 American League All-Star team with a batting average of .297, 27 home runs, and 91 runs batted in.

That season, he was voted MVP of the Rays by the Tampa Bay sector of the Baseball Writers and finished 8th in American League MVP voting. “Zorilla,” the nickname given to him by his manager Joe Maddon, is very involved with his Christian faith and is a true class act.

Here is my interview with Mr. Zobrist—

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Fans in every city throughout the league know full well who the stars in baseball are. They’re instantly recognizable with their gaudy stats, household names, and exorbitant contracts. As if immortals descended from Mount Olympus to thrill us with their power, grace, and athletic prowess, these men sell the jerseys and pack the stadiums.

Teams aren’t just constructed of high-profile stars however. Players possessing a variety of skill sets are vital to a well-balanced team. Of course, a general manager would love to fill his 25-man roster with five-tool players at every position, but that’s not realistic. All baseball players have their own unique strengths and weaknesses that they bring to the team, and the manager must strike the perfect balance in order to achieve success.

Enter the super-utility player. Often possessing a vast range of fundamental baseball talents, these ultra-versatile players help to bridge the gaps in the team and offer their manager increased roster flexibility, while also providing cover for injuries and the ability to make important personnel decisions as unique situations may dictate.

There are plenty of players who are athletic and coordinated enough to play a few different positions. These are professional baseball players after all. Many guys grew up playing in various spots throughout their youth, and since they usually aren’t very far removed from those days, they can often recall the necessary skills to at least cover a position or two somewhat adequately.

Super-utility players are more than that though. They’re not simply a guy you can move from third over to first, or a corner infielder with the ability to play left field if called upon. These ultra-versatile performers possess the skills necessary to play a multitude of positions, and often one of the more specialized, premium spots such as short-stop, center-field or even in a pinch, catcher.

Often, these super-utility players shine in this versatile role for only a limited time, as the best of them usually graduate to full-time status at a particular position at some point in their careers.

Over the last several years, we have seen a slew of fantastic super-utility guys who provided so much value to their teams, that management found it increasingly difficult to keep their names out of the lineup on an everyday basis.

Players such as Chone Figgins, Marco Scutaro, Mark DeRosa, Brandon Inge, and Mark Loretta have all excelled over the last decade in a super-utility role for their respective teams. Loretta is now retired, but the remaining guys have all gone on to varying degrees of success as regular players with mostly one clearly defined position.

Another type of versatile player, guys like Darin Erstad, Mark Kotsay, Nick Swisher, and Lance Berkman, have all bounced around the entire outfield, while also putting in time at first-base, before generally settling on one position after several seasons of the nomadic lifestyle.

Increasingly, those in the game have begun to appreciate the role that these unique players bring to their teams. We even witnessed one of these guys named to the National League All-Star team.

Let’s examine a few of baseball’s top super-utility players while they still hold that title, before they settle down in one position and we have an entirely new generation of versatile ball players emerge.

Begin Slideshow

The Padres and Mets are now the only Major League Baseball teams that have never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter.

Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history as they beat the Detroit Tigers 5-0. Garza completed the fifth no-hitter in Major League Baseball this year.

You knew eventually the tide would turn for the Rays, who had been on the wrong side of phenomenal pitching outings this season.

Garza only allowed a second-inning walk out of the 27 batters he faced.

Ben Zobrist sealed the game, catching a routine fly ball to right field.

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You may have heard some rumblings about this Stephen Strasburg guy. Allegedly, he’s pretty good.

Check that: he must be good, as usually the only time a Washington National warrants media attention is in relation to a comedy of errors (cough, cough, Nyjer Morgan , cough, cough).

But from some of the trade proposals I’ve viewed in retaining Strasburg’s services, you would think this guy was the mutant lovechild of Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson .

Make no mistake, Strasburg’s stats in the minors have been ridiculous (no earned runs in 18.1 innings at the AAA level, 0.89 ERA in eight minor league starts) thus far.

Yet, questions surround the status of the 2009 No. 1 overall pick.

For starters, while rumors and speculation abound, an official debut date for Strasburg has not been indicated by the Major League club.

Another hurdle is Strasburg’s monitored pitch and inning count. Considering Washington invested $15.1 million in his right arm, chances are a fairly-low workload will be non-negotiable.

Additionally, Strasburg’s opposition will be quite formidable, as the NL East has been the most competitive division in baseball in 2010. Yet these influences seem to be lost on the general fantasy public, as stalwarts such as Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria have been offered in exchange for young master Strasburg.

Which is why if you own the rights to Strasburg, trade him. Now.

Strasburg has already logged 40 innings this season. The earliest projections have Strasburg in the Washington rotation around June 5, meaning the San Diego State product will make one, possibly two more appearances in the minors.

Using fellow former No. 1 overall David Price ‘s 2009 campaign as a comparison (162.2 innings between AAA and MLB), Strasburg will probably appear in 110 innings or less the remainder of the season. Not exactly the allotment time a fantasy owner strives for from a supposed anchor of a staff.

The Cabrera and Longoria examples were extreme, but it’s not unfathomable that a second or third round selection (think Justin Upton or Robinson Cano ) will be presented in a trade for Strasburg.

Unless your rotation is depleted to the point where you are plugging in the likes of Brian Bannister and Aaron Cook , ship out Strasburg while his demand is high. You may not get the same enjoyment following an Upton or Cano, but your fantasy team will be better off for it.

Start ’em: Edwin Encarnacion , Blue Jays. Edwin had quite the series in Arizona,smacking five homers in 11 at-bats, including a three-run HR outburst on Friday. In his first six games since coming off the DL, Encarnacion has 11 RBI.

Sit ’em: B.J. Upton , Rays. Upton has four hits in his last 26 ABs, and is hitting a mere .213 on the season. With Desmond Jennings, a consensus Top Five prospect in baseball, waiting in the wings in Triple-A Durham, Upton may be running out of time to fulfill his promise that made him the second overall pick in the 2002 Draft.

Fantasy Flashback: 1885 John Clarkson . In 1885, John Clarkson started 70 games for the Chicago White Stockings , and in 68 of these contests, threw a complete game.

To give that some context, in 2009 National League pitching staffs compiled 76 complete games COMBINED. Other noteworthy Clarkson achievements in ’85: 53 wins, 623 innings, a 1.85 ERA, and a wicked handlebar mustache.

Waiver Wire Watch: For those of you looking to drop an under-performing player, make your first free-agent pick up a player currently on the DL.

Most leagues have a roster spot for those on the injured list, and by picking up and stashing someone like Jair Jurrjens , you’ll have possible trade material down the line. Furthermore, you can select another player who can contribute immediately, thereby allowing you to pick up two players for the price of one.

Rookie Review: Jaime Garcia, Cardinals. The St. Louis left-hander is 4-2 with a 1.28 ERA in ’10. Garcia has also posted a good K/9IP, with 42 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

And since we’re on the subject of the Cardinals, has Tony La Russa aged in the last 30 years? I swear, the man is the real-life incarnation of Richard Alpert from “Lost .”

Think I’m full of it?

Here’s La Russa with Chicago circa late 1970s, La Russa with Oakland around 1988, and Tony in the present day .

And in memorial of the series finale of “Lost “, here are my theories to explain this ageless phenomenon.

1) He’s on the same steroid cycles as his Oakland teams from the late ’80s.

2) He a charter member of the Mike Krzyzewski Hair Coloring Club.

3) He’s on the same steroid cycles as his St. Louis teams from the late ’90s.

4) His exposure and proximity towards animals has somehow left him with a superhero-like power against Father Time.

The Week in Jonathon Broxton: Another solid week for the Ox, picking up three more saves to bring his yearly total to ten.

While he did allow a run in three innings of work (proving that no one is perfect), he fanned six batters who had the misfortune of battling the great Brox-bino (thanks to reader Sam for the nickname suggestion after last week’s Babe Ruth /Broxton comparison).

Trade Talk: This is usually the time of the year when owners start to lose favor with underachieving All-Stars. You can possibly capitalize on this opportunity by getting a proven player like Prince Fielder for 85 cents on the dollar.

Don’t offend a fellow owner with an offer like Jorge Cantu for Mark Teixeira , but make it enticing enough where you can pull of a potentially season-swinging steal.

Big League Chew Player of the Week: Ben Zobrist , Rays. The Zorilla has been kicking ass and taking names. Zobrist is 13 for his last 23 with two HRs (doubling as his first two bombs of the season) and seven RBI, helping Tampa Bay win seven of their last eight.

Spit Your Tobacco at: Dustin Pedroia , Red Sox. The 2008 AL MVP is hitting .080 in his last six games for Boston.

You’d think Nyjer Morgan would have this award wrapped up after his hissy-fit contributed to an inside-the-park home run on Saturday, but let’s be honest: it’s Nyjer Morgan.

The only way a dude hitting .259 with the Nationals is getting on TV is with a stunt like that, so if anything, Fantasy Fever applauds Morgan for getting his 15 minutes of fame.

That’s it for today. And in honor of my awkward interaction with a police officer this weekend, our “Dumb and Dumber” Quote of the Week:

Officer: Pullover!

Harry: (showing his sweater) No, it’s a cardigan, but thanks for noticing!

Until next week.

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