Not Dunn yet

Don't look now.

Adam Dunn is heating up again.

The Reds' slugger has homered in 4 straight games and driven in 7 runs in that span. Maybe even better news, Dunn has only struck out twice in the last 4, and he's raised his average 18 points (.203 to .221). Sure, Dunn is one of the most worthless sluggers in baseball right now. He'll hit 40 HR and drive in 100 runs, but fantasy owners can't handle the sub-.250 avg. Do I want him on my team? Not really? Would I want to play against him this week in a head-to-head? Not if I can help it.

Livan on the edge

Livan Hernandez threw five perfect innings against the Rockies on Saturday night. Spitting Seeds tells you why now's the perfect time to sell high on the declining right hander.

Carpenter taking steps toward return

If no one in your league has Cardinals SP Chris Carpenter, go get him. He's on the road back to the bigs. After undergoing surgery on his right elbow last season, Carpenter threw a bullpen session today. He's scheduled to throw a simulated game on Tuesday, May 20. Hopefully he'll be on track for maybe a July return, but the club has yet to set an official timetable. He'll be back soon enough and hopefully he'll return to ace form. If you've got an open DL spot, stash him there.

Jay Bruce heats up, Jocketty says, "not so fast"

If you can possibly believe it, Jay Bruce continues to get even hotter at the plate. Wednesday against Scranton, Bruce doubled, tripled, and homered raising his season average to .366. Bruce now has 8 HR, 33 RBI, and 7 SB. Fans who are eager to see Ken Griffey Jr. get booted out of town to make room for Bruce won't like what new GM Walt Jocketty had to say today.

Royals continue dominance of Tigers

As Detroit's 16-24 record might suggest, plenty of teams can say they "own" the Tigers...but perhaps no team is more qualified to make that claim than the Kansas City Royals...thats right, the Royals.

The lowly Tigers made KC rookie Luke Hochever look like Cy Young on Wednesday night. Hochevar's (3-2, 3.94 season ERA) 6 scoreless innings led the Royals to their 5th straight win over Detroit. Hochevar continues to impress as he gains more fantasy value with each passing start.

On the flip side, Tigers' ace Justin Verlander lost despite his best pitching performance in nearly a month (6 IP, 2 ER, 3 K). Maybe this will be a turning point in Verlander's otherwise forgettable season (1-7, 6.05 ERA). Don't give up on Verlander yet. He'll get this thing turned around.

Tribe starting rotation "pitching in"

If you're looking for the best starting rotation in the majors right now, you'd be crazy to look anywhere else but Cleveland. The numbers speak for themselves.

5/9 vs. Tor. - Sabathia - 7 IP, ER, 9 K
5/10 vs. Tor. - Laffey - 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 K
5/12 vs. Tor. - Carmona - 9 IP, 0 ER, 3 K
5/12 vs. Tor. - Lee - 9 IP, 0 ER, 5 K
5/13 vs. Oak. - Byrd - 7.1 IP, 0 ER, 7 K
5/14 vs. Oak - Sabathia - 9 IP, 0 ER, 11 K

Don't rack your brain. I'll do that math. In their last 6 games, Indians starting pitchers have thrown 48.1 innings and allowed just 1 earned run. That's an ERA of 0.18 in the last week. Unbelievable. Obviously they can't keep this up forever, but if you've had any of these guys recently, you've undoubtedly reaped the reward.

Cueto pinch-runs, scores winning run

If you count pitchers' offensive stats in your fantasy league, then you need to seek professional medical help...but if that describes your fantasy league, then you received an unexpected boost from Johnny Cueto on Wednesday night.

Sure, Cueto's arm hasn't been much help to Cincinnati lately (20 ER in last 19.1 IP), but on Wednesday night, his legs won the game. After Mike Lincoln and Francisco Cordero blew a 6-run 9th-inning lead, Dusty Baker put Cueto in to pinch run for David Ross in the bottom of the 10th. He wasn't in there very long. The very next batter, newly recalled Paul Janish, singled home Cueto with the game-winning run.

Comings and Goings

Gagne back at closer, plus lots of injury news/roster moves. Find it all here, here and here, or just try Spitting Seeds in general.

Two closers perfect no more

Tuesday night signaled the end of the 0.00 ERA for two more closers, Mariano Rivera and Brad Lidge. You might have expected the future Hall-of-famer Rivera to 16 innings without allowing a run, but Lidge's 17 inning streak was quite surprising.

Lidge allowed a 9th inning Brian McCann RBI double to end his scoreless season; Lidge still picked up his 10th save. Things weren't as rosy for Rivera. The Yanks' stopper allowed a Gabe Gross 10th inning RBI single that lost the game for the Bronx Bombers.

So nearly a month-and-a-half into the '08 season, there are now only two full-time closers with a clean sheet (0.00 ERA): Mets' Billy Wagner (8 SV) and Royals' Joakim Soria (9 SV).

No, I'm 'Little Pedro'

Johnny C is no longer the diminutive Dominican claiming to be the next Pedro Martinez. Eddie V has taken over as the heir to the throne. The proof is in the numbers. Both ESPN and Spitting Seeds agree.

Tuesday's top tossers

With a bunch of good pitching matchups across the majors tonight, Spitting Seeds lays out the top five for your viewing pleasure.

Kershaw back to the rotation, call-up soon?

Just five days after Dodgers SP prospect Clayton Kershaw was temporarily moved to the bullpen to limit his workload, the Jacksonville Suns star moved back to the rotation last night. Unfortunately, Kershaw wasn't as sharp in his start against Mobile last night (3.1 IP, 5 ER, 3 K) as he had been previously. Still we find it interesting that Kershaw was back in the starting rotation exactly five days before the Dodgers will need a 5th starter. If you recall, we reported last week that May 17 is the target date for Kershaw's call-up. If this last clunker of a start didn't scare away the Dodgers brass, Kershaw could be in line for a call-up soon.

Headley in a holding pattern

Aside from the top-flight prospects fans have been waiting for (Bruce, Kershaw, Bailey), there's another name that could have a big impact on the West coast - once he finally arrives. Last week, it looked like a call-up for Padres OF prospect Chase Headley was just around the corner - this coming after San Diego released veteran centerfielder Jim Edmonds. Now it looks like GM Kevin Towers has changed his tune.

San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Tim Sullivan explains why you better not hold your breath in anticipation of Headley's call-up.

Headley just finished up a week in which he was absolutely on fire (13-for-24 in 5 games). When he finally gets the call-up, Headley should be a jolt to an otherwise dormant Padres lineup. Keep an eye on the latest developments.

We'll keep you posted.

Hanley still handles short

Talk of Hanley Ramirez moving from shortstop to a new position has hung over fantasy owners' heads for the past season plus. Today the issue was addressed on the Florida Marlins' website, and Spitting Seeds breaks down the decision-making...

Hardly worth the wait

If you were one of those owners like me who patiently waited out yet another Rich Harden injury, you might have watched his start Sunday night and wondered, "Was that worth the wait?" Harden's first start back off the DL was a clunker.

5/11 at Tex. - 3.2 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

As disappointing as this start was, don't worry; you really read too much into this one start. Before he went on the DL, Harden was outstanding (11 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 15 K). In his Class A rehab start, he was untouchable (6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 9 K). Its safe to re-activate Harden in any league you're in. Don't be scared off by his sub-par numbers. You can attribute it to lack of stamina, you can attribute it to nerves, you can call it whatever you want.

Its still Rich Harden. He'll be hurt again next week.

Two-start pitchers (5/12-5/19)

Because of Sunday's rain in Chicago, the Cubs pushed ace Carlos Zambrano's scheduled start back a day. That means Zambrano becomes a two-start pitcher for this upcoming fantasy week (5/12-5/19). This likely won't affect your starting lineup because you probably will have Zambrano in there no matter what. Here are a few other pitcher that are scheduled for two starts this week that you might be able to find on your waiver wire.

Vicente Padilla, SP-Tex (vs. Sea, vs. Hou) - The veteran righty has allowed only 1 ER in his last 21.2 IP, lowering his season ERA to just a touch about 3.00. He's still available in about half of fantasy leagues, and his scheduled starts against the light-hitting Mariners (just don't throw near Richie Sexson) and Astros make Padilla a viable option

Mike Mussina, SP-NYY (at TB, vs. NYM) - In case you hadn't noticed, the aged Mike Mussina has won 4 straight starts to run his season record to 5-3. His ERA is still a little lofty at 4.36, so he's available in about 40% of fantasy leagues. He's got a start against the struggling Edwin Jackson and TB, and a start in the Subway Series against John Maine. You gotta think "Moose" will perform well this week.

Belisle rocked again

Cincinnati's Matt Belisle couldn't get through five innings Saturday against the Mets. Could that open the door for another Reds' youngster to jump into the rotation? Spitting Seeds says yes...

No longer banking on Yanks

Once the best source for pitching wins in fantasy ball, the Yankees are now nothing more than a staff full of trouble. There's not much hope for the foreseeable future, and according to Spitting Seeds, it's now necessarily due to their bullet-less young guns...

Y-U-C-Kei Igawa ... and other notes from Friday's games

Friday morning, we at Sliding Shorts previewed Kei Igawa's re-debut with the Bronx Bombers. A much-anticipated start - one the Yankees needed after suffering through a month of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Well things didn't get much better for the pinstripes as "Special Kei" looked just like his old self against the Tigers.

5/9 at Det. - 3 IP, 11 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

I guess the good news is he didn't walk anyone, but there's more than enough bad news in that line to last you awhile. As we said Friday morning, you can't read too much into this first start, but be wary. Things could have gotten a lot worse had Jonathan Albaladejo not saved his rear end in the 4th. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), Igawa doesn't have much fantasy value at this point.

Guys who DO have fantasy value at this point...

1. Placido Polanco, 2B-Det - He's baaaa-aaaack! You had to know Polanco couldn't stay too cold, too long. The once ice-cold table-setting utility man has raised his season average 140 points in 14 games since April 25th. It safe to say Polanco is back to his old self.

2. James Shields, SP-TB - Tampa Bay's new ace allowed just one base runner in a complete game shutout of the LA Angels. That's Shields' 2nd shutout in his last 3 starts. While thats quite a feat in itself, it'd be all the more impressive had he not had a 7 ER debacle sandwiched in bewteen.

3. Robinson Cano, 2B-NYY - We told you a couple days ago that Robinson Cano made for a great buy-low candidate. Well that time is quickly running out. Get him now or you'll be S.O.L. Cano (2-for-4 tonight vs. Det) has put together a modest 5-game hitting streak, tied for his longest such streak of the year. He's got 2 HR over that span.

4. Jimmy Rollins, SS-Phi - The reigning NL MVP didn't take long to get back in the groove after missing a couple weeks with a sprained ankle. J-Roll homered in his return on Friday night against the Giants. I'd say its safe to get him back in your lineup.

You dropped Jered Weaver? #$@%&!? Oh, OK

Jered Weaver is the subject of much conversation for fantasy baseball owners. Is he just struggling like he did at the start of last year, or is he -- terror! -- turning into brother Jeff? Spitting Seeds says chill out... maybe. Or allow Sliding Shorts to freak you out with another angle on the Weaver story below!

Jered Weaver: "They've figured me out."

Every pitcher struggles from time to time...some more than others. Angels' SP Jered Weaver has struggled enough early this year to last him awhile. After Thursday night's dismal outing at Kansas City, Weaver's ERA ballooned to 5.59 and he lost a league-worst 5th game. As if those numbers aren't bad enough, perhaps most disturbing of all is what Weaver had to say after Thursday night's game.

"Things are going a little different than in the past," Weaver told reporters. "I said [last year] that I'm going to pitch my game until people figure me out, and they've figured me out. Sounds to me like the 25-year-old former 1st-rounder has lost a little confidence. Not what you want to hear from a big league pitcher.

On the flip side, the Angels don't appear to be panicking. They're not talking about sending him back down, and they're not talking about a bullpen demotion. Instead, they're talking about getting Jered better.

Pitching coach Mike Butcher told reporters Thursday night, "I don't think they've figured him out. Mechanically he's fine. He's had nice bullpen sessions. [He needs to] get back to fastball command and pitching off his fastball."

Weaver appears to be a great "buy-low" candidate right now. After all, he is just one year removed from a 13-7 record with a 3.91 ERA. If someone waives him in your league, dust off that waiver claim. If you've been saving that claim for Mr. Kershaw, you might want to think about taking a shot on Mr. Weaver instead.

Greg Smith: full-time starter?

A's starter Greg Smith has accomplished much over his first six starts. Tonight he meets the biggest challenge of his young career while another youngster eyes his rotation spot. Read more at Spitting Seeds...

Ludwick is a big lug

Is it time to take a flier on Cardinals' outfielder Ryan Ludwick? They guy is suddenly playing like an All-Star. Spitting Seeds tells you what to expect from the near 30-year-old overachiever...

Kei Igawa?!? Uh oh, not again....

Ok, here we go...

If you got burned on Yankees SP Kei Igawa last season, raise your hand...yeah my hand is raised too. The NYC hype machine claimed another victim in '07 as highly-touted Japanese import Kei Igawa came to the majors...and FLOPPED...BIG TIME!

Yes, he of the 6.25 ERA and 1.67 WHIP is getting a second chance with the Bronx Bombers that many other guys with similar numbers wouldn't dream of. But its true, Kei Igawa is back in the bigs with some fresh minor league seasoning under his belt. He'll start at Detroit on Friday night.

The question remains...which Kei Igawa will we get? Will we get "K" Igawa? Or will we get "Less than OK" Igawa? A study of his minor league numbers this year suggests we'll get more of the former than the latter. In 7 starts with Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, the 28-year-old was 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA and 40 Ks in 39.2 IP. A .233 opponents batting average suggests he's become less and less hittable, but we at Sliding Shorts aren't so sure that'll translate over to Yankee Stadium.

The Yanks don't really have a choice at this point. With Phil Hughes on the DL and Ian Kennedy pitching more like Ian Ziering (see Beverly Hills 90210) than the 1st-round draft pick that he is, Igawa seems to be the only logical alternative.

As for my fantasy advice, keep a close eye on his progress. You won't be able to judge too much from his first start, but be wary. We're not convinced he's a lost cause...but the other alternative doesn't sound too enticing either.

Yuck.

Kershaw call-up coming soon?

Get that waiver claim ready.

It appears as though the call-up fantasy nation has been waiting for may be on the horizon. While the Dodgers won't tip their cap as of yet, it appears all signs are pointing to a potential Clayton Kershaw call-up as early as May 17. That's the target date.

Here's the deal. Esteban Loaiza was placed on the 15-day DL on Thursday. To fill that spot, the Dodgers called up veteran set-up man Yhency Brazoban from Double-A Jacksonville to bolster the bullpen. LA won't need a 5th starter again until May 17, so nothing will likely happen before then. On May 17, the Dodgers will likely have only 2 legitimate options. #1) Move Hong-Chih Kuo from the bullpen to the rotation, although manager Joe Torre has gone on record as saying he'll keep Kuo in the 'pen... or #2) Call up Clayton Kershaw in time to make his big league debut when the Dodgers visit the Angles on Saturday, May 17.

Here's the kicker. The Double-A Jacksonville Suns just moved Kershaw (0-3, 1.08 ERA, 37 K in 33.1 IP) to the bullpen to limit his workload, perhaps in anticipation of a call-up in about a week and a half. Kershaw has proven everything he can possibly prove in Double-A. He's been a model of consistency, his WHIP is right about 1.00 and opposing hitters are batting only .192 against him.

There's your warning. Now be ready.

Blue Jays' SP on the "Marc"

You fans north of the border already know this, but for the rest of the fantasy baseball world, "Hey, there's another pretty good pitcher in Toronto NOT named Roy Halladay." His name is Shaun Marcum, and he's making a believer out of me with each passing start.

How could you not be skeptical of a no-name SW Missouri product with a career ERA in the mid 4.00s. Believe it, folks. Shaun Marcum isn't going away anytime soon. Marcum shut down the exuberant Rays for 8 full innings on Wednesday night before stumbling a bit in the 9th. His final line was stellar.

5/7 vs. TB - 8.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 9 K

Its one thing to be astounding from time-to-time. Its quite another to be consistent. Well Marcum's got the consistency down as well. He's only had 1 non-quality start all year, and that start wasn't terrible (5.2 IP, 4 ER vs. Det.) Through 7 starts so far this year, Marcum stands at 4-2 with a stingy 2.59 ERA.

Marcum is quietly turning into the sidekick that perennial ace Roy Halladay has been waiting for. We at Sliding Shorts will wait a few more starts before we officially anoint Marcum, the "Robin" to Halladay's "Batman"... but know that he's on our radar ... and he should be on your's too!

Oswalt's "K" Brigade ... and other notes

Roy Oswalt's decline as a fantasy ace has been well-documented over the last few years. Since '04, his wins have decreased, while his ERA has been on the increase. Perhaps no stat is more telling concerning Oswalt's fall from "ace" status than the decline in his strikeout totals (dropping around 25% since the '04 season).

So imagine my surprise when I turn on the Astros/Nationals game Wednesday night and see Oswalt strike out 8 batters in 3 innings...8 batters! in 3 innings! Oswalt hadn't struck out 8 batters in any game at all this year. Now after the 3rd inning, Owalt came back to earth (1 K in his final 4 IP). Given how he started the night, his line by night's end was less than spectacular (7 IP, 3 ER, 9 K).

Other notes from Wednesday...

If Joey Votto wasn't known nationwide before Wednesday afternoon, he certainly is now. The former 2nd-round draft pick launched not 1, not 2, but 3 home runs against the Cubs. All 3 were majestic shots, raising his season home run total now to 7 on the year. Early in the year, he was platooning with veteran Scott Hatteberg. Now, though, he's getting more and more starts on a consistent basis. He's going to have some very solid fantasy value for the rest of this year

Yankees OF Hideki Matsui singled in the 2nd inning of Wednesday night's game against Cleveland to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. Matsui is quietly putting together a nice season - .339, 13 R, 4 HR, 17 RBI. He's a solid #2 outfielder in mixed leagues.

That loud sound you heard late this afternoon was the collective sigh of relief from every Nick Markakis owner. Markakis went 3-for-5 on Wednesday, raising his average to .270. Prior to today's game, 'Kak had only 1 multi-hit game in his last 10. Fantasy owners who had gutwrenchingly watched his average drop 44 points in the last 10 games can breathe easy...at least for a day.

Finally, in case you were worried that the Oakland A's weren't going to be able to find room in their rotation when Rich Harden (1-0, 0.82) returns, have no fear. The A's brass announced on Wednesday that Chad Gaudin (3-2, 3.75) will head to the bullpen when Harden returns from the D.L. (maybe on Sunday)

Rick Ankiel's gun show

If you missed Tuesday night's St. Louis Cardinals game, you missed two of the best throws you'll ever see from a major league centerfielder. Rick Ankiel put on a show with this arm for the first time since his 9-wild-pitch barrage in the 2000 playoffs.

With 1 out in the 1st inning, Todd Helton lifted a medium-length fly ball into center. With the speedy Willy Taveras tagging up at 2nd base, Ankiel zipped a line drive into the waiting glove of 3rd basemen Troy Glaus. A look at the replay showed Taveras wasn't running at full speed because he didn't think Ankiel could possibly throw him out from medium center field. He did.

Then in the 8th, one of the best throws you'll ever see. Shortstop Omar Quintanilla laced a gap shot into left center field that rolled all the way to the wall. Quintanilla could have stopped at 2nd base with a standup double, but he tried to get to the 3rd. Ankiel picked up the ball on the warning track, took one crow-hop, and launched a rope that would've hit the bag at 3rd base had Glaus not caught it and applied the tag. He did. After the game, Cards starting pitcher Braden Looper called Ankiel's 2nd outfield assist of the game, "Probably the best throw [he'd] ever seen. Definitely the best throw [he's] ever had behind him."

If you're in a fantasy baseball league that counts outfield assists, Ankiel just won you the week...and you're a freak.

Buy Low - Buy them now!

Every year, astute fantasy managers win their league by preying on the less-patient managers in their league. You know those managers (I've been accused of being one). The ones that drop a guy if he struggles for a week. The ones that panic when they're in 3rd-to-last place after the first month. As a much more mature, wiser fantasy manager (as I'm sure you are), your job is to recognize which managers you can prey on...and then find the guys you can buy low after the first month. Here are 5 names to get you started.

Ryan Howard, 1B (Phi) - .169 avg, 17 R, 6 HR, 16 RBI - Howard's batting average is atrocious - there's no doubt about it - but the rest of his numbers aren't that bad. Yes he struggled in April, but he struggled in April last year too. Last April, Howard batted .221 with fewer HR, RBI, and R than he had this April. Oh yeah and he still finished with MVP-type numbers last year 94 R/47 HR/136 RBI. With table-setter Jimmy Rollins on this way back later this week from a sprained ankle, Howard will start producing soon. For now, he's still slumping, so get him while the gettin' is good.

Brad Hawpe, OF (Col) - .269 avg, 14 R, 3 HR, 14 RBI - Hawpe's breakout season a year ago gave a lot of fantasy owners sky-high hopes heading into this year. If any of those managers are as impatient as I can be sometimes, they're likely ready to jump ship on Hawpe. Pounce on him NOW. Hawpe is 7-for-16 over the last 4 games with 2 homers and 6 RBI in that span. He's been through this before. Remember his .256 avg and 3 April HRs last year?

Delmon Young, OF (Min) - .263 avg, 15 R, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 6 SB - Delmon smaked 13 HR and drove in 93 runs last year, giving fantasy owners a taste of why he was taken #1 overall by the Rays in '03. After the first month of '08, those same owners likely have a sour taste in their mouths. Young isn't worried, and neither should you be. Last year, Young's best months came in June, July, and August. Consider this too: He only stole 10 bases last year. He's already got 6 this year.

Robinson Cano, 2B (NYY) - .154 avg, 7 R, 3 HR, 8 RBI - Hideous, ugly, nasty, gross: Plenty of adjectives can be used to describe your fantasy team if you banked on Cano to be your star 2nd baseman this year. If you've got him on your team, I recommend riding this one out rather than selling low. Cano's best months are undoubtedly ahead of him. Last July and August, Cano batted .343 with 13 HR and 43 RBI. He's been about as consistent as 2nd basemen come over the last couple years. There's no reason to think he won't rebound.

Hunter Pence, OF (Hou) - .254 avg, 15 R, 4 HR, 16 RBI - After Pence announced his presence with authority (thanks Ebby Calvin LaLoosh) last year, fantasy owners might be wondering if he was just a flash-in-the-pan. Through April, you might've had a convincing argument. However as soon as Pence turned the page on his Bull Durham quote-a-day desk calendar, he's turned the page on his season. Since May 1, Pence has 3 HR and 6 RBI. He's put together a modest 4-game hitting streak and looks to be back on track to matching his numbers from a year ago. Go get him before he gets too hot.

Ian Stewart - Acting like a baby

Rockies 3B prospect Ian Stewart didn't get the call-up last week, and he's not happy about it; now its affecting his play...

As of a week ago, many fans thought an Ian Stewart call-up was imminent. Troy Tulowitzki went down with a torn tendon in his quad and the Rockies started shifting players around to cover. Garrett Atkins played 2nd base for a game; it looked like the Rockies were trying to find a way to get super-prospect Ian Stewart to the bigs. Well that didn't happen. When Tulo went down, Omar Quintanilla and Jon Herrera came up...Stewart stayed down.

Since that time (8 games ago), Stewart is 1-for-30 at the plate, dropping his batting average from .313 to .238. It'd be an awfully big coincidence that Stewart's slump (which is jeopardizing ANY call-up he might get) coincides with Herrera and Quintanilla being called up instead of Stewart. Sounds like someone is a little upset

Sliding Shorts Fantasy Notebook 5/5

Notes of interest from MLB's Cinco de Mayo slate of games ...

Johnny Cueto rebounded nicely Monday night (6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 8 K). Hopefully he's figured things out after a pair of rough starts ... Rough start for Cueto's counterpart on Monday night. Converted reliever Ryan Dempster suffered what you might call a "tough-luck loss" (6 IP, 5 R, 0 ER, 7 K) ... Meanwhile, rookie catcher Geovany Soto continues to tear the cover off the ball (3-3 vs. CIN, .352 avg.) ... Boston ace Daisuke Matsuzaka walked a career-high 8 batters vs. Detroit (5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER), picked up 5th win against no losses ... Sox teammate Mike Lowell gave Dice-K all the run support he'd need when he launched his 1st homer of the year, a 2-run shot in the 2nd inning ... Toronto SP Dustin McGowan shut down the White Sox, who have scored just 5 runs in their last 4 games (all losses) ... Angels SP Ervin Santana joined teammate Joe Saunders at 6-0; Santana shutout the Royals Monday night, lowering his season ERA to 2.02 ... Willy Taveras picked up his league-leading 14th stolen base, but the slumping Rockies lost to the Cardinals, who now boast a 2 game lead in the NL Central ... Speaking of the NL Central, Brewers GM Doug Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Monday that he's still committed to Eric Gagne as his closer (Gagne has blown 5 saves in 14 chances this season) ... Max Scherzer's first major league start was slightly underwhelming, although not completely disappointing (4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 5 K vs. Phi); Only 2 walks Monday night; Scherzer's on the right track ... Staying on the west coast, mixed results Monday night for the Mariners' recent call-ups. 0-for-3 with a run scored for C/DH Jeff Clement, who saw his season average drop to .176; meanwhile outfielder Wladimir Balentien (pronounced BAL-en-TEEN) launched his 2nd homer of the year ... Orioles OF Nick Markakis continues to struggle (0-for4 vs. Oak); he's 6-for-40 over his last 10 games, dropping his season average to .263

Prospects: 3 Up, 3 Down

--- 3 Up ---
1. Daryl Thompson, SP (AA-Reds) - 2-1, 0.72 ERA, 42 K, 5 BB - In an already loaded Cincinnati farm system, Chattanooga Lookouts starting pitcher Daryl Thompson has been perhaps the best pitching in the minors so far this year. His stock is shooting through the roof. Through 6 starts this year, Thompson has never allowed more than 1 ER per start. Way, way, way too good for Double-A

2. Clayton Kershaw, SP (AA-Dodgers) - 0-3, 1.11 ERA, 36 K, 11 BB - Through 6 starts this year, the Dodgers' top prospect has quietly done everything the scouts expected. He's allowed more than 1 ER in a game only once this year (he allowed 2 runs in that start). The 6'3'', 220 lb, 20-year old could be the next big thing to hit the pro circuit. Save your waiver priority for this one.

3. Matt LaPorta, OF (AA-Brewers) - .333 avg, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 1.147 OPS - Kershaw probably gives every Southern League hitter nightmares - that is every Southern League hitter except for Matt LaPorta. Currently a Hunstville Star, LaPorta could see a promotion very soon. He's put together 5 multi-hit games in his last 10 - just tearing the cover off the ball.

--- 3 Down ---
1. Colby Rasmus, OF (AAA-Cardinals) - .217 avg, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 4 SB - The Cardinals gave their '05 1st-rounder every opportunity to win a roster spot during spring training, but Rasmus dropped the ball. He's still projected to be a 20/20 player, but now that might come later rather than sooner. At Triple-A Memphis this year, the 21-year-old Rasmus is batting a paltry .188 against righties with more strikeouts than walks. Thats just not gonna cut it.

2. Fernando Martinez, OF (AA-Mets) - .262 avg, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 3 SB - He's only 19 years old, so its hard to fault him too much. Martinez might have been a victim of overly-lofty expectations - however his numbers still aren't good. He's batting .333 so far in May after a lackluster April (.254 avg, 32 Ks). Still needs to learn how to hit lefties (.174 avg)

3. Jose Tabata, OF (AA-Yankees) - .210 avg, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 4 SB - Maybe the New York City hype-machine got the best of both Martinez and Tabata, but the latter is another underachieving 19-year-old prospect. The Yankees are aging not-so-gracefully, so there's no doubt they'd like to see Tabata progress a little quicker. He's seen his average plummet to near the Mendoza line after reaching base via the hit only 6 times in his last 10 games.

Mad Monday - Today's pitching oddity

PHI: Moyer (1-2) vs. ARZ: Scherzer (0-0), 9:40 p.m. ETJamie Moyer is 45 years old. Monday Night he faces "Mad" Max Scherzer in Phoenix... see Spitting Seeds to read more...

Two-Start Pitchers (5/5-5/11)

We're taking a look at this coming week's (5/5-5/11) two-start pitchers. Obviously guys like Daisuke Matsuzaka (@ DET, @ MIN) and Javier Vazquez (@ TOR, @ SEA) are going to be slam dunks this week, but unless you have these guys on your team, it doesn't do you much good. We're going to dig a little deeper and find a few guys who might be available in your league that will be good two-start pitchers this week.

1. Gavin Floyd, CHW (vs. MIN, @ SEA) - Floyd is available in about 50% of the leagues out there, and if he's available in your league, you need to go get him NOW. The 25-year old former first-round pick appears to be putting it all together this year. He's 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and 2 very winnable starts this week. He's home against the Twins, who have the second-worst offense in the American League at 4.1 runs per game. Then Floyd pitches at Seattle; the Mariners sport the league 5th worst offense.

2. Joel Pineiro, STL (@ COL, @ MIL) - Pineiro has made 4 starts this year, and each progessive start has been better than the one before it. Last time out, Pineiro beat Johnny Cueto and the Cincinnati Reds (7 IP, H, 0 ER, 3 K). Pineiro is available in about 75% of the leagues out there, so odds are you'll want to pick him up for a pair of starts this week. The Cards visit the punchless Colorado Rockies. Yes its at Coors, but the Rockies' offense isn't exactly lighting the National League on fire (4.3 runs per game). Then its off to Milwaukee to face a Brewers team thats lost 7 of its 10 games. Pineiro is scheduled to pitch against Ben Sheets, who wasn't good on Sunday.

3. Miguel Batista, SEA (vs. TEX, vs. CHW) - In his last 2 starts, Batista has allowed just a single earned run in 14.2 innings. Not bad. Because his ERA is still a bit lofty (4.41), he's available in about 80% of leagues. Go snatch him up tonight. Batista will pitch against the Texas Rangers in a very spacious Safeco Field. By the way, the Rangers have allowed 45 more runs this year than they've scored. Oh yeah, and he's matched up against Sidney Ponson, who's had 2 good starts against 2 terrible offenses. Ponson's lack of talent is bound to catch up with him. Then its off to, oh yeah, Safeco again as the White Sox come to Seattle. Just like the Rangers, the Sox offense is anemic (they've scored 6 runs in their last 4 games.) By the way, neither the Sox nor the Rangers have seen Batista for more than 1 inning this year.

Go get 'em.

Scherzer, Stewart going in different directions

While we here at Sliding Shorts eagerly (that's the understatement of the day) await Max Scherzer's first major league start on Monday, we wonder what the future holds for uber-prospect Ian Stewart.

Partner-site Spitting Seeds has the free update on both names you need to know...

Its pronounced HO-chay-ver

If you're thinking about picking up or trading for Kansas City hurler Luke Hochevar, think carefully before you pull the trigger. At first glance, he seems like a slam dunk: 24 years old, former #1 overall pick, no pressure on a bad Royals team, low 90s fastball. Sure he might end up being a slam dunk, but I'm not willing to bet on it right now.

Sure, Hochevar (pronounced HO-chay-ver) is solid right now. He works quick and carries a good mound presence. He gets ahead of a hitters who haven't seen him yet with fastballs at the knees. He keeps the ball down A LOT, which is great for a young pitcher. Early in the count, with the bases empty, he'll touch 93-94 mph. A lot of ground balls, quick innings - which is what you like to see from a young pitcher.

With that being said, so far through 4 major league starts, Hochevar appears hesitant to challenge hitters. He won't tempt anyone to climb the ladder. He works the corners well, but that leads to more than his fair share of walks (9 BB in 16 IP this year.) When he gets behind in the count, he won't challenge up in the zone. He continues to nibble. His curveball doesn't bite. Its worked sufficiently so far because hitters aren't sure when its coming. His curve is average and it hangs over the plate sometimes - not something you want to see from a sinkerballer.

The talent is there. The future is there. He's got potential to be a #2 or #3 starter, probably nothing more. He doesn't have overpowering stuff, and unless he learns to challenge hitters, he'll never be an overpowering pitcher. Hochevar beat C.C. Sabathia on Saturday night, and he currently sports a 2-1 record and 4.86 ERA. He'll bring some inconsistency but probably more good days than bad.

But remember, its HO-chay-ver.

All-Star balloting in May?

Welcome to May. It's time to vote for the MLB all-star teams! Major League baseball is getting the word out on its site, asking fans to vote up to 25 times for their favorite players. 25 times! That's at least 24 times too many.

...see Spitting Seeds for full article...

Liriano: A long way from fine

Well it could be awhile before we see Francisco Liriano return to form. I, for one, have been a believer in this guy all along, but I'm now coming to grips with the fact that it might be awhile before we see the "old" Liriano again.

In 3 big league starts since returning from injury, Liriano showed no signs of being the ace the Twins hoped he'd be:

vs. KC: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
vs. CLE: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
vs. OAK: 0.2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3BB, 0 K

Not only was his ERA awful, but his peripherals were terrible as well. Sporting a WHIP of 2.71 and walking more than a batter per inning, the club decided to send Liriano back down to Triple-A Rochester.

Mission Accomplished: Liriano fixed.

Right?

Wrong.

The former phenom made his first minor league start last night for Rochester against Pawtucket, and his line looked eerily similar to his major league starts.

vs. PAW: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K

Again ... terrible ERA and WHIP above 2.00. Not good. It could be awhile before we see Liriano return to the big leagues at all, let alone expecting him to return to ace form. The 24-year old has some major problems he needs to get fixed. The ERA and WHIP are up, and the strikeouts are down. Not a good combination.

Its now safe to stay away from this guy in fantasy. He's too good to struggle like this forever, but the Twins will now be measuring his progress in "months," not "weeks." That means it'll be a good long while before we see the old Liriano again.

Ian Stewart - Stewing in Triple-A?

The buzz around the Colorado Rockies this spring centered around 2nd base, where the Rockies tried currently red-hot farmhand Ian Stewart for a spell. Apparently they didn't like what they saw. Not enough, anyway, to give Stewart the job out of camp.

...see Spitting Seeds for full article...

Call-ups I can't wait to see

1. Clayton Kershaw, SP (AA-Dodgers) - Dodgers 1st pick in '06 (7th overall) tearing up the Southern League (31.2 IP, 19 H, 39 K, 1.13 ERA). Prolonged struggles by Esteban Loaiza or Hong-Chih Kuo could pave the way for Kershaw's debut.

2. Jay Bruce, OF (AAA-Reds) - Baseball America's '07 Minor Leaguer of the Year picking up right where he left off in Triple-A (20 G, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 6 SB, .928 OPS), but still strikes out too much (2.8 K/BB). When new manager Dusty Baker realizes a Patterson/Freel/Hopper platoon won't work in center, Bruce could get a shot.

3. Max Scherzer, SP (AAA-Diamondbacks) - Nobody can touch Arizona's '06 1st-rounder (14.9 K/9 is the best in the minors). His 1.17 ERA in 23 IP will quickly put to rest all those durability concerns. Could be the first from this list called up if Edgar Gonzalez struggles.

4. Homer Bailey, SP (AAA-Reds) - Once thought to be the best pitching prospect in baseball - now overshadowed by Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez. Even after Bailey's first flawed start of the year (4 ER in 6 IP on Friday), he still sports a miniscule 1.95 ERA. Still just 21 years old, he could steal a rotation spot from Matt Belisle or Josh Fogg.

5. Colby Rasmus, OF (AAA-Cardinals) - Least likely candidate from this list to be called up soon, but could be the most complete player of the five. This highly-rated prospect is not forcing first-year GM John Mozeliak's hand (.213 avg, 1.3 K/BB after hitting .275 last year). Still only 21 years old, will be a 20/20 player when he arrives in the bigs. When he straightens himself out, the Cards could use his bat.