MLB Fantasy Baseball: Thursday News and Notes

With only a few days remaining in the season, the playoff picture comes in to clearer focus, and other teams continue to look to play spoiler. It's all in how the teams that are out of it or have clinched will look at the season's last weekend. Be ready to react, and look for indications as to how each team will react starting on Friday.

On to the notes.

• C.C. Sabathia pitched his second straight start on three days of rest. Sabathia is going to single-handedly get the Brewers in to the playoffs, and the decisions being made regarding his pitching schedule could come back to haunt him next year. The Brewers are running him into the ground, and you don't know how he'll react to it overall. Yes, he's been outstanding, but for how much longer?
• Brett Myers was roughed up for the second straight outing. It's possible the Phillies try to squeeze him in to one game this weekend, especially if they need the boost. For owners, though, this is what scared us all away from him the first half of the season. Be hesitant to use him if he does get a start, and make sure he's out of your lineup entirely if you don't want to risk picking up unwanted relief innings.
• There was a J.D. Drew sighting last night in Boston! Drew made his return to the Red Sox lineup, collected a hit, and left in the middle of the game. Referring to how teams are going to approach the last few games, Jeff Bailey, Chris Carter, and Jonathan Van Every all saw significant time last night for Boston. Just sayin'. Side note, Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to a career best 15 games.
• Remember this guy? Yovani Gallardo is going to get the ball for the Brewers tonight. Gallardo has missed, virtually, the entire season thanks to a couple major injuries. Don't go reaching for the guy if you need a starter. This is strictly to find someone else that can put the ball over the plate without relying on Jeff Suppan. You know how we feel about guys just coming back from the DL.
• Raise your hand if the performance by Randy Wolf at home last night surprised you? That's right, Wolf continued his dominance when he's in his own ballpark. It's almost scary at this point to think that he can be so good at home without being able to do anything on the road, but there you have it. Looking at next season, Wolf remains a spot player until he proves he can handle pitching on the road.
• Shin Soo Choo kept up his hot hitting, as he recorded two more hits last night. In standard 5x5 leagues, Choo is ranked in the top-ten of all players over the last month. I'd been avoiding much of Cleveland's lineup until they decided to turn it on for about two weeks, and a reader pointed out Choo's stats. I'm curious how he'll continue to play, but for now, especially the last weekend, his stats will be a boost to teams in need of offense.
• The fact that Edwin Jackson was able to record a win yesterday while giving up six runs in the first two innings of the game shows how hard it is to predict wins. There aren't many teams out there that would settle for getting a win when a guy pitches that poorly. It's tough to take, and only a very small silver lining.
• A.J. Burnett pitched eight solid innings against the Yankees, giving up just two earned runs. His offense and bullpen made sure that he didn't get the win, but he continues to pile up numbers against a strong offense. He likely is done for the season, but he certainly gave owners something to think about heading into next year with his performances after the All-Star break.
• Clint Barnes was one of those hot commodities at the beginning of the season because of all the injuries suffered by the Rockies early on. He came back, but tapered off. He's now hitting .375 in his last four games and .297 for the month after his four-hit performance last night.. He draws Barry Zito today, and is a career .321 hitter against lefties.

Notes for Thursday

• While you may want other options for Paul Konerko, as he's just 2-for-12, the rest of the White Sox regulars make solid plays against Kevin Slowey. Slowey is just 1-2 against the White Sox this season with a 5.82 ERA. In September, Slowey's only win has come at home, where he's now 7-4 on the season. It's a game of numbers, and his home numbers always seem to come up solid. Batters hit just .211 against him in the Metrodome. If you need the start in deeper leagues, he's a good play.
• Jorge De La Rosa comes into the game tonight with a 2-0 record and 1.47 ERA in three starts against the Giants. De La Rosa has been tough for the month of September, posting two wins and a 3.41 ERA. Against a struggling Barry Zito, he's a solid play and should be looked at in all formats as a spot starter.
• Roy Halladay is 4-1 against the Yankees this season with a 2.50 ERA. At home, he's 9-4 with a 2.85 ERA. As a team, the Yankees have hit just .215 against him this season, but .268 overall. Damon and Giambi, as well as Ivan Rodriguez are all over .300 against Halladay. If you have other options for Abreu and Cano, it's wise to use them.
• Zach Duke is 1-6 on the road and has pitched very poorly in two starts against the Brewers. Milwaukee has put up a .371 average against him on the season, and have a team average of .342 lifetime. J.J. Hardy leads the charge, as he has gone 10-for-17 with four home runs against Duke. You want to start them all in this matchup.
• Pedro Martinez has been lit up in September, so you should likely look to start as many Cubs as you can. That said, Alfonso Soriano has never had good luck against Pedro, posting a .163 average in 43 at-bats. Reed Johnson (.200) and Jim Edmonds (3-for-13) aren't far behind.
• Scott Kazmir does have a losing record on the road this season, but his ERA is still under 4.00 away from home. The pressure is off of him, so don't anticipate a repeat of his performance against Boston. Detroit hasn't seen much of Kazmir, and he's especially tough on left handed hitters. Keep him active.
• Anibal Sanchez has had two solid outings in his most recent starts, but has been hit hard in two other September appearances. Sanchez hasn't looked good on the road at all, with batters having hit .311 against him. The Nationals don't have great numbers against Sanchez, but he's a risky start in a close matchup.
• Mentioned that we like Maddux as a start at home, but a win could be tough to come by. Jake Peavy is 3-0 against the Dodgers on the season and the team only has a .207 average against him lifetime. There are really no good numbers that stand out for anyone that would be playing.
• Roy Oswalt remains undefeated in his career against the Reds. He's nearly a 20-game winner against the team. You have to start him here, regardless of anyone else you need to sacrifice to get him in the lineup. Those are the rules.
• Spot Starts: Sanchez, Maddux, Slowey, and Armando Galarraga

Notes for Friday

• Chris Volstad has been strong in September, posting a 2.86 ERA and .220 BAA. On the road, Volstad is 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA and .221 BAA. These are the kinds of numbers you want to look for when you're exploring spot start options this late in the season. Against the Mets, he's worth a gamble.
• I wouldn't expect a whole lot of use from Daisuke Matsuzaka. It's likely that the Red Sox pitcher will be used in the first game against the Angels next week, so the team will likely be trying to get him some work without taxing his arm. Abreu and Alex Rodriguez have struggled against the Red Sox starter, but they would be the only concerns.
• Kyle Davies has had his share of problems with Minnesota this season. He's 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA. While his numbers for the month look good, he's done his damage at home, and his one loss was at Minnesota. His road record isn't good enough to start in this case, as he's just 4-5 on the season.
• John Lannan hasn't had much success against the better bats in Philly. Pat Burrell is just 1-for-6, but all other Phillies regulars should be added to your lineup, as they all have hit Lannan very well. The sample might be small, but they can't all be wrong.
• When the only guy you can get out in a lineup is Alfonso Soriano, that doesn't bode well for your chances. Jeff Suppan has been roughed up by every Cubs regular with the exception of the outfielder. Keep Suppan down, and get all your Cubs into the lineup. This is still a big series for the Brewers, but the Cubs still will want to play a small spoiler role as they set up their rotation.
• Bronson Arroyo has a 5.70 ERA on the road this season, but has been solid in September. His only road appearance resulted in a no-decision, but it was a solid seven inning outing with no earned runs allowed. The Brewers, though, were struggling as bad as could be at that point. The Cardinals aren't great against him, but their regulars are worth keeping in your lineup. If you can avoid Arroyo on the road, I certainly would look to do so.
• Spot Starts: Braden Looper, Brendan Morrow, Chris Volstad, and Jorge Campillo

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