Programming Change:
- This is a recording. Apparently the word isn't yet out to all of our readers/listeners that RotoWire Fantasy Sports Today has switched channels. We're still on the air at the same time, 11-2 et on Monday-Friday, on XM/Sirius's new Fantasy Sports Channel - XM147, Sirius211 (which is a "best of XM" channel).
The Big Donkey:
- It's hard to believe, but Wednesday night was the first time that Adam Dunn has ever hit three homers in a game. He's hit two homers in a game 25 times, however. As a Reds fan, I understand why he had to go and why he was a poor fit for the team, but I still miss him and wish him well. He's one of my favorite players still. Will the White Sox trade for him? Could there possibly be a more obvious fit for him than there?
Other Multi-Homer Games:
- Martin Prado, Casey Kotchman (!), Buster Posey and Matt Holliday all hit two homers, and there 47 homers hit overall on the night.
- The news on Peavy is the worst-case scenario. He has a detached lat muscle and almost certainly will require surgery. At the very least, he's on the DL for more than the 15-day minimum. Wait until the second opinion confirms the diagnosis on him - as we've found out with Shin-Soo Choo, that diagnosis can change for the better.
Missing - One Humidor:
- Coors Field has found its teeth again. Over the last two homestands at Coors, here's the total number of runs scored in each game: 2, 15, 7, 3, 14, 24, 10, 9, 19, 7, 21, 15. Are we back to the halcyon days of Coors Field. I, for one, welcome our non-humidored overlords.
Water Finds Its Own Level:
- Jon Garland started the regression to the mean train, giving up six runs on eight hits, including three homers.
- Jamie Moyer gave up seven runs on seven hits, including three homers. He now has served up 18 homers on the season.
Notables:
- Matt Stairs hit his 20th career pinch-hit homer, tying the major league record shared by Cliff Johnson.
- Max Scherzer held the O's to one run over seven innings, striking out six.
- Kris Medlen improved to 6-1 despite a mediocre outing, giving up four runs over 6.1 innings, allowing two homers in the process. The Braves took 2-of-3 in Philly and now have the best record in the NL, leading their division by three over the Mets and six over the Phillies.
- Marc Rzepczynski illustrated his upside and downside in his first start of the year, posting a 7:1 K:BB in 5.2 innings, but also giving up four runs on two homers.
- David Price was dominant against the Red Sox, allowing two runs over 7.2 innings while striking out 10. He relied heavily upon his fastball, throwing almost nothing but fastballs early in the game.
- Colby Lewis struck out eight while holding the Indians to three runs (two earned) over six innings.
- Tim Lincecum looked to be in vintage form, striking out 10 while giving up a run on four hits and two walks.
- The Giants have outscored the Brewers 27-4 in the last three days. Maybe it's time for the Brewers to get serious about trading for pitching.
- Freddy Garcia held the Angels to one unearned run over six innings, giving up five hits and two walks while striking out six.
- Josh Johnson threw eight shutout innings against the Dodgers, striking out eight while walking one. Is there any reason not to put him in the Lincecum/Halladay/Wainwright class going forward?
Save Chances:
- Matt Capps, converted (23). All-Star Matt Capps gave up a solo homer to Matt Stairs and two more hits but escaped with the save.
- Phil Coke, converted (1). Jose Valverde had pitched the previous two days in non-save situations (one with a five-run lead, the other a tie game) and was unavailable. Coke pitched a clean inning, striking out one.
- Billy Wagner, converted (19). Another sweet outing, striking out two in a clean inning.
- Kevin Gregg, converted (19). Ho-hum, clean inning. Three fly outs to center.
- Francisco Cordero, converted (24). Cordero saves are never ho-hum, however. He gave up a leadoff double to Ike Davis and later issued a walk before retiring the side.
- Matt Garza, converted (1). Garza ties Mike Pelfrey among regular rotation starters in saves with one. Rafael Soriano was unavailable after pitching the last four days and five of the last six, plus it was Garza's throw-day, two days after lasting just three innings against the Red Sox.
- Neftali Feliz, converted (23). One walk, one strikeout.
- Matt Lindstrom, converted (20). Protecting a three-run lead, Lindstrom allowed a singled and a double but avoided allowing any runs.
- Bobby Jenks, converted (19). 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.
- Joakim Soria, converted (25). Three saves in three days. Soria can thank Kyle Farnsworth for putting two runners on with a four-run lead to create the save opportunity for Soria.
Other Closer Outings:
- John Axford protected the Brewers' 13-run deficit with a scoreless inning.
- Huston Street got the win after pitching a scoreless ninth in a tie game, and Chris Iannetta followed up with a game-winning homer.
Non-Closer Reliever Outings:
- Drew Storen gave up two runs on three hits in his inning. Did I just trade for Storen to improve my bullpen in the BL|UNDER|Murphy Scoresheet League this week? Why yes, yes I did!
- Chad Qualls gave up a three-run homer in the ninth to turn a two-run deficit into a five-run deficit.
- Brandon League gave up a three-run homer to Alberto Callaspo, who earlier in the at-bat failed to get down a sac bunt. That's two bad outings in three days for League.
Lineup-o-logy:
- Josh Bell got a turn at DH for the O's on Wednesday, with Corey Patterson and Jake Fox sitting out. Fox later pinch-hit for Bell in the ninth, striking out against Phil Coke to end the game.
- Chris Heisey got a spot start in right field for the Reds in place of Jay Bruce and essentially was the game-saver. Not only did he hit the go-ahead solo homer, but he earlier made a diving catch that preserved a 1-1 tie.
- It was Vladimir Guerrero's turn to get a day off, as the Rangers have made a point of resting most of their regulars at least once this week. Josh Hamilton moved to DH, with David Murphy starting in left field. Ian Kinsler also got a planned day off, with Andres Blanco starting at second base.
- With Jose Guillen out, Wilson Betemit started at DH. Alex Gordon and Kila Ka'aihue are both still in Triple-A.
Injuries:
- Aaron Hill remained out with a stomach illness. John McDonald started in his place.
- Justin Morneau was accidentally kneed in the head by McDonald when Morneau was trying to break up a double play in the eighth inning. There's a chance that he has concussion-type issues.
- Delmon Young strained his wrist on a collision with teammate Denard Span in the outfield, but remained in the game.
- Kevin Youkilis (ankle) returned but went 0-for-5 and was limping at times. With the Red Sox off on Thursday, it might have made more sense just to rest him another day.
- Matt LaPorta (concussive symptoms) sat out Wednesday's loss to the Rangers.
- Brian Moehler left after three innings with a strained groin. Let's hope that doesn't affect his availability for the All-Star game.
- Geoff Blum had arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow and will be out two-to-four weeks.
- Carlos Quentin (knee) sat out a second consecutive game. Don't read too much into this - there was a 2 hour, 20 minute rain delay at the start of the game. That's not the type of surface you want to expose a player with a sore knee to.
- Alfonso Soriano left after getting hit by a pitch on the left elbow.
- Carlos Silva (calf) will probably make his next start on Sunday.
- Robinson Cano sat out with a "very minor back injury," also known as "creating a cover story to pull out of the Home Run Derby."
- Jose Guillen sat out with a Grade 1 quad strain. The Royals are off Thursday, so they'll test Guillen again before Friday's game.
- Milton Bradley sat out with a "bruise to the fat pad on his right knee." Yeah, I don't know what that means, either.
Stolen Bases:
- Ben Zobrist (16); Carlos Pena (3); Sean Rodriguez (7); Jose Tabata (7); Michael Bourn (27); Erick Aybar (13); Ryan Theriot (16); Brett Gardner (25); Cliff Pennington (13); Hanley Ramirez (16); Matt Kemp (14); Michael Saunders (2).
Caught Stealing:
- Orlando Hudson (2); Torii Hunter (10); Juan Pierre (10); Brent Lillibridge (1); Miguel Montero (1).
Home Runs:
- Matt Stairs (2); Adrian Gonzalez (17); Chris Denorfia (1); Adam Dunn 3 (18,19,20); Ian Desmond (6); Danny Worth (1); Martin Prado 2 (9,10); Matt Diaz (1); Shane Victorino (13); Ryan Howard (16); Orlando Hudson (4); Delmon Young (10); Alex Gonzalez (16); Jose Bautista (22) - inside the park homer; Brandon Phillips (12); Chris Heisey (5); Angel Pagan (6); Mike Cameron (2); Evan Longoria (13); Jayson Nix (6) - his fourth homer just this week; Michael Young (12); Jeff Keppinger (2); Lance Berkman (10); Carlos Lee (12); Hunter Pence (12); Rickie Weeks (15); Andres Torres (5); Aubrey Huff (16); Buster Posey 2 (4,5); Matt Holliday 2 (13,14); John Jay (3); Dexter Fowler (2); Chris Iannetta (6); Aramis Ramirez (9); Nick Swisher (14); Mark Teixeira (15); Michael Stanton (4); Casey Kotchman 2 (5,6); Billy Butler (9); Alberto Callaspo (8); Mitch Maier (3).
Transactions:
- Daniel McCutchen served up three homers to the Pirates and then got sent down to Triple-A Indianapolis to make room for Sean Gallagher, who the Bucs acquired from the Padres.
- Todd Helton went on the DL for the Rockies, replaced by Brad Eldred on the roster. Jason Giambi, Eldred, Brad Hawpe and Chris Iannetta will all be part of the first base picture.