Roto Arcade - Fantasy

The guys with the red DL icon go in the DL roster slot. The guys with the red NA go … ok don't bother looking, friends, it's not there. There's no NA roster slot.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano (ADP 107.7) was sent back to Triple-A on Friday. Fantasy owners will wake up Saturday with an unwanted NA and a decision to make.

This isn't a one-start rehab stint. Liriano was sent to Rochester to refine his mechanics, restore his velocity and rediscover his confidence. From the sounds of it, that could take a while.

The 2006 sensation was so-so in spring training, average in his minor league rehab starts and downright awful in three big league tries. If you drafted Liriano, you know what you're sitting on. That said, this is 2008, not 2006.

His first start in Rochester is slated for Wednesday. Monitor it. No sense cutting him loose now only to have it all fall into place, unlikely as that may be. If he struggles for a few starts, it might just be time to make that NA someone else's problem.

Giants lefty Jonathan Sanchez took a shutout into the ninth inning and was rarely in trouble in a 3-1 win over Cincinnati. Sanchez struck out 10 to match a career-high set April 9 against the Padres and threw 73 of his 107 pitches for strikes. The 25-year-old reportedly was without one of his pitches after injuring a finger shielding himself from a foul ball Thursday. Mixed-league interest should follow his third solid outing in his last four starts.

Possibly more than just part of the answer to the Jeopardy question "who are four pitchers that have never been in Andy Behrens' kitchen," seven-percent owned Scott Olsen held his own against 90-percent claimed Yovani Gallardo on Friday. Behrens' beef with Olsen – lack of strikeout production – was justified as he whiffed precisely zero Brewers while allowing four hits and five walks in 7 1/3 innings. He still lowered his ERA to 2.04 while Gallardo's dipped to 0.64. Brewers closer-in-waiting Guillermo Mota allowed two hits, three walks and three earned runs to spoil the show.

Thirty-eight percent owned and roughly three years removed from relevance, Scott Rolen went 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs in his Blue Jays debut Friday. Could be the start of something big, if by "big" you mean, worthy of corner infield interest in deeper mixed leagues.

Another quality start for Braves righty Jair Jurrjens. Just 22-years-old, it appears he's got an old soul. Jurrjens pitched five perfect innings and had one semi-meltdown (2 hits, 4 walks, 2 ER) in the 6-3 win over the Mets.

Getting harder to ignore by the day, Phils outfielder Jayson Werth homered, singled and drove in two runs Friday. The right place, right time guy has four homers in his last five games as an injury fill-in. Things get complicated when Shane Victorino returns to the lineup Tuesday. Ryan Howard should be back in the lineup Saturday.

Fifty-eight percent owned Ervin Santana is now 4-0. He was efficient in cooling off a Detroit team that had battered Texas for 37 runs in a three-game series. Slumping, ailing and possibly soon-to-be-retiring Gary Sheffield returned to the Tigers lineup and was 0-3 with a walk.

Indians closer Rafael Betancourt earned his second save in uneventful – AKA un-Borowski – fashion. He threw eight of nine pitches for strikes in setting down Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada in order.

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15 Comments

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  1. Schizzle
    1. Posted by Schizzle Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    I traded Liriano in my keeper league before the season started. I'm just happy I'm not regretting the move ... yet. Since even the Royals weren't impressed with his stuff this year, I'm guessing it'll take a while for him to get stuff straightened out.
  2. a-mak15
    2. Posted by a-mak15 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    ugh, promoters (aka spammers) are back
    snagged sanchez in 2 of my leagues
    and boy, up yet again stat-tracking (on yahoo!) another rockies OT victory....
  3. a-mak15
    3. Posted by a-mak15 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    correction : OT game, they lost
  4. zackarcher
    4. Posted by zackarcher Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:58 pm EDT

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    I've got Jay Bruce in one of my leagues with the NA tag. Better work out.
  5. Dr. Hoops
    5. Posted by Dr. Hoops Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    I traded Liriano for Clay Buchholz yesterday. Anyone think that is a good move?
  6. j_n_16
    6. Posted by j_n_16 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    Can Sanchez actually throw a screball, gyroball and an eephus as reported by the Gians website? Anybody ever see him in action?
  7. doctorrum
    7. Posted by doctorrum Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    How did Acosta not register a save last night??? I'm last in saves, and every one of them counts!!!
  8. doctorrum
    8. Posted by doctorrum Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Referring to my post #6: Acosta came into the game in the 9th with two outs to go in a 6-3 game, and he did the job. How is that not a save? Am I missing something?
  9. alfonsoh
    9. Posted by alfonsoh Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:50 pm EDT

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    Doctorrum -- I haven't seen the play by play but I would assume the tying run wasn't on base, at bat, or on deck.
    Check this out for more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_(baseball)
  10. doctorrum
    10. Posted by doctorrum Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Thanks Alfonso! It's kind of strange though that Royce Ring comes in, in a save situation, gets one out, then is relieved by Acosta, but then it's not a save situation anymore.
  11. vinny_75
    11. Posted by vinny_75 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:36 pm EDT

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    to further explain the save situation...the tying run has to be guaranteed an at-bat when the pitcher comes in. Down by three runs with no outs, the tying run is in the hole, and will bat that inning. Down by three with one out, the tying run may never get to bat.
    A pitcher can also come into a save situation if the team is down by four, with no outs, and the bases juiced. It can never be more than a 4 run defecit, though. If the team is down by five, the tying run could be on deck, but he is not guaranteed an at-bat, as a triple play can end the game.
  12. doctorrum
    12. Posted by doctorrum Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    Thanks vinny! Makes perfect sense now.
  13. AlexS
    13. Posted by AlexS Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:03 am EDT

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    Sure.
    I just looked at the rules, and it appears that I'm a bit off, though. That was just how I had it explained to me. It seems that if a pitcher comes in with his team up by 5 and no outs and the bases loaded, the tying run would be on deck, and that counts.
    Also, if the pitcher throws the final three innings, and he is not in line for the win, he is credited with a save, regardless of the score.
    Acosta didn't get a save because he didn't pitch a full inning, AND the tying run was neither on base, at bat, or on deck. Ring WOULD have had had the save, not because the tying run was guaranteed an at-bat (although, that's essentially what it boils down to) but because of the rule that states that a pitcher is in line for a save if he comes in with a 3 run lead or less, AND pitches an entire inning.
    Probably made it more confusing, but you can look up "major league baseball official rules" and when you find the rulebook, go to section 10.19. It explains the save situations.
  14. vinny_75
    14. Posted by vinny_75 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:36 pm EDT

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    Actually, I think he'd still get the save, even if there are two outs; bases loaded, 5 runs down.
    Wish you could edit these posts. Forgot to change the name under my last post.
  15. BAG
    15. Posted by BAG Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:29 pm EDT

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    he didn't get the save because he came in with 2 outs up by 3. if it was a 1 run game and he came in then he would have got the save

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