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Daily Dose: Bad Latos

Drew Silva
Jesse Pantuosco checks out the White Sox's latest roster moves and breaks down Yordano Ventura's suspension in Friday's Daily Dose

Follow @drewsilv and @Rotoworld_BB on Twitter.


Mat Latos didn’t win any new fans in his Marlins debut.


The 27-year-old right-hander was hammered for seven earned runs on six hits and two walks in the first inning Tuesday night against the Braves, recording just two outs before Marlins manager Mike Redmond threw in the towel. Latos’ ERA is 94.50, and that’s where it will stay until he takes his second turn in the rotation next Monday against the same Braves team that just lit him up.


Some criticized Reds general manager Walt Jocketty for getting rid of Latos in the offseason -- the opinion being that he rushed the trade and sold too low -- but maybe Jocketty and company knew they weren’t going to get anything in return if they waited to deal him this summer. Latos’ velocity issues last year could be blamed on elbow and knee issues that limited him to a total of 102 1/3 innings, but his velocity was again underwhelming in his horrendous 2015 debut. What’s the excuse now?


Latos also struggled this spring in Grapefruit League play, yielding 18 hits, six walks, and 12 earned runs across 15 1/3 innings (or four starts). The final line of his profile in the 2015 Rotoworld Baseball Draft Guide read like this: “He should only be drafted if he comes at a major discount.”


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Scorching Start For Snider


An offseason acquisition that does look promising in the early going is the Orioles’ trade for Travis Snider.


Snider went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Monday’s season-opening win against the Rays and then followed that up with an RBI single and three walks Tuesday night in another win for the O’s at Tampa Bay. The right fielder is batting .800 with a 1.875 OPS and three RBI through his first eight plate appearances for Baltimore.


Snider had a terrific second half last season in Pittsburgh and the former top Blue Jays prospect just turned 27 years old in February. He looks to be hitting his stride just as he reaches the typical baseball prime (ages 27-32). Snider is currently owned in just seven percent of Yahoo leagues.



Injury Bug Bites Two Giants


Giants right-hander Matt Cain was diagnosed Monday night with a flexor tendon strain in his throwing elbow and the club officially placed him on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday afternoon. It’s not thought to be an overly serious injury, but Cain didn’t appear in a major league game after July 9 last season due to an elbow issue that eventually required surgery. And he’s considered “out indefinitely” for now.


Coming up to start in his place Wednesday against the Diamondbacks will be 26-year-old right-hander Chris Heston, who probably shouldn’t be looked at as a fantasy streamer at power-friendly Chase Field. Ryan Vogelsong figures to take the spot on a more long-term basis despite struggling in his regular-season debut Tuesday.


Tuesday’s game in Arizona wasn’t only ugly for Vogelsong. Giants first baseman Brandon Belt -- a 2015 breakout pick for many fantasy prognosticators -- suffered a strained right groin muscle while chasing down a foul ball and is almost certain to be placed on the disabled list Wednesday. Belt cranked an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning Tuesday before limping off the field with a trainer in the bottom of the fourth. San Francisco does not have a good internal option to replace him. Joaquin Arias was the pick Tuesday night.



National League Quick Hits: Mets closer Jenrry Mejia was placed on the 15-day disabled Tuesday with right posterior elbow inflammation … Jake Lamb slugged a three-run homer in the Diamondbacks’ win over the Giants on Tuesday and now has seven RBI through just two games this season … An MRI taken Tuesday on Ryan Braun's sore rib cage showed no major structural damage and he is aiming to return to the Brewers’ starting lineup in a day or two … Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen played catch Tuesday without a walking boot on his surgically-repaired left foot … Buster Posey went 3-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in the Giants’ loss to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday in Arizona … Chad Billingsley (elbow) will begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley … Yasmany Tomas is expected to play third base, the outfield, and even some first base while he’s at Triple-A Reno … Marlins reliever Aaron Crow is scheduled to undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery on Wednesday … Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder) played catch on Tuesday without issue … Freddie Freeman went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored in the Braves’ rout of the Marlins on Tuesday … Rockies closer LaTroy Hawkins threw a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday against the Brewers to earn his first save of the season … Kevin Correia signed a minor league contract with the Giants.


American League Quick Hits: Angels lefty C.J. Wilson needed only 96 pitches to get through eight shutout innings in a win against the Mariners on Tuesday night … Red Sox closer Koji Uehara (hamstring) threw 30 pitches Tuesday in a simulated game and is on track to be activated April 13 … Prince Fielder hit two RBI singles in three at-bats Tuesday as the Rangers topped the Athletics … Orioles closer Zach Britton earned his first save of the season Tuesday, striking out the side to close out the Rays … Nick Franklin (oblique) took batting practice left-handed Tuesday without issue … Angels closer Huston Street recorded a pair of strikeouts and earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday versus the Mariners … Alex Cobb (forearm) played catch on Tuesday afternoon and called it his "best day yet” … Steve Pearce homered for the second time in as many nights Tuesday as the Orioles topped the Rays … John Jaso will be out again Wednesday with a left wrist contusion … Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (shoulder) is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment next week with High-A Frederick … Rays first baseman James Loney is day-to-day with a tweaked side muscle … Jarrod Parker (elbow) threw a simulated game in Oakland on Tuesday … Kyle Lobstein to start in place of Justin Verlander (triceps) on Sunday against the Indians … A’s closer Sean Doolittle (shoulder) will extend his long-tossing from 75 to 90 feet on Wednesday … Neftali Feliz earned his first save of the season Tuesday in the Rangers’ defeat of the A’s … Cody Ross, released by the Diamondbacks on Saturday, is expected to officially sign with the A’s on Wednesday … Rangers setup man Tanner Scheppers (ankle) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco on Thursday.