Juan Gutierrez (RP-ARI) – You’ll probably have more news on this by the time this is published, but Chad Qualls could be headed for the DL with a dislocated kneecap. We’ll see what the MRI reveals, but should Qualls have to miss time, closing duties likely fall to Juan Gutierrez with Jon Rauch having been traded to Minnesota (sure glad I held onto Rauch for a couple months in my NL-only league). Gutierrez has a 4.29 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, so he’s no sure thing to close, but he does have 55 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings, though the 27 walks certainly don’t help. There really isn’t much else to choose from in the Arizona bullpen (Blaine Boyer, Esmerline Vasquez, Dan Schlereth, Clay Zavada).
Brad Lidge (RP-PHI) – Lidge notched his second consecutive clean (1-2-3) save Sunday, probably buying himself at least another week or two and a blown save or two. Lidge’s ERA sits at 7.03 with an 0-6 record and nine blown saves. On a positive note, he does have 50 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings, though that does represent a 9.3 K/9 compared to a career 12.2 and 11.9 last year. Charlie Manuel obviously has a lot of faith in his closer and the Phillies have a comfortable lead in the NL East, but a closer with an ERA over seven? How long can that be sustained? Ryan Madson would seem to be next in line, but Madson has been scored upon in each of his last four appearances, so perhaps Tyler Walker (1.99 ERA) is a bit of a sleeper. Then there’s Brett Myers about to come off the DL.
Rusty Ryal (2B/OF – ARI) – With Ryan Roberts batting .300/.390/.455, he’s likely to find
himself an everyday player for the rest of the reason. That would seem to leave little playing time for Ryal, but Sunday found Ryal at 2B and Roberts in LF (at the expense of Alex Romero). Of course Justin Upton is the everyday right fielder, and the D-backs need to find time for Chris Young and Gerardo Parra, but if Ryal hits, there should be enough at-bats for all to at least have some AL-only value. Ryal was 1-for-3 on Sunday and is batting .308/.419/.577 in 26 at-bats. Still, he’s already 26 and wasn’t much of a highly-touted prospect, so don’t expect miracles.
Mat Latos (SP-SD) – Latos was roughed up again Sunday, allowing five runs (four earned) over 3 1/3 innings against the Marlins. Nothing official yet (as of this writing), but it was reported prior to his start earlier in the week against the Braves that Latos was slated for just two more starts before the Padres shut him down due to a team-imposed innings limit. As great as Latos was against the Braves (seven innings of shutout, two-hit ball), he just couldn’t get it going Sunday. Like any young 21 year-old pitcher, Latos has mixed in brilliance with inconsistency, winding up with a 4.53 ERA and 35:18 K:BB in 47 2/3 innings. Latos had a 73:12 K:BB in 72 1/3 minor league innings, but obviously thinks don’t come as easy in the big leagues. Latos looks like he’ll be the Padres top starter for years to come (at least until the Padres have to trade him due to salary concerns).
Daniel McCutchen (OF-PIT) – Andrew is working out quite nicely, so why not add another McCutchen (no, they are not related). The Pirates will apparently do so, recalling Daniel from Triple-A Indianapolis and starting him Monday against the Reds. McCutchen is 13-6 with a 3.47 ERA and 110:29 K:BB in 142 2/3 innings for Indianapolis this year. Solid, but certainly not spectacular numbers for an organization already bursting with back-of-the-rotation types. McCutcheon gets the call having posted a 1.90 ERA in eight starts since the break, so NL-only leaguers may as well take a flier.
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