A sampling of today's player notes...
Hanley Ramirez (SS-LAD) - With all the hamstring injuries the Dodgers have had this year (Kemp, Crawford, etc.), might the Dodgers need to implement a revised pre-game stretching program? Ramirez has been in and out (mostly out) of the lineup lately, and he was out again on Sunday, and will reportedly undergo an MRI. Yasiel Puig isn't going to single-handedly will the Dodgers to the playoffs (we think), so getting these guys healthy is going to be critical. Ramirez is batting a robust .250/.391/.650 in 20 at-bats, but that number of 20 needs to increase quickly for the Dodgers to be successful. Check Ramirez's status for the week before setting your lineups.
Marcell Ozuna (OF-MIA) - A quick update on Ozuna's fantasy value. Manager Mike Redmond told reporters Sunday that Ozuna would move to center field once Giancarlo Stanton returns from a hamstring injury this week. When Ozuna was promoted, it was assumed to be temporary, but a .328/.370/.467 slash line made this decision obvious for Redmond. Ozuna's 21.8% strikeout rate is acceptable, though we would like to see his 0.25 EYE show some improvement. Over time it should, but Ozuna is just 22 and he had a meager 47 PA's above A-ball prior to his promotion earlier this year.
Chase Headley (3B - SD) - There is a long list of guys that could make up a 2,000+ word article entitled "What's Wrong With These Guys?", but Headley might be the cover guy, perhaps sharing top billing with Matt Kemp. Headley was out of the lineup on Sunday, not due to injury, but more to the fact that he's hitting .167 in his last TWENTY-EIGHT games and has one home run in his last 26. Headley was an MVP candidate last year after batting .286 with 31 home runs and 115 driven in, and it's looking like the Padres missed their window by not trading him when his value was at its peak this offseason. Headley though should still garner plenty of interest should the Padres put him on the block. Headley's BABIP sits at 56 points below his career mark of .338, so that should start to rise. On the plus side, his walk rate (11.2%) and strikeout rate (22%) compare favorable to his previous seasons, but what's really concerning is the power outage. Headley's ISO marks the past five seasons: .130, .111, .110, .212, and this year .131. Was 2013 truly the outlier or was it the start of a power surge from a guy in his prime? So far the former.
Logan Morrison (OF/1B - MIA) - Morrison is back (finally) and will slot in as the team's regular first baseman, pushing Greg Dobbs to a reserve role where his .576 OPS can do far less damage than it's already done. Morrison hit just .182 in 10 games for Double-A Jacksonville prior to being activated, but he did homer on Friday and should be inserted immediately into deeper league lineups. Morrison hasn't lived up to his prospect status as of yet, batting just .250 in over 1,100 big at-bats, but he has some pop and he's still just 25, so not all hope is lost.
Jon Niese (SP-NYM) - Niese continued to turn around his season, tossing 6.2 innings of two-run ball Sunday against the Marlins with a 4:1 K:BB. Yes, it was just the Marlins, but Niese's previous three opponents were the Yankees, Cardinals, and Reds, and in his last four starts, Niese has a 1.67 ERA after having a 5.93 mark through his first eight. Niese's 18:7 K:BB in those 27 innings isn't spectacular, but it beats the 21:22 mark he posted in his first 41 innings. The Mets view Niese as a key part of their future along with guys like Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Rafael Montero. Hopefully you bought low, as it appears the lefty has figured some things out.
