• By now you’ve probably heard the Huston Street(notes) news. He’s expected to open the season on the disabled list due to continuing right shoulder soreness. According to the Denver Post, manager Jim Tracy’s replacement plan looks something like this:
Tracy said Franklin Morales(notes), who converted seven saves last September, would get the first shot to replace Street, with Manuel Corpas(notes) also in the mix. Rafael Betancourt(notes), who will throw a simulated game Saturday to test his right shoulder, won’t be considered because Tracy doesn’t want to create an additional disruption.
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Morales, 24, was terrific last September when Street was shelved with biceps tendinitis, converting all seven of his save attempts. He has added a cut-fastball this spring to his arsenal and has ironed out mechanical wrinkles in his last two outings.
"I will be ready to do whatever they ask," Morales said. "I have a lot more confidence now because I have done it."
Morales is the best speculative add here. His spring ERA is an alarming 11.74, but, as the Post hints, his last two appearances have gone well. (Note: I grabbed him in the Friends & Family League on Wednesday morning, then spent $7 on him in an NL-only auction later that day. It’s not as if I’m recommending someone who I’d never add myself. I prefer to confine those suggestions to video). If you’re adding Corpas, the move reeks of desperation. And it’s too early in the fantasy season to reek of anything.
Also worth noting: Colorado has apparently shown interest in Royals reliever Juan Cruz(notes).
• A’s closer Andrew Bailey(notes), the No. 6 overall RP in our preseason ranks, is dealing with elbow pain. Uh-oh. This via the team’s Website:
Bailey, expected to be down five to seven days, was diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis, a condition usually caused by overuse that involves soreness on the outside of the upper arm near the elbow.
"It’s just a little discomfort," the reigning American League Rookie of the Year said. "I felt something after my last outing [Sunday], so I figured I should have it checked out. I’ll just be doing some therapy and give it some rest."
"Lateral epicondylitis" is more commonly known as "tennis elbow." Bailey’s backhand is all messed up. He’s thinking about switching to a continental grip, but he’s a little worried about losing topspin. The A’s claim that he’s expected to be ready by Opening Day, but this is clearly a concern. Joey Devine(notes) (tendinitis), Michael Wuertz(notes) (shoulder) and Craig Breslow(notes) (tendinitis) are nursing minor injuries, too. Brad Ziegler(notes) could be the last man standing.
• Bill Ladson offers additional details on the curious release of Elijah Dukes over at MLB.com, with several quotes from Washington general manager Mike Rizzo. Apparently the Nats attempted to deal Dukes, but found no takers. Ladson believes the team will either enter the season with a platoon in right field – longtime Pianowski favorite Willie Harris(notes) would be the main attraction in such an arrangement – or they’ll kick the tires on Jermaine Dye(notes), one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball. (UZR check here. Yikes).
There are two important fantasy takeaways here, neither of which involves any Nats outfielder, past or present: 1) Before you cut a player who might be of interest to another owner in your league, offer a trade. Float the name out there, as Washington apparently did. You never know what you might be able to acquire.
And 2) It’s OK to own a high-maintenance player in fantasy, as long as they’re great. Chipper Jones(notes), for example, was a headache from ’05 to ’08, but the stats he gave you when he played were phenomenal, so the aggravation was acceptable. (When Chipper hits .264 with league-average power, as he did last year, then he’s tough to roster in fantasy). For the Nats, Dukes simply wasn’t good enough to justify whatever issues accompany him.
• Nothing is settled yet, but there’s an interesting position battle going on in Houston, where Jason Castro(notes) and JR Towles(notes) remain in the mix for catching duties. Both players are hitting over .400 so far this spring. While discussing the choice facing the Astros, general manager Ed Wade gave a tip of the cap to the fantasy community:
"This is not rotisserie league baseball or anything like that. We’ve got to take roster status, contractual status, service time, everything into consideration to try to make the right decision both for now and the long term," Wade said.
If we were drafting today (in a two-catcher format), I’d take Towles. He’s 11-for-20 with six extra-base hits thus far in the Grapefruit League.
• In other Houston news, closer candidate Brandon Lyon(notes) will make his official spring debut on Thursday. He threw a 21-pitch simulated game on Tuesday. Recall that Lyon is the guy being paid like a closer ($15M/3Y). Matt Lindstrom(notes) still hasn’t allowed a run this spring, however, and he’s only yielded two hits over 4.2 innings while striking out four. But he’s still Matt Lindstrom. Buyer beware.
• Bonus link: OK, it’s not baseball, but this clip is magic. Reminds me of every flight I’ve taken with Brad Evans.
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Photos via US Presswire