SEATTLE MARINERS

The Mariners ended the Adam Jones as a starting center fielder experiment by returning him to Triple-A.  Ichiro Suzuki slides over to center and Chris Snelling is now in right field.  Prior to this season, the injury-prone Snelling put up impressive numbers in the minors.  However, in 246 Triple-A AB this year, his was hitting .216, with little power and a 75% contact rate.  Those numbers should not translate into major league success.

Cha Baek was called up from the minors to replace the departed Jamie Moyer in the starting rotation.  In 24 Triple-A starts, Baek had a 3.00 ERA, 6.3 K/9 and a 2.3 BB/9.  He was once considered a top prospect, but now is looked at as a potential 4th or 5th starter.  In his 2006 debut, the Mariners threw him to the wolves, against the high-powered Yankee offense.  He held his own, allowing 3 ER in 5 innings.  At best, he can be used in AL-only leagues when the match-up is favorable.  A more conservative approach would be to watch his next few starts to see how he fares.

After hitting 9 home runs, 20 doubles and 7 triples in the first-half of the season, Jose Lopez’s power has gone AWOL.  Since the All-Star break, he has just 5 extra-base hits, all doubles.  With a G/F ratio of 1.31 the first-half power was over his head and the second-half outage is too much of a correction.  Such inconsistencies can be expected with a young hitter, he is just 22 years old, with an undisciplined approach to the plate, a .27 batting eye.  The pop he showed in the first-half, combined with his speed and a strong contact rate of 87%, hint that better days are ahead for him.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Dallas McPherson resumed his minor league rehab assignment yesterday and should be back with the Angels when the rosters expand in September.  Darin Erstad will begin a minor league rehab assignment today.  Don’t count on either for much help down the stretch.

Joe Saunders bounced back from a disaster start by not allowing an ER in 5.2 innings against the Red Sox. After 6 starts in 2006, his K/9 of 5.9, BB/9 of 4.6, and G/F ratio of 1.27 look very ordinary.  A bad sign is that the only team to face him twice, the Rangers, lit him up for 7 ER in 2.2 innings in the second game.  This was after he shut them out for 7 innings the first time they saw him.  Expect mixed results the rest of the way.

Francisco Rodriguez’s 2004/2005/2006 K/9’s of 13.2/12.2/11.5 and BB/9’s of 3.5/4.3/2.6 show that he is sacrificing a few strikeouts in favor of better control.  It is hard to argue with the results of 35 saves in 38 chances and a 2.06 ERA.  He has not allowed a run in his last 18.1 innings.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Huston Street went on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 19th, with a strained right groin.  Since then, Justin Duchscherer successfully converted the only available save opportunity.  With a 7.5 K/9 and a very stingy 1.3 BB/9, he certainly has the skills to get the job done.

Check out Esteban Loaiza’s last three starts.  In 23.2 innings, he has allowed just 1 ER, with 19 K’s and 2 walks.  As a fly ball pitcher, his success will depend on whether he can keep the K’s up and the walks down. 

Brad Halsey is the latest pitcher to get a shot at the 5th starting pitcher spot.  In his first outing after being recalled from Triple-A, he allowed 4 ER in 6 innings.  He is a fly ball pitcher with a low K/9 of 5.2 and a high BB/9 of 4.0.  That is not a formula for success and he is not recommended in any format.

Bobby Kielty is batting .330 with 6 home runs in 91 AB as a right-handed hitter versus a .232 average and zero home runs in 125 AB as a left-handed hitter.  Last year he hit .324 right-handed and .229 left-handed.  It might be a good idea for him to abandon switch-hitting.  At least those in daily transaction leagues can adjust accordingly.

TEXAS RANGERS

Prior to this season, the highest batting average that 31 year-old Gary Matthews Jr. had for a season was .275.  So when he batting average stood at .328 at the All-Star break, he became a popular sell-high candidate.  Those who traded him probably feel good about themselves, since he is batting .268 in the post-All-Star break period.  A closer look at his numbers reveals that a bounce could be coming.  His 1H/2H batting eye has actually improved, .46/.66, while he contact rate has remained consistent at 83%.  The 4 second-half home runs in 157 AB are not so far off from the 10 home runs in 323 first-half AB.  The only noticeable drop besides his batting average is doubles.  In the first-half, he had an unsustainable 30 doubles versus just 9 since the break.  As long as he maintains his approach at the plate, there can be some offensive upside the rest of the way.

Since being recalled from the minors, Robinson Tejada has thrown two very good games, allowing 3 ER in 14.1 innings.  But with just 6 strikeouts, he wasn’t exactly dominating the games.  With a G/F ratio of .79, Tejada is an extreme fly ball pitcher and both of those starts were on the road in pitcher-friendly stadiums.  During his previous trial with the Rangers, in two home starts, he allowed 11 ER in 6.1 innings.  Absolutely avoid using him for home games.  If you are desperate, you can use him for road starts in pitcher’s parks.