Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Brandon Webb allowed two runs in six innings and struck out eight in a victory over the Marlins on Saturday. Perhaps it’s progress, but Webb doesn’t typically throw 110 pitches in six innings when he’s going well. He did match his season high for strikeouts in his first victory in four starts. (Rotoworld)

Giants closer Brian Wilson worked the ninth Saturday against the A’s for his NL-leading 22nd save in 24 opportunities. He walked one and struck out two. Incredible that the NL’s leading closer and one its best starters — Tim Lincecum — pitch for one of its worst teams. Still, they are getting the job done. Continue to treat Wilson like a No. 1 Fantasy closer until he starts doing what he hasn’t done all year…giving up leads. (CBS Sports)

Gregor Blanco led a comeback that fell a few runs short Saturday as the Braves lost to the Blue Jays 9-5. The Braves were down 6-1 heading into the eighth inning when Blanco tripled in a run. Kelly Johnson added an RBI single, then Mark Teixiera drove a Brian Tallet pitch over the right field wall for a total of four runs in the frame. The Jays countered with a three-run bottom half and took over the contest, but it was a valiant effort. Blanco finished 4-for-5 and is hitting .266 with 16 RBI in 207 at-bats on the year. (Rotoworld)

Mark Teixeira went 1-for-2 with two walks, a home run and two RBI Saturday at Toronto. It was Teixeira’s sixth home run in six games. Teixeira had a three-homer game on June 22 against Seattle. He has a hit in six of his last seven games and RBI in five of them. Continue to start him in all leagues. (CBS Sports)

Milwaukee 1B Prince Fielder snapped an 0-for-18 streak with a fifth inning single Saturday against the Twins. Fielder had been hitting with more consistency of late, but hadn’t had a base hit since June 22 against Baltimore prior to Saturday. He was 0-for-17 in his last four games, but Fantasy owners still have to keep him active in most formats. His power potential alone allows him to make up for his struggles in one game. (CBS Sports)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  43.0    40.5     83.5  0.5  0.0
 2   The Pi Train        29.5    28.5     58.0  0.0  25.5
 3   X-Men               18.5    39.0     57.5  0.5  26.0
 3   Shoeless Jews       25.5    32.0     57.5  -2.5 26.0
 5   Goodfellas          33.5    22.5     56.0  -0.5 27.5
 6   Stanimals           35.5    18.0     53.5  -1.0 30.0
 7   Misogynistic Padres 27.5    24.0     51.5  0.5  32.0
 8   Uncle Lester        11.0    38.5     49.5  1.0  34.0
 9   Get Off Kong!       28.0    20.0     48.0  1.5  35.5
 10  Cover Zero          23.0    12.0     35.0  0.0  48.5

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (6/28/08)
Player                       BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------ ------ -- - --- ----
Blanco, Gregor M. OF ATL 0.8000  0 1   1    0
Bowker, John OF SF       0.0000  0 0   0    0
Coste, Chris C PHI       0.3333  0 1   0    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL   0.2500  0 1   0    0
Gerut, Jody RF SD        0.2500  0 0   0    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL    0.2500  0 1   1    0
Headley, Chase 3B SD     0.2500  0 0   0    0
Iannetta, Chris C COL    0.7500  0 0   1    0
Jones, Chipper 3B ATL    0.0000  0 0   0    0
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN 0.2500  0 0   1    0
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM    0.2500  0 0   0    0
Teixeira, Mark 1B ATL    0.5000  1 2   2    0
Theriot, Ryan SS CHC     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI  0.2000  0 1   0    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (6/28/08)
Player                      ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------ ------ -- - --- ----
Lincecum, Tim SP SF        0.00 11 0   1 1.14
Lyon, Brandon RP ARI       0.00  2 0   0 0.00
Webb, Brandon SP ARI       3.00  8 0   1 1.33
Wilson, Brian RP SF        0.00  2 1   0 1.00

Brett Myers lasted just two-plus innings and allowed five runs Friday versus the Rangers. Myers might have turned gun-shy tonight. He’s so worried about the home run ball that he wasn’t throwing strikes. He walked four and exactly half of his 66 pitches were balls. Myers allowed a homer to Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler on a second-pitch fastball. He almost completely abandoned his fastball thereafter. Of his 66 pitches, only 24 (36.4 percent) were fastballs. Normally, 50 to 55 percent of his pitches are fastballs. “Somewhere, he’s lost that edge,” pitching coach Rich Dubee said. “Some of it’s delivery-wise. Some of it is approach. Sometimes, you’ve got to trust the stuff and get after it. This is stuff we go through on a regular basis with him.” Myers might get his wish to return to the bullpen, but it won’t be as a closer. This is something to track in all Fantasy leagues, because Myers’ Fantasy value would drop to near zero as a setup man. The Phillies may be getting to the point of seriously considering putting Myers back in the bullpen. If they were to try it, they could have him and Chad Durbin switch spots or call up J.A. Happ to fill the rotation vacancy. (CBS Sports, Rotoworld)

Corey Hart delivered his 13th and 14th homers of the year Friday against the Twins. Hart had one homer in April, five in May and now eight so far in June. It’s just too bad he doesn’t walk a bit more and force the Brewers to hit him higher in the order. With 39 runs scored, he’s been driven in a total of 25 times in 78 games. (Rotoworld)

Andruw Jones (right knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday. Jones should return to the Dodgers shortly after the All-Star break. “I keep my fingers crossed,” said manager Joe Torre, “but I’m not counting the days.” Jones will be the full-time center fielder upon his return from the DL after the All-Star break, the Dodgers’ official site reports. Apparently $18 million is a more meaningful number to Joe Torre than .165, Jones’ average on the year. Juan Pierre will get most of the at-bats in left field, leaving the team’s two best outfielders sharing right field. Makes sense for a team struggling to score runs. (Rotowire, Rotoworld)

Chipper Jones was unable to start at DH Friday. Jones should be able to take advantage of the AL rule Saturday and Sunday. “If I can beat out a double-play grounder, or if I can’t score from second on a single, those are my gauges of whether I’m ready to play,” he said. “I don’t think I can do that right now. I’ve made a lot of progress in five or six days, from walking with a limp and hurting just sitting here, to it not hurting until I’m running at about 50 percent.” (Rotoworld)

The Sports Xchange notes that Chase Headley, batting right-handed, rocketed a line drive down the line and over the wall in left for both Padres runs Friday night. It was his first major league homer against a left-handed pitcher and his third in 40 at-bats and 10 games since joining the Padres from Triple-A Portland. With Kevin Kouzmanoff back, the third baseman has moved to left field to get his at-bats and will have flexible eligibility soon in all Fantasy leagues. The big time prospect is still too raw to expect huge numbers from him on a consistent basis, but he’s certainly worth activating in NL-only play and in larger mixed formats. (CBS Sports)

Mark Teixeira went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI Friday as the Braves beat the Blue Jays. Gregor Blanco also drove in a run, but it was Big Tex’s night. He hit a two-run blast in the top of the first inning and an RBI double in the third. His RBI total has reached 60, as he is ending June in fine fashion. (Rotoworld)

With left-handed SP Kason Gabbard on the mound, Phillies C Chris Coste started Friday at Texas. He connected for his seventh home run — a solo shot — finishing 1-for-4. The Phillies still use Carlos Ruiz most of the time against right-handers even though Coste clearly has the better bat. Think of Coste as the better play in Fantasy, but he remains a low-end option until he gets full-time at-bats. (CBS Sports)

Milwaukee SP Seth McClung only managed to pitch 4 2/3 innings Friday in a loss to the Twins. He gave up nine hits and five runs, walked two and struck out two. For McClung, this marks the first loss in his last three starts as he had won his previous two. He’s not getting past the sixth inning, but he’s limiting the damage done against him. He next pitches Wednesday at Arizona and should probably be limited to starts in deeper mixed leagues and mostly NL-only formats at this time. (CBS Sports)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  43.0    39.0     82.0  -1.0 0.0
 2   X-Men               19.5    39.0     58.5  1.5  23.5
 2   The Pi Train        29.5    29.0     58.5  0.5  23.5
 2   Shoeless Jews       26.5    32.0     58.5  -1.5 23.5
 5   Goodfellas          35.0    22.0     57.0  0.5  25.0
 6   Stanimals           36.5    18.0     54.5  0.0  27.5
 7   Uncle Lester        12.0    39.0     51.0  2.5  31.0
 7   Misogynistic Padres 26.0    25.0     51.0  0.0  31.0
 9   Get Off Kong!       24.0    20.0     44.0  -2.5 38.0
 10  Cover Zero          23.0    12.0     35.0  0.0  47.0

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (6/27/08)
Player                       BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------ ------ -- - --- ----
Blanco, Gregor M. OF ATL 0.5000  0 1   1    0
Bowker, John OF SF       0.0000  0 0   0    0
Coste, Chris C PHI       0.2500  1 1   1    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL   0.0000  0 0   0    0
Gerut, Jody RF SD        0.0000  0 0   0    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL    0.5000  2 2   3    0
Headley, Chase 3B SD     0.2500  1 1   2    0
Iannetta, Chris C COL    0.3333  0 0   0    0
Jones, Chipper 3B ATL    0.0000  0 0   0    0
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN 0.2500  0 0   0    0
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM    0.3750  0 2   0    1
Teixeira, Mark 1B ATL    0.6667  1 1   3    0
Theriot, Ryan SS CHC     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI  0.0000  0 0   0    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (6/27/08)
Player                      ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------ ------ -- - --- ----
Gonzalez, Mike RP ATL      0.00  0 0   0 0.00
McClung, Seth RP MIL       9.64  2 0   0 2.36
Myers, Brett SP PHI       22.50  2 0   0 4.50