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

Mets RP Luis Ayala, serving as closer right now, allowed one unearned run on two hits in the ninth inning of the second game of a doubleheader Sunday against the Mets. He recorded one strikeout. Ayala has a 5.32 ERA this season but has pitched pretty well as the Mets’ closer. Considering Billy Wagner (elbow) suffered another setback Sunday, he might hold the job for the rest of the season. Take a flier on him as a No. 2 Fantasy option. (CBS Sports)

Update: Mets manager Jerry Manuel admitted Sunday that Billy Wagner (elbow) is “probably” done for the season. Wagner experienced a setback while throwing a simulated game Sunday and is scheduled to be examined by doctors Monday. “Obviously, (the day was) bitter and sweet. Bitter in the sense that we lose Billy Wagner, probably for the remainder of the year,” Manuel said. “Anytime you don’t have a guy such as him and you lose him, it becomes a big challenge. It’s been a pretty good while, and we’ve played good baseball (without him).” Luis Ayala will continue to serve as the Mets’ closer after converting 5-of-6 chances. (Rotoworld)

Josh Johnson held the Cardinals to three runs in 6 2/3 innings on Sunday but still took a loss in a 3-1 game. Johnson gave up seven hits, walked two, and struck out five. Albert Pujols hammered a 2-2 pitch Sunday from Johnson (4-1) over the wall in left-center for a 2-0 lead. “It’s tough, because you can’t stay in one spot, you’ve got to locate on both sides of the plate the entire at-bat,” Johnson said. “You can’t make a mistake or he’s going to hammer it.” Johnson took the loss for the first time since June 29, 2007 against the Braves. All four of his wins had come after a Marlins loss, and Florida fell to 9-3 in his starts.The quality start was the seventh in a row for the right-hander, so he needs to be owned in all leagues right now. He has a favorable matchup against the Nationals next time out. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Chris Dickerson was originally scratched from today’s game due to a sore left ankle, but instead ended up appearing as a pinch-hitter and driving in a run on a fielder’s choice as the Reds rallied to beat the Cubs 4-3 on Sunday. With the Reds down 3-1 and the bases loaded with one out, Dickerson hit into a potential double play ball. However, a bad hop threw off shortstop Ronny Cedeno’s timing, and he ended up throwing errantly toward second base. Two runs scored on the play as a result and left runners on first and third in a tie game. Jolbert Cabrera followed by singling to left to give the Reds the win. Dickerson should be fine to leave in lineups for this week’s games. He just had an eight-game hitting streak end during which he hit .324 (11-for-34) with three home runs. Dickerson has shown decent power and speed — more than he ever did in the minors — and has a terrible strikeout rate. What does that tell you? Even as hot as he is, you want to reserve him with this upcoming injury. Ankle injuries have a tendency to sideline speedsters for a few games. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Pablo Sandoval drove in five runs as the Giants defeated the Pirates 11-6 on Sunday. Sandoval hit a three-run double and a sacrifice fly in the fourth, then added another sacrifice fly in the sixth. The rookie also singled in the contest and is making a case to start the 2009 campaign with the big club. He’s hit .364 with seven extra-base in 77 at-bats since joining the Giants, and could split time between catcher and first base for them next season. (Rotoworld)

Braves 3B Chipper Jones went 3-for-6 Sunday against the Nationals to raise his average two points to .358, one point behind St. Louis’ Albert Pujols, who leads the majors. Jones doubled and had two RBI. Jones’ offensive numbers have taken a dive since June, and he’s playing through an elbow injury, but he’s still too good to sit in most Fantasy formats. Just don’t think of him as a slam-dunk starter anymore. (CBS Sports)

Chase Headley went 2-for-5 with a solo homer against the Brewers on Sunday. Headley pulled one into the right field seats off starter Manny Parra in the fifth for his ninth homer in 261 at-bats in the majors this season. The Padres have a glut of outfield candidates right now, but they’re committed to playing Headley and he should get regular type action as a result. He hasn’t really gotten hot at any point this season, so he’s only a modest NL-only option. (Rotoworld)

Nationals OF Lastings Milledge, who hit five home runs in the first 10 games of August but only one since, hit a solo blast Sunday at Atlanta, finishing 2-for-5 with two walks and three runs scored. Milledge had gone 0-for-8 over his last two games but is hitting .288 since the All-Star break. The power-speed threat is beginning to show signs of a breakout and is worth a flier in all leagues. (CBS Sports)

Doctors have told John Maine (shoulder) to wait another week before picking up a baseball. Maine hoped to start throwing today. Since that won’t happen, it looks like he won’t be a factor for the rest of the regular season. Maybe the Mets could try him as a reliever at the very end of September and then potentially in the postseason. (Rotoworld)

Ryan Theriot came out of Sunday’s game against the Reds because he was feeling ill. He should be good to go after the off day on Monday. Theriot went 1-for-2 at Cincinnati but is batting only .233 (10-for-43) over his last 12 games.Theriot has only one stolen base over that same stretch, so you can bet he hasn’t done much for you Fantasy-wise considering he has virtually no power. Fortunately the Cubs have plenty of depth in the middle infield if Theriot is still feeling this way when they resume action on Tuesday. (Rotoworld, Rotowire, CBS Sports)

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that Jody Gerut (finger) is not close to rejoining the lineup. According to the newspaper, Gerut’s “left middle finger is still swollen 11 days after he strained a ligament.” With both Gerut and Scott Hairston out, Will Venable has started eight of the past 10 games in center field. (Rotoworld)

Mat Gamel doubled as a pinch-hitter for his first major league hit on Sunday. The hit was one of two that the Brewers scraped together on Sunday, as San Diego starter Chris Young carried a perfect game into the eighth inning. Thus far, manager Ned Yost hasn’t made any sort of indication that would lead us to believe that Gamel will be used as more than a pinch-hitter down the stretch. Stay tuned. (Rotowire)

Gregor Blanco went 2-for-5 with a stolen base, an RBI, and two runs scored Sunday against the Nationals. He entered the game batting .105 (2-for-19) over his last 10 games. Blanco hasn’t played as much lately and clearly is no longer part of the Braves’ everyday lineup. He doesn’t have enough stolen bases to start even in NL-only leagues as a part-timer. (CBS Sports)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  42.0    37.0     79.0  -1.5 0.0
 2   X-Men               31.5    38.0     69.5  -1.5 9.5
 3   Shoeless Jews       32.0    33.5     65.5  1.5  13.5
 4   Goodfellas          38.5    21.5     60.0  2.0  19.0
 5   Stanimals           21.0    37.0     58.0  0.0  21.0
 6   The Pi Train        25.0    28.0     53.0  0.5  26.0
 7   Uncle Lester        12.0    39.0     51.0  1.0  28.0
 8   Cover Zero          27.0    15.0     42.0  -1.0 37.0
 9   Get Off Kong!       25.0    12.5     37.5  -1.5 41.5
 10  Misogynistic Padres 21.0    13.5     34.5  0.5  44.5

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (9/7/08) F
Player                        BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Blake, Casey 3B LA        0.0000  0 0   0    0
Dickerson, Chris OF CIN   1.0000  0 0   2    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL    0.0000  0 0   0    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Iannetta, Chris C COL     0.0000  0 1   0    0
Jones, Chipper 3B ATL     0.5000  0 0   2    0
Milledge, Lastings LF WAS 0.4000  1 3   1    0
Moss, Brandon OF PIT      0.0000  0 0   0    0
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN  0.0000  0 0   0    0
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Sandoval, Pablo C SF      0.6667  0 1   5    0
Teixeira, Mark 1B ANA     0.4000  0 1   0    0
Theriot, Ryan SS CHC      0.5000  0 0   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI   0.2222  0 1   0    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (9/7/08) F
Player                       ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Ayala, Luis RP NYM          0.00  1 0   0 2.00
Johnson, Josh SP FLA        4.05  5 0   0 1.35