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

Jason Marquis’ scheduled start Friday against the Astros has been postponed due to the threat of Hurricane Ike. No word yet on when the games will be rescheduled or how the Cubs will handle the rotation in reaction to the postponement. Marquis will likely be pushed back all the way until Sunday to finish the series with Houston. That is, of course, just speculation as there has been no definite decision made of yet. Marquis is 4-1 over his last six starts and has been an excellent pitcher of late for the Cubs. He can have the occasional high strikeout night and he’ll give you consistency for a contending team. (Rotowire, CBS Sports)

Cardinals SP Todd Wellemeyer didn’t have his ERA hurt on Thursday but still picked up the loss against the Cubs. Wellemeyer pitched well allowing two runs — none earned — on three hits over five innings. He walked four and had two strikeouts. His record fell to 12-7 on the season and he boasts a 3.63 ERA. Wellemeyer next pitches on Wednesday at Cincinnati. He’s 4-3 over his last seven starts but he’s been fairly consistent. He hasn’t allowed more than four runs — once — over that span and has been pitching deep into games. He should be considered viable for starting in deeper mixed leagues in the one-start frame of Fantasy Week 25 (Sept. 15-21). (CBS Sports)

Brewers 1B Prince Fielder hit his first homer since Aug. 13, but slumping Milwaukee lost for the eighth time in 11 games during Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Phillies. Fielder chased Jamie Moyer in the sixth with a two-out, two-run homer. Fielder had gone 67 at-bats without a homer before going deep in the sixth. It’s about time Fielder has done something for Fantasy owners. He has basically slumped at the plate in the last month and really hasn’t looked like the 50-homer guy from 2007 in 2008. He still has great power and run production, but we expect more from Fielder. (CBS Sports)

Yesterday, noted bastion of journalistic integrity Sports By Brooks noted that Fielder was killing the Brew Crew down the stretch. Actually the title was: “Fat Slob Fielder Costing Crew Down Stretch“:

One of the most overlooked stories of the baseball season is coming to the fore as the Brewers bumble down the stretch:

Why is no one talking about how gigantic *vegetarian* Prince Fielder has become?

That photo looks like about a 40-pound weight gain in two years. I saw Fielder in L.A. a few weeks ago and he’s so fat now that he nearly keels over every time he has to make a defensive play. He also is having a subpar year and hasn’t hit a lick in the past month.

In early August, he attacked a teammate in the dugout and then later saying he didn’t need to apologize for his passion for the game. He’s 50 pounds overweight yet he’s passionate about his profession?

Cubs SS Ryan Theriot went 2-for-4 on Thursday against the Cardinals with a walk and an RBI. Theriot walked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to drive in the run. As far as SS go, Theriot has been a good one this season. He’s owned in 88 percent of Fantasy leagues and it looks like he’ll be a nice start down the stretch of the season for a contending team. (CBS Sports)

Not surprisingly, Giants manager Bruce Bochy thinks Tim Lincecum deserves the NL Cy Young Award. “If you voted right now he’d be the Cy Young winner,” Bochy said. “He’s got the numbers.” Lincecum, who’s 16-3 with an NL-best 2.54 ERA, is scheduled to start for the Giants on Saturday night against Chris Young, who came within four outs of a perfect game on Sunday at Milwaukee. The Giants haven’t exactly made an effort to preserve their 24-year-old ace’s arm, which might concern you a little going into next season. Lincecum looks like one of the most dominant pitchers in Fantasy, though, winning games even for the lowly Giants. Keep him active. (CBS Sports)

Brewers OF Corey Hart had one hit, his 43rd double, in three at-bats Thursday against the Phillies. He also walked once. Hart came into the game without a hit in four contests and 14 at-bats. Hart isn’t exactly having a good run at the plate right now, but he still has too much potential to bench in Fantasy. Stick with Hart through thick and thin. (CBS Sports)

Rockies C Chris Iannetta went 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts Thursday at Atlanta. He’s batting only .222 (6-for-27) so far in September. Iannetta hasn’t maintained a stellar batting average this season, but he has shown plenty of power, especially for a catcher. He should start in all Fantasy leagues this season and is a sleeper to enter the top five at the position next season. (CBS Sports)

Braves closer Mike Gonzalez pitched a scoreless ninth inning Thursday against the Rockies, allowing one hit and one walk. He also recorded two strikeouts. He hasn’t recorded a save since Sept. 4. Gonzalez has gone a full week without a save, and he’ll fall into such patterns pitching for the Braves. Think of him as just a low-end Fantasy closer. (CBS Sports)

Padres OF Jody Gerut (finger) did not return to the starting lineup Thursday against the Giants. He has not played since Sept. 6 and hasn’t taken at-bat since Aug. 27. Gerut is too risky to use outside of the deepest of NL-only Rotisserie leagues at this point. You might only get a week of pinch hitting out of him. (CBS Sports)

Angels 1B Mark Teixeira sat out his second straight game because of illness Thursday against the Mariners. Teixeira should be fine for the weekend. He’s having his usual monster second half and is clearly an elite Fantasy 1B. Start him in all leagues. (CBS Sports)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  42.0    37.5     79.5  0.0  0.0
 2   X-Men               31.0    39.0     70.0  0.5  9.5
 3   Shoeless Jews       32.0    33.0     65.0  -0.5 14.5
 4   Goodfellas          40.0    22.5     62.5  3.0  17.0
 5   Stanimals           24.5    37.0     61.5  3.5  18.0
 6   The Pi Train        25.0    27.5     52.5  0.0  27.0
 7   Uncle Lester        12.0    38.5     50.5  -0.5 29.0
 8   Cover Zero          26.0    15.0     41.0  -1.0 38.5
 9   Get Off Kong!       24.0    12.0     36.0  -2.0 43.5
 10  Misogynistic Padres 18.5    13.0     31.5  -3.0 48.0

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (9/11/08)
Player                        BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Blake, Casey 3B LA        0.0000  0 0   0    0
DeWitt, Blake 3B LA       0.0000  0 0   0    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL    0.5000  1 1   2    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL     0.3333  0 0   0    0
Headley, Chase 3B SD      0.0000  0 0   0    0
Iannetta, Chris C COL     0.2500  0 0   0    0
Jones, Chipper 3B ATL     0.2500  0 2   0    0
Milledge, Lastings LF WAS 0.0000  0 0   0    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      0.2500  0 0   0    0
Teixeira, Mark 1B ANA     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI   0.2500  0 1   0    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (9/11/08)
Player                       ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Wellemeyer, Todd SP STL     0.00  2 0   0 1.40