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

Tim Lincecum’s first career complete game was a 138-pitch shutout of the Padres on Saturday. He hadn’t thrown a complete game in his first 54 starts, but sailed through nine innings against the Padres, needing just 86 pitches. He held the Padres to four singles and three walks and struck out 12 to win his sixth straight decision. The right-hander leads the majors with 237 strikeouts. He lowered his NL-best ERA to 2.43. Lincecum is an incredible pitcher. We’re really hoping that’s still the case in a few years, but we’re becoming more skeptical every time Bruce Bochy sends him back out for that one extra inning. Does anyone really think the NL’s ERA leader needs a confidence boost at this point? Why on earth send him back out to pitch the ninth in a 7-0 game when he’s already thrown 118 pitches? He just threw 127 pitches on Monday. He had an 132-pitch outing on Aug. 27 (and followed it up with one of his worst starts of the year). Lincecum gave up two hits in the ninth tonight, bringing the Padres’ total for the night up to four. He ended up striking out 12. It was an outstanding performance. However, it wouldn’t have been any less impressive had he left after eight. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

In fact, Gary Huckabay of Baseball Prospectus has already railed against the mis-handling of Lincecum:

Tim Lincecum threw 138 pitches against San Diego last night.

Let me make this as clear as I possibly can.

That is utterly, completely, and colossally reckless, stupid, arrogant, and just plain lazy.  Send in all the nasty emails calling me a geek who’s never played you like.  Feel free to point out that Lincecum’s “just different”,”rubber armed”, or a “freak of nature”.  It’s still mind-blowingly stupid, risky behavior.  A couple of undeniable facts:

(1) People I respect have told me “Lincecum’s just different.”  Perhaps.  But the truth of the matter is that you don’t know that.  No one can tell me they know, with any reasonable degree of certainty, that Lincecum can stand up to mindless, pointless abuse better than anyone else.  He might be less capable of doing so.  We just don’t know.

(2) The gain for the Giants having Lincecum throw those extra pitches last night was zilch.  Perhaps less.  The Giants were 15 games under .500 going into last night.  If they win out, they could end up .500.  Those pitches could have been thrown by Carol Channing for all the real world value they had.  For that matter, one of the kids could have been thrown out there and perhaps learned something.

So why take *any*risk under the circumstances?  So Lincecum could have a shutout for the CY race?  Seriously?  That outweighs the strategic risk of exposing your only potential franchise cornerstone to injury that could instantly destroy his ability to perform at an elite level?

If Giants fans wonder why their team is in such dismal shape, last night was a microcosm of it.  This organization hasn’t shown any ability to look past a single game, much less past a season and towards, say, potential stability and success.  Last night wasn’t even a joke.  It was a farce.

To those of you who will feel compelled to write in and say “Tim didn’t want to come out,” my response is pretty simple…My four year old wants to eat a bunch of ice cream too.  It’s kind of my job to make sure he doesn’t.  And it’s kind of Bochy’s, Sabean’s, Baer’s, and the entire occupancy of the Giants front office’s job to keep completely moronic things from happening.

Clearly, they’re not up to the task.

Josh Johnson moved to 5-1 since returning from Tommy John surgery by limiting the Nationals to two runs in six innings on Saturday. Johnson set a new career high with nine strikeouts. He’s had five games of eight strikeouts or more in 12 starts since coming off the disabled list. He had a total of two in 29 starts prior to this season. Johnson also has given up three runs or less in 11 of his last 12 starts. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom needed just 10 pitches to get the final three outs in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Washington — including a walk. It was his fourth save of the year. Lindstrom, who filled in as closer with Kevin Gregg nursing a knee injury, will apparently remain in the role even with Gregg healthy again. Lindstrom long projected as a closer and Gregg has blown nine saves this year. Lindstrom could serve as a nice No. 2 Fantasy option down the stretch since he pitches for an above-.500 team. (CBS Sports)

Atlanta closer Mike Gonzalez closed Saturday’s game one against the Mets out with a perfect ninth and the Braves won a one-run game away from home for the first time since a 7-6 victory on Aug. 9, 2007, also at Shea Stadium. Gonzalez had one K. This was the first save in a full week for Gonzalez. He’ll fall into such patterns pitching for the Braves. Think of him as just a low-end Fantasy closer. (CBS Sports)

Manager Bob Melvin announced Saturday that Chad Qualls will take over the closer’s role from Brandon Lyon. Qualls has a 1.02 ERA since August 6 and bailed Lyon out of a potential blown save on Friday night. This move probably should have been made before now; Lyon has an 11.57 ERA since the All-Star break, but has converted 26 of 31 save opportunities this season. He might not get another chance at one this year. Lyon understood the move, Melvin said. “All he wants to do is help the team win,” the manager said. “In that respect, he took it like a pro.”The change apparently won’t happen until Sunday because Qualls has been used heavily in recent games, but hurry up and grab him if it’s not too late. (Rotoworld, Rotowire, CBS Sports)

With Chad Qualls apparently unavailable, Tony Pena blew a save in the ninth and took a loss in the 10th against the Reds on Saturday. Well, the Diamondbacks did want him to learn from watching Brandon Lyon. Pena deserved better in the ninth tonight. The inning started with an infield single, and after a second single advance the runner to third, the tying run scored when Miguel Montero couldn’t hold on to Justin Upton’s throw home on Corey Patterson’s fly to right. It was ruled an unearned run. Pena later gave up a walk and a go-ahead double in the 10th. (Rotoworld)

The Dodgers defeated the Rockies on Saturday and 3B Casey Blake blasted his 20th home run on the year. Blake finished 1-for-4 and is batting .278 on the season. Outside of his daytime struggles, Blake has been a solid slugger with the Dodgers. Consider him a sleeper down the stretch — especially since the contending Dodgers will slot him as an everyday player. (CBS Sports)

The hitting star for the Brewers in a loss to Philly on Saturday was first baseman Prince Fielder. Fielder went 2-for-3 with a double. He also added a walk. He’s hitting .265. 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)

Mets SS Jose Reyes went 3-for-5 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Braves on Saturday. Reyes singled twice and added his 14th home run. He’s batting exactly .300. Reyes was an NL MVP candidate until September, but this isn’t going to be like last year’s collapse. He remains a must-start shortstop in all leagues. His slump should be out of his system for a strong finish. (CBS Sports)

Pablo Sandoval went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the Giants’ win Saturday. Batting third in the lineup, Sandoval raised his average to .337 with another multi-hit game. It looks like he’s earned a spot with the team next season. (Rotowire)

Joe Blanton and Brett Myers will start against the Brewers in Sunday’s doubleheader. Blanton will start the first game and Myers, throwing on three days rest, will take the second. (Rotoworld)

Chipper Jones (back) missed both games of a doubleheader on Saturday, but hopes to return on Sunday. “[The pain] is right in the middle of my back. I’m still having trouble bending over. I’m taking short breaths,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Jones named his son Shea after Shea Stadium because he hits so well there, and Sunday will be his last game at the park before it’s torn down. We’d think he’d play if possible, as a result. (Rotowire)

Noah Lowry (forearm) will throw two bullpen sessions and face live hitters before heading off to the Giants’ instructional league in Arizona. “The No. 1 thing is going down there and getting back to being me,” said Lowry, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season. He is also planning to play winter ball for Mazatlan in the Mexican Pacific League. (Rotoworld)

John Maine (shoulder) is expected to begin throwing Monday for the first time since he landed on the disabled list. Maine is hoping to contribute as a reliever in late September and possibly the postseason. He’s already been told that offseason surgery on his shoulder is going to be necessary. (Rotoworld)

Overall Standings

Rank Team                Batting Pitching Total Dif  Behind
---- ------------------- ------- -------- ----- ---- ------
 1   Atomic Roadrunners  42.0    40.0     82.0  2.5  0.0
 2   X-Men               31.0    39.0     70.0  0.5  12.0
 3   Shoeless Jews       32.0    33.0     65.0  -0.5 17.0
 4   Goodfellas          40.0    22.0     62.0  2.5  20.0
 4   Stanimals           25.0    37.0     62.0  4.0  20.0
 6   The Pi Train        26.0    27.0     53.0  0.5  29.0
 7   Uncle Lester        12.0    37.0     49.0  -2.0 33.0
 8   Cover Zero          26.0    13.0     39.0  -3.0 43.0
 9   Get Off Kong!       22.0    13.0     35.0  -3.0 47.0
 10  Misogynistic Padres 19.0    14.0     33.0  -1.5 49.0

Yesterday's Stats

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (9/13/08)
Player                        BA HR R RBI   SB
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Blake, Casey 3B LA        0.2500  1 1   1    0
DeWitt, Blake 3B LA       0.0000  0 2   0    0
Fielder, Prince 1B MIL    0.6667  0 0   0    0
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Headley, Chase 3B SD      0.0000  0 0   0    0
Iannetta, Chris C COL     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Jones, Chipper 3B ATL     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Milledge, Lastings LF WAS 0.3333  0 1   0    0
Moss, Brandon OF PIT      0.2000  0 0   1    0
Phillips, Brandon 2B CIN  0.0000  0 0   0    0
Reyes, Jose B. SS NYM     0.3000  1 1   1    0
Sandoval, Pablo C SF      0.5000  0 1   0    0
Teixeira, Mark 1B ANA     0.0000  0 0   0    0
Victorino, Shane CF PHI   0.3333  0 0   1    0

Atomic Roadrunners Players Yesterday (9/13/08)
Player                       ERA  K S   W WHIP
------------------------- ------ -- - --- ----
Ayala, Luis RP NYM          0.00  1 0   0 2.00
Johnson, Josh SP FLA        3.00  9 0   1 1.17
Lincecum, Tim SP SF         0.00 12 0   1 0.78
Lindstrom, Matt RP FLA      0.00  0 1   0 1.00