Atomic RoadRunners

Tim Lincecum had two more earned runs added to his total after his start Tuesday against the Rockies. A ball that was originally ruled an error on Rich Aurlila was changed to a hit after the game, taking Lincecum’s ERA from 2.58 to 2.66 and giving the league lead to Johan Santana at 2.64. The Giants are believed to be appealing the decision. Unless it’s overturned, it’s just another blow to Lincecum’s chances of winning the Cy Young. (Rotoworld)

This moved the AaRr ERA from 4.08 down to 4.09.

The Roadrunners are dealing with quite a few injuries as the season winds down, and these are affecting my stats over the final week:

Catcher: Both Chris Iannetta and Pablo Sandoval are day-to-day after weekend injuries.  Sandoval had a strained quad, while Iannetta was pulled from Sunday’s game with severe leg cramping, which isn’t good for a catcher.  Both are day-to-day over the final week.

Infield: Brandon Phillips is on the 60-Day DL due to a broken finger from two weeks ago.  Ryan Theriot’s Cubs have already clinched, and he and other regulars are being rested over the final week in preparation for the post-season.  Chipper Jones‘ latest injury is shoulder inflammation, which has limited him to pinch-hitting appearances since last Friday.  Depending on the pitching matchup, he may sit occasionally.  Even September call-up Mat Gamel admitted he was injured, and he was shut down with a sore elbow, though this is likely what caused his poor second half.

Outfield: Remember when the Roadrunners had ridiculous depth of somewhat-decent outfielders?  Well, no more.  Corey Hart is slumping badly, though at least the Brewers are striving for the wild card – they’ll trot him out there each day.  Brandon Moss just learned that he has some bad knee cartilage, and he has been shut down, and may require surgery that’ll have him miss part of Spring Training.  Ten days ago Chris Dickerson hurt his foot, and he had been hobbled.  Finally an MRI detected a hairline fracture in his heel, so he’s shut down as well.  Jody Gerut has only one start since August 27th due to a strained finger tendon, making it impossible for him to hold a bat – though he has been a pinch runner.  Gregor Blanco has been sitting of late as the Braves try to figure out which of their young outfielders will be in their plans for next season.  Blanco should be safe, but he’ll be no more than a No. 4 OF.

Pitching: The pitching isn’t in bad shape in this final week.  In addition to the Noah Lowry pickup (he was rehabbing while on the 60-Day DL when picked up), John Maine has basically been shut down for the season. Well, but no one told him that – there’s a chance he’ll be on the playoff roster (if the Mets win the wild card), but he has a bone spur that requires surgery.  Idiotic Giants manager Bruce Bochy has been driving Tim Lincecum into the ground, and yesterday’s start showed that he might not have anything left in the tank.  Lincecum of course leads the majors in pitcher abuse points, and I’d like to personally thank Bochy for ruining Lincecum’s career for a fourth-place 70-87 squad that’s 12 games out of first.

Things are starting to wind down on the 2008 season.  While it looks like we may (knock on wood) end up with the title for 2008, here are some modest goals for the final five days of the regular season:

• Average: To finish above .280 (currently at .2791). This may be difficult
• Homers and RBI: To hold off the competitors directly behind me. In HR, I have 236, while Stanimals has 232 and Misogynistic Padres has 229. In RBI, I have a 1 RBI lead over Goodfellas (960 to 959).
• Steals: I would love to finish the season with 200 steals – I’m currently at 194.
• Pitching: Basically hang on tight. 1300 K’s should be doable (I’m at 1293), and I’m 20 saves ahead of the third-place Stanimals (Uncle Lester is 11 ahead in first). ERA and WHIP are pretty stable, though I could lose a point in WHIP. And I have to hold off The Pi Train in wins – I’m up 94-93 for second place.

Prince Fielder hit a walkoff homer off T.J. Beam in the bottom of the ninth to give the Brewers a 7-5 win over the Pirates on Tuesday. Matt Capps was never used, even though he hadn’t pitched since Saturday. Instead, it was left to Beam to face the top of the order in the ninth. He retired Mike Cameron and Ray Durham, but Ryan Braun delivered an infield single and Fielder quickly ended it with a blast to right. ielder knew from the moment he made contact that he had hit his 34th homer and picked up RBI No. 99 and 100. He had been 0-4 with two strikeouts. “Dale just said: ‘No matter how you start the game, you always can win it in the ninth,’” Fielder said, referring to interim manager Dale Sveum. “Before I had two chances but I struck out.” Fielder untucked his shirt rounding first base and was mobbed by teammates at home plate. “Whether you do good or bad, usually whenever you just let your talent show, sometimes you might get them, sometimes you don’t, but at least after the game you can sleep at night, knowing you’ve been aggressive,” Fielder said. He has six homers and 19 RBI in 20 games this month. The win keeps the Brewers one game back of the Mets in the wild card. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

The Pirates have shut down Moss for the rest of the year because of a knee ailment that may require surgery. A team doctor uncovered a cartilage problem that causes friction between the bones of his left knee. After an MRI, Brandon Moss was told he has divot forming in the bone of his left knee and he’ll need surgery that could sideline him 6-8 months. Moss has been able to play despite the knee problem, but he will shut it down for the season now. “The results that came back caught me off guard,” Moss said. “It hasn’t bothered me since June, when I was playing for the Red Sox in Tampa.” Moss is expected to be on crutches for two months after the operation. He’ll need an additional 4-6 months of rehab after that, making him questionable for the start of 2009.

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that Brandon Moss is seeking a second opinion in the hopes of avoiding knee surgery that would sideline him for 4-6 months. “I’ll take into account what they say,” Moss said. “But I know my body, and I know I feel fine.” Moss has hit just .222 since joining the Pirates, but is adament that he hasn’t experienced pain since the trade. Either way, Moss is done for this season and Steve Pearce will likely replace him in right field for the final week. (Rotoworld)

Moss, who turned 25 last week, has played in 45 games for the Pirates, batting .222 with six homers and 23 RBI in 158 at-bats. This injury could make him an injury risk for the beginning of the 2009 season. He should enter spring 2009 with a starting job, but we don’t see him doing much better than a .280-15-80-75-5 Fantasy line if he gets full-time at-bats. (CBS Sports)

Tim Lincecum surrendered six runs — four earned — in 4 1/3 innings Tuesday in a loss to the Rockies. Forget the long-tern injury ramifications for a second: it just might be that this extra effort the Giants have made to get Lincecum a Cy Young Award could cost him the hardware. The ugly outing tonight pushed his ERA up to 2.58, leaving him barely ahead of Johan Santana (2.64) for the league lead. If Lincecum doesn’t stay in first place there, then voters would seem to be a lot less likely to overlook his win total compared to Brandon Webb’s. Oh, and about the long-term ramifications: Lincecum threw 102 pitches tonight, most of them from the stretch. For all anyone knows, that may have actually taken more of a toll than his 138-pitch shutout earlier this month. (Rotoworld)

Jose Reyes knocked in three runs in the Mets’ 6-2 victory over the Cubs, pulling New York within 1 1/2 game of the Phillies. Finishing the night 2-for-4, Reyes tripled with the bases loaded in the big four-run sixth inning. The triple was the 200th hit on the season for Reyes. Unlike a season ago, when Reyes’ production evaporated to .251/.316/.402 in the second-half of 2007, he has been a catalyst for the Mets, hitting .295/.348/.470 as New York vies for a playoff spot. The Mets’ victory ended a three-game losing streak. (Rotoworld)

Blake DeWitt went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk Tuesday in the rout of the Padres. The numbers suggest that the Dodgers would have been at least as well off sticking with DeWitt at third base rather than acquiring Casey Blake to play over him during the final two months, but it’s turned out that the Dodgers needed both with Jeff Kent going down. DeWitt is hitting .286 with three homers, 12 RBI and 14 walks in 63 at-bats this month. DeWitt has proven to have pop in his bat, but he is a streaky young infielder who will have to earn regular at-bats heading into spring 2009 at this point. If Jeff Kent retires, DeWitt is the likely starting second baseman for the Dodgers and that would give him decent value in deeper leagues. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Mets acting closer Luis Ayala picked up his 9th save on Tuesday against the Cubs. Ayala went 2/3 of an inning for the save. Ayala has a dreadful ERA and he’s a low-end No. 2 Fantasy option down the stretch for the Mets. He will likely enter 2009 as just a middle reliever. (CBS Sports)

Atlanta closer Mike Gonzalez finished off the Phillies on Tuesday for his 14th save of the season. Gonzalez allowed one walk and had one strikeout. Gonzalez is a sleeper at the closer position down the stretch. He has had some struggles lately, but you had to expect a few as he comes back from Tommy John surgery. Unfortunately, the Braves don’t give him many save opportunities. (CBS Sports)

Ryan Theriot got a day off Tuesday after the Cubs clinched home-field advantage on Monday, the Associated Press reports. Theriot could likely use a couple days off to help break his recent slump. However, Piniella insists he will play competitive lineups this week, so expect Theriot to play a couple more times this week. Ronny Cedeno got the start at shortstop. (Rotowire)

Lastings Milledge’s hot second half continued Tuesday with a 3-for-4, three RBI day on Tuesday. Milledge is over .300 since the All-Star break and is making a strong case for potential fantasy suitors next year. (Rotowire)

Braves 3B Chipper Jones wasn’t in the starting lineup for the fourth straight game Tuesday at Philadelphia because of right shoulder inflammation. Jones has said he can’t really throw or swing the bat like he should with his shoulder in its current condition, so he might remain just a pinch hitter over the final week. We don’t think he gets a full week of at-bats, and shoulders notoriously sap a slugger’s power. (CBS Sports)

A day after throwing a 25-pitch simulated game, John Maine (bone spur in right shoulder) said he felt only normal soreness Tuesday and is “good enough to go out there,” the NY Daily News reports. Maine is hoping he’ll be activated to pitch out of the bullpen as soon as Wednesday, but acknowledged it’s “in management’s hands. It’s not my call.”Manager Jerry Manuel has been reluctant to activate Maine, but the team may need to take the chance that he can help out a beleaguered bullpen. (Rotowire, CBS Sports)

Chris Iannetta started Tuesday and went 0-for-2 with two walks and two RBI. Iannetta left Sunday’s game because of leg cramps. (Rotoworld)