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

Blake DeWitt went hitless on Thursday and is hitting .189 with no RBI through 11 games this month. With Andy LaRoche up, DeWitt has picked a bad time to go into a slump. He’ll be in danger of losing playing time to Andy LaRoche if this keeps up. (Rotoworld)

The Los Angeles Times reports that Andy LaRoche will start Wednesday and “the Dodgers plan to use him regularly against left-handed starters.” It’s unclear whether he’ll be replacing Blake DeWitt at third base or James Loney at first base. LaRoche could take everyday at-bats from DeWitt, or perhaps even more the less powerful DeWitt over to second base behind Jeff Kent. “We’ll find somebody whose place he’ll take against left-handers,” manager Joe Torre said. “Now that he’s here, we have to find places to get him enough at-bats so he can help us.” (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Blake DeWitt was scratched from Thursday’s game due to lower-back pain. There’s no word on the severity of the injury, but it’s bad timing for DeWitt, who was making a strong case to keep the starting job even after Nomar Garciaparra returns. For today, Russell Martin will start at third. DeWitt is hitting .320, so the Dodgers are certainly anxious to get him back in the lineup. The back doesn’t seem to be anything to be concerned about. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Dodgers 3B Blake DeWitt went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored Sunday against the Astros and is batting .458 (11-for-24) with two home runs over his last seven games. DeWitt has the full-time third base job for the forseeable future and is a sleeper in deeper leagues, most notably NL-only formats. He doesn’t have a whole lot of power potential for a third baseman, but he could develop into a 15-20 homer guy in his prime. (CBS Sports)

Blake DeWitt went 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run on Tuesday night. DeWitt finished the night with with two runs scored and four RBI, and has hit his first two major league home runs in back-to-back games. His inside-the-park shot was hit to deep right field, where Ryan Church nearly made an impressive catch at the wall. The ball stayed in the yard and bounced away from Church, who stayed on the ground for a couple seconds before realizing Angel Pagan wasn’t backing him up. He got up and threw the ball into the infield, but by then DeWitt was on his way home. (Rotoworld)

Blake DeWitt hit his first major league homer Monday versus the Mets. Russell Martin is suddenly an option at third base, but DeWitt will play there against righties until Nomar Garciaparra gets back. And the Dodgers should be in absolutely no hurry for Garciaparra to get back. They’re clearly better off without him. (Rotoworld)

The Dodgers have taken Andy LaRoche off the DL and sent him to Triple-A. Blake DeWitt appears to have earned the full-time job at third base in Los Angeles at this point. Dewitt is a slightly more intriguing option in NL-only leagues now that he isn’t in danger of losing his job in the near future. He will get the month of May to prove capable of being the full-time third baseman for the rest of the season. We think he is better suited in a reserve role on a contender like the Dodgers, so expect LaRoche to take this job by June at this point. (CBS Sports)

Blake DeWitt was 2-for-5 with a triple and four RBI Wednesday in a 13-1 thrashing of the Marlins. DeWitt is now up to an impressive .279/.364/.397. That’s he’s doing this with very little upper-level minor league experience is quite impressive. DeWitt hasn’t homered in 68 at-bats, but he does have six extra-base hits and a fine 10:8 K:BB. How the Dodgers could ever turn back to Nomar Garciaparra (calf) as their regular third baseman is beyond us. (Rotowire)

Dodgers 3B Blake Dewitt had two singles in four at-bats during Tuesday’s game against the Marlins. He has hit safely in all three games (4-for-12) since his recall Saturday when Nomar Garciaparra (calf) went on the 15-day DL. DeWitt has two RBI since his recall. DeWitt is a patient hitter who showed he has decent potential as an everyday major leaguer. However, with bigger prospect Andy LaRoche set to return from his own injury soon, DeWitt might not have Fantasy appeal for long. He’s better left for NL-only leagues. (CBS Sports)

Blake DeWitt will be recalled Saturday to replace the injured Nomar Garciaparra (calf) as the team’s starting third baseman, the Dodgers’ official site reports. Garciaparra left Friday night’s game against the Rockies with the injury. With Blake DeWitt getting sent down on Thursday and the Dodgers having no other third basemen on the roster, Russell Martin had to go from behind the plate to replace Garciaparra at third base. Strange roster management by the Dodgers - who could have foreseen Nomar possibly getting hurt? DeWitt makes the flight back to Los Angeles after having just flown to Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday. He’ll bat eighth in the lineup. (Rotowire)

The Dodgers optioned rookie 3B Blake DeWitt to Triple-A Las Vegas Thursday and promoted RP Cory Wade because the Dodgers needed a 12th pitcher to replenish a battered bullpen. Wade, who will turn 25 next month, made his big league debut with a hitless ninth after four-plus seasons in the minors. DeWitt has not been starting much since the return of Nomar Garciaparra. So instead of having the youngster waste away in the majors, he can get some at-bats in the minors. The Dodgers wanted to go with 12 pitchers and chose to recall reliever Cory Wade, necessitating DeWitt’s demotion. Nomar Garciaparra is now the only Los Angeles player with third base experience on the 25-man roster. DeWitt is likely to return at some point in 2008, but is nothing more than a NL-only Fantasy option. (CBS Sports, Rotowire)

After going 1-for-10 while struggling defensively in his first three games back from the disabled list, Nomar Garciaparra was benched Sunday in favor of Blake DeWitt. “I don’t think he is where he needs to be yet,” manager Joe Torre said. “I think we still have a little time to evaluate where he is when he gets back to full strength. I’m going to try to get him every opportunity because that’s my job as a manager, to try to get everyone in position where they’re going to help your ball club.” Joe Torre isn’t solid on Garciaparra as an everyday option at third base, but he’ll continue to get at-bats so that he can be evaluated. (Rotoworld)

Nomar Garciaparra was activated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday by the Los Angeles Dodger. Garciaparra, who went 3-for-10 with Las Vegas during his three-game minor league rehab stint, returned to Los Angeles Tuesday to confer with the training staff and manager Joe Torre. Garciaparra hit seventh against Pittsburgh lefty Paul Maholm Wednesday, bumping rookie Blake DeWitt from the lineup. DeWitt started the first 14 games, committing only one error while showing good range and a strong arm. He was batting .261 with five RBI and eight walks, reaching base in all but one game. When he singled against Barry Zito in the season opener, DeWitt became the first Dodgers player to get a hit in his first big league at-bat on opening day since 1969, when Bill Russell doubled against Cincinnati’s Jim Merritt. Garciaparra and backup third baseman Andy LaRoche were injured in the same exhibition game March 8 at Vero Beach, Fla. Both opened on the DL, along with Tony Abreu, giving DeWitt a chance to be the Dodgers’ fifth opening day third baseman in five years instead of beginning the season with Double-A Jacksonville. “The best thing that’s come out of the whole bad luck part of (the rash of injuries to the third base position) was Blake DeWitt,” Torre said. “We certainly got a peek at a guy who didn’t come to spring training with it, and found himself playing on opening day. So whatever happens for him from here on out has certainly been a positive for him and us both.” DeWitt will likely remain with the team for now, but could eventually be headed back to the minors. He remains a low-end NL-only Fantasy option. (CBS Sports)

Blake DeWitt went 0-for-2 in Saturday’s loss to the Padres and played after getting hit in the back of the right arm with a Jake Peavy fastball. The injury swelled up after the game but he expects to play Sunday, reports the Dodgers’ official website.  Shouldn’t be any worries here. DeWitt is off to a great start and could make the Dodgers think twice about sending him down when Nomar Garciaparra (hand) returns from the DL. (Rotowire)

Dodgers 3B Blake Dewitt isn’t looking like the fourth-string third baseman during this first week of the season. Dewitt went 3-for-4 on Wednesday in a 2-1 loss to the Giants to raise his average to .556.  Dewitt is playing very well so far, but isn’t likely to hold onto his starting spot at the hot corner once Nomar Garciaparra, Andy LaRoche or Tony Abreu return from injury. He does warrant attention in deeper NL-only leagues at this point, however.  (CBS Sports)