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

Baseball Prospectus recently released the results of the 17th Annual Internet Baseball Awards. Blake Dewitt finished ninth in the balloting. Below are the results:

Rnk Name                        1      2      3       B       P
  1. Geovany Soto             1178     63     17    1258    6096
  2. Joey Votto                 74    618    242     934    2466
  3. Jair Jurrjens              26    302    324     652    1360
  4. Jay Bruce                  21    105    131     257     551
  5. Hiroki Kuroda               8     93    111     212     430
  6. Kosuke Fukudome            10     23     31      64     150
  7. Clayton Kershaw             5     26     31      62     134
  8. Johnny Cueto                0     25     33      58     108
  9. Blake Dewitt                1     11     16      28      54
 10. John Lannan                 0     11     20      31      53

 14. Jorge Campillo              1      5     12      18      32
 14. Chase Headley               1      5     12      18      32
 18. Pablo Sandoval              1      4      6      11      23
 25. Gregor Blanco               0      2      1       3       7
 29. Brandon Moss                1      0      0       1       5
 33. Manny Acosta                0      1      0       1       3
 33. Chris Dickerson             0      0      3       3       3
 33. Greg Reynolds               0      0      3       3       3

On Friday, Reds OF Chris Dickerson had a small piece of bone removed from his left ankle related to a stress fracture, an operation done by Reds medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek. Dickerson is expected to be ready for spring training. Dickerson was a nice rookie surprise and might have done enough to be considered a starter entering next season. Consider him a sleeper in deeper leagues on Draft Day 2009. (CBS Sports)

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.

FAAB Acquisition:

• P Jason Motte, Cardinals [$0 bid, reserve]

Up:

• OF Corey Hart

Down:

• OF Chris Dickerson

Cut:

• P James Parr

Notes:

• This is the final week of roster moves for the 2008 season.
• The Atomic Roadrunners have had 71 different players on the roster this season.
• Of the “original” 36 players from Draft Day, 19 remain.

Chris Dickerson will undergo surgery Friday for a stress fracture in his heel. He’s been sidelined with what had been considered Achilles’ tendon soreness. “The MRI yesterday showed a stress fracture,” Dickerson said. “It’s kind of relief. I know I’m not going crazy. The orthodics weren’t working. It’s surgery but it’s minor surgery.” Dickerson has made a case to open next year as the Reds’ center fielder, but the team figures to bring in some competition. He hit .304/.413/.608 in 102 at-bats this season. (Rotoworld)

Chris Dickerson was held out of the lineup Thursday with soreness in his achilles tendon. Manager Dusty Baker is hoping Dickerson will be able to return this season, but he isn’t sure it will happen. “I’m a little worried,” Baker said. “The Achilles is no joke. How to prevent it I don’t know. He’s getting treatment.” Dickerson has been fitted for a special pair of cleats with orthotic inserts, but his progress in adjusting to them has been slow. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Chris Dickerson (Achilles’ tendon) was once again out of the Reds’ lineup on Wednesday, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. With Edwin Encarnacion also out, the Reds’ lineup is looking even more emaciated than usual. Of the eight position players, only Joey Votto and Jay Bruce can remotely be considered regulars. (Rotowire)

FAAB Acquisition:

• P James Parr, Braves [$0 bid, reserve]

Up:

• OF Chris Dickerson
• SS Ryan Theriot
• P Mike Gonzalez

Down:

• OF Corey Hart
• 2B Brandon Phillips
• P Brandon Lyon

Cut:

• P Jaime Garcia

Notes:

• MI Blake DeWitt moves from MI to 2B, and Theriot is activated at MI
• Stanimals acquired former Roadrunner C Carlos Ruiz in an attempt to bolster his lineup.  Stanimals and Goodfellas are tied for fourth place.

Chris Dickerson rejoined the starting lineup on Friday and went 2-for-3 with a walk. Dickerson was limited to pinch-hitting duties over the previous five days because of a sore left ankle. (Rotoworld)

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Chris Dickerson (ankle) “probably won’t start again until Friday.” Dickerson missed his third straight start Tuesday. Dickerson’s ankle is improving, but with expanded rosters, the Reds can afford to be patient. “He’s still sore, and I didn’t want to take a chance on him rushing that,” Baker said. “Plus with CC (Sabathia, who starts against the Reds on Wednesday), he won’t play [Wednesday] and then we have an off-day. So that gives him a good three or four days to get this thing better. We’ll need him for Arizona and [Brandon] Webb on Friday. I’ll need all the left-handed hitters I can get.” (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Up:

• OF Chase Headley
• 2B Blake DeWitt

Down:

• OF Chris Dickerson
• SS Ryan Theriot

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)

Reds manager Dusty Baker hopes Chris Dickerson isn’t infected with what he calls home run-itis after hitting six home runs in his first 20 major league games. Dickerson has no minor league track record of being a power hitter. Baker hopes the 425-foot home run Dickerson hit the opposite way Wednesday against the Pirates shows him he doesn’t have to muscle up and pull. “I remember him having some pop in spring training,” said Baker. “It is a matter of learning to channel and control that pop versus seeing him surprisingly pop one.” Dickerson extended his hitting streak to seven games (10-for-26) and has hit safely in 17 of 20 games since his recall from the minors. He is one of the Reds hottest hitters and is finding everyday at-bats. Use him as a stopgap Fantasy option until he starts to cool down. (CBS Sports)

Chris Dickerson went 1-for-5 with a solo home run as the Reds lost to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Dickerson is pretty hot right now as he’s got hits in seven of his last eight games with three homers and six RBI. Not to mention a couple stolen bases and several walks. Oh, and 10 runs scored, too. Dickerson is hitting a solid .320 atop the Reds lineup and is making some noise in deeper mixed Rotisserie leagues right now. In 75 at-bats, Dickerson now has six homers, including two games in a row, despite managing just 11 dingers in 349 minor league at-bats this season. He also hit just .287 at Triple-A this year, so the average will likely start to regress. Dickerson has provided a big spark to the Reds since his call-up, dazzling with a blend of power and speed while hitting for good average. Fantasy owners suffering in the outfield could do worse than the hot-hitting young Red. (Rotoworld, Rotowire, CBS Sports)

Chris Dickerson went 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks on Tuesday. Dickerson has been playing well in his every day role, hitting .329 out of the leadoff position. He is a great candidate for deeper leagues to help down the stretch. (Rotowire)