Atomic RoadRunners

Nationals RP Brian Bruney allowed an unearned run in the top of the eighth on Friday, but was helped by three runs in the bottom of the inning to earn his first win as a National. Brewers Casey McGehee singled off Bruney to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a Alberto Gonzalez error. He later scored on a Gregg Zaun sac fly to give the Brewers the lead. Bruney would have been on the hook for the loss but the Nationals rallied in the bottom half of the inning to give Bruney the victory. Nice to see Bruney get his first win with his new team. He went 5-0 with a 3.92 ERA last year with the Yankees. However, as a middle man with the Nationals, he does not pose much value in Fantasy except in the deepest of NL-only leagues. (CBS Sports)

Due to the injury to Daniel Murphy, Spring Training NRI Mike Jacobs got the Opening Day start at 1B for the Mets. Initially batting cleanup, he was moved down in the lineup as he became more and more ineffective. Jacobs was designated for assignment last weekend after batting .208/.296/.375 in 24 at-bats. Finally, on April 18th, Jacobs was designated for assignment by the Mets, as they brought up 2008 first-round draft pick Ike Davis to start. Jacobs later accepted his assignment to AAA Buffalo, where he will likely spend the entire season.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• RP Sean Marshall, Cubs ($0 bid)
• RP Burke Badenhop, Marlins ($0 bid) – Add to Actives

Up:

• RP Takashi Saito

Down:

• RP  Nick Masset
• RP LaTroy Hawkins

Cut:

• RP Brian Bruney
• 1B Mike Jacobs

Notes:

• On April 18th, the Mets designated 1B Mike Jacobs for assignment, and called up 1B prospect Ike Davis.  Jacobs would later accept the assignment to become 1B at AAA Buffalo.
• On April 20th, Major League Baseball announced that Reds SP Edinson Volquez was suspended 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug (PED).  Volquez’s suspension starts tomorrow (April 21) and will be served concurrently with his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery while he’s on the 60-Day Disabled List.
• Contingent Bids:
  • The contingent bid for the Sean Marshall acquisition was a $0 bid on Pirates reliever Joel Hanrahan.
  • The contingent bid for the Burke Badenhop acquisition was a $0 bid on Brewers reliever Carlos Villanueva, followed by a $0 bid on Cubs starter Carlos Silva
• Sean Marshall re-joins the Atomic Roadrunners for his third season.  Marshall was also on the 2007  and 2008 squads.
  • 2007 – FAAB selection for $6 on May 29th, stayed on the roster all season, not protected.
  • 2008 – FAAB selection for $2 on June 24th, stayed on the roster one week, released July 1st.

Mets designated first baseman Mike Jacobs for assignment to make to make room on the team’s roster for reliever Tobi Stoner. Signed to a minor league deal this offseason, Jacobs had a golden opportunity to seize the starting first base job in New York after Daniel Murphy went down. Instead, he hit 208/.296/.375 in 24 at-bats, some of which came in the cleanup spot, where Jerry Manuel started him on Opening Day. The guess here is that Ike Davis is about to receive a promotion, leaving Jacobs, likely to clear waivers with the way he has played the last two years, the starting first baseman at Triple-A. His days as a starter in the major leagues appear to be over. “I think we gave him an opportunity,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “We just felt that we didn’t quite see what we wanted to see. I am a Jacobs fan and it’s a tough, tough deal.” Jacobs didn’t sound willing to take a minor league assignment if he got stuck behind prospect Ike Davis. “I don’t see how I’m going to have playing time down there,” Jacobs said. “I’m not going to go down there and sit on the bench, I’ll tell you that, that’s for sure. … I’m definitely not going to waste my time doing that. So, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll be going home.” Jacobs was batting .208 with one home run for the Mets this year. Fantasy owners should disregard Jacobs unless he is called back up to the majors. (Rotowire, Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Mike Jacobs, who is making his fourth start of the season on Sunday, is now batting from the No. 5 spot on manager Jerry Manuel’s lineup card, Kevin Burkhardt of SNY TV reports. He’s been the primary option at first base against right-handed starters thus far, but Jacobs is just 1-for-11 (.091) with a 1:4 BB:K mark. It’s fair to say that his playing time will drop off once Danny Murphy returns to action barring some rapid improvement in the next couple of weeks. (Rotowire)

Mets 1B Mike Jacobs lasted only two games in the cleanup spot for the Mets. He was moved to the fifth spot with Jason Bay moving up to fourth for Friday’s game against the Mets. Jacobs went 1 for 9 (.111) in the opening series against the Marlins. Jacobs is playing first with Daniel Murphy on the 15-day disabled list. He got off to a very slow start in the first series of the season and seems to have wasted an opportunity for at least a while’s worth of cleanup at bats. He’ll still be hitting in the middle of the order, however, for now. He was once a promising prospect, but has become just a stopgap measure at the major league level. Consider him in the same mold for Fantasy. (CBS Sports)

Mike Jacobs went 0-for-4 and struck out twice as the Mets’ cleanup man on Monday. Because the Mets needed to have an easy out to break up the long at-bats from David Wright and Jason Bay? Jacobs isn’t a horrible choice to play against righties while Daniel Murphy is out, but there’s no good reason to bat him fourth. (Rotoworld)

Mike Jacobs will platoon with Fernando Tatis at first base to open the season, David Lennon of NY Newsday reports. Starting against right-handed pitchers, the left-handed hitting Jacobs will get the larger share of the playing time while Danny Murphy is out. He’ll also get to bat between David Wright and Jason Bay, as that’s where manager Jerry Manuel prefers him at this time. Jacobs is only hitting .209 this spring, but he has launched four home runs. Mets manager Jerry Manuel plans to bat him cleanup between David Wright and Jason Bay on Opening Day, a pretty good gig if you can get it. That doesn’t mean he’s recommended in fantasy leagues. (Rotowire, Rotoworld)

Mike Jacobs hit his third homer Thursday off the Nationals’ Jason Marquis. Except for the abysmal defense and the complete lack of on-base skills, Jacobs is a great choice to start at first base for the Mets with Daniel Murphy out. He’s hitting .205 this spring. (Rotoworld)

Christian Friedrich – Starting Pitcher – Rockies
Selection: 1st Round, 2nd Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Best available prospect, was high on him coming into the draft. AAA-Colorado Springs. May be up in September 2010.

Chris Volstad – Starting Pitcher – Marlins
Selection: 2nd Round, 10th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Best available starter, No. 4 starter for Marlins, should be decent, possibly low strikeouts, bad peripherals.

Takashi Saito – Relief Pitcher – Braves
Selection: 2nd Round, 19th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Set-up guy with great numbers, may close if Billy Wagner falters.

Ronny Paulino – Catcher – Marlins
Selection: 4th Round, 28th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Platoon catcher with John Baker. Some pop, generally high batting average, moreso than some starters. Will play while Buster Posey is in AAA.

Brian Bruney – Relief Pitcher – Nationals
Selection: 4th Round, 30th Pick overall (acquired from The Pi Train)
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Set-up guy with chance to close in unsettled Nationals pen, espcially if Matt Capps goes wild again.

Cristian Guzman – Shortstop – Nationals
Selection: 5th Round, 38th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Former starter, expensive enough to get traded or playing time, depending on how Ian Desmond and Adam Kennedy do.

Willy Taveras – Outfielder – Nationals
Selection: 6th Round, 48th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $10
Notes: Weak-hitting speedster, who may just platoon in right field with Willie Harris. Don’t plan on activating until he secures playing time, or if I’m desperate for steals.

Nick Masset – Relief Pitcher – Reds
Selection: 7th Round, 58th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $5
Notes: Top Reds set-up pitcher for Francisco Cordero, should have good vulture opportunities with that offense behind him, some save chances.

Mike Jacobs – First Baseman – Mets
Selection: 8th Round, 68th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $5
Notes: 20-HR power, with nothing else, and bad OBP, but due to injuries, may get the start on Opening Day.

Juan Gutierrez – Relief Pitcher – Diamondbacks
Selection: 9th Round, 78th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $5
Notes: Top D’Backs set-up man for Chad Qualls, who is still returning from a knee injury. Got 8 saves last September, and Qualls is a free agent next year.

Tyler Clippard – Relief Pitcher – Nationals
Selection: 10th Round, 88th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $5
Notes: Former Yankees starting prospect, found success in bullpen, with very good strikeout ratios, and a slight chance at saves.

LaTroy Hawkins – Relief Pitcher – Brewers
Selection: 11th Round, 98th Pick overall
Salary (assigned): $5
Notes: Brewers’ set-up pitcher, had 11 saves last year for Astros, and he’s backing up 40-year-old Trevor Hoffman.