You prayed for this day not to happen.
In fact you pleaded, begged, and bargained for it not to happen. The needle starts to go haywire on the seismograph at CalTech, as geologists nervously watch. Confirming their worst fears, the red phone rings.
GEOLOGIST: 'Hello...'
VOICE ON OTHER LINE: 'It happened...'
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WONDER WHY HERGES, MANTEI, AND RHODES OWNERS GET THAT FEELING THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE SWEPT UP??? |
OTHER LINE: 'They just brought in Mantei to pitch the ninth.
GEOLOGIST: 'So what�s the big deal???'
OTHER LINE: 'He just (expletive deleted) Brandon Webb out of a win.'
Ah, yes. Opposite field 2-iron shots making a dent out of a warehouse. Second-deck, third deck, home runs off rock formations, video boards, train tracks, Viagra ads, you name it, no landmark is safe. The disaster comes complete with an All-Star cast including Jose Contreras, David Riske, Matt Herges, Arthur Rhodes, Billy Koch, Kyle Farnsworth, Damian Moss, and the entire Colorado Rockies staff. But just as in any Irwin Allen camp classic, there are other characters out there whose mission is to the save the world, with that in mind we bring you the following�
Jose Valverde � Was ripped by some for a wild outing in Colorado early in the season, but events that occur in Coors Field (not unlike Area 51) really do not exist, it�s another dimension, just like Mark DeRosa�s four-error game never happened. Let�s look at the real facts with JV. First he goes 6�4� two-fity-four. That�s not bad. Now lets dissect the stats, opponents hit all of .137 last year off Valverde, throw out the Colorado experience and the league is hitting .130 off him. By comparison, opponents hit .133 off Eric Gagne last year. The downside with JV is the control, he walks about one batter every two innings, but that seems to be the only way hitters get on base off him. The original plan was for Matt Mantei to close so they could get some trade value off him, but that is out the window now that Mantei has gone the Billy Koch route. If you haven�t gotten Valverde off the waiver wire, it�s too late � especially after he struck out the side in his first save opp. However, he will be a nice buy in CDM (950), and the sooner you can get him the better. Look for Valverde to be the best closer this side of Gagne from here on out.
Ben Sheets � Like Adrian Beltre on the hitting side, you just have to be patient on some of the younger phenoms. The 2000 Olympic hero is still only 25. If the 3.25 ERA/.97 ratio doesn�t impress you this will, 34 K�s and just three walks in his first 36 innings pitched. That is Greg Maddux-like stuff. A balky back that tends to act up while Sheets bats is a drawback, and don�t be surprised to see a trade to an AL team somewhere down the road if the Brewers can get another Richie Sexson-sweetheart like deal.
Roger Clemens � There always seems to be someone in the movies who is literally dragged out of retirement to solve just one more case. Clemens has stormed to win his first six games (no other pitcher has won even five) along with a sub-two ERA, down from 4.35 and 3.91 in his last two years in New York. So he gets a few extra perks like getting to skip road trips if it�s not his turn, so what. Don�t think he can quite keep on this pace but serious Cy Young contention not out of the question.
Javier Vazquez � It�s safe to say he has seen the last time he will be checked by security at the Stadium for the foreseeable future. Best control man this year besides Sheets, walking only six in 35.1 innings. 2.55 ERA and a sparkling .82 ratio, and that�s with a shaky outing in Beantown thrown in which will be forgiven. As I suspected, he has exploded now that he�s escaped Montreal.
Randy Johnson � Another win for the over-40 crowd, with 51 K�s in 40.2 innings. As long as the knee is fine the Unit is as good as ever.But there are others who believe the Day After Tomorrow can�t come a moment too soon. John Hunt�s All-Roto team for April came out in this week�s Sports Weekly. Barry Bonds was deemed the most valuable batter of April, being worth $64. Other top hitters included perennial rent-a-player Reggie Sanders ($52), Carlos Beltran ($52), Marcus Giles ($48), Scott Rolen ($47), Manny Ramirez ($45), Michael Young ($43), and Adam Dunn ($39). Members of the all-bust team included catcher Ramon Castro ($9), Morgan Ensberg ($10), Austin Kearns ($10) and Vernon Wells ($8).
Brewer first baseman Lyle Overbay has been cast as a Sean Casey/Mark Grace-type first baseman, which doesn�t sound attractive since that usually means not a lot of power #�s at a position that demands it. Well, Overbay is hitting .317 in his first 27 games with 3 HR and 25 RBI. Meanwhile Hee Seop Choi sits at .268 with 9 HR/18 RBI. Not a bad combo whose CDM salaries go for 400 each.
And then there are the backups. Filling in for Torii Hunter, Minnesota�s Lew Ford took off, hitting a hefty .380 with 3 HR, 18 RBI. Ford once hit four homers in a AA games and stole 52 bases in low-A ball back in 2000. Hunter has returned and is obviously still the starter in center, but look for Ford to see regular time at any of the three outfield positions as well as DH.
I�ve also been telling you about Keith Ginter since Spring Training, who has five HR in 55 AB�s playing a utility role in Milwaukee. Junior Spivey has been resting a sore hammy this week, but I like Ginter�s chances of getting regular work even when Spivey returns since third baseman Wes Helms is doing a great Jose Hernandez impersonation. I look for Helms to become the utility man, filling in at first and third.