For the first time in Roto Arcade history, the Weekly Rundown and Closing Time are joining forces this season, a pairing equivalent to ice-cold beer and any tubed meat, to keep you covered on the present while providing a glimpse into the future. Batter up!
AL East heavyweights Boston and Tampa have just one win. One of the Rays' marquee offseason acquisitions, Manny Ramirez, who yours truly predicted would deliver a "38 special" this season, abruptly retired amid another substance-related controversy. And consensus No. 1 pick Albert Pujols remained trapped in a quagmire of suck.
Yep, it was just another week in an already topsy-turvy baseball season.
While A-Pooh hobbyists continue to sink their sorrows in pints of Budweiser, another Cardinal bat is quietly stating his case for regular playing time.
Though his name sounds more like a photographer for the royal wedding than a rising baseball star, Allen Craig is a versatile commodity that could soon pay a princely dividend for wire prospectors in competitive formats.
Filling in for appendix-lite All-Star Matt Holliday, Craig has turned heads. Outside of his embarrassing Golden Sombrero against he Giants on Friday, the 26-year-old has performed well, collecting at least one RBI in three of his past five games. He's also flashed uncharacteristic speed on the bases, stealing two bags. Blessed with plus power and plate discipline, the organizations fifth-best prospect according to Baseball America could be on the verge of finally making his mark in the majors. Looking at his eye-catching minor league profile, Craig definitely demands your attention. His sterling four-cat production in Springfield (Double-A) and Memphis (Triple-A) is enough to trigger deep leaguers' salivary glands. From Fangraphs:
Craig struggled mightily during a brief early season audition last year, reaching base safely only once in 18 at-bats. However, in his second act with the senior club, he appeared more comfortable and confident tallying a .284 AVG with four homers and 18 RBI in 95 post-break at-bats. His strong 2010 finish, extreme dedication this past offseason to mechanical improvements ? he drove two-hours roundtrip a dozen times to work with hitting coach Mark McGwire ? and stellar spring were obvious signs to Tony LaRussa and McGwire, the overlooked bench player is an emerging talent who needs consistent playing time. From the Post-Dispatch:
"Getting him in there is not easy," La Russa said. "But I'm going to try. ... I think he's a legitimate force."
Echoed McGwire: "His numbers in the minor leagues say what they say. He's an RBI machine. I truly believe if Allen Craig is given 500 to 600 at-bats in a year ... I would not be surprised if he hits 20 to 25 (homers). He is an absolute threat from the outfield, the infield, wherever they decide to find a position for him. He's that good."
When Holliday returns, which could be as early as late next week, Craig's playing time will indeed get complicated. But because of David Freese's ineffectual start (.158 BA), it's very possible he could force a platoon at third. If he swings a hot-stick initially, it's fathomable he could take over the gig full-time. He could also wrest away at-bats from Lance Berkman in right, especially against southpaws.
Considering his defensive flexibility and runs-driving upside, Craig is a player of interest in deeper leagues. Juggling butcher knives may seem more appealing to the shallow-minded, but he's at least worth watching. With 450-plus at-bats, he's capable of achieving numbers in range of .285-15-70-65-6, a poor man's Michael Young.
In a game where unpredictability often reigns supreme, the St. Louis sleeper could be the next useful player to surface from the depths of the unknown.
?In other Cardinals news, Ryan Franklin continues to do his best Joe Borowski impersonation. The shaky closer blew his third save of the season Saturday in San Francisco, allowing two runs in the ninth. If a change is made, LaRussa may turn to a Jason Motte-led committee. Mitchell Boggs, who's looked solid in early action, and former Toronto closer Miguel Batista could also be in the mix. Desperate saves seekers need to stock up.
? Russell Martin is quietly undergoing a career resurgence. The Yankees backstop smacked around the rival Red Sox, launching his second and third homers of the season. He drove in four. Due to the hype surrounding buzzy prospect Jesus Montero, most circumvented the former Dodger on draft day. Still only 28, it appears he could flirt with the catcher top-10 by year's end. Martin's excellent contact profile, discerning eye and regular PT in a loaded lineup are definitely appealing.
? Orioles top pitching prospect Zach Britton has officially turned the tassel. Over 7.2 innings against the dangerous Rangers, the southpaw dominated. He scattered just four hits (zero earned runs), walked three and struck out two. He also coaxed 14 groundball outs. Though he'll likely deliver only marginal strikeout numbers, the rookie should prove helpful in ERA and WHIP. Equipped with advanced command and a nasty sinker, he definitely has the make-up of a strong SP4. He needs to graduate from waivers in shallow mixers. Next up: the not-so-scary Indians.
? Several hours removed from Matt Thornton's self-destruction against Tampa, drooled-over prospect Chris Sale picked up the save against the Rays. Unfortunately, the rookie's outing was anything but smooth. After surrendering a leadoff homer to Felipe Lopez, he managed to settle down, retiring three of the next four. The lanky southpaw has closer-caliber stuff, but is still very wet behind the ears. Ozzie Guillen is committed to Thornton, for now. However, if the veteran's implosions continue, Sale, and dark-horse Sergio Santos, could be in line to pick up the pieces.
? Universally picked by the Yahoo! panel in our fantasy mag to be this year's Colby Lewis, Milwaukee's Chris Narveson is already living up to the advanced billing. Including Saturday's brilliant effort against the Cubs, he has not allowed an earned run in 13 innings. More enticingly, he's struck out 15. The 29-year-old boasts one of the filthiest curveballs in the game along with an effective fastball, slider and change. Picking up where he left off at the end of 2010 ? the lefty posted a 3.89 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 7.33 K/9 after the break ? he is quickly becoming a strong breakout candidate. Throw him a life raft in 12-team and deeper mixers.
Quick Hitters: J.J. Hardy could be DL bound after exiting stage left with an oblique injury. If sidelined, worthless sack of potatoes Caesar Izturis will pick up the slack. … Baseball's version of Barbra Favre, Pedro Martinez, is again contemplating a comeback. Your move Rich Garces. … Matt Lindstrom picked up a rogue save one night after Huston Street threw 27 pitches. The former 'Stros closer is the obvious Plan B if Street were to miss substantial time. … Delicate flower Carlos Beltran blasted two homers, only his second multi-HR game since May 4, 2009. If he can miraculously accumulate 500 plate appearances, he will turn an enormous profit. … Brandon Funston continues to do cartwheels over Howie Kendrick. The infielder smacked his fourth homer of the season. I'm still not convinced this is the year the annual disappointment hits 20, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless. … Member of the Augie Ojeda All-Stars, Sam Fuld, swiped base No. 5. He eclipsed 20 steals three times in the Cubs system. If he sticks, the slapper could be a resourceful speed source in deeper formats. …Streamers, looking for a waiver gem to push you over the top? Plug 'n play Josh Tomlin Sunday. Heavens to Buhner! Seattle is dreadfully bad. … Basketball pickup artist Zack Greinke threw a pain-free bullpen session on Saturday. It's becoming increasingly likely he'll return to the Brew Crew rotation by the end of the month. … Andres Torres was forced from action after diving to catch a Lance Berkman line-drive. He reportedly suffered a strained Achilles. No word on how long he'll be sidelined, but, for now, he's listed as day-to-day.
DOUBLE DIPPERS
For stream conscious owners who want to push the innings-pitched envelope this is the list for you. Run support, ballpark factors, historical and recent trends, opposing offenses, opposing SPs, managerial tendencies and meteorological influences are painstakingly taken into account to give you the top double dippers of each week.
Additional AL Double Dippers: Dallas Braden, Oak (at ChW, Det), Chris Tillman, Bal (at NYY, at Cle), Brad Penny, Det (Tex, at Oak), Jesse Litsch, Tor (at Sea, at Bos), Mitch Talbot, Cle (at LAA, Bal)
Additional NL Double Dippers: Joe Blanton, Phi (at Wash, Fla), Mike Pelfrey, NYM (Col, at Atl), Jason Hammel (at NYM, ChC), Livan Hernandez, Was (Phi, Mil), Chris Volstad, Fla (at Atl, at Phi), Barry Enright, Ari (StL, SF), Nelson Figueroa, Hou (ChC, SD)
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