Nelson Cruz is up and it sounds like he'll be there for the remainder of the year as rosters expand soon. I believe he will get a good look this time around in order to give Texas a better idea of what he can do at the major league level. Big time power potential with some speed to go with it!

OK, he flopped with his call up last year. Why?

Any predictions here? Any major flaws that may be exposed over the next five weeks for him? How do you think he will do and will he in fact play everyday?

It appears as though Scherzer is working his way back to the bigs after some time off (shoulder fatigue). He's throwing in the upper 90's again so his velocity is there.

Right now, Y. Petit has taken over Owings rotation spot (demotion to Tucson).

If Scherzer is once again healthy, does he get a rotation spot with the D'Backs or will he be placed in the bullpen? It would be fun to see him as a starter again, but it seems the D'Backs are being extremely cautious with their prized young arm.

What do you think?

Oh boy, this has turned into a bit of a mess with the investigation now taking place.

Liriano has been absolutely lights out for the last month now. This we know. He should without question be in the Twins rotation NOW.

But an investigation pointing to arbitration issues? I'm not so sure this is the right way to get back to the bigs.

It is my undestanding that he would earn more money next year by being up on the Twins now so I think I see this part of the point. But are he/Genske (agent) taking a risk here?

Will the Twins tire of this and potentially put him out there for a trade? It sure seemed like a simple promotion a week ago but now it has turned into so much more.

Any other thoughts or opinions out there as to how this will shake out?

I've been reserving judgement for some time now, but I think Kevin Kouzmanoff is ready for a breakout season.

We all know the story from last year. He got off to a horrible start but then picked it up from May on to finish strong. This year, he's starting off with a bang and I think he can keep it up all year long. If you look at his short MLB career, he's only had one bad month. His minor league numbers suggest that he will hit for average along with decent power (25+hr?). Of course, PETCO will keep his numbers down a little but A.Gonzalez managed to bang out 3oHR last year.

Are there any red flags here that I may be overlooking?

What do you guys think?

First off, does he need more seasoning at AAA LOU.? His overall numbers to this point are outstanding. Would playing in CIN hurt him at all?
Secondly, Dusty Baker could potentially botch this one up by bringing in Lofton or Patterson (God forbid). I have a bad feeling about this one with Baker at the helm...

So, do we see Bruce getting regular ab's from the onset with the Reds? Disclaimer: I know this topic has been brought up recently. I'm just attempting to figure out if he's going to get enough ab's to be fantasy worthy in o8'.

Age:24

2006:
W12 L3
121IP
89H
32BB
144K (WOW)
2.16 ERA
1.00 WHIP
-------------------------------------------------
These numbers make Lincecum jeolous! Not many pitchers (if any) were better during that same time frame.
He had TJ surgery in November of 2006. Since then, his rehab has been on track. He's been throwing full-speed bullpen sessions (w/o live hitters) and is expected to be ready for spring training.
So, what can we expect from him? Do we have any aces that have come back successfully after TJ surgery? What does the past tell us here?
I am really hoping for the best here for him but have to be realistic.
Thougts? Projections?

Right now, it "appears" to look like this:

1.Blanton
2.Harden
3.Gaudin
4.Duchscherer
5.DiNardo

That being said, many moves (possibly more) have been made this off-season that will probably have things looking quite different by Opening Day. A stockpile of young arms now looks to infiltrate and replace at least a couple of the rotation spots (De Los Santos, Gio Gonzalez & more).

What do you think is a reasonable guess as to what the rotation will actually look like?

"Yo" last year reached the big leagues quickly and fit into a starters role rather nicely. He showed good poise on the mound and was rarely lit up. Not a true power pitcher but has good stuff and knows when to throw it.
Good all-around #'s with a seemingly great future ahead of him. For my money, he was the best rookie pitcher of the year.

My question is who (if anyone) can accomplish this in 08'?
Of course there are plently of possibilities out there but you need to be given the chance. What team(s) is/are willing to let a young talent step into the rotation? And which pitcher(s) can have pressure on them and get away with a day when they may not have their best stuff?

Thoughts & opinions appreciated....

How about giving this guy a fair shot right now? What's not to like about him? LA could sure use a power bat right now and he's been absolutely tearing it up in Vegas.
With Betemit now gone, he deserves a fair shot at the 3B spot. Nomar is ok but is not the answer here. This could be the big bat that gives the Dodgers the edge in the division.

What do you guys think? Am I missing something here?

Up to date stats after last nights dominating performance: 6-1 with a 2.14 ERA, 34 H, 76/18 K/BB in 54 2/3 IP

Are the Brew-Crew just waiting for a starter to go on the DL here? It sure looks as if this guy is ready to make an immediate impact when called up.

Am I missing something here or is he on the fringe as was Lincecum?