Padres righty Chris Young was involved in one of the more horrific plays of the season’s first half when he was hit in the face on May 21 by a line drive off Albert Pujols’ bat. He’s been on the DL since with a skull fracture and had surgery on June 30 to repair his septum so he could breath normally again.

The good news for Young is that his arm was never injured, so his recovery could be speedy. He actually threw some bullpen sessions before his surgery. Young had his first rehab start Wednesday night and saw positive results. He gave up one run in 3.2 innings and had four strikeouts for Class A Lake Elsinor.

Besides getting back into form physically, Young will have to overcome any jitters from being back on the mound again. But he told the San Diego Union-Tribune that wasn’t a problem Wednesday night and he plans to return to the Padres before the end of July.

This is good news for his fantasy owners, who were counting on Young as a No. 2 or 3 starter after going 9-8 with a 3.12 ERA and 167 Ks last year. It’s also good news for the Padres, who are bottom dwellers in the NL West. Young should be able to contribute in the final two months of the season.

If this were a typical Tampa Bay season, we’d be right at the point when the Rays get labeled as “sellers,” trade away what little established veteran talent they have, and try to build for the future. Likewise, this is also the time when they would call up their blue chip prospects in an attempt to get them some big league experience.

So, if the Rays’ 2008 season was similar to any other season in team history, this would be right around the time that Evan Longoria gets the call. But, the Rays, perhaps sensing that this could be their long-awaited turnaround season, Longoria got called up on April 12, and the 22-year-old rookie has already established himself as an indispensible piece of the team’s lineup.

The Rays have counted on Longoria’s ability to bat fifth in the lineup and provide protection for Carlos Pena, who hit 46 home runs for the club just last year.  He’s responded by belting 16 home runs and driving in 53 runs, excellent numbers especially considering a sluggish start to his big league career.

Playing sound defense certainly hasn’t been a problem for Longoria, as the rookie has committed just six errors all season at the hot corner, while making some jaw-dropping web gems in critical situations.

Is this ringing a bell?  Wasn’t there someone in almost the exact same situation last year who played with the same type of tenacity?  Here’s a hint:  Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap, clap-clap-clap-clap, TULO!!

Yes, Troy Tulowitzki, the energetic young shortstop who instilled a winning mentality on a Colorado Rockies team whose history had been mired in failure. The result was a 21-1 record over a 22-game span that culminated in a trip to the World Series.

Each of the two players brings attitude, superb defense, and leadership despite their young age, and it’s plain to see that each of their respective teams feeds off their play. The difference is that Longoria has turned it on even quicker than Tulowitzki did a season ago, and was rewarded by being voted into the Midsummer Classic where he also participated in the Home Run Derby.

However, the Rays’ hot start has taken a turn for the worse as of late, and they dropped seven straight games heading into the All-Star Break. Now in the second half of the 2008 season, the Rays will continue to lean heavily on their young superstar, and a playoff berth may only be possible with Longoria continuing to impress the baseball world.

Richie Sexson is clearly not the same hitter that averaged 39 home runs and 117 RBIs from 2001 to 2003, but even a fraction of that production should help a New York Yankees lineup that, other than Alex Rodriguez, is devoid of right-handed power.

The lefty dominant Yanks, including Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jason Giambi, have predictably struggled against lefthanders this season. Giambi and his mustache have managed only a .229 average against southpaws, while Bobby Abreu and Robinson Cano are the best of the bunch. Abreu is hitting .296 and Cano .294, but only 5 of their combined 16 home runs have come against left-handed pitchers.

Sexson is a logical fit for the Yankees. Not because he is hitting .218 with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs and just .154 in July, but because he has hit .344 with 5 home runs in 61 at bats against lefties. He does have just 1 hit in 18 at-bats at Yankee Stadium this season, but that shouldn’t be a problem. He’s hitting .300 at Fenway Park and .308 overall against the Red Sox.

Dave DeIuliis will be a senior at Penn State’s School of Journalism. He can be reached at dmd5042@psu.edu.

Seems Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez has torn a page out of Brett Favre’s book on self-entitlement. Ramirez told the Boston Herald this week that he had “earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want.”

Manny wants to know what his future is with the team, and management simply is not ready to tell him. There are still a lot of facts to be considered in Manny’s case, none more important than his performance and behavior and how deep the team plays into the postseason.

Owner John Henry runs a pretty profitable business, but picking up a $20 million option on any employee is still a key move. You’ll have to excuse him if he wants to gather more information before making the decision. If the wait makes Ramirez a little grumpy, Henry won’t lose any sleep over it.

This isn’t like waiting out the retirement of a 62-year old accountant making $50,000 a year. The stakes are much higher, and Ramirez is compensated well enough to tolerate the short-term, performance-driven nature of his contract.

Management is carefully analyzing Ramirez’s merits as a player and how he fits into the club’s future. What will the fan outcry be if Ramirez’s option is declined? How much does he have left in the tank? What kind of buying power does that $20 million have, in terms of acquiring other players?

A business man loves certainty in his investments, and Ramirez is looking like a total crapshoot. Confrontations with teammates and employees, continued flaky behavior, and declining production are pretty key points working against him.

A big second half and an even bigger October are the only things that matter, though. If Ramirez plays like a monster in the postseason, fans will not tolerate seeing him leave town. If he disappears in the second half and displays more loose cannon behavior, Ramirez is as good as gone.

Simple as that. Henry fired back to the Herald on Thursday, saying that Ramirez’s comments were “personally offensive.” At the end of the day, Henry will not hold a grudge, but he will not make a decision until all of the information is available.

The fact that Manny is a little sad won’t change a thing.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.

At least one difficult decision lies ahead for Minnesota Twins management as it prepares to call up left-hander Francisco Liriano from Triple-A Rochester. With the success the Twins’ rotation has had so far, Liriano’s promotion is no longer just about timing. It is a juggling act to try and keep a handful of deserving pitchers happy.

As this St. Paul Pioneer-Press story points out, the organization is in a tight spot and must decide how to make the promotion work.

Of course, with Liriano rounding back into shape following 2006 Tommy John surgery, he simply must be on the big league roster. If a spot in the rotation does not open up for him naturally, the Twins are bouncing around the idea of recalling him as a reliever. Liriano has nothing else to prove in Rochester, so he might as well help Minnesota’s push towards a playoff berth.

In 16 starts at Rochester, Liriano is 7-2 with a 3.53 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 97 innings. He is 7-0 in his last eight starts and is on a run of 24 straight scoreless innings.

Liriano’s return to the Twins’ rotation is inevitable, but starting in the bullpen would give general manager Bill Smith more time to make a decision. Certainly, by way of injury or ineffectiveness, the team’s log jam of starters will be cleared up.

Free agent acquisition Livan Hernandez may be eating innings for them, but he also has a 5.44 ERA and has allowed more hits (173) than any pitcher in baseball.

Glen Perkins has been serviceable, but isn’t likely to be much more than that. A tough run of starts, and he could make it easy for Smith to move him to the bullpen. Right-hander Nick Blackburn just had a fingernail issue that could be re-aggravated at any time.

A solution will present itself in the not-too-distant future and Liriano will be back in the rotation. He, and his fantasy owners, will have to stay patient and wait for that day to come. When it does, the Twins, and fantasy teams, will improve their chances of winning a championship.

After nearly 5 hours and 15 innings, and in front of barely 20,000 fans, a clock crawling towards 2 a.m. and a very nervous Bud Selig, the American League finally won its 11th straight All-Star game Wednesday morning.

While much of the game had unprecedented defense, second-time All-Star Dan Uggla and first-timer Edinson Volquez turned in forgettable performances for the National League. Volquez gave up a game-tying home run to game M.V.P. J.D. Drew and Uggla committed an All-Star game record 3 errors and was overmatched at the plate, striking out 3 times and rolling weakly into a double play.

It’s hard to blame him, though, as the pitching of both leagues was dominant and provided some evidence to the theory that good pitching will always beat good hitting. Orioles closer George Sherrill threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings after throwing no more than one in any game this year. N.L. starter Ben Sheets and A.L. starter Cliff Lee both struck out 3 and gave up only 1 hit in two scoreless innings. Their performances and those of most of the 21 other pitchers should propel them into the second half.

This, the 79th All-Star Game, set a record for most strikeouts, 34, and most runners left on base, 28. Pirates outfielder Nate McClouth became the first outfielder to throw out the winning run at home plate, Aaron Cook became the first pitcher to escape after loading the bases with no outs in extra innings, and Scott Kazmir, the last available A.L. pitcher, on 2 days rest after throwing 104 pitches Sunday and expecting not to pitch, was the winning pitcher. Only fitting. 

Dave DeIuliis will be a senior at Penn State’s School of Journalism. He can be reached at dmd5042@psu.edu.

When we look back at the 2008 season, Josh Hamilton’s incredible career turnaround will be considered more than a fairy tale. His exploits will be re-told and exaggerated, his feats will become super human, and his every hit will be dripping with dramatics.

Hamilton is becoming a real-life, modern-day Bill Brasky. One day, we’ll be gathered with our buddies at the bar telling hard-to-fathom stories about Hamilton the same way that Will Ferrell and company did about Brasky.

In five years, Hamilton’s 518-foot bomb in the first round of Monday night’s Home Run Derby will be re-told as having traveled 925 feet and spontaneously combusted in mid-air. His tattooed forearms will be as big as Sequoias, and his 71-year old batting practice pitcher will be 100 and on life support.

That first round of the derby was something to behold, with jaw-dropping moment after jaw-dropping moment after jaw-dropping moment. He set a new single-round record with his 28 homers in the first round, and he pumped more souvenirs into the upper deck than a Yankee Stadium vendor.

If Hamilton wasn’t a mainstream sensation going into Monday night, he certainly became one with that performance. Two generations from now, grandchildren everywhere are going to be told of a 7-foot, 675-pound Hamilton swinging one-handed against a pitcher in a wheelchair throwing out of an oxygen tent.

The fact he lost the competition to Minnesota’s Justin Morneau is of little consequence. The Home Run Derby is all about the show, and Hamilton put on an unforgettable performance. The stage was set for him - the last of eight on the derby lineup card, in the last exhibition contest at the old Yankee Stadium - and he came through.

Of course, the fact Hamilton was out of baseball for three full seasons batting drug addiction is an incredible story. But, this is a guy with Herculean strength and a way to make the game look so simple.

If that’s the truth now, just wait until we inevitably stretch it and make Hamilton a folk hero legend.

To Josh Hamilton!

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.

Take a deep breath. For the first time since March, there’s no baseball to obsessively watch and no fantasy lineup to maintain. As much as major league players need a physical break from the grind of their daily schedules, we could use a mental break from our own daily grind.

Now, there’s a difference between taking a break and a leave of absence. Little news develops during the All-Star break, but there is still work to be done. This is a good time to reflect on where your pitching staff stands in relation to an innings or starts limit and figure out what needs to be done the rest of the way.

Long-term waiver wire additions are risky propositions with starting pitchers. Question marks about their game are rudely revealed when they give up 8 runs in 2.2 innings and send you team’s ERA into the tank. Spot starters are usually the way to go, even on a list like the one below that we believe has some good, legitimate talent.

But, there are names to consider for both roles. Mike Pelfrey is emerging; Francisco Liriano could make a big splash in his forthcoming callup to Minnesota; Scott Baker has performed well; Brett Myers is on his way back from a minor league assignment.

The full list (stats as of July 13 games):

Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets
Status: Realizing vast potential
Key Stats: 6-0 in his last 6 starts
What to Watch For: Continuing decline of his WHIP, as a result of better control numbers
Other Notes: Season WHIP (1.47) will keep driving uninformed owners away, but something has clicked for the 24-year old … Pelfrey hasn’t walked a batter in either of his last two starts, something he hadn’t done in any of his previous starts … controlling his sinker better than ever, with fewer walks and better groundball-to-flyball ratios … has 28 groundouts, 10 flyouts, 10 strikeouts and no walks in his last 2 starts.

Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins
Status: Inevitable callup sometime post-break
Key Stats: Is 3-0 with 0.00 ERA, 24 Ks, 3 BBs in last 3 starts at Triple-A Rochester
What to Watch For: Which member of the Twins’ rotation gets the axe to make room for Liriano. Top candidates are Livan Hernandez and Glen Perkins.
Other Notes: Sky is the limit for when he returns. Few can offer his strikeouts potential, and he can put up dominant numbers in ERA and WHIP. Well worth a speculative pickup now, as his callup is just around the corner.

Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox
Status: Back to being his typical, efficient self
Key Stats: Is 4-2 with a 1.86 ERA in 8 starts since June 1
What to Watch For: More steady results, home starts vs. light-hitting opponents
Other Notes: Of course, home starts vs. light-hitting opponents are favorable, but Buehrle is much more effective at U.S. Cellular Field … he has a .300 BAA on the road, .245 BAA at home … has not fared well vs. Cleveland (0-1, 9.22 ERA in 3 starts) … has a 3.56 career ERA in the 1st half, 4.10 career ERA in 2nd half.

Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers
Status: Finding rhythm in return from the DL
Key Stats: Has held opponents scoreless in 2 of last 3 starts
What to Watch For: Bouts of inconsistency; they plagued him prior to landing on the DL with a shoulder injury.
Other Notes: Is a 33-year old rookie from Japan … in 3 June starts, threw one complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts and failed to make it through the third inning twice … don’t expect greatness every time he takes the mound.

Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros
Status: Still one of the best matchup-based spot starters in fantasy
Key Stats: Is 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 7 home starts, 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 6 road starts
What to Watch For: Home matchups for spot spart opportunities
Other Notes: 2 of his next 3 scheduled starts will be at home, July 19 vs. the Cubs and July 30 vs. Cincinnati … is 13-21 with a 5.76 ERA in 49 career road appearances (42 starts).

Manny Parra, Milwaukee Brewers
Status: Has lost lucky touch, but is still a quality arm
Key Stats: Has 3.78 ERA and steadily declining 1.49 WHIP
What to Watch For: Continued effectiveness and control … has 10 Ks and 4 BBs in 13.1 July innings
Other Notes: Allowed five runs (four earned) in his last start, but seven baserunners (one walk) in 6.1 innings were still a positive sign … last two starts have come in 6-5 losses … also made a relief appearance on July 7.

Scott Baker, Minnesota Twins
Status: Healthy and on the best run of his young career
Key Stats: Has 6 quality starts in his last 7 outings … is 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA since returning from the DL on June 5
What to Watch For: Abilities to keep working deep into games and limiting damage by not walking batters
Other Notes: Has emerged as the Twins’ unofficial No. 1 starter after missing time with a groin injury

Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox
Status: Back from an extended stay at Triple-A Pawtucket
Key Stats: Has 49 Ks in 47.1 innings this season
What to Watch For: A little less recklessness; has potential to dominate but shoots himself in the foot too often
Other Notes: Manager Terry Francona is going to let him pitch through his struggles … fantasy owners aren’t so lucky, but should monitor his progress very closely … as he improves, he could be big-time addition for the second half.

Brett Myers, Philadelphia Phillies
Status: A minor league start away from returning to Philly
Key Stats: Is 1-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 3 minor league starts
What to Watch For: His attitude, progress upon return to Phillies
Other Notes: Has the potential to be a frontline starter again … appears to have worked through many of his mechanical issues … Phillies’ are relying upon him to step up and pitch like a No. 2 behind Cole Hamels.

Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
Status: Back in Cincinnati for third time
Key Stats: Pitched 5 strong innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, in first start back
What to Watch For: If progress was a short-term flash in the pan or a long-term fix
Other Notes: Third time may be a charm for Bailey … looked like a different pitcher in the Reds’ 3-2 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday … remains to be seen if he can work beyond the fifth inning, but has enough seasoning to be worth watching … worth an immediate flier in NL-only leagues.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.

The Tampa Bay Rays are still the story of the 2008 Major League Baseball season, but their young, raw hitters are having a devil of a time in the week before the All-Star break. During their current losing streak, which reached seven after Sunday’s 5-2 loss in Cleveland and caused them to fall out of first place, the Rays have managed only 13 runs. This comes after a streak in which they won 11 of 12 games, swept the Marlins and Red Sox and scored 82 runs. 

Lengthy droughts are often enigmatic to young, supremely talented hitters like Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton, but probably not to Joe Maddon. The 54-year-old manager of the Rays has not only watched his team win a total of 127 games in the previous two seasons, but also opposing pitchers develop more precise and effective game plans when they started winning.

The All-Star break wall is not unique to Tampa Bay either, as the trendy preseason World Series pick Arizona Diamondbacks have slipped below the .500 mark despite having two of the National League’s best starters.

Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton have combined to hit .184 with 11 strikeouts and just 2 stolen bases during the Rays’ current slide, while Evan Longoria has struck out 10 times in his last 24 at-bats since being voted into the All-Star game. The absence of shortstop Jason Bartlett, light-hitting as he may be, has also hindered the AL’s eighth ranked offense. Second baseman Akinori Iwamura and interim shortstop Ben Zobrist have combined for 1 RBI since Bartlett’s injury July 4th.

Dave DeIuliis will be a senior at Penn State’s School of Journalism. He can be reached at dmd5042@psu.edu.

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Takashi Saito is set to have an MRI on his ailing elbow Monday, and the first impression of his injury is not good. The Los Angeles Times mentioned the possibility of Saito’s career being over, which may be a kneejerk first reaction, but Saito himself didn’t sound optimistic.

The 38-year old described it as “a sudden tightness” in the elbow, and he was forced to exit in the ninth inning of Saturday night’s loss to the Marlins with a 2-2 count on Wes Helms.

The Times story went on to say:

Saito, who has 17 saves and a 2.18 earned-run average, has said that because of his age and injury-plagued history in Japan, he has treated every start as if it could be his last. He said he didn’t want Saturday to mark his end because “I didn’t help the team win.”

Setup man Jonathan Broxton would be an excellent speculative pickup in fantasy leagues because it sounds like a trip to the 15-day disabled list would be a best case scenario for Saito. With a chance that Saito could be done for the year and Broxton’s potential to dominate, this could be a real momentum changer in fantasy leagues.

The question remains just how many save opportunities Saito or Broxton would get in the second half of the year. Saito was excellent in going 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA and 17 saves in 39 appearances. Broxton could be just as dominant in the ninth inning, but he may not make a big difference in the category that matters most here - saves.

This is a classic situation where you should take what your roster gives you. If there’s an apparent weak link - a middle reliever, struggling offensive player or spot starter - you would do well to land Broxton. If it takes a difficult decision and you’re not strapped for saves anyway, it could be best to let the situation go.

Along the same lines, also consider how much or how little Broxton could help a rival manager. If there is a way to prevent a key competitor from getting a potential boost in saves, there is plenty of incentive to do so.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.