This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.
Projected Starters- A look at Friday's matchups (all times Eastern):
Reds (Edinson Volquez - R) at Pirates (Jeff Locke - L), 7:05
Twins (Carl Pavano - R) at Indians (Justin Masterson - R), 7:05
Braves (Tim Hudson - R) at Nationals (Stephen Strasburg - R), 7:05
Orioles (Alfredo Simon - R) at Tigers (Rick Porcello - R), 7:05
Red Sox (Jon Lester - L) at Yankees (Freddy Garcia - R), 7:05
Phillies (Cole Hamels - L) at Mets (R.A. Dickey - R), 7:10
Blue Jays (Brandon Morrow - R) at Rays (David Price - L), 7:10
Rockies (Drew Pomeranz - L) at Astros (Brett Myers - R), 8:05
Mariners (Anthony Vasquez - L) at Rangers (Matt Harrison - L), 8:05
Royals (Bruce Chen - L) at White Sox (Zach Stewart - R), 8:10
Marlins (Chris Volstad - R) at Brewers (Yovani Gallardo - R), 8:10
Cubs (Ryan Dempster - R) at Cardinals (Chris Carpenter - R), 8:15
Giants (Eric Surkamp - L) at Diamondbacks (Josh Collmenter - R), 9:40
Athletics (Gio Gonzalez - L) at Angels (Jered Weaver - R), 10:05
Dodgers (Ted Lilly - L) at Padres (Wade LeBlanc - L), 10:05
Day Game After a Night Game: None
Injuries - A brief look at players that have been missing time with minor ailments and their expected returns.
Day-to-Day (includes players expected to make their return from the DL)
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL (wrist) - Out again Thursday
Leo Nunez, RP, FLA (personal) - Placed on restricted list and out a few days
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, SF (shoulder) - Back in the lineup Thursday
Todd Helton, 1B, COL (back) - Not expected to play again this year
Jayson Werth, OF, WAS (elbow) - Out Thursday, but expected back for weekend
Jason Isringhausen, RP, NYM (back) - Still having trouble; hopes to pitch before season's end
Matt Holliday, OF, STL (hand) - Out again Thursday
Lucas Duda, OF, NYM (undisclosed) - Sitting Thursday after hitting outfield wall Wednesday
Jason Bay, OF, NYM (illness) - Out of the lineup Thursday, but likely back Friday
Ryan Howard, 1B, PHI (ankle) - Expected back this weekend
Hunter Pence, OF, PHI (knee) - Could play Thursday, but likely held out €˜til Friday
Wilson Ramos, C, WAS (leg) - Out Thursday with soreness
Dan Haren, SP, LAA (wrist) - Confident he'll start on schedule Monday
Mark Lowe, RP, TEX (hamstring) - Grade 2 strain; out at least through ALDS
Yorvit Torrealba, C, TEX (head) - Left Thursday with headache after being hit with foul tip
Joakim Soria, RP, KC (hamstring) - Not likely to pitch until Saturday at earliest
Tommy Hunter, SP, BAL (groin) - Believes he'll be able to make final start Monday
Al Alburquerque, RP, DET (hip) - Making return Thursday night
Brendan Ryan, SS, SEA (back) - Out Thursday and could be done with little left to play
Casper Wells, OF, DET (illness) - Hopes to return for final few games of regular season
Phil Hughes, SP, NYY (back) - Could be out for the year
Kevin Youkilis, 1B, BOS (hip, sports hernia) - Will try hitting Friday
Wilson Betemit, 3B, DET (knee) - Out again Thursday
Players on the DL
Brett Lawrie, 3B, TOR (finger) - Placed on DL
Jonathan Sanchez, SP, SF (ankle) - Done for the season and likely as a Giant
Joba Chamberlain, RP, NYY (elbow) - Played catch for first time since TJ surgery Wednesday
Clay Buchholz, SP, BOS (back) - Will pitch in relief when he returns
Josh Tomlin, SP, CLE (elbow) - Despite successful simulated game Tuesday, shut down for the year
J.D. Drew, OF, BOS (finger) - Will try hitting Friday
Transactions - Players that have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.
Placed on DL
Brett Lawrie, 3B, TOR
Leo Nunez, RP, FLA (restricted list)
Closer Watch - A closer look at intriguing ninth-inning situations (check out our Closer Grid with the link to the left).
Royals - Joakim Soria remains out through the weekend, so (presumably) opportunity continues to knock on Greg Holland's door for the next couple days. The Royals haven't been getting into too many save situations, though.
Cardinals - The St. Louis bullpen exploded Thursday, as Jason Motte failed to retire any of the four batters he faced (three walks and an error) and was charged with all four runs (three earned) when Marc Rzepczynski and Fernando Salas chipped in by allowing another three hits and a walk in what ended up as a six-run ninth for the Mets. Motte had been laying down saves with regularity, but now he's given up runs in four consecutive outings. He may be tiring, as this is the most games and innings he's ever pitched.
Mets - After the big blown save in St. Louis, the oft-struggling Bobby Parnell blew away the Cards in order Thursday, recording a strikeout and a couple fly balls for his sixth save. Still a little wild, though - only half of his 16 pitches went for strikes.
Giants - All is right with the world, as Brian Wilson is back and picked up his 36th save Wednesday. He only needed to get one out, and he got it.
KEY MATCHUPS: HOT | |||||||||||||||||||
Hot Batter Matchups | At-Bats | AVG | HR | XBH | RBI | BB | K | SLG | OBP | OPS | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carl Crawford - OF | BOS @ NYY 9/23 7:05 PM | Freddy Garcia | 6-18 | .333 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .667 | .400 | 1.067 | |||||||
Marco Scutaro - SS | BOS @ NYY 9/23 7:05 PM | Freddy Garcia | 6-12 | .500 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .917 | .500 | 1.417 | |||||||
Jim Thome - DH | CLE vs MIN 9/23 7:05 PM | Carl Pavano | 7-26 | .269 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | .423 | .429 | .852 | |||||||
Michael Cuddyer - OF | MIN @ CLE 9/23 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 8-19 | .421 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | .474 | .476 | .950 | |||||||
Denard Span - OF | MIN @ CLE 9/23 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 5-14 | .357 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | .643 | .526 | 1.169 | |||||||
Alex Rodriguez - 3B | NYY vs BOS 9/23 7:05 PM | Jon Lester | 6-26 | .231 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | .654 | .310 | .964 | |||||||
Laynce Nix - OF | WAS vs ATL 9/23 7:05 PM | Tim Hudson | 6-14 | .429 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .500 | .429 | .929 | |||||||
Ivan Rodriguez - C | WAS vs ATL 9/23 7:05 PM | Tim Hudson | 8-19 | .421 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .632 | .522 | 1.154 | |||||||
Jayson Werth - OF | WAS vs ATL 9/23 7:05 PM | Tim Hudson | 7-22 | .318 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | .545 | .375 | .920 | |||||||
David Wright - 3B | NYM vs PHI 9/23 7:10 PM | Cole Hamels | 12-37 | .324 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 11 | .622 | .342 | .964 | |||||||
Raul Ibanez - OF | PHI @ NYM 9/23 7:10 PM | R.A. Dickey | 5-19 | .263 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .579 | .300 | .879 | |||||||
Jose Bautista - 3B | TOR @ TB 9/23 7:10 PM | David Price | 8-19 | .421 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | .947 | .522 | 1.469 | |||||||
Todd Helton - 1B | COL @ HOU 9/23 8:05 PM | Brett Myers | 5-16 | .313 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | .688 | .476 | 1.164 | |||||||
Ty Wigginton - 3B | COL @ HOU 9/23 8:05 PM | Brett Myers | 10-22 | .455 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .818 | .478 | 1.296 | |||||||
Paul Konerko - 1B | CWS vs KC 9/23 8:10 PM | Bruce Chen | 6-17 | .353 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .765 | .421 | 1.186 | |||||||
A.J. Pierzynski - C | CWS vs KC 9/23 8:10 PM | Bruce Chen | 8-15 | .533 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | .933 | .563 | 1.496 | |||||||
Tyler Colvin - OF | CHC @ STL 9/23 8:15 PM | Chris Carpenter | 3-11 | .273 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | .818 | .273 | 1.091 | |||||||
Aramis Ramirez - 3B | CHC @ STL 9/23 8:15 PM | Chris Carpenter | 20-60 | .333 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 8 | .517 | .355 | .872 | |||||||
Albert Pujols - 1B | STL vs CHC 9/23 8:15 PM | Ryan Dempster | 14-45 | .311 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 1 | .733 | .418 | 1.151 | |||||||
Skip Schumaker - 2B | STL vs CHC 9/23 8:15 PM | Ryan Dempster | 18-40 | .450 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | .525 | .463 | .988 | |||||||
Orlando Cabrera - SS | SF @ ARI 9/23 9:40 PM | Joe Saunders | 12-22 | .545 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .818 | .583 | 1.401 | |||||||
Aubrey Huff - 1B | SF @ ARI 9/23 9:40 PM | Joe Saunders | 9-21 | .429 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .429 | .429 | .858 | |||||||
Russell Branyan - 1B | LAA vs OAK 9/23 10:05 PM | Gio Gonzalez | 3-11 | .273 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .727 | .333 | 1.060 | |||||||
Alberto Callaspo - 3B | LAA vs OAK 9/23 10:05 PM | Gio Gonzalez | 5-14 | .357 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | .571 | .357 | .928 | |||||||
Kurt Suzuki - C | OAK @ LAA 9/23 10:05 PM | Jered Weaver | 10-32 | .313 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | .531 | .371 | .902 | |||||||
Ryan Sweeney - OF | OAK @ LAA 9/23 10:05 PM | Jered Weaver | 7-20 | .350 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | .450 | .435 | .885 | |||||||
Jeremy Hermida - OF | SD vs LAD 9/23 10:05 PM | Ted Lilly | 4-10 | .400 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .600 | .400 | 1.000 | |||||||
Hot Pitcher Matchups | At-Bats | Opp AVG | HR Allow | XBH Allow | RBI Allow | BB | K | Opp SLG | Opp OBP | Opp OPS | |||||||||
Carl Pavano | MIN @ CLE 9/23 7:05 PM | Indians Batters | 21-98 | .214 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 20 | .336 | .321 | .657 | |||||||
Brandon Morrow | TOR @ TB 9/23 7:10 PM | Rays Batters | 22-110 | .200 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 39 | .277 | .311 | .588 | |||||||
Chris Volstad | FLA @ MIL 9/23 8:10 PM | Brewers Batters | 15-66 | .227 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | .231 | .280 | .511 | |||||||
Ted Lilly | LAD @ SD 9/23 10:05 PM | Padres Batters | 22-89 | .247 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 25 | .295 | .272 | .567 |
KEY MATCHUPS: COLD | |||||||||||||||||||
Cold Batter Matchups | At-Bats | AVG | HR | XBH | RBI | BB | K | SLG | OBP | OPS | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joey Gathright - OF | BOS @ NYY 9/23 7:05 PM | Freddy Garcia | 0-10 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |||||||
Kevin Youkilis - 1B | BOS @ NYY 9/23 7:05 PM | Freddy Garcia | 2-11 | .182 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | .182 | .250 | .432 | |||||||
Asdrubal Cabrera - SS | CLE vs MIN 9/23 7:05 PM | Carl Pavano | 0-16 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | .000 | .056 | .056 | |||||||
Matt LaPorta - 1B | CLE vs MIN 9/23 7:05 PM | Carl Pavano | 2-11 | .182 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .455 | .182 | .637 | |||||||
Jorge Posada - C | NYY vs BOS 9/23 7:05 PM | Jon Lester | 4-21 | .190 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | .190 | .261 | .451 | |||||||
Nick Swisher - OF | NYY vs BOS 9/23 7:05 PM | Jon Lester | 4-25 | .160 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | .480 | .290 | .770 | |||||||
Mark Teixeira - 1B | NYY vs BOS 9/23 7:05 PM | Jon Lester | 4-24 | .167 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | .292 | .231 | .523 | |||||||
Alex Cora - SS | WAS vs ATL 9/23 7:05 PM | Tim Hudson | 1-10 | .100 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .300 | .100 | .400 | |||||||
Ian Desmond - SS | WAS vs ATL 9/23 7:05 PM | Tim Hudson | 4-20 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .200 | .273 | .473 | |||||||
Ryan Zimmerman - 3B | WAS vs ATL 9/23 7:05 PM | Tim Hudson | 7-37 | .189 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | .216 | .231 | .447 | |||||||
Reid Brignac - SS | TB vs TOR 9/23 7:10 PM | Brandon Morrow | 0-12 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .000 | .077 | .077 | |||||||
John Jaso - C | TB vs TOR 9/23 7:10 PM | Brandon Morrow | 3-13 | .231 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .231 | .231 | .462 | |||||||
B.J. Upton - OF | TB vs TOR 9/23 7:10 PM | Brandon Morrow | 1-13 | .077 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | .154 | .250 | .404 | |||||||
Ben Zobrist - 2B | TB vs TOR 9/23 7:10 PM | Brandon Morrow | 3-15 | .200 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .267 | .333 | .600 | |||||||
Edwin Encarnacion - 3B | TOR @ TB 9/23 7:10 PM | David Price | 1-10 | .100 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .400 | .250 | .650 | |||||||
Adam Lind - 1B | TOR @ TB 9/23 7:10 PM | David Price | 6-27 | .222 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | .296 | .276 | .572 | |||||||
Alex Rios - OF | CWS vs KC 9/23 8:10 PM | Bruce Chen | 3-20 | .150 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | .150 | .182 | .332 | |||||||
Nyjer Morgan - OF | MIL vs FLA 9/23 8:10 PM | Chris Volstad | 2-12 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .167 | .214 | .381 | |||||||
Rafael Furcal - SS | STL vs CHC 9/23 8:15 PM | Ryan Dempster | 2-26 | .077 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .077 | .111 | .188 | |||||||
Bobby Abreu - OF | LAA vs OAK 9/23 10:05 PM | Gio Gonzalez | 1-14 | .071 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | .143 | .133 | .276 | |||||||
Torii Hunter - OF | LAA vs OAK 9/23 10:05 PM | Gio Gonzalez | 2-15 | .133 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | .133 | .235 | .368 | |||||||
Matt Kemp - OF | LAD @ SD 9/23 10:05 PM | Wade LeBlanc | 1-10 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .100 | .308 | .408 | |||||||
Coco Crisp - OF | OAK @ LAA 9/23 10:05 PM | Jered Weaver | 4-21 | .190 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .238 | .227 | .465 | |||||||
Cliff Pennington - SS | OAK @ LAA 9/23 10:05 PM | Jered Weaver | 2-21 | .095 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | .095 | .136 | .231 | |||||||
Nick Hundley - C | SD vs LAD 9/23 10:05 PM | Ted Lilly | 1-15 | .067 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | .067 | .067 | .134 | |||||||
Cold Pitcher Matchups | At-Bats | Opp AVG | HR Allow | XBH Allow | RBI Allow | BB | K | Opp SLG | Opp OBP | Opp OPS | |||||||||
Joe Saunders | ARI vs SF 9/23 9:40 PM | Giants Batters | 32-72 | .444 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | .552 | .481 | 1.033 | |||||||
Recommended Pickup
Drew Pomeranz, SP, COL - The end of the year is almost always streaming time, and Pomeranz has himself a nice matchup against an uninspiring Houston team that's only scored more than three runs one time in their last seven games - and in that one game, they scored four runs. He's been effective so far in two Coors Field starts (degree of difficulty!), allowing just two runs in 10.2 innings - quite promising - and the big lefty put up great numbers in High-A and Double-A this year - a combined 1.78 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 101 innings. At 22, he's no finished product, but he's a nice little stream start.
Other recent recommendations: Jerry Sands, Octavio Dotel, Mike Moustakas, Nolan Reimold, Andres Torres
C - Victor Martinez, DET ($6,581)
1B - Paul Konerko, CWS ($7,533)
2B - Rickie Weeks, MIL ($5,654)
3B - Mike Moustakas, KC ($6,216)
SS - Elvis Andrus, TEX ($6,905)
OF - Jose Bautista, TOR ($8,492)
OF - Carl Crawford, BOS ($6,951)
OF - Andrew McCutchen, PIT ($6,370)
UTIL - David Freese, STL ($5,703)
UTIL - Mark Trumbo, LAA ($6,580)
SP - Stephen Strasburg, WAS ($7,975)
SP - Brandon Morrow, TOR ($10,671)
RP - John Axford, MIL ($2,766)
P - Ted Lilly, LAD ($11,580)
Total: $99,977
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