Monday Lineup Card: Pitchers' Duel at U.S. Cellular Field?

Written by

Updated on April 10, 2011 9:43PM EST

Projected Starters – A look at Monday's matchups (all times Eastern):

Rangers (Alexi Ogando – R) at Tigers (Justin Verlander – R), 1:05
Rockies (Jason Hammel – R) at Mets (Mike Pelfrey – R), 7:10
Rays (Jeremy Hellickson – R) at Red Sox (Daisuke Matsuzaka – R), 7:10
Cubs (Ryan Dempster – R) at Astros (Nelson Figueroa – R), 8:05
Athletics (Dallas Braden – L) at White Sox (Mark Buehrle – L), 8:10
Cardinals (Kyle McClellan – R) at Diamondbacks (Barry Enright – R), 9:40
Reds (Edinson Volquez – R) at Padres (Mat Latos – R), 10:05
Indians (Mitch Talbot – R) at Angels (Dan Haren – R), 10:05
Blue Jays (Jesse Litsch –R) at Mariners (Felix Hernandez – R), 10:10
Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw – L) at Giants (Madison Bumgarner – L), 10:15

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)

Adam Dunn, 1B, CHW – (Abdomen) Swung bat Saturday at 50%, Guillen says he is a few days away from returning.
J.J. Hardy, SS, BAL – (Oblique) MRI on Monday, could be out six weeks.
Rajai Davis, OF, OAK – (Ankle) Re-injured right ankle, should miss a couple games.
Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NYY – (Illness)

Projected Starters – A look at Monday's matchups (all times Eastern):

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)

Ian Stewart, 3B, COL – (Illness) Entered as pinch hitter both Saturday and Sunday.
Adam LaRoche, 1B, WAS – (Shoulder) Will get occasional days off to rest shoulder.
Rafael Furcal, SS, LAD – (Wrist) Out of Saturday's and Sunday's starting lineups.
Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, WAS – (Abdomen) Strain injury, missed Sunday's game.
Todd Helton, 1B, COL – (Back) Missed Sunday's game but may return Monday.
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL – (Illness) Flu-like symptoms, missed Sunday's lineup but got pinch hit AB.
Hanley Ramirez, SS, FLA – (Leg) Leg still sore, could return Tuesday though.
Andres Torres, OF, SFO – (Achilles) Was in boot Saturday night, MRI was scheduled for Sunday.
Sean Burnett, P, WAS – (Illness) Flu caused him to miss Saturday's game, but he returned to throw an inning Sunday.
Jason Bartlett, SS, SDG – (Back) Missed Sunday's start, could be back Tuesday.
Kosuke Fukudome, OF, CHC – (Hamstring) Left Sunday with hamstring strain.

Players on the DL

Andrew Bailey, P, OAK – (Forearm) May throw from mound Monday, still need minor league rehab.
Francisco Cervelli, C, NYY – (Foot) Has taken batting practice, targeting early-May return.
Erick Aybar, SS, LAA – (Ribs) Hit the DL, eligible to return April 18.

Zack Greinke, P, MIL – (Ribs) Good bullpen session Saturday, timetable may be moved up to late-April.
Brad Lincoln, P, PIT – (Forearm) Triple-A rehab Sunday: 4.2 good innings.
Manny Parra, P, MIL – (Back) – Two perfect innings Saturday in High-A.
Jared Burton, P, CIN – (Shoulder) – Setback in rehab, shut down for now.
Domonic Brown, OF, PHI – (Wrist) No timetable set, but he is hitting off a tee.
Jason Bay, OF, NYM – (Ribs) Was scheduled for batting practice Sunday.
Clint Barmes, 2B, HOU – (Hand) Should be a couple weeks away, scheduled to do some swinging Monday.
Ubaldo Jimenez, P, COL – (Thumb) Will throw in extended spring training game Wednesday, eligible to return April 18.
Ronny Paulino, C, NYM – (Illness) Placed on DL, will return at end of month.
Cody Ross, OF, SFO – (Calf) Will miss about two more weeks.
Corey Hart, OF, MIL – (Oblique) Will take batting practice Tuesday, should head to minor league rehab shortly after.
Hector Gimenez, C, LAD – (Knee) Placed on DL Sunday.
Johnny Cueto, P, CIN – (Shoulder) Will begin minor league rehab April 16.
Alberto Arias, P, HOU – (Shoulder) Was scheduled for bullpen session Sunday.

Transactions - Players that have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.

Called Up
Alex Burnett, P, MIN
Chris Jakubauskas, P, BAL
Casey Coleman, P, CHC
Daniel McCutchen, P, PIT
Francisco Rodriguez, P, LAA
John Ely, P, LAD

Sent Down
Bradley Bergesen, P, BAL
Ramon Ortiz, P, CHC
Mike McCoy, OF, TOR
Samuel Deduno, P, SDG
Cedric Hunter, OF, SDG

Placed on DL (15-day unless otherwise noted)
Kevin Slowey, P, MIN (retroactive to April 5)
Ross Ohlendorf, P, PIT
Ronny Paulino, C, NYM
Erick Aybar, SS, LAA (retroactive to April 3)
Hector Gimenez, C, LAD

Activated from DL
Eric Patterson, OF, SDG

Signed
Carlos Silva, P, NYY (minors)

Closer Watch - A closer look at intriguing ninth-inning situations (check out our Closer Grid with the link to the left).

Oakland – Since taking a loss (but not a blown save) in his season debut, Brian Fuentes has converted three save chances in a row. Andrew Bailey is still a couple weeks away, but Fuentes will be the closer until he returns.

Colorado – Matt Lindstrom picked up a save Saturday with Huston Street unavailable, but Street returned to pick up a save on Sunday.

Chicago White Sox – Chris Sale notched a save Saturday, but Matt Thornton remains the closer.

St. Louis – Ryan Franklin blew a save Saturday for the third time already this season and may be on the hot seat.

Key Matchups

Mike Pelfrey, v. Rockies – Rockies hitters have put up a .316/.419/.443 line against Pelfrey, but most of the damage has been done by the meat of the order. Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, Carlos Gonzalez and Seth Smith are a combined 17-for-39 (.436) with seven walks and just four strikeouts. Helton and Gonzalez missed Sunday's game and are day-to-day, so things could get a bit easier for Pelfrey if either, or both, sit out again Monday.

Clayton Kershaw v. Giants – The Giants have had trouble finding success against Kershaw. San Francisco's line against Kershaw is a tedious .214/.261/.298 with a BB:K ratio of 7:33.

Mark Buehrle v. Athletics/Dallas Braden v. White Sox – These pitchers mirror each other in that the ball is in play a lot, and they each have a way of inducing bad contact against opposing lineups. The line against Buerhle is .242/.274/.341 with just four home runs in 223 at bats. Braden has held White Sox hitters at .225/.269/.338 in 71 at bats. Though that is a small sample size, the numbers are still very good.

Felix Hernandez v. Blue Jays – Chalk up the Blue Jays as one of the many teams having trouble against Hernandez. Current Blue Jays have managed just a .187/.273/.271 line against him in 107 at bats.

Recommended Pickup

Justin Masterson, P, CLE – Masterson may finally be reaching his potential. He made headlines with his first start of the season in which he held the White Sox to one run in seven innings for a win. The red flag with that start was the strikeouts he recorded. However, Masterson made his second start Saturday and attempted to answer those questions by allowing just one run in 6.1 innings against the Mariners, this time ringing up nine batters. Masterson still struggles a bit against left-handers, so he has room for improvement in that area. However, though lefties have hit .300 against him in his two starts, eight of his nine strikeout victims hit from the left side.

Other Recent Recommendations:Brennan Boesch, Alex Avila, Logan Morrison, Travis Wood, Jordan Walden