Tagged: Chien-Ming Wang

May 2, 2012

Hurlers Ross Detwiler and Jarrod Parker Making Their Mark

BY ROB SHAW

Twitter: @RobShawSports and @BloombergSports

The Philip Humber perfect games reminded us that sometimes it takes even first round picks a little while to blossom at the Big League level. Humber was selected with the third pick of the 2004 draft, but it wasn’t until seven years later and on his fourth franchise with the luster of his amateur career diminished that he stuck as a starter. He is now a part of MLB history and a player with some fantasy value.

The 2007 draft was stacked with pitching talent. David Price was the top selection out of Vanderbilt and has been one of the best hurlers in baseball over the last few years. Madison Bumgarner came in at number 10 and has already made an impact in the Big Leagues. However, four other pitchers were drafted between Price and Bumgarner. Daniel Moskos was the fourth overall pick, but he has been converted into a relief pitcher and is currently pitching in the minor leagues after mixed results with the Pirates last season. The eighth pick Casey Weathers is also a reliever, but has yet to make it past Double-A.

Then there is Ross Detwiler and Jarrod Parker, the sixth and ninth picks respectively. Detwiler had a bumpy ride to the Major Leagues, but is finally taking hold of a starting spot in the Nationals rotation. The 26-year-old rotated between the starting rotation and bullpen last season, and at the end of the season had an impressive 3.00 ERA. Perhaps the best fifth starter in the game, Detwiler calls home to a pitcher’s park and with Nationals sluggers Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche coming back to life, he should have some run support as well. It’s looking like tough luck for Chien-Mien Wang, who is currently out with an injury. With a 1.64 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, Detwiler has been one of the best hurlers in baseball this season.

The ninth pick out of the 2007 draft, Jarrod Parker is the top prospect in the A’s system and they couldn’t hold him out any longer. After four solid starts at Triple-A, the A’s are ready for Parker in the Big Leagues. It’s time to get to know the 23-year-old right-hander.

Parker was acquired for Trevor Cahill this off-season. In his one Major League start with the D-Backs last season, Parker did not allow a single run to score in 5.2 innings of work. Parker was a tad hittable this season in the minor leagues, but this isn’t about the short-term. This is supposed to be the start of something special and with the pitcher-friendly confines of the Oakland Coliseum, Parker should be picked up in all formats.

In his American League debut, Parker was brilliant allowing just one run to score while pitching into the seventh inning. Parker scattered seven hits and fanned five batters, and while he did not get a decision, the A’s did win 5-4 over the White Sox. On Tuesday, Parker tries on a different group of Sox, as the A’s host Boston. It should be safe for fantasy managers to try out their brand new fantasy phenom.

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July 20, 2011

Stephen Strasburg On the Mend (MLB Injury Updates)

The Injury Report:

Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals

Guess who’s back! The man who routinely hit 100 MPH on the radar gun as a starter last season is on his way back and is already up to 95 MPH following Tommy John surgery. Strasburg is apparently in mid-spring training mode, as far as his recovery. That puts him about a month and a half away from the Major Leagues assuming all goes well. That, of course, is a wide assumption considering how serious this injury was. Nonetheless, if you have the roster space and could use an arm for the playoff run, Strasburg could play a role this season.

Chien-Ming Wang, SP, Nationals

Once the ace of the New York Yankees, this Taiwan native enjoyed back-to-back 19-win seasons in 2006 and 2007. Injuries have since limited Wang to just 27 appearances. His last outing actually came more than two years ago on July 4, 2009. The 31-year old right-hander hopes that there is still something left in the tank. He is currently in the midst of a rehab start and Davey Johnson hinted that he is just a start away from joining the Major League club. Even in his prime, Wang’s value was limited because he pitches to contact, however, in the National League his ERA can dip to a respectable level so keep an eye on his progress.

Brett Lawrie, 3B, Blue Jays

The top prospect in the Blue Jays system was supposed to make his Major League debut more than a month ago, but then an injury forced him to the bench. The Blue Jays have made it clear that they will take the cautious route with Lawrie, who is dominating at Las Vegas despite learning a new position (third base). Look for Lawrie to spend at least the next two weeks in the Minor Leagues. Some good news is that current third baseman Edwin Encarnacion has heated up over the last month, even though he is clearly a short-term solution.

Jason Heyward, OF, Braves / Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves

The Braves are very much in contention in spite of the awful play of Jason Heyward this season. For a second straight season the much-heralded prospect has dealt with some injuries, and it’s an ankle injury that has forced Heyward to miss out on the friendly confines of Coors Field. It’s been a power outage for Heyward this season, as his slugging is currently under .400. Before the panic sets in remember, this talent is just 21-years old. He is listed as day-to-day because of an ankle injury, but he is expected to play tonight.

Chipper Jones has been plagued by injuries for what seems like a decade now. The 38-year old remains one of the better power options in the Braves lineup, even though the career .304 hitter has been a .260 hitter the last three seasons. Recovering from minor knee surgery, Jones is still a few weeks away from returning to the Braves lineup, but he has taken some live batting practice and believes he may be a bit ahead of schedule.

David Wright, 3B Mets / Ike Davis, 3B, Mets

The big question for Mets fans is whether we will ever see Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright in the lineup together again. While Wright is enjoying a rehab stint, Carlos Beltran can be traded any day now. Wright is recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back. The 28-year old has been raking at Class-A, and has set this weekend as a possible return date.

Such progress has not come to Ike Davis, the Mets young first baseman who appeared on his way to breakout season before injuring his ankle. While the New York tabloids have gone back and forth on rumors surrounding whether he will be shut down this season, Davis himself has said that if he does not make serious progress in the next three weeks, the season will be lost. The Mets have been thrilled with the play of replacements Daniel Murphy and Lucas Duda. In fact, when Wright does return it may make the most sense to alternate Murphy and Duda at first, while also playing Murphy a bit at second base.