WEEKEND MATTERS | Rockabilly Ruckus rolling into Trumbull County Fairgrounds

This past weekend was practically the perfect tempest for fantasy owners in keeper leagues. Not merely did ballyhoo'd pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg make his encore appearance on Sunday against the Indians, only the top hit prospect (Florida's Mike Stanton) and the top catching prospect (Cleveland's Carlos Santana) also enjoyed a productive first weekend in the big leagues.

Every few years or so, there seems to be a huge bumper crop in acme-flying rookies. 2006 had a ridiculous year that included the likes of Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Zimmerman and Justin Verlander (to proper name a few). In that location were a couple guys named Albert Pujols and Ichiro Suzuki who topped eventual interlopers like CC Sabathia, Roy Oswalt, Jimmy Rollins and Adam Dunn in 2001. And with Jason Heyward, Buster Posey, Mike Leake, Justin Smoak and Neftali Feliz having major impacts in the game during their freshman campaigns, 2010 is looking to be very like to '06 and '01.

For now, though, let's take a look at how these iii uber-prospects fared this by weekend. And only a word of warning: these three players have not been in the large leagues for very long, making for small and unreliable sample sizes. The numbers may eventually prove to be accurate, merely there just is non plenty Major League data to make solid guesses/estimates. Keep with circumspection!

Santana

Carlos Santana 1.JPG Every bit much as Indians fans may exist missing Victor Martinez at the plate (though him behind it is another matter, altogether…), this kid isn't as well bad himself. While his debut wasn't much to write home about (0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored on June 11 against the Nationals), he exploded in Game 2 by going ii-for-four (offset hit: double) with a habitation run, three RBIs and a run scored, then got a hit and a walk off Strasburg on Dominicus. And 1 of the best parts most his beginning three games is that he has yet to strike out.

(Now watch him keep a horrid, Marking Reynolds-like stretch where he whiffs once every 3 at-bats.)

In all seriousness, though, i of Santana'south better qualities is his discerning eye. Starting in 2006, Santana'due south walk rate in the Small Leagues improved every season. His strikeout rates take been a footling more mercurial, only have never topped xx per centum over a total flavour. This is skillful news for fantasy owners in leagues that value walks and/or on-base percentage because in an Indians lineup that has but Shin-Soo Choo as it'southward alone legitimate threat, information technology would exist prophylactic to say that Santana will encounter his off-white share of walks, since the 24-year-old backstop has clearly demonstrated he has ability from both sides of the plate.

Now three games is an awfully small sample size to approximate how Santana's skills will translate at the large league-level (a hurdle all three of the featured players will see), but so far, the numbers Santana is providing don't seem to be out of line with his skill gear up. He's only swung at 29.6 percent of pitches outside the strike zone (comp: Vlad Guerrero leads baseball by offering at 49.5 per centum of pitches outside the zone), and when he does swing at pitches inside the zone–55 percent, BTW–he puts the bat on the ball 90.9 percent of the time, so it seems as if he'due south making expert decisions at the plate, so far.

Stanton

Mike Stanton 2.jpg Does this guy have rotten timing to make a debut or what? The same day he goes 3-for-v with 2 runs scored and almost gets the become-alee hitting, the guy at the cease of this list not only makes his MLB debut, simply decides to strike out over half-a-dozen batters in less than 100 pitches. This past weekend wasn't that bad, either: iv-for-10 with a triple, a double, four RBIs, three walks, 4 strikeouts, ii steals and ii runs scored in three games against a tough Tampa Bay pitching staff.

And proceed in mind this: he won't exist able to buy a drink until just before this Thanksgiving. In that location is little debate about Stanton'south power. After clubbing 89 bombs in 323 Small League games (13.4 Hr/AB), people would have perchance started talking virtually his hitting exploits the same way they talk about Chuck Norris "facts."

Stanton'southward biggest flaw, though, is his propensity for strikeouts. Throughout his Minor League career, Stanton struck out 371 times in one,392 plate appearances, which comes out to him striking out in 26.seven percent of his PAs. 2008 was specially harsh for the Marlins' 2007 second-round draftee, when he collected 153 whiffs in 540 plate appearances (28.3 pct). Manifestly, this is a big cherry flag because even though he will get his abode runs (and they will come), all those missed swings volition profoundly hold back his batting average and, in turn, limit his batting average and RBI opportunities.

There is plenty of hope on the horizon, though. The majority of those strikeouts came while he was just a teenager and later initially struggling in his first go-effectually in Double-A Jacksonville last season, Stanton made the necessary adjustments to boost his batting average from .231 to .311 at the time of his call-up. His strikeout rate barbarous from 99/341 (29 percent) in 2009 to 53/238 (22.3 percent), while his walk rate bumped upwardly from 31/341 (9.1 percent) to 44/238 (18.5 percent). He besides is not only an outfielder–limiting the amount of wear and tear on his body–but he is besides a highly-rated defensive outfielder, too.

Many scouts and analysts say that right now, Stanton projects to be a Ryan Howard-type thespian from the correct side: a ton of ability to go with a ton of strikeouts. Just, if he continues to better on his plate field of study and you add in the chemical element of speed (he already has two steals and a triple, and is considered 1 of the best overall athletes in the game correct now), keeper league Stanton owners may take i of the most valuable players not named Heyward.

Strasburg

Stephen Strasburg 2.jpg C'mon, did y'all honestly call up I'd make it to the end of June without looking into the kid. I mean, The Associated Printing just compared him to Walter Johnson later on his historic start last Tuesday. Thankfully, some of the hysteria has died downwardly a lilliputian, especially subsequently the more than realistic outing he had yesterday confronting the Indians. Yes, his fastball hits 100 mph and "drops" to the upper-90s tardily in the game. Yep, his changeup can clock in at 91 mph (somewhere, Jamie Moyer but suddenly felt sad and doesn't know why). And yeah, his curveball would probably brand Bert Blyleven jealous. Simply just for a moment, let'southward get beyond that and see how Mr. Precedent gets things done.

In my hapkido (a Korean martial art) class, my principal constantly preaches about how technique is "the ability to command your opponent." Controlling his opponent is what Strasburg–and every other bullpen, for that matter–sets out to do in every at-bat, and that starts with throwing first-pitch strikes. Through two games, Strasburg pumps in a first-pitch strike 61.7 per centum of the time, an astounding rate for a immature ability bullpen. Just to serve every bit frames of reference, but 30 eligible starters have higher FPS rates (Cliff Lee leads the Majors with a 71 percentage mark) and names such as Sabathia, Adam Wainwright, Jered Weaver and David Cost lag behind Strasburg's mark.

All these strikeouts are great, for the fans, the TV ratings and fantasy owners of Strasburg, but we all know what happens when smashing young artillery apace pile upward the whiffs. Probably no one knows this better than Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, who, equally skipper of the Cubs back in 1998, witnessed both the meteoric rise and fall of Kerry Wood inside a span of fourteen or so months. Riggleman told Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell that while the strikeouts are prissy, "it'southward ameliorate to get three outs on 12 pitches than three strikeouts on 18 pitches." Of grade, this was said prior to Strasburg'due south first start, when he had his cake and ate it, likewise.

Of the 36 outs Strasburg has recorded in his large league career, 22 were via the strikeout, nine on groundouts and five on flyouts. It would be impossible to expect the San Diego State alumnus to routinely rack up double-digit strikeout games without breaking the 100-pitch barrier, so for this year and maybe side by side, fantasy Strasburg owners (especially keepers) should get against their nature and hope he doesn't collect too many One thousand'due south. But put, Mr. Precedent won't turn 22 until the end of July and his body isn't all the same conditioned to handle a Major League flavour yet. Fewer strikeouts mean fewer total pitches he uses and less stress he will put his arm under.

But and so again, his stuff is merely soooooooooo good that he doesn't even have to try to get the strikeouts. They will just simple come.

Roster Matters

Lineup card 2.jpg Some other new addition here at The Fact of the Matter. This will list 24 players (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, three OFs, DH/UTL, four SPs, two RPs, ix demote players) who I felt did the all-time betwixt the previous Friday-Sunday period. I mean, this is Weekend Matters, correct? But, as a caveat, I may not include players who had 1 really incredible day and were either mediocre or flat-out bad the other two days. If you feel anyone was egregiously left out, please, past all means, voice your concerns!

C: Jorge Posada — 4-for-9, 2 HR, viii RBI, ii BB, iv Grand, 3 R
1B: Aubrey Huff — v-for-eleven, 3 60 minutes, 3B, 2B, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K, iv R
2B: Howard Kendrick — 7-for-14, 60 minutes, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 0 BB, Chiliad, CS, 2 R
3B: David Wright — six-for-xiii, ii 60 minutes, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 0 BB, K, CS, 2 R
SS: Jose Reyes — 6-for-thirteen, Hr, 2B, RBI, 0 BB, 2 Thousand, SB, ii R
OF: Chris Coghlan — half dozen-for-eleven, 0 Hr, 3B, 3 2B, RBI, 4 BB, four M, 6 R
OF: Josh Hamilton — iv-for-12, 2 HR, 2B, iv RBI, ii BB, iii K, 3 R
OF: Ryan Spilborghs — vii-for-12, 3 HR, 3B, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 0 BB, ii K, 4 R
UTL: Brandon Phillips — v-for-8, 60 minutes, RBI, BB, 0 K, 2 SB, 4 R
SP: Fausto Carmona — W, CG, QS, nine IP, R, 3 H, 0 BB, HR, 7 K, 106/73 P/S
SP: Zack Greinke — W, CG, QS, 9 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 HR, 12 One thousand, 105/77 P/S
SP: Colby Lewis — W, QS, 8 IP, 2 R, 3 H, BB, 2 Hr, 10 K, 119/74 P/S
SP: Francisco Liriano — W, QS, 8 IP, R, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 WP, eleven K, 105/7, i P/S
RP: Mariano Rivera — 2 Thousand, 1 SV, two IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, four K
RP: Brian Wilson — 2 K, 2 SV (1 multi-inning), 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, iii G, five-0 IR-S
Bench: Carlos Santana – C, Troy Glaus – CI, Erick Aybar, MI, Milton Bradley – OF, Garrett Jones – OF, Felix Hernandez – SP, Ted Lilly – SP, Joel Pineiro – SP, Brian Fuentes – RP

Injury Matters

SP Rich Harden (strained gluteus musculus, fifteen-day DL; put on list on Saturday)
2B Orlando Hudson (wrist, fifteen-solar day DL; may return for June 15-17 series vs. Colorado)
SS Jimmy Rollins (calf, fifteen-solar day DL; starts rehab assignment on June 15 … may return for June xviii-20 series vs. Minnesota)
RP Huston Street (shoulder, 15-day DL; standing rehab assignment with Triple-A Colorado Springs)
SP Edinson Volquez (right elbow, 60-day DL; begins rehab assignment on June 17 with Class A Dayton)
3B Chipper Jones (finger; doubtful for June 15-17 series vs. Tampa Bay … whispers of retirement later on season?)
2B Brandon Phillips (tight correct hamstring; missed Sunday's game … questionable for June 17-nineteen series vs. LA Dodgers)
3B Alex Rodriguez (hip; claims to be unrelated to '09 surgery, questionable for June 17-xix serial vs. Philadelphia)
SS Troy Tulowitzki (strained groin on Sat; available to play on Tuesday)
1B Kevin Youkilis (back spasms, HBP near correct elbow Saturday; missed Sunday'due south game)
C Miguel Montero returned from fifteen-day DL on Sat.