Friday's Roto Roundup: Jay Bruce Homers Three Times

Friday's Roto Roundup: Jay Bruce Homers Three Times

Red's outfielder Jay Bruce finally did what fantasy owners have been looking for all season. He hit a few home runs.....three that is....all in one game. Now if he goes on a Mike Stanton-esque slump, all will be forgotten. Bruce will need a big September to show fantasy owners that he will hit for power in the big leagues.

Indians outfielder Shin Soo Choo went 2-4 with 2 runs scored, an RBI and 2 walks, and is now hitting .296-.392-.469 with 15 HRs, 61 RBIs, and 15 SBs. He's quietly putting in another 20-20 season. I wonder what he would do in a good lineup.

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond went 3-5 with a run scored, and is now hitting .283-.321-.419 with 9 HRs, 53 RBIs and 14 SBs on the season. I could see him developing into a 15 HR/20 SB hitter as early as 2011.

Jose Bautista hit his major league leading 42nd HR on Friday, and he now has 97 RBIs on the season. Still not a beleiver.

Reds starter held the Cubs to one run in 8 innings on Friday, giving up 6 hits and striking out 8. The win was his 12th game of the season and sports a solid 3.49 ERA and 112-47 K/BB ratio.

Mets starter Mike Pelfrey won his 13th game of the season, tossing 8 shutout innings vs the Astros. Pelfrey walked 2 and struck out 4 and lowered his ERA to 3.61. An owner in the UBA keeper league owns him at $10, and I am thinking he could be a keeper at that price.

Red Sox starter Jon Lester out-dueled Rays starter David Price, holding the Rays to one unearned run in 7 innings. He gave up just 2 hits, but walked 5 and struck out 10. Lester lowered his ERA to 3.12, his WHIP to 1.18, and sports a very nice 176-63 K/BB ratio. Lester is a top 20 starter in 2011.

It appears Logan Morrison will be playing alot of outfield in the next few years if Gaby Sanchez continues to hit like this. Sanchez went 1-3 with his 16th HR of the season. In his last 10 games, he has gone 15-36 with 4 HRs and 17 RBIs, and is now hitting .290-.353-.477. Sanchez isn't getting the publicity for NL Rookie of the Year, but he should be the front-runner at this point.

Yankees starter AJ Burnett put up all kinds of crooked numbers on Friday night. In 3.1 innings, he gave up 8 earned runs (9 total) on 8 hits and 3 walks. His ERA is over 5 now, and he should be benched in all leagues. I am curious if Brian Cashman will claim someone like Hiroki Kuroda or Ted Lilly after this pitiful performance.

Padres starter Mat Latos isn't in the Cy Young talk as he has only 13 wins, but his other numbers should put him in the conversation. Latos gave up just one run in 7 innings vs the Phillies on Friday. He struck out 6 and walked 2, lowering his ERA to 2.29. He has only given up 110 hits in 156 innings pitched, and has a solid 156-44 K/BB ratio. 

Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was claimed by the White Sox, so the Dodgers have till 1:30 on Tuesday to work out a deal for him. Depending out how they perform against the Rockies this weekend will determine whether or not he is dealt. Note, he did not play in Friday night's game against the Rockies.with Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound. Makes me wonder if their is a verbal agreement to sit him till a deal is agreed upon. Should Manny get dealt, his value should rise for fantasy owners, as he will be moving from a pitchers park to a hitters park.

The baseball world, and fantasy baseball world, was knocked on its rear on Friday with the news that Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg will have Tommy John Surgery and will be out 12-18 months. The news is a crushing blow to keeper league owners, including me. Owners will have to decide whether to retain him for 2011 come next spring. I am inclined not to keep him at $14 in my NL-only keeper league.