For What It's Werth

Let’s start today with the following item:

The Los Angeles Times reports that "Jayson Werth, whose 20-day rehab stint at Las Vegas ends today, was four for four with a homer and five RBIs on Tuesday."

The Dodgers were hinting that they would keep Werth down in the minors for a while until he started to demonstrate some power. That may still happen, but it sure looks like he’ll be back sooner than later, maybe even this week. It’s about time.

Now that the Falkuhns have declared the dump season to be officially open, having starting $1 outfielders who are performing may prove quite valuable. Interestingly, we offered him all over last year with no one biting until his homers hit double digits. He even hit a homer against the Giants on TV while we were gathered for the ill-fated rules meeting last year at 21st Amendment, but no one believed it.

Werth could be available in the right deal, but the Pecklers will be wary of being the dumpee to an extreme. While we want to finish first, as I’ve described early in the blog’s history, it is important to find a good balance between this year and next year. We expect to make deals with everyone, including contenders where dumping is not an issue.

Tyler Walker got save #7 yesterday, and since being anointed, has not allowed a base runner. I suspect this won’t last long (I was at the game where he gave up his last hits and runs, and he was awful), but it is exciting to enjoy it while the going is good. I suspect Lou feels the same way about Ryan Dempster, who has a chance now to keep his closer job despite the reemergence of Joe Borowski in the Cubs’ bullpen. I don’t believe Dempster either, but he’s had an awfully good week.

Mark couldn’t wait to get any kind of value in trade for Dempster as well as Turnbow. I wonder how Mark feels about that trade now? On the other hand, the Rips are now in 7th place at 51.5 points, ahead of the Pounders and up from the low thirties and last place just a few weeks ago. It’s actually quite a phenomenal turnaround, considering the awful injuries (Benitez, Rolen) the team has endured.

Meanwhile, despite hardly hitting the Doc’s weight lately, we’ve held onto 1st place for a little while. There are 6 teams today over 59 points, and it should be wide open for the forseeable future. Plus The Leaguers are inching up. They are still in 9th with 44 points, but those pitching numbers don’t stink quite so badly. The 5 ERA is now 4.24 and lined up to move ahead of some teams. The 1.5+ WHIP is now at 1.415 and getting close to passing some teams as well. Gagne is back and ready to move the team up the saves list. We still have over 2/3 of the season to go, so don’t count this team out. They are looming…

The Lickers have 40 pitching points. That is amazing, given they kept 1 pitcher (Mesa), and took a lot of chances with starters. In the next week I hope to take a good look at this team to figure out if they are for real and if they can sustain the start.

As for our Gigantes (as their uniforms last weekend represented), Schmidt is back, and for once there is some good news. The team is back at an even .500, 4-1/2 games back of the first place Padres. The Dodgers are in for 3, with our Tomko going up against Wilson Alvarez, in what is his first start of the season.

I remember a great Alvarez moment from 2003. I was at SBC (maybe it was still Pac Bell then) for the last game of the season, with the Pecklers and the Falkuhns and the 4nak8ers battling for second place money. It came down to the ratio point between us and the Falkuhns, and they had Alvarez pitching against the Giants right in front of me. He had pitched lights out all season, but that day the Giants sent him packing in the second inning. They did it with little ball, singles and walks, and guys were spinning around the bases like a Waring blender. I was dancing and screaming knowing that I was watching the Falkuhns melting down before my eyes. It was one of those rare times when real baseball and fantasy baseball were perfectly aligned.

Ken H., I’m setting the over/under on Bonds regular season games played this season at 50. The usual bet. Pick which side you want at the poker game tomorrow night.