The Yankees starting rotation is a mess; Scott Cullen has notes on Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, Matt Wieters, Brandon Belt, Adam LaRoche and more. INJURIES - Good thing for the Yankees that their Japanese pitchers, Hiroki Kuroda and Masahiro Tanaka, have been able to stay healthy. The rest of the starting rotation has already hit the DL. With Ivan Nova alread out for the season, RHP Michael Pineda was suspended for that whole Pine Tar thing, then suffered a strined muscle in his side that will likely keep him out until some time in June. Adding to those troubles, LHP CC Sabathia found out that he has fluid on his knee, requiring him to go to the DL too. RHP David Phelps has already joined the rotation, delivering mediocre results (4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 4 K, 10 1/3 IP) in a couple of starts. Journeyman RHP Alfredo Aceves (1.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 14 K, 13 2/3 IP at AAA) is a decent bet to get a chance as a starter and, checking out their other options at Triple-A, 24-year-old RHP Chase Whitley (3-2, 2.49 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 32 K, 25 1/3 IP) has been really good and might be ready for a look. - Orioles C Matt Wieters is out with a strained right elbow, opening up room for Steve Clevenger to see more action for the next couple weeks. Clevenger has a .778 OPS in 46 plate appearances this year, but his major league career consists of 1 HR, 23 RBI, .213 AVG (.578 OPS) in 268 AB. Not much to get excited about at this point. - Giants 1B Brandon Belt was off to a nice start (9 HR, 18 RBI, .264 AVG, 18 R, 3 SB, .820 OPS), but has suffered a broken thumb that will keep him out six weeks. With C Buster Posey available to play first, that leaves more playing time for C Hector Sanchez and veteran utility man Joaquin Arias. - Brewers 3B Aramis Ramirez has a strained hamstring, which is resulting in Mark Reynolds moving across the diamond to third, and Lyle Overbay taking over at first base for Reynolds. Since the start of 2013, Overbay has hit 15 home runs with a .240 batting average in 513 at-bats. - Rangers 2B Donnie Murphy has landed on the DL with a strained neck and with Jurickson Profar already out, top prospect Rougned Odor gets the call for Texas. Odor is just 20-years-old, so this may be just a chance to get a taste of the big leagues, but he has hit .293 with 12 home runs and an .825 OPS in 263 Double-A at-bats since getting promoted last season. Right now, hes just a player to watch. - Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche has gone on the DL with a strained quad, and the Nats have brought Tyler Moore back from the minors. Moore has shown some power (16 HR, 53 RBI, .236 AVG, .713 OPS) in 356 careerat-bats, and destroys Triple-A pitching (19 HR, 72 RBI, .306 AVG, .975 OPS, 281 AB), so the chance to play regularly could provide some decent results. GOOD ADDS (Available in at least 40% of TSN leagues) Alcides Escobar, SS, Kansas City - 2 HR, 15 RBI, .276 AVG, 18 R, 127 AB (Available: 51.4%) Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego - 5 HR, 19 RBI, .262 AVG, 11 R, 136 AB (Available: 51.5%) Gerardo Parra, RF, Arizona - 4 HR, 13 RBI, .275 AVG, 24 R, 160 AB (Available: 81.8%) A.J. Pollock, CF, Arizona - 3 HR, 7 RBI, .278 AVG, 14 R, 5 SB, 108 AB (Available: 98.6%) Seth Smith, LF, San Diego - 3 HR, 14 RBI, .330 AVG, 14 R, 106 AB (Available: 93.0%) Dillon Gee, RHP, N.Y. Mets - 3-1, 2.73 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 33 K, 52 2/3 IP (Available: 41.8%) Josh Beckett, RHP, Los Angeles - 0-1, 2.80 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 34 K, 35 1/3 IP (Available: 73.2%) Tom Koehler, RHP, Miami - 3-2, 1.99 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 29 K, 45 1/3 IP (Available: 76.0%) CLOSER NOTES - Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman returned to action, with 100 MPH fastballs, to close out Colorado Sunday, so Jonathan Broxton returns to the eighth inning role for the Reds. - Indians RHP John Axford surrendered five earned runs in three innings over his last four appearances and hes been bumped from the closers role, with the Tribe turning to a committee approach. RHP Bryan Shaw and RHP Cody Allen are the best options, with perhaps a slight edge to Shaw right now. - Angels RHP Ernesto Frieri pitched well enough after losing the closers role that hes now eligible for ninth-inning work again, splitting save duties with Joe Smith. - RHP Jeurys Familia may be next in line to close for the New York Mets. Its been up in the air since Bobby Parnell was injured, but Familia may be able to usurp Kyle Farnsworth. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook.
Cheap Jerseys .com) - The fading Ottawa Senators have a chance to make up some ground in the playoff race on Tuesday night as they play host to the New York Rangers.
Wholesale Jerseys . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Panthers coach Ron Rivera doesnt foresee any changes to the coaching staff or roster following his teams latest lopsided loss.The answers are in the locker room, in the classroom and on the coaching staff, the coach said.However, while the Panthers continue searching for those solutions time is running out on a forgettable season.Carolina (3-8-1) entered Sundays game at Minnesota in control of its own playoff destiny in the NFC South, but played uninspired football in the cold and allowed the Vikings to return two blocked punts for touchdowns in a 31-13 loss.Riveras preseason goal of posting back-to-back winning season for the first time in franchise history wont happen.And while the Panthers remain mathematically alive in the weak NFC South, a seven-game winless streak suggests the chances of running the table in December are highly unlikely.Carolina ranks 27th in the league in points scored, while allowing the third-most points in the league. Its special teams rank near the bottom of nearly every statistical category in the NFL and has allowed three returns for touchdowns.Struggling quarterback Cam Newton said after Sundays loss he was concerned the Panthers are losing their swagger.When we keep trying to point and find excuses, were going to keep getting those types of results, Newton said. It will start by all 11 guys on that field taking full responsibility and accepting coaching and getting better.Linebacker A.J. Klein said the only thing the Panthers can do now is look ahead.If we dwell on this and dont move forward thats just going to eat away at the team and grow like a cancer — so you just try and stay positive, Klein said.It might help too if the Panthers start faster.Carolina has been outscored 178-85 in the first half, and has held a lead for only 140 minutes, 54 seconds of the 735 minutes it has played this season, per STATS.Rivera continues to call Newton the teams quarterback of the future, even though hes in a massive slump that includes at least one interception in eight straight games.dddddddddddd Newton hasnt had much help from a young offensive line assigned to protect him. Hes been under siege in the pocket, sacked 25 times in the last six games.Rivera said Monday there are various reasons for the teams demise following a 12-4 season last year, but said he didnt want to dwell on the negative. He said the goal is finish strong and win the final four games.The Panthers travel to New Orleans on Sunday, return home to face Tampa Bay and Cleveland, and finish the season the road at Atlanta.It will test our character, Rivera said.Rivera seems content to ride out the schedule with the coaches and players he has rather than making any changes.Were not going to doing anything kneejerk, Rivera said. Were going to go through the process. A year ago it was good enough, and now its not. We have to find out why, and what happened. We believe we know and now we have to correct it. Its not like we dont know what happening. ... (But) you dont give up on something just because something negative happens. If we did we would be a nation of quitters. And I aint quitting on us.In the meantime, the Panthers are turning more and more to young players like cornerback Bene Benwikere, safety Tre Boston, offensive tackle Mike Remmers and wide receivers Philly Brown and DeAndre Presley.Rivera insisted that isnt about playing for next season, but rather putting the best players on the field that give the team the best chance to win.If it happens that were putting a younger guy on the field then so be it, Rivera said.NOTES: Rivera said DeAngelo Williams broke a bone in his right hand on Sunday, but said the 31-year-old running back should be able to play Sunday at New Orleans if the swelling subsides.___AP NFL website:
www.pro32.ap.org and
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