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| Polanco with back issues. |
Jair Jurrjens started the season with an injury before posting phenomenal numbers before the All-Star break. Fernando Rodney has spent more time ON the DL than not. Brandon Lyon started the season in trouble and is done for the year with shoulder surgery. Gerald Laird just returned to St.Louis after fracturing a finger. Placido Polanco had an elbow issue early in the season and lately his numbers plummeted as he developed a back issue which landed him on the DL last week. "Pudge" Rodriguez is coming off of the DL after a right oblique muscle issue. Marcus Thames struggled with leg issues all season before being outrighted by the Dodgers, and Adam Everett started the season with a thumb issue, struggled mightily to put up good numbers for Cleveland before being released in favor of a young third base prospect getting his Major League debut. Not a very good season for Former Tigers, although Curtis Granderson continues to improve with the Yankees, Johnny Damon has had the best 1st half of the season he's had in years, and Matt Joyce led all Major League hitters in April, May, and June before his hitting tapered off in July. (See the Former Tiger Player Trends page for details, and the Former Tiger Players (2011) page for current numbers.)
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| Adam Everett released by Cleveland. |
Below are summaries for recent activity involving these and other former Tiger players courtesy of "MLB Fantasy Baseball News"...
July 12, 2011 at 4:29 PM ET
Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth finished the first half 3-1 with a 2.02 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, 17 saves in 19 tries and 25 strikeouts over 35 2/3 innings.
Farnsworth had just one save in his last four years prior to this season, but he's stepped into the closing role with ease. The veteran reliever is succeeding by keeping runners off the bases. Opponents are batting just .209 off Farnsworth and he's posted a tidy 1.3 BB/9 ratio. Look for more of the same from the 35-year-old in the second half.
July 14, 2011 at 9:19 PM ET
Manager Fredi Gonzalez has decided to push All-Star pitcher Jair Jurrjens back one day, and fellow right-hander Tommy Hanson will take his place for Saturday's start against the Nationals.
Jurrjens pitched 1 2/3 innings in Tuesday's All-Star Game, retiring the first six batters he faced before departing after Kevin Youkilis hit a two-out single. Hanson and Jurrjens will follow Tim Hudson before Derek Lowe and Brandon Beachy start the first two games in Colorado.
Jair Jurrjens finished the first half at 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 65/25 K/BB ratio in 110 2/3 innings.
Jurrjens ends the first half leading the NL in ERA and wins. The right-hander's K/9 ratio has fallen from 6.7 to 5.3 from this year to last, coinciding with a decreased BB/9 ratio of 2.0 from last season's 3.2. The improvement in control is a welcome change, but the fewer strikeouts put Jurrjens' sterling ERA and WHIP in peril as they really don't mesh with his skillset.
July 2, 2011 at 9:25 PM ET
Reliever Fernando Rodney isn't progressing as well from injury as the Angels hoped as the right-handed reliever -- placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 13 with a strained upper back -- was scheduled on Friday to throw his second bullpen since suffering the injury but wasn't able to.
"He's still having some symptoms, even though they're minor from where they might have been 10 days ago," manager Mike Scioscia said. "But his progress has been slow." Rodney, who started the season as the Halos' closer before rookie Jordan Walden took over, hasn't appeared in a game since June 8 against Tampa Bay. He's recorded a 4.09 ERA in 22 innings.
July 12, 2011 at 8:28 PM ET
White Sox right-hander Edwin Jackson goes into the All-Star break with a 5-7 record, 4.30 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 92 strikeouts over 106 2/3 innings.
Jackson allowed four earned runs in three of his past four starts and mixed in seven shutout innings against the Nationals. He has been consistently pretty average in the first half, posting a high strikeout total, but he will need to lower his WHIP.
July 14, 2011 at 12:12 AM ET
Astros reliever Brandon Lyon closed out the first half 3-3 with a 11.48 ERA, a 2.40 WHIP, four saves in eight tries and six strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.
Lyon tripped right from the start, giving up three earned runs while recording just one out in a blow save against the Phillies on Opening Day. After failing in a comeback attempt from the DL that saw him post a 36.00 ERA over three outings in June, Lyon headed to the DL again on June 18. Lyon is not expected to pitch again this season after undergoing shoulder surgery on June 30.
June 30, 2011 at 9:29 PM ET ET
Astros relief pitcher Brandon Lyon underwent surgery Thursday in Pensacola, Fla., to repair the detachment of his right biceps tendon and to also mend a tear in his labrum.
The surgery was performed by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews and assisted by Astros orthopedist Dr. David Lintner. Lyon will start motion exercises in approximately two weeks and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season. Lyon blew four saves in five chances, including Opening Day in Philadelphia, before going on the DL. Lyon, 31, went 6-6 with a 3.12 ERA in a career-high 79 games for the Astros last year, saving 20 games in 22 chances. He allowed only two homers in 78 innings, but this season he had allowed four homers in 13 1/3 innings.
July 14, 2011 at 10:38 PM ET
Curtis Granderson went 2-for-5 with a two-run triple in Thursday's loss to the Blue Jays.
The All-Star picks up the second half right where he left off. Granderson is up to 65 RBIs on the year, with an impressive 25 of those coming vs. lefties. He's having a dream season.
July 16, 2011 at 7:56 PM ET
Rays outfielder Matt Joyce went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and a stolen base in Saturday's loss to the Red Sox.
Joyce goes deep in his first start of the second half. In the midst of a career year, Joyce is batting .295 with 13 homers, 43 RBIs and six steals.
July 12, 2011 at 3:35 PM ET
Rays right fielder Matt Joyce finished the first half batting .290 with 12 long balls, 41 RBIs, 45 runs scored and five steals.
Joyce came out of the gate mashing, leading the league in batting average as late as June 7. By the end of May, the lefty-swinger owned a smoking-hot .370 clip with nine home runs and 30 RBIs. Since then the 26-year-old has fallen on rough times, batting a paltry .164 (17-for-104) with three big flies and 11 RBIs.
July 12, 2011 at 3:22 PM ET
Rays DH Johnny Damon wrapped up the first half batting .279 with nine dingers, 41 RBIs, 42 runs scored and seven steals.
Not many saw this type of first half coming from the 37-year-old veteran. Damon has already surpassed last year's home run total (8) and will make run at 80-plus RBIs for just the second time in five years. Damon is streaking heading into the All-Star break, batting .352 (12-for-34) with a tater and seven RBIs in his last eight contests.
July 12, 2011 at 10:46 PM ET
Cameron Maybin is hitting .259 with five homers, 12 steals, 38 runs scored, and 21 RBIs through his first 74 games as a Padre.
Maybin looks unlikely to realize the superstar potential that made him a top prospect with the Tigers and Marlins, but he could still develop into a useful player. He’s on pace for 11 homers and 27 steals, and if he can continue cutting down his strikeouts and increasing his walks, his numbers will improve. There’s more in the tank for the 24-year-old, but it’s uncertain how quickly we’ll see it.
July 9, 2011 at 8:00 PM ET
On Friday night, backup catcher Gerald Laird made his first start since returning from the DL.
Laird, who fractured his right index finger on May 22, went 1-for-4 in the Cardinals' 7-6 loss to the D-backs. One of three catchers on the roster, along with All-Star Yadier Molina and rookie Tony Cruz, Laird is hitting .217 with five doubles, one triple, four RBIs, five runs scored and a .308 on-base percentage.
July 15, 2011 at 2:04 AM ET
Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a game-tying solo home run on Thursday vs. the Padres.
Huff's clutch long ball off of Heath Bell was the first time he's gone yard since that epic three-homer game way back on June 2. The 34-year-old is batting just .238 with nine homers and 46 RBIs.
July 12, 2011 at 8:24 PM ET
After an MVP-caliber 2010, Aubrey Huff is hitting just .236 with eight homers, though he’s driven in 44, scored 30, and stolen three times.
Huff showed some life with a .291 average and four homers in June, but he’s just 6-for-39 in July and it’s looking as though we may get a season closer to his mediocre 2009 than his stellar 2010. Huff’s made a career out of being inconsistent, so don’t rule out a turnaround yet.
July 15, 2011 at 9:14 PM ET
The Phillies placed Placido Polanco on the disabled list on Friday, retroactive to July 4, and looking forward to July 20.
The All-Star third baseman insisted on Friday that he will be ready to go on Wednesday in Chicago, and said that he was currently operating at about 90 percent.
July 12, 2011 at 1:41 AM ET
Placido Polanco closed out the first half hitting .274 with four homers, 39 RBIs and 34 runs.
Polanco, who didn't play last week due to back pain, has struggled since he hit scintillating .398 in April. From June 1 onward, the All-Star hot corner man hit .183 with just three extra-base hits.
July 13, 2011 at 8:14 PM ET
A's third baseman Scott Sizemore finished the first half hitting .261 with four homers, one steal, 18 RBIs and 19 runs scored.
Sizemore struggled to take over the second base job with the Tigers before they finally gave up on him, shipping the 26-year-old to the West Coast. Since joining the A's, he has hit .287 and has taken over the bulk of playing time at third base.
July 16, 2011 at 8:13 PM ET
Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez took 25 swings off a tee on Saturday afternoon, but had to shut it down after feeling tightness in his right oblique.
The tightness is not considered serious and, according to manager Davey Johnson, Rodriguez believes he will be ready to play when he's eligible to come off the disabled list late next week. When he is activated, Rodriguez will play once every three games, while Wilson Ramos will get the bulk of the work behind the plate.
July 12, 2011 at 5:07 PM ET
Trying to address their hole in left field, the Dodgers on Tuesday acquired right-handed hitter Juan Rivera and cash from the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named or cash. Outfielder Marcus Thames was designated for assignment in a related move.
Rivera, 33, was hitting .243 with six home runs and 28 RBIs when he was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on July 3. But he was hitting .327 against left-handed pitching, with a .909 OPS. "Juan will be the right-handed counterpart to Tony Gwynn Jr. in left field, and he can fill in at first base," said general manager Ned Colletti. Thames was signed to a $1 million free-agent contract to be a right-handed-hitting platoon left fielder. While dealing with leg injuries, he has hit only .197 with two homers and seven RBIs.
June 30, 2011 at 5:59 PM ET
Indians infielder Adam Everett cleared waivers Thursday and was released, the club has announced.
Everett, 33, was designated for assignment Monday after hitting .217 (13-for-60) in 34 games with Cleveland. He is a career .242 hitter and has spent parts of 11 seasons with the Astros, Twins, Tigers and Indians.
Photo Credits:
Placido Polanco by Mark Cunningham - Getty Images
Adam Everett by Robin Buckson - Detroit News
All Player head shot photos by MLB Fantasy Baseball News.
