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Kevin Youkilis – I hate to pick on one of my favorite players in the league, but I see a slight decline from his outstanding 2008 season.  He hit .312 with 91 Runs, 168 Hits, 43 Doubles, 29 HRs, and 115 RBI.  The previous two seasons he averaged .283 with 92.5 Runs, 155.5 Hits, 38.5 Doubles, 14.5 HRs, and 77.5 RBI.  I don’t see his Runs, Hits, or Doubles changing much, but I do expect a dip in his average to around .300 and his HRs and RBI to drop to 24 and 100.

Aubrey Huff – Huff exploded last year with a .304 average with 96 Runs, 182 Hits, 48 Doubles, 32 HRs, and 108 RBI.  From 2005-2007 he averaged .269, 65 Runs, 141.7 Hits, 28.3 Doubles, 19.3 HRs, and 76.7 RBI.  His 2003 & 2004 seasons were nearly identical to his 2008 production so last year wasn’t a complete fluke.  That said I expect him to hit .290 with 80 Runs, 170 Hits, 35 Doubles, 25 HRs, and 90 RBI.  Still solid fantasy numbers, but a decline from last year.

Carlos Delgado - Carlos Delgado had an MVP type year for the Mets.  He scored 96 Runs, had 162 Hits, 38 HRs, and 115 RBI.  He hadn’t scored that many Runs or had that many Hits since 2003 when he was a Blue Jay.  His HRs & RBI are nearly identical to what he produced in 2005 & 2006.  If you look at his splits you can see why I’m skeptical:

I think he’ll be closer to his pre-All-Star numbers and hit .270 with 150 Hits, 85 Runs, 30 HRs, and 95 RBI.

Troy Glaus - I don’t know what was more impressive…the 27 HRs and 99 RBI Glaus produced in 2008 or the 151 games he played in.  Either way, I suspect all three will take a dip in ’09 as he recovers from shoulder surgery.  He likely won’t play until May.

Melvin Mora - I hate to pick on the Orioles, but Mora is a guy I see failing to match his ’08 RBI production.  He drove in 104 last year after averaging 76.3 the three previous seasons.  He’s only topped 90 RBI twice in his career.  I expect him to drive in 80 this season.

Jason Giambi - Giambi is back in Oakland.  Hopefully he’s not looking up his old BALCO pals.  He slugged 32 HRs with 96 RBIs for the Yankees.  He’s 38 years old.  I don’t see him matching that production.  If he hit 25 HRs with 75 RBIs, I’d be impressed.

Images courtesy of Icon SMI

Wednesday, July 2nd
Jason Giambi hit a Grand Slam and drove in 6 Runs.  Grady Sizemore went 3 for 4 with 4 Runs, 2 HRs, 2 RBI, a Walk, and a SB.  Dustin Pedroia went 4 for 5 with 3 Runs, 2 Doubles, a Triple, a HR, and 2 RBI.  Xavier Nady went 3 for 5 with 2 Runs, 2 HRs, and 3 RBI.  Jay Bruce and Troy Glaus each hit 2 HRs and had 4 RBI.  A.J. Pierzynski hit a pair of solo HRs.  A-Rod scored 4 Runs and drove in 3.  Orlando Hudson had 4 Hits.  Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, Jimmy Rollins, David DeJesus, Ramon Hernandez, Johnny Damon (3 Runs), Frank Catalanotto, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria (3 RBI), Andre Ethier, Ichiro Suzuki, Garrett Atkins (4 RBI), Jose Reyes, David Wright, Ray Durham (3 RBI), and Damion Easley (3 RBI) each had 3 Hits.  Juan Rivera, Ryan Howard, and Miguel Cairo each had 3 RBI.  Ryan Doumit and Bobby Abreu each scored 3 Runs.

Nick Blackburn tossed 7 Innings of three-hit scoreless ball to improve to 7-4 with a 3.78 ERA.  Hiroki Kuroda also threw 7 scoreless Innings allowing 5 Hits to improve to 4-6 with a 3.73 ERA.  Daniel Cabrera pitched a Complete Game allowing 2 Runs to improve to 6-4.Ricky Nolasco gave up 2 Runs on 3 Hits with 8 Ks to improve to 9-4 with a 3.94 ERA.  He beat Odalis Perez, who allowed 2 Runs in 6-2/3 Innings.  Joe Saunders gave up 2 Earned Runs in 6-1/3 Innings to improve to 12-4 with a 3.04 ERA.  Ubaldo Jimenez gave up 1 Run in 6-1/3 Innings to improve to 3-8.  Yusmeiro Petit gave up 1 Run on 2 Hits in a 6 Inning no-decision.  Jarrod Washburn gave up 2 Runs in 6 Innings to improve to 4-7.  Ryan Dempster gave up 2 Runs with 7 Ks in a 6 Inning no-decision.

Sunday, June 22nd
Mark Teixeira hit 3 HRs and drove in 4 Runs.  Aaron Miles had 5 Hits.  Prince Fielder scored 3 Runs and added a Double, 2 HRs, and 3 RBI.  Kevin Youkilis hit a pair of HRs and drove in 3 Runs.  Randy Winn had 4 Hits and 3 RBI.  Dustin Pedroia had 4 Hits.  Joe Inglett, Conor Jackson, Jody Gerut, Jason Giambi, Fred Lewis, John Bowker (3 RBI), Mark Ellis, Adam Kennedy, Mike Lowell, and Juan Pierre each had 3 Hits.  Mike Aviles and Magglio Ordonez each had 3 RBI.  Marco Scutaro, Eric Patterson, and Ray Durham each scored 3 Runs.

Tim Hudson gave up 4 Hits in 7 scoreless Innings to improve to 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA.  John “Blackbird” Lannan gave up 2 Runs on 4 Hits with 6 Ks in a 6 Inning no-decision.  Livan Hernandez gave up 1 Earned Run in 7 Innings to improve to 8-4.  Andy Pettitte gave up 4 Hits in 6 scoreless Innings as he improved to 8-5.  Brandon Backe gave up 2 Runs in 6-2/3 Innings to improve to 5-8.   Justin Duchscherer gave up 1 Run in 7-2/3 Innings to improve to 8-4 with a 1.99 ERA.  Jon Lester (7-1/3 Innings, 2 Runs) and Joel Pinero (7 Innings, 2 Runs) battled to no-decisions.  Justin Verlander gave up 2 Runs in 5-1/3 Innings with 10 Ks to improve to 4-9.  Randy Wolf gave up 2 Earned Runs in 6 Innings with 10 Ks, but took the Loss.  Ryan Dempster scattered 10 Hits in 8 Innings allowing 1 Run to improve to 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA.

Tuesday, June 17th
Mark Ellis went 3 for 4 with 4 Runs, a Double, 2 HRs, 4 RBI, and 2 Walks.  Ryan Braun went 3 for 4 with 3 Runs, a Double, 2 HRs, and 3 RBI.  Jason Giambi hit 2 HRs and had 3 RBI.  Kazuo Matsui, Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, Rajai Davis, and Brian McCann each had 3 RBI.  Jeff Kent, Orlando Cabrera (3 RBI), A.J. Pierzynski, Johnny Peralta, Matt Holliday, Omar Quintanilla, Ryan Sweeney (4 Runs), Bobby Crosby, Adrian Beltre, Raul Ibanez, and Nick Swisher (3 Runs) each had 3 Hits. 

Manny Parra gave up 4 Runs in 7 Innings with 5 Ks to improve to 6-2.  Andy Pettitte gave up 5 Hits in 7 scoreless Innings with 9 Ks to improve to 7-5.  Jon Lester gave up 6 Hits in 7 scoreless Innings with 5 Ks to improve to 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA.  Chad Billingsley gave up 1 Run on 5 Hits in 6-1/3 Innings with 9 Ks to improve to 5-7 with a 3.54 ERA.  Johnny Cueto gave up 2 Runs on 5 Hits in 7 Innings, but took the Loss.  Vicente Padila gave up 1 Earned Run in 6 Innings to improve to 9-3 with a 3.73 ERA.  “And I shall be” Livan Hernandez gave up 1 Run on 5 Hits to improve to 7-4.  He beat John “Strawberry Fields Forever” Lannan, who allowed 2 Runs on 5 Hits in 7 Innings.  Kyle Davies gave up 1 Run on 5 Hits in 7 Innings to improve to 3-0 witha  1.46 ERA to beat Joel Pineiro (no decision, 7 Innings, 1 Run).  Justin Duchscherer gave up 1 Run on 5 Hits with 6 Ks in 8 Innings to improve to 7-4 with a 2.08 ERA.  John Lackey gave up 1 Run in 7-2/3 Innings with 7 Ks to improve to 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA.  Felix Hernandez gave u 3 Earned Runs in 7-1/3 Innings with 9 Ks to improve to 6-5 with a 2.87 ERA.  Kenny Rogers gave up 1 Run on 5 Hits in 7 Innings to improve to 5-4.  Jonathan Sanchez gave up 3 Runs in 7 Innings with 8 Ks, but took the Loss.

Baby Note:  The due date has come and passed.  Any day now.  Thursday at the latest.

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On to our regular scheduled program.

Saturday, May 24th
Magglio Ordonez went 3 for 3 with 4 Runs, a Double, 2 HRs, 6 RBI, and a Walk.  Evan Longoria hit a pair of HRs and drove in 6 Runs.  Robinson Cano went 4 for 4 with a Run, 3 Doubles, and an RBI.  B.J. Upton went 4 for 4 with 3 Runs, 2 Doubles, and 2 RBI.  Placido Polanco went 4 for 5 with 4 Runs, a Double, and an RBI.  Jason Bay went 4 for  6 with 2 Runs, a HR, 3 RBI, and a SB.  Jose Lopez, Jason Giambi (3 RBI), Ramon Castro, Nick Evans (3 Doubles), Carlos Pena (3 RBI), Brandon Phillips, and Juan Pierre each had 3 Hits.  Bobby Abreu and Joey Votto each had 4 RBI.  Carlos Beltran, Ryan Howard, Carlos Lee, and Ben Francisco each had 3 RBI.  Hideki Matsui, Ramon Santiago, and Carl Crawford each scored 3 Runs.  Brad Wilkerson hit a Grand Slam.

Jesse Litsch pitched a Complete Game Shutout to improve to 6-1 with a 3.57 ERA.  Justin Duchscherer gave up just 1 Hit in 8 scoreless Innings to improve to 4-3 with a 2.16 ERA.  He beat Josh Beckett, who allowed 2 Runs in 7 Innings with 9 Ks.  Jered Weaver pitched 8 scoreless Innings allowing just 3 Hits with 6 Ks to improve to 4-5.  Randy Johnson gave up 1 Run on 5  Hits in 6 Innings with 10 Ks for a no-decision.  If he wants to get to Win #300 they can’t let him down like that.  Claudio Vargas gave up 2 Runs on 4 Hits in 7 Innings for his first Win of the year.  Cliff Lee gave up 2 Runs in 6-2/3 Innings with 8 Ks to improve to 7-1 with a 1.50 ERA.  Brian Mohler gave up 2 Earned Runs in 6 Innings to improve to 2-1.  Bronson Arroyo went 6-1/3 Innings giving up 2 Runs and striking out 9 to improve to 3-4.  Kyle Lohse tossed 6 scoreless Innings to improve to 4-2.