Rocco Baldelli - Fantasy News & Updates
Rocco Baldelli - Fantasy News & Updates
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The Red Sox waited as long as they could to see if Rocco Baldelli's injury could improve enough to include him in the ALDS, but the outfielder simply didn't have enough time to heal. There's a chance he'll be able to return if the Red Sox advance to the ALCS.
Baldelli continues to be aggressive in treating the injury, and the Red Sox will likely wait until the last minute -- rosters are due at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday -- before making a decision. Because of the threat Baldelli poses from the right side, Boston would love to have him available for Games 3 and 4, when lefties Scott Kazmir and Joe Saunders are starting for the Angels.
Red Sox skipper Terry Francona started regular left fielder Jason Bay at designated hitter, followed by Casey Kotchman (first base), Rocco Baldelli (right field), Josh Reddick (left field) and Nick Green (shortstop) opposite Rays starter Matt Garza, a noted Sox slayer. The Tampa Bay righty entered Sunday 5-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 career starts against Boston. The regulars that rested in the opener are expected to play in Sunday's nightcap.
Baldelli went deep for the second time in seven contests dating back to Aug. 2. The big outfielder is batting .262 with 21 RBIs in 49 games this year, restricting his value to deeper AL-only formats.
Baldelli, placed on the DL on Aug. 6 with a left ankle contusion, went 1-for-6 in two rehabilitation appearances with Pawtucket earlier this week. He is batting .261 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 44 games for the Sox this season. Summoned to the big league club on Saturday, Anderson appeared in three games for Boston, going 1-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored. Cabrera posted a 4.50 ERA with seven strikeouts in four appearances after joining the team on Aug. 9.
Baldelli probably doesn't need more than a few days to recover from hitting a ball off his foot in batting practice on Wednesday, but the Red Sox couldn't afford to be down two outfielders, with Jason Bay already sidelined for at least few games. In this instance, Baldelli took one for the team, freeing up the spot for Reddick, who got the starting nod in right field Thursday, one day after being sent down.
Drew was forced to leave the game after he had trouble running the bases in what was the outfielder's first game back since being bothered by a sore groin. His replacement in right, Rocco Baldelli, went 2-for-5 with a homer and a pair of runs scored in Drew's absence. If Drew is unable to suit up, Baldelli should continue to fill in for the ailing veteran. Stay tuned.
The left-handed hitter smashed a three-run double to the gap in right-center during the Sox's half of the first but did not look well running the bases. He then had to score from second on a single by Mike Lowell and was hobbling even worse. When the Red Sox took the field in the bottom of the first, Rocco Baldelli replaced Drew in right field. Injuries have a tendency to linger when Drew is involved so check back for updates before penciling him in.
Neither Kotsay nor Anderson had reached expectations with their former clubs, and the hope is that a change of scenery will help spark a turnaround. The 27-year-old Anderson carries more upside than the 33-year-old Kotsay, but finding playing time will prove more difficult in Beantown than in Chicago. The Red Sox already have three outfielders set in stone, and with Rocco Baldelli serving as the fourth outfielder and right-handed-hitting platoon partner to J.D. Drew, Anderson serves as little more than an insurance option. Kotsay, on the other hand, figures to see more playing time in Chicago, with the White Sox in dire need of help in center field. His arrival makes either Dewayne Wise or Josh Fields expendable.
Ellsbury has a case of the flu -- quite a relief for owners worried about the "intestinal turmoil" that Red Sox skipper Terry Francona described on Friday. Rocco Baldelli got the start in center field and hit seventh on Saturday in Ellsbury's place.
In English, that means Ellsbury's stomach is bothering him. He was replaced by Rocco Baldelli, who went hitless in four at-bats. It's unclear whether Ellsbury will return to the lineup on Saturday.
Baldelli has done a fine job coming mostly off the bench for the Sox, hitting .282 with four bombs and 14 ribbies. More importantly, the oft-injured outfielder has managed to stay on the playing field more often than not, and has already surpassed his games played and at-bat totals from last season. It's a nice story, but until he sees game action with an increased regularity, it'll be hard for Baldelli help owners in most formats.
Boston has always erred on the side of caution when it comes to health, and with good depth off the bench and in the Minors, there was no need to rush Lowell back and potentially aggravate the injury any further. The announcement came one day after Lowell received an injection of Synvisc in his right hip. His absence will likely shift Kevin Youkilis over to third base, open the door for Mark Kotsay and Jeff Bailey at first and free up more playing time for Rocco Baldelli as the club's fourth outfielder.
Baldelli got the start in right field for J.D. Drew -- who was nursing a sore right shoulder -- on Sunday and used his time wisely, ripping his third tater of the year. He's done a fine job off the bench for the BoSox, but does not play enough to warrant AL-only consideration in his current role.
Pedroia is in a 4-for-36 slump and also a bit fatigued. This was his first game out of the lineup since May 13. Drew was smoked on the right shoulder by a pitch during Saturday's contest vs. the Phils, and it tightened up on him as the game wore on. All parties involved thought it was best he take Sunday off. For Varitek, it was just a breather for the catcher who played 13 innings Friday and another long game Saturday that included a 95-minute rain delay. Ortiz, who started Friday night at first base, sat for the second day in a row with a lefty starting and no designated hitter. Nick Green got the start at second base; Rocco Baldelli started in right field; and George Kottaras filled in for Varitek behind the dish on Sunday.
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