Thursday Lineup Card: Make a Brave Pick

Thursday Lineup Card: Make a Brave Pick

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

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Thursday's Starters
Cardinals (Kyle Lohse – L) at Tigers (Jacob Turner – R), 1:05
Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw – L) at Athletics (Travis Blackley – L), 3:35
Rockies (Jeff Francis – L) at Phillies (Vance Worley – R), 7:05
Twins (Liam Hendriks – R) at Pirates (James McDonald – R), 7:05
Rays (Matt Moore – L) at Nationals (Gio Gonzalez – L), 7:05
Marlins (Carlos Zambrano – R) at Red Sox (Daisuke Matsuzaka – R), 7:10

Day Game After Night Game:: STL/DET, LAD/OAK

Injuries

Day-to-Day
Mitch Moreland, 1B, TEX – (Hamstring) Expected to be placed on the DL this weekend.
Joe Mauer, C, MIN – (Quad) Did not start Wednesday.
Brett Lawrie, 3B, TOR – (Knee) Left Wednesday's game early with right knee soreness.
Lucas Duda, OF, NYM – (Hamstring) Did not start Wednesday's game.
Jose Valverde, RHP, DET – (Wrist) Has a sprained right wrist.
Matt Joyce, OF, TB – (Back) Not in Wednesday's starting lineup.
Matt Capps, RHP, MIN – (Shoulder) Expects to resume closing duties soon.

Disabled List
Matt Lindstrom, RHP, BAL – (Finger) Will throw two innings with Double-A Bowie on Friday.
Ramon Ramirez, RHP, NYM – (Hamstring) Will move rehab assignment to Triple-A Buffalo.
Nick Markakis, OF, BAL – (Wrist) Unlikely to be activated from the DL during Baltimore's upcoming series.
Ruben Tejada, SS, NYM – (Quadriceps) Moving his rehab assignment to Triple-A Buffalo.
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, COL – (Groin) Will have surgery to remove a scar tissue.
Jorge De La Rosa, LHP, COL – (Elbow) Doctors deemed him to be in good standing and he will continue his treatment.
Brandon Beachy, RHP, ATL – (Elbow) Will undergo Tommy John surgery Thursday.
Ted Lilly, LHP, LAD – (Shoulder) Could resume throwing by the end of the week.
Jesse Litsch, RHP, TOR – (Shoulder) Officially out for the season.
Travis Ishikawa, 1B, MIL – (Oblique) Will rejoin the Brewers on Saturday.
Cesar Izturis, SS, MIL – (Hamstring) Will rejoin the Brewers on Friday.
Marco Estrada, RHP, MIL – (Quadriceps) Scheduled to throw 75 pitches Thursday for Triple-A Nashville.
Shaun Marcum, RHP, MIL – (Elbow) Right elbow doesn't appear to have any structural damage.
Drew Stubbs, OF, CIN – (Oblique) Eligible to return from the DL on Friday, but the Reds aren't sure he will be ready by then.
Felipe Paulino, RHP, KC – (Groin) Threw Wednesday night for Double-A Northern Arkansas.
Drew Smyly, LHP, DET – (Finger) Will start Thursday for Triple-A Toledo.
Ryan Langerhans, OF, LAA – (Shoulder) Began rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday.
Jon Herrera, SS, COL – (Hamstring) Getting close to returning according to manager Jim Tracy.
Jhoulys Chacin, RHP, COL – (Pectoral) Played catch but remains weeks away from returning.
Alex Avila, C, DET – (Hamstring) Went 2-for-2 with two singles and a walk with Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday.
Derek Holland, LHP, TEX – (Shoulder fatigue) Hoping to rejoin the rotation by the end of the month.
Andrew Bailey, RHP, BOS – (Thumb) Expected to throw a mound session soon.
David Aardsma, RHP, NYY – (Elbow) Threw scoreless inning on a rehab assignment.
Josh Beckett, RHP, BOS – (Shoulder) Expects to return from the DL once eligible.
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, BOS – (Shoulder) Close to game activities, according to manager Bobby Valentine.
Chase Utley, 2B, PHI – (Knee) Felt no soreness after playing six innings at second base.
Laynce Nix, OF, PHI – (Calf) Will have an MRI this week.

Transactions
David Pauley, RHP, TOR – Claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays

Activated from DL

Optioned to Triple-A
Tyler Thornburg, RHP, MIL
Todd Redmond, RHP, ATL
Yan Gomes, C, TOR
Louis Coleman, RHP, KC
Erik Kratz, C, PHI

Called Up
Jair Jurrjens, RHP, ATL
Chris Archer, RHP, TB
Irving Falu, SS, KC
Joel Carreno, RHP, TOR
Raul Valez, LHP, PHI

Closer Watch
Reds – Aroldis Chapman entered the bottom of the 10th inning with a two run lead against the Indians on Tuesday night. He watched that lead slip through his fingers after Asdrubal Cabrera knocked a game-winning, two-run homer over the right field wall to walk off in Cleveland. Chapman, however, still stands as one of the most dominant relievers in the game.

Brewers – John Axford had thrown two consecutive perfect ninth innings heading into Tuesday night. However, he allowed back-to-back solo homers to Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista in the top of the ninth inning, putting the Blue Jays over the top for a 10-9 win. It was Axford's fourth blown save of the year.

KEY MATCHUPS: HOT

Hot Batter MatchupsAt-BatsAVGHRXBHRBIBBKSLGOBPOPS
Miguel Cabrera - 3BDET vs STL
6/21 1:05 PM
Kyle Lohse4-10.400234211.100.5001.600
Juan Pierre - OFPHI vs COL
6/21 7:05 PM
Jeff Francis18-42.42902113.476.471.986
Jimmy Rollins - SSPHI vs COL
6/21 7:05 PM
Jeff Francis6-12.50001000.583.5001.083
John Buck - CMIA @ BOS
6/21 7:10 PM
Daisuke Matsuzaka5-10.50002103.700.4551.155
 
Hot Pitcher MatchupsAt-BatsOpp
AVG
HR
Allow
XBH
Allow
RBI
Allow
BBKOpp
SLG
Opp
OBP
Opp
OPS
None

 

KEY MATCHUPS: COLD

Cold Batter MatchupsAt-BatsAVGHRXBHRBIBBKSLGOBPOPS
Jonny Gomes - OFOAK vs LAD
6/21 3:35 PM
Clayton Kershaw1-10.10001114.200.222.508
Hector Luna - 2BPHI vs COL
6/21 7:05 PM
Jeff Francis1-10.10000113.100.182.282
Cody Ross - OFBOS vs MIA
6/21 7:10 PM
Carlos Zambrano2-12.16701115.250.231.481
 
Cold Pitcher MatchupsAt-BatsOpp
AVG
HR
Allow
XBH
Allow
RBI
Allow
BBKOpp
SLG
Opp
OBP
Opp
OPS
Kyle LohseSTL @ Det
6/21 1:05 PM
Tigers Batters18-66.273269129.423.399.851
Jeff FrancisCOL @ Phi
6/21 7:05 PM
Phillies Batters32-99.323164310.399.355.771
 

Recommended Pickup
Andrelton Simmons, SS, ATL – Baseball America rated Simmons as the No. 92 prospect in baseball before the 2012 season. He hit .311/.351/.408 in 131 games in High-A Lynchburg in 2011 and was hitting .292/.372/.421 in Double-A Mississippi before being called up at the beginning of June. Since playing in his first game in June 2, Simmons has raked in Atlanta, hitting .322/.375/.492 with two homers and eight RBI in his first 17 games as a Brave. He is owned in only four percent of ESPN leagues so he should be available in most mixed and NL-only leagues.

Other Recent Recommendations: : Norichika Aoki, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Cobb, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Espinosa

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Draft Street Lineup
C: Wilin Rosario ($5,397)
1B: Adrian Gonzalez ($6,502)
2B: Omar Infante ($5,028)
3B: Hanley Ramirez ($6,959)
SS: Mike Aviles ($6,757)
OF: Logan Morrison ($7,457)
OF: Josh Reddick ($6,008)
OF: Giancarlo Stanton ($6,950)
U: Jose Reyes ($7,126)
U: Rick Ankiel ($4,145)
SP: Gio Gonzalez ($15,750)
SP: Clayton Kershaw ($17,402)
RP: Tyler Clippard ($2,607)
P: Rafael Betancourt ($1,825)

Total: $99,913

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fred Katz
Fred Katz averaged almost one point per game in 5th grade, but he maintains that his per 36 minutes numbers were astonishing. Find more of his work at ProBasketballDraft.com or on ESPN's TrueHoop Network. Follow him on Twitter at @FredKatz.
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