AUGUST QUICK HITS

1) August and September call-ups and how they usually fair, what the numbers historically are like for guys like Francoeur and Felix Hernandez.

Jeff Francoeur (.419-8-23-21 in 86 AB)
~ No one is this good.
~ In his 86 AB he has ZERO BB.
~ He was only hitting .275-13-62 in 84 games for the AA Mississippi Braves prior to his call-up this year.

Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners – (9-4, 2.25, 100, 1.25 at AAA)
~ Best pitching prospect in the minors. Most often compared to Dwight Gooden.
~ Dominated w/o throwing his best pitch his slider (the team didn’t want him throwing it at his young age of 19).
~ Allowed only 62 hits in 88 IP this year (48 BB).
~ in 2 MLB starts: 1-1, 0.69 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 10 K versus 2 BB in 13 IP.


2) Return of Nomar and Corey Patterson and their fantasy impacts

Corey Patterson (.231-11-24-37-12)
~ Hit .158 in his last 120 MLB AB.
~ Did hit .297 with a .366 OBP an a .505 Slg% in 24 minor league games after hitting only .214 in his first 73 AB.
~ He did go 20/20 last year and was on pace to do that again this year before demotion (only 9 guys went 20/20 in 2004).

NOMAR
~6 for 19 since he returned (.316).
~ A career .320 hitter with a .912 OPS.
~ Numbers last year + this: .289-10-47-60 in 391 AB.
~ Huge impact replacing Neifi Perez.


3) ATHLETICS
Since the ALL_STAR BREAK: 3.32 ERA, 1.17 WHIP
Zito+Harden+ Blanton = 11-3, 3.10 ERA, 1.09 WHIP.

HITTING
Mark Ellis (.310-3-31-38-1)
~ Since the break: .394-2-17-19.
~ In his last 39 games: .336-3-24-27

DAN JOHNSON (.317-10-31-37)
~ .353-6-13-19 in 24 games since the break.

ASTROS
~PITCHING STAFF: SINCE the BREAK : 2.48 ERA, 1.15 WHIP
~ Since the all-star break Clemens + Pettitte + Oswalt = 9-4, 1.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP.

HITTING
Jason Lane (.257-17-50-40-6)
~ Since the break: .359-3-10-8 in 20 games

Morgan Ensberg (.295-31-87-68-6)
~ Since the break: .313-7-22 in 26 games.


4) CARLOS BELTRAN (.269-13-59-57-9)
~ Struggled all year especially in JUNE when he hits .198 in 101 AB.
~ In his CAREER after the all-star break
He hits .027 HIGHER (.297)
He has a .029 higher OBP (.367)
He has a .068 higher SLG (.524)
He has a .097 higher OPS
AND
He has stolen 11 more bases despite playing in 147 less 2nd half games!