Yes, it has been a lost season for Andruw.
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National League East
Atlanta Braves
Hot: At least one of the Jones boys is producing in Atlanta. Chipper Jones has belted out three homers already this month, with eight RBI, nine runs scored, and a .333 batting average over 30 September at-bats.
Not: September is not starting out any better for Andruw Jones than any other month has gone for him. In 26 at-bats this month, Jones has just five hits, none of which was for extra bases. Jones also has just one RBI and only two runs, making him just about as useless as he possibly could be.
Florida Marlins
Hot: When looking for the hottest hitters in the National League in September, one would not think to expect Cody Ross to be on that list, but he most certainly is after hitting .393 with three home runs, four runs, and six RBI in 28 at-bats this month. Will he keep it up? Probably not – scratch that, almost certainly not – so enjoy it while it lasts.
Not: Ross’ success has come at the expense of Alejandro de Aza, but very little has gone right for de Aza this year. De Aza started off quite strong, and we suggested back in April that he might be a ROY favorite by season’s end, but an ankle injury would change all that. Rather than placing de Aza on the disabled list, the Marlins would keep him on the roster, using him occasionally as a pinch hitter despite the injury, and then they would finally shut him down for about a month. It would be at the end of the month that it was revealed that de Aza did not have a bad sprain but a break and that he would be out much longer. When did he break the ankle? Was it when he injured it initially, or in one of the mindless at-bats he was trotted out for by the Marlins after the injury? We will never know for sure, as the Marlins will never say. Back from the injury, de Aza struggled, and he has since lost his position to Ross. Appearing in five games this month, de Aza has picked up just eight at-bats, and his one hit will not win him much more playing time.
New York Mets
Hot: Sure, no one really knows if he anywhere from 35 to 55, but we do know that Orlando Hernandez is putting up some excellent second half numbers. Since the All Star break, Hernandez has made ten starts, winning all five of his decisions. Over 62 2/3 innings, el Duque has 61 strikeouts, 25 walks, and he has held opponents to a .188 batting average.
Not: Things simply have not been going well for John Maine since the All Star break. In 11 starts since the break, Maine is 4-5 with a 5.86 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP, very different from the stud-like performance that he put on in the first half.
Philadelphia Phillies
Hot: Kyle Kendrick started the season in the minors, and he is going to finish it as the Phillies’ No. 2 starter. Sure, that is as much an indictment of the rest of their pitchers as it is praising his success, but he has pitched well all things considered. Since the All-Star break, Kendrick is 5-3 with a 3.50 ERA and 27:12 K/BB ratio. The strikeout rate is a little problematic, but he is walking even less, and ultimately that is what matters most.
Not: Over his last ten games, Adam Eaton has an earned run average of 7.22, and it is not as if he was any good prior to those ten games either. Really, if you have him on a roster – in any format – you are simply just not paying attention.
Washington Nationals
Hot: Since returning from the disabled list, four of Shawn Hill’s five starts has been a quality start, and he holds an ERA of 3.41 in those five, with 24 strikeouts and just four walks in 31 2/3 innings.
Not: Sure, Nook Logan will never be that great of a ballplayer. Heck, he will never even be good. That said, he is generally better than he has been of late, with a .250 batting average over his last ten games with no homers, no stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs scored. Logan has just one walk during that stretch compared to a ridiculous 12 strikeouts in 36 at-bats. Those would be bad strikeout numbers for a power hitter, and they are downright dreadful for a line drive hitter like Logan.
National League Central
Chicago Cubs
Hot: Derrek Lee is one of the few Cubs on a hot streak. Over his last ten games, Lee is hitting .342 with two home runs, but he has just five RBI and three runs during that time thanks to the anemic offense of late surrounding him.
Not: For a short period, Jason Kendall actually looked like a competent major league hitter again. That did not last long – Kendall is hitting just .200 over the last ten games, with only two RBI and two runs scored in 25 at-bats. If the Cubs still think swapping out Michael Barrett for Kendall was an upgrade, then they really are stupid.
Cincinnati Reds
Hot: Somehow, the Reds are finding ways of squeezing both Scott Hatteberg and Joey Votto into the lineup still, and the presence of his eventual replacement seems to have lit a spark under Hatteberg. Over his last ten games, Hatteberg is hitting .433, although he has only picked up two RBI and four runs so the spark was not too high.
Not: After hitting fourteen home runs in the first half, David Ross has just one since the break in 77 at-bats, and his RBI total is even more pathetic, with just two. Hitting just .199 on the season, one would hope there would be some reason he keeps getting at-bats, but, clearly, there is not.
Houston Astros
Hot: Surprisingly, and quite quietly, Ty Wigginton has put together a very respectable season and he continues to produce positive results for the Astros. Over his last ten games, Wigginton is hitting .364 with a home run, five RBI, and five runs scored.
Not: Alas, Craig Biggio is going out with a whimper, not a bang. Over his last ten games, Biggio is hitting just .241 with only one RBI and only two runs scored. While it will in no way adversely impact his Hall of Fame chances, it would have been nice to see him go out on a high note.
Milwaukee Brewers
Hot: Can we just give the Rookie of the Year award to Ryan Braun now and get it over with? Braun belted two yesterday in the win that put the Brewers back in first, and he has hit five home runs in his last ten games, with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI.
Not: To say this season has been a disappointing one for Dave Bush would be a gross understatement, and his last start was the capper – one inning, nine hits, eight runs. Just four of his last nine starts have been quality starts.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Hot: Playing everyday with Ryan Doumit on the shelf, Ronny Paulino has gone off offensively at the plate. In his last ten games, Paulino is hitting .406 with one home run, seven RBI, and 10 runs scored.
Not: Nyjer Morgan looked all nice and shiny when he came up because of his stolen base potential. Well, he has none so far in nine games, and his hollow .267 is nothing to write home about.
St. Louis Cardinals
Hot: Rick Ankiel continues to mash, HGH or no HGH. Over his last ten games, Ankiel is hitting .343 with 5 home runs, 19 RBI, and 12 runs scored. Since the story broke though, he has just one hit in ten at-bats, so we will see if the media turning sour on him continues to impact him or not.
Not: Joel Pineiro has gone back to being good old lousy Joel Pineiro. Of his last four starts, only one was a quality start, and he has only three total quality starts with the Cards.
National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks
Hot: One of many the Diamondbacks called up too soon from the minors, Justin Upton is making a late push to prove he belongs. Over his last ten games, Upton is hitting .290 with a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored in 31 at-bats.
Not: The Diamondbacks can scream all they want that he was ready, but Stephen Drew was clearly not ready for the big leagues this year. Drew has hit just .211 over the last ten games, not much different than his .228 for the season, with two home runs, seven RBI, and nine runs.
Colorado Rockies
Hot: Trying to turn around a disappointing season, Garrett Atkins has been on a tear in this late push for the playoffs by the Rockies. Over his last ten games, Atkins is hitting .359 with three homers, twelve RBI, and six runs scored.
Not: Franklin Morales, as bright as his future may be, is simply not ready for the majors. In four starts, Morales has just 17 1/3 innings, never lasting past through six complete, and he has more walks than strikeouts.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Hot: Every single at-bat, Matt Kemp shows the Dodgers how moronic they were to not enter the season with him in their plans. Kemp is hitting .389 with a home run, four RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases in their last ten games.
Not: Rafael Furcal has hit the skids. Over his last ten games, he is hitting just .136 with two RBI and three stolen bases. Showing at least that he still cares about his fantasy owners though, he has swiped four bases when he has gotten on.
San Diego Padres
Hot: No reason to worry about Trevor Hoffman after all – after his unpleasant outing in Queens, Hoffman has rolled off five straight saves in five straight chances.
Not: When Jake Peavy was beat up by the Diamondbacks in his last start, his eight runs allowed were more than he had allowed in his previous eight starts. Okay, that is not really that cold – just one outing – but how often will I ever get to put Jake Peavy here?
San Francisco Giants
Hot: Barry Zito has rolled off six straight quality starts, and he is 2-2 with a 3.34 ERA over his last ten appearances. Maybe this signing will work out after all. Naah, probably not…
Not: I will always love Dave Roberts for the steal, but he is not doing much stealing at all right now. Or hitting. Over his last ten appearances, Roberts has 29 at-bats and just a .172 batting average, although he did manage to swipe one bag one of the few times he got on.
Questions and comments may be sent to markhaverty@sportsgrumblings.com
