Zimmerman and Chen...An Injury and a Gut Shot

[DOUGHBOYS]

Like most fantasy players, I hate it when one of my players is hurt.
Sometimes, a players toughness will hurt us more than a namby-pamby player like Kevin Youkilis. At least now, the folks who were scammed by Youkilis are through with him. His hurts can't hurt them any more.
It's not the same for Jordan Zimmerman owners. Zimmerman has not been the same for the last couple of weeks. He has let us know that he is having problems with his neck and even foregone an All Star appearance because of the malady.
But, what are we, his owners, to do?
He looked horrible in lasting just two innings yesterday. Without knowing the extent of the injury, the best thing for him and his owners would be to go on the dl.
Zimmerman's tough though. He'd rather pitch through it.
And we are left wondering as his owners, to tough it out with him in our starting lineup or bench him and root for him from the sidelines.

It's a hard decision. Zimmerman is a masquerading Ace, hidden as a third best starter on his own team.
Making things even tougher is that he has a delicious home match up vs. the Mets. But even that piece of good news comes with a dark cloud in that he'll be squaring off against Matt Harvey.
Zimmerman goes from being a 'must start' to a pitcher like Paul Maholm, in that we'll hope for the best, but won't be surprised by a bad result.

In other news, I am streaming Bruce Chen this week. I don't think there is one fantasy player who actually likes Bruce Chen.
Bruce Chen is to fantasy baseball as Pauly Shore is to comedy.
Chen, on our roster is like our mother-in-law, in our house.
For me, Chen is made even worse in that he pitches for an organization who doesn't know how to handle pitchers.
In fact, Chen is a case study in that he's been the Royals ace for years.
When Bruce Chen is your ace, ever, your organization sucks.
Then, when that organization trades a budding star in Wil Myers for a rent-a-pitcher like James Shields, it seals the deal.

So, why did I take Chen when others were available?
Well first, I knew I could get him for a dollar and I love the Dollar Store.
Second, the Orioles, Chen's first opponent has lost to the likes of Vargas, Saunders, Keuchel, Zack Duke, Danks and other not so good lefties, why not Chen?
Against the White Sox, I'm just screwed and hoping he comes out of the experience with my ERA and WHIP intact.
Current White Sox have 15 homers off Chen.
Hell, the Orioles hit .339 against him.
But sometimes, we buck the odds and try not to buck ourselves, if you know what I mean.

I know that no matter what Bruce Chen's 2.04 ERA says, that Chen, in a word, sucks.
I share teams with partners and I could not bear to bring Chen's name up.
But, there is something. Something that makes me want to roster and start him this week.
Maybe I have a death wish or something.
It's the screwy thing about fantasy baseball.
I have little respect for the pitcher, his Manager, his General Manager, or their organization as is, but here he is on my fantasy team.
A gut shot.
If it works, I'll smile and think, 'cool'.
If not, I'll take myself out to the woodshed and beat myself up all week. And worse, when it comes down to the end of the season, and I'm trying to get that last pitchers category point in order to cash in a league, I'll think about that damned Bruce Chen.
And I may even blame him, and his Manager, and General Manager, and their whole organization.
Yep, I can do that.
But, I'll know it was stupid me who made the choice.
Not them.

[Glenneration X]

Nice call Dan.

PS... I started him myself in the 1000 Slow. 1st time all season. Gotta luv when those gut shots work.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Nice call Dan.

PS... I started him myself in the 1000 Slow. 1st time all season. Gotta luv when those gut shots work.

Thanks Glenn, even us blind squirrels finds a nut every once in awhile.
Or, in this case with Chen facing the White Sox this weekend, who have owned him in the past, it is probably more like
'Even a blind squirrel finds a nut, before ending up on a Redneck's plate as dinner'.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Zimmerman is an interesting case.
Far too often, we'll say stuff like, "Crap! I can't believe Anibal Sanchez is going on the DL!"
Zimmerman, through fighting an injury may be hurting his owners even more. At least with Sanchez, we can replace him with an able body. We have no idea how much Zimmerman is affected. We know it is not a small thing because he passed on the All Star game, came back, and threw like he was Joe Blanton's step brother.
I've benched him in leagues where I could, and started him if the next best option was Joe Blanton himself.
He has an 'easy' matchup at home vs. the Mets. If not succeeding with this matchup, decisions become a lot easier the following week.
Tough call now though.