Week 9 of the Major League Season is under way and thanks to umpire Bill Hohn, Houston Astro pitcher Roy Oswalt will have to have a complete game shut out in his second start this week to make up for getting ejected against the Washington Nationals.
Hohn tossed Oswalt in the third inning following a host of bad calls that lead to Adam Dunn driving in three runs off Oswalt.
The stress was building and following a pitch that was called outside, Oswalt’s body language demonstrated the frustration and Hohn ejected him.
Atlanta Braves fans are familiar with the Hohn’s bad calls.
Last year Hohn ejected Bobby Cox, Chipper Jones and Eric O’ Flaherty.
In another game he ejected Cox and Brian McCann and then bumped fists with Florida Marlins catcher John Baker.
To read a story on this incident and form your opinion of this umpire click here bad ump story
One guy that benefited from Hohn’s antics was Gustavo Chacin.
Chacin lead off the third inning for the Astros and hit got his major league hit, a home run.
I bet Hohn didn’t bet on that.
Before the Hohn ejection Oswalt was still one of my top ranking fantasy players.
The list is as follows.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz and Florida Marlins pitcher Anibal Sanchez both debuted on my fantasy team in week eight and both came away with 45 fantasy points to end up tied as my top ranking players of the year so far.
The pair knock New York Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte to second place on my list. He has a two start week this week.
Houston Astro pitcher Brett Myers falls to third place and also has a two start week and I don’t think Hohn will be behind the plate for his starts.
Zach Duke falls to fourth place on my list averaging 29 fantasy points per week.
Duke is 3-5 after 11 starts.
Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera remains in fifth place on my list, 28.16 fantasy points per week. He had a three home run game last week to help keep him a hot pick.
Houston Astro pitcher Roy Oswalt begins the week in sixth place. After the ejection who knows where he will be next week.
Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants remains in seventh place on my list. Zito is 6-2 on the year and has a 2.94 ERA.
Vladimir Guerrero moves into eighth place on my list. Vlad is averaging 24.5 fantasy points per week.
Kansas City Royal pitcher Kyle Davies climbs back into the top-10 in ninth place. Davies has scored 73 fantasy points in three selections for a 24.33 average. Davies is 4-3 on the year.
Arizona Diamondback Kelly Johnson rounds out my top-10 with a 23.87 fantasy point per week average. Johnson is on track to have his best season in the big leagues. So far he has belted 12 home runs. His career best was 16 home runs for the Braves in 2007.
Dropping out of my yearly top-10 this week are Washington reliever Matt Capps and Milwaukee Brewer Casey McGehee.
My top overall fantasy players based on stats kept for the past 16 years are: Buccholz and Sanchez tied for first place with the 45 point average.
In second place, New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez with 1,824 fantasy points scored in a total of 63 weeks for an average of 28.95 fantasy points per week.
Third on my list is Houston Astros starting pitcher Roy Oswalt. I have selected Oswalt 12 times and he has averaged 28.66 fantasy points per week.
Cardinal slugger Albert Pujols is third on my top -10 list. Pujols has been a member of my fantasy team 79 times and is averaging 27.65 fantasy points per week.
Fifth on my list is former Atlanta Brave, Red Sox, Cardinal pitcher John Smoltz. In 71 selections Smoltz is averaging 26.94 fantasy points per week. He still has not officially called it quits but is currently earning a living in the broadcast booth.
Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte is in sixth place on my overall list. In 50 selections he has averaged 25.98 fantasy points per week.
Tiger’s first baseman Miguel Cabrera moves into seventh place on my top-10 list. Cabrera has played on my fantasy team 51 times and is averaging 25.31 fantasy points per week.
Pitcher Glendon Rusch is in eighth place. Rusch has only appeared on my fantasy team two times, scoring 50 fantasy points for an average of 25 fantasy points per week. Rusch missed 2007 with injuries. In 2009 he appeared in 11 games with the Colorado Rockies recording two wins and striking out 13. It is still a mystery how much playing time if any he will see in 2010.
Prince Fielder is in ninth place on my list with a 24.74 fantasy point average after 50 selections and 1,237 points.
Former Cubs starter and now relief pitcher Carlos Zambrano rounds out the top-10 with a fantasy point average of 24.61.
Matt Capps, Casey MeGehee and Alfonso Soriano drop off the list.
My top players by position are: 1B, Albert Pujols, Cardinals; 2B, Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; SS, Rafael Furcal, Dodgers; 3B Alex Rodriguez, Yankees; C, Brian McCann, Braves, and Alfonso Soriano, Jason Heyward and Carlos Lee are my three highest ranking outfielders.
My top three ranking starting pitchers are Clay Buchholz, Anibal Sanchez, and
Roy Oswalt. My top ranking relief pitcher is Mariano Riveria.
