FanHouse BJ Upton

Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.

Max Scherzer, the 24-year-old fireballer for the Diamondbacks, has worlds of talent. He also takes a step back every time you think he's finally hitting his groove. This past week, he was a two-start pitcher in the fantasy baseball world. His first start was pure gold (that's gold, Jerry!). He threw 7 shutout innings and struck out 10 before getting chased in the eighth inning -- after allowing a few earned runs. He followed that up with an absolute catastrophe on Sunday. The light-hitting Braves touched him up for 10 hits and 8 earned runs in only 3 2/3 innings.

So, what gives?

From the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.

While there is still time left in the Hot Stove season, and there are a few high quality players left on the market -- Ben Sheets, anyone? -- the Yankees have been the team who has made the biggest splash in all of baseball thus far. That splash was seemingly a reaction to missing the playoffs for the first time since the strike-shortened 1994.

B.J. Upton provided a serious power presence in the middle of the Rays' lineup during their postseason run, hitting seven home runs and driving in 15 in the first two rounds of the playoffs. This was following a disappointing 2008, in terms of power, for Upton -- he dipped from 24 to nine home runs in just one season.

Upton underwent surgery on his left -- non-throwing -- shoulder after the Rays finished the World Series late last October. While his recovery is said to be going well, he's planning on having to miss the first week of the upcoming 2009 season.

Okay, Rays: your move. You lost Game 1 to one of the best pitchers on the planet. Now it's time to take advantage of your phenomenal home record and get things done. If not, you get to try what only three teams have done: lose the first two games at home and come back to win the Series.

For the Phillies, this is the game to make your move as well. If Brett Myers can win on the road, how bulletproof are you going to feel going to Philadelphia? Game 2's are always pivotal ... this one is no different. So why not spend it with us in our live chat?

Despite being benched twice in the last two weeks for lackadaisical base running, B.J. Upton committed yet another mind-numbing mistake on Monday.

With two outs left in the fourth, Upton hit a line drive to left field. After rounding first base, he casually jogged toward second, apparently thinking that he'd just homered, completely oblivious that Juan Rivera had just rifled the ball to Mark Teixeira, who was chasing Upton down from behind. Instead of picking up an easy extra-base hit, Upton ended the inning with a preventable mistake.

The mistake didn't end up costing the Rays -- they still won the game 6-4 -- but it's more than a little disappointing on the heels of Upton's other recent gaffes. But instead of benching Upton (yet again), Joe Maddon said he'd let the players deal with this one -- and from the sounds of it, Cliff Floyd is ready. From MLB.com:

"You've got a guy who, in my opinion, is going to be different," Floyd said. "I'm going to put my butt on the line by saying that. I'm going to do everything possible, and I think everybody in here is going to do everything possible to make sure it don't happen again. It's not in Joe's hands anymore. It's not in anybody else's hands but ours as players."

"We really haven't put our finger on what it is he's doing. He's going to get it right, trust me. He will get it right before I leave here."

I'm not sure what Floyd had in mind to get his message across (a prescription for Adderall or Ritalin, perhaps?) , but the Rays better hope it works. At Upton's current rate, it won't be long until his mental lapses actually start costing the team wins.

From guest writer Mike Westfall of Progressive Boink:

This is my first spring living in Florida, and accepting the Rays as my new home team would be a lot easier if the local news didn't report so rosily about it. I'm used to the gloom and doom of Philadelphia, so I'm still trying to figure out whether they mean it in a sarcastic, "Aw, that's so cute," way or not, because it sounds like some of them really, genuinely think that this could be the Rays' year for - you know what? I don't even know what for. It's like the sports reporters are live from Bizarro World.

And the more I think about it, that would explain the Rays' excellent spring performance a lot, by actually treating March like it counts.

The boys from the Bay get ready for RAYPRIL®, after the jump.