By JIMMY D / March madness: Cancer makes Jimmy mad | Jimmy's archive

Jimmy cleans out his June e-mailbag, which reveals some prior warnings and free agency prognostications.

Jimmy,
Mark Prior got bombed for four homers and seven hits and eight earned runs in less than four innings. Is it finally time to euthanize this guy as a fantasy consideration.
JP

JP,
This is what happens when you have a stud season as a young player – people never forget and are always hoping you can recapture and build on it.

He was 18-6 in 2003, but that seems ages ago. His debut on the weekend was a disaster, true, but the guy is 6 foot 5 and 230 pounds and not turned 26 yet. And he’s more than a K-per-inning for his short career, which makes flushing the former No. 2 overall pick a tough sell, despite his injury-checkered past.

Unfortunately, you will never get a chance to pluck him low, because there’s usually one numbskull in your league who will grab him too early. If he’s available, watch his next outing and watch the waiver wire.
Jimmy

JimmyD,
I am in a football keeper league and watched Santonio Holmes at Ohio State. But he’s gotten arrested twice since he was drafted. Is the set to join the inglorious club of headcases where TO, Keyshawn, Irvin and others sit on the board of directors?
Alf

Alf,
True Mr. Holmes was charged with domestic violence early Monday and true it’s his second bust since the Steelers drafted the Buckeye.

Coach Cowher has already voiced his displeasure with Holmes and after the Roethlisberger motorcycle thing last week, I wouldn’t want to be the guy making Cowher angrier. He is a solid, yet undersized wideout, who could flourish in the run-first Pittsburgh offense (similar to what he played at Ohio State). Stay tuned. Some scouts doubt that he’ll ever be a true star, but he has the talent to produce in the NFL.
Jimmy

Jimmy,
With the NHL season finally over, what do you think the next few weeks will hold, especially for the Canes and Oilers?
JimmyC

JimmyC,
Both of these teams are loaded with free agents who get to start shopping their playoff exploits to the highest bidders in July 1.

Guys like Fernando Pisani are still only productive in deep leagues, but at least he’s on the radar now for your September drafts. When Mark Recchi and Doug Weight went to Carolina, both expressed the desire to go back to Pittsburgh and St. Louis respectively, so bank on that happening.

Jussi Markkanen is interesting case as he bailed out the Oilers as the third-stringer and the Oilers are unlikely to overpay for Dwayne Roloson, who got them to the Finals. I would be fretting if I owned Martin Gerber and was banking on his goalie stats next year, because Cam Ward has clearly kick-saved him out of the picture.

In short, it’s going to be a mess. Stay on top of things now and you’ll have a skate up on the pool competition in the fall.
Jimmy

Jimmy,
Who are some of the other names on the Jason Grimsley steroid “Squeal List?” I want to know where the smelly stuff will hit the fan next.
YankeePankee

Yankee,
Well, his name hasn’t come up, but his personal trainer’s name has: Albert Pujols. I cringed too and must stress here that nothing has apparently leaked from the documents in this burgeoning saga that has the Cardinal slugger’s name on it. The trainer, former Royals employee Chris Mihlfeld has denied his name is in the documents.

Everyone hopes that is true, because having another rising young star implicated in steroids or HGH (human growth hormone) could be the sport’s death knell.
There are amphetamine rumours surrounding Oriole Miguel Tejada and other former Orioles (duh, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro maybe?) have apparently be implicated. Retired Oriole David Segui admitted he took HGH, but did it legally and under doctor’s orders.

Former Yankee Chuck Knoblauch was a pal of Grimsley’s in New York, but he is retired and now just likely to get smeared. A source quoted on the AZCentral website indicated none are current Diamondbacks.

That’s all Jimmy has for now, he’ll keep digging.

That’s all. We’ll be back next week with NHL draft scoops and other pertinent fantasy stuff. Stay busy and stay lucky.

In the meantime, stay busy and stay lucky.

Jimmy D