Matsuzaka has mound session: Red Sox SP Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, threw a bullpen session Monday, according to the Mainichi Daily News -- his first since undergoing the procedure. He threw 11 pitches with the catcher in front of the plate and 10 with the catcher behind it. "Today is like a warm-up," Matsuzaka said. "I think I'll throw harder next week." Matsuzaka has been throwing off flat ground since October. (Updated 01/31/2012)
Injury Report
Elbow - Out until at least early June (Updated - 1/5/12)
Fantasy Analysis
Good to hear Dice-K is making steady progress, but he's still unlikely to return to major-league action before June -- and even that's an optimistic timetable. Matsuzaka was an 18-game winner in 2008, but he has a 5.03 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 45 appearances (including 44 starts) since. Considering how many injuries he battled during that three-year stretch, though, the time off could be the best thing for him. At age 31, he still has time to salvage his career and regain his Fantasy value, but he's only worth stashing in AL-only leagues to begin the year. (Updated 01/31/2012).
01/21/2012 23:02 BoSox avoid arbitration with Bard, settle on $1.6M for one year
Pitcher Daniel Bard and the Boston Red Sox reached agreement Saturday on a one-year contract and avoided salary arbitration. Bard and the Red Sox settled at $1,612,500, the midpoint between the $1,825,000 he asked for and the $1.4 million the Red Sox offered. He made $505,000 last season.
After a bounce-back campaign -- of sorts -- in 2010, Daisuke Matsuzaka got off to a poor start a year ago and appeared in just eight games before going down with an elbow injury. He would post a 5.30 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) before going down in mid-May. After trying to rehab the injury, the right-hander opted for Tommy John surgery in June, ending his season. Matsuzaka has made strides in his recovery but he will not be able to return until June 2012 at the earliest, which limits his appeal in Fantasy. The 31-year-old has not looked the same since winning 33 games with a 3.72 ERA over his first two seasons in the majors, and this injury will set him back yet again. Many pitchers successfully return from this procedure and Matsuzaka could have an impact in Fantasy during the second half but leave him as a stashee in AL-only formats on Draft Day. (Updated 2/7/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
= probable start