MLB Fantasy News 2010

[HacheMan]

Greinke Finally Gets A Win
Early this season the Royals' lineup and bullpen robbed Zack Greinke of wins and then he began to earn the losses with some shaky starts recently, but the reigning Cy Young winner got back on track Sunday with a complete-game victory. He allowed three runs, including a pair of Joey Votto homers, but struck out 12, walked zero, and needed just 105 pitches to record 27 outs against the NL Central-leading Reds.

The victory is Greinke's first since May 13, during which time he was 0-4 with a 6.59 ERA. However, his 22/8 K/BB ratio in 27 innings was solid during that stretch and he certainly looked like his usual self Sunday. He won't repeat last season's 2.16 ERA, but should be able to settle into the 3.50 range soon enough. Unfortunately the Royals aren't getting any better, so whether his ERA is 2.16, 3.50, or 6.59 wins will be tough to come by.

While the Royals improve to 42-51 when Greinke starts since 2007, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Nearly anything a pitcher does this year will pale in comparison to Ubaldo Jimenez's amazing start, but Matt Cain deserves some recognition for the run he's on right now. Cain held the A's to one run in seven innings Sunday and has now allowed a grand total of two earned runs over 41 innings dating back to mid-May. During that stretch he's 4-1 with a 0.44 ERA and 27/7 K/BB ratio, and is now fifth in the NL with a 2.05 ERA overall.

* Through five innings Stephen Strasburg's second start Sunday looked an awful lot like his spectacular debut, as he struck out eight and allowed just one run on two hits. He then ran into some trouble in the sixth inning, giving up a single and two walks to load the bases, at which point Strasburg was pulled and fellow 2009 first-round pick Drew Storen wriggled out of the jam. He has 22 strikeouts versus six hits in 12.1 innings.

* Prince Fielder was homerless through 14 games this year, but after going deep twice Sunday he now 12 homers in 49 games since. Unfortunately he has just 20 RBIs despite the 12 homers during that time, but it's tough to blame Fielder for the lack of runners on base when he leaves the park. He's miles behind last season's NL-leading RBI pace, but since the slow start Fielder's overall numbers are right in line with his career marks.

* Don't make a Robert Green-like blunder, follow me on Twitter.

AL Quick Hits: Alex Rodriguez (hip) is hoping to rejoin the lineup Tuesday, perhaps at designated hitter ... Josh Hamilton stayed hot Sunday, homering for the fourth time in five games ... Kevin Millwood fell to 0-8 by allowing eight runs in 5.1 innings Sunday ... Jesse Litsch got rocked for seven runs Sunday in his first start since Tommy John surgery ... Terry Francona indicated the forearm injury that sent Daisuke Matsuzaka to the disabled list Saturday isn't serious ... Colby Lewis had double-digit strikeouts Sunday for the fourth time in 13 starts ... Austin Jackson is day-to-day after leaving Sunday's game with back spasms ... Jorge Posada hit a grand slam Sunday while catching for the first time since mid-May ... Magglio Ordonez (oblique) was out of the lineup Sunday for the sixth straight game ... Felix Hernandez was one batter short of a complete game Sunday, giving way to David Aardsma for a one-out save ... How close is Francisco Liriano to his pre-surgery dominance?

NL Quick Hits: Ted Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth inning Sunday night against the White Sox, settling for eight scoreless innings in a 1-0 win ... Last week Lou Piniella went off on Steve Stone for saying he should play Tyler Colvin more, but Sunday the manager said he'll do exactly that ... Troy Glaus homered twice Sunday and leads the league with 49 RBIs ... Cole Hamels held the Red Sox to one run in seven innings Sunday, with Brad Lidge getting the final two outs for his fourth save ... David Wright homered twice Sunday and has now surpassed last season's total of 10 homers ... Troy Tulowitzki missed both weekend games with a strained groin and the Rockies have Monday off ... Mike Stanton reached safely four times and stole a base Sunday, giving him a .981 OPS through five games ... John Maine (shoulder) allowed just one hit in a four-inning rehab start Sunday at Double-A ... Dontrelle Willis will be skipped in the rotation, perhaps lining him up to face the Tigers in his next start ... Jason Bay homered, reached base five times, and score four runs Sunday ... Edgar Renteria (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Monday at Triple-A ... Jeff Suppan's deal with the Cardinals is expected to become official Monday.

 

[HacheMan]

Trade Targets - AL
Last week was a look at what the sellers could do leading up to the trade deadline. This week, I'm going to go through the potential buyers and see where they figure to upgrade.

I'll start with the AL today and continue on with the NL on Tuesday.

AL East

Tampa Bay - The Rays have no major problems that need fixing. They figured to want another setup man as the year went along, but Joaquin Benoit's emergence has put that on the backburner. The one lineup issue is that Hank Blalock has yet to provide any punch since replacing Pat Burrell as the primary DH, hitting .250/.291/.346 in 52 at-bats. The Rays could give John Jaso more time there now that Kelly Shoppach is back, but a power left-handed bat would still qualify as a need. Ideally, it'd be someone who could play the outfield on occasion, too. Baltimore's Luke Scott would make a lot of sense.

Wade Davis hasn't provided much consistency in the fifth spot in the rotation. While his 4.91 ERA isn't horrible, he has a mediocre 46/30 K/BB ratio in 66 innings and he's given up 12 homers. Still, the Rays won't spend big to upgrade. The team already has a clear top four for the postseason, and Andy Sonnanstine and top prospect Jeremy Hellickson remain in reserve in case Davis requires a trip to the minors.


New York - There's already been some Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt talk, but will either be worth the price? The Yankees already have a four-man postseason rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes. Of course, Lee would be an upgrade, but it'd send Hughes to the pen in the postseason and Hughes has been the team's most dominant starter. Plus, replacing Javier Vazquez for the rest of the regular season probably wouldn't make a difference in the standings. Vazquez has given the team quality starts in five of his last six tries.

The Yankees figure to go get a setup man. I could see Kerry Wood being a target if he runs off a few strong weeks in a row. Scott Downs could also be a possibility. They'll also want someone to help fill Nick Johnson's shoes. Again, someone who could serve as a part-time outfielder as well would make sense. David DeJesus and Scott are a couple of possibilities. Ty Wigginton could be another fit if the Yankees are legitimately concerned about Alex Rodriguez's hip. It's one thing to have Ramiro Pena as a backup shortstop. However, when he's the top fallback at second and third as well, that's a problem.


Boston - The Red Sox are no longer in the market for a catcher, but they may need an outfielder with Jacoby Ellsbury and Jeremy Hermida out with fractured ribs and Mike Cameron playing at less than 100 percent. DeJesus should be high on a list that could also include Austin Kearns, Jim Edmonds and Andruw Jones. Conor Jackson could also be a fit, provided that Mike Lowell is moved first.

If the Red Sox target a pitcher, it will probably be a reliever. The team has had rotation problems, but a postseason rotation of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz and John Lackey still looks awfully strong. With Hideki Okajima having a rough year, a quality lefty would come in handy. Unfortunately, there's not much available yet. Downs may be next month. Will Ohman is another who figures to come up for grabs. Matt Thornton would be the real prize, but the White Sox would ask for an awful lot in return.


AL Central

Minnesota - Injuries have decimated Minnesota's infield, so if the Twins are going to make a move, that's probably where they should look. Third base remains the obvious spot for an upgrade. While it's second baseman Orlando Hudson and shortstop J.J. Hardy on the DL at the moment, the Twins would be better off bringing in someone to man the hot corner and turning Nick Punto into a utilityman. Wigginton, Jose Lopez and Jhonny Peralta are logical targets. There's also Pedro Feliz, but while he'd come cheap, he's not much of an upgrade. Lowell wouldn't make as much sense, since his body probably wouldn't hold up as a regular third baseman.

The Twins could also be in the market for an alternative at closer, even though Jon Rauch has done just fine in that role. They're not going to want to take on Wood's contract and Heath Bell would cost an awful lot in terms of talent, but they might take a look at Chad Qualls and Octavio Dotel. In truth, they'd probably just be fallbacks for Rauch.


Detroit - Things are looking up in the rotation with the returns of Armando Galarraga and Max Scherzer from the minors, but Rick Porcello has continued to struggle and Gallaraga, for all his recent success, has fanned just 13 in 33 2/3 innings. Another starter would still be a welcome addition.

At this point, though, the Tigers could be looking at shortstop and second base as bigger priorities. Danny Worth isn't at all likely to hit, and Carlos Guillen can't be counted on to stay healthy or play quality defense at second. Craig Counsell could provide very good insurance at both positions, and his acquisition wouldn't take the Tigers out of the running for pitching help. Alternatively, the Tigers could pursue Kelly Johnson or Rickie Weeks as a starter at second base.


AL West

Texas - The Rangers are quickly running through their pitching depth. Rich Harden and Derek Holland are on the DL, as is Brandon McCarthy in Triple-A. Tommy Hunter is up and should be fine as a fourth or fifth starter, but that's also all Scott Feldman has looked like this year, and C.J. Wilson might already be fading under a heavy workload. The bullpen has held up better, but manager Ron Washington has worked his top relievers hard. The Rangers are probably going to need a starter and a reliever if they hope to hold on and win the AL West.

Of course, the Rangers do have plenty of pieces to deal in terms of prospects. But it remains to be seen how much money they'll be able to take on with ownership still in flux. Since pitching has to be the priority, they may have to gut it out and hope for the best with their catching, first base and center field situations. That would mean no A.J. Pierzynski. He's believed to be their top choice for a lineup upgrade.


Los Angeles - If Jeff Mathis has to play, then the Angels would only have so much to gain by going out and getting Derrek Lee or Paul Konerko to play first base. Mike Napoli, freed from his responsibilities behind the plate, could hit just as well as either. Still, the Angels would likely be better off with a real first baseman and Napoli catching at least four times a week. I suspect that they will upgrade, even though manager Mike Scioscia recently said that the team didn't want a short-term fix.

The Angels could also use pitching help. The rotation is looking better as of late, but the team will be in poor shape if injuries strike. Matt Palmer has been a bust this year, and there's no one in Triple-A Salt Lake's rotation likely to prove adequate. The Angels don't need to target a Cliff Lee or even a Brett Myers, but a swingman in the Brian Tallet mold would be useful. Also, a right-handed setup man to help out in the seventh inning would be ideal.


Oakland - The A's are doing a better job than usual of overcoming their injuries, but their depth has taken a major hit and it remains to be seen whether they'll be able to hang with the Rangers and Angels. They may yet become sellers and put Ben Sheets up for bids.

At the moment, though, the A's are in the thick of things. They'd be foolish to mortgage the future in an effort to remain in contention. However, it could be worth adding a starter already under control for 2011. Edwin Jackson and Fausto Carmona are a couple of candidates. The A's don't have the starting pitching prospects the Diamondbacks would want, but perhaps they could get something done with possible future closer Henry Rodriguez and one of their young middle infielders.

 

[HacheMan]

Alvarez on Verge of Pittsburgh
Within the past three weeks the Pirates have called up top prospects Neil Walker, Jose Tabata, and Brad Lincoln, and general manager Neil Huntington has indicated that Pedro Alvarez could join them in Pittsburgh as soon as this week. Alvarez was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft and has played exclusively third base in the minors, so the clock is ticking on Andy LaRoche's days as a starter.

LaRoche was once a top prospect himself, but his stock has steadily declined and he's now 26 years old with a measly .231/.312/.347 line in 1,148 plate appearances. Had he shown more promise this year the Pirates might be less inclined to push Alvarez to the majors until the second half, but LaRoche is dangerously close to flat-out bust territory and Alvarez is crushing Triple-A pitching to the tune of .285/.370/.549.

That mark in 64 games at Triple-A is essentially identical to his .288/.379/.535 line in 126 games between Single-A and Double-A last season, with Alvarez averaging 31 homers and 37 doubles per 500 at-bats. High strikeout rates and so-so batting averages are concerns, but Alvarez has shown good plate discipline along with the excellent power and his left-handed bat should eventually slot in the middle of Pittsburgh's lineup.

While the Pirates put their latest youth movement into overdrive, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Not all left handed-hitting third basemen who were No. 2 overall picks have a smooth ride to stardom. Alex Gordon has gone from sure thing to major question mark, and now the Royals won't recall him from Triple-A despite huge numbers there since his demotion last month. He's hitting .359 with 10 homers in 39 games to rank second in the Pacific Coast League in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Meanwhile, the Royals have started 34-year-old Scott Podsednik in left field for 59 of 64 games and not surprising rank 12th in the AL with a measly .668 OPS from the position. Why they'd want to continue playing a mediocre, mid-30s veteran over a 26-year-old former top prospect who's been destroying Triple-A pitching for six weeks is beyond me, but Dayton Moore and Ned Yost have made it clear Gordon won't be back any time soon.

* Last week Lou Piniella freaked out about Steve Stone criticizing him for not playing rookie Tyler Colvin enough, but now the Cubs' manager is apparently ready to follow Stone's advice. Colvin logged just 111 plate appearances through the Cubs' first 63 games, but Piniella said he'll start regularly now because "the time is right" and "he deserves the opportunity."

Setting aside the highly amusing Stone aspect of the story, Colvin's playing time will be at the expense of Kosuke Fukudome, who has made the decision a lot easier for Piniella by falling into his annual post-April slump. Colvin has been playing way over his head so far, with his current .296/.355/.582 line obliterating his .276/.318/.461 mark at Double-A (he never played at Triple-A), so keep expectations in check.

* Speaking of following advice, follow me on Twitter.

AL Quick Hits: Alfredo Simon returned from the disabled list Monday, so David Hernandez's brief stint as closer could be over ... Looking to add a platoon partner for rookie Justin Smoak, the Rangers are reportedly interested in Conor Jackson ... Orlando Hudson (wrist) is hoping to come off the shelf Tuesday after missing two weeks ... There's no timetable yet for his return, but Brett Anderson (elbow) is slated to throw Friday ... Mike Gonzalez (shoulder) topped out at 88 miles per hour during a recent throwing session ... Ron Washington indicated that he may ask Elvis Andrus and Julio Borbon to cut back their steal attempts because of their lack of success ... Coco Crisp (ribs) is slated to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A ... Kevin Frandsen started at first base Monday, which is the strongest sign yet that the Angels should make a trade ... Felix Pie (back) is now aiming to return by the end of the month.

NL Quick Hits: A.J. Hinch finally seems ready to strip Chad Qualls and his 8.46 ERA of closing duties ... No decision has been made yet regarding Mark DeRosa's potential wrist surgery ... Jair Jurrjens (hamstring) struggled Monday in his first rehab start at Triple-A, walking four and allowing two runs in 2.2 innings ... Troy Tulowitzki (groin) is expected to rejoin the lineup Tuesday ... John Baker (elbow) has been told he should be able to avoid surgery after getting a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews ... Jeff Suppan officially signed Monday and will immediately join the Cardinals' rotation Tuesday against the Mariners ... Everth Cabrera (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment later this week ... Matt Holliday batted second Monday as Tony La Russa shook up the Cardinals' struggling lineup ... Stephen Strasburg won NL player of the week, for his first week

 

[HacheMan]

Closing change in Arizona?

In this week's edition of Saves and Steals, your obdurate correspondent wonders how much longer the Mariners will tolerate David Aardsma, welcomes Jonathan Papelbon back from the bereavement list, and braces himself for potential bullpen upheavals in Arizona and Pittsburgh.

In honor of the remake of The Karate Kid, which opened over the weekend, this week's tiers are brought to you by the five levels of star Jackie Chan's career.



Tier 1: Elite (3) (AKA: The "Supercop" Tier.)


Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox
Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

Comment:
Jonathan Papelbon was activated from the bereavement list on Friday after missing four games to attend to a personal matter. Daniel Bard earned a save in his absence.


Tier 2: Rock Steady (10) (AKA: The "Crime Story" Tier.)


Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs
Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals
Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers
Heath Bell, San Diego Padres
Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants
Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics
Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds
Rafael Soriano, Tamp a Bay Rays
Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves

Comment:
Stop the presses! Jose Valverde allowed an earned run while converting a save against the Pirates on Sunday, snapping a steak of 25 consecutive scoreless appearances.


Tier 3: OK options (5) (AKA: The "Shanghai Noon" Tier.)


Jon Rauch, Minnesota Twins
Leo Nunez, Florida Marlins
Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals
Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers
Matt Capps, Washington Nationals

Comment:
Matt Capps was withheld from Thursday's save chance in part because of a sore left knee, which gave Tyler Clippard his first save of the season. Capps hasn't pitched since Wednesday, in fact, but should be available for Washington's next save opportunity.

The time off came at a good time. Capps leads the majors with 20 saves but has been scored on in seven of his last 12 appearances.


Tier 4: Question marks (7) (AKA: The "Rush Hour 3" Tier.)


David Aardsma, Seattle Mariners
Brian Fuentes, Los Angeles Angels
Kevin Gregg, Toronto Blue Jay
Matt Lindstrom, Houston Astros
Kerry Wood, Cleveland Indians
Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox

Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies

Comment:
David Aardsma received a vote of confidence from manager Don Wakamatsu on Friday after blowing his fourth save and taking his fourth loss by giving up two runs in the ninth inning to the Padres. Aardsma owned a 2.79 ERA at the end of April but has since posted an 8.71 ERA and allowed a ludicrous .350/.426/.525 slash line to opposing hitters in 12 appearances. Wakamatsu indicated that Brandon League and Shawn Kelley would remain in setup roles for now, but it might be sage for Aardsma owners to handcuff one or both of them to the beleaguered closer.

Brad Lidge earned his fourth save of the season against the Red Sox on Sunday and has only given up one run over nine appearances in producing a 1.13 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He has no job security issues right now.


Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (5) (AKA: The "The Medallion" Tier.)


John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers
Octavio Dotel, Pittsburgh Pirates
Chad Qualls, Arizona Diamondbacks
Manny Corpas, Colorado Rockies

Alfredo Simon, Baltimore Orioles

Comment:
Octavio Dotel was taken deep on Sunday by Miguel Cabrera with two inherited runners on to blow his third save of the season. Dotel was awful in April, posting a 10.61 ERA in 9 1/3 innings, but rebounded in May for a 0.82 ERA over 11 innings. He's regressed in June, however, surrendering three runs in four appearances.

Evan Meek's 0.74 ERA in 36 2/3 innings screams for a promotion, but he might have to wait until Pittsburgh can find a trade suitor to ship Dotel out of town. Meek is ownable in all leagues. At this point, it'd be an upset if he wasn't the closer at some point this season.

Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch finally appears to have soured on Chad Qualls. He indicated on Sunday -- after Qualls allowed three runs (two earned) to the Cardinals -- that the Diamondbacks may "try something different" at closer. It's about time. Qualls has produced a 8.46 ERA and 2.16 WHIP in 28 outings and Hinch admitted that he is "bearing the brunt of the struggles in the bullpen."

Aaron Heilman needs to be owned in all formats. The former Met's 2.83 ERA is by far and away the best in Arizona's terrible bullpen. While it's doubtful that Heilman would be a good closer, Qualls quite obviously could use several appearances in low-leverage situations to work through his issues.

Alredo Simon returned from the disabled list on Monday, with Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel saying that the plan is to ease him back into the closer's role by inserting him in a non-save situation. The 17-47 Orioles offer plenty of those, so odds are that the next time the team enters the ninth inning with a save situation, Simon will be on the mound.

David Hernandez has late-inning potential, but Simon is the better option when healthy. Owners with roster space may want to hang onto Hernandez until it becomes apparent that Simon has seized the ninth-inning job completely.

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Injured

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins (Out for the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow)
Mike Gonzalez, Baltimore Orioles (60-day disabled list with a strained left shoulder)
Huston Street, Colorado Rockies (15-day disabled list with shoulder stiffness)
Ryan Madson, Philadelphia Phillies (15-day disabled list with a broken toe)

Comment:
Mike Gonzalez has been clocked at 88 mph while throwing at extended spring training, well below the 92 mph his fastball averaged last year. Orioles president Andy MacPhail thinks he'll return in June, so Gonzalez will probably embark on a rehab assignment in the near future. The decreased velocity, health concerns and early-season struggles all suggest to me that he isn't anywhere near a return to ninth-inning duties for the Orioles, which is great news for Simon owners.

Huston Street struggled in an outing at Triple-A Colorado Springs on Friday, which prompted the Rockies to extend his rehab assignment by at least a week. Street's season debut should come within the next 10 days, although he's appeared close to returning on several occasions only to hit a bump in the road.

The Graveyard:
Frank Francisco, Texas Rangers
Jason Frasor, Toronto Blue Jay
Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles
Trevor Hoffman, Milwaukee Brewers

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The Steals Department

Julio Borbon continues to be amongst the most frustrating and beguiling fantasy players of 2010.

He stunk in April (hitting .191 with no power) and lost the leadoff spot in a potent Rangers lineup, all the while not delivering the stolen bases that fantasy owners had paid a premium for in March drafts. He's quietly very much back on track, hitting .342 in 116 plate appearances since May 1, but, as we've come to expect, there is plenty of bad news to go with the good.

Borbon provides no power and hits at the bottom of the lineup, so he needs to cash in on his speed potential as well as keep up his batting average to have mixed league fantasy value. Unfortunately, he's regressed on the base paths as his bat has heated up, getting thrown out six times while converting only four stolen bases attempts since the start of May.

It gets worse. Rangers manager Ron Washington said Sunday that he might begin to limit the running opportunities of Borbon and fellow youngster Elvis Andrus.

While Washington's words are welcome to Rangers fans -- despite possessing excellent speed, inexperience has shown through as Andrus is 18-for-27 and Borbon 8-for-14 in stolen base attempts -- they are acid to the ears of fantasy owners. Borbon's struggles on the base paths combined with increasing red lights mitigate his best fantasy asset.

He's owned in just 29.9% of ESPN mixed leagues, a number that deserves to be higher. But owners re-acquiring Borbon need to understand that he doesn't at this time possess the stolen base potential that he did at the end of last year, when he swiped 19 bases in just 179 plate appearances. If you can stash him on your mixed league bench, that's advisable, but he probably shouldn't be starting in that format just yet if you can avoid it.

 

[HacheMan]

A's Deal For Conor Jackson
Reports earlier this week had the Rangers making a run at Conor Jackson, but instead the Diamondbacks traded him to the A's on Tuesday for mid-level reliever prospect Sam Demel. Last season was a lost year for Jackson, who hit just .183 and was limited to 30 games by valley fever. He's struggled to bounce back this season, batting .238 with one homer and a measly .657 OPS in 42 games, although he's been better of late.

Jackson makes $3.1 million and is arbitration eligible again this winter, so barring a big second half he'll be a non-tender candidate. He was a very solid player from 2006-2008, hitting .292/.371/.451 with an OPS above .800 each year, and the A's plan to make him their primary left fielder. Demel is far from a top prospect, but he projects as a potential late-inning reliever and represents a fairly steep price to take a flier on Jackson.

While not huge move by itself there's speculation the Diamondbacks trading Jackson is the start of a roster-wide exodus in Arizona, with reports that they'll listen to offers on everyone except Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy. If true that shopping list could include Dan Haren, Mark Reynolds, Chris Young, and Stephen Drew in addition to more standard trade deadline fare like Kelly Johnson, Adam LaRoche, and Chris Snyder.

While the Diamondbacks likely turn to a Gerardo Parra-Cole Gillespie platoon to replace Jackson, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* In other Diamondbacks news, A.J. Hinch finally stripped Chad Qualls of closer duties Tuesday, saying Aaron Heilman will now get most of the save chances. However, the manager added that he may still use Heilman in the seventh and eighth innings, so the dreaded closer-by-committee could come into play. Heilman has just 10 career saves, but is a longtime setup man with a 3.58 ERA in 418 innings as a reliever.

Hinch showed amazing patience with Qualls, letting him blow four saves and allow 26 runs in 22.1 innings before finally pulling the plug with the Diamondbacks double-digit games back in the NL West. Heilman is capable of doing a decent job with ninth-inning duties, but if he fares particularly well the Diamondbacks may look at trade him along with everyone else and that would almost surely push him back into a setup role.

* It sounds like Erick Aybar somehow avoided a serious injury following an ugly looking collision at second base Monday night, but even if a disabled list stint isn't needed he figures to miss several games with a hyper-extended knee. Maicer Izturis will slide from third base to shortstop while he's out, which opens the door for Brandon Wood to get another shot. Unfortunately he hit just .196 with 17 strikeouts in 13 games at Triple-A.

* Chad Billingsley was in a nice groove following a rough start to the season, going 5-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 52/17 K/BB ratio in 57 innings over nine starts, but he got knocked around for seven runs Friday and apparently injured his groin in the process. Billingsley was unable to complete a bullpen session Tuesday, so the Dodgers placed him on the disabled list with what is being called a strain.

AL Quick Hits: Alex Rodriguez (hip) remained out of the lineup Tuesday and hasn't played since last Thursday ... Orlando Hudson (wrist) was not cleared to return from the disabled list after taking batting practice Tuesday ... Brian Roberts (back) admitted Tuesday that he expects to miss at least another 4-6 weeks ... Justin Masterson followed last week's two-hit shutout by allowing seven runs Tuesday ... Dustin McGowan suffered another setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery and has been shut down indefinitely ... Derek Holland (shoulder) threw all fastballs during a 20-pitch bullpen session Tuesday ... Marco Scutaro missed Tuesday's game after getting a cortisone shot in his injured neck ... Magglio Ordonez (oblique) rejoined the lineup Tuesday after missing six games ... Along with their collection of semi-useless veterans, the Royals are said to be shopping David DeJesus ... Chris Tillman will remain in the rotation for now, but his next start will be skipped ... Adam Everett cleared waivers Tuesday and was released by the Tigers.

NL Quick Hits: As expected, top prospect Pedro Alvarez will be called up Wednesday by the Pirates ... Dr. James Andrews told John Baker (elbow) he won't need surgery, but the catcher is unlikely to return before mid-August ... Jair Jurrjens (hamstring) will likely make at least two more rehab starts before rejoining the Braves' rotation ... Omar Minaya admitted Tuesday that Carlos Beltran (knee) will not be ready to begin a rehab assignment this week ... Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated Tuesday that Jimmy Rollins (calf) won't be ready to come off the disabled list until next week ... Relegated to the bench following Mike Stanton's arrival, Cameron Maybin may soon be headed back to the minors ... Chien-Ming Wang (shoulder) has begun throwing live batting practice and is now aiming to debut in mid-July ... Chipper Jones stopped short of making an official announcement Tuesday, but reportedly plans to retire after this season ... Gary Matthews Jr. cleared waivers Tuesday and was released by the Mets.

 

[HacheMan]

Peavy Hurting
After watching Jake Peavy begin the season with a 5.62 ERA in 13 starts, Ozzie Guillen admitted Wednesday that the former Cy Young winner "has some things [wrong] with his arm." He finished May with a brutal stretch, but Peavy has actually been much better lately with back-to-back Quality Starts that sliced his ERA from 6.23 to 5.62. However, his shoulder is apparently hurting and the White Sox have pushed back his next start.

Guillen gave little indication that Peavy's arm "things" are serious and for now at least the hope is that he can start Friday or Saturday. Obviously no one expected to Peavy to post a 5.62 ERA, but between the league switch and move from pitcher-friendly Petco Park to power-boosting U.S. Cellular Field a big jump in ERA was likely. That his velocity is down and he's throwing fewer fastballs than ever is just icing on the bust cake.

While the White Sox likely already regret trading for Peavy and the $52 million left on his contract, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Tim Lincecum racked up 10 strikeouts Wednesday, but wasn't particularly sharp while allowing three runs on 10 hits and four walks against the Orioles' weak lineup. He also gave Giants fans a big scare by taking a comebacker off his right shoulder in the sixth inning. Lincecum didn't come out for the seventh inning, but the training staff did clear him to return had he not already been at 111 pitches.

Lincecum is 7-2 with a 3.11 ERA and his strikeout rate is right at his career norms, so focusing on negatives is nit-picking. With that said, his average fastball velocity is down to a career-low 91.3 miles per hour and very few of his pitches have reached 95 mph after he averaged 94.2 in 2007/2008. Lincecum is also throwing his fastball far less than ever before and went through a rough patch last month, so some cracks are showing.

* Luke Hochevar was finally experiencing some success, putting together a seven-start stretch with a 3.91 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 46 innings, so naturally he struggled in his most recent outing over the weekend and was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a sprained elbow. I've held out hope for Hochevar much longer than most people, but even I wouldn't hesitate to cut bait on him if you need the roster space at this point.

AL Quick Hits: Scott Baker notched a career-high 12 strikeouts in seven shutout innings Wednesday ... Maicer Izturis (forearm) was placed on the disabled list after being scratched from Wednesday's lineup, leaving the Angels' infield very short-handed ... Alex Rodriguez (hip) rejoined the lineup Wednesday at designated hitter ... Terry Francona said Daisuke Matsuzaka (forearm) is "feeling pretty good" after playing catch Tuesday ... Nelson Cruz (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A ... Jose Lopez left Wednesday's game with knee soreness, which has been a problem for much of the season ... Conor Jackson went 2-for-3 with a walk as the A's leadoff hitter Wednesday ... Tommy Hunter left Wednesday's start with hip soreness ... Orlando Hudson (wrist) took batting practice Wednesday and is aiming to come off the DL by the end of the week ... Dustin Pedroia is hitting again after struggling with a knee injury ... Mark Mulder has officially called it quits after injuries ruined his career.

NL Quick Hits: Livan Hernandez finally struggled Wednesday, coughing up eight runs ... Pedro Alvarez batted sixth for the Pirates in his MLB debut Wednesday ... Lance Berkman said Wednesday that he'd "rather go east than west" if the Astros attempt to trade him ... Brandon Webb (shoulder) reported no problems after throwing 75 pitches off a mound Wednesday ... Kenshin Kawakami has been amazingly unlucky to begin the season 0-9 ... Jason Bay left Wednesday's game a bruised quadriceps after falling while running to first base ... Akinori Iwamura was designated for assignment Wednesday after hitting just .182 and losing his job to Neil Walker ... Edgar Renteria came off the shelf Wednesday, but didn't start as Juan Uribe continued to play shortstop ... Jorge De La Rosa (finger) threw 40 pitches of live batting practice Wednesday ... Sam Demel has already been called up by the Diamondbacks, who acquired the reliever in the Conor Jackson trade Tuesday ... Takashi Saito (hamstring) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and could come off the disabled list when eligible Saturday.

 

[HacheMan]

Buying Delmon
There's a certain optimism in the air at this time of year, not just in the fantasy world, but all across baseball. You see, after Memorial Day, all of those prospects that were once deemed "not ready for prime time" are suddenly called up to the big leagues. What an amazing coincidence! It's also no surprise that many of these prospects are debuting with teams that are already out of contention. While that's a bummer, there are few better days for a fan than to see their team call up a homegrown player.

It's also pretty fantastic for fantasy owners, because if you happened to draft poorly or suffer a rash of injuries, there's suddenly a great influx of young talent to supplement your roster. As you'll see below, we have a few cases of that this week.

MIXED LEAGUES

Aaron Heilman RP, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 17 percent owned, 6.1 percent)

D'Backs manager A.J. Hinch confirmed on Tuesday that Chad Qualls would be removed from the closer's role, paving the way for Aaron Heilman to get the majority of save chances moving forward. Heilman, who was acquired from the Cubs over the winter, has been the lone bright spot in what has been baseball's worst bullpen, posting a 2.83 ERA over 29 appearances. While that's all well and good, consider that his groundball rate has collapsed to 27.1 percent while his flyball rate has increased to 48.2 percent. Combine that with a lucky 85.4 percent stand rate and we could be in for a bumpy ride through the desert. Still, he's worth owning in all mixed leagues.

Miguel Montero C, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 48 percent owned, ESPN: 49.2 percent)

This could be a statement about the newfound depth at the catcher position, but Montero has been back from the DL since the weekend, yet he's still available in over 50 percent of leagues. Need I remind you that this is the same guy who batted .316/.366/.534 with 11 homers, 40 RBI and a 900 OPS after the All-Star break last season? I sure hope not. Arizona GM Josh Byrnes should be plenty motivated to trade Chris Snyder given the team's current place in the standings, so there should be no concerns about Montero's playing time. There's top-five catcher potential here, so Montero should be safely tucked away across all formats.

Carlos Santana C, Indians (Yahoo: 43 percent owned, ESPN: 44.2 percent)

After all sorts of hemming and hawing about Santana's readiness for the major leagues, the Indians finally called up their prized catching prospect last Friday. And much like fellow blue-chipper Buster Posey, Santana is polished in his approach at the plate, having put up a .290/.401/.499 batting line in the minor leagues. The 24-year-old switch-hitter also walked more times (333) than he struck out (322). Not many prospects can claim that distinction. If you're trying to decide between the pair of rooks, I'd probably give a slight edge to Posey due to the extra eligibility at first base, but Santana is the choice if you are in need of power.

Pedro Alvarez 3B, Pirates (Yahoo: 14 percent owned, ESPN: 3.8 percent)

The latest in the wave of post-Memorial Day call-ups, Alvarez made his highly-anticipated debut on Wednesday night. The No. 2 overall selection of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, Alvarez managed an impressive .284/.373/.535 triple-slash in the minors, averaging a home run every 17.7 at-bats. There's obviously legit power potential here, but remember that he also struck out in 27.8 percent of his at-bats, so it would be no shock to see the 23-year-old finish with a low batting average in his first taste of the bigs. I wouldn't use a number one waiver claim on him in a shallow mixed league, but he's worth picking up in deeper formats to see if his power translates to the majors.

Jon Niese SP, Mets (Yahoo: 15 percent owned, ESPN: 16.8 percent)

Niese entered the season as the "fifth starter" in Queens, but we all knew better than that, didn't we? The 23-year-old left-hander has a 3.64 ERA through his first 11 starts and is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 15/3 K/BB ratio over three outings since returning from a hamstring injury earlier this month, including a one-hitter against the Padres last Thursday. He doesn't throw particularly hard, averaging just around 90 mph on his heater, but the young southpaw makes up for it by inducing his fair share of worm-burners (50 percent). Though he's safe to deploy anywhere, it's probably best to save him for matchups at the spacious Citi Field, where he is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA over six starts this season.

Brandon Webb SP, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 47 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

We haven't heard much in the way of good news with Webb lately, so it was encouraging to learn that the rehabbing right-hander threw 75 pitches off a mound on Wednesday, his second mound session in the past five days. The progress has been slow with Webb, primarily because he is still getting comfortable with his mechanics after deciding to change his arm slot following a visit with Dr. James Andrews in May. It's hard to predict when or even if we will see Webb in the major leagues this season, but we all know what he is capable of when healthy. That sort of potential that is worth stashing.

Delmon Young OF, Twins (Yahoo: 24 percent owned, ESPN: 42.6 percent)

It looks like we are finally witnessing Young's long-awaited post-hype breakthrough. Well, maybe. The 24-year-old outfielder is batting .292 with eight home runs and 41 RBI over his first 192 at-bats this season, including an 841 OPS against right-handers (725 career OPS). Just to show how striking this season's surge has been, Young has never managed to hit more than 13 home runs in a season or put together a slugging percentage higher than .425. Well, he enters play on Thursday with a .495 slugging percentage and is currently on pace for 21 dingers. Fantasy owners will have to track how Twins manager Ron Gardenhire juggles Jim Thome and Jason Kubel in the lineup, but Young won't sit as long as he continues to hit like this.

Gordon Beckham 2B/3B, White Sox (Yahoo: 37 percent owned, ESPN: 36.5 percent)

Let's not get carried away here, but it looks like Beckham may finally be showing some signs of life. Of course, the 23-year-old entered the season hyped as a potential breakout star in many circles, however he has struggled to the tune of a .206/.283/.258 batting line through his first 209 at-bats. There's still not much to write home about yet, but Beckham did manage his first multi-hit game since June 1 on Tuesday and has collected four of his eight doubles in the past seven games. He still owns the skills that helped him deliver a .270/.347/.460 batting line in his rookie season, so why not stash him away for week in hopes that a true hot streak is on its way?

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

Justin Masterson SP, Indians (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 3 percent)

It might sound odd that I would recommend Masterson after he surrendered seven runs -- six earned -- against the Mets on Tuesday night, but with five of the runs scoring without the ball leaving the infield, the outing was just another example of how unlucky he has been this season. The 25-year-old right-hander currently owns a 5.02 ERA, but his xFIP of 3.94 suggests that he's deserved a far better fate. Sure, he still walks way too many batters (4.42 BB/9), but he has averaged 7.53 K/9 and gets groundballs in bunches (65.2 percent this season, highest among AL starters). If his .352 batting average on balls in play finally comes back to Earth, look out.

Gaby Sanchez 1B, Marlins (Yahoo: 8 percent owned, ESPN: 4.8 percent)

Sanchez didn't project to hit for much power based on his minor league profile, but here he is with a very respectable .284/.363/.450 batting line to go along with seven home runs and 28 RBI through his first 222 at-bats this season. The 26-year-old first baseman has been especially hot of late, batting .347 with three home runs, seven RBI and eight runs scored over the first 13 games this month. He should continue to provide fair value as CI option in deep leagues now that he is batting second in front of Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla on a nightly basis. Logan Morrison is still looked at as the first baseman of the future in Florida, but Sanchez is doing more than enough to hold him off for now.


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AL ONLY

J.J. Putz RP, White Sox (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.3 percent)

Putz has very quietly posted a 2.38 ERA and 28/4 K/BB ratio over 22 2/3 innings this season, including 11 consecutive scoreless appearances entering Thursday's action. The White Sox have yet to use Putz on consecutive days as he works his way back to form after elbow surgery last year, however White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said this week that there would no longer be any limitations on his usage. We've all heard about Matt Thornton as a potential candidate to replace Bobby Jenks in the event of a trade or ineffectiveness, but why not Putz? With his velocity on the rise, he's worth stashing in AL-only formats.

Dan Hudson SP, White Sox (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

If you are looking for a young arm to stash away for the second half, Hudson should be near the top of your list. The 23-year-old right-hander is 8-3 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 13 starts with Triple-A Charlotte, averaging 10.9 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. Armed with a fastball that touches the low-to-mid 90s, Hudson has a 2.97 ERA over his first 53 minor league appearances. He made his major league debut as a September call-up last season, posting a 3.38 ERA in two starts and four relief appearances, but he could be up for good should White Sox general manager Ken Williams decide to deal one of his starters. He also makes for fine insurance policy if Jake Peavy can't go this weekend.

Felix Doubront SP, Red Sox (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

Stepping in for the injured Daisuke Matsuzaka, Doubront is scheduled to make his major league debut against the Dodgers on Friday night. This is the very definition of a spot-start, but the 22-year-old left-hander has impressed team brass by going 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 12 starts between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket this season. Doubront has struggled with his command at times -- walking 17 batters in 43 innings at Double-A this season, for example -- but he gets plenty of swings and misses and induces a fair amount of groundballs. I'd normally shy away from using a pitcher in their major league debut, but Doubront is a fine matchup play against the inexperienced Carlos Monasterios.

Conor Jackson OF/1B, Athletics (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 9.4 percent)

Jackson has been one of the game's biggest disappointments over the past two seasons, but he got a new lease on life with the trade to Oakland this week. While it's worth noting that he was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored out of the leadoff spot in his first start with the club on Wednesday night, Athletics manager Bob Geren said he intends to use him anywhere from second to fifth in the batting order on most days. He probably fits best as a No. 2 hitter behind Rajai Davis or Coco Crisp. Don't forget that Jackson batted .292/.371/.451 from 2006-2008, so there's still plenty of reason for hope here.

NL ONLY

Tyler Colvin OF, Cubs (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 1.3 percent)

It took a very public battle with White Sox announcer Steve Stone, but Cubs manager Lou Piniella finally admitted this week that Colvin "deserves an opportunity" at more playing time. The 24-year-old outfielder is batting .311/.365/.621 with seven home runs and 17 RBI this season, yet he has just 116 plate appearances over the team's first 65 games. There's 20-homer potential here should he get sustained at-bats, but remember that Colvin batted .276/.318/.461 at the Double-A level and skipped Triple-A altogether, so some regression is to be expected. While he's a nice player to stash away for now, don't be surprised to see him sit once or twice against a string of left-handers (Dallas Braden, Scott Kazmir, Joe Saunders) in the coming days.

Tony Abreu SS, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Fresh off the disabled list, Abreu has some temporary value as the Diamondbacks play in American League parks over the next week, but he could prove to be a savvy addition to your squad should general manager Josh Byrnes decide to trade Kelly Johnson. Abreu, who was acquired from the Dodgers as the player to be named later in the Jon Garland trade, missed the entire 2008 season due to hip surgery, but returned to bat .336/.361/.541 between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Albuquerque last season. There's little in the way of patience here, but the 25-year-old possesses real pop for a middle infielder.

Sam Demel RP, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

Demel was acquired from the Athletics in exchange for Conor Jackson earlier this week and will immediately get a chance to contribute out of the beleaguered Diamondbacks bullpen. While he's no top prospect, the 24-year-old right-hander was off to a fantastic start with Triple-A Sacramento this season, posting a 1.26 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and six saves over his first 22 relief appearances. Demel has a 2.79 ERA over parts of four minor league seasons, averaging 10 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9. As mentioned earlier, Aaron Heilman will get the majority of save chances going forward, but Demel could be an interesting end-game option down the line.

Pat Burrell OF, Giants (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 0.4 percent)

Don't look now, but "Pat the Bat" is batting .355 (11-for-31) with two homers and five RBI since latching on with the Giants earlier this month. It's hard tell how much playing time Burrell will actually get given the state of the Giants roster, but fantasy owners shouldn't worry about that quite yet. The Giants kick off a three-game series with the Blue Jays on Friday, complete with American League rules, so Burrell figures to be the designated hitter throughout the weekend.

 

[HacheMan]

Jimenez Improves to 13-1, 1.15
Thursday's highly anticipated Ubaldo Jimenez-Francisco Liriano matchup stumbled out of the gates when Liriano allowed three first-inning runs, but he bounced back with six shutout frames. Jimenez wasn't at his overpowering best either, allowing a season-high eight hits and two walks with just four strikeouts, but repeatedly wriggled out of jams thanks to four double plays and a pickoff in eight innings of one-run ball.

Jimenez lowered his ERA from 1.16 to 1.15 and improved to 13-1, joining Roger Clemens in 1986 and Lefty Grove in 1932 as the only pitchers with 13 wins in their first 14 starts during the past 80 years. He's allowed three runs or fewer in all 14 starts, including zero or one run in 10 of them. Jimenez's next start is scheduled to be at Coors Field against the Red Sox in the middle of next week.

While his dominance keeps everyone from realizing the Rockies are 21-31 when Jimenez doesn't start, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Mike Stanton's arrival pushed Cameron Maybin to the bench and after not playing him for a single inning in 10 days the Marlins finally demoted him to Triple-A, where he can at least play regularly again. Maybin has been a big disappointment, hitting .246/.311/.376 with an ugly 136/37 K/BB ratio and just 16 steals in 137 career games, but it's important to remember that he's still just 23 years sold.

However, his power hasn't developed largely because Maybin is an extreme ground-ball hitter and along with a very high strikeout rate that paints a dim picture for his future offensively. He's yet to play every day for more than six weeks at a time and as a good defensive center fielder with speed he'll certainly bring some value to the table, but the once-impressive Maybin/Andrew Miller haul for Miguel Cabrera isn't looking so good.

* They initially turned to Jayson Nix and Omar Vizquel at third base after Mark Teahen's broken finger, but the White Sox designated Nix for assignment Thursday and called up Dayan Viciedo from Triple-A. His stock has declined since signing out of Cuba for $10 million, but Viciedo hit .288/.328/.515 with 13 homers and 14 doubles in 61 games at Triple-A and was one of the International League's youngest players at 21 years old.

Viciedo played primarily first base at Triple-A after no one thought much of his defense at third base last year, but obviously the White Sox's need right now is for someone to fill in for Teahen. Ozzie Guillen indicated that he'll try to mix and match Viciedo against certain pitchers, suggesting that in the short term at least Vizquel will likely still see plenty of starts at third base and Viciedo may be limited to AL-only value.

* I'm addicted to WhatIfSports.com's Hardball Dynasty game and my league has one franchise open with a new season set to begin next week. Hardball Dynasty is not fantasy baseball, but rather an incredibly detailed simulation of running a fictional MLB organization from rookie-ball to the majors, so due to the steep learning curve and time commitment required we're looking for an owner with previous Hardball Dynasty experience. If you're interested, let me know.

AL Quick Hits: Jeff Mathis returned from the disabled list Thursday, likely freeing up Mike Napoli to be the Angels' primary first baseman ... Travis Hafner is not expected to play the field during the Indians' interleague road trip, leaving him on the bench for nine games ... Scratched from his scheduled Thursday start with arm soreness, Jake Peavy will attempt to pitch Saturday instead ... Minnesota is reportedly among the teams interested in making a run at Cliff Lee ... Joe Girardi revealed Thursday that Nick Johnson (wrist) is not close to being cleared to swing a bat ... Daisuke Matsuzaka (forearm) threw a 40-pitch bullpen session Thursday ... Several reports Thursday suggested that money is keeping the Red Sox from trading Mike Lowell to the Rangers or the Twins ... Following in Mark Mulder's footsteps, Darin Erstad announced his retirement Thursday ... If you haven't already, check out the newly re-designed Hardball Talk.

NL Quick Hits: Charlie Manuel indicated Thursday that Jimmy Rollins (calf) could come off the disabled list early next week ... Aramis Ramirez (thumb) will begin a brief rehab assignment Saturday at Single-A ... Chipper Jones confirmed Thursday that he's leaning toward retiring after the season, but will put off an official announcement ... Troy Tulowitzki left Thursday's game after being hit on the wrist by a pitch, with Clint Barmes sliding over to shortstop ... Oliver Perez (knee) has reportedly begun "facing batters in a controlled setting" ... Bronson Arroyo was a one-man gang Thursday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball and hitting a three-run homer ... Lou Piniella allowed Randy Wells to throw 130 pitches Thursday, so it'll be interesting to see how he fares next time out ... Chad Qualls said Thursday that his struggles are not due to an injury, which just means he's been horrible ... Jamey Carroll will fill in at shortstop while Rafael Furcal is on bereavement leave ... Omar Minaya said Thursday that Luis Castillo (foot) won't be ready to return until at least next week ... Takashi Saito (hamstring) could be cleared to come off the DL if Friday's bullpen session goes well.

 

[HacheMan]

More Interleague Ahead

Interleague play rages on this week, with plenty more teams facing opponents they rarely see. Keep that in mind when considering playing time for part-time players and designated hitters. For a second straight week, each team in the league has a day off, which cuts down on the number of two-start pitchers to choose from. There are still a lot of enticing options, though, as indicated by the heavy concentration in the "Strong Plays" category.

Going Twice...



American League

Strong Plays

Jon Lester: @COL (Chacin), @SF (Martinez)
John Danks: ATL (Hanson), CHC (Dempster)
Justin Verlander: @NYM (Niese), @ATL (Hanson)
Ervin Santana: LAD (Kershaw), COL (Chacin)
A.J. Burnett: @ARI (Lopez), @LAD (Kershaw)
Gio Gonzalez: CIN (Leake), PIT (Duke)
Tommy Hunter: PIT (Duke), HOU (Oswalt)
Brett Cecil: STL (Garcia), PHI (Kendrick)

Decent Plays

Jake Arrieta: FLA (Sanchez), WAS (Hernandez)
Mitch Talbot: @PHI (Kendrick), @CIN (Leake)
Scott Baker: @MIL (Bush), @NYM (Niese)
Wade Davis: SD (Latos), ARI (Lopez)

At Your Own Risk

Bruce Chen: @WAS (Hernandez), STL (Garcia)
Ryan Rowland-Smith: CHC (Dempster), @MIL (Bush)

National League

Strong Plays

Tommy Hanson: @CWS (Danks), DET (Verlander)
Ryan Dempster: @SEA (Rowland-Smith), @CWS (Danks)
Mike Leake: @OAK (Gonzalez), CLE (Talbot)
Anibal Sanchez: @BAL (Arrieta), SD (Latos)
Roy Oswalt: SF (Martinez), @TEX (Hunter)
Clayton Kershaw: @LAA (Santana), NYY (Burnett)
Mat Latos: @TB (Davis), @FLA (Sanchez)
Jaime Garcia: @TOR (Cecil), @KC (Chen)

Decent Plays

Rodrigo Lopez: NYY (Burnett), @TB (Davis)
Jhoulys Chacin: BOS (Lester), @LAA (Santana)
Jon Niese: DET (Verlander), MIN (Baker)
Zach Duke: @TEX (Hunter), @OAK (Gonzalez)
Livan Hernandez: KC (Chen), @BAL (Arrieta)
Kyle Kendrick: CLE (Talbot), @TOR (Cecil)

At Your Own Risk

Dave Bush: MIN (Baker), SEA (Rowland-Smith)
Joe Martinez: @HOU (Oswalt), BOS (Lester)


Streamer City



The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:

American League

Thursday, 6/24: Armando Galarraga @ NYM
Galarraga has been sharp since his perfect* game, and the Mets don't pack much punch. Lack of strikeouts is a bit concerning, so be wary if you're in need to K's.

Thursday, 6/24: Brian Matusz vs. FLA
Matusz finally seems to be finding his footing after a very slow start to the season. He's worth a look in this home nod against the Marlins.

Friday, 6/25: Ben Sheets vs. PIT
Sheets has notched a quality start in six of his past eight turns and is almost a no-brainer at home against the Pirates this week.

National League

Wednesday, 6/23: Randy Wells @ SEA
I recommended Wells last week and he performed well, so I'll feature him again as he travels to pitcher-friendly Safeco to face the light-hitting M's.

Wednesday, 6/23: Brett Myers
Despite his excellent results this season, Myers remains unowned in the majority of leagues. He's certainly worth a look in this favorable home match-up, though he will be facing Tim Lincecum.

Saturday, 6/25: Randy Wolf vs. SEA
Wolf has been susceptible to the occasional implosion this year, but he's a decent bet against at home against Seattle.

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Total Games



American League

6: BAL, BOS, CWS, CLE, DET, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, SEA, TB, TEX TOR

National League

6: ARI, ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, FLA, HOU, LAD, MIL, NYM, PHI, PIT, SD, SF, STL, WAS


Lefty/Righty Breakdown



American League

BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CWS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIN: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TOR: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP

National League

ARI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CHC: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CIN: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
FLA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
NYM: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PIT: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SD: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
SF: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP

 

[HacheMan]

Javy-in a Better Time
Another double feature this week -- Week That Was by Glenn Colton and by Bobby Colton (plus, of course what Schultz says).


Javier Vazquez: Javier Vazquez was the only Yankee who looked good last night. The forgotten member of the rotation gave up just one run in seven innings in the Yankees sorry performance versus their crosstown rivals. Vazquez was atrocious at the start of the year and ended his last stint in pinstripes in horrific fashion. However, in his last seven starts, Javy has dropped his ERA from 9.78 to 5.01. He looks confident on the mound, the Yankees will give him better run support this summer, and he probably can still be had cheap. Don't break the bank but Javy could really help most roto teams right about now.


Miguel Montero: After missing most of the year with a knee injury, Miguel Montero finally hit his first dinger on Friday. If there is any chance at all to get Montero, do it. He is one of the top hitting catchers in the game and has hit from the day he returned from the DL. Miggy west is 7-for-21 since coming off of the shelf. Montero turns 27 this summer – the age at which many hitters take their game up a notch or two. Given that Montero hit .294 with 16 HR in just over 400 AB last year and has come off the DL smoking hot, there is no reason to think he will do anything other than hit. Plus, he plays in a hitters' park where the bail sails all summer long. Buy.


Gavin Floyd: Gavin Floyd continues to demonstrate why patience is critical in both real and fantasy baseball. Many jumped off of the good ship Gavin when he was just sorry in April and May. However, as predicted here, Floyd has been great in June. Last night, Gavin went head to head with the Strasburg juggernaut and came out even, giving up just one earned run over eight innings. In his last three starts, Floyd has tossed 22 innings while giving up just three runs and13 hits and striking out 22. At 27, there is no reason to doubt him the rest of the way. At 25 and 26, he average 200 innings and 184 Ks with a strong ERA and WHIP. Call up the Floyd owner in your league, talk about the ugly 5.21 ERA, cross your finger and toes while asserting that the one hitter against the Cubbies was a fluke and fleece the Floyd owner. Gavin will be fun to own the rest of the way.


Nate Robertson: Nate Robertson returned to the rotation last night in winning fashion. Robertson gave up just two earned runs over six innings in a win over the Rays. Statistically, it was a strong outing. Robertston gave up just five hits while walking just one and striking six. Is he a great pitcher? No. Is he performing better in the NL then he did in the AL, yup. No surprise there – lefty moves from AL to NL pitchers' park and looks much better. In deep NL leagues, you could do much worse than Nate. Over his last three appearances, Robertson has posted a 16/3 K/BB.


Barry Zito: Barry Zito was sharp again Friday, giving up just three runs over eight innings. The bad news – his team cannot hit and he lost 3-2. From a roto standpoint, Zito was great. He gave up just four hits while striking out five and walking one. At this point, we can safely say that Zito will put up good ratios and keep his team in games. We can also say that he will struggle to get wins as his team just cannot hit. Shameless plug here – the T in SMART stands for team and Zito pitches for a team that does not hit, so when valuing him, you have to figure on a low or middling win total. That said 3.13 and 1.18 are pretty sweet.


Fausto Carmona: Fausto Carmona continues to confound and puzzle. Last night the unpredictable one beat the Pirates by tossing six strong innings, while walking just one and blowing away seven. Want evidence of his puzzling ways? Here goes. Over his last two starts, he has 14 K against just 1 BB. However, prior to those two gems, he was 38K/32BB. How do you figure out which Fausto will show up? Well, first hint is that the last two starts have been against Washington and Pittsburgh, while the previous disaster was against Boston. So, one thing to consider is spot starting Fausto when the opponent is well, not good. This make sense as veteran or hot teams will avoid offering at the sinker out of the zone while young teams will flail. So, when it comes time to fill out the e-lineup card, don't enter the name Fausto next week for his visit to the bandbox that is Philly.


Troy Tulowitzki: According to reports, the Rockies expect Troy Tulowitzki to miss up to 8 weeks with a broken left wrist. To state the painfully obvious (bad pun alert, my bad), not good! What is worse is that hitters with wrist and hand injuries rarely return to form until the next season at the earliest. If you own Tulo, wait until the news stories surface about him swinging and getting ready to go on a rehab assignment and move him for whatever you can get. He will be a great player, just not this year. As for the Rockies, they will move Clint (don't carry the deer meat) Barmes to SS and go with a revolving door at 2b including Jonathan Herrera, Melvin Mora, and Chris Nelson. Hard to say who will emerge but Nelson was hitting .311 with five homers and 20 RBI over 132 at-bats at AAA.


Akinori Iwamura: The Pirates welcomed Pedro Alvarez, entrenched Neil Walker, benched Andy LaRoche and said goodbye to Akinori Iwamura who was DFA'd during the week after posting a putrid .182 average for the Pirates. Well, as to the Pirates, certainty is a good thing. You know who will run out there and play 2b and 3b everyday. As for Aki, look for him to get picked up by a team needing a veteran bench player who can play both 2b and 3b. He should not have any roto value but could help a contender down the stretch.


Roger Bernadina: I do not often lead a blurb with a manager pronouncement as they are often as reliable as airline arrival times. However, I did find it interesting that Nationals manager Jim Riggleman confirmed what appeared obvious from the daily boxscores -- Roger Bernadina is the every day RF in DC. What does that mean rotowise? Well, Bernadina is just 26 and in his first full time gig is holding his own. Roger is hitting .273 with four homers, 19 RBI and five stolen bases over his first 128 at-bats. If you could extrapolate to a whole season of 640 AB, that would be 20 HR, 95 RBI and 25 SB. Could anyone use that on their team? Of course, baseball is not so simple, but you get the point.


Chan Ho Park: In a word, why??? Why does Joe Girardi insist on putting Park in close games in high pressure situations? Wouldn't it be easier to just tell the umpire that you are feeling generous and although it is a big game, you want to give 2-3 runs to the other team? Can one write off gift runs on one's taxes? Maybe that is it. Ok, this is a bit snarky, but how many times does Chan Ho have to do his Kei Igawa imitation before Joe relegates him to his proper place as a mop up man? (Note, this comparison only ahs to do with their lack of pitching prowess and my longstanding aversion to the way Kei Igawa pitched). So far this season, Park has a grotesque 6.16 ERA and an equally hideous 1.58 WHIP. To make matters worse, he takes the Yankees out of games they might otherwise be able to come back and win. Yes, he has put up some decent outings against the Astros, Orioles and Indians. But, on the big stage against the hated Red Sox or subway series rival Mets, he just cannot perform. I am done with this guy. I hope Joe Girardi sees the light and keeps Chan Ho "outta the" Park on the pine in big spots.


And now, as promised another two for one special:

All-Star Update: Who's leading, who should be, and who shouldn't even be considered
By Bobby Colton

There are certainly some flaws in the All-Star voting process. It is ludicrous that guys who sit out most to all of the season could still win starting jobs on the All-Star team. That is by far the most frustrating thing. In the end, fans will be fans, some savvy, some ignorant. Here's the look at who will start, who should start and who will be the next Kosuke Fukudome (i.e., the undeserving All-Star).

AL

C: Joe Mauer- There are other guys having good enough years, such as John Buck, Victor Martinez, Kurt Suzuki, and Mike Napoli, but Joe Mauer is Joe Mauer and he is making way too much not to be an All-Star. In all seriousness, Mauer deserves it. Close behind in the voting: None

1B: Justin Morneau- He's certainly not a bad choice. Morneau is second in average as far as AL first basemen go, sporting a .336 average. He also has an impressive .455 on base percentage. While I would personally go with Miguel Cabrera's 19 homers, 59 RBI's and .332 average, Justin is just as deserving. Close behind in the voting: Mark Teixeira, Miguel Cabrera

2B: Robinson Cano- No complaints here. He leads AL second basemen in more or less every category from average to homeruns. He is more deserving than the other strong AL second basemen. Close behind in the voting: None

3B: Evan Longoria- Longoria is a fine choice for AL third baseman this year, hitting .312 with 51 rbi and 12 homers. Evan leads AL third basemen in RBI's and also in steals, but is way behind Jose Bautista in homers and Adrian Beltre in average. He is a fine choice but there are other choices as well, namely Mr. Beltre himself and Alex Rodriguez. Close behind in the voting: Alex Rodriguez

SS: Derek Jeter- Derek Jeter is having a rather pedestrian year. His power numbers are impressive as far as shortstops go, 8 homers and an AL shortstop leading 39 RBI, but his other numbers are a bit suspect. I wouldn't go as far as promote Alex Gonzalez for the All-Star team, but I would give my vote to Ranger stand-out Elvis Andrus. In the end, Jeter is a Yankee, so even when/if his numbers plummet, he will likely still be the starter. Close behind in the voting: None

OF: Ichiro Suzuki, Carl Crawford, Nelson Cruz- Nelson Cruz!? This guy can't find the field this year and is hardly deserving of a spot on this team. This is the second most infuriating leader of the All-Star season, behind a certain NL third baseman. Ichiro is still hitting .343, so his spot is well deserved. There are better options than Carl Crawford, but he's got a reputation and his numbers aren't bad per se. He is currently hitting .295, a number that could be improved. My outfield choices would be Suzuki, Josh Hamilton (.322, 16 hr, 48 RBI), and the resurgent Alex Rios (.313, 13 hr, 33 RBI, 19 sb). Close behind in the voting: Josh Hamilton, Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, Torii Hunter, Brett Gardner

DH: Vladimir Guerrero- No complaints what-so-ever. The fans got this one right. Close behind in the voting: None

P: This is simply my vote, as fans don't vote on the ballot (although I think they should).
David Price- Leads the AL in wins and ERA. Other Choices: Phil Hughes, Clay Buchholz, John Lester, Jeff Niemann, Cliff Lee.

NL

C: Yadier Molina- Molina's numbers just aren't all that impressive. There are much better options. Miguel Olivo, Geovany Soto, Rod Barajas, Brian McCann, Ivan Rodriguez, and Ryan Doumit all deserve the nod over Molina this year. Close behind in the voting: Brian McCann, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Ruiz

1B: Albert Pujols- Hard to argue that anyone deserves the nod over Prince Albert. Joey Votto is having an incredible season, but it's still Albert Pujols. Close behind in the voting: None

2B: Chase Utley- Met fan or not, Utley is a great player. However, he is not the best second baseman in the NL this year. As well as Kelly Johnson is playing in Arizona (for now), the Braves aren't missing him because of the phenomenal year they are getting from Martin Prado. Prado's .337 average alone makes him the better choice over Utley's meager .257 clip. Along with Prado, Brandon Phillips, Christian Guzman, and Juan Uribe all deserve the call over Chase. Close behind in the voting: None

3B: Placido Polanco- Met fan or not, Polanco is far from the best third baseman in the NL. Just because he dons Phillie red doesn't mean he is actually the most talented. Polanco is a one trick pony, and that trick is hitting barely over .300 (he's currently mashing .310). Look, David Wright is tied for the NL lead in RBI (Troy Glaus), Scott Rolen is outplaying nearly every third baseman, and rookie David Freese is hitting at a higher clip than Polanco. Seriously people, third base is still close enough for big changes. Please, just vote anyone but Polanco (but if you're open to suggestions, vote Wright). Close behind in the voting: David Wright, Chipper Jones, Casey McGehee

SS: Hanley Ramirez- Let's be honest. In the NL, there is Ramirez and Troy Tulowitzki at the top, then the rest of the bunch, at least until Reyes can prove this hot streak is for real. I personally would have given the nod to Tulo based solely on one thing -- he didn't get benched for being a baby this year. The numbers are fairly similar between the two shortstops (except for average), but Han-Ram's pout fest gave my vote to Tulowitzki. Now, with Tulo out for the next 6-8 weeks, Hanley is the obvious choice. Close behind in the voting: Jimmy Rollins, Troy Tulowitzki

OF: Ryan Braun, Jason Heyward, Andre Ethier- Andre's great season makes him a no brainer. Braun has had the tough task of playing for a dismal team this year, but he's still very deserving of the spot. Now we come to the young Mr. Heyward. He is an incredibly talented young outfielder, but is he really an All-Star this year? I personally own Heyward in a league and have experienced his strong play all year, but still wouldn't give him the nod in an All-Star outfield. Marlon Byrd, Colby Rasmus, Ryan Ludwick, Jason Werth, Jonny Gomes, and Andrew McCutchen all have merit for the last spot in the outfield, but none are leagues better than Heyward. Tough call on this one. Close behind in the voting: Jason Werth, Shane Victorino, Matt Holliday, Matt Kemp.

DH: The NL doesn't vote on DH, so I will cast my own vote. Based on who is starting right now, I would have given the nod to Troy Tulowitzki. My injury replacement for Tulo is Joey Votto. Other Choices: Joey Votto, David Wright, Troy Glaus

P: Same deal as the AL. This one wasn't hard at all. Anyone who thinks that Roy Halladay deserves this honor just because he's a Phillie needs to wake up and smell what's on fire in Colorado. His name is Ubaldo Jimenez. He's not even human this year. Other Choices: If I have to choose someone for the rest of the pitching roster I'd go with: Mike Pelfrey, Adam Wainwright, Roy Halladay, Josh Johnson, Jaime Garcia, Matt Cain, and Chris Carpenter.


And last, but not least, Schultz says: "With the season just past its first trimester, you probably have a good sense as to whether you are in the mix for this year's championship or better suited towards gearing for a run towards 2011. Dumping in roto-baseball is a necessary evil: it's part of the game and when done right, really can give you a leg up for the next season. As most trades involve the lopsided exchange of present talent for potential, most dump deals tick off the rest of your league and give rise to lots of e-mails that chafe the edges off some owners' friendships. Most of the time these comments should be stifled with self-restraint. In 2005, my dumping to build for 2006 led a couple owners - one of which engages in his own bit of roto-punditry on another site - to boldly proclaim that I had my roto-chastity forcibly taken. When I ran away with the league in 2006, I had the last laugh.

The soul crushing that dumping can take on a league is when its not done properly. Depending on your league's rules, that phenom on the Nationals, Mike Stanton, Pedro Alvarez, Justin Smoak, Carlos Santana, Brett Wallace and Starlin Castro may all be greatly undervalued. Unquestionably, they have great futures ahead of them but that doesn't mean that you target them in dump deals. If you find yourself in this unenviable position, rather than look for shiny prospects, look through your league and find the undervalued players on other team's rosters. This will vary from league to league, so it's hard to tell you who you should target. Should Albert Pujols be underpriced due to the 2008 pre-season scare over his elbow - there you go, start there.

Regardless of what year you are playing for, there are many worse things you could do than call the Matt Garza owner in your league and see if they are willing to dump him in a panic move. Garza was the main cog in the Delmon Young deal a couple years back. (Funny to think of a time when Delmon Young was a prized and coveted prospect both in real life and fantasy world) and has the talent to considerably help any roto-team. He's struggled the last few starts but it shouldn't last. Worth the attempt to pluck him away if you can."


Response: Bobby nails the All-Star situation while Schultz is dead on right about Matt Garza. Though, I have to admit, I never thought of baseball in terms of trimesters but it makes sense as the first trimester for the AL LABR team Rick and I have has continued to make me nauseous.

 

[HacheMan]

NL Trade Targets + Notes
The Strike Zone hasn't been going exactly as planned as of late, but I think I'm back on track with this one. Along with the NL version of the trade deadline buyers guide, I have some notes covering both leagues comprising the second half of the column.

First, here's a look at what the NL contenders figure to go shopping for prior to July 31.

NL East

Atlanta - Things have come together very well for the Braves, with Troy Glaus reestablishing himself as a run producer and Kris Medlen having done a fine job in stepping into the rotation in Jair Jurrjens' place. Even their holes in the outfield seem smaller now with Eric Hinske sporting a 944 OPS in 127 at-bats. Barring a sudden turnaround from Nate McLouth, who is on the DL with a concussion, they're still going to want an outfielder. However, if they need to, they'll probably be able to scrape together adequate production from McLouth and Melky Cabrera in center. Cabrera has been decent, if nothing more than that, over the past six weeks.

So, odds are that the Braves will be pretty quiet. Maybe they'll take a veteran reliever if one falls into their laps. Ideally, they'd go out and get David DeJesus for the outfield. That's a long shot, but maybe Jim Edmonds wouldn't be.


New York - Only one of the team's stars has met expectations -- and David Wright has done it while striking out a whopping 82 times -- but the Mets are 10 games over .500 anyway, thanks largely to the way Mike Pelfrey, Angel Pagan, Ike Davis, Hisanori Takahashi, R.A. Dickey and Rod Barajas have stepped up. The team has gone from apparently desperately needing another starting pitcher to perhaps not having room in their rotation for John Maine if he can return early next month.

That's not to say the Mets still wouldn't like someone capable of starting the second or third game of a postseason series. Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee or Dan Haren would be ideal, but they'd cost prospects the team wouldn't want to surrender. Edwin Jackson might be a more realistic target. Perhaps he could be had for either Ruben Tejada or Reese Havens, plus a pitching prospect or two. Fausto Carmona and Kevin Millwood could also be fits.

The Mets should also go get a second baseman. Kelly Johnson is another player available off the Diamondbacks roster, and he would be a great fit in the second spot in the order.


Philadelphia - The Phillies have disappointed offensively, but there aren't any real opportunities for upgrades there. They just need Jimmy Rollins to stay healthy and for Raul Ibanez to continue to improve. What the Phillies will seek is pitching: a second or third starter for the postseason and another setup option for the bullpen.

Bringing back Lee from Seattle and doing their best to reverse a trade that never should have been made in the first place would put the Phillies back on top as the favorites to represent the NL in the World Series. It can't be completely ruled out, though the Mariners would probably want J.A. Happ and more in return. Top outfield prospect Dominic Brown likely will remain off limits.

Chad Qualls might be a possibility for the pen. He's had an awful year, but his groundball tendencies would make him a nice fit.


NL Central

St. Louis - The Cardinals, like the Phils, will be targeting a starting pitcher first and foremost. They've received outstanding results from Jaime Garcia and from Brad Penny before he got hurt, but given the injury history of each, they can't count on either to serve as a No. 3 starter in the postseason. St. Louis probably won't target Oswalt or Lee, but it'd be awfully interesting to see the team make a run at Haren. Still, a cheaper option might be necessary. I like the idea of Millwood in St. Louis.

If the Cardinals add a hitter, it could be a middle infielder. Much of that will depend on how Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan perform over the next month. The Cardinals have Felipe Lopez to cover one infield spot, but they might be better off with both Schumaker and Ryan in backup roles.

A fourth outfielder is another possibility, but the Cardinals are hoping Randy Winn will fill that need.


Cincinnati - The Reds have just one starter with a sub-4.00 ERA, but they probably won't be making the rotation a priority, not when they have Edinson Volquez set to return from Tommy John surgery next month. They will want a reliever or two. They have just two guys they trust right now, and one of them, Arthur Rhodes, is on pace for his highest innings total since 1998. Qualls, Octavio Dotel, Jason Frasor and Aaron Heilman could be some of the names on their list.

With no big needs on offense, the Reds should be able to concentrate on improving the bullpen. It would be nice if they could get a better backup for Scott Rolen at third base. An outfielder to supplant Drew Stubbs can't be ruled out, but they can win with him as their weakest regular.


NL West

San Diego - It's safe to say the Padres won't be spending for bullpen help. The question is whether they'll spend at all. They'll probably leave the rotation alone and hope that Chris Young makes a contribution in the second half. If they're going to upgrade, it will likely be in the outfield or at shortstop.

I'd favor getting the shortstop. Everth Cabrera was always a poor bet to hit this year, and Jerry Hairston Jr. isn't an everyday player at the position. Ryan Theriot, Alex Gonzalez, Cristian Guzman, Cesar Izturis and Craig Counsell are some of the shortstop options potentially available. I think the Padres will go get one of them, with Counsell perhaps the most likely possibility.

In the outfield, DeJesus would be a terrific fit. He'll cost quite a bit in terms of talent, but he's under control for 2011 at a modest price, making him a great choice. The Padres, though, don't have a lot to offer unless they surrender major league talent. I think it might make sense for them to offer Wade LeBlanc for DeJesus, but it'd be quite a gamble, particularly since Young can't be counted on. Austin Kearns would come cheaper and be useful in a smaller role. Scott Podsednik could work in the leadoff spot.


Los Angeles - Just as with the Padres, we don't know if the Dodgers will take on money. They went with Vicente Padilla as their Opening Day starter this year after declining to flirt with any big free agents, and earlier this month, they picked an unsignable player in the first round of the draft in order to save themselves $1.5 million or so. It would seem to make an Oswalt deal a real long shot.

Lee would be more palatable. He's making less this year ($9 million), and there's no commitment for 2011. Plus, since the Mariners aren't as adamant about cutting payroll, Seattle might even be willing to cover Lee's salary in return for some additional talent. Shortstop Dee Gordon is the prospect Seattle would likely covet. Right-hander Chris Withrow would be a more realistic target.

Besides Lee, there are Cleveland's Jake Westbrook and Houston's Brett Myers to pursue. Millwood is another possibility here. The Dodgers will likely find a way to get one of them. However, since funds are limited, they probably won't add much to their offense or bullpen.


San Francisco - The Giants have helped their offense by making room for Buster Posey and Pat Burrell, but putting those two in the lineup takes a whole lot away from their defense. They'd probably still benefit from adding a regular outfielder, even if it leaves Burrell with little to do. Again, DeJesus would make sense. Milwaukee's Corey Hart might be had for a couple quality young arms. Cody Ross is another who would work if the Marlins have to become sellers.

That's where the Giants' focus should be. A starter isn't needed, not with Madison Bumgarner likely to step in next month. More bullpen depth would be nice, but Todd Wellemeyer might be able to contribute as a reliever once healthy.


Colorado - The Rockies might turn into sellers if Troy Tulowitzki's broken wrist causes them to lose ground over the next six weeks. As of right now, though, they're still in the thick of things, even as they stand in fourth place in the NL West.

Picking up a middle infielder has suddenly turned into a priority for the Rockies. They should have weighed an upgrade over Clint Barmes anyway, but now they have Barmes at shortstop and someone from the group of Melvin Mora, Chris Nelson and Jonathan Herrera at second. Barmes is a solid defender at short, so the Rockies could choose a true second baseman, like Kelly Johnson or maybe Rickie Weeks. Theriot, Guzman and Counsell work here, too.

The Rockies should be OK elsewhere. The bullpen has been strong even without Huston Street, and Taylor Buchholz may contribute soon. The rotation has Jason Hammel pitching extremely well and Jorge De La Rosa potentially returning early next month. The offense has been disappointing, but there's no one besides Barmes worth replacing. Todd Helton isn't done, and a Seth Smith-Ryan Spilborghs platoon in left will work just fine.


AL Notes

- With Maicer Izturis (forearm) back on the DL and Erick Aybar (knee) expected to miss a few more days, both Brandon Wood and Kevin Frandsen are viable plays in AL-only leagues this week. Frandsen is the better choice.

- After going 5-for-5 for Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, Coco Crisp (ribs) is nearly ready to return. It's going to be interesting to see how manager Bob Geren sets his lineup now that his team is healthy again. Rajai Davis has lifted his OPS from 579 to 708 over the last month, so he can't be benched. The newly acquired Conor Jackson has been swinging really well all month, too. Ryan Sweeney isn't, but then, he's only really been slumping for 10 days and he's the team's best defensive outfielder.

With five players for four spots, Jack Cust figures to sit once in a while, with Jackson taking over at DH. Crisp will also probably be held out of action a couple of times per week. If nothing else, it'd increase his chances of staying healthy. Davis is the only one in the group worth using in mixed leagues right now.

- Austin Jackson (back) was able to return to action as a defensive replacement Sunday, so he should be safe to keep active in AL-only leagues. Mixed leaguers may want to try someone else. Jackson has been in a bad slump for six weeks now anyway, and the Tigers may need to consider shifting him to the bottom of the lineup.

- It seems like Rick Ankiel's setback with his quad would be the perfect excuse for the Royals to give Alex Gordon another shot, but they'll probably keep Mitch Maier in center rather than stick Scott Podsednik either there or in right. Gordon is hitting .349/.477/.605 in 172 at-bats for Triple-A Omaha, but the Royals have been steadfast in saying that he's not returning to Kansas City soon.

- J.D. Drew (hamstring) is aiming to avoid the disabled list and return Tuesday, so AL-only leaguers will probably have to take a chance and leave him active. Mixed leaguers should have better alternatives.

- The Red Sox will get Daisuke Matsuzaka (forearm) back Thursday against the Rockies. He's an iffy play in AL-only leagues.

- Nelson Cruz (hamstring) is due back Tuesday and should be active in all formats.

- The Blue Jays' handling of Edwin Encarnacion was bizarre and misguided. The smart thing to do would have been to shift him to the outfield this spring, particularly since they were planning on using Jose Bautista as a regular anyway and Bautista is the superior defensive third baseman. Encarnacion's bat hadn't made up for his glove at third base, but he had nine homers and 22 RBI in 37 games. He was pretty much the player the Jays should have expected him to be, and if the team wasn't content with that, it should have released him rather than buried him in Triple-A. With Travis Snider still a few weeks away, his at-bats apparently will go to DeWayne Wise and Jarrett Hoffpauir.

NL notes

- I'm not very impressed with the Rockies' decision to give Herrera three straight starts since Tulo went down, even if he did come up with four singles on Saturday. Nelson was hitting .311/.384/.508 in Triple-A and was particularly hot lately, so it's surprising the Rockies aren't giving him a shot. He lacks Herrera's stolen-base ability, but he has the greater fantasy upside of the two. At the moment, though, Herrera is the one worth playing in NL-only leagues.

- Huston Street, who is rehabbing his shoulder injury at Triple-A Colorado Springs, gave up three runs before being ejected Saturday, but he did pitch scoreless innings in his previous two appearances. The Rockies could choose to activate him any day now. Manuel Corpas is expected to retain closing duties initially, but the team will go back to Street if he can put a few strong innings together. Fantasy leaguers shouldn't be in any particular hurry to activate him.

- Jimmy Rollins (calf) appears set to rejoin the Phillies on Tuesday, so he can be activated in mixed leagues.

- The Mets' decision to demote Jenrry Mejia is oddly timed, given that the rotation is in good shape and he fills a need in the bullpen. Still, it's the right move for the franchise. It'd be no surprise to see him back as a starter in a month after Takahashi and Dickey fade.

- The Astros finally decided to show a pulse Sunday when they called up catcher Jason Castro, third baseman Chris Johnson and outfielder Jason Bourgeois. Castro started showing some power for Triple-A Round Rock this month, hitting three homers. However, he was at a mediocre .265/.365/.355 overall. He'll probably be a poor fantasy catcher even while playing over Humberto Quintero most of the time, but NL-only leagues in need can try him.

Johnson, who was hitting .329/.362/.573 for the Express, needs to play regularly over Pedro Feliz. I'm not a big fan, but he should be an upgrade overall, even if he doesn't match Feliz with the glove. Expect decent power numbers and modest value in NL-only leagues.

 

[HacheMan]

Back To The Minors
Rick Porcello pitching at Triple-A as a 21-year-old doesn't sound so out of the ordinary, but his pitching at Triple-A as a 21-year-old after making 44 starts for the Tigers and finishing third in the Rookie of the Year balloting qualifies as big news. Detroit sent the struggling right-hander back down to the minors Sunday after he followed up a strong rookie campaign by going 4-7 with a 6.14 ERA through 70 innings as a sophomore.

Last season Porcello made up for a poor strikeout rate with one of the league's highest ground-ball rates, but this season his strikeouts dropped even further and he induced 13 percent fewer grounders. The good news is that Porcello still pitched better than his ugly ERA and should be back in Detroit soon enough. The bad news is that he has just 122 strikeouts in 241 career innings, which is MLB's fifth-worst rate during that time.

Detroit can hope that Porcello responds as well to the demotion as Max Scherzer did to his Triple-A stint last month. After going 1-4 with a 7.29 ERA to open the year Scherzer earned a quick call-back with a pair of dominant outings at Toledo and has a 3.48 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 31 innings since returning, including seven innings of one-run ball Sunday against his ex-Diamondbacks teammates.

While the Tigers shake things up facing a 1.5-game deficit in the AL Central, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Porcello heading back to the minors after 241 innings as a major leaguer seems like nothing compared to the Blue Jays deciding Sunday that Edwin Encarnacion could use some more time at Triple-A after 2,310 plate appearances and 592 games in the big leagues. The move came shortly after Encarnacion went 0-for-4 against the Giants, making him 9-for-61 (.148) since raising his OPS above 1.000 on May 26.

Presumably the Blue Jays will move Jose Bautista from right field to third base, opening up regular playing time for Fred Lewis in the outfield. Of course, lately Bautista has been slumping every bit as much Encarnacion, going 8-for-55 (.145) this month. Lewis doesn't have much power, but he's a solid all-around hitter with some speed and should have decent AL-only value. Triple-A call-up Jarrett Hoffpauir is also worth keeping an eye on.

* Sticking with the demoted to the minors theme, the Mets finally realized Sunday that burning through Jenrry Mejia's service time and stalling his development by making him a 20-year-old middle reliever was a waste, optioning him to Double-A after he posted a 3.38 ERA and 16/15 K/BB ratio in 26.2 innings. Better yet, they're expected to let him resume starting, more or less undoing the poor decision to rush him in the first place.

* There was one prominent promotion amid all the demotions Sunday, as Houston called up 2008 first-round pick Jason Castro from Triple-A. Astros catchers rank second-worst in the NL with a measly .653 OPS, so Castro won't have to do much to be better, but the former 10th overall pick hit just .265/.365/.355 at Triple-A and has only 16 homers in 795 pro at-bats. He has good on-base skills, but the overall production may be lacking.

AL Quick Hits: CC Sabathia shut out the Mets for eight innings Sunday, but a rain delay ruined his chance for a complete game ... Josh Hamilton went 5-for-6 with the game-tying and game-winning hits Sunday ... J.J. Putz picked up a save Sunday because Bobby Jenks was unavailable with what Ozzie Guillen called "some soreness" ... Carl Pavano held the Phillies to one run in a complete-game win Sunday, out-dueling Roy Halladay ... Alex Rodriguez (hip) and Jorge Posada (foot) are still somewhat limited, which could be tough this week with the Yankees losing the designated hitter in NL ballparks ... Dayan Viciedo started at third base and went 1-for-4 in his MLB debut Sunday ... Carlos Santana went 3-for-4 with a homer Sunday and is now batting .393 through nine games ... Jack Wilson (hamstring) returned from the disabled list Sunday after missing six weeks, but will have to fight Josh Wilson to reclaim his job ... Freddy Garcia won his fifth straight start Sunday and leads the White Sox with eight wins ... Ian Snell cleared waivers and will remain property of the Mariners at Triple-A.

NL Quick Hits: Carlos Zambrano tossed seven innings of one-run ball Sunday for his first Quality Start since rejoining the rotation ... Jerry Manuel revealed that John Maine (shoulder) "wasn't very comfortable" in his latest rehab start, perhaps delaying his return timetable ... Hanley Ramirez missed Sunday afternoon's game with a strained groin suffered Saturday night ... Along with calling up Castro, the Astros also promoted Chris Johnson as a potential replacement for Pedro Feliz ... Josh Johnson lowered his ERA to 1.80 with eight innings of one-run ball Sunday ... Huston Street (shoulder) was ejected from Saturday's rehab outing at Triple-A for arguing balls and strikes after allowing three runs ... Kyle Blanks (elbow) will miss at least 3-4 more weeks after an MRI exam showed additional damage ... Matt Holliday homered twice Sunday against A's, who traded him to the Cardinals last season.

 

[HacheMan]

The Phil Hughes Rules
New York officially put in place the plan to limit Phil Hughes' innings, announcing Monday that they'll take an advantage of a scheduled off day this week to skip the 23-year-old righty's next turn in the rotation. In limiting Joba Chamberlain's workload last season the Yankees chose abbreviated starts rather than skipped turns, but apparently The Hughes Rules are different than The Joba Rules, and that's probably not a bad thing.

After dominating as a reliever last year Hughes has been every bit as impressive moving back into the rotation this season, going 10-1 with a 3.17 ERA and 78/25 K/BB ratio in 82.1 innings spread over 13 starts. He wasn't quite the immediate ace that many people expected in 2007, but Hughes was so young then that even a multi-season detour has him establishing himself as one of the game's best starters before his 24th birthday.

While the Yankees likely to try to limit Hughes to about 180 innings, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* One day after optioning Edwin Encarnacion to Triple-A with 2,314 plate appearances and six seasons under his belt, the Blue Jays designated the 27-year-old third baseman for assignment Monday. The move cleared a 40-man roster spot and suggested to me they have a trade for him already worked out, but general manager Alex Anthopoulos downplayed that possibility by saying he expects Encarnacion to clear waivers.

If true that tells you just how far his stock has fallen because of injuries and mediocre hitting during the past year, because the Blue Jays acquired him as a major part of the Scott Rolen trade last July. Since then he's batted .223/.303/.453 with 17 homers in 79 games, including a brutal 9-for-61 slump, which isn't enough offense to make up for his terrible defense or apparently the $2.7 million he's owed for the rest of the season.

* Anthopoulos also revealed Monday that Dustin McGowan will need another shoulder surgery following his latest setback, knocking him out for a second straight season and putting the once-promising right-hander's career in serious jeopardy. He hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors since July of 2008 and felt a "pop" while rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder last week, with Anthopoulos indicating a return in 2011 isn't assured.

* To avoid your own setback, follow me on Twitter.

AL Quick Hits: A.J. Burnett served up three homers in the first inning Monday, finishing with seven runs allowed in four frames ... Brett Anderson (elbow) threw from 140 feet Monday, but remains unlikely to return until after the All-Star break ... David Huff was bumped from the rotation Monday and optioned to Triple-A after going 2-9 with a 6.04 ERA ... Impending free agent Mariano Rivera said Monday that he'd be willing to accept a one-year deal at age 40 ... Gio Gonzalez struck out nine and allowed just an unearned in seven innings Monday ... Felix Pie (back) began a rehab assignment Monday by going 0-for-4 at rookie-ball ... No one in New York would believe it, but Carl Pavano has become a reliable innings eater for the Twins ... Wilson Ramos is expected to miss two weeks at Triple-A with a strained oblique ... Coco Crisp (ribs) is aiming to come off the disabled list Friday ... Delmon Young is finally showing some promise in Minnesota.

NL Quick Hits: Livan Hernandez resumed his deal with the devil Monday, allowing one run in seven innings following a rough start last week ... As expected, the Mets demoted Jenrry Mejia to Double-A and called up Bobby Parnell to replace him in the bullpen Monday ... Billy Wagner is one save away from 400 after the Braves used him on four straight days ... Tim Lincecum (shoulder) has been cleared for Tuesday's start following a problem-free bullpen session ... Homer Bailey (shoulder) has yet to resume throwing after a setback on his rehab assignment earlier this month ... Stephen Strasburg will get an extra day off rest before his final first-half start, which is now slated for July 9 against the Giants ... Jim Riggleman gave him a vote of confidence Sunday night, but the Nationals demoted John Lannan to the minors Monday ... According to general manager Neal Huntington multiple teams have expressed interest in Akinori Iwamura ... Everth Cabrera (hamstring) played shortstop for five innings Monday in his first rehab game at Triple-A ... Astros fans are setting themselves up for disappointment with the team's so-called "exciting youth movement."

 

[HacheMan]

Closer chaos continues

Another week, another Saves and Steals, but a new correspondent filling in for your beloved Thor Nystrom. It is time to give thanks if you are not in Arizona, Baltimore or Anaheim these days, where all sorts of bullpen nonsense has been going on.

And in honor of the nonsense that Lady Gaga put forth in New York over the past week, we'll name these tiers after the five levels of crazy she showed the Yankees and Mets, respectively. In this case and this case alone, the crazier the Gaga, the better the closer.


Tier 1: Elite (4) (AKA: The "But I was just saying the Mets were number one. With both hands," Tier.)


Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox
Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs

Comment:
Let's move Carlos Marmol into the elite territory for his amazing 16+ (!) K/9. I mean, he's almost got twice as many strikeouts as innings pitched. Ridiculous.


Tier 2: Rock Steady (6) (AKA: The "Bikini bottoms are the perfect baseball game attire" Tier.)


Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers
Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets
Heath Bell, San Diego Padres
Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants
Rafael Soriano, Tamp a Bay Rays
Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves
Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics

Comment:
Bailey's strikeout rate is a little worrisome, but that won't stop him from being the Oakland Athletics All-Star representative. Billy Wagner and Rafael Soriano have been showing that they have their good stuff and that Braves' closers both new and old can bring the heat.


Tier 3: OK options (6) (AKA: The "She's not bannedÉJust not after a loss," Tier.)


Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers
Leo Nunez, Florida Marlins
Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals
Jon Rauch, Minnesota Twins
Matt Capps, Washington Nationals

Comment:
Feliz has spent the last week racking up four saves and seven strikeouts in just four innings - if he didn't have the specter of possibly joining the starting rotation some day, he'd be in the next tier. Another week without a team mention of that long-term plan, though, and he will move up to the big-boy tier.

This tier could easily be called the 'Cordero' because there are a lot of mediocre pitchers that are just doing enough to rack up the saves without having to look in the rear-view mirror at competition for their job.


Tier 4: Question marks (7) (AKA: The "Those stupid photographers need to take more pictures of me!" Tier.)


Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies
David Aardsma, Seattle Mariners
Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox
Kevin Gregg, Toronto Blue Jays
Matt Lindstrom, Houston Astros
Brian Fuentes, Los Angeles Angels
Kerry Wood, Cleveland Indians

Comment:
It's looking like we'll get The Good Brad Lidge this year, and though he blew a save this week, another healthy and productive week might just push him to the next tier.

Brian Fuentes has a double-digit strikeout rate but poor results, and gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning this week. Then he got the dreaded vote of confidence, which means that Fernando Rodney, who is walking as many as he's striking out and is a worse pitcher despite his better ERA, will be picked up in at least one league this week. It's a mess in Anaheim - excuse me, Los Angeles.

Bobby Jenks moves up the list with a three-save week, which means that Matt Thornton, who is a better pitcher with a better ERA, will be dropped by the bushel this week.


Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (5) (AKA: The "So your name is Robinson, eh?" Tier.)

Huston Street, Colorado Rockies
John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers
Octavio Dotel, Pittsburgh Pirates
Alfredo Simon, Baltimore Orioles

Aaron Heilman, Arizona Diamondbacks

Comment:
You learned that Aaron Heilman was the likely new closer for the Diamondbacks in this space last week, and he's just finished his first week as the nominal closer in Arizona - with two appearances, three earned runs, and a save. He may just make a mediocre (read: passable in Arizona) closer despite his fundamental pitching stats being worse than Chad Qualls'. Heilman also has a worse career to fall back on than Qualls, so this may not be the last time this job changes hands. Newcomer Sam Demel, acquired in the Conor Jackson trade, was a Triple-A closer with some nice numbers in the Oakland organization. Just sayin'.

Alredo Simon may have the nickname "Shutdown Sauce" in Baltimore, but he walks a lot of tightropes with that poor walk rate. He has one save in his last three appearances - and David Hernandez has one save in his last two appearances. Simon is the nominal closer and a converted starter - and David Hernandez had some wicked strikeout totals as a starter in the minor leagues and some serious end-game upside. In the end, this mini closer battle might not matter at all, as Mike Gonzalez is set to start a rehab assignment sometime this week despite some iffy radar gun showings during his simulated games this past week.

While John Axford has been pitching well, and sports a career-best walk rate, Trevor Hoffman has now put together five straight appearances with no earned runs. Four strikeouts against no walks might also help the former great regain his role. It's hard to tell which way the Brewers are heading, but if they want to get any trade value out of Hoffman, they'll have to return him to the ninth inning. Hoffman makes a decent speculative pickup these days, as amazing as that might have sounded even a week ago. We'll move Hoffman out of the graveyard as a tentative toe in the water.

Huston Street had a couple bumps in the road on his rehab assignment, but is ready to join the major league team any day. Jim Tracy said that he would ease Street back into the role, but Manny Corpas' days in the role are obviously numbered. A healthy, effective week from Street and he'll jump in the rankings.

* * * * * * * * * *


Injured

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins (Out for the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow)
Mike Gonzalez, Baltimore Orioles (60-day disabled list with a strained left shoulder)
Ryan Madson, Philadelphia Phillies (15-day disabled list with a broken toe)

Comment:
Though the radar gun says there might still be something wrong with Mike Gonzalez, the team is ready to begin his rehab assignment. The Baltimore pen is a fluid situation that may produce a definitive victor within the next month, or it may not. Gonzalez and Simon are the front runners currently, and owning both is the prudent courseÉ if owning the Baltimore closer is your goal.

The Graveyard:
Frank Francisco, Texas Rangers
Jason Frasor, Toronto Blue Jay
Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles

* * * * * * * * * *



The Steals Department

It really wasn't that long ago that Julio Lugo was a decent shortstop with some speed. In fact, it might surprise you to learn that his overall batting line just last year was .280/.352/.405 with nine steals in 293 ABs.

On the other hand, 2009 did mark the second year of a steep decline in total stolen bases, and he may never steal bases at the same clip as he did in 2007 (33) or 2005 (39). Lugo is 35 years old, and sometimes the wheels come off. In fact, he's got no power to speak of and his fielding is not what it used to be, so he's not a great pickup in mixed leagues. It's been a while since the Iron Man had that position on lock down, and really only Miguel Tejada has been the only playable Baltimore shortstop since.

Despite all these faults, Lugo has shown signs this year of not being quite done yet. The Orioles can't be picky at shortstop, and Lugo could just be their man. Over the past month, he's been playing regularly and performing reasonably well. He sported a .262 batting average over that time period and had three steals. Most importantly, he amassed 61 at bats in that month, compared to nominal starter Cesar Izturis, who put up 64 at-bats. Throw in Izturis' batting average over that month (.208) and lack of secondary skills (no home runs and one stolen base), and it's beginning to look like a shortstop controversy in Baltimore.

Yes, Lugo has his faults. Yes, Izturis is a better defender. But neither looks to be a long-term solution at the position, and the only one with any trade value at all is a healthy and productive Lugo. Perhaps the Orioles give him a shot at starting full time in order to regain some of his former glory so they can flip him for a live A-ball arm. Deep leaguers with a middle infield spot should take notice in the meantime.

Mixed leaguers can afford to shoot a little higher, and the outfield in Cincinnati might just be the place to look.

We've seen the contact issues that Drew Stubbs showed in the minor leagues manifest themselves with the Reds this year. His batting line of .238/.314/.394 doesn't look like the makings of a good mixed league pickup, and there's an obvious reason. Stubbs is striking out in almost a third of his at bats this year, and the batting average on a strikeout, well, it's not good.

But, as with many high-strikeout players, he can get on a hot streak with the best of them. Over the last month, Stubbs is hitting .297 with three home runs and four stolen bases. He's still striking out often, and is liable to go in the tank at any time, but he's worth owning while he's hot. Head-to-head players with a need for speed and a burnable player on the bench should consider Stubbs the next time he strings together a couple of games with some hits.

 

[HacheMan]

Progress for Beltran, Finally
Lots of stuff to cover today, so let's skip the usual pleasantries and get right to the notes from around baseball ...

* There may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel for Carlos Beltran after general manager Omar Minaya revealed that he's slated to begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Single-A. Beltran has been playing in extended spring training games, but the step up to minor-league action is a positive sign and there's now some hope he could be back in the Mets' lineup shortly after the All-Star break. As always, he'll need to avoid a setback.

* After getting various opinions and trying to put off going under the knife, Mark DeRosa is headed for season-ending surgery next week. He'll undergo one procedure to repair the tendon sheath in his wrist and another to free an aggravated nerve, which along with last year's wrist surgery makes the 35-year-old a big question mark going into 2011. He'll be back in San Francisco, because the Giants still owe him $6 million.

* I may have jinxed Tommy Hanson last week by writing about his outstanding numbers through 35 career starts, because his 36th outing was a disaster Tuesday. He allowed a career-high nine runs on 13 hits against the White Sox and failed to record a strikeout for the first time as his ERA ballooned from 3.38 to 4.13. Hanson also had an awful start against the Reds on May 20, but in between went 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA.

* Cito Gaston said Tuesday that Jarrett Hoffpauir will take over as the Blue Jays' starting third baseman after the team designated Edwin Encarnacion for assignment. Hoffpauir was hitting .328/.378/.532 in 57 games at Triple-A, but Las Vegas is an extremely hitter-friendly environment and he's a 27-year-old with a .427 career slugging percentage. His time as a starter may only last until Travis Snider comes off the disabled list.

* Jamie Moyer became the home run king among pitchers Tuesday, serving up the 505th long ball of his career to tie Robin Roberts for the all-time record. Russell Branyan took him deep for what turned out to be the only damage off Moyer, who held the Indians to one run on two hits in eight innings for his 266th victory. At age 47 he's gone at least eight innings in three of the past four starts and is now 8-6 with a 4.43 ERA overall.

AL Quick Hits: Jose Bautista broke out of his slump with two homers Tuesday, making him the first player in either league to reach 20 long balls ... Justin Verlander allowed five runs through two innings Tuesday and didn't come back following a rain delay ... Erick Aybar (knee) has avoided the disabled list so far, but will be shut down for several days after getting a cortisone shot Tuesday ... Coco Crisp came off the shelf Tuesday and resumed leading off for the A's ... Aaron Laffey will replace David Huff in the rotation Friday against the Reds ... Josh Hamilton homered and extended his hitting streak to 17 games Tuesday ... Chris Tillman is headed back to Triple-A after going 0-3 with an 8.40 ERA in four starts ... Erik Bedard (shoulder) faced 12 rookie-ball hitters in his first rehab start Monday ... Nelson Cruz returned from the disabled list Tuesday by going 0-for-3 ... Dustin McGowan underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn rotator cuff, likely knocking him out until at least mid-2011 ... Oakland dumped Jake Fox on Baltimore for little in return Tuesday.

NL Quick Hits: Huston Street returned from the disabled list Tuesday, but won't reclaim closer duties right away ... Jimmy Rollins came off the shelf Tuesday, but the Phillies lost Carlos Ruiz (concussion) to the DL ... Mat Latos shut out the Rays for seven innings Tuesday, striking out eight ... Matt Holliday went 3-for-5 with a homer Tuesday and is now 11-for-17 with five long balls in the past four past games ... Aramis Ramirez (thumb) is unlikely to come off the DL before this weekend ... Jhoulys Chacin shut out the Red Sox for 6.2 innings Tuesday, out-dueling Jon Lester ... Bud Norris (shoulder) threw six scoreless innings Tuesday in his final rehab start at Triple-A ... Carlos Silva's next start has been pushed back to Saturday because of a hamstring injury, so Ted Lilly will pitch Thursday ... Ubaldo Jimenez is expected to make his next start despite feeling "a little dizzy and a little sick" Tuesday ... Ken Macha said Tuesday that Trevor Hoffman could reclaim the closer role from John Axford at some point ... Akinori Iwamura cleared waivers Tuesday and will remain with the Pirates at Triple-A ... Jim Edmonds went 3-for-4 with two doubles Tuesday in his first action since June 16.

 

[HacheMan]

Strasburg Takes First Loss
It doesn't seem right for the first defeat of Stephen Strasburg's career to come against lowly Kansas City and an opposing pitcher who came into the game with a 5.70 ERA after allowing 16 runs over his previous two starts, but that's exactly what happened Wednesday. Washington's struggling offense was shut down by Brian Bannister and saddled Strasburg with a tough-luck loss despite six innings of one-run ball.

Strasburg allowed nine hits after giving up a total of 10 through his first three starts, but they were all singles and he struck out nine while walking zero to improve his K/BB ratio to a remarkable 41/5 in 25 innings. He threw 75 of 95 pitches for strikes, including first-pitch strikes to 23 of 28 batters, and has handed out zero walks in three of his four starts while whiffing 41 of the 100 hitters he's faced.

While the hype machine seemingly gets one exactly right for once, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Jerry Seinfeld picked a pretty good night to spend half the game in the SNY broadcast booth. Jose Reyes finished a double short of the cycle, R.A. Dickey continued his amazing run by improving to 6-0 with eight shutout innings, and the Mets won 2-0. They're now 21-7 since a May 21 loss to the Yankees dropped them to 20-23 and with Carlos Beltran finally looking close to returning the Mets suddenly have the look of a legit contender.

Reyes got off to a slow start after missing most of last year and spending the first week of this season on the disabled list, but has been on an extraordinary tear throughout the aforementioned 21-7 stretch, raising his OPS from .536 to .760 by going 46-for-120 (.383) with six homers, 16 total extra-base hits, and 10 stolen bases. More importantly, Seinfeld and Keith Hernandez in the same booth brought back good memories.

* After two starts in the low minors Edinson Volquez's rehab assignment moved up to Triple-A and he tossed five innings of one-run ball Wednesday. Despite being only 11 months removed from Tommy John elbow surgery Volquez has allowed just one run in 13 innings while rehabbing, with an 8/0 K/BB ratio and .133 opponents' batting average. Better yet, his fastball reportedly reached the mid-90s in Wednesday's outing.

He's expected to make at least two more starts in the minors before hopefully rejoining the Reds' rotation around the All-Star break and could be a sneaky second-half option. Volquez hasn't faced major-league hitters since June 1 of last year, but the early results of his comeback are very promising and he was frequently dominant before the injury, going 21-8 with a 3.44 ERA and 253 strikeouts in 246 innings between 2007 and 2008.

* I'm not Keith Hernandez, but you should still follow me on Twitter.

AL Quick Hits: Edwin Encarnacion passed through waivers unclaimed Wednesday and will remain property of the Blue Jays at Triple-A ... There's speculation that the Orioles may soon release free agent bust Garrett Atkins ... Josh Beckett (back) threw his second bullpen session of the week Wednesday, but won't return before next month ... Ricky Romero shut out the Cardinals for eight innings Wednesday, but got stuck with a no-decision ... Derek Holland (shoulder, knee) is not expected to return until after the All-Star break ... Oakland has shut down both Joey Devine and Josh Outman after setbacks following elbow surgeries ... Doug Fister (shoulder) is slated to come off the disabled list Saturday against the Brewers ... Kerry Wood blew his third save Wednesday, serving up a walk-off homer to Jimmy Rollins ... Rangers prospect Eric Hurley will be shut down for at least 6-8 weeks after a third surgery on his hand ... I'm not sure why, but the A's are holding out for a good offer on Ben Sheets.

NL Quick Hits: In addition to Wednesday's firing of manager Fredi Gonzalez, the Marlins also inexplicably released 27-year-old Renyel Pinto despite a 2.70 ERA this season and 3.62 career mark ... Chris Carpenter tossed eight shutout innings Wednesday, improving to 9-1 ... There's still no timetable for his return, but a second opinion confirmed no structural damage in John Maine's injured shoulder ... Zach Duke (elbow) didn't feel good enough to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, instead landing on the disabled list ... Rafael Furcal returned from the bereavement list Wednesday and resumed leading off ... Matt Holliday is on fire since moving to the second spot in the lineup and had two more hits Wednesday ... Johnny Cueto shut out the A's for eight innings Wednesday, dropping his ERA below 4.00 ... General manager Walt Jocketty said Wednesday that Aroldis Chapman could be called up as a reliever ... Geoff Blum and call-up Ozzie Navarro figure to split time at shortstop while Tommy Manzella misses six weeks with a broken finger ... Pirates prospect and 2009 fourth overall pick Tony Sanchez could miss the rest of the season with a broken jaw after being hit in the face by a pitch.

 

[HacheMan]

Meek Shall Inherit the Ninth
It's pretty hard to believe, but this is already the 13th installment of Waiver Wired this season. And with that, we're rapidly approaching that crucial time of year where owners take stock of their current roster and their chances for success during the second half of the season.

I'm all about the trade talk that is heating up across many of my leagues, but I'm sure you'll agree that there are few things more satisfying than plucking someone off the wire and having them make a difference in the standings. That's why I'm here.

MIXED LEAGUES

Edinson Volquez SP, Reds (Yahoo: 14 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

I included Volquez in my NL-only recommendations just a few weeks ago, but that was before he went out on a minor league rehab assignment. Now that he has a 0.69 ERA and an 8/0 K/BB ratio over his first three rehab appearances, topping out in the high 90s on the radar gun, it would be wise to tuck him away in mixed formats while his return is still under the radar. If all goes well, Volquez is expected to be activated from the disabled list before the All-Star break, a rapid turnaround after undergoing Tommy John surgery last August. Control has never been his strong suit (4.6 BB/9 career), and it would be unfair to expect much different going forward, but the potential for strikeouts is very real (8.5 K/9 career).

Brennan Boesch OF, Tigers (Yahoo: 49 percent owned, ESPN: 90.3 percent)

I'm trying to understand why Yahoo! owners are sleeping on the job, but seriously, Boesch shouldn't be available anywhere. Simply unacceptable. The 25-year-old outfielder is batting .337/.389/.624 with 11 homers, 39 RBI and a 1.013 OPS over his first 181 at-bats in the major leagues. Only Justin Morneau and Miguel Cabrera have a higher OPS among players with at least 180 at-bats. It was easy to think flash in the pan with the rookie, but after hitting .345 last month, he's actually hitting .351 in June. We're still talking about an unproven commodity here, but fantasy owners should continue to play him everyday until he stops hitting.

Erik Bedard SP, Mariners (Yahoo: 40 percent owned, ESPN: N/A)

Bedard made his first minor league rehab start with the club's Rookie League team in Arizona on Monday night, allowing one run over 2 1/3 innings while topping out at 93 mph on his heater, according to Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. He's slated to throw again in Arizona on Saturday before moving to Triple-A Tacoma next week. In other words, he's close. It's hard to know what kind of pitcher Bedard will be when he returns, but there's no reason why a guy who misses bats (8.77 K/9) and owns a 3.71 career ERA should be left on the wire. There's a chance he'll be on a pitch count when he returns, at least initially, and the Mariners' shoddy offense won't help in the win category, but there's enough of a track record here for him to be fantasy relevant from the outset.

Hideki Matsui OF, Angels (Yahoo: 41 percent owned, ESPN: 64.6 percent)

Matsui's first three months with the Angels have been very up-and-down, hence the modest .259/.332/.441 batting line, but he is hitting .324 with two homers, 13 RBI, six doubles and six runs scored through his first 74 at-bats this month. The Angels are all done with National League ballparks, so there should be no concerns about seeing him on the lineup card on a regular basis moving forward. He was dropped to the No. 7 spot for a spell while he was mired in a deep funk earlier this season, but he has been batting fifth in recent days. Hitting behind Bobby Abreu and Torii Hunter is obviously a pretty nice place to be for his RBI potential.

Jhoulys Chacin SP, Rockies (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 4.3 percent)

I wasn't expecting Chacin to be much of a fantasy asset this season, but the 22-year-old right-hander has emerged to post a 3.56 ERA over his first 11 games (10 starts), averaging 8.75 K/9. Issues with command continue to hold him back from being a top-tier option (4.30 BB/9 over 60 2/3 innings), but Tuesday's outing against the mighty Red Sox proved that he is capable of throwing up zeroes even when he doesn't have his best stuff. Ultimately, I fear I might be getting to this party a little late, as Jorge De La Rosa could unseat him from the rotation early next month, but Chacin hardly deserves the demotion. He'll at least get two more turns in the rotation before De La Rosa is activated from the disabled list. But really, who knows?

David DeJesus OF, Royals (Yahoo: 43 percent owned, ESPN: 45.8 percent)

DeJesus is very quietly having a career season. He'll enter play against the Cardinals on Friday with a .325/.394/.482 batting line to go along with an 876 OPS, all career-bests. The 30-year-old outfielder is scorching hot of late, batting .407 (33-for-81) with one home run and 12 RBI through the first 21 games this month. Looking at the bigger picture, it would be nice if DeJesus excelled in any one category, but his major league track record shows that he doesn't. His career-highs in home runs and stolen bases are 13 and 11, respectively. That means he probably won't last the entire season on your roster. But by all means, play him while he's still hot.

John Buck C, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 42 percent owned, ESPN: 33.8 percent)

Quick, who leads major league catchers with 12 home runs and 38 RBI? Would you have guessed John Buck? Well, now that you know, it's about time to add him to your roster. The 29-year-old backstop has been the model of fantasy consistency, smacking exactly four home runs and driving in at least 12 runs in every month this season. While you should mostly focus on the power numbers here, it doesn't hurt that he enters play on Thursday with a .268 batting average, outpacing his .238 career batting average by 30 points.

Evan Meek RP, Pirates (Yahoo: 22 percent owned, ESPN: 7.9 percent)

Okay, so this week's title was more of a prediction than a certainty, but in case you didn't already know it, Meek is having an awesome year. The 27-year-old right-hander has posted a ridiculous 0.66 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over his first 34 appearances, emerging as one of the top set-up men in the majors. He hasn't allowed a single run since May 23 against the Braves, a span of 14 games. After being wild and inefficient during his minor league career and over the past two seasons in the major leagues, Meek has a 37/10 K/BB ratio over 41 innings this season. He's no slam-dunk to take the ninth-inning role if Octavio Dotel is traded next month, as Joel Hanrahan has closed in the past, but it wouldn't hurt to stash him on your roster, especially while he's pitching like this.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

Russell Branyan 1B, Indians (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 3 percent)

While the Indians have continued to sink in the standings, Branyan is hitting .278 with 10 home runs and 22 RBI over his last 126 at-bats dating back to his first home run on May 11. The 34-year-old slugger still strikes out a ton (29.8 percent this season) and is always an injury risk due to his balky back, but there's simply no way that Todd Helton (two homers, 13 RBI) should be trusted in more leagues right now (Yahoo: 28 percent owned, ESPN: 41.8 percent). I'm not saying that Branyan will be a reliable first base option in a shallow mixed league or anything like that, but he's more than adequate in deeper formats, especially those with a CI slot.

Fred Lewis OF, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 5 percent owned, ESPN: 3.4 percent)

The Blue Jays designated Edwin Encarnacion for assignment this week, a move which indicates that Lewis will likely not have to share playing time in the outfield once Travis Snider returns from a wrist injury. Lewis, who was acquired from the Giants in April, is batting .290/.335/.466 with four homers, 21 doubles, 19 RBI and 35 runs scored over his first 56 games as a member of Toronto. Couldn't we all use someone who can fill up the boxscore like that? Currently on pace for a career-high 92 runs scored, it would be no shock to see him get there as long as he continues to lead off for this powerful Jays' lineup.







AL ONLY

Dayan Viciedo 3B, White Sox (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.3 percent)

Fishing for another option to soften the blow of Mark Teahen's broken finger, the White Sox called up Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo last week. The 21-year-old failed to match the hype of his four-year, $10 million contract in his pro debut in 2009, but he was batting .290/.329/.525 with 14 homers, 34 RBI and an 855 OPS over his first 238 at-bats with Triple-A Charlotte this season. Viciedo made his major league debut at third base on Sunday, but Omar Vizquel has started there in each of the last two games, so it looks like he'll be stuck in a bit of a timeshare. His future home figures to be first base based on the way he was utilized at Charlotte, but don't look for the White Sox to sell off Paul Konerko now that they've won eight straight games.

Kevin Frandsen 2B/3B/SS, Angels (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 0.3 percent)

Pressed into an everyday role due to the injuries to Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar, Frandsen has quickly become quite valuable in AL-only formats. The 28-year-old infielder is batting .351/.398/.455 with eight RBI and 14 runs scored over his first 77 at-bats this season. While he has primarily played third base thus far, he has also logged some time at first. And of most importance to fantasy owners, he seems to have found a home as the No. 2 hitter in Mike Scioscia's lineup, doing wonders for his value. There's not a lot in the way of power or speed here, but his multi-position eligibility should come in handy.

Mark Ellis 2B, Athletics (Yahoo: 3 percent owned, ESPN: 2.3 percent)

The 33-year-old Ellis has been limited to just 38 of the team's first 74 games this season due to a hamstring injury, but he'll enter play on Friday with a .278 batting average and a .345 on-base percentage. He hasn't finished a season with those type of numbers since his breakout campaign in 2005. Also, don't forget that he has managed double-digit homers and steals in each of the past two seasons. He'll probably never reach his 20-20 potential as he inches towards his mid-30s, but there's still plenty of value here in AL-only formats.

Andy Oliver SP, Tigers (Yahoo: N/A, ESPN: N/A)

Taking Rick Porcello's spot in the starting rotation, 22-year-old Andy Oliver will make his major league debut against the Braves on Friday night. Oliver, who was the club's second-round pick in 2009, is 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA over his first 14 pro starts this season, all with Double-A Erie, averaging 8.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9. While his secondary offerings remain a work in progress, he possesses an electric fastball for a left-hander, dialing it up to the high 90's at times. The Braves are batting just .241 with a 640 OPS against left-handed pitching this season, so Oliver could make a sneaky play in his MLB debut.

NL ONLY

J.D. Martin SP, Nationals (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

With Chien-Ming Wang, Scott Olsen, Jason Marquis and Jordan Zimmermann all expected to return in the coming months, the Nationals rotation is about to get very crowded, but Martin is doing just fine bridging the gap. The 27-year-old right-hander has a 3.55 ERA and a stingy 18/1 K/BB ratio over his first four starts this season. And that's with a .310 batting average on balls in play and a 66.7 percent strand rate. He's a bit of a gamble based on his low strikeout rate in the majors and his penchant for the fly ball, but his superior control should be enough to warrant consideration in deep NL-only leagues.

Jason Castro C, Astros (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent)

Looking for an upgrade at a position that has batted an NL-low .227, the Astros called up 2008 first-round pick Jason Castro over the weekend. The 23-year-old backstop batted .300/.380/.446 in his first full professional season in 2009, but has taken a step back this season, batting .265 with just four home runs and 26 RBI for Triple-A Round Rock. He has managed an impressive .376 on-base percentage in the minor leagues, but went deep just 16 times over 917 plate appearances. He's worth a flier in NL-only leagues, but he's no Posey or Santana.

Chris Johnson 3B, Astros (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.0 percent)

The Astros finally benched free agent dud Pedro Feliz this week, clearing the way for Johnson to get regular playing time at the hot corner. Johnson, 25, actually made the team out of spring training, but managed just 22 at-bats before being placed on the disabled list with oblique injury before the end of April. He batted .329/.362/.570 with eight home runs, 33 RBI and a 932 OPS after being dispatched to Triple-A Round Rock. It's unlikely that he is a long-term option at the position, as he has struggled with his plate discipline in the minor leagues, but the Astros don't have much to lose at this point.

Vicente Padilla SP, Dodgers (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 1 percent)

Vicente Padilla couldn't have picked a worse time to come off the disabled list. He had to face the Red Sox in his first game back and he'll get the Yankees this weekend. No, I wouldn't recommend him against the Bombers -- I haven't completely lost it -- but I do think this it's reasonable to stash him until he shakes the rust. Remember, though he has a bloated 6.67 ERA over his first five starts this season, Padilla was 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA over eight games (seven starts) down the stretch after coming over from the Rangers last season. He should keep a spot in the starting rotation barring any setbacks with his forearm, so he's well worth owning in NL-only formats.

 

[HacheMan]

Crawford Down, Joyce Up
Carl Crawford exited Thursday's game with a sore left shoulder, so while the Rays await word on the seriousness of the injury they called up outfielder Matt Joyce from Triple-A. Joyce missed out on possibly being the Opening Day starter in right field because of a spring elbow injury, but was playing well at Triple-A and is deserving of the promotion regardless of Crawford's status.

Acquired from the Tigers for Edwin Jackson last offseason, Joyce has hit .275/.376/.501 with 32 homers and 56 doubles in 192 games at Triple-A. He strikes out a lot and won't hit for much of a batting average, but as a left-handed bat with 25-homer power would make a nice platoon starter at the very least. He's certainly worth a pickup in AL-only leagues until Crawford is given a clean bill of health.

To clear a roster spot for Joyce the Rays demoted Dioner Navarro to Triple-A. Navarro has been the Opening Day starter for the past four seasons, but hit just .216/.268/.314 in 151 games dating back to last season and the emergence of John Jaso combined with Kelly Shoppach's presence made him the odd man out behind the plate. If the Rays can find a taker for the rest of his $2.1 million contract, they'd almost surely dump Navarro.

While the Rays hope Crawford's shoulder problems prove minor, here are some other notes from around baseball ...

* Brandon Morrow has always racked up huge strikeout totals with his mid-90s fastball and power slider, but major control problems left me skeptical that he could dominate as a starter long term. I'm still not entirely convinced, but Morrow has made progress with the walks of late and was brilliant Thursday, shutting out the Cardinals for eight innings while striking out eight and walking one.

Since being knocked out of his May 10 start in the second inning Morrow has a 2.93 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 49 innings spread over eight starts. Better yet he's walked just 16, which is 2.9 per nine innings. Still certainly not great control, but prior to that stretch he had walked 5.9 per nine innings as a starter for his career. His raw stuff has never been in question, so if the improved control is here to stay Morrow's upside is immense.

* Mike Lowell last started on June 13 and went nine days without playing at all before pinch-hitting Tuesday, so when Boston needed a roster spot for Daisuke Matsuzaka's return Thursday it was no surprise that they put Lowell on the disabled list. It's unclear how much of the move is due to his surgically repaired hip acting up and how much is due to Lowell simply falling completely out of the team's plans.

Whatever the case, it's obvious now that rumors about the Rangers and Twins being interested in Lowell were overblown. If the Red Sox could have traded him for any kind of decent prospect or monetary savings they certainly would have done so rather than put him on the DL and the time on the shelf won't leave much room for Lowell to show that he's healthy before the trading deadline.

* Erick Aybar has avoided the disabled list after suffering an ugly looking knee injury on Casey McGehee's takeout slide last week and manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday the shortstop is on the verge of returning. According to Scioscia "he did great" while taking batting practice, running, and fielding ground balls prior to Thursday's game, making it likely that "he'll be available this weekend" in at least a part-time role.

AL Quick Hits: Don Wakamatsu said Thursday that Erik Bedard (shoulder) could come off the disabled list as soon as July 6 ... Gavin Floyd got a no-decision despite seven shutout innings Thursday and is now 0-1 with a 0.93 ERA in his last four starts ... Miguel Tejada snapped a career-worst streak Thursday by homering for the first time in 205 at-bats ... Nick Blackburn struggled again Thursday and is now 0-4 with a 12.05 ERA this month ... Cleveland claimed Jayson Nix off waivers Thursday and demoted Luis Valbuena to Triple-A ... Billy Beane said Thursday that manager Bob Geren isn't in danger of losing his job ... J.D. Drew (hamstring) remained out of the lineup Thursday and hasn't played since June 18 ... Dayan Viciedo may get a long look at third base for the White Sox, with Gordon Beckham and Omar Vizquel sharing second base ... Fausto Carmona failed to record a strikeout and allowed seven runs without giving up an extra-base hit Thursday ... Reports out of Seattle have the Mets and Twins as the front-runners for Cliff Lee ... I can't decide whether Rangers general manager Jon Daniels should go Elvis Andrus blond or Christina Hendricks red.

NL Quick Hits: Carlos Beltran (knee) began his rehab assignment Thursday by going 0-for-2 with a walk at Single-A ... Bobby Valentine reportedly will be offered a four-year contract to replace Fredi Gonzalez as Marlins manager ... Matt Cain coughed up seven runs against the Astros' lowly lineup Thursday, with Jason Castro hitting his first homer ... Dustin Pedroia's homer ended Jason Hammel's scoreless streak at 28.1 innings Thursday ... Mike Leake's next start has been pushed back to Tuesday as the Reds try to limit the rookie's workload ... Yovani Gallardo dominated the Twins for his second career shutout Thursday, striking out a career-high 12 ... Adam Wainwright served up three homers in a rare clunk Thursday, including a pair of long balls to Vernon Wells ... Derek Lowe allowed zero runs Thursday for the first time since Opening Day of last season ... Bud Norris (shoulder) is slated to come off the disabled list Monday versus the Brewers.

 

[HacheMan]

Back to the Basics

After consecutive weeks in which every MLB team had a day off, we're back to seeing some full schedules this week, especially in the National League where a bevy of great two-start options is highlighted by phenoms Ubaldo Jimenez and Stephen Strasburg. One sneaky good option among my NL recommendations is Wade LeBlanc, who faces the Rockies and Astros at home where he owns a 2.25 ERA this season.

Going Twice...



American League

Strong Plays

Fausto Carmona: TOR (Morrow), OAK (Braden)
Jeremy Bonderman: @MIN (Liriano), SEA (Lee)
Francisco Liriano: DET (Bonderman), TB (Davis)
Dallas Braden: @BAL (Matusz), @CLE (Carmona)
Cliff Lee: @NYY (Hughes), @DET (Bonderman)
James Shields: @BOS (Lackey), @MIN (Blackburn)
Ricky Romero: @CLE (Westbrook), @NYY (Pettitte)

Decent Plays

Brian Matusz: OAK (Braden), @BOS (Lester)
Mark Buehrle: @KC (Lerew), @TEX (Nippert)
Jake Westbrook: TOR (Romero), OAK (Gonzalez)
Joel Pineiro: TEX (Nippert), KC (Lerew)
Brandon Morrow: @CLE (Carmona), @NYY (Hughes)

At Your Own Risk

Anthony Lerew: CWS (Buehrle), @LAA (Pineiro)
Nick Blackburn: DET (Galarraga), TB (Shields)
Dustin Nippert: @LAA (Pineiro), CWS (Floyd)

National League

Strong Plays

Dan Haren: @STL (Carpenter), LAD (Ely)
Tim Hudson: WAS (Atilano), FLA (Nolasco)
Ubaldo Jimenez: @SD (Correia), SF (Zito)
Jason Hammel: @SD (LeBlanc), SF (Cain)
Brett Myers: @MIL (Parra), @SD (Correia)
Yovani Gallardo: HOU (Rodriguez), @STL (Wainwright)
Wade LeBlanc: COL (Hammel), HOU (Rodriguez)
Barry Zito: LAD (Ely), @COL (Jimenez)
Matt Cain: LAD (Haeger), @COL (Hammel)
Chris Carpenter: ARI (Haren), MIL (Parra)
Adam Wainwright: ARI (Willis), MIL (Gallardo)
Stephen Strasburg: @ATL (Lowe), NYM (Takahashi)

Decent Plays

Randy Wells: PIT (Maholm), CIN (Arroyo)
Bronson Arroyo: PHI (Kendrick), @CHC (Wells)
Johnny Cueto: PHI (Blanton), @CHC (Lilly)
Ricky Nolasco: NYM (Dickey), @ATL (Hudson)
John Ely: @SF (Zito), @ARI (Haren)
Manny Parra: HOU (Myers), @STL (Carpenter)
R.A. Dickey: @FLA (Nolasco), @WAS (Atilano)
Hisanori Takahashi: @FLA (Robertson), @WAS (Strasburg)
Kyle Kendrick: @CIN (Arroyo), @PIT (Maholm)
Paul Maholm: @CHC (Wells), PHI (Kendrick)
Kevin Correia: COL (Jimenez), HOU (Myers)

At Your Own Risk

Wandy Rodriguez: @MIL (Gallardo), @SD (LeBlanc)
Joe Blanton: @CIN (Cueto), @PIT (Karstens)
Jeff Karstens: @CHC (Silva), PHI (Blanton)
Luis Atilano: @ATL (Hudson), NYM (Dickey)


Streamer City



The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:

American League

Wednesday, 6/30: Kevin Millwood vs. OAK
Millwood is seeking to ramp up his trade value as the deadline approaches. His homer-prone tendencies shouldn't prove problematic against Oakland's light-hitting offense.

Friday, 7/2: Max Scherzer vs. SEA
Scherzer has struck out at least seven in each of his last three outings -- all quality starts.

Friday, 7/2: Trevor Cahill @ CLE
Cahill, quietly amidst a breakout season, will carry his outstanding numbers into Cleveland where he's a good bet to subdue the hapless Tribe.

National League

Wednesday, 6/30: Jeff Francis @ SD
Francis has looked very sharp after returning from a long injury layoff in May. Start him with confidence against the Padres.

Friday, 7/2: Jon Niese @ WAS
Niese has been a great weapon for the Mets this season and is a good choice in this match-up against the last-place Nats.

Friday, 7/2: Jamie Moyer @ PIT
The 47-year-old Moyer has proven that he still has plenty left in the tank with a pair of recent eight-inning victories. It won't take too much veteran moxie to handle the Pirates.




Total Games



American League

5: BOS
6: BAL, CWS, DET, KC, LAA, NYY, SEA, TB, TEX
7: CLE, MIN, TOR

National League

6: ARI, ATL, FLA, LAD
7: CHC, CIN, COL, HOU, MIL, NYM, PHI, PIT, SD, SF, STL, WAS


Lefty/Righty Breakdown



American League

BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CWS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
DET: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIN: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TOR: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP

National League

ARI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
ATL: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
CHC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 7 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
COL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
FLA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYM: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SD: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 7 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
WAS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP

 

[HacheMan]

Hamil-hitting a-ton
Another double feature this week -- Week That Was by Glenn Colton and Division Race Updates by Bobby Colton (plus, of course what Schultz says).


Josh Hamilton: Josh Hamilton just keeps on keepin on. Last night, the Texas slugger extended his hitting streak to 19 games. In fact, he smacked three hits in five trips. Over those 19 games, Ham is raking at a ridiculous .506 clip with 8 jacks and 25 RBI. Is Hamilton good? Yes. Is he this good? No one is. Should you sell high? Maybe. The problem with Hamilton is that he has never managed to put together an entire year of hot hitting. His one great year – 2008 – was really a white hot first half and just a decent second half. I am not saying you should run out and deal him. However, if you can get top value, I would pull the trigger.


Neil Walker: Neil Walker continued his resurgence, going 3-4 with a dinger Friday night. After his surprise callup, Walker has posted over 100 AB at a strong .295 clip. Assuming he is healthy -- Walker took a serious shot to the head running into teammate Ryan Church last night – he will run out to 2B every day. Walker is a classic example of the impatient nature of baseball pundits. He was a big prospect when taken right out of high school by the Pirates. However, all that hype raised expectations too high and he was labeled a bust. Now, at the ripe old age of 24 (which would be the second year out of college), Walker has hit his stride. Lesson – when you see previously hyped and now denigrated prospects reach new heights in the minors (as Walker did with his .321 start at AAA) at what is still a young age (here 24) stash them away on your roster before your competitors wake up. After all, who couldn't use a .290 hitting MI in an NL only league?


Coco Crisp: Coco Crisp, he of the best name in the game, had a strong night last night, missing the cycle by just a homer (ok, just a homer sounds dumb, but three hits is still strong). Coco, f/k/a Cavelli, has been hot since returning from his home away from home – the DL. What do we do with Coco in fantasy (wow, that sounds different out of context, but I digress). Anyway, it is obvious that Crisp has trouble staying on the field. However, even when he does, he simply is not the player who hit for power and provided speed in 04-05. Now, Crisp is a speed only play who hits in a pitchers' park for a weak offensive team. The one ray of sun is that he could get traded to a contender in the next month (of course, that ray is cloudy as it could be to be a 4th OF). If you can sell high now, do it.


CC Sabathia: Carsten Charles was great again last night, outdueling Joe Torre's Dodgers 2-1. CC spun eight innings of one-run ball in the win. I have to admit that a couple of years ago, I was a CC detractor. However, this giant thrower has become a giant pitcher – intimidating and intelligent on the mound. Add in the fact that he seems to have a rubber arm (3 yr average of over 230 innings not counting playoffs) and that he is always better in the second half and you have an anchor's anchor. Buy with complete confidence. [Full Disclosure – Rick and I moved Miguel Cabrera in a deal to get CC in LABR. Granted we also got Kinsler, but CC was the key].


Chris Iannetta: Chris Iannetta went yard Friday to key a Rockie win over the Halos. Iannetta has raised his average to .269 but he still is second seating Miguel Olivo. Buy low alert! First, Iannetta is a better player than Olivo and the cream always rises to the top. Second, Iannetta is far younger and with Tulo on the DL, the Rockies are making noises about planning for the future. Third, Iannetta is just 27 and over the last two years has hit 34 HR in just over 600 AB. Not too shabby for a hitter who is just reaching his prime around now. Iannetta started cold and was sent down. Did he pout? No, he raked at a .350 clip and got called back to the show. All in all, the picture is clear: BUY now while you still can.


Kris Medlen: Kris Medlen continues to show Bobby Cox he belongs in the rotations no matter what. Last night, Medlen beat the Tigers by holding them to one earned run over 6 2/3 innings. Thus far this year, Medlen, who cost precious little for fantasy owners in March, has a very pretty line: 3.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a K/BB over 4/1. If you own him, pat yourself on the back. If you don't, call up the Medlen owner, make noise about his smallish stature and the fact that Jair Jurrjens is coming back and fleece the fool. Kris Medlen has the goods and is here to stay. Fantasy Lesson: Draft talent not role. At the beginning of the year, there was no rotation spot for Medlen. At worst, he was a cheap, good ratio reliever. With a little luck, he was a staple starter. If you passed on him because of role, you broke the rule and will pay the price.


Tom Gorzelanny: Tom Gorzelanny looks to be the beneficiary of the Zambrano Zoo. After Big Z was sent packing, Gorzo pitched 3 1/3 innings of one rule ball. Look for Gorzo to take over the Z's spot in the starting rotation. What should we expect? Well, thus far this year, Gorzo has fairly solid numbers – 3.41 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP (with more than a K per inning). In 2007, Gorzo pitched over 200 innings and posted a 3.89 ERA at the ripe old age of 25. Now at 28, there is no reason he cannot continue his success this year and build on his past successes. Buy.


And now, as promised another two for one special:

Division Race Updates
By Bobby Colton

With June nearing an end, we can take a look at the standings and get a good idea about who will be playing baseball in October. Here's a look at what the divisions look like now.

AL East

Current Leader- Yankees: The Yanks have overcome the Rays to claim first place, but they are not in the clear yet. Two games up on the Rays and the Red Sox is just not enough to rest easy. If the Yankees don't get consistent pitching from AJ Burnett and Javier Vazquez down the stretch, they could easily fall behind their division rivals. From where I'm sitting, it looks like the Yanks won't need a bat, as Francisco Cervelli has proven to be more than capable at the dish, which would push Jorge Posada to the DH role, strengthening the Yankees' lineup.

Contender- Rays: After slipping behind the Yanks in the standings, the Rays are in serious danger of falling down into third place in the division. The bottom line is this: if Carlos Pena and BJ Upton find a way to start hitting, the Rays are one of the most formidable teams in the league. If they can't, then the Rays are dead before even reaching the playoffs.

Contender- Red Sox: The key to the Red Sox season is all about the health of their outfield. Daniel Nava has been pleasant enough since he has come up to Beantown, but an outfield of Darnell McDonald, Bill Hall, and Nava is just atrocious. Mike Cameron is off the DL but clearly still banged up, Jacoby Ellsbury seems like he'll never be healthy, and even Jeremy Hermida can't find the field. Bottom line here: injuries=no playoffs.

Contender-Blue Jays: Well, it was fun while it lasted. That being said, this run is clearly over, no matter how well the Jays perform. This season does put hope in the hearts of Toronto fans for future seasons however.

AL Central

Current Leader- Twins: This is another extremely close division. With a half game lead over the Tigers, Minnesota has the same tough task the Tigers had before them, beating the Mets at home. The Twins playoff hopes are very simple; it all comes down to pitching. With no real ace on the staff, the Twins either need Cliff Lee, or more from all of Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, and Scott Baker.

Contender- Tigers: The Tigers and the Twins have roughly the same problem, neither team can pitch. Sure the Tigers have Justin Verlander, a bona-fide ace, but they don't really have anything else. Armando Galarraga has been ok at best, as most of his solid numbers can be attributed to his quasi-perfect game. The season rests squarely on the shoulders of Jeremy Bonderman and how strong Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello will be the rest of the way.

Contender- White Sox: What a turn-around the ChiSox have undergone this season. Despite Ozzie Guillen and Ken Williams having their public differences, the club has been very good lately. The Sox need some infield help, but it seems as if the team has gone in that direction by DFAing Jayson Nix. Gordon Beckham and Danny Viciedo have tremendous upside, but if the team is serious about winning this year, a vet is necessary. Pitching is only a minor concern for the club, because even though the starters have been subpar (except for John Danks), they are veteran guys who will surely put it together sooner or later.

AL West

Current Leader- Rangers: All this team does is hit. Vladimir Guerrero has been the best thing possible for Texas other than maybe a brilliant year so far from Josh Hamilton. A healthy Nelson Cruz and a good second half from Julio Borbon could go a long way toward getting the Rangers into the playoffs, but what they need most is a good and healthy second half from Rich Harden, and strong second halves from CJ Wilson and Colby Lewis -- both of whom are just getting acquainted with the role of starting pitcher. I personally don't see the duo as solid options, opening the door for the Angels.

Contender- Angels: LAA is going to have their work cut out for them if they want to win the division again. Mike Napoli seems to be the answer down at first, at least for now, but the sight of Brandon Wood in the lineup must send shivers down the spines of the Angel faithful. Touting a solid front end of the rotation, even a marginally better second half from Scott Kazmir and Joe Saunders could prove very helpful in getting the team into October baseball. They could, of course, just try to trade for Cliff Lee as well.

*Note for Jack Zduriencik: The Mariners are not contenders. Sell Cliff Lee (preferably to the Mets)

Wildcard
Current Leader- Red Sox

NL East

Current Leader- Braves: The Braves have been very impressive this season, and don't show signs of slowing down. They have a lead over the Mets and the Phillies despite getting a poor year from Chipper Jones, seeing Jason Heyward slump mightily, and watching Jiar Jurrjens rot on the DL. With Jurrjens soon coming back to give the rotation an infusion of talent, the Braves can cut their losses with the winless Kenshin Kawakami. Some outfield help would certainly be useful, as Nate McLouth has been flat out bad.

Contender- Mets: I am pleasantly surprised to be writing the Mets' name on this list, as things were certainly gloomy at the start of the season. What the Mets need is Cliff Lee. As good as RA Dickey has been, I am not a fan of Hisanori Takahashi in the rotation and John Maine just hasn't cut it this year. With Beltran on the way, the Mets could be back to their 2006 form sooner rather than later.

Contender- Phillies: I am pleasantly surprised to be writing the Phillies' name down here instead of up where the Braves are. With Jimmy Rollins on the DL for most of the year, the Phillies have been hapless at the dish, severely missing their leader. With Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and Shane Victorino all underperforming, the main thing the Phillies need is to have their stars play like stars. Getting JA Happ back to supplant the miserable Joe Blanton would be nice as well. Right now, the Phillies are stuck squarely behind the Mets and Braves, and things don't look to be changing anytime soon.

NL Central

Current Leader- Cardinals: The Cards have overcome the Reds, and with Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday in the center of the lineup, things should break the Cards' way the rest of the season. The rotation troubles are relatively temporary, as Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse will come back. If Jeff Suppan can prove he can pitch for the time being, then the Cardinals will be in extremely good shape. A middle infielder would be nice, as Brendan Ryan, Skip Schumaker, and Felipe Lopez have all been subpar this year. While Lopez should be fine the rest of the way, I would hate to see Schumaker and/or Ryan try to hold down the fort all year.

Contender- Reds: Cincinnati is having a very nice year. One of my favorite teams heading into the year, the Reds have not disappointed at all this season. An outfielder wouldn't hurt, as Drew Stubbs has potential, but lacks the ability to man center for a playoff team. A starting pitcher wouldn't hurt either, nor would trading the disappointing Aaron Harang to a team who plays in a pitcher's park (Mets or Padres anyone?), but extra pitching is not a necessity, as Homer Bailey will be back soon (although he hasn't impressed), and Edinson Volquez could be back before the All-Star break. The Reds and Cards will be in a dog fight all year long for that NL Central title.

NL West

Current Leader- Padres: The main concern for the Pads is whether or not the young pitchers in the rotation can withstand a whole season. Chris Young is so very talented, but he will always be an injury concern. When he eventually does return, Kevin Correia will rightly be moved to the pen, barring a collapse from one of Clayton Richards, Wade LeBlanc, or Mat Latos. The Padres could also use an outfielder and/or a shortstop, but I guess they'll wait to see what happens to Everth Cabrera and Kyle Blanks when they return from the DL. For now the Pads have a tenuous 2.5 game lead on the Giants to hold onto the NL West lead.

Contender- Giants: With DeRosa out of the picture, the team can move forward with a slightly less crowded lineup. Pat Burrell is fighting Aubrey Huff for time in left, whose fighting Buster Posey for time at first, whose fighting Bengie Molina for time at catcher all while Pablo Sandoval is fighting Juan Uribe for time at third who is fighting both Edgar Renteria and Freddy Sanchez for time at either middle infield position. And if that's not confusing enough, Andres Torres, Aaron Rowand, and Nate Schierholtz are fighting for time in right and center with John Bowker waiting in the wings at AAA. Yea, so they have options in the field. A 5th starter is a luxury the team would love to have, but they can always turn to Madison Bumgarner in the event they give up on all veteran talent (or lack thereof; yes, I'm looking at you Todd Wellemeyer). With Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum heading the rotation, the Giants would give fits to any team who meets them in the playoffs.

Contender- Dodgers: The Dodgers don't have starters, like, at all. John Ely and Carlos Monasterios have been good enough in the rotation, for now, and Vincente Padilla should get a little better eventually, but as a whole this team needs at least one starter, maybe two, should they really want to make the playoffs. The bats are there for the Dodgers, but pitching is just such a huge issue that the team has no chance without the addition of a starter.

Contender- Rockies: Are they really contenders without Troy Tulowitzki? I doubt it, and so does management, as they issued the "we won't trade for a middle infielder because we don't have faith in our own team without Troy" statement. Dan Uggla is the name that continually comes up when talking about a trade-able middle infielder, and an Uggla-Tulo middle infield is downright scary. For now, Colorado is well outside of the playoff picture, and I would be surprised to see them move for a high class middle infielder such as Uggla.

Wildcard
Current Leader- Mets


And last, but not least, Schultz says: "It's too easy to be blinded by numbers. Yes, yes, I hear you, rotisserie baseball is a game based solely on statistics so it's probably a terrific idea to give those numbers great respect. They tell us a great deal about the past but really not much about the future. That actually takes psychic skills bordering on divination and the Amazing Randi has yet to pay out that million dollar reward. If you take a look at Jonathan Papelbon's numbers - sub 2.00 ERA, WHIP hovering around 1 - you would think it heresy to speak ill of the quirky BoSox closer. However, if you've been watching him over the last couple years, you would think more to compare him to John Franco than to Mariano Rivera. Pap seems to have a penchant for allowing a tad too many baserunners before getting down to business of shutting down the opposition. (For numbers people, look at his rising WHIP over the course of his career). People like to speak doom and gloom when a closer blows a couple saves and the buzzards are thoughtlessly circling around Daniel Bard now that Papelbon has had a couple rough outing. It would be silly to bail on Papelbon now; just don't lose sight of the larger picture by focusing solely on his stats.

Chicago fans have to be experiencing a bit of deja vu with Carlos Zambrano's recent breakdown. Just last year around this time, Milton Bradley was having his own difficulties with sanity. Here's another thing to store away in the memory banks: when a head case signs up with a team coached by Lou Piniella, perhaps it's wise to stay away from them for the upcoming season. No science behind that thought. I stand by it though."


Response: Great stuff from both Bobby and Schultz. As much as it pains me to say, I agree with both of Schultz's big points. Pap is not what he used to be (and should not even be mentioned in the same breath as Mo) while Chicago is no place to deal with anger management issues.


Final Thoughts: I often see pundits discuss the trades they made in their leagues. To be honest, sometimes it is interesting, sometimes not. However, rarely do the pundits publish the other guy's view. That changes here (in the hopes of making things more interesting). In my home league (in which Bobby and I are 1/2), I am dominating most of the offensive categories. So, I moved Mark Teixeira in a deal to land Doc Halladay (I then used roster flexibility to replace Tex at CI with Swish). Then, in an effort to address positional weakness, I moved Fred Lewis to get Carlos Ruiz. So, what happened? I ended up short on OFs with Swish at CI and Lewis gone. So, I went back to the trade market seeking to move Fausto Carmona before he turned back into, well . . . . Fausto Carmona. The Doo (not really his name but a fitting nickname) agreed to take Camona and Motte for Franklin Guittierez – a solid, but unspectacular all around producer. I hated to give up Motte, but with Lindstrom, Simon, Downs, Benoit, and others, I could afford to move Downs. So far so good. As predicted in this space last week, Fausto got tattooed in Philly in his first start donning a "Doo" uniform.

The Doo's view: "Although I always go into trade talks with Glenn with caution, as we have haggled back and forth for over 13 years on trades to no avail (very difficult for 2 lawyers who understand trade value to effectuate a deal), this time there was a market for what my partner and I could afford to trade (we had excess of outfielders), we were in dire need of pitching (which has not been the case for many years) and Glenn made an interesting and somewhat reasonable offer (must have been an solar eclipse the other day). Gutierrez is a good solid player that can give you help in all five categories but is on a team that is having a hard time scoring runs right now. Gutierrez is also in a mini slump which does not help his trade value, but Glenn is astute enough to not let that get in the way.

Glenn has two or three huge holes in his outfield/DH slots and Gutierrez will help him in all categories for the season so it makes sense to grab him. Hitting in this league is always more valuable than pitching as it is harder to come by. However, we needed to fix our pitching situation, which has been decimated by injuries and could afford to give up Gutierrez, especially since he is on the last year of a contract for us and cannot be kept next year. Carmona is having a good year (on a bad team) and will help us with some of our ratios. Although he historically has been wild and gives up too many walks, it appears this year he may have turned a corner. If so, since he is relatively cheap, we have a potential keeper on our hands. There are also rumors of him being traded to a contender prior to the MLB trade deadline, which should help him improve his numbers, especially in the win category. If he reverts back to his old ways, we can ride him out for as long as it lasts, hopefully at least until our injured pitching returns. As for Motte, he has excellent ratios for a reliever and will help those categories somewhat. More importantly, he will not hurt the pitching ratios the way our current staff replacements are. Lastly, since Ryan Franklin has indicated he may retire next year, and Motte is inexpensive, we could end up with a keeper closer next year. We can afford to give up the production we are getting from Gutierrez in exchange for the help we need with our pitching. There is limited downside to the trade with tremendous upside for us now and in the long run".


Well, the best deals are the ones where both teams are happy. We shall see.