MLB Fantasy News 2012

[HacheMan]

Suddenly Craving Crawford Maybe it’s because the Red Sox have played such underwhelming baseball this year. Or perhaps it’s because of that disappointing 2011 campaign.

Either way, it sure seems like Carl Crawford’s triumphant return to the major leagues is flying well under the radar.

The $142 million man went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs scored on Tuesday night in a 7-5 loss to the White Sox and is now 4-for-7 (.571) with four runs scored since being activated from the 60-day disabled list on Monday afternoon.

Crawford seems doubtful to ever meet the expectations that come with such a massive free agent contract, but he’s still a highly talented player and appears ready to regain his status as a reliable fantasy contributor.

In 2010 -- his final season with the Rays -- Crawford finished with a .307/.356/.495 batting line, 19 home runs, 47 stolen bases and 90 RBI. He may have lost a step on his way to Boston, but anything close to that kind of numbers pace would vault him into the realm of elite second-half fantasy outfielders. Pick him up if he was dropped. Trade for him if another owner is giving him away. We’re high on Crawford’s potential down the stretch.


K-Rod Named New Closer In Milwaukee

For the first time in over 11 months, Francisco Rodriguez is a great name to own in non-holds fantasy leagues.

The Brewers finally took action after watching John Axford blow his sixth save of the season on Monday night against the Cardinals, installing K-Rod into the ninth-inning role while demoting “The Ax Man” to a setup gig.

Rodriguez is throwing harder this year -- with an average fastball of 91.6 mph -- than he has since the 2009 season and is also having a good amount of success with his off-speed deliveries. He made things interesting on Tuesday night against St. Louis, yielding a leadoff double to David Freese and a single to Yadier Molina, but he operated well in damage control and escaped mostly unscathed as Milwaukee grabbed a 3-2 victory.

K-Rod has a 3.59 ERA and 40/18 K/BB ratio in 42-plus innings this year. He needs to be owned in all formats.


Astros Lose Shortstop Lowrie For Month At Least

The Astros are 34-57 and occupy the very bottom of the barrel in the weak National League Central division, but they might need to make an addition to their major league roster -- rather than a subtraction -- here in the next few days.

Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie was diagnosed Tuesday evening with nerve irritation in his lower right leg. He’ll be in a protective walking boot through Saturday and is expected to miss at least four weeks.

That leaves Marwin Gonzalez and Brian Bixler to handle shortstop duties in Houston, and neither player is a legitimate major leaguer. The ‘Stros can’t replace the 14 homers, 36 RBI and .799 OPS that Lowrie was rocking in his 80 games played, but they’ll have to do something to remain respectable down the stretch.



National League Quick Hits: Reds ace Johnny Cueto lowered his ERA to 2.28 in Tuesday night’s defeat of the Diamondbacks … Ryan Braun is day-to-day with a strained muscle in his right thigh … Buster Posey tallied a season-high five RBI in the Giants’ victory over the Braves on Tuesday night in Atlanta … The Mets have ruled out calling up top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler at any point this summer … Trevor Bauer allowed four runs on five walks and one hit in Tuesday’s loss to the Reds … Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-4 on Tuesday night against the Rockies, raising his batting line to .374/.426/.657 … Nationals starter Ross Detwiler hurled seven scoreless innings Tuesday against the Mets … Barry Zito tossed seven shutout innings Tuesday night in the Giants’ defeat of the Braves … Matt Holliday is day-to-day after exiting Tuesday’s game against the Brewers with a left thigh contusion … The Diamondbacks are hopeful that Jason Kubel (hamstring) will be ready to return to action Wednesday after missing three straight games … Giants catcher Hector Sanchez departed Tuesday’s game with a left knee sprain and is considered day-to-day … Chad Billingsley was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation … Padres pitcher Joe Wieland needs Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery … The Braves are hoping to sign Martin Prado to a long-term contract extension … Jonathan Lucroy (hand) is aiming to return from the disabled list on July 26 … Astros catcher Jason Castro has meniscus damage in his right knee and will be out longer than anticipated … Carlos Quentin (knee) is aiming to return Wednesday … The Dodgers are showing serious trade interest in Cubs starter Ryan Dempster … Roy Halladay allowed two earned runs in five innings against the Dodgers Tuesday in his first start back from the disabled list.

American League Quick Hits: The Royals designated left-hander Jonathan Sanchez (7.76 ERA, 2.04 WHIP) for assignment on Tuesday afternoon … An MRI taken Tuesday morning on Jose Bautista’s ailing left wrist showed no structural damage … David Ortiz is expected to miss at least a week due to soreness in his right Achilles tendon … Yankees ace CC Sabathia went six-plus scoreless innings Tuesday against the Blue Jays in his first game back from the 15-day disabled list … Mike Trout had a four-hit night Tuesday against the Tigers, lifting his season slash line to .355/.408/.582 … Kevin Youkilis blasted a three-run homer against his former team on Tuesday as the White Sox topped the Red Sox at Fenway Park … The Twins placed closer Matt Capps back on the disabled list due to ongoing discomfort in his right shoulder … Roy Oswalt tossed six-plus innings of one-run ball Tuesday in the Rangers’ victory over the A’s … Brett Anderson (elbow) has been cleared to begin a minor league rehab assignment Saturday with High-A Stockton … The White Sox placed Gavin Floyd on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow tendinitis … Jon Lester is now sporting a 4.80 ERA through 19 starts this season … Charlie Furbush is day-to-day with triceps tightness … Blue Jays prospect Anthony Gose collected the first hit of his major league career on Tuesday night against the Yankees … Tigers youngster Jacob Turner was shelled for seven runs in just two innings Tuesday in a loss to the Angels … Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) is aiming to rejoin the Oakland starting rotation by the end of July … The Red Sox have moved Franklin Morales back to the bullpen … Jared Burton notched his third save of the season Tuesday in the Twins’ defeat of the Orioles.

 

[HacheMan]

Birthing New Closers Still here on vacation, if you can call it that. Visiting the sister in law and her newborn, and her 18-month-old, all with my three-month-old… it's a babypocalypse. Or maybe it's just an episode of Oprah -- You get a baby! You get a baby! You get a baby!

Hardly leaves much time for vacation. At least we have some great examples of baby ages at our disposal. Each of these babies can be an inspiration for a tier. All babies are great, and all parents are proud, but there are just time periods in a baby's life that are better than others.

So, in honor of the life I'm suddenly living, I present to you this week's tiers, named after the stages in a baby's life. Nothing if not topical, am I right?

Tier 1: Elite (6) (AKA: The "Newborn" Tier.)

Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies
Jason Motte, St. Louis Cardinals
Joe Nathan, Texas Rangers

Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds
Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers

There's nothing bad a person can say about a newborn. I guess if you're just not planning to have babies, and you're not a baby person, you can say that they just aren't your style. But even those cats -- and I know plenty -- are a little stymied when they come face to face with a baby that was inside a womb less than a month before. Those babies basically don't cry. They don't throw temper tantrums. They don't have tempers. They sleep, they eat, they poop -- and even their poop's not such a big deal. And they look like little angels maybe 99% of the time.

Aroldis Chapman has had two Kimbrels since he hit that rough patch. He has 21 strikeouts in his last 8 2/3 innings… He has two walks. And, given his age -- 24 -- his arm is fresh. He even pitched back-to-back-to-back innings between the 13th and the 15th of July. There's really nothing to not love about this guy right now. He's just a baby, man. A fierce, gas-throwing, strikeout hoarding baby.

Kenley Jansen is the newborn of this family, and he's blown two saves in a row, but he's not going to drop out of the tier just yet. With 64 strikeouts in 42 and 2/3 innings, he's giving you good value in every other category, and he's probably not going to lose the job for giving up three hits and no walks while getting his last seven outs.

Tier 2: Rock Steady (5) (AKA: The "One Year" Tier.)

Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh Pirates
Rafael Betancourt, Colorado Rockies
Rafael Soriano, New York Yankees
J.J. Putz, Arizona Diamondbacks
Ernesto Frieri, Los Angeles Angels

Every baby develops differently. Instead of 'one year,' think of this tier as that magical moment when the baby takes his first steps, begins to form words, and still can't get into the cupboard and do serious damage. He's not yet completely mobile, but he's giving you all the firsts that you can handle.

This tier seems lonely, maybe it needs a fresh face. Maybe you could say that Fernando Rodney, who's had a magical season full of firsts at the ripe age of 35, should be here. After all, he's still thriving despite Kyle Farnsworth's return. He's not a pumpkin yet. Still, with a story this unique, it feels like the magic could disappear at any moment. Maybe you could say Chris Perez should be up here. But he's striking out more than a batter per nine innings over his career rate, and his swinging strike rate and velocity predict a lower strikeout rate as well. His career walk rate predicts a worse walk rate. Regression seems to be coming, at least the numbers say so. Maybe you could move Huston Street up because of the rumors that the Padres don't want to swallow any of his salary, making him a possible Padre after the trade deadline. Instead, we'll pass, and wait for another week of information before bringing someone up a tier.

Tier 3: OK options (8) (AKA: The "Three Months" Tier.)

Fernando Rodney, Tampa Bay Rays
Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians
Huston Street, San Diego Padres
Addison Reed, Chicago White Sox
Tom Wilhelmsen, Seattle Mariners
Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants
Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles

I'm lucky enough to be in this tier, and I'll take it about a million times over the storm that is on the horizon. First directed smiles come in this tier, and the baby is finally acknowledging you and staring into your face lovingly. They can't talk, they can't play with a toy, most won't even sit still through a baby book, they just want to be carried around to look at things, they sleep every other hour for a half hour, they can finally pee enough quantity to be dangerous, and they require constant attention -- but they'll smile at you!

Maybe Santiago Casilla is getting as tired as the parent of a newborn. He's been thrown in two back-to-back-to-backs in the last month, and both times he blew one of his three chances. He's blown four of his last seven opportunities, and he's not on the most stable footing. On the other hand, he came back from a blister issue and got his job handed right back to him, and the team prefers Sergio Romo setting up. Might be good enough.

Every closer with a job is cute, just like every baby is cute. So even though Jim Johnson is suddenly blowing games left and right -- six runs over his last four outs -- and he doesn't give you strikeouts (23 in his 38 and 2/3 innings this season, or about 15 less than a normal closer), he's a closer! And look, he's smiling at you. Kinda, sorta, not really.

Tier 4: Question marks (5) (AKA: The "Eighteen Months" Tier.)

Ryan Cook, Oakland Athletics
Jonathan Broxton, Kansas City Royals
Alfredo Aceves, Boston Red Sox
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers

Casey Janssen, Toronto Blue Jays
Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals

Eighteen months is the tier of question marks. Will the baby angelically run towards you for a hug? Or will the baby run away from you screaming? Will the baby sit still for a book? Or will he cry so hard that he can't breathe, blow snot bubbles into the air and then cry some more? You never know what you're going to get, and boy, hope you babyproofed the house by now, because that baby will get into something the minute you look away

Jonathan Broxton might not survive four months as the newest addition to the Royals family, but if he ends up a Met, he might still be a closer. Behind him in Kansas City, you have to admit that Aaron Crow has been decent again in the pen, but that Greg Holland has been pitching later in games and striking out many more batters. He's the closer if Brox the Ox leaves.

Tyler Clippard was supposed to keep ascending in the ranks. He's got a double-digit strikeout rate backed by a double-digit swinging strike rate, all built on 93-mph gas and a platoon-neutral changeup that's 12 mph slower. He'd be perfect if not for spotty control. Well, now in his last four appearances, he's had a two-walk-no-strikeout inning, lost a tie game, and blown a save spectacularly. Tuesday night, he gave up a single to Josh Thole, a single to David Wright, struck out Scott Hairston, allowed a three-run homer to light-hitting utility man Jordany Valdespin, and then struck out Ike Davis and got a pop out from Andres Torres. That's not enough to give Drew Storen the job back without a statement from his manager, but it is enough to keep Drew Storen within arm's reach.

And really the only problem with Casey Janssen -- other than a strikeout rate that's about three per nine better than his career rate -- was that Sergio Santos was on his way back. Now that's no longer the case. So now Casey Janssen is just a question mark -- based on that strikeout rate that's about three per nine better than his career rate.

Read more about the most volatile closer situations on the next page.
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Tier 5: Rollercoaster rides (6) (AKA: The "Two Years" Tier.)

Francisco Rodriguez (first chair), John Axford (second chair), Milwaukee Brewers

Steve Cishek (first chair), Heath Bell (second chair), Mike Dunn (third chair), Miami Marlins
Carlos Marmol (first chair), Shawn Camp (second chair), Chicago Cubs
Brett Myers (first chair) Brandon Lyon (second chair), Wesley Wright (third chair), Houston Astros
Jared Burton (first chair), Glen Perkins (second chair), Minnesota Twins
Bobby Parnell (first chair), Jon Rauch (second chair), Miguel Batista (third chair), New York Mets

Depending on the baby, you might be getting new teeth, dealing with leaving the home for school for the first time, skinned knees, unfulfillable desires, or the whys. The whys look like they could be some fun, at first. At some point it's not fun anymore and then come the becauses.

Looks like Francisco Rodriguez is the new closer in Milwaukee. Why? Because he got the save Tuesday night. Why? Because John Axford couldn't find the zone? Why? Mostly because he didn't throw first-pitch strikes. Why? Well you'd have to ask him. Why? Because I don't know. Why? Because I don't know everything. Why? Because. What I do know is that John Axford is still under team control for about five years longer than Francisco Rodriguez. So after a little while, if Ax finds the zone, it will be very tempting for the Brew Crew to move him back into the role. Why? Because it makes economic sense to do so.

Mike Dunn got the save the other night in Miami, but he's probably the third fiddle. And he's not playing behind Juan Carlos Oviedo, because Oviedo (formerly Leo Nunez), now has elbow issues in the minors. He's got to mend before he can contend. Heath Bell is still there, and Steve Cishek is the sexy new own. Dunn's much better against lefties, and Cishek was sick the night they went to Dunn, so that makes him the situational guy (although maybe he should be second).

Carlos Marmol is the closer in Chicago, and with his almost ten-per-nine walk rate, he's probably not going to attract much trade interest. The other men in his pen are worse than he is, probably, and his velocity has been up since he returned from the DL this latest time. He's a sneaky buy-low? He actually could be. If you can stomach the WHIP being around 1.4 going forward.

This is a big deal. Matt Capps has rotator cuff problems, and those are a big deal. He came off the DL and went right back on it, which is almost always a big deal. Which means that there might actually be a legitimate, long-term closer role up for grabs in Minnesota. Glen Perkins is still the better pitcher, but Jared Burton got the save Tuesday night, and throws with his right hand. Managers are about half as likely as they should be to pick a lefty closer. So even though Perkins has a great strikeout rate, a better-than-average walk rate, and batted ball luck that should turn in his favor soon, and even though Jared Burton is doing it more with good batted ball luck and better control -- bet on the righty that got the last save. Ever since he started throwing his changeup almost 40% of the time, Burton has been much better. Own both if you can or choose the available one if the other is gone, of course, but pick Burton if you have to choose.

Bobby Parnell stays in the first chair because Jon Rauch is just as liable to pitch the seventh as the eighth, Miguel Batista is needed in the starting rotation, and Frank Francisco felt a twinge. But now Jonathan Broxton is rumored to be headed to New York, and that would throw the whole thing out of whack -- Broxton could even close over Francisco, even though Broxton's swinging strike rate is inferior. You'd have to bet on the in-house closer if healthy, but Broxton would make this a pick'em pretty quickly.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

Injured

Andrew Bailey (thumb), Boston Red Sox
Drew Storen (elbow), Washington Nationals
Sergio Santos (shoulder), Toronto Blue Jays
Matt Capps (shoulder), Minnesota Twins
Frank Francisco (oblique), New York Mets

Oh boy. There goes Sergio. Shoulder injuries are the worst, and now Santos is in doubt for parts of next year. The claim is that his cuff was fine and he might be fine, but labrum tears are terrible, and they end careers. He might even be a dropper in dynasties and keepers, depending on your format. The rest of this list was supposed to be healthy by now. But Matt Capps is back on the DL with rotator cuff issues now, Frank Francisco felt a twinge, Andrew Bailey might go on rehab next week, and Drew Storen got lit up in the minor leagues on his rehab assignment. There might not be a bargain in this bin.

The Deposed

Jordan Walden, Los Angeles Angels
Hector Santiago, Chicago White Sox
Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics
Brian Fuentes, Oakland Athletics
Javy Guerra, Los Angeles Dodgers
Sean Marshall, Cincinnati Reds
Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals
Brandon League, Seattle Mariners
Rafael Dolis, Chicago Cubs
Sergio Santos, Toronto Blue Jays

Heath Bell is… very… slowly… walking… this… way. Sergio Santos took the knife and ends up here because of it. Drew Storen is still a question mark.

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The Steals Department

Of course Carl Crawford is probably not on your waiver wire right now, but those three steals Tuesday night should probably be enough for you to make sure that he isn't. He's still a threat to steal 20+ over the second half, and in that lineup, he'll be a runs machine. Alexei Ramirez is probably also gone off your wire, but he's begun stealing bases again (two in his last five, with an unsuccessful attempt three games before that) and power takes the longest to stabilize. With just a little boost, he could hit six or seven homers and steal another six or seven. And he's a shortstop! Last on the shallower-league list is Lorenzo Cain, who's back in the big leagues and even hit a pinch-hit homer run Tuesday night. Sure, he hasn't attempted a steal and doesn't have Jarrod Dyson-like speed, and sure, he hasn't started two of the five games he's seen since he returned, but he's still interesting and could steal more than 10 with a little bit of pop in the second half.

For deeper leagues, let's look at some middle infielders. Jed Lowrie went down with a nerve issue in his leg (after being slid into, which is just strange, but about par for the course for the oft-injured shortstop) and now there's time for Marwin Gonzalez to play some. He's not really a long-term option, nor is he really a three-hundred-hitter, and he doesn't really have a lot of speed. But he'll play every day for a month-plus and could steal three-to-five without killing your batting average. Or maybe you could go with former Saves and Stealer Alexi Amarista, who has more speed but less obvious playing time. Maybe someone dropped him after he didn't start a game, but Amarista is the new utility man extraordinaire in San Diego, and he's been playing at shortstop, which might just be where he ends up full time. Everth Cabrera has his faults, after all.

 

[HacheMan]

Frankie's Fun Park
He's like the girl with all the world's potential who got away. He's the symbol for all aspirations in your life you never achieved because of forces outside your control. He's your grass-sucking genius buddy that threw away a six-figure job to work at an American Inn because he'd prefer to smoke and watch Christopher Nolan movies all day (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

Francisco Liriano embodies every failed-opportunity metaphor one could conceive of in a lifetime. And yet, he's a paragon of determination. Arguably baseball's most dominant pitcher as a rookie in 2006, Liriano shredded his elbow, missed 2007, remade himself during a rocky 2008 campaign (much of which was spent at Triple-A), went 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA in 2009, won AL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2010, hurled a no-hitter in 2011 (despite ending with an ERA over 5.00) and has gone from sub-replacement level in 2012 over the season's first month-and-a-half to one of the league's most sought-after trade targets. One day he looks like a Cy Young contender. In his next outing, he could resemble a left-handed Sidney Ponson. Life is like a box of chocolates. Or something like that.

People who aren't understood become the victims of transference. Humans are wired to believe they are omniscient. When confronted by a conundrum, they excrete metaphors, similes and allusions until they convince themselves they aren't confused.

This is why psychiatry is a profession. This is why there is an idiom called psychobabble.

Francisco Liriano, perhaps the most frustrating talent in baseball today, struck out 10 over six innings against the Orioles Wednesday. He gave up two runs on just four hits. Banished to the bullpen in May, Liriano has posted a 2.84 ERA and 77/28 K/BB ratio over 63 1/3 innings since returning to the rotation on the 30th of that month. He's whiffed 25 batters over his last two outings.

Minnesota fans, the Twins' organization, fantasy owners, the author of this column, Francisco Liriano and Francisco Liriano's family have no idea which Francisco Liriano is going to toe the rubber during any given start.

We do know two things, however: 1) Liriano is likely to get dealt for a few promising prospects within the next two weeks. 2) He's a must-start fantasy pitcher at this point, even though there's a chance that he'll detonate your pitching stats with a six-walk, seven-earned-run outing next time out.

“When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be,” Terry Ryan told Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos yesterday.

Jon Heyman reported that Ryan has been reading a lot of Goethe recently. That joke will make a lot more sense in Section Three, ESPN's Buster Olney writes.



Red Sox Lose Big Papi for the rest of July



The Red Sox placed David Ortiz on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a right Achilles injury.

Ortiz suffered the injury while rounding the bases on a three-run homer by Adrian Gonzalez in Monday's win over the White Sox. Fortunately, he didn't suffer a tear or rupture, which might have ended the veteran slugger's season. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said Ortiz would miss "a week to 10 days," but his placement on the D.L. means that Big Papi will be out until August 1 -- at least.

Mauro Gomez replaced Ortiz on Boston's roster. Expect Daniel Nava to gobble up most available DH at-bats until the calendar turns.



Extra! Extra!


You are the type of person that reads The Superficial. You watch TMZ after midnight in your underwear while eating a PB&J to sober yourself up. You speculate with co-workers as to who Tom Cruise's next beard will be -- I meant girlfriend! Wife! You are legitimately concerned with whether or not Kristen Stewart's breasts are natural. It's important that you know who People thinks Scarlett Johansson is or isn't sleeping with at all times.

None of this is because you are a voyeur. No sir. You aren't a housewife who gets her jollies from reading Star. You would never pick that up at the checkout counter.

What you actually crave is trade rumors, the act of pulling back the curtains of Major League Baseball and speculating on news before it becomes news. Perception is reality. Rumors are an invitation. Jon Heyman knows this. So does Ken Rosenthal and J.P. Morosi and Buster Olney.

Because the hot stove is getting muggy, let's pull these Quick Hits out of the sections below and let them breath a bit, shall we? It's the first step toward Harvey Levin buying Rotoworld and re-proportioning it into a sports news site of the future: MMZ. You see, TMZ stands for Thirty Mile Zone, a radius around Hollywood where most celebrities live. Soon, distance will not constrict personal access to our athletes. This is the utopia represented by Heyman's Twitter feed.

• ESPN's Olney believes it's likely that the Diamondbacks will wait until the offseason to trade Justin Upton (Harvey Levin cackles).

• According to CBS Sports' Heyman, the Phillies plan to make Cole Hamels an initial extension offer of about six years and $130 million (Harvey Levin raises an eyebrow mysteriously).

• Heyman also writes that the Marlins could trade Anibal Sanchez and the Blue Jays "want to deal" Yunel Escobar (Harvey Levin throws his hands up in exasperation, as if to say: "This Heyman guy only needs to pass on rumors past the embryonic stage!").

• According to Morosi of FOX Sports, the Tigers, White Sox and Orioles have spoken to the Padres about the availability of left-hander Clayton Richard (Harvey Levin mumbles something under his breath).

• Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports passes along that the Red Sox are gauging league-wide trade interest in Carl Crawford (Harvey Levin nods head smugly).

• The Fox Sports duo tag-teamed a story that let us know that the Brewers and Zack Greinke aren't talking much about a contract extension (Harvey Levin says: "Trade him back to the Royals! Those fans hate Robbie Cano! They love Greinke! It makes sense! Right? Am I right?").

• The Mets are targeting Athletics' reliever Grant Balfour, says David Lennon of New York Newsday (Harvey Levin rolls his eyes).

• Danny Knobler of CBS Sport believes the Angels would offer up Peter Bourjos for "the right reliever" (Harvey Levin launches into an expletive-laced diatribe toward L.A. management).

• Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports passes along that the Red Sox are gauging league-wide trade interest in Carl Crawford (Harvey Levin nods head smugly).

• Scott Miller and Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com report, respectively, that San Diego will not trade Carlos Quentin and the Rangers might ponder a deal for Cliff Lee (Harvey Levin murmurs "Hmmmm...")

• Nate Schierholtz wants to be traded if it's to a team that would offer him more playing time (Harvey Levin fires staffer who proposes this story on the spot).

National League Quick Hits: The Marlins don't expect Juan Carlos Oviedo to pitch this season after the Artist Formerly Known as Leo Nunez was diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow over the weekend ... Brewers manager Ron Roenicke expects Ryan Braun (groin) to return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the Reds ... Jordan Zimmerman hurled six scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out four in a win over the Mets ... Ian Kennedy tossed eight innings of one-run ball in the Diamondbacks' victory over the Reds ... Jason Kubel propelled the offense in the same contest by smacking two homers ... Jayson Werth (wrist) is expected to begin a rehab assignment Thursday ... Clayton Kershaw and Cliff Lee each tossed eight innings of one-run ball in LA's 5-3 victory ... Lance Berkman told reporters Wednesday that he doesn't have "any bat speed"; bench him in normal mixed leagues at the moment ... Jeremy Guthrie got shelled -- yeah, you're right; this isn't news.. Francisco Rodriguez gave up a run in the ninth but picked up a save against the Cardinals despite pitching for the fourth straight day ... The Diamondbacks optioned Trevor Bauer to Triple-A after the 21-year-old right-hander yielded 14 hits, 13 walks and 11 earned runs over his first 16 1/3 innings of big-league action ... Zack Greinke will return to the Brewers' starting rotation on Tuesday against the Phillies ... Drew Storen (elbow) could be activated Thursday, but the 24-year-old right-hander will initially return as Tyler Clippard's setup man ... Jeff Samardzija spun six frames of one-run ball against the Marlins and is now 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA and 24/6 K/BB ratio over 19 innings in three July starts ... Santiago Casilla blew his fifth save in nine chances, but lucked into a win against the Braves -- his seat is hot enough to burn skin at this point.


American League Quick Hits: Brett Lawrie suffered a right calf contusion Wednesday when he fell into the third-base camera well while trying to track down a foul ball; he hopes to return to the lineup Friday ... Anthony Gose made his first career start, batting leadoff Wednesday against the Yankees and going 0-for-3 in a rain-shortened loss ... Ted Lilly (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday ... Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session Wednesday; he hopes to rejoin the A's rotation without a rehab assignment ... Cody Ross (.269/.345/.557) smoked a pair of three-run homers in a rout over the White Sox ... Doug Fister punched out 10 while tossing eight innings of one-run ball on two hits in a win over the Angels ... Jordan Walden (biceps) has yet to resume throwing but still might return before the end of July ... Twins general manager Terry Ryan said Matt Capps (shoulder) will be shut down "for a while," meaning that the veteran closer is no longer a trade candidate ... Colby Lewis was removed from Wednesday's start after five innings when his forearm tightened up on him; he shouldn't miss a start ... Hiroki Kuroda earned his first shutout since 2008 when he pitched seven scoreless innings in the Yankees' rain-shortened win over the Blue Jays ... In a spot start in the place of Jason Hammel, Tommy Hunter gave up just one run in 7 1/3 innings to the Twins; it dropped his ERA from 6.11 to 5.71 and he needn't be owned in any format ... Dustin Pedroia (thumb) will likely be activated from the disabled list Thursday ... Billy Butler, now hitting .300/.371/.502 with 18 homers and 56 RBI, spanked a walkoff home run into the Kansas City night to push the Royals to a victory over the Mariners.

 

[HacheMan]

Shake the Sheets While we're all twiddling our thumbs waiting for a major trade to go down, there are a couple of interesting closer situations brewing around the majors.

Santiago Casilla blew his fifth save in his last seven chances last night against the Braves by giving up a game-tying two-run homer to Brian McCann in the 10th inning. He ended up getting the win after the Giants rallied for six runs in the top of the 11th, so it wasn't a complete lost cause for fantasy owners, but manager Bruce Bochy said after the game that he will consider making a change at closer.

Sergio Romo (Yahoo: 39 percent owned, ESPN: 22.6 percent) is unquestionably the best pitcher in San Francisco's bullpen and could get some save chances in the days ahead, but the Giants have been reluctant to give him a full-time crack at the closer role, likely because they don't want to risk the health of his throwing elbow. Jeremy Affeldt (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent) and Javier Lopez (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.2 percent) are also options, but probably only in certain matchups. With that in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if the Giants end up acquiring a reliever (Brett Myers, Francisco Rodriguez, Huston Street, Jonathon Broxton, Grant Balfour or Brandon Lyon, just to name a few) before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Nationals' closer Tyler Clippard has also looked a bit vulnerable recently, albeit to a lesser degree. The bespectacled right-hander blew a save Tuesday against the Mets by giving up a three-run homer to Jordany Valdespin and while he bounced back to notch a save on Wednesday, he served up solo homers to David Wright and Jason Bay.

Clippard still owns a 2.83 ERA and 51/17 K/BB ratio this season and is 15-for-17 in save opportunities, so he deserves some rope here, but it's worth noting that the Nationals activated Drew Storen (Yahoo: 67 percent owned, ESPN: 50.3 percent) from the disabled list on Thursday morning. Storen saved 43 games last year while posting a 2.75 ERA, so he could find himself back in the closer role if he bounces back from elbow surgery and/or if Clippard continues to scuffle. While Storen is over my 50 percent ownership threshold for the purposes of this column, he may still be available in some shallow mixed leagues.

MIXED LEAGUES

Ben Sheets SP, Braves (Yahoo: 29 percent owned, ESPN: 25.1 percent)

I'll be honest when I say that I snickered a bit when I saw the Braves had signed Sheets. I mean, we're talking about a guy who hasn't been effective since 2008 and sat out all of last season recovering from major elbow surgery. However, I'm happy to eat some crow here, as the 34-year-old right-hander allowed just two hits over six shutout innings in a win over the Mets on Sunday. Sheets is a poor bet to hold up physically and had a 4.53 ERA over 20 starts with the A's during his last stint in the majors back in 2010, but he's worth a flier in most mixed fantasy leagues.

Brennan Boesch OF, Tigers (Yahoo: 29 percent owned, ESPN: 23.9 percent)

It looks like Boesch is on one of his patented streaks again. The 27-year-old outfielder went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's win over the Angels and is hitting .395 (15-for-38) with two homers, five doubles and 11 RBI in 11 games this month. While Boesch has been a disappointment to those who were counting on him as a sleeper this season, he should be started in fantasy leagues as long as he's swinging a hot bat.

Francisco Rodriguez RP, Brewers (Yahoo: 41 percent owned, ESPN: 25.3 percent)

After John Axford blew his sixth save of the season on Monday night, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke announced that "The Ax Man" was being pulled from the closer role and Rodriguez would get a chance to fill in. K-Rod has saved two games since then -- and boy were they an adventure -- but he managed to get the job done. In other words, it's not unlike most of his other save opportunities over the years. It's unclear whether this is just a temporary move, but even if it is, Rodriguez could find himself closing games if he is dealt to certain contenders in advance of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Jayson Werth OF, Nationals (Yahoo: 44 percent owned, ESPN: 29.6 percent)

Werth was well on his way to a rebound season before he broke his left wrist while trying to make a sliding catch against the Phillies back on May 6. However, he managed to take a full round of batting practice for the first time on Wednesday and is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday with High-A Potomac. This puts him on pace to rejoin the Nationals in the early part of August. It's fair to wonder if the wrist will affect his power the rest of the way, but he should still be stashed on a DL spot in most formats.

Steve Cishek RP, Marlins (Yahoo: 23 percent owned, ESPN: 23.4 percent)

Last week I recommended Juan Carlos Oviedo as a possibility to take over the closer role from the struggling Heath Bell in Miami, but he sprained the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during a minor league tuneup game over the weekend and is considered doubtful to pitch this year. While left-hander Michael Dunn notched a save on Monday and should get a look in certain matchups, Oviedo's injury clears the way for Cishek to lead Ozzie Guillen's closer-by-committee. The 26-year-old right-hander has a 2.08 ERA, 39 strikeouts over 39 innings and a ground ball rate of 55.3 percent this season. He's plenty worthy of your attention.

Lorenzo Cain OF, Royals (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 7.8 percent)

I mentioned Cain in Waiver Wired about a month ago just as he was beginning a minor league rehab assignment, but it seems he is still flying under the radar in many fantasy leagues. It's time to change that. The 26-year-old center fielder is batting .474 (9-for-19) with two homers, two doubles, six RBI and six runs scored in six games since returning from the disabled list last week. With his speed and surprising pop, there's still time for him to justify his status as a draft day sleeper.

Cody Ross OF, Red Sox (Yahoo: 33 percent owned, ESPN: 44.5 percent)

Ross' ownership numbers took a bit of a tumble after Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford returned from the disabled list, but fantasy owners would be wise to take another look. The 31-year-old had a huge game Wednesday against the White Sox, slugging two homers and driving in six runs as part of a 10-1 victory. While the Red Sox outfield is pretty crowded right now, David Ortiz's stint on the disabled list should provide some short-term flexibility out of the DH spot. Ross is best utilized in a daily league, as he figures to get most of his at-bats against left-handed starting pitchers.

Jeff Samardzija SP/RP, Cubs (Yahoo: 36 percent owned, ESPN: 29.1 percent)

It looked like Samardzija was hitting the wall in his first season as a starting pitcher in the major leagues, but he has turned things around a bit recently. The 27-year-old right-hander tossed six innings of one-run ball in Wednesday's win over the Marlins and has a 2.37 ERA and 24/6 K/BB ratio in 19 innings across three starts this month. The Cubs could decide to shut Samardzija down at a certain point later this summer, but he should remain a fine source of strikeouts in the interim.

Jared Burton RP, Twins (Yahoo: 12 percent owned, ESPN: 6.2 percent)

Matt Capps went back on the disabled list this week with rotator cuff issues and Twins general manager Terry Ryan admitted Wednesday that the veteran right-hander could be shut down "for a while." This means we'll continue to see Burton and Glen Perkins handle the late innings. Perkins is the superior pitcher and has the higher strikeout rate, but as I said a few weeks ago, Burton gets a slight edge here because he throws from the right side. If you have any doubts, just look at how Ron Gardenhire used them in Tuesday's game. Still, both should be owned if you need saves.

Alexi Amarista 2B/SS/OF, Padres (Yahoo: 13 percent owned, ESPN: 36.6 percent)

There's no telling where Amarista will play on any given night, but he continues to hit no matter where the Padres put him in the lineup. The diminutive utility man is hitting .390 (23-for-59) with four home runs, four doubles, 16 RBI and two stolen bases over his last 16 games and has raised his season batting average from .222 to .298 in the process. While the Padres value his versatility, he has made a strong case to start over Everth Cabrera at shortstop. With his speed and multi-position eligibility, he's well worth snagging if you need a MI (middle infielder) option.

Geovany Soto C, Cubs (Yahoo: 24 percent owned, ESPN: 12.4 percent)

Soto's struggles have led to Steve Clevenger taking away some at-bats against right-handed pitching, but the past few days have provided reason for optimism. The 29-year-old backstop had a go-ahead single in Wednesday's win over the Marlins and is hitting .346 (9-for-26) with one home run, two doubles and four RBI over his last seven games. Soto hasn't crushed southpaws this season like he usually does, but at least he has a lengthy history of doing so. With his value at rock bottom, he makes for a nice gamble in deeper leagues and two-catcher formats.

Shopping at the five-and-dime:

(Players owned in less than 10 percent of Y! and ESPN.com leagues)

Todd Frazier 3B/OF, Reds (Yahoo: 7 percent owned, ESPN: 4.5 percent)

Joey Votto is expected to miss three to four weeks after undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair the torn medial meniscus cartilage in his left knee. While this is a crushing blow to the Reds as they try to keep pace in the National League Central, the injury opens the door for Frazier to play regularly at first base. The 26-year-old has managed to remain under the radar in fantasy leagues, despite hitting .277/.343/.554 with 10 homers, 30 RBI and an .896 OPS in 216 plate appearances this season. Scott Rolen isn't exactly the model of durability at this point of his career, so Frazier has a good chance of keeping his value even after Votto returns.

Anthony Gose OF, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 5 percent owned, ESPN: 1.6 percent)

Another player getting a shot due to injury, Gose was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas this week after Jose Bautista was placed on the disabled list with left wrist inflammation. Ranked as the game's No. 39 prospect on Baseball America's midseason list, Gose was hitting .292/.375/.432 with five home runs, 18 doubles, 10 triples, 29 stolen bases and an .808 OPS through 92 games this season prior to his call-up. The 21-year-old outfielder has a penchant for the strikeout, so his first stint in the majors could be a bumpy ride, but his speed makes him worth a flier for anyone on the lookout for stolen bases. <!--RW-->

NL ONLY

Josh Rutledge SS, Rockies (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.4 percent)

The Rockies were reluctant to rely on Marco Scutaro everyday at shortstop with Troy Tulowitzki on the disabled list, especially with the 36-year-old floating in trade rumors, so they called up Rutledge from Double-A Tulsa last week. The 23-year-old has played well in a limited sample thus far, batting .300 (6-for-20) with two doubles, one triple, two stolen bases and an .848 OPS through six games. Rutledge was a .320/.374/.496 hitter over 211 minor league games and has flashed some speed and pop, so he's a strong buy in NL-only formats at the moment.

Logan Forsythe 2B/3B, Padres (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 1.1 percent)

Forsythe doesn't have a clear path to playing time at the moment, but he's doing his best to force Bud Black's hand. The 25-year-old has hit safely in seven out of his last eight games and while he was hitless in three-bats on Wednesday against the Padres, he did draw a pair of walks. Forsythe's patience is his best attribute, as he has compiled a .414 on-base percentage and 285/229 K/BB ratio over parts of five seasons in the minors. He's worth owning while he's swinging a hot bat, but he could be a nice find if the Padres end up trading Chase Headley before the deadline.

Chris Snyder C, Astros (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

Jason Castro was placed on the disabled list with what the Astros are calling right knee effusion. He's dealing with meniscus damage, but hopes to put off surgery until after the season. Snyder will be tasked with carrying the load behind the plate for now. The 31-year-old backstop is a .227 career hitter and is batting just .182 with 43 strikeouts in 137 at-bats this season, so there is some risk involved, but remember that he clubbed 15 home runs as recently as 2010 between the Diamondbacks and Pirates. Give him a flier in two-catcher formats.

Marwin Gonzalez SS, Astros (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0.1 percent)

Jed Lowrie's chance at a breakout season hit an unfortunate snag this week as he was diagnosed with a nerve issue in his leg and is expected to miss four to six weeks. Gonzalez, who was acquired from the Red Sox after being selected in December's Rule 5 Draft, should see most of the playing time at shortstop during his absence. The 23-year-old switch-hitter doesn't bring a lot to the table offensively, but he has a knack for making contact and could surprise by swiping a few bags. Let's bet honest, sometimes playing time is king in single-league universes, so he's worth a look if you're really hurting for a MI (middle infielder) option.

AL ONLY

Sam Fuld OF, Rays (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

The legend of Sam Fuld continues. When the 30-year-old outfielder underwent right wrist surgery in early April, the Rays weren't sure whether he would be able to contribute at all this season. However, he progressed well ahead of schedule and is currently on a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham. If all goes as planned, he should rejoin the Rays later this month. Remember that Fuld stole 20 bases in 105 games with the Rays last season, so his speed could give him some value in deeper leagues down the stretch, even in a reserve outfielder role.

Ryan Lavarnway UTIL, Red Sox (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

There have been a number of rumors in recent days that the Mets are targeting Kelly Shoppach in a possible trade, so those in AL-only leagues would be wise to secure his potential replacement. Lavarnway has struggled a bit this month, but still has a respectable .294/.383/.447 batting line to go along with eight homers and an .830 OPS in 74 games with Triple-A Pawtucket this season. The 24-year-old may end up as first baseman/DH-type in the long run, but his power makes him worth stashing.

Ben Francisco OF, Blue Jays (Yahoo: 0 percent owned, ESPN: 0 percent)

Francisco has been completely irrelevant in fantasy leagues this season, but Jose Bautista's wrist injury should pave the way for some additional playing time in the short-term. Top prospect outfielder Anthony Gose was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas this week and should start regularly against right-handed starting pitchers, but Francisco figures to see at-bats against southpaws. The 30-year-old has shown a bit of pop and speed in the past, so he makes sense if you need an outfielder and can make daily lineup changes.

Dan Straily SP, Athletics (Yahoo: N/A, ESPN: N/A)

These days, it's rare that a prospect comes out nowhere to surprise us. However, that's exactly what has happened with Straily in 2012. The 23-year-old right-hander wasn't included among the A's top 30 prospects by Baseball America coming into the season, yet he has a 2.64 ERA and a minor-league leading 162 strikeouts through 126 1/3 innings. This includes a microscopic 1.10 ERA and 54/10 K/BB ratio over 41 innings since being promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Sacramento. Pretty impressive for the Pacific Coast League. With a low-90s fastball, slider and changeup in his arsenal, Straily should get his first taste of the big leagues later this summer. Stash in keeper leagues and put him on your watch list in AL-only formats.

 

[HacheMan]

Gardner Grounded
Brett Gardner encountered yet another setback with his ailing right elbow over the weekend, but the Yankees were still holding out hope that he would be able to return at some point this season. Not anymore.

The Yankees announced Thursday night that Gardner will undergo surgery next week to remove inflamed tissue from the elbow and that he will likely miss the rest of the season. The surgery will be performed by Yankees team doctor Chris Ahmad.

Gardner injured the elbow when he made a sliding catch back on April 17. The speedy outfielder tried to come back multiple occasions, even going on a pair of rehab assignments, but each time he was shut down due to renewed discomfort. He tried to ramp things up again recently after receiving a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and a cortisone shot, but felt more pain after facing live pitching on Sunday. Surgery was deemed necessary following an MRI this week.

While news of the surgery is tough to take for anyone who drafted Gardner this spring and then stashed him on a DL-spot for the past three months, Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones have been surprisingly productive in his absence and should continue to get plenty of playing time moving forward. Unfortunately neither are all that relevant outside of AL-only and deeper mixed leagues. The Yankees could add an outfielder in the coming days, but it's unlikely to be a big name like Shane Victorino or Carlos Quentin.

No Set Number for Strasburg

The Nationals continue to say that Stephen Strasburg will be shut down at some point this season. It's really just a matter of when. The assumption until now has been that the Nats will likely limit him to around 160 innings, similar to what they did with Jordan Zimmermann last year in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. However, in an interview with ESPN on Wednesday, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said they have no set number in mind.

"There is no magic number," Rizzo told ESPN. "It will be the eye test. (Manager) Davey (Johnson) won't decide and ownership won't decide. It will be the general manager, and that's me."

Strasburg, who turns 24 on Friday, underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2010 and returned last season to log 44 1/3 innings between the majors and minors. He has an excellent 2.66 ERA and 135/29 K/BB ratio in 105 innings this season and hasn't shown any signs of wearing down yet.

The Nationals will enter Friday's action 3 1/2 games in front the Braves in the National League East and have an excellent chance to go to the postseason for the first time in their brief history in D.C., so criticism will surely follow if Strasburg is shut down in September and the team falters. Or even worse, if they shut him down and he gets hurt next spring. The encouraging part is that the Nationals are at least willing to say that Strasburg could possibly go higher than 160 innings, so perhaps fantasy owners will get a bit more out of him than originally expected on draft day.

Carp Goes Under the Knife

Chris Carpenter racked up 273 innings between the regular season and playoffs last year en route to the Cardinals' 11th World Series title, but he will not throw a pitch in the major leagues in 2012. After fighting through nerve issues in his neck and shoulder dating back to spring training, the 37-year-old right-hander underwent season-ending surgery Thursday in Dallas to correct his thoracic outlet syndrome.

Carpenter, who is in the first year of a two-year, $21 million extension, is expected to need two to three months of recovery time and the Cardinals believe that he "should be fully able to have a normal off-season in preparation for the 2013 season." There are pitchers like Jeremy Bonderman and Noah Lowry who were never the same after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery, but Matt Harrison and Alex Cobb also had the procedure and are doing just fine right now. Granted, Carpenter is much older than those last two examples, but they provide reason for cautious optimism just the same.

NL Quick Hits: ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that the Phillies are making a "major push" to sign Cole Hamels to a contract extension and are now willing to offer a six-year deal … R.A. Dickey allowed four runs -- three earned -- over 7 1/3 innings against the Nationals on Thursday to become the first National League pitcher to reach 13 victories … David Wright slugged two homers and drove in five runs Thursday against the Nationals … Brandon Phillips homered, doubled and drove in five runs Thursday in the Reds' comeback victory over the Diamondbacks … Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reports that the Dodgers have made the Cubs a trade proposal for Ryan Dempster … Ian Desmond (wrist) is expected to return to the Nationals' starting lineup Friday … Drew Storen (elbow) was activated from the disabled list Thursday and tossed a scoreless ninth inning against the Mets in a non-save situation … Rick Ankiel was designated for assignment Thursday to make room for Storen on the Nationals' roster … Jonathan Lucroy (hand) went 2-for-3 with a double Thursday in his first rehab game with Class A Wisconsin … Josh Collmenter will take the rotation spot of Trevor Bauer, who was demoted to Triple-A Reno on Wednesday … Edinson Volquez gave up just one-hit in a complete game shutout Thursday night against the Padres … Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Padres want to sign both Carlos Quentin and Huston Street to multi-year deals … Todd Helton (hip) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Friday with the Rockies' rookie league affiliate in Grand Junction … John Lannan will be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to start in Saturday's doubleheader against the Braves, but he can be ignored in fantasy leagues … Nationals prospect third baseman Anthony Rendon has begun playing rehab games after missing the first three and a half months of the season with a fractured left ankle …

AL Quick Hits: Robinson Cano went 1-for-4 in Thursday's loss against the Athletics and now has a 22-game hitting streak … David Price tossed seven shutout innings Wednesday against the Indians en route to becoming the first pitcher in the majors to reach 13 wins. He just eeked out Mets' right-hander R.A. Dickey, who notched his 13th win minutes later … Felix Hernandez limited the Royals to one run over eight innings Thursday and now holds a 2.82 ERA through 20 starts this year … Dustin Pedroia (thumb) went 1-for-4 with a run scored in his return from the disabled list Thursday … Kevin Youkilis didn't play Thursday due to left hamstring tightness and is considered day-to-day … Cody Ross clubbed a walkoff three-run home run off Addison Reed in Thursday's win over the White Sox, spoiling a brilliant start by Jose Quintana … Jesus Montero busted out of his slump by going 10-for-17 with a home run and eight RBI during a four-game series against the Royals this week … Matt Joyce sat out Thursday's game with general soreness and stiffness, but he could be back as soon as Friday … Chris Iannetta (wrist, forearm) is tentatively scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Salt Lake … Torii Hunter told the Los Angeles Times that the Angels are the only team he wants to play for and that "money will not be an issue" in negotiations … Vernon Wells is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Salt Lake … 49-year-old Jamie Moyer, who was released by the Blue Jays earlier this month, said Wednesday that he is not retired … Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports that Travis Snider has been summoned from Triple-A Las Vegas to join the Blue Jays in Boston on Friday, but it's not clear if he'll be activated …

 

[HacheMan]

Moving Parts Francisco Liriano has been utterly dominant over his past two starts, notching 25 strikeouts over 14 innings while allowing only eight hits. Since returning to the bullpen in late May, he has posted a 2.84 ERA and 77/28 K/BB ratio over 63 1/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .171 average.

His value may never be higher, which is why there's a good chance he won't make it through the next week in a Twins uniform. Minnesota is 12 games out in the Central and set to sell, and certainly there are plenty of contenders who could take an interest in the hottest pitcher in baseball.

Another two-start pitcher in position to potentially switch teams is Zack Greinke. He's set to return Tuesday after skipping a start, and with a hot trade market there's no guarantee he'll stick around in Milwaukee for his second start on Sunday, although it seems there's increased reluctance from buyers at this point.

Wandy Rodriguez and Clayton Richard are other two-start guys whose names have hovered on the trade market with the deadline approaching.

There's no telling whether the team acquiring any of these hurlers would keep them on regular rest, so their two-start statuses carry an asterisk.

Going Twice…

American League

Strong Plays

Felix Hernandez: NYY (Garcia), KC (Smith)
Jeremy Hellickson: @BAL (Chen), @LAA (Wilson)
Francisco Liriano: @CWS, CLE (Jimenez)
C.J. Wilson: KC (Chen), TB (Hellickson)
Hiroki Kuroda: @SEA (Millwood), BOS (Doubront)

Decent Plays

Roy Oswalt: BOS (Doubront), CWS
Bruce Chen: @LAA (Wilson), @SEA (Millwood)
Doug Fister: @CLE (Jimenez), @TOR (Cecil)
Justin Masterson: BAL (Hunter), @MIN (Deduno)
Ubaldo Jimenez: DET (Fister), @MIN (Liriano)
Tommy Hunter: @CLE (Masterson), OAK (Colon)
Wei-Yin Chen: TB (Hellickson), OAK (Blackley)

At Your Own Risk

Brett Cecil: OAK (Blackley), DET (Fister)
Kevin Millwood: NYY (Kuroda), KC (Chen)
Travis Blackley: @TOR (Cecil), @BAL (Chen)
Will Smith: @LAA (Williams), @SEA (Hernandez)
Felix Doubront: @TEX (Oswalt), @NYY (Kuroda)

National League

Strong Plays

Gio Gonzalez: @NYM (Dickey), @MIL (Greinke)
Jordan Zimmermann: @NYM (Young), @MIL (Wolf)
Adam Wainwright: LAD (Kershaw), @CHC (Samardzija)
Ryan Vogelsong: SD (Richard), LAD (Kershaw)
James McDonald: CHC (Maholm), @HOU (Harrell)
Roy Halladay: MIL (Wolf), @ATL (Minor)
R.A. Dickey: WAS (Gonzalez), @ARI (Saunders)
Zack Greinke: @PHI (Lee), WAS (Gonzalez)
Clayton Kershaw: @STL (Wainwright), @SF (Vogelsong)

Decent Plays

Joe Kelly: LAD, @CHC (Wood)
Clayton Richard: @SF (Vogelsong), @MIA (Johnson)
Erik Bedard: CHC (Samardzija), @HOU (Rodriguez)
Chris Young: WAS (Zimmermann), @ARI (Kennedy)
Josh Johnson: ATL (Minor), SD (Richard)
Wandy Rodriguez: CIN (Latos), PIT (Bedard)
Mat Latos: @HOU (Rodriguez), @COL (Pomeranz)
Jeff Samardzija: @PIT (Bedard), STL (Wainwright)
Ian Kennedy: COL (Guthrie), NYM (Young)
Joe Saunders: COL (Pomeranz), NYM (Dickey)

At Your Own Risk

Randy Wolf: @PHI (Halladay), WAS (Zimmermann)
Lucas Harrell: CIN (Leake), PIT (McDonald)
Drew Pomeranz: @ARI (Saunders), CIN (Latos)
Jeremy Guthrie: @ARI (Kennedy), CIN (Cueto)
Mike Minor: @MIA (Johnson), PHI (Halladay)
<!--RW-->
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, 7/26: Luis Mendoza @ SEA
The Royals righty continues to roll with five quality starts in his last six turns (and an impressive 31/9 K/BB to boot).

Thursday, 7/26: Jason Vargas vs. KC
If you're not interested in Mendoza, Vargas is a solid option in the same game. Over his past four starts, he has gone 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA, allowing only 22 hits in 29 2/3 innings.

Friday, 7/27: Scott Diamond vs. CLE
Diamond has picked up a win in three of his last four starts at Target Field and owns a 2.96 ERA on the season.

National League

Tuesday, 7/25: Edinson Volquez @ SF
The hard-throwing righty tossed a one-hitter in his last outing and matches up favorably against the Giants.

Friday, 7/27: Ben Sheets vs. PHI
Sheets was outstanding in his debut. He's worth a look at home against the Phils.

Total Games

American League

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

National League

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

Lefty/Righty Breakdowns

American League

BAL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CLE: 5 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CWS: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
DET: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
KC: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAA: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
OAK: 1 vs. RHP, 5 vs. LHP
SEA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 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: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
COL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
HOU: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAD: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
PHI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SD: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SF: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
STL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP

The Infirmary

You can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's Injury Page but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:

Robert Andino: Out until mid-August (shoulder)
Jason Hammel: Out until September (knee)
David Ortiz: Out indefinitely (heel)
Joey Votto: Out until mid-August (knee)
Gavin Floyd: Out indefinitely (elbow)
Drew Smyly: Out until late July (ribs)
Giancarlo Stanton: Out until mid-August (knee)
Chad Billingsley: Out until early August (elbow)
Matt Capps: Out indefinitely (shoulder)
Charlie Furbush: Out until early August (triceps)
Jose Bautista: Out until early August (wrist)

 

[HacheMan]

Prospects: Trade deadline is near

By Kevin Goldstein | Baseball Prospectus

Note: The top 12 fantasy prospects (players currently in the minor leagues) for 2012 are below. These rankings are a bit different from other prospect rankings; these are strictly for 2012 fantasy purposes. So not only do talent and recent performance play a role in the rankings, potential paths to the big leagues also factor in. All young players in the minors are eligible, including those in "prospect purgatory," those who have exceeded rookie status but are still young and unproven commodities.




<offer></offer>1. Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City Royals (Last week's rank: 1)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Omaha): 4-for-22 (.182), HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .319-28-76, 5 SB in 90 games
Update: A ho-hum week for one of, if not, the top offensive prospects in the game. Further complicating matters is the fact that the Royals don't really have a good reason to call him up at this time. A trade could change that, of course, as could the fact that the team might consider trying to generate a positive buzz from its increasingly hostile fan base.
What he can do: Myers has been ready for the big leagues on a talent level for a while, and he should be able to hit the ground running when the call finally arrives, given his ability to hit for both average and power and get on base with plenty of walks.



2. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego Padres (Last week's rank: 3)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Tucson): 8-for-19 (.421), HR, 5 RBIs, SB
Season totals: .319-21-72, 3 SB in 90 games
Update: There has been a lot of hand-wringing over the aforementioned Myers and Startling Marte (below) still being in the minors, but what about Gyorko? He just keeps on hitting while the Padres' offense remains last in runs scored. A trade of Chase Headley would give Gyorko a shot; otherwise, he'll have to wait, as second base is one of the few positions the Padres are actually getting a bit of offense from right now.
What he can do: Gyorko has done nothing but hit since signing as a second-round pick two years ago, and there's no reason to think that won't continue in the big leagues. He won't be the power source he has proven to be in the minors, and the ballpark in San Diego certainly won't help him, but he can hit.



3. Starling Marte, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (Last week's rank: 2)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Indianapolis): 4-for-22 (.182), 2 HR, 6 RBIs, SB
Season totals: .281-11-58, 19 SB in 92 games
Update: Speculation that Marte could get the call any day now continues to build steam, and all indications are the Pirates aren't willing to include him in trade talks. If they're not going to trade him, they might as well let him help the team shoot for their first winning record since Kriss Kross was on the charts with "Jump."
What he can do: Marte can hit, run and has a bit of power. He can help in every fantasy category and hurt you nowhere, but his aggressive approach at the plate could require him to make some adjustments at the big league level.



4. Dan Straily, SP, Oakland Athletics (Last week's rank: 11)





Last week's stats (at Triple-A Sacramento): 15 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 21 K's
Season totals: 6-6, 2.64 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 126 1/3 IP, 162 K's
Update: Straily continues to not only pitch well, but dominate every time out, including eight innings of two-hit ball Wednesday during a showdown with Danny Hultzen. The A's are in a fascinating position for the rest of the month, as they're trying to be both buyers and sellers, and the right move could give Straily a much-deserved big league look.
What he can do: The minor league leader in strikeouts, Straily might be a 24th-round pick who entered the season with little fanfare, but he's the real deal with his fastball command and control both rating as plus, and his changeup is turning into a big league out pitch.

5. Danny Hultzen, SP, Seattle Mariners (Last week's rank: 7)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Tacoma): 11 IP, 11 H, 3 R (2 ER), 5 BB, 15 K's
Season totals: 9-4, 1.74 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 98 1/3 IP, 109 K's
Update: Hultzen finally delivered his first good Triple-A start Wednesday, and he was outstanding before falling apart a bit in the sixth inning after surrendering a leadoff home run. The concern is that he has a tendency to pour gasoline onto fires, and while just one start isn't going to get him to the big leagues, he's still on pace to make his big league debut at some point in 2012, his first full season of pro ball.
What he can do: Hultzen is not a future star, but he's arguably the safest prospect in prospect land due to the deepness of his arsenal and his pitchability.


6. Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays (Last week's rank: 8)

Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 12-for-24 (.500), 4 HR, 10 RBIs
Season totals: .325-13-57, 4 SB in 61 games
Update: Snider remains red-hot at Las Vegas, but it was pretty clear where he stands with Toronto when the big league club needed at outfielder and called upon Anthony Gose instead. However, Brett Lawrie's injury gives Snider a shot to prove himself again. Snider will be called up later today, and the Blue Jays have indicated both he and Gose will get plenty of playing time until Jose Bautista returns from his wrist injury, and whichever one plays the best gets to stick around.
What he can do: Snider deserves another shot, but it's foolish to assume he'll do well after multiple failed big league stints. He could be one of the best second-half pickups, or remain a frustration, so he's for thrill-seekers only.


7. Brett Wallace, 3B/1B, Houston Astros (Last week: unranked)





Last week's stats (at Triple-A Oklahoma City): 12-for-26 (.462), HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .304-14-49 in 78 games
Update: He's hardly a prospect anymore, and he's on his fourth organization, but Wallace figures to be the biggest beneficiary of the Carlos Lee deal. He'll get regular at-bats during the second half of the season in what could be his final shot at proving he can be a full-time player in the big leagues.
What he can do: Wallace has not lived up to the expectations of a first-round pick, but he still has some believers who feel he can hit big league pitching. Nobody sees future stardom in him, but he could become an everyday player who can hold his own, which is really all the Astros need at this point.



8. Nick Castellanos, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers (Last week's rank: 12)





Last week's stats (at Double-A Erie): 4-for-21 (.192), 2 HR, 3 RBIs
Season totals: .360-9-50, 5 SB in 90 games
Update: What looked like a temporary move to right field has become permanent, or at least semipermanent, and there have been recent reports from Tigers management saying they feel his bat is close to big league-ready. Meanwhile, he just keeps raking as one of the youngest players at Double-A.
What he can do: Castellanos isn't going to come up unless he plays everyday. If he does, chances are good he'll hit immediately, at least for average, and his burgeoning power seems to become more of a reality with each passing week.



9. Matt Harvey, SP, New York Mets (Last week's rank: 4)





Last week's stats (at Triple-A Buffalo): 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 4 K's
Season totals: 7-4, 3.34 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 105 IP, 106 K's
Update: Mets GM Sandy Alderson ruled out Harvey coming up on Saturday to pitch, but at the same time, he made every indication that we should see Harvey in The Big Apple at some point this season. A more dominant start last time out might have made the decision more difficult, though he's likely one such outing away from getting the call.
What he can do: Harvey is already a better option than Miguel Batista, but the Mets are as focused on Harvey's development as much as his ability to help the team right now. That doesn't help your fantasy team, but it makes him more prepared to do so when the Mets do reach for him.

10. Josh Vitters, 3B, Chicago Cubs (Last week's rank: 9)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Iowa): 6-for-28 (.214), 3 RBIs
Season totals: .297-13-52, 2 SB in 94 games
Update: The Cubs likely will have plenty of roster upheaval over the next 10 days, and when the dust finally settles, don't be surprised to see Vitters get an extended look at the hot corner. He's keeping up his end of the bargain by having a career year at Triple-A, and it's not like the Cubs have all sorts of options at third base.
What he can do: The good news is that once Vitters is up, he'll get consistent playing time, barring a complete disaster. That will at least allow him to contribute in some of the "counting" categories (runs, RBIs), while he adjusts to major league pitching, and he could turn out to be a nifty find for keeper-league owners.



11. Johnny Giavotella, 2B, Royals (Last week: unranked)




Last week's stats (at Triple-A Omaha): 9-for-28 (.321), HR, 6 RBIs
Season totals: .325-9-44, 5 SB in 62 games
Update: Giavotella returns to this list, and once again, it's confusing as to why he's not in Kansas City. Sure, he's not the slickest defender in the world, but he's a better offensive player than both Yuniesky Betancourt and Chris Getz, and more importantly, he's a much bigger part of the team's future.
What he can do: He's not big, he's not "toolsy," and yes, the defensive deficiencies are real, but Giavotella consistently barrels up the ball and has a bit of power to boot. C'mon Royals, do the right thing.



12. Adeiny Hechavarria, SS, Blue Jays (Last week: unranked)





Last week's stats (at Triple-A Las Vegas): 9-for-31 (.290), 2 RBIs
Season totals: .315-6-60, 8 SB in 89 games
Update: The final spot in these rankings is usually reserved for a long shot, so bear with me here. In a trade deadline devoid of up-the-middle players, there is some talk of the Blue Jays, whose season has been torched by injuries, becoming sellers and playing "Price is Right" with Yunel Escobar. If that happens, Hechavarria, who has taken a huge step forward offensively in 2012, would be the new sheriff in town.
What he can do: Always known for his plus-plus defense, Hechavarria has altered his swing in order to be more direct to the ball. While he now projects as a .270-.280 hitter in the big leagues, there are big questions as to what he can do around that batting average, as he's not a power source or a base stealer.



Bonus round: Future save sources





Carter Capps, RHP, Mariners: A third-round pick last June, Capps is a 6-foot-5 beast with an upper-90s fastball that touches 100 mph and a solid slider, which has helped him rack up 65 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA in 46 innings at Double-A Jackson.
Bruce Rondon, RHP, Tigers: Rondon threw just four pitches in the Futures Game, and all of them were 101 mph or more. Suddenly throwing strikes for the first time in his career, he has reached Double-A with a 1.23 ERA and could see big league time by this time next year.
Yordano Ventura, RHP, Royals: The 21-year-old righty just moved to Double-A, and while he's been groomed as a starter, many scouts see him as a late-inning reliever because of his small frame and the effort in his delivery. Like Capps and Rondon, Ventura can touch 100 mph, and his breaking ball has improved dramatically this season.