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Hache Man · 07-15-07, 07:35 AM

AL Team-by-Team Notes
David Ortiz will likely admit now that he should have undergone knee surgery after last season. The torn meniscus is something he'll continue to play through, even though he could come back at 100 percent for the final 4-6 weeks if he underwent surgery now, and it's likely that he'll remain fairly productive. The 40-homer power isn't coming back until 2008, but he's making enough solid contact that he'll probably keep his average over .300 and he should drive in more runs if the Red Sox continue to go with J.D. Drew and Dustin Pedroia at the top of the lineup. View him as a top-20 player in trade talks.

American League Notes

Baltimore - Chris Ray has struck out eight in four hitless innings this month, giving him some additional job security. If he can finish July strong, it might increase the chances that the Orioles would move him, as they'd be more likely to get the kind of offer that would warrant consideration. Since he's not a free agent until after 2011, Ray may appeal to some teams even more than Brad Lidge, Eric Gagne or Akinori Otsuka. Colorado is one team that would love to have a young closer. It seems unlikely that anything will happen, but if it does, Paul Shuey might be the short-term favorite for saves, with Danys Baez an option later on. Also, Cory Doyne, who is closing at Triple-A Norfolk, could be this year's Tom Mastny. … Melvin Mora had to go on the DL Saturday because of the foot injury he originally sustained July 1. Chris Gomez and Aubrey Huff will share time at third base. That should mean more playing time against right-handers for Jay Gibbons, who has been losing too many at-bats to Jay Payton. Gomez can play short when Huff starts at third, but the Orioles are suddenly taking a liking to the defensive-minded Luis Hernandez there.

Boston - Ortiz isn't the only Red Sox batter with injury concerns. The thumb injuries suffered by Mike Lowell and Coco Crisp seem to be getting better, though Lowell is likely to continue to fade anyway. Kevin Youkilis remains clearly limited by a strained quad and might benefit from a DL stint, though he's unlikely to get one. J.D. Drew tweaked his hamstring again Friday and will miss another game Sunday. … The Red Sox got some good news Friday on Curt Schilling's shoulder. He could make a rehab start as soon as Saturday and knock Kason Gabbard or Julian Tavarez out of the rotation soon thereafter. … When the Red Sox called up Jacoby Ellsbury to fill in for Crisp, it seemed like a strong indication that they've soured on Wily Mo Pena. Pena needs more at-bats in order to contribute, and when the Red Sox had a rare chance to give him three or four straight starts, they chose to go in a different direction. It'd be no surprise to see Pena get moved for a right-handed setup man later this month. He won't bring back Lidge or Gagne, but maybe he could net Jon Rauch from the Nats.

Chicago - Scott Podsednik (ribs) and Darin Erstad (ankle) are both candidates to return this week, with Podsednik looking like the better bet. Jerry Owens figures to head back to the minors. The White Sox will probably continue to play both Podsednik and Erstad even if they trade Jermaine Dye and admit that they're out of contention. There's no big incentive to giving Andy Gonzalez or Owens at-bats. Taking another look at Brian Anderson would be a good idea, but he's out until at least mid-August with a wrist injury. Ryan Sweeney is the best choice to replace Dye, though he's also been a disappointment in 2007. Both Podsednik and Erstad will get all of the at-bats they want as long as they're healthy, even though the White Sox shouldn't be looking to bring either back in 2008. … If Tadahito Iguchi is dealt, the White Sox will likely turn second base over to Danny Richar, the 24-year-old they picked up from the Diamondbacks last month. Richar, a left-handed hitter, doesn't offer a lot of home run power or speed, but he could prove to be an adequate option as a second baseman against righties for a few years. The White Sox could start Alex Cintron or Gonzalez against lefties.

Cleveland - With David Dellucci out until late August or September and Trot Nixon resembling one of the game's worst players for a full two months now, the Indians might want to think about making acquiring a corner outfielder a priority. Jacque Jones would make sense, though the Cubs don't seem to be as eager to deal him as they were a couple of weeks ago. Dye is probably too costly, especially since the White Sox would drive a harder bargain to move him within the division. Reggie Sanders can still contribute and would come cheap after he returns from a hamstring injury. Kenny Lofton is another possibility in left. … The Indians are currently going with Franklin Gutierrez, Jason Michaels and Ben Francisco in left. It's Francisco getting most of the at-bats right now, but he's cooled off of late. Gutierrez might prove to be the top fantasy option. He's showed nice pop in limited action, and that he's the best of the group defensively helps his case for at-bats.

Detroit - Sean Casey is suddenly sporting pretty respectable numbers and Marcus Thames has stepped up as a legitimate candidate to start over Craig Monroe, so it no longer looks like there's much chance of the Tigers adding a regular in a trade. They still might want another bench bat, preferably a left-handed hitter. However, the team can concentrate primarily on adding bullpen help this month. … While Monroe still has a chance to drive in 80 runs for a third straight season, he's been just brutal against right-handers this season, hitting .185/.249/.312 in 205 at-bats. He posts lousy OBPs even when he's playing up to his ability, so the Tigers might as well limit him to duty against left-handed pitchers for now. If it happens, Thames, who would play left field against righties and first base over Casey versus lefties, would be worth adding in mixed leagues. He's up to 36 homers in 491 at-bats over the last two seasons.

Kansas City - With Mike Sweeney probably out until September after knee surgery, Billy Butler should be up for good. The Royals have tried him at first base this year after he failed to make as much progress as hoped in left field, but realistically, he needs to be the team's DH going forward. There's just not going to be any reason to go back to Sweeney during the final month of the season. Butler is a legitimate .300 hitter and he should be good for 20 homers as soon as next year. Sweeney is a goner at season's end, and he's the kind of player who should last until January or February as a free agent. … With Octavio Dotel a strong candidate to be traded, Zack Greinke is worth having stashed away in most formats. He'll be the favorite to close over Joakim Soria. … Sanders is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Monday, but the Royals shouldn't be looking to give him many at-bats. There's a good chance they'll trade him later this month.

Los Angeles - It was pretty impressive the way the Angels just went ahead and got rid of Shea Hillenbrand and Hector Carrasco. Most GMs would have worried about the salaries and forced their managers to continue to bury them as the 25th man or 12th pitcher. Carrasco probably has enough left to contribute to an NL team, and the Mets and Rockies are known to be interested. Hillenbrand will also find work, but it seems unlikely he'll make the Angels regret parting ways with him. … Howie Kendrick returned to the disabled list because of another broken finger, making Maicer Izturis the Angels' primary second baseman for at least the next two weeks. Brandon Wood will see occasional duty at third, putting Chone Figgins at second, but Izturis is the better option in AL-only leagues.

Minnesota - With no return for Rondell White in sight, the Twins are going to give Garrett Jones a chance to play regularly against right-handers. He'll hit the occasional homer, but he'll probably struggle to a .220-.240 average and a sub-.300 OBP. The Twins have been slow to address their needs, but they still figure to add a bat before the deadline. Whether it'll be a third baseman or an outfielder-DH type remains unclear. Mike Piazza would be a very nice fit, even if he wouldn't knock Nick Punto out of the lineup. They don't appear to be interested in Sammy Sosa. Edwin Encarnacion might not make as much of a difference as Piazza this year, but indications are that he's available and he could be a long-term third baseman for the Twins. … Matt Garza impressed in his first start of the year against the White Sox and is set to remain in the rotation over Kevin Slowey. It'd be tough to use him with the Tigers and Angels on the schedule this week, but he's a big-time sleeper in AL-only leagues for the rest of the season.

New York - With an easy schedule the rest of the month likely to improve their record, the chances of the Yankees being sellers at the trade deadline are quite slim. Instead, the Bombers will probably still go get themselves a first baseman. Hillenbrand remains a possibility, though he's about the worst choice out there. Scott Hatteberg and Kevin Millar will be available. Amazingly enough, Millar is hitting .286/.401/.468 and might be the best option out there. The Orioles typically don't like dealing with the Yankees, but if Andy MacPhail has as much authority as rumored in Baltimore, perhaps something could get done. … Phil Hughes (hamstring) was sharp in his latest rehab start, but the Yankees aren't going to bring him back to start in Saturday's doubleheader. Matt DeSalvo is expected to get the nod instead. It looks like Hughes will make two more rehab starts. If all goes well, he could replace Kei Igawa in the rotation after that. It's time to stash him away in any mixed leagues in which he was dropped.

Oakland - The A's are bringing Piazza (shoulder) back from the DL as a designated hitter, if they bring him back at all. The team was content with Jack Cust, though after having being held to three runs or fewer in nine straight games, perhaps they shouldn't be so quick to dismiss a future Hall of Famer with something left in the tank. Rumor has Piazza being shopped, with the Twins and Yankees the most logical suitors. The A's are set to be sellers, so I'm thinking a trade will get done. … Other possibilities to be dealt include Dan Johnson, Shannon Stewart, Mark Kotsay, Jason Kendall, Bobby Kielty, Alan Embree, Joe Kennedy and Kiko Calero. Maybe some team could bowl Billy Beane over with an offer for Joe Blanton, but it seems unlikely. Rich Harden also figures to stay with his trade value at an all-time low. Stewart, Kielty, Embree and Kennedy are the best bets to go. Daric Barton could come up if Johnson is dealt, but since there isn't a big market for first basemen right now, the A's might find they're better off keeping Johnson until the offseason.

Seattle - Kenji Johjima didn't seem to have much problem handling a heavy workload last year, as he hit five homers and drove in 18 runs in September. However, he's gotten progressively worse this season, with the Mariners continuing to give him an awful lot of playing time even though they've gotten a more-than-respectable performance from Jamie Burke. Despite having a few day-to-day injuries, Johjima has started 71 of the team's 88 games behind the plate, and by month, he's posted OPSs of 933, 827 and 704. He's at 544 so far in July even after his grand slam Saturday. Mixed leaguers may need to begin exploring alternatives. … Horacio Ramirez (shoulder) is set to rejoin the rotation Monday, but he can't be used in any format. Seattle added rotation insurance last week by signing Tomo Ohka to a minor league deal. If Mark Lowe (elbow) can come back strong to aid the pen, the Mariners might not need to acquire pitching help before the deadline. They've talked to the Marlins about Dontrelle Willis, but Willis would still be extremely costly and he just isn't throwing well enough to help an AL contender right now.

Tampa Bay - B.J. Upton's move to the outfield isn't necessarily permanent, but the Rays might find they're better off keeping him in center and moving Akinori Iwamura to second to make room for Evan Longoria next year. Rocco Baldelli could be pedaled or kept as a designated hitter. The latter might work out, since even though Baldelli is a worse hitter than Jonny Gomes, he could rebuild his trade value by turning in two or three healthy months. With Baldelli (hamstring) likely to miss at least another three weeks, it's Gomes who will get most of the time at DH over Greg Norton. Ty Wigginton is playing regularly at second base, though he's a strong candidate to be moved later this month. The Rays could give Jorge Cantu a last chance as a second baseman if Wigginton goes. Bill Mazeroski has nothing on Cantu, who has turned two double plays in his three innings at the position this year. … Al Reyes (shoulder) will be back Wednesday and should immediately resume closing over Gary Glover. Reyes remains a possibility to be traded, but with the questions about his shoulder and his ERA up to 4.09, he's not going to have quite as much value as it looked like he would a few weeks ago. With absolutely no one else they want closing games, the Rays will probably choose to keep him and pick up his option for 2008.

Texas - The Rangers have benched Brad Wilkerson the last two days with Mark Teixeira back. It's known that they're shopping Sosa, and Lofton should also be available, with the Brewers and Indians reportedly interested. If both get moved, the club would likely use Marlon Byrd in center and Wilkerson in right, with Jason Botts coming up to DH. Wilkerson could also break back into the lineup with a Teixeira trade, though a deal of that magnitude seems increasingly unlikely. Maybe Wilkerson, instead, will be moved. He doesn't seem to fit with whatever Ron Washington is trying to do, and he is a free agent at season's end. Whatever happens with the veterans, it looks like the Rangers are committed to giving Botts a shot, making him worth having stashed away in AL-only leagues. … Kevin Millwood is back looking like an option in mixed leagues, especially with his upcoming schedule. He'll get the A's and Royals on the road and the Mariners at home before the end of the month. … Akinori Otsuka (elbow) is expected to be available out of the pen in the series against Oakland. He last pitched July 1.

Toronto - Finally healthy, the Toronto lineup should take a big step forward in the second half, with guys like Aaron Hill and Gregg Zaun also likely to benefit from hitting with more runners on base and getting driven in with greater frequency. Hill's supposed breakthrough season has really been nothing more than a big April following by 2 ½ months of mediocrity. However, he is capable of another surge and he's still on pace for about 90 runs scored and RBI. Alex Rios has a realistic chance of reaching 110 runs scored and 100 RBI. … Left out for now are Matt Stairs and Adam Lind. Lind was a disappointment after a quick start, but Stairs has been as productive as anyone on the team on a per-at-bat basis. He's the best bet of all of the Jays to be involved in a deadline deal. The Tigers picked him up for the stretch run last season and could use him again. … Royce Clayton could also be available, though J.P. Ricciardi will need good luck finding a buyer there. The Jays are going with John McDonald as their primary shortstop, and Ray Olmedo would be at least as good of an option as Clayton to serve as a backup.

07-15-07, 07:35 AM	#250
Hache Man "Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak" Join Date: Aug 19, 2005 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 64,496	Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007 AL Team-by-Team Notes David Ortiz will likely admit now that he should have undergone knee surgery after last season. The torn meniscus is something he'll continue to play through, even though he could come back at 100 percent for the final 4-6 weeks if he underwent surgery now, and it's likely that he'll remain fairly productive. The 40-homer power isn't coming back until 2008, but he's making enough solid contact that he'll probably keep his average over .300 and he should drive in more runs if the Red Sox continue to go with J.D. Drew and Dustin Pedroia at the top of the lineup. View him as a top-20 player in trade talks. American League Notes Baltimore - Chris Ray has struck out eight in four hitless innings this month, giving him some additional job security. If he can finish July strong, it might increase the chances that the Orioles would move him, as they'd be more likely to get the kind of offer that would warrant consideration. Since he's not a free agent until after 2011, Ray may appeal to some teams even more than Brad Lidge, Eric Gagne or Akinori Otsuka. Colorado is one team that would love to have a young closer. It seems unlikely that anything will happen, but if it does, Paul Shuey might be the short-term favorite for saves, with Danys Baez an option later on. Also, Cory Doyne, who is closing at Triple-A Norfolk, could be this year's Tom Mastny. … Melvin Mora had to go on the DL Saturday because of the foot injury he originally sustained July 1. Chris Gomez and Aubrey Huff will share time at third base. That should mean more playing time against right-handers for Jay Gibbons, who has been losing too many at-bats to Jay Payton. Gomez can play short when Huff starts at third, but the Orioles are suddenly taking a liking to the defensive-minded Luis Hernandez there. Boston - Ortiz isn't the only Red Sox batter with injury concerns. The thumb injuries suffered by Mike Lowell and Coco Crisp seem to be getting better, though Lowell is likely to continue to fade anyway. Kevin Youkilis remains clearly limited by a strained quad and might benefit from a DL stint, though he's unlikely to get one. J.D. Drew tweaked his hamstring again Friday and will miss another game Sunday. … The Red Sox got some good news Friday on Curt Schilling's shoulder. He could make a rehab start as soon as Saturday and knock Kason Gabbard or Julian Tavarez out of the rotation soon thereafter. … When the Red Sox called up Jacoby Ellsbury to fill in for Crisp, it seemed like a strong indication that they've soured on Wily Mo Pena. Pena needs more at-bats in order to contribute, and when the Red Sox had a rare chance to give him three or four straight starts, they chose to go in a different direction. It'd be no surprise to see Pena get moved for a right-handed setup man later this month. He won't bring back Lidge or Gagne, but maybe he could net Jon Rauch from the Nats. Chicago - Scott Podsednik (ribs) and Darin Erstad (ankle) are both candidates to return this week, with Podsednik looking like the better bet. Jerry Owens figures to head back to the minors. The White Sox will probably continue to play both Podsednik and Erstad even if they trade Jermaine Dye and admit that they're out of contention. There's no big incentive to giving Andy Gonzalez or Owens at-bats. Taking another look at Brian Anderson would be a good idea, but he's out until at least mid-August with a wrist injury. Ryan Sweeney is the best choice to replace Dye, though he's also been a disappointment in 2007. Both Podsednik and Erstad will get all of the at-bats they want as long as they're healthy, even though the White Sox shouldn't be looking to bring either back in 2008. … If Tadahito Iguchi is dealt, the White Sox will likely turn second base over to Danny Richar, the 24-year-old they picked up from the Diamondbacks last month. Richar, a left-handed hitter, doesn't offer a lot of home run power or speed, but he could prove to be an adequate option as a second baseman against righties for a few years. The White Sox could start Alex Cintron or Gonzalez against lefties. Cleveland - With David Dellucci out until late August or September and Trot Nixon resembling one of the game's worst players for a full two months now, the Indians might want to think about making acquiring a corner outfielder a priority. Jacque Jones would make sense, though the Cubs don't seem to be as eager to deal him as they were a couple of weeks ago. Dye is probably too costly, especially since the White Sox would drive a harder bargain to move him within the division. Reggie Sanders can still contribute and would come cheap after he returns from a hamstring injury. Kenny Lofton is another possibility in left. … The Indians are currently going with Franklin Gutierrez, Jason Michaels and Ben Francisco in left. It's Francisco getting most of the at-bats right now, but he's cooled off of late. Gutierrez might prove to be the top fantasy option. He's showed nice pop in limited action, and that he's the best of the group defensively helps his case for at-bats. Detroit - Sean Casey is suddenly sporting pretty respectable numbers and Marcus Thames has stepped up as a legitimate candidate to start over Craig Monroe, so it no longer looks like there's much chance of the Tigers adding a regular in a trade. They still might want another bench bat, preferably a left-handed hitter. However, the team can concentrate primarily on adding bullpen help this month. … While Monroe still has a chance to drive in 80 runs for a third straight season, he's been just brutal against right-handers this season, hitting .185/.249/.312 in 205 at-bats. He posts lousy OBPs even when he's playing up to his ability, so the Tigers might as well limit him to duty against left-handed pitchers for now. If it happens, Thames, who would play left field against righties and first base over Casey versus lefties, would be worth adding in mixed leagues. He's up to 36 homers in 491 at-bats over the last two seasons. Kansas City - With Mike Sweeney probably out until September after knee surgery, Billy Butler should be up for good. The Royals have tried him at first base this year after he failed to make as much progress as hoped in left field, but realistically, he needs to be the team's DH going forward. There's just not going to be any reason to go back to Sweeney during the final month of the season. Butler is a legitimate .300 hitter and he should be good for 20 homers as soon as next year. Sweeney is a goner at season's end, and he's the kind of player who should last until January or February as a free agent. … With Octavio Dotel a strong candidate to be traded, Zack Greinke is worth having stashed away in most formats. He'll be the favorite to close over Joakim Soria. … Sanders is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Monday, but the Royals shouldn't be looking to give him many at-bats. There's a good chance they'll trade him later this month. Los Angeles - It was pretty impressive the way the Angels just went ahead and got rid of Shea Hillenbrand and Hector Carrasco. Most GMs would have worried about the salaries and forced their managers to continue to bury them as the 25th man or 12th pitcher. Carrasco probably has enough left to contribute to an NL team, and the Mets and Rockies are known to be interested. Hillenbrand will also find work, but it seems unlikely he'll make the Angels regret parting ways with him. … Howie Kendrick returned to the disabled list because of another broken finger, making Maicer Izturis the Angels' primary second baseman for at least the next two weeks. Brandon Wood will see occasional duty at third, putting Chone Figgins at second, but Izturis is the better option in AL-only leagues. Minnesota - With no return for Rondell White in sight, the Twins are going to give Garrett Jones a chance to play regularly against right-handers. He'll hit the occasional homer, but he'll probably struggle to a .220-.240 average and a sub-.300 OBP. The Twins have been slow to address their needs, but they still figure to add a bat before the deadline. Whether it'll be a third baseman or an outfielder-DH type remains unclear. Mike Piazza would be a very nice fit, even if he wouldn't knock Nick Punto out of the lineup. They don't appear to be interested in Sammy Sosa. Edwin Encarnacion might not make as much of a difference as Piazza this year, but indications are that he's available and he could be a long-term third baseman for the Twins. … Matt Garza impressed in his first start of the year against the White Sox and is set to remain in the rotation over Kevin Slowey. It'd be tough to use him with the Tigers and Angels on the schedule this week, but he's a big-time sleeper in AL-only leagues for the rest of the season. New York - With an easy schedule the rest of the month likely to improve their record, the chances of the Yankees being sellers at the trade deadline are quite slim. Instead, the Bombers will probably still go get themselves a first baseman. Hillenbrand remains a possibility, though he's about the worst choice out there. Scott Hatteberg and Kevin Millar will be available. Amazingly enough, Millar is hitting .286/.401/.468 and might be the best option out there. The Orioles typically don't like dealing with the Yankees, but if Andy MacPhail has as much authority as rumored in Baltimore, perhaps something could get done. … Phil Hughes (hamstring) was sharp in his latest rehab start, but the Yankees aren't going to bring him back to start in Saturday's doubleheader. Matt DeSalvo is expected to get the nod instead. It looks like Hughes will make two more rehab starts. If all goes well, he could replace Kei Igawa in the rotation after that. It's time to stash him away in any mixed leagues in which he was dropped. Oakland - The A's are bringing Piazza (shoulder) back from the DL as a designated hitter, if they bring him back at all. The team was content with Jack Cust, though after having being held to three runs or fewer in nine straight games, perhaps they shouldn't be so quick to dismiss a future Hall of Famer with something left in the tank. Rumor has Piazza being shopped, with the Twins and Yankees the most logical suitors. The A's are set to be sellers, so I'm thinking a trade will get done. … Other possibilities to be dealt include Dan Johnson, Shannon Stewart, Mark Kotsay, Jason Kendall, Bobby Kielty, Alan Embree, Joe Kennedy and Kiko Calero. Maybe some team could bowl Billy Beane over with an offer for Joe Blanton, but it seems unlikely. Rich Harden also figures to stay with his trade value at an all-time low. Stewart, Kielty, Embree and Kennedy are the best bets to go. Daric Barton could come up if Johnson is dealt, but since there isn't a big market for first basemen right now, the A's might find they're better off keeping Johnson until the offseason. Seattle - Kenji Johjima didn't seem to have much problem handling a heavy workload last year, as he hit five homers and drove in 18 runs in September. However, he's gotten progressively worse this season, with the Mariners continuing to give him an awful lot of playing time even though they've gotten a more-than-respectable performance from Jamie Burke. Despite having a few day-to-day injuries, Johjima has started 71 of the team's 88 games behind the plate, and by month, he's posted OPSs of 933, 827 and 704. He's at 544 so far in July even after his grand slam Saturday. Mixed leaguers may need to begin exploring alternatives. … Horacio Ramirez (shoulder) is set to rejoin the rotation Monday, but he can't be used in any format. Seattle added rotation insurance last week by signing Tomo Ohka to a minor league deal. If Mark Lowe (elbow) can come back strong to aid the pen, the Mariners might not need to acquire pitching help before the deadline. They've talked to the Marlins about Dontrelle Willis, but Willis would still be extremely costly and he just isn't throwing well enough to help an AL contender right now. Tampa Bay - B.J. Upton's move to the outfield isn't necessarily permanent, but the Rays might find they're better off keeping him in center and moving Akinori Iwamura to second to make room for Evan Longoria next year. Rocco Baldelli could be pedaled or kept as a designated hitter. The latter might work out, since even though Baldelli is a worse hitter than Jonny Gomes, he could rebuild his trade value by turning in two or three healthy months. With Baldelli (hamstring) likely to miss at least another three weeks, it's Gomes who will get most of the time at DH over Greg Norton. Ty Wigginton is playing regularly at second base, though he's a strong candidate to be moved later this month. The Rays could give Jorge Cantu a last chance as a second baseman if Wigginton goes. Bill Mazeroski has nothing on Cantu, who has turned two double plays in his three innings at the position this year. … Al Reyes (shoulder) will be back Wednesday and should immediately resume closing over Gary Glover. Reyes remains a possibility to be traded, but with the questions about his shoulder and his ERA up to 4.09, he's not going to have quite as much value as it looked like he would a few weeks ago. With absolutely no one else they want closing games, the Rays will probably choose to keep him and pick up his option for 2008. Texas - The Rangers have benched Brad Wilkerson the last two days with Mark Teixeira back. It's known that they're shopping Sosa, and Lofton should also be available, with the Brewers and Indians reportedly interested. If both get moved, the club would likely use Marlon Byrd in center and Wilkerson in right, with Jason Botts coming up to DH. Wilkerson could also break back into the lineup with a Teixeira trade, though a deal of that magnitude seems increasingly unlikely. Maybe Wilkerson, instead, will be moved. He doesn't seem to fit with whatever Ron Washington is trying to do, and he is a free agent at season's end. Whatever happens with the veterans, it looks like the Rangers are committed to giving Botts a shot, making him worth having stashed away in AL-only leagues. … Kevin Millwood is back looking like an option in mixed leagues, especially with his upcoming schedule. He'll get the A's and Royals on the road and the Mariners at home before the end of the month. … Akinori Otsuka (elbow) is expected to be available out of the pen in the series against Oakland. He last pitched July 1. Toronto - Finally healthy, the Toronto lineup should take a big step forward in the second half, with guys like Aaron Hill and Gregg Zaun also likely to benefit from hitting with more runners on base and getting driven in with greater frequency. Hill's supposed breakthrough season has really been nothing more than a big April following by 2 ½ months of mediocrity. However, he is capable of another surge and he's still on pace for about 90 runs scored and RBI. Alex Rios has a realistic chance of reaching 110 runs scored and 100 RBI. … Left out for now are Matt Stairs and Adam Lind. Lind was a disappointment after a quick start, but Stairs has been as productive as anyone on the team on a per-at-bat basis. He's the best bet of all of the Jays to be involved in a deadline deal. The Tigers picked him up for the stretch run last season and could use him again. … Royce Clayton could also be available, though J.P. Ricciardi will need good luck finding a buyer there. The Jays are going with John McDonald as their primary shortstop, and Ray Olmedo would be at least as good of an option as Clayton to serve as a backup.