Fantasy Baseball News 2007

[Hache Man]

More Magic From Wandy?
Welcome back from the All-Star break! It was painful to not check fantasy stats for three days, wasn't it?

Before we get to the waiver pickups, we should probably get on the same page about the dollar values I use in this column. Here's how I do it: I assume a $100 budget to spend on free agents all season long. So when I say Julio Lugo is worth $12, I'm recommending you spend 12% of your budget on him if he's on your AL-only waiver wire. I think the steals are worth that. If you actually operate under this free agent budget situation, you'll have to dole it out carefully to only a handful of much-needed players all year long.

Many of you couldn't care less about dollar amounts, because you don't bid to make your pickups. I'm with you; I actually prefer it that way. In that case the dollar values are still useful to gauge how valuable I think these free agents are relative to one another. The values also hint at whether the player is worthy of a high priority waiver spot. If I put Tim Lincecum at $55 in NL-only, then yeah, I'd use a #1 pick on him.

One other note – I definitely appreciate all the email I receive from you guys and gals. I read them all, even the negative ones. It's very cool to me to reach a wide audience. I used to try to reply to every email but now it would probably take me two hours a day. I get a lot of fantasy advice questions that I just can't tackle in a reasonable amount of time. Occasionally I am able to shoot a reply to the less elaborate questions. Otherwise I'll just note what you consider hot topics and try to cover those here or on my blog.

American League

Julio Lugo, SS, BOS – After hitting rock bottom, Lugo finally started to show some signs of life in July. It wouldn't be a total shock to see Lugo hit around .280 from here on out and steal another 20 bags. Unfortunately, he probably won't be sniffing the leadoff spot again. AL: $12, Mixed: $1.

Joe Saunders, SP, LAA – There are rumblings that Saunders could replace Ervin Santana in the Halos' rotation. He's shown excellent command in Triple A with a 3.4 K/BB ratio, but he's been very hittable (almost ten hits per nine innings). That level of command has not translated to the bigs yet and he might top out as a #4 starter. He could be worth spotting in here and there but don't be fooled by this year's pretty 2.92 big league ERA. AL: $4, Mixed: No.

Garrett Jones, DH, MIN – Jones is a 26-year-old, 245 lb. first baseman. He's not really a prospect at this point, but he does have decent power. He doesn't draw walks, so his game is one-dimensional. Jones seems to have overcome his problems hitting lefties; he's on his third season at Triple A. Ron Gardenhire's goal is to give him some looks in the DH spot until the Twins acquire someone better. AL-only players could gamble a buck on his OK power. AL: $1, Mixed: No.

Matt Garza, SP, MIN – Back on June 29th, I pegged Garza at $3 as he didn't have a rotation spot at the time. Now he's got eight scoreless innings under his belt and he does have a spot. I think he'll be more helpful to the Twins than your fantasy team. I'm not expecting much better than a 4.50 ERA, which could still be useful in AL-only. I think last year's prospect hype might be causing some people to overdo it. AL: $8, Mixed: No.

Adam Jones, OF, SEA – There was a false alarm on Wednesday, as some reports had Jones getting the call and taking over right field for the Mariners on Thursday. Now word is that it will happen "soon." OK. Jones is a young stud in the Carlos Beltran/Vernon Wells mold, and it will be a joy to watch him and Ichiro chasing down flies. Just remember that the kid hasn't yet reached his 22nd birthday. He's got power, speed, and defense, but strikes out plenty. I am looking for a .250 average, maybe 12 home runs, and not too many steals until he learns the league. AL: $10, Mixed: No.

Jonny Gomes, OF, TBA – I have long been a Gomes fan, tantalized when he hit 21 HR in 348 at-bats as a rookie. After a lost 2006 that ended in shoulder surgery, Gomes seems fully recovered. He's back on that 30 HR pace (if he were to amass 550 at-bats that is). He's playing every day now after an earlier minor league stint this year. Gomes has hit .333/.370/.679 with 7 HR in 84 at-bats since June began, so pick him up already! Seriously, stop reading this and snag him. AL: $20, Mixed: $8.

National League

Rafael Soriano, RP, ATL – It's been an odd year for Soriano, and his 2.79 ERA and 0.83 WHIP don't tell the whole story. Basically he was untouchable in May but that was between a mediocre April and June. His strikeouts are lower than we're used to, and he's been a tad homer-prone. However, his control has been very good, back to his 2003 level. While Soriano may be inconsistent, Bob Wickman is simply bad. This is a closer turnover waiting to happen, so be on the ball. NL: $16, Mixed: $10.

Geovany Soto, C, CHN – Soto will join the Cubs as their third catcher today. He's having a breakout season of sorts, hitting .341/.412/.584 in 226 Triple A at-bats. Keep in mind, though, that that was his third shot at the level. Catchers are often late bloomers, so Soto may yet carve out a career as the Cubs' regular catcher. However, I think it would be overly optimistic to expect him to rake in his first extended big league trial. NL: $10, Mixed: $1.

Chris Burke, OF, HOU – Here's a little Chris Burke history for you:

October 2006: Surgery to repair torn labrum.
December 2006: Willy Taveras traded to Rockies, opening up full-time center fielder job for Burke.
April 26, 2007: Despite struggling defensively, Burke gets vote of confidence from GM Tim Purpura.
April 27: Purpura calls up Hunter Pence, who replaces Burke in center.
May 10: Burke gets his first start since Pence's recall and homers.
May 11: Burke is demoted to Triple A, ponders possibility of a trade.
May 12-June 2: Posts a .670 OPS in Triple A.
June 3: Recalled to Majors.

It was a confusing chain of events to be sure. Burke hasn't hit much since his return save his last two games against the Mets. Purpura is now talking about giving Burke another shot as the second baseman, with Craig Biggio's milestone out of the way. As a regular Burke would offer some steals and maybe a few homers. NL: $7, Mixed: No.

Wandy Rodriguez, SP, HOU – Rodriguez boasts strong peripherals and quietly has the tenth-best WHIP among starters in the National League. He's upped his strikeout rate while slicing his walk rate and hasn't been scored upon since June 26th. Wandy's ERA had been lagging behind his other stats until those last two scoreless starts. He's been consistent with his newfound command this year, and is worth owning in normal-sized mixed leagues for the strikeouts and WHIP. He will have a five-run stinker here or there, so you have to be in it for the long haul. NL: $22, Mixed: $10.

Lastings Milledge, OF, NYN – A constant theme throughout Milledge's young career has been controversy. From spiking John Schuerholz's son to high-fiving fans to the profane rap song, he's consistently made headlines for the wrong reasons. None of that matters in fantasy baseball, though, and he hasn't had attitude problems this year to the best of my knowledge. He remains a .290-hitting, 20/20 bat at age 22. He'll have to hit the ground running to overtake Shawn Green once Moises Alou returns. NL: $15, Mixed: $3.

Tom Gordon, RP, PHI – Flash is rehabbing his sore shoulder, and all was going well until he got tattooed by rookie ball hitters on Wednesday. He's further along than Brett Myers, but I wouldn't count on Gordon for too many more saves this year. NL: $10, Mixed: $1.

Shane Youman, SP, PIT – With Zach Duke on the shelf, Youman gets to stay in the Pirates' rotation. Both his starts this year have been solid, but the southpaw was very hittable in Triple A before that. He's a bad choice in any league. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Kip Wells, SP, STL – After the Kipper tossed 11 sparkling innings in relief, Tony La Russa decided to move him back into the rotation. The move could be short-lived as Chris Carpenter is just a couple of weeks away. Unless Wells solves his persistent control problem, you can ignore him in all but the deepest NL-only leagues. NL: $1, Mixed: No.

Tim Redding, SP, WAS – Redding, the quintessential replacement level pitcher, could stick in the Nats' rotation until Micah Bowie returns. I can't decide which pitcher excites me more. Note: that was sarcasm. Neither have any business on any fantasy roster. NL: No, Mixed: No.

[Hache Man]

ARod, Posada Eye Free Agency
One day after Alex Rodriguez indicated that he won't negotiate a contract extension during the season and plans to test free agency, the Yankees reportedly told him that they have no plans to bid for him on the open market. If both sides live up to their word, that would seemingly mean that Rodriguez's time with the Yankees will come to an end after this season. Of course, Rodriguez has until November 10 to opt out of his deal and plenty can change before then.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have reportedly approached both Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada about extending their contract before free agency hits this offseason. Rivera indicated that he'd be willing to negotiate now, but Posada followed in Rodriguez's footsteps by saying that he plans to test free agency. "I want to wait," Posada said. "I've never experienced free agency. I'm looking forward to it. First time ever. Probably the only time ever. I want to see what it's all about."

While we all prepare for the various newspapers in New York to publish several billion articles about the contract status of Rodriguez, Posada, and Rivera between now and October, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* After saying earlier this week that he'd likely need offseason knee surgery, David Ortiz revealed Thursday that he's been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee since the middle of last season. "It wasn't anything major," Ortiz said. "I just kept playing through it last year. This year, it's been bothering me more than it used to." If Ortiz knew about the injury last year, it seems odd that he didn't choose to undergo what is a relatively minor surgery to fix it during the offseason.

Despite the ongoing knee problems, Ortiz went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs Thursday. Much has been made of his decline in power because Ortiz is on pace for just 27 homers after going deep 54, 47, and 41 times over the previous three seasons. However, he's now hitting .319 with a .997 OPS that ranks fourth in the AL behind only Alex Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, and Carlos Pena (and ahead of Gary Sheffield, Vladimir Guerrero, and Justin Morneau).

* Josh Hamilton was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a sprained right wrist that he suffered Saturday. With Hamilton out, Ryan Freel figures to take over as the Reds' everyday center fielder. Freel started in his place Thursday and went 0-for-4, dropping his batting average to a career-low .252 while in the midst of an 89-plate appearance stretch that has seen him draw a grand total of one walk.

Regardless of how well he hits, Freel's excellent stolen-base ability will guarantee that he has tons of fantasy value while playing every day. Beyond that, his starting in center field should keep manager Pete Mackanin from benching Edwin Encarnacion at third base. Demoted to Triple-A in early May, Encarnacion has hit .297 with an .825 OPS in 42 games since returning. Despite that, he's been on the bench for three of the past 15 games.

* I'm still celebrating the Mets' decision to hire Rickey Henderson as their new hitting coach, but they ruined some of my buzz by designating 48-year-old Julio Franco for assignment a few hours later. As fun as it'll be to have Henderson around for daily quotes and stories in the second half, it would have been even better if he was being employed to help Franco with his swing. Instead, Franco will attempt to find another team with which to pursue his goal of playing as a 50-year-old.

While I'd like to spend another 1,000 words discussing the Henderson-Franco stuff, the team's real fantasy news from Thursday is that the Mets recalled Lastings Milledge from Triple-A. With Moises Alou. Carlos Gomez, and Endy Chavez all on the disabled list, Milledge will take over as the everyday left fielder after hitting .342 with four homers and six steals in 19 minor-league games. If he plays well or Alou has a setback, he may keep the job for the next decade or so.

* Originally thought to be headed to the disabled list with a knee injury, Aaron Hill was instead in the Blue Jays' lineup Thursday, going 2-for-4 against the Red Sox. Toronto also got Lyle Overbay back from the DL and Troy Glaus returned as well after sitting out since the Fourth of July with ongoing foot problems. Glaus will resume starting over John McDonald at third base, while Overbay's return sent Curtis Thigpen back to the minors and could lessen Matt Stairs' at-bats.

AL Quick Hits: After numerous setbacks, the Devil Rays are finally expected to activate B.J. Upton (quadriceps) from the disabled list Friday … After aggravating his foot injury Thursday, Melvin Mora is scheduled for an MRI and CT scan … Eyeing a mid-August return, Joel Zumaya (finger) began his throwing program by playing catch Thursday … As expected, the A's placed Rich Harden (shoulder) back on the shelf Thursday, with a month-long absence likely the best-case scenario … Eligible to return next week, Al Reyes (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Thursday … Placido Polanco (strained lat) played in the All-Star game, but was held out of Thursday's lineup … Taking the mound for the first time since June 18, Curt Schilling (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday and said that he expects to return before August … Initially expected to miss 6-8 weeks, Mike Napoli (ankle) now hopes to return Tuesday … One of Daily Dose's "sell-high" picks, Jeremy Guthrie began the second half Thursday with his worst start of the season.

NL Quick Hits: Activated from the disabled list Thursday, Brad Lidge (oblique) figures to take over ninth-inning duties from Dan Wheeler immediately … Out since June 15, Jim Edmonds (back) said Thursday that he's hoping to come off the DL within 7-10 days … Making a minor-league rehab appearance Wednesday in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Tom Gordon (shoulder) coughed up five runs while recording one out … X-rays on Jose Valentin's hand were negative after he reportedly injured it over the All-Star break while trying to break up a fight in Puerto Rico … Not only did Orlando Hernandez pick up a victory Thursday, the 41-year-old stole his second career base following a second-inning single … After throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, Eddie Guardado (elbow) said that he's ready to come off the DL … Pending free agent Eric Byrnes said Thursday that he'd give the Diamondbacks a "discount" to remain in Arizona, but also mentioned the five-year deals signed by J.D. Drew ($70 million), Gary Matthews Jr. ($50 million), and Juan Pierre ($44 million) as the type of contract that he's likely looking for.

[Hache Man]

Bullpen Report: Week 15
Several readers have written in asking about Kerry Wood. Do yourselves a favor and spend your time thinking about someone else. Wood has ranged from being a disappointment to a disaster over the last four seasons. If his name wasn't Kerry Wood, he'd have already been written off by most fantasy owners. Instead, the right-hander gets chance after chance, but in the end never fails to under perform his acquisition price.

Maybe everything will come together for Wood as a reliever, but at this point in his career I'm not wasting any resources on the former star until he shows some extended health and productivity. I fully suspect Wood will return, strike out a couple of guys, and then get picked up in quite a few leagues as owners chase a big name. If there were a stock market that allowed the shorting of players, that'd be a great time to strike.

Even if Wood were able to return and look like a capable option, what incentive would the Cubs have to try him in the closer's role? If the team is in a playoff push, there's no point in swapping out a productive Ryan Dempster for a consistently unreliable option such as Wood. If the club is out of it, the team would be better served looking at younger options like Carlos Marmol or Angel Guzman, especially with Wood a free agent at season's end. There simply isn't a plausible scenario where Wood has much value this year, and that's if he beats the odds and looks healthy.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, Co-Closer or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Locked In)

Key setup men: Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon, Doug Slaten

Valverde appeared in two games this week, throwing a scoreless inning in a non-save situation in the first and then giving a run and taking a loss in the second. In that second outing, Valverde walked a pair of Reds in the bottom of the 11th inning before giving up a game-winning single to Scott Hatteberg.

It'd be a gutsy move if they're still in a playoff race and with Valverde requiring two more years of service time before he hits free agency, but the Diamondbacks would be well advised to at least listen to offers on the right-hander. With a closer in waiting in Tony Pena and Valverde's value at its peak, the team could see if any organization is willing to blow them away with an offer.

However, that there will be attractive alternatives on the market lessens the chance of a deal and teams have been less willing to part with top prospects in mid-season trades recently. On the flip side, general manager Josh Byrnes is creative and that Valverde can be spun to general managers, fans, and ownership alike as something other than a rental will help. The odds are very much against something happening, but I suspect some phone calls will take place. I'd go as far to use a bench spot on Tony Pena in shallow leagues for the next two weeks in case something happens.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Shaky)

Key setup men: Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Wilfredo Ledezma

Wickman is still a solid 16-for-20 in save opportunities, but he had another scare on Sunday that fantasy owners weren't too happy about. The right-hander entered with a four-run lead in the ninth, but gave up five hits and three runs before finally ending the rally. Wickman did strike out three batters in the inning, but it was a non-save situation and owners would surely prefer he not harm their ratios so much. That Wickman has given up at least one run in three of his last five outings is discouraging, but he's still not going to lose his job just yet. A few more rough outings might do the trick, but he's the favorite to be closing for the Braves come September.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (Shaky)

Key setup men: Paul Shuey, Chad Bradford, Danys Baez, Jamie Walker

Ray appeared in just one game this week, striking out two in a scoreless bottom of the eighth in a one-run game against the Rangers. The Orioles were down at the time, but Ray hadn't pitched in five days and the All-Star break was the following day, so there was little reason not to use him. It's too early to say that Ray is back, but he has struck out five without allowing a baserunner since Shuey was given a save opportunity last week. I still recommend buying-low.

However, should Ray begin to struggle again, the setup situation is unclear. Shuey was the option a week ago, but he's given up four runs over his last two appearances. Baez just returned from the disabled list, but he was working in middle relief before the injury and probably has to prove himself in low leverage situations first. That means Shuey is still probably the backup option, but that could change in a very short amount of time.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Hideki Okajima, Brendan Donnelly (DL), Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen

In one of the better games of the season, Papelbon took a loss after serving up the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning against the Tigers on Saturday. Okajima entered the All-Star break with an usual feat – his ERA was equal to his WHIP at an astounding 0.83. That performance got Okajima named to the All-Star team as the fan's selection, but he didn't appear in the game. Not using Albert Pujols in the ninth was certainly the bigger blunder, but if winning wasn't the first priority (and even if it was) then making the fans feel as if their votes mattered by using Okajima would have been a good idea.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (DL), Bob Howry (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Angel Guzman (DL), Carlos Marmol, Mike Wuertz, Kerry Wood (DL)

Discomfort in his injured oblique caused Dempster to shut down a bullpen session on Friday. As a result, it was announced on Sunday that the right-hander wouldn't be able to come off the disabled list this Friday as originally hoped. It's probably only going to set Dempster back a week or less, but oblique injuries can be tricky and if the injury continued to be a nuisance it'd be far from surprising. Howry will continue to close for now and is worth keeping in all lineups for next week.

Guzman is recovering from a strained ligament and looked good in his first inning of work since returning. He's still at least two weeks away, however, and he'll be ranked behind several of the team's current relievers at least initially. That said, if the Cubs look to another closer later in the season, Guzman might still be the choice even with Marmol pitching so well. Both are worth owning.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Locked In)

Key setup men: Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal (DL), Boone Logan

Jenks pitched in two games and picked up a save despite allowing a run this week. Unfortunately for his save totals, the rest of the bullpen remains a train wreck. David Aardsma got demoted again, MacDougal is on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, and even Thornton gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innings this past week. Outside of the Thornton, the club lacks any other remotely dependable option. The Devil Rays are the only AL team with a worse set of middle relievers right now.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Secure)

Key setup men: Eddie Guardado (DL), Jon Coutlangus, Mike Stanton, Jared Burton

Weathers picked up a pair of saves with two scoreless innings to start his week, then gave up two runs against the Diamondbacks to blow a save opportunity. The two runs came on a pair of singles and a double with two outs in the ninth, tying the score at 3-3. Weathers pitched out of the jam then, and the Reds did win the game in 11 innings. It's not something that should affect his status as closer.

Guardado, continuing to make his return from Tommy John surgery, threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Saturday and complained of no problems. He'll likely resume pitching in the minors this week, then rejoin the big club just before the end of the month. To make sure I sound like a broken record, I don't believe he's going to have value any time soon.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Secure)

Key setup men: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Tom Mastny

Borowski finished a 9-4 game against the Tigers with a scoreless inning of work in his only appearance this week. He's given up just one run in his last 7 2/3 innings pitched, and continued excellence might mean the Indians are comfortable sticking with the right-hander in the ninth. However, it's much more likely that Borowski struggles and the club attempts to bring in a better alternative.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Manny Corpas (Shaky)

Key setup men: Brian Fuentes, Jorge Julio, LaTroy Hawkins,

Fuentes pulled out of the All-Star game with a strained muscle in his left side, and didn't pitch in a game before or after the break this week. Corpas struck out the side in his first save of the season this past week, and he also picked up a win with another scoreless inning of work. He'll do a very solid job filling in for Fuentes, and it's likely that the situation will remain as is for at least a week or two.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya (DL), Fernando Rodney (DL), Jose Capellan, Macay McBride

Jones struggled in late June and his overall ERA is still above 5.00, but the veteran right-hander has been much better since a vote of confidence from management. Jones has thrown six scoreless innings since the announcement, picking up four saves in the process. He remains secure in his role as closer.

Capellan hasn't been anything special with the Tigers, but he is showing the stuff and strikeout rate required of prototypical closers. He could be next in line at the moment, but Rodney is expected back within 10 days.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Kevin Gregg (Secure)

Key setup men: Armando Benitez, Henry Owens (DL), Matt Lindstrom

Gregg picked up a couple of saves with two scoreless innings this week, though he did make things interesting by walking the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning of a one-run game against the Dodgers. Benitez returned from a sore back to throw three scoreless innings since, but he struggled with his command and remains firmly behind Gregg on the team's depth chart.

Houston Astros

Closer: Brad Lidge (Shaky)

Key setup men: Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, David Borkowski

Lidge threw a scoreless inning for Double-A Corpus Christi in his first rehab appearance on Wednesday, then was activated from the disabled list on Thursday. The oblique injury that sidelined him for a month isn't supposed to be an issue going forward, though I'm somewhat skeptical. Lidge should move into the closer's role right away. If he looks healthy and produces as a closer like he did as a middle reliever earlier in the year, Lidge is a very good bet to be dealt within the next two weeks. Wheeler will work the eighth for now, then take over should Lidge get traded or return to the disabled list.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (Secure)

Key setup men: Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria, Joel Peralta, David Riske

Dotel blew a one-run lead against the Devil Rays on Saturday thanks to an unearned run, but the right-hander picked up a win when the Royals won it in the bottom of the ninth. Greinke pitched twice this week, throwing a scoreless inning in his first outing then giving up two runs in a blowout win in the second. He remains ahead of Soria on the depth chart for when Dotel is dealt or injured.

However, Soria is already putting pressure on Greinke to perform by having thrown 14 straight scoreless innings since returning from shoulder inflammation. Since Soria could also be a long-term option in the ninth and the club may decide to eventually move Greinke back to the rotation, a change in direction is quite possible.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier (DL), Dustin Moseley, Darren Oliver

K-Rod gave up one run this week in three innings of work in non-save situations. He did pick up a win for his efforts. Shields hasn't given up a run since May 20.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Yhency Brazoban (DL), Chin-Hui Tsao, Rudy Seanez

Saito appeared in just one game this week, blowing a one-run lead in the ninth after Miguel Cabrera doubled in Dan Uggla with one out. Broxton gave up 12 runs in a six-game stretch from late May to early June, but he's rebounded with 14 2/3 scoreless innings since.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva, Yovani Gallardo

Cordero threw two-thirds of an inning in his only appearance this week, but he wasn't credited with a save since it was a four-run game and he entered with nobody on base. Gallardo would be the best setup man to own in keeper leagues if the move was permanent, but he's only here because the club knows he's too good to be pitching in Triple-A right now. He'll help the club in middle relief until there's a spot open in the rotation. Turnbow, who has pitched better since some May struggles, is next in line.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Pat Neshek, Juan Rincon, Matt Guerrier

The biggest news out of Minnesota this week was when manager Ron Gardenhire stated that he thought Neshek "had the mentality" to be a closer at some point. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but if Gardenhire is thinking of Neshek in terms of a future closer than so should you. I had Neshek pegged for an eighth inning role for years to come, pairing off with a left-handed counterpart for platoon situations. However, Neshek hasn't been bad against southpaws and his overall numbers are ridiculous, so it'd be a fine move as far as I'm concerned.

The statement is enough to move Neshek ahead of Rincon on the depth chart, in part because the veteran has struggled with consistency issues this season. With Nathan a free agent after the 2008 season, there's a good chance Neshek will take over in the spring of 2009. With Johan Santana also a free agent after 2008 and the rest of the team's core getting more expensive, a big salaried player is likely going to have to leave to offset the increase. That someone could be Torii Hunter this off-season and/or Nathan next winter, meaning Neshek's value just took a huge jump in keeper leagues.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano

While some New York talk radio hosts complain about Heilman's production, he's hardly been a problem at all. His ERA is right around where it was in 2006 and he's still logging plenty of innings. That he's not an elite setup man may disappoint some after an excellent 2005 campaign, but he's still doing a solid job as an eighth inning man and he'd qualify as an upgrade for many teams. Any critique of why the Mets are "only" 2 ½ games up in the NL East should start and stop with an offense that is 10th in the NL and has been outscored by the Marlins, Astros, Royals, and Devil Rays.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth, Luis Vizcaino, Brian Bruney

Rivera appeared in two games this week, giving up one run over three innings to pick up a save. The future Hall of Famer still has just 11 saves on the season, but there's a decent chance he finishes with triple that number. Even if the Yankees don't end up making the playoffs, they're a team that can't get any worse in the second half. While more wins would certainly help, luck alone should mean more save opportunities for a team that was tied for second lowest in the category during the first half.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Huston Street (DL), Alan Embree (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero

Street's return from a right ulnar nerve injury is going slowly, but he should start to face live batters in the next few days and could be back in the majors within 10 days. Embree will continue filling in, but he's slowed down recently and the better bet to back up Street down the line is Casilla. The young right-hander hasn't stopped dominating big league hitters yet, giving up just one run while striking out 23 in 20 innings of work.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Brett Myers (DL), Tom Gordon (DL), Antonio Alfonseca (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

Gordon hasn't reported any more problems as he rehabs from a shoulder injury, but you sure wouldn't have guessed he was feeling okay after giving up five runs while recording one out in a rehab appearance on Wednesday. Gordon was supposed to be back this weekend, but that seems unlikely now. Myers is about to start his own rehab assignment, so the two could rejoin the big club within a few days of each other. That means Alfonseca will probably continue to close until Myers is ready to return. He should be left active in all leagues for next week's games.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Matt Capps (Locked In)

Key setup men: Salomon Torres (DL), Damaso Marte, Shawn Chacon

Capps pitched just twice this week, throwing two scoreless innings and picking up a save in one of his outings. Torres will pitch in two games on his rehab assignment this weekend, and if all goes well he'll be activated on Monday. It remains to be seen if the club will honor his request to be traded, but I wouldn't expect it to happen until he's thrown a few healthy innings in the majors anyway. He'll back up Capps while still in Pittsburgh.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Heath Bell, Cla Meredith, Kevin Cameron

Hoffman picked up his 25th save and lowered his ERA to 1.91 with a scoreless inning in his only outing this week. Meredith has given up just two runs in his last seven innings, but he's still behind Linebrink and Bell for now.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Brad Hennessey (Shaky)

Key setup men: Kevin Correia, Randy Messenger, Jonathan Sanchez (DL)

In a surprising move, Hennessey was pulled from a save situation this past week. The right-hander retired the first two batters he faced in a three-run game against the Cardinals, but he was pulled after a walk and a single. The tying run was indeed at the plate, but Hennessey still had plenty of margin for error. That left-handed slugger Chris Duncan was up likely was the primary motive behind the move, but the decision hints that Hennessey can't afford too many poor outings and keep his job. Both runs came around to score in the game, though the Giants did win 4-3.

Hennessey bounced back with a scoreless inning for a save the next day, so while it is concerning it's not something that should affect his value too much. Correia has struggled a little of late while Messenger has pitched well, including finishing the above referenced game against the Cardinals. I'd guess that Correia is still ahead of Messenger for the moment, but another week in which the two go in opposite directions would be enough to change that.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brandon Morrow, Chris Reitsma, George Sherrill

Putz continues to dominate as few players can, throwing two more shutout innings to bring his ERA to an incredibly low 0.86. Throw in 25 saves and a 0.60 WHIP and he's been one of the better value picks at closer this season.

Morrow pitched just once this week, hurling a scoreless inning in which he struck out one and walked none. It was just the ninth time in 30 appearances in which he didn't walk a batter. The Mariners are playing with fire by hoping he can get his command straightened out at the big league level, but they seem intent on continuing to do so. His awful WHIP makes him an unattractive play in 4x4 leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Ryan Franklin, Tyler Johnson (DL), Russ Springer

Isringhausen threw two more scoreless innings this week, picking up a save in one of them. His 1.53 ERA is easily the lowest mark of his career, and his 0.91 WHIP is also a career-best. Even those that gambled on his health this off-season couldn't see such an excellent bounce-back season coming.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes (DL), Gary Glover (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Brian Stokes, Shawn Camp

Reyes has thrown successful bullpen sessions on back-to-back days, and it looks like he'll be able to come off the disabled list on Wednesday. That makes for a tough decision for those owning Glover, but since he's not a good bet to pitch well anyway he can probably be benched next week. He's had just one save opportunity since Reyes went down, but he did successfully converted it despite giving up a run and putting the tying run on base.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (Secure)

Key setup men: Akinori Otsuka, Joaquin Benoit, Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson

With a 1.32 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and good peripherals, Gagne is going to be one of the hottest commodities at the trade deadline. It'd be absolutely shocking if he wasn't traded, with the Indians being the most likely destination. Otsuka continues to succeed in a setup role, and he'll resume closing once Gagne is moved.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: Jeremy Accardo (Secure)

Key setup men: Casey Janssen, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor

Accardo appeared in a pair of games this week, recording a save despite giving up a run in the first and then picking up a win with a scoreless inning in the second outing. He's still firmly ahead of Janssen on the team's depth chart.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Secure)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome (DL), Luis Ayala

Cordero pitched in three games this week, giving up one run and picking up a save in the middle outing while throwing scoreless innings in the other two. Colome should be close to returning from a buttocks injury.

[Hache Man]

Week That Was
The return from the DL of Big Tex, BJ Upton, and Oliver Perez and Schultz's first half all-stars in this week's Week That Was.

Paul LoDuca:: . Paul Lo Duca went 0-for-4 in the Mets loss Friday night. That makes the Duke hitless in his last 16 at bats. Not good. Catchers generally wear down in the dog days of summer. Catchers who catch all the time (like LoDuca) are even more likely to wear down and suffer a significant decrease in offensive production. If you own LoDuca, wait for an offensive spurt, brag to your leaguemates about how the Duke is back and sell, sell, sell.

Oliver Perez: Staying with the Mets (as I have been criticized for writing more blurbs about the Yankees), Oliver Perez will come of the DL on Sunday to face the Reds. Perez looked sharp, striking out 7 in his last rehab outing. This is a serious buying opportunity. Perez has been very strong all year (save a couple of aberrant outings), posting a 3.14 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 85K. Harp about injuries and inconsistency and steal a talented young lefty who could be a centerpiece for your fantasy championship run.

Dontrelle Willis: Dontrelle Willis continues to struggle mightily. Friday night, the D Train derailed, giving up 8 hits and 8 runs (though some were unearned) and failed to get out of the 4th inning. On the season, Dontrelle has a 4.81 ERA (not good) with a WHIP approaching 1.60. Add in the fact that he walked 83 last year and is on pace to challenge the century mark this year and you have trouble. It is time to cut bait unless you have him cheap, are in a keeper league, and are already out of contention.

Jhonny Peralta: Jhonny Peralta continued his hot hitting, banging out two hits and scoring two runs Friday night. With over 50 runs and RBI in the first half, Peralta is well on his way to a great fantasy MI year. One more note here – Peralta's success was very predictable to those that pay attention to the small details. At the end of last year, Peralta disclosed he was having trouble picking up the ball and had his vision problem corrected. Now he is doing what hitters need to do – see ball, hit ball, run hard.

Erik Bedard: Erik Bedard was great Friday night, tossing seven scoreless innings. While he does not get the press that C.C. Sabathia or Dan Haren get, Bedard has been just as good. 156 strikeouts in 128 innings is just awesome. Buy if you can. Feel free to pay full price. This guy is worth it.

Mark Teixeira: Texas activated Mark Teixeira. Big Tex is back from the DL and ready to post great second half numbers as usual. Unfortunately, this means that Wilkerson, Byrd and Sosa will have to share fewer at bats. Hard to figure which of the three is the best bet – all are streaky and prone to low averages (Byrd's current gaudy numbers notwithstanding). I would be hesitant to count on any of the three as a key part of your fantasy team.

B.J. Upton: Tampa Bay activated B.J. Upton from the DL and installed him as their everyday centerfielder. Good news for the Rays and Upton owners. B.J. should be a solid source of speed and power (look for at least 10 dingers and 15-20 swipes in the second half). Add in the fact that Upton is eligible at 2B, SS and OF in most leagues and you have a very valuable player. Buy.

Felix Pie: In what continues to be a baffling situation (the Cubs outfield), Felix Pie was sent back to AAA. Frankly, I have never been a big Lou Piniella fan, but his shuffling of players and refusing to set a lineup is out of control. I will admit that Pie should play everyday at AAA. However, you just know they will yo-yo him back to Chicago soon. As of now, it looks like Jacque Jones and Angel Pagan will get more time, but who knows.

Salomon Torres: According to reports, Salomon Torres is likely to be activated from the DL on Monday. This presents a very interesting situation in the Bucs pen. Before getting hurt, Torres had12 saves, but at the expense of a 5.14 ERA and a WHIP over 1.35 (way high for a closer). His replacement, Matt Capps, on the other hand, has 9 saves with a much more appetizing 2.37 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Bottom line, the Bucs should stick with the younger, more effective Capps, but you have to assume Torres will steal at least some of the saves. Price and trade accordingly.

Jose Vidro: Jose Vidro smacked 3 hits out of the gate in Thursday's opener of the second half. Given all of the rumors about Adam Jones being called up and Vidro being sent to the bench, Jose picked a very good time to have a good game. That said, you should sell immediately. It never made sense to have a slap hitter as a DH. The Mariners have or will shortly realize this and move Vidro to a bench player. Sell.

And last, but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "Before we get to this year's mid-season All-Schultz awards, let's talk about this Tony LaRussa guy in St. Louis for a moment. The whole "This One Counts" philosophy that Major League Baseball has adopted towards the game is supposed to increase interest in the otherwise meaningless exhibition game. Ever since the tie game in 2002, MLB has tried everything short of strippers and explosions to get people to watch and lo and behold, come the 9th inning of this year's game, they got their dream scenario: bases loaded with 2 outs in a one run game; Francisco Rodriguez, one of the most dominant closers in the past 3 years on the mound and Albert Pujols, the National League's greatest hitter, coming to the plate. Er, that's what we would have had if baseball's greatest dunderhead wasn't managing the NL squad. After all, this is the same "managerial genius" that pinch hit Kerry Robinson for Mark McGwire in Game 5 of the 2001 NLDS; a substitution that ignominiously brought McGwire's career to a close. Of course, they lost that game as well.

For the first time in years, there was the potential for an insanely dramatic ending to the All-Star game; one that would have had anyone still watching the game salivating to see a Pujols-K-Rod all-or-nothing matchup. Instead we get to watch Aaron Rowand weakly pop up to end the game. Tony LaRussa set back baseball backwards by his ass-hatted logic of saving Pujols for a possible extra-inning at-bat. At the very least, send up Pujols and tell him to knock one out of the park or don't come back. If this is the fan's game, give the fans what they want to see! For all the books and laudatory praise written about LaRussa, he sure gives nothing back to the people who enjoy the game.

Only two All-Schultz teams for this mid-season:

The first is the ALL-SIDLER team made up of players who have come out of nowhere to have a significant fantasy impact.

C Ryan Doumit, PIT - an aging bonus baby, Doumit found the stroke that had everyone salivating years ago. Even better, he doesn't really catch, so he plays everyday -- when his hamstring lets him.

1B Carlos Pena, TB - nearly out of baseball after being release by the Yankees at the end of last season, Pena has rebounded in Tampa Bay with 20 homers and a surprising .288 average. Honorable Mention: Dmitri Young, WAS.

2B Kelly Johnson, ATL - while not a complete surprise, Johnson was supposed to platoon not thrive in the Braves' leadoff spot. Yunel Escobar may be cutting into his playing time though in the second half.

SS J.J. Hardy, MIL - finally healthy, Hardy has shown legitimate power knocking out 18 and driving in 54 for the surprising Brewers squad.

3B Casey Blake, CLE - Blake was slated to be the odd man out in the Tribe's lineup but with Andy Marte faltering, he's stepped in to provide solid power and clutch hitting at the top of the Indians' potent lineup.

OF Jack Cust, OAK - reclaimed from San Diego's farm system after an injury to Mike Piazza, Cust has blossomed in what was likely his last chance for big league success.

OF Eric Byrnes, AZ - he's quietly become a bit of a fantasy monster, .306, 14 HR, 49 RBI, 53 R and 17 steals from someone better known for running into brick walls at high velocity.

OF Corey Hart, MIL - emerged from the Brewers outfield logjam by displaying speed (16 steals) and power (11 home runs).

SP Jeremy Guthrie, BAL - the former prize of Cleveland's farm system was left for dead when the Tribe cut him this pre-season. A couple months with Leo Mazzone and he's regained his poise, skill and the ability to strike people out. Honorable Mentions: John Maine, NYM, James Shields, TB.

RP Joakim Soria, KC - the Rule 5 pick emerged to pick up quite a few saves in Octavio Dotel's absence and may get a few more before the season ended. Honorable Mention: Al Reyes, TB.

You take some good, you take some bad, you take them both and her you have - not The Facts of Life - the ALL-GIGLI team made of players who haven't provided any return on their high expectations.

C Jason Kendall, OAK - with Pittsburgh, Kendall was always an outside threat to win a batting title, this year, he's flirted with Mendoza and may be replaced with a Suzuki not named Ichiro.

1B Carlos Delgado, NYM - amidst a potent Mets lineup, Delgado is hitting .243 with a disappointing 14 home runs. He has shown signs of life lately.

2B Rickie Weeks, MIL - in a season of breakout years for many of the Brewers young stars, Weeks doesn't seem to be joining in the fun. 5 HR, 19 RBIs and a .221 average aren't getting him confused with Princes and other royalty.

SS Miguel Tejada, BAL - Julio Lugo is too easy a target here. Miggy's power has been practically non-existent this year and a broken wrist won't help matters at all. I'll leave the pontificating and speculating as to whether his power drop-off has any relation to HGH to other holier-than-thou pundits.

3B Garrett Atkins, COL - he may be coming off this list soon but his .259 pre All-Star break average is far from what everyone expected from the Rockies third baseman.

OF Manny Ramirez - BOS - .287 and 11 HR aren't what people paid a premium dollar for. Then again, it's probably just Manny being Manny.

OF Bobby Abreu, NYY - many targeted Abreu, who started the season as the Yankees' #3 hitter, as a fantasy monster waiting to happen. 6 HR and a .270 average later and he's become the highest paid singles hitter not named Ichiro.

OF Vernon Wells, TOR - Wells has been celebrating his 7 year, $126 million dollar contract by taking 2007 off. Honorable Mention: Andruw "contract year" Jones, ATL.

SP the entire Yankees starting rotation - Chien-Ming Wang has been serviceable but everyone else who's started for the Bronx Bombers this year has gotten hurt or gotten bombed. Optimists can take heart though; it can't get worse. Honorable Mentions: Bronson Arroyo, CIN; Jose Contreras, CHW

RP Mariano Rivera, NYY - through little fault of his own, Rivera has only 11 saves, far off the pace of the Corderos and Papelbons of the world. He's pitched fine, he just hasn't had the opportunities to provide the numbers people paid for.

and just in case my Dad still reads the column: Happy Birthday K. Paul!!!

Response: Really, really good stuff (except the phrase "ass-hatted", but hey, why pick nits).

[Hache Man]

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.

[Hache Man]

The Dog Days of Summer
There's 2 1/2 months remaining in the Major League Baseball season now, and a lot can still happen. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jake Peavy and Brad Penny take the mound twice this week, while Al Reyes, Horacio Ramirez, Steve Trachsel and Mike Piazza are scheduled to come off the disabled list. Melvin Mora, Rich Harden and Brian Fuentes each were just placed on the shelf, and the Bronx Bombers are slated for a rare eight-game week. The Week Ahead will get you up to speed for week 16.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS vs. CHW Javier Vazquez, vs. CHW John Danks
Jake Peavy SD vs. NYM Orlando Hernandez, vs. PHI J.D. Durbin
Brad Penny LA vs. PHI Jamie Moyer, vs. NYM Jorge Sosa
Roy Halladay TOR @ NYY Andy Pettitte, vs. SEA Horacio Ramirez
Andy Pettitte NYY vs. TOR Roy Halladay, vs. TB James Shields
Barry Zito SF @ CHC Sean Marshall, @ MIL Claudio Vargas
Jon Garland CHW @ CLE Paul Byrd, @ BOS Tim Wakefield
Orlando Hernandez NYM @ SD Jake Peavy, @ LA Mark Hendrickson
James Shields TB vs. LAA Ervin Santana, @ NYY Andy Pettitte

More strong options:
Tim Lincecum SF @ CHC Rich Hill, @ MIL Dave Bush
Rich Hill CHC vs. SF Tim Lincecum, vs. ARI Micah Owings
Dave Bush MIL vs. ARI Micah Owings, vs. SF Tim Lincecum
Bronson Arroyo CIN @ ATL Jo-Jo Reyes, @ FLA Wes Obermueller
Tim Wakefield BOS vs. KC John Thomson, vs. CHW Jon Garland
Cliff Lee CLE vs. CHW John Danks, @ TEX Jamey Wright
Ervin Santana LAA @ TB James Shields, @ MIN Matt Garza
Sean Marshall CHC vs. SF Barry Zito, vs. ARI Yusmeiro Petit
Nate Robertson DET @ MIN Matt Garza, vs. KC Brian Bannister
Matt Garza MIN vs. DET Nate Robertson, vs. LAA Ervin Santana
Jamie Moyer PHI @ LA Brad Penny, @ SD David Wells
Paul Byrd CLE vs. CHW Jon Garland, @ TEX Robinson Tejeda
Claudio Vargas MIL vs. ARI Yusmeiro Petit, vs. SF Barry Zito
Micah Owings ARI @ MIL Dave Bush, @ CHC Rich Hill
Braden Looper STL @ FLA Byung-Hyun Kim, @ ATL Buddy Carlyle
Brian Bannister KC @ BOS Kason Gabbard, @ DET Nate Robertson
John Danks CHW @ CLE Cliff Lee, @ BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka

Other two-starters:
Aaron Cook COL @ WAS Jason Simontacchi, @ WAS Tim Redding
Kei Igawa NYY vs. TOR Josh Towers, vs. TB TBA
Jorge Sosa NYM @ SD David Wells, @ LA Brad Penny
David Wells SD vs. NYM Jorge Sosa, vs. PHI Jamie Moyer
Mark Hendrickson LA vs. PHI J.D. Durbin, vs. NYM Orlando Hernandez
Woody Williams HOU @ WAS Mike Bacsik, @ PIT John Van Benschoten
Brian Burres BAL @ SEA Horacio Ramirez, @ OAK Joe Kennedy
Byung-Hyun Kim FLA vs. STL Braden Looper, vs. CIN Bobby Livingston
Joe Kennedy OAK vs. TEX Jamey Wright, vs. BAL Brian Burres
Kyle Davies ATL vs. CIN Bobby Livingston, vs. STL Brad Thompson
Josh Towers TOR @ NYY Kei Igawa, vs. SEA Jeff Weaver
Yusmeiro Petit ARI @ MIL Claudio Vargas, @ CHC Sean Marshall
Taylor Buchholz COL @ PIT John Van Benschoten, @ WAS Mike Bacsik
Brad Thompson STL @ FLA Wes Obermueller, @ ATL Kyle Davies
Robinson Tejeda TEX @ OAK Chad Gaudin, vs. CLE Paul Byrd
John Van Benschoten PIT vs. COL Taylor Buchholz, vs. HOU Woody Williams
Horacio Ramirez SEA vs. BAL Brian Burres, @ TOR Roy Halladay
J.D. Durbin PHI @ LA Mark Hendrickson, @ SD Jake Peavy
Wes Obermueller FLA vs. STL Brad Thompson, vs. CIN Bronson Arroyo
Jamey Wright TEX @ OAK Joe Kennedy, vs. CLE Cliff Lee
Mike Bacsik WAS vs. HOU Woody Williams, vs. COL Taylor Buchholz
Bobby Livingston CIN @ ATL Kyle Davies, @ FLA Byung-Hyun Kim
Tim Redding WAS vs. HOU Chris Sampson, vs. COL Aaron Cook

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Eight-game schedule: NYY
Seven-game schedule: ARI, ATL, BOS, CHC, CHW, CIN, COL, FLA, LA, MIL, NYM, PHI, SD, SF, STL, TB, TEX, TOR, WAS
Six-game schedule: BAL, CLE, DET, HOU, KC, LAA, MIN, OAK, PIT, SEA
Five-game schedule: none

Rain threatened games:
Monday, 7/16: CHW @ CLE (60%), ARI @ MIL (60%), CIN @ ATL (60%), STL @ FLA (40%)
Tuesday, 7/17: CHW @ CLE (40%), COL @ PIT (40%), CIN @ ATL (50%)
Wednesday, 7/18: COL @ PIT (40%), CIN @ ATL (40%), HOU @ WAS (40%), KC @ BOS (40%), TOR @ NYY (40%)
Thursday, 7/19: CIN @ FLA (40%)
Friday, 7/20: CHW @ BOS (40%), COL @ WAS (40%), TB @ NYY (40%), STL @ ATL (40%)

Stadium Factor:
ESPN - MLB Park Factors - Major League Baseball
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.291 runs – 3 @ KC, 4 @ CHW
4. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.131 runs – 4 vs TOR, 4 vs TB
5. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 1.130 runs – 3 vs STL, 4 vs CIN
8. Jacobs Field (Indians) 1.109 runs – 3 vs CHW
9. Wrigley Field (Cubs) 1.101 runs – 4 vs SF, 3 vs ARI

No Games: 2. Kauffman Stadium (Royals) 1.198 runs, 3. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.191 runs, 6. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.129 runs,
7. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.121 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
1. Turner Field (Braves) 0.806 runs – 3 vs CIN, 4 vs STL
2. Petco Park (Padres) 0.842 runs – 3 vs NYM, 4 vs PHI
4. Tropicana Field (Devil Rays) 0.869 runs – 3 vs LAA
6. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.908 runs – 3 vs SEA
7. RFK Stadium (Nationals) 0.911 runs – 3 vs HOU, 4 vs COL

No Games: 3. Busch Stadium (Cardinals) 0.867 runs, 5. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.889 runs

Caught Stealing %:
Toughest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. David Ross, CIN 23-for-41 (43.9%) – 3 @ ATL, 4 @ FLA
2. Gerald Laird, TEX 41-for-68 (39.7%) – 3 @ OAK, 4 vs CLE
3. Ronny Paulino, PIT 36-for-58 (37.9%) – 3 vs COL, 3 vs HOU
4. Kenji Johjima, SEA 26-for-41 (36.6%) – 3 vs BAL, 3 @ TOR
5. Russell Martin, LA 48-for-75 (36.0%) – 3 vs PHI, 4 vs NYM

Facing these catchers is bad news for Hanley Ramirez (27-for-35 SB), Willie Harris (14-for-18 SB), Alfredo Amezaga (11-for-15 SB), Willy Taveras (20-for-28 SB), Kaz Matsui (16-for-18 SB)

Easiest to steal against (SB/SBA, CS%)
1. Michael Barrett, SD 51-for-62 (17.7%) – 3 vs NYM, 4 vs PHI
2. Jason Kendall, OAK 58-for-72 (19.4%) – 3 vs TEX, 3 vs BAL
3. Johnny Estrada, MIL 38-for-48 (20.8%) – 4 vs ARI, 3 vs SF
4. Jason Varitek, BOS 28-for-36 (22.2%) – 3 vs KC, 4 vs CHW
5. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW 37-for-48 (22.9%) – 3 @ CLE, 4 @ BOS

Facing these catchers is good news for Kenny Lofton (20-for-24 SB), Eric Byrnes (17-for-23 SB), Ian Kinsler (11-for-11 SB), Dave Roberts (17-for-20 SB), Julio Lugo (23-for-25 SB), Coco Crisp (16-for-21 SB), Alex Gordon (9-for-11 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers
Minnesota: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (7 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Tampa Bay: (4 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers) note: SAT vs NYY (TBA)
Texas: (3 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Orioles, Royals, Rangers and Blue Jays play at least three left-handers this week. That's good news for Freddie Bynum (.417 vs LHPs), Miguel Tejada (.359 vs LHPs), Corey Patterson (.325 vs LHPs), Mark Teixeira (.404 vs LHPs), Ian Kinsler (.329 vs LHPs), Marlon Byrd (.385 vs LHPs), Sammy Sosa (.344 vs LHPs), Troy Glaus (.346 vs LHPs), Alex Rios (.375 vs LHPs), Aaron Hill (.325 vs LHPs)

And bad news for Ryan Shealy (.125 vs LHPs), Alex Gordon (.195 vs LHPs), Kenny Lofton (.224 vs LHPs), Michael Young (.233 vs LHPs), Gerald Laird (.234 vs LHPs), Victor Diaz (.212 vs LHPs), Jason Phillips (.191 vs LHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
New York Mets: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Pittsburgh: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers))
San Francisco: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (7 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Diamondbacks, Rockies, Astros, Dodgers, Brewers and Giants play three southpaws, while the Nationals don't play any. That's good news for Ryan Spilborghs (.455 vs LHPs), Matt Holliday (.325 vs LHPs), Willy Tavares (.375 vs LHPs), Troy Tulowitzki (.351 vs LHPs), Mike Lamb (.345 vs LHPs), Craig Biggio (.350 vs LHPs), Hunter Pence (.349 vs LHPs), Carlos Lee (.325 vs LHPs), Russell Martin (.371 vs LHPs), Rafael Furcal (.325 vs LHPs), Ryan Braun (.545 vs LHPs), Kevin Mench (.320 vs LHPs), Johnny Estrada (.323 vs LHPs), Randy Winn (.323 vs LHPs), Dmitri Young (.327 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Tony Clark (.136 vs LHPs), Stephen Drew (.218 vs LHPs), Carlos Quentin (.175 vs LHPs), Chris Young (.227 vs LHPs), Scott Hairston (.217 vs LHPs), Chris Snyder (.206 vs LHPs), Eric Byrnes (.229 vs LHPs), Chris Iannetta (.107 vs LHPs), Brad Hawpe (.203 vs LHPs), Jeff Baker (.209 vs LHPs), Lance Berkman (.227 vs LHPs), Juan Pierre (.229 vs LHPs), Nomar Garciaparra (200 vs LHPs), Geoff Jenkins (.175 vs LHPs), Rickie Weeks (.228 vs LHPs), Dave Roberts (.159 vs LHPs), Fred Lewis (.182 vs LHPs), Omar Vizquel (.216 vs LHPs), Pedro Feliz (.224 vs LHPs), Felipe Lopez (.227 vs RHPs), Nook Logan (.216 vs RHPs), Ryan Zimmerman (.223 vs RHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 17:
Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Mark Buehrle, Jake Westbrook, Andrew Miller, Johan Santana, Odalis Perez, Julian Tavarez, Bartolo Colon, Scott Kazmir, Kevin Millwood, Lenny DiNardo, Shaun Marcum, Roger Clemens, Doug Davis, Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang, John Smoltz, Jeff Francis, Ian Snell, Jason Jennings, Jason Bergmann, John Maine, Greg Maddux, Kyle Kendrick, Chad Billingsley, Matt Cain, Carlos Zambrano, Kip Wells, Dontrelle Willis

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Moises Alou (quadriceps) – return mid-July
Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) – out indefinitely
Freddie Bynum (hamstring) – return late July
Endy Chavez (hamstring) – return late July
Jeff DaVanon (shoulder) – return early August
Chris Denorfia (elbow) – out for the season
Jim Edmonds (back) – return mid-July
Darin Erstad (ankle) – return mid-July
Carlos Gomez (hand) – return mid-August
Josh Hamilton (wrist) – return August
Scott Podsednik (oblique) – return late July
Jason Repko (groin) – might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) – return July/August
Cody Ross (hamstring) – return mid-July
Reggie Sanders (hamstring) – return July
Terrmel Sledge (thumb) – return late July
Jayson Werth (wrist) – return mid-July
Rondell White (calf) – out indefinitely
Preston Wilson (knee) – out for the season

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) – out indefinitely
Hank Blalock (arm) – return August
Aaron Boone (knee) – return late July
Juan Castro (elbow) – return late July
Joe Crede (back) – likely out for the season
Adam Everett (leg) – return August
Alex Gonzalez (bereavement list) – day-to-day
Cristian Guzman (thumb) – out for the season
Nick Johnson (leg) – return July
Howie Kendrick (finger) – return early August
Ian Kinsler (foot) – return August
Corey Koskie (concussion) – out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) – return August/September
Doug Mientkiewicz (wrist) – return mid-August
Melvin Mora (foot) – return early August
Pablo Ozuna (leg) – return August/September
Jason Smith (abdomen) – out indefinitely
Miguel Tejada (wrist) – return August

Catchers:
Eliezer Alfonzo (knee) – return August/September
Henry Blanco (neck) – return early July
Hector Gimenez (shoulder) – likely out for the season
Mike Napoli (ankle) – return late July
Vance Wilson (elbow) – out for the season

Designated Hitter:
David Dellucci (hamstring) – return September
Jason Giambi (foot) – out indefinitely
Mike Piazza (shoulder) – return mid-July
Mike Sweeney (knee) – out indefinitely

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) – return August/September
Micah Bowie (hip) – return mid-August
A.J. Burnett (shoulder) – return late July
Chris Carpenter (elbow) – return August/September
Matt Clement (shoulder) – return July/August
Gustavo Chacin (elbow) – return mid-July
Lance Cormier (arm) – return early July
Zach Duke (elbow) – return late July
Freddy Garcia (shoulder) – out indefinitely
Mike Hampton (ribs) – out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) – return August
Shawn Hill (elbow) – return late July
Luke Hudson (shoulder) – out indefinitely
Phil Hughes (hamstring) – return July/August
Josh Johnson (forearm) – return late July
Randy Johnson (back) – return late July
Jeff Karstens (leg) – out indefinitely
Jon Lieber (ankle) – out for the season
Francisco Liriano (elbow) – out for the season
Esteban Loaiza (shoulder) – return July
Adam Loewen (elbow) – out for the season
Pedro Martinez (shoulder) – return August
Wade Miller (back) – out indefinitely
Eric Milton (elbow) – out for the season
Mark Mulder (shoulder) – return July
Ricky Nolasco (elbow) – return mid-July
Russ Ortiz (arm) – return late July
Vicente Padilla (triceps) – return mid-July
John Patterson (biceps) – out indefinitely
Carl Pavano (elbow) – out for the season
Mark Prior (shoulder) – out for the season
Horacio Ramirez (shoulder) – return Mon vs BAL
Darrell Rasner (finger) – return August/September
Curt Schilling (shoulder) – return late July
Jason Schmidt (shoulder) – out for the season
John Smoltz (shoulder) – return late July
Steve Trachsel (gluteus) – return late July
Randy Wolf (shoulder) – return mid-July
Jaret Wright (shoulder) – out indefinitely

Important Relievers:
Danys Baez (arm) – return early July
Kris Benson (shoulder) – likely out for the season
Yhency Brazoban (shoulder) – out for the season
Jesse Crain (shoulder) – out for the season
Ryan Dempster (ribs) – return mid-July
Elmer Dessens (shoulder) – return mid-July
Brendan Donnelly (arm) – return late July
Justin Duchscherer (hip) – out for the season
Brian Fuentes (back) – return early August
Mike Gonzalez (elbow) – out for the season
Tom Gordon (shoulder) - return early July
Eddie Guardado (elbow) – return mid-July
Angel Guzman (arm) – return mid-July
Hong-Chih Kuo (elbow) – return early August
Brett Myers (shoulder) – return early July
Joel Pineiro (ankle) – return late July
Al Reyes (rotator cuff) – return Wednesday
Arthur Rhodes (elbow) – out for the season
Fernando Rodney (biceps) – return mid-July
B.J. Ryan (elbow) – out for the season
Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) – return mid-August
Huston Street (elbow) – out indefinitely
Ryan Wagner (rotator cuff) – out for the season
Kerry Wood (triceps) – return late July
Joel Zumaya (finger) – return August

[Hache Man]

NL Team-by-Team Notes
Maybe if they exploded coming out of the gate after the break, the Astros could have avoided being sellers at the deadline. However, they were swept by the Cubs at Wrigley, leaving them just two games ahead of the Reds for the worst record in the NL. Astros GM Tim Purpura would be smart to move Jason Jennings, Mark Loretta, Mike Lamb and at least one of his top three relievers this month. Morgan Ensberg remains a candidate to go, but if anyone was willing to give up anything for him, a deal would have gotten done months ago. Brad Ausmus should also be shopped, though as a 10-and-5 player, he can reject a move. I don't think anything will come from the Roy Oswalt speculation. If the Astros could get a package starting with Adam Jones and Jeff Clement from Seattle or Clay Buchholz and Jed Lowrie from Boston, it's something they'd have to consider. However, an Oswalt trade would start a full rebuilding effort and it's hard to see the Astros going there with Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee both on the wrong side of 30.

National League Notes

Arizona - Conor Jackson is doing plenty of sitting against righties lately, as the Diamondbacks are still trying to work Mark Reynolds into the lineup and give Tony Clark one start per week. Jackson is batting .288/.370/.477 since May 15, but a lot of that has come against left-handers. The Diamondbacks need to settle on some sort of a more permanent arrangement, because Chad Tracy, Reynolds and Clark all have OPSs in the neighborhood of 700 since the beginning of June and the job sharing isn't helping anyone settle into a groove. Jackson and Tracy both look like pretty weak options in mixed leagues with things the way they are now. … With Carlos Quentin regaining his stroke in Triple-A, the Diamondbacks have turned to Jeff Salazar as their starting right fielder, bypassing Scott Hairston and the constantly rehabbing Jeff DaVanon. DaVanon's rehab assignment is about to expire, so the team has a decision to make there. A trade involving Hairston would come as little surprise. Salazar isn't likely to last in right, but he would be a fine long-term replacement for DaVanon as a fourth outfielder. In the meantime, he has short-term value in NL-only leagues. Right field could belong to Quentin again by the beginning of August. It doesn't seem like Arizona has ruled out trying Justin Upton, but Upton isn't nearly on the same kind of roll now that he was in April and May. He's probably not going to be a factor this year.

Atlanta - Now that Andruw Jones has put his slump behind him, it's pretty reasonable to expect a .260 average with about 18 homers over the rest of the season. He hasn't cost himself much money as he heads into free agency. Andruw's resurgence is also very good news for Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur owners, as those two will get to hit with more guys on base. … Scott Thorman just isn't getting any better, and the Braves would likely be upgrading if they went to Jarrod Saltalamacchia as their primary first baseman. They're toying around with the idea of bringing in Julio Franco as another option against left-handers. It wouldn't hurt, since he'd likely bump Chris Woodward from the roster. However, what they really need to do is to give Salty a try and then upgrade through a trade if it doesn't work out. … John Smoltz is expected back to start Wednesday against the Reds. He'll probably be able to manage his shoulder for the rest of the season, but if the Braves fall out of contention, it'd be no surprise to see him get shut down early.

Chicago - The Cubs' second base and shortstop situations remain unsettled, but for the moment, it looks like Ryan Theriot is back as one of Lou Piniella's favorites. With Mark DeRosa likely to play second against most right-handers, that puts Theriot at short and leaves Mike Fontenot and Cesar Izturis on the bench. DeRosa can start in right field against lefties, but that hardly helps the left-handed-hitting Fontenot. Izturis will likely see more time versus southpaws. … The center-field situation, on the other hand, has cleared up nicely with Felix Pie back playing regularly in Triple-A. Jacque Jones is starting against righties, which is probably how it should have been all along. Angel Pagan can play over him versus southpaws. If the Cubs become content with Jones, then catching help might be the only big need at the deadline. Ramon Hernandez would make a lot of sense for them. … Ryan Dempster could return from a strained oblique before the end of the week. Maybe he'll make one or two appearances in middle relief initially, but he'll be back in the closer's role soon enough. … Kerry Wood (shoulder) was reportedly throwing 92-93 mph in his first rehab appearance Friday. The Cubs would be crazy to count on him, but perhaps he'll provide the bullpen with a lift over the final two months. He shouldn't be a candidate for saves. … The Cubs hope to have Cliff Floyd (shoulder) back on Monday or Tuesday, making him playable in NL-only leagues this week.

Cincinnati - Reds interim manager Pete Mackanin seems to be pro-Norris Hopper and anti-Edwin Encarnacion, which makes me think GM Wayne Krivsky needs to find a real replacement ASAP. Hopper is batting .270/.324/.333, but that actually overestimates his contribution, considering that he's managed two RBI in 127 at-bats and he's been caught on four of his nine steal attempts. If he remained an option in the infield, maybe he'd be a nice use of a roster spot. The Reds haven't used him anywhere except the outfield, so he's not helping. Also, he's four years older than Encarnacion, the player he started over on both Friday and Saturday. I didn't think there was much chance Encarancion would be traded when he got sent down in May. Now, however, it seems like a real possibility. … The Reds had to know going in that they were going to have trouble handling left-handed pitchers again this season. What they couldn't have counted on was Ryan Freel hitting .133 with one walk and two steals against them in 90 at-bats. He hit .303 with 23 walks and 15 steals in 109 at-bats against them last year. It doesn't seem fair that he gets a free pass when he's been a pretty lousy player for nearly a full year now. He hit just .216 between August and September in 2006. … Bobby Livingston is coming up to get the start Monday against the Braves. The Reds have backed off their guarantee that Homey Bailey will be recalled later in the week after he struggled in his one start for Louisville. It could happen, but it doesn't seem to be a sure thing.

Colorado - One criticism after last month's rankings was Kaz Matsui's relatively low standing at second base. It's true that he's playing like a top-10 second baseman when he's in the lineup, but he's already missed a big chunk of time this year and the Rockies are constantly sitting him against lefties in an effort to keep him healthy. He's worth playing in mixed leagues when the Rockies are at home – he's hitting .348 at Coors Field this year – but he's not an every-week guy. … Brian Fuentes (lat) is likely to come off the DL on Thursday, but Manny Corpas should remain the favorite for saves through the end of the month. Ideally, Fuentes will pitch well enough to win back his job by early August.

Florida - The Marlins don't want to give up, but they're 7 ½ games back of the Mets and seventh in the wild-card standings, making an October vacation likely. The typically underrated Larry Beinfest deserves some blame for not going and getting his team a legitimate center fielder even though it was an obvious need throughout the winter. With the Marlins likely to be sellers, Dontrelle Willis could be the biggest pitching name available at the deadline. His trade value should be down, but with little else out there, odds are the Marlins will still get some very good offers for him. Miguel Cabrera seems nearly certain to stay. Aaron Boone showed enough in a bench role earlier this season that someone might offer a minor prospect for him. Miguel Olivo could be made available if the Cubs come calling. Also, I like the idea of selling high on Kevin Gregg, though it seems doubtful anything will happen there. If that changes, Armando Benitez would take over the closer's role. … Josh Johnson (forearm) could return this weekend against the Reds, but he can't be used in NL-only leagues right away. Rick Vanden Hurk will be called up to start in his place on Tuesday.

Houston - Brad Lidge is back and should resume closing this week. However, he's probably the favorite of the Astros' relievers to be dealt. Dan Wheeler's trade value is completely in the tank because of his 8.55 ERA since the beginning of June. Chad Qualls is drawing considerable interest, but with a 1.66 WHIP and six homers allowed in 35 innings since the beginning of May, he isn't terribly attractive at the moment. Lidge, on the other hand, is back looking nearly unhittable, though only in non-save situations, and he still has the knee issue that isn't going away. He'd make a lot of sense for a team that doesn't need him as a closer, with the Mets and Red Sox a couple of the possibilities. … I don't normally recommend Woody Williams in NL-only leagues, but with road starts against the Nationals and Pirates on the schedule, this is a week to try him.

Los Angeles - This is not Brad Penny's time of year, and now there's an additional concern because he's dealing with a finger blister. Penny had a 2.91 ERA before the break and a 6.25 mark after last season. His career split isn't so extreme, but going into this year, he had made 115 career starts before the break and 80 afterwards. His only 200-inning season was 2001, when he finished at 205. If Penny finishes this year as a legitimate Cy Young candidate, I'd be surprised. … Nomar Garciaparra this season: .270/.315/.327. Wilson Betemit this season: .223/.351/.489. Betemit since the beginning of May: .275/.384/.659 in 91 at-bats. Is this really so difficult? The Dodgers have the NL's best record anyway, but at some point, production is going to have to matter more than name recognition. It's not like Garciaparra is just slumping. He also had a sub-700 OPS in the second half of 2006. … Randy Wolf (shoulder) probably won't return this week as hoped. Brett Tomko might get a second start Friday against the Mets.

Milwaukee - There's good reason for concern regarding Ben Sheets' finger injury. The Brewers still haven't confirmed that he'll undergo an MRI on Monday, but a little piece of mind would be nice even if he is feeling better. A ligament tear would make it tough for him to return at any point during the season. The Brewers are currently hoping he won't require a DL stint, but they'll probably take a cautious approach if he's still feeling it next time he picks up a baseball. … Yovani Gallardo, who would enter the rotation if Sheets needs to miss some time, is a must-own player in mixed leagues. … Rickie Weeks' wrist problems are threatening to turn 2007 into a lost year for the 24-year-old. I don't think the Brewers are helping him at all by batting him eighth and subjecting him to such a large number of breaking balls. However, he would still be struggling hitting second. Until he works his way back up in the lineup, he's a weak play in mixed leagues. … Bill Hall is going to beat the pessimistic timetable for his return from a sprained ankle. Maybe he won't be activated Friday like he's hoping for, but it looks like he'll soon push Tony Gwynn Jr. back to the minors. Gwynn, who was linked to the Rangers' Akinori Otsuka in trade rumors, should be available in talks once again.

New York - Things are looking up for the Mets. The rotation got Oliver Perez back Sunday, and Jorge Sosa (hamstring) is being activated to pitch Monday. Pedro Martinez (shoulder) is still making progress, though his timetable seems to have been pushed back by a week or two. Lastings Milledge has already taken a big step towards fulfilling his promise since taking over as the Mets' left fielder on Thursday. Now if only Paul Lo Duca could ever come up with a big hit again, the team just might have something. … Continued success from Milledge would be about the best thing that could happen for the Mets, short of the 2003 version of Pedro walking through the clubhouse door in mid-August. Shawn Green has collected 13 RBI in 187 at-bats since the beginning of May and is an increasing liability in right field. Milledge should get a chance to start over him when Moises Alou returns from a torn quad. … It's usually a good idea to reserve unexceptional starters when they're initially returning from the DL, especially when they didn't go on rehab assignments, but since Sosa gets to pitch in San Diego and Los Angeles this week, he seems worth gambling on.

Philadelphia - It may not last, but Pat Burrell is forcing the Phillies to play him regularly with a big first half of the month, again making him worth using in mixed leagues. Management probably wouldn't hesitate to trade him if his recent surge is noticed by other teams. However, he has veto power and is likely to be very picky. … The Phillies activated Tom Gordon (shoulder) after Sunday's game and will send Brett Myers (shoulder) on a rehab assignment this week. Gordon will likely be eased back into the closer's role. Depending on how he performs, he'll get a chance to keep the job after Myers returns. The Phillies reiterated for the 100th time last week that Myers won't be returned to the rotation, so in order for him to have fantasy value, he'll need to be put into save situations. I'm skeptical that we'll see him at 100 percent at any point over the rest of the season. … Tuesday's starter is unannounced, with the Phillies deciding between J.D. Durbin and J.A. Happ. It makes sense to give Durbin the nod, as the Dodgers have a clear OPS advantage against lefties (782 to 729). Happ remains the better long-term bet of the two, but neither is much of a fantasy sleeper.

Pittsburgh - Jose Bautista was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a lacerated hand. He isn't expected to miss more than the minimum, but Jose Castillo will be needed to fill in for him for a couple of weeks. The Pirates would surely love to see Castillo get hot and maybe give himself some trade value. A Jack Wilson deal seems unlikely, so Castillo is the infielder most likely to go. … Salomon Torres backed off his trade demand before being activated from the DL on Sunday. The Pirates didn't seem to be taking it very seriously anyway. Torres could be moved this month, but he'd have to regain some value, making a waiver deal in August a better bet. Matt Capps should be Pittsburgh's closer for the rest of the year. … Chris Duffy (ankle) appears unlikely return to the lineup this week.

St. Louis - Now that Albert Pujols has regained his power stroke and seems poised for a monstrous second half, the Cardinals might still have a chance. They'll definitely need a healthy Jim Edmonds (back). It looks like they could get their center fielder back within 7-10 days, but just how close he'll be to 100 percent is anyone's guess. Even if the offense begins to click, the Cardinals will be major long shots, especially following Chris Carpenter's setback. Still, there's been little indication that they'll be sellers at the deadline. My guess is that they'll go get an Odalis Perez or a Steve Trachsel and do their best to stay in the race. … Of the current group of starters, only Adam Wainwright is an option in NL-only leagues. Braden Looper was 6-3 with a 3.10 ERA on May 24. He's now 6-7 with a 4.72 ERA. Maroth has given up 18 runs – 13 earned – in 20 1/3 innings for his new team. Brad Thompson, like Looper, should still be in the bullpen. Kip Wells should be in the PCL. The Cardinals said they're not recalling Anthony Reyes until September, proving that in a battle between a stubborn team and a stubborn player, the player is going to lose every time. One more starter is hardly going to solve the Cardinals' problems. Still, getting Wells out of the mix might result in a couple of more wins over the rest of the season.

San Diego - Surely it's not a good sign that Jake Peavy had to have his first start after the break pushed back because of biceps soreness. However, the Padres have nursed him through minor arm troubles in the past without having to resort to using the DL. It's definitely a situation to watch, but I see no reason to sell right now. … With some concern about Peavy and the innings totals of the rest of the starters, the Padres are likely to bringing in some additional depth later this month or in August. Unfortunately, it looks like Clay Hensley (shoulder) can be written off for the rest of the year. He'll be a sleeper in 2008, but it's just not happening for him now. The Padres do have Shawn Estes working his way back from Tommy John surgery, but he's no better of a fallback than Mike Thompson. It's possible the Padres will bring in someone who would start over Justin Germano, though that's not necessarily going to be the priority. … Brian Giles definitely seems to be heating up the last few days. With the Phillies on the schedule for this week and series at Colorado and Houston the following week, he needs to be picked up in any mixed leagues in which he was dropped.

San Francisco - The Giants already missed out on the best time to trade Matt Morris. They might still be able to dump his contract because of the lack of starting pitching available, but he shouldn't bring much in return. There can't be a contender out there that would actually be eager to have him to start a postseason game. He just doesn't have the stuff to handle top lineups any longer. … The Omar Vizquel-to-Boston talk seems completely fictional. Vizquel should be shopped, but he doesn't want to leave unless he's going to be a regular elsewhere and there just aren't any contenders looking to get better at shortstop. Maybe that will change if an injury strikes. … Fred Lewis and Kevin Frandsen figure to be the big beneficiaries fit he Giants dump veterans. Lewis has some fantasy value anyway while serving as the fourth outfielder. A Randy Winn trade or an injury to Barry Bonds or Dave Roberts would make him a regular. The Giants would also recall Nate Schierholtz in that case and use him as their fourth outfielder.

Washington - The plan is for Alex Escobar (ankle) to get a look as the Nationals' primary left fielder when he comes off the DL, possibly by the end of the week. One of the most injury-prone players of the last 10 years, he could land right back on the DL before the end of the month. However, he will have to be owned in NL-only leagues while he's playing regularly. He hit .356 with four homers in 87 at-bats in between DL stints last year. … Escobar's return will push Ryan Church to center and force Nook Logan and Ryan Langerhans to the bench. Tony Batista could be released to make room on the roster. … If the Nats are willing to put Church in center, then they might as well give Kory Casto an opportunity to play left when Escobar gets hurt again. With a .254/.353/.413 line in Triple-A this year, Casto has been a disappointment. Still, he's 25 and it's time to give him a long look. … Other candidates to come up from Triple-A Columbus include Bernie Castro and Larry Broadway. The speedy Castro would be the best option to play second base if Ronnie Belliard is traded and could be a source of steals in NL-only leagues. Broadway was recently bumped from the Nationals' 40-man roster, but he has gotten better after an awful start in Triple-A. The Nats might as well try him at first base if Dmitri Young is moved.

[Hache Man]

Sheets Hurting Again
After back-to-back injury wrecked seasons in 2005 and 2006, Ben Sheets had been pitching well (10-4 record, 3.41 ERA) and staying healthy (18 starts, 116 innings) coming into Saturday's start against the Rockies. Unfortunately, he left the game after just 3.1 innings because of a sprained middle finger on his pitching hand. Sheets was in noticeable pain after throwing a pitch to Todd Helton and quickly exited the field, with Yovani Gallardo relieving him.

Sheets said Sunday that he couldn't "put any pressure on it," which makes it likely that he'll undergo an MRI to determine the exact problem. The worst-case scenario is that Sheets has an injury similar to the one suffered by Joel Zumaya earlier this season, which would most likely knock him out for the rest of the year. Whether short or long term, Gallardo figures to replace Sheets in the rotation, restoring his fantasy value after a move to the bullpen.

While Brewers fans are careful what they wish for when it comes to finding a way to get Gallardo into the starting rotation, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* After hitting .304 with a 1.044 OPS in 16 games as the Blue Jays' leadoff man while Reed Johnson was on the disabled list, Vernon Wells has been moved back to his rightful place in the middle of the lineup. Leading off successfully got him back on track, but Wells drove in just 16 runs from that spot despite batting .304 with seven homers, four doubles, and a .667 slugging percentage in 77 plate appearances.

Wells was one my favorite "buy-low" picks for the second half in this space last week and shifting back into an RBI spot makes him an even better target. Johnson's .347 career on-base percentage is far from great for a leadoff man, but he got on base at a .390 clip last season and No. 2 hitter Alex Rios figures to be in scoring position for Wells to drive in quite a bit. Despite the disappointing first half, Wells has a good chance to crack 25 homers and 100 RBIs.

* Albert Pujols was able to bring his batting average up well over .300 despite an awful start to the season, but entered the All-Star break with a 22-game homerless streak during which he slugged just .384 and drove in only eight runs. After being left on the bench by manager Tony La Russa during the All-Star game, Pujols has gone deep in each of the first three games of the second half.

He launched a pair of long balls Sunday against the Phillies, making him 6-for-14 (.429) with four homers and a 1.786 OPS since the All-Star break. Pujols has put together a couple of power surges before without being able to keep them going, but this is definitely a very encouraging sign. He's now hitting .368 with 14 homers, 38 RBIs, 40 runs scored, and a 1.116 OPS in 52 games dating back to mid-May.

* Chris Carpenter's injured right elbow started acting up again during his minor-league rehab assignment last week, with stiffness and swelling causing him to shut things down. Reports out of St. Louis are that multiple doctors are putting their heads together to determine what steps to take next, but it certainly sounds unlikely that Carpenter will be able to meet the original timetable that had him potentially coming back by early August.

* Tom Gordon returned from the 60-day disabled list Sunday, but figures to work off the rust in a middle-relief role before eventually being given a chance to reclaim ninth-inning duties. Antonio Alfonseca doesn't present much of a road block for Gordon when it comes to grabbing saves, but he may have to move relatively quickly. Brett Myers is scheduled to throw a simulated game Tuesday and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment shortly after that.

AL Quick Hits: Jermaine Dye homered twice Sunday, but his attempts to open up long-term contract negotiations with the White Sox have reportedly been shot down … Huston Street (shoulder) hopes to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this week and could come off the disabled list as soon as Friday … Barring a setback, Al Reyes (shoulder) is expected to return Wednesday … Torii Hunter plans to play through a sore hamstring, but it figures to cut into his stolen-base totals at the very least … Jason Giambi (foot) has begun working out at the Yankees' minor-league complex, but no timetable has been laid out for his return … After getting seven at-bats in an extra-inning game Sunday at Triple-A, the A's may bump up the timetable for Mike Piazza's (shoulder) return … X-rays on Jason Varitek's thumb came back negative, meaning he could play Monday … Plunked on the thigh by a Justin Verlander pitch Sunday, Ichiro Suzuki is questionable to play Monday … Showing no rust, Mark Teixeira is 4-for-12 with four extra-base hits in three games since returning from the DL … Glen Perkins (shoulder) has suffered a setback in his recovery and likely won't be a factor in the second half.

NL Quick Hits: Scheduled to come off the disabled list Thursday, Brian Fuentes (rib) will first make a minor-league rehab appearance Tuesday at Single-A … Bill Hall (ankle) hasn't begun running yet, but it sounds like he'll avoid missing anything close to the initial 6-8 week recovery timetable … If things go well during a bullpen session Tuesday, Pedro Martinez (shoulder) could pitch a simulated game later this week … Barring a setback, Ryan Dempster (oblique) will make two rehab appearances at Triple-A and then return this weekend … Derrek Lee's homer Sunday was his first in 126 at-bats … With seven shutout innings Sunday against the Phillies, Adam Wainwright now has a 3.03 ERA over his past 10 starts … Barry Bonds went 0-for-5 in Sunday's loss to the Dodgers and is now 1-for-22 over his past seven games … Because of ongoing knee problems, Brad Lidge figures to wear a brace for the remainder of the season … After sitting out two weeks with a sore back, Oliver Perez returned to the mound with six solid innings Sunday against the Reds … Carlos Quentin is hitting .455 in seven games since a demotion to Triple-A.

[Hache Man]

A's Send Kendall to Cubs
With an eight-game losing streak putting them 10.5 games out of a playoff spot, the A's parted with what figures to be the first of several veterans Monday, trading Jason Kendall to the Cubs for Rob Bowen and Jerry Blevins. Originally acquired from the Pirates for Arthur Rhodes and Mark Redman in November of 2004, Kendall was a tremendous disappointment with the A's after making three All-Star teams while hitting .306/.387/.418 in nine seasons in Pittsburgh.

Kendall struggled to throw out runners from behind the plate while hitting just .271/.337/.321 in parts of three seasons in Oakland, including .226/.261/.281 in 80 games this year. Rather than rely upon some combination of Bowen, Geovany Soto, and Koyie Hill, the Cubs will hand the everyday job to Kendall just weeks after trading former starter Michael Barrett to the Padres in a deal that netted them Bowen.

In the final year of a $60 million contract signed in 2000, Kendall figures to benefit from a move back to the NL. However, his skills have clearly eroded to the point that he has little chance of being a fantasy asset in mixed leagues and has marginal value even in NL-only formats. Manager Lou Piniella said Monday that Kendall will likely bat seventh in the Cubs' lineup, which limits his potential value even further.

Combined with the news that Mike Piazza will not be returning as a catcher, parting with Kendall means that the A's are committed to going with Kurt Suzuki as their starter behind the plate. Suzuki is somewhat similar to the player Kendall once was in that he doesn't offer much power, but is solid defensively and has good on-base skills. He's worth grabbing in AL-only leagues, but even at just 23 years old his long-term fantasy potential is pretty limited.

A relatively generic backup catcher, Bowen figures to stick as Suzuki's caddy, although the A's also have one-time Rockies prospect J.D. Closser hitting .259 with an .856 OPS at Triple-A. A 6-foot-6 left-hander, Blevins has a 1.02 ERA, 69-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and .190 opponent's batting average in 53 innings between Single-A and Double-A. He lacks overpowering stuff, but the 23-year-old has a chance to develop into a solid reliever down the road.

While the Cubs play musical catchers and A's general manager Billy Beane works the phones as a seller, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Brad Lidge has turned in back-to-back hitless innings while racking up four strikeouts since coming off the disabled list, with manager Phil Garner apparently seeing enough to return him to the closer role Monday. Not only does Lidge have a 2.21 ERA and 48-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 36.2 innings overall, he's sporting a 0.86 ERA, 44-to-9 strikeout-to-ratio, and .156 opponent's batting average in 31.1 innings spread over 29 appearances since late April.

Despite being one of baseball's most dominant relievers over the past three months and racking up 103 saves over the past three years, Lidge has yet to save a game this season. "I'm definitely ready to get back and close some games," Lidge said. "We need to start winning games and hopefully I can get a lot of opportunities to help us win." Lidge should have little trouble holding off Dan Wheeler for ninth-inning duties, but a trade remains possible and knee problems linger.

* An MRI on Ben Sheets' injured middle finger reportedly showed no further damage Monday, but the Brewers still placed him on the disabled list with what is being called a sprain. He'll miss at least 2-3 starts, but further tests Tuesday could reveal a much lengthier recovery timetable. With Sheets out, Yovani Gallardo will slide back into the rotation beginning Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

One of the elite pitching prospects in baseball, Gallardo posted a 2.79 ERA and 19-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three starts in place on an injured Chris Capuano before moving to the bullpen. He has tremendous value in NL-only leagues and is a must-grab in mixed leagues as well. As manager Ned Yost said Monday when asked about Gallardo replacing Sheets: "We're covered, we're in good shape. I've got a lot of confidence in Gallardo. We're not going to miss a beat."

* As expected, the Royals activated Reggie Sanders from the disabled list Monday and optioned Joey Gathright back to Triple-A. Gathright hit .328 with a .450 on-base percentage in 50 games at Omaha earlier this season and batted .315 with a .390 on-base percentage in 25 games with the Royals, so the move clearly had nothing to do with performance and everything to do with the fact that he had minor-league options remaining.

"I told Joey that I didn't know what to say to him," manager Buddy Bell said. "We want him on our club. He's just in a position where he got caught up in some roster issues." While the Royals were somewhat limited in terms of how they could create a spot on the roster for Sanders, a viable alternative to demoting Gathright would have been simply releasing Sanders. They're no doubt showcasing the 39-year-old for a trade, but the value they figure to get back is marginal.

Instead, they'll give the oft-injured veteran a couple weeks of at-bats to show that he's healthy so that they can potentially cash him in for a mid-level prospect. Briefly sending Gathright to Triple-A is certainly not the end of the world, but the Royals will be compounding their mistake if they allow Sanders to steal playing time from Billy Butler at designated hitter. Between Sanders and Emil Brown, at least one lineup spot will essentially be used solely to entice teams into a trade.

AL Quick Hits: According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the A's have discussed trading Dan Johnson to the Yankees for Scott Proctor … Darin Erstad (ankle) and Scott Podsednik (ribs) are scheduled to share an outfield while rehabbing at Triple-A beginning Wednesday … Huston Street (shoulder) threw a simulated game Monday and is hoping to come off the disabled list early next week … Jason Giambi (foot) has begun a running program, but is likely still at least three weeks from returning … According to the Kansas City Star, the Dodgers are the frontrunners to acquire Octavio Dotel, but have balked at the Royals' asking price of Matt Kemp or James Loney … Miguel Tejada is scheduled to begin hitting off a tee and fielding ground balls Tuesday … Eric Chavez was scratched from Monday's lineup because of a sore back … Ichiro Suzuki's bruised thigh limited him to designated-hitter duties Monday, but he went 2-for-3 with a walk and a steal … The Indians are reportedly interested in bringing Kenny Lofton back for his third stint in Cleveland.

NL Quick Hits: John Smoltz (shoulder) is scheduled to come off the disabled list to start Wednesday against the Reds … With Brian Fuentes (ribs) set to return Thursday, Manny Corpas pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning Monday for his second save … In the midst of a 0-for-18 slump, Barry Bonds sat out Monday's game with sore legs … Carlos Zambrano said Monday that he's optimistic about finally working out the long-rumored contract extension with the Cubs … Ken Griffey Jr.'s three-run homer Monday moved him past Frank Robinson into sixth place on the all-time list with 587 career long balls … Josh Hamilton (wrist) hasn't been cleared to begin baseball activities yet, so he won't be ready to return when eligible Monday … Michael Barrett went 3-for-4 with three RBIs Monday, but has yet to draw a walk in 57 plate appearances since joining the Padres … Roughed up Thursday at Triple-A, Homer Bailey will remain in the minors for at least one more start … After holding the Cubs to one run over 6.1 innings Monday, Tim Lincecum has a 1.37 ERA over his past four starts.

[Hache Man]

Difference Makers


This week I'll talk about some players who may be able to help you get back into contention. I'll also provide some direction for those making that tough decision between fantasy baseball and their woman.
Topic of the week: Fantasy or Woman?
A colleague of mine recently educated me on the video-game craze known as World of Warcraft (he refers to it as "World of War Crack"). Apparently, it's so addicting that dudes have been known to let their marriages rot as they play it until 2:00 a.m. every day. My first thought was, "Man, that's worse than fantasy baseball!"
Still, fantasy baseball can be pretty addicting in its own right, and I've had a couple of emailers explain how their infatuation with the game resulted in divorce from their wives. (I think they were bragging.)
If you are considering choosing fantasy baseball over a woman, you should jot down some pros and cons to aid in the decision. In fact, I'll help you get started. (Cons first for our purposes.)
Con: Fantasy baseball can't cook for you.
Pro: Fantasy baseball won't invent some recipe that includes a random assortment of fruits and vegetables, chicken, and pasta tossed with low-fat salad dressing…then get insulted when you don't stuff every last bite down your throat.
Con: Fantasy baseball cannot be a lifelong mate.
Pro: Fantasy baseball won't burn your house down if you play fantasy football.
Con: You can't take fantasy baseball on a romantic expedition
Pro: Fantasy sports doesn't insist on driving an Expedition that it handles like a car carrier and trying to squeeze it into the "customer with infant" parking spot when there are wide open spaces 15 feet further from the market.
Con: Fantasy baseball won't help discipline the kids.
Pro: Fantasy baseball won't look at you like a savage, heartless hostage taker when you raise your voice to the kids.
Con: Fantasy baseball does not have a brain.
Pro: Fantasy baseball does not think fantasy baseball is stupid.
Con: Fantasy baseball will not help you keep your temper in check.
Pro: Fantasy baseball doesn't classify casually flipping another motorist the bird as "extreme roadrage."
Con: Fantasy baseball has no emotions.
Pro: Fantasy baseball will never learn from some modern day Sally Jessy that every woman—regardless of how ugly, dumb, and self absorbed she may be—is entitled to a man with the looks of Orlando Bloom, the sensitivity of Dr. Phil, and the wallet of Ichiro.
Con: Fantasy baseball cannot drive.
Pro: Fantasy baseball will never run the rear passenger-side tire over the curb when making a right turn.
Con: Fantasy sports will never say, "I love you."
Pro: Fantasy baseball will never say, "You'd be so proud of the amazing deal I got on these Gucci shoes!"
Got more? Send them to jgangi@rotoworld.com.
Players of Note: 2nd-Half Difference Makers
For those that need to dig a little to get back into contention, here are some under-the-radar guys who might be able to help.
Kevin Millwood – Despite his ugly 5.77 ERA, Millwood has really turned things around of late. Over the last month, he's tallied four wins to complement a 3.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP and 33 K in 39 innings. Although his career ERA is just under 4.00, we've seen Millwood dominate for stretched, as he did in 2005 (2.86 ERA), 2002 (18 wins and a 3.24 ERA) and 1999 (2.68 ERA, 18 wins, and 205 K). On the chance that his recent performance marks the start of one such stretch, he makes a smart pickup right about now. In fact, if you put any stock in second-half trends, consider that Millwood's post-All-Star ERA is a full run lower than his pre-All-Star mark (3.41 to 4.41). Given that he plays for the worst team in the AL West, however, he's unlikely to continue racking up four wins a month.
Corey Patterson – In what was my best move of the season thus far, I picked Chone Figgins out of the trash in late May when he was batting a gag-inducing .108 with just three steals. Since then he's been a fantasy super stud, raising his average to .307 and swiping an insane 21 bags…sorry, make that 22—he just nabbed another as I write this sentence. Go Chone! If you missed out on the bargain bonanza that was Figgins, perhaps Patterson will turn out to be the next best thing. After managing just one dinger over the first three months, he's "broken out" with three over the last two weeks. For the month of July, he's hitting .333. And you can't ignore his 20 SB. He's hit as many as 24 round trippers in a season (2004) and stolen as many as 45 bases (2006). I don't have to tell you how rare that kind of speed/power combination is. Does .275 with 10 HR and 20 SB over the remainder of the season seem realistic? Is that not something you could use?
Jonny Gomes – One of my preseason sleepers, Gomes disappointed over the first two months of the season, hitting just .167 in April and .211 in May. Since then, though, he has turned it on, hitting .322 in June and .344 thus far in July. He's also smacked six homers over the last month. The kid clearly has pop, as evidenced by the 32 long balls he hit over the second half of 2005 and the first half of 2006. The big question is, can he get consistent at bats? Manager/Clock Blocker Joe Maddon inexplicably benches Gomes in favor of Greg Norton and his .178 AVG at times (thereby limiting Gomes' fantasy value), but Gomes is worth a roster spot if you have space in case reason prevails in the end.
Andruw Jones – Well, it took long enough, but Jones is finally coming around. For the month of July, he's hitting .295 with six homers. Let's not forget, this is a guy—in the prime of his life—who jacked 92 long balls across 2005 and 2006. Perhaps trading Adrian Gonzalez for him back in May will turn out to be my second best move of the year! Richie Sexson – No sign of a turnaround yet from Sexson, who's hitting .203 at the moment. Given that he's a career .265 hitter who's traditionally performed better in the second half, though, the chance of improvement seems high.

[Hache Man]

Ervin's Road Act Wearing Thin
Ervin Santana's tremendous road struggles have been a story all season, but it sounds like the Angels are finally fed up and close to yanking him from the rotation. Santana was shelled for seven runs on 14 hits Tuesday in Tampa Bay, making him 1-9 with an 8.79 ERA in 11 starts away from home this season and 10-20 with a 7.16 ERA on the road for his three-year career. Meanwhile, he's 23-7 with a 3.16 ERA at home, including 4-2 with a 3.42 ERA this year.

With Santana's next start scheduled to come Sunday in Minnesota, manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday that the Angels are "going to look at stuff" and "there are some options we might look at moving forward." Those options are Joe Saunders and Dustin Moseley, but Saunders has a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A and Scioscia seems hesitant to move Moseley from the bullpen given his 3.18 ERA in 34 innings as a reliever.

If Santana is removed from the rotation, general manager Bill Stoneman figures to get plenty of calls from teams interested in dealing for him. While the inability to avoid disastrous starts on the road has no doubt been incredibly frustrating for the Angels, the odds are certainly against it being a legitimate career-long problem. Plus, even with the road struggles, Santana is a 24-year-old pitcher with a 33-27 record and 4.87 ERA in 447.2 career innings.

While the Angels try to figure out Santana's Jekyll and Hyde act, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* Originally diagnosed as merely a sprain, further test results revealed Tuesday that Ben Sheets has a partial tear of the tissue surrounding the tendon in his middle finger. While not quite the worst-case scenario, Sheets will be shut down for 10-14 days and is now expected to miss a total of 4-6 weeks. The good news is that it sounds like Sheets should be back in September, giving him some time to shake off the rust in preparation for a potential Brewers playoff run.

With Sheets likely out for over a month, Yovani Gallardo will step into his spot in the rotation and may never look back. Gallardo will have at least a handful of starts to impress and could easily hold onto a rotation spot once Sheets returns, with Claudio Vargas the most likely candidate to get bumped. In the meantime, the 21-year-old right-hander a major asset in NL-only leagues and figures to have good value in mixed-league formats as well.

* One day after returning from the disabled list, Tom Gordon revealed Tuesday that he plans to pitch through a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder. Labrum injuries are horrible news for pitchers and present a much bleaker outlook than even Tommy John surgery, but Gordon may be able to pitch with the injury depending on the severity of the tear. Pedro Martinez remained effective for years despite a partially torn labrum, although he was much younger than Gordon.

Brad Radke is perhaps a better comp. Already planning to retire following last season, Radke pitched through a labrum tear (among other injuries) to go 12-9 with a 4.32 ERA before calling it quits at the age of 33. At 39, Gordon is no doubt hoping to coax another season or two out of his arm, because surgery to repair the labrum would almost certainly signal the end of his career. With Brett Myers nearing a return, Gordon will have to pitch well to continue closing.

* In the midst of a 3-for-45 (.067) slump and 9-for-61 (.148) since returning from the disabled list in mid-June, Rickie Weeks is no longer the Brewers' starting second baseman. Manager Ned Yost announced Tuesday that Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino would split playing time there for now, saying that Brewers are "at the stage where production matters" and "not in the phase of developing anymore," adding that "I've got to put my most productive players on the field."

Coming back from last August's season-ending wrist surgery, Weeks posted an .859 OPS with five homers and five steals in April. Since then he's hit .197 while going 163 plate appearances without a homer, with speculation that his Gary Sheffield-like swing is being hampered by further wrist problems. At just 24 years old Weeks has far too much talent and long-term upside for the Brewers to give up on him, but he's clearly not 100 percent healthy.

AL Quick Hits: Al Reyes (shoulder) is expected to come off the disabled list Wednesday, with Gary Glover heading back to a setup role … After fielding ground balls and hitting in a batting cage Tuesday, Miguel Tejada (wrist) is optimistically targeting a July 28 return … According to the New York Post, the Yankees have been trying to acquire Wilson Betemit since last season by offering up Scott Proctor … Meanwhile, both sides shot down a rumor that the White Sox were targeting Conor Jackson … Michael Young broke out of a 10-for-53 (.189) slump Tuesday, going 5-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs … Jack Cust's two-run homer helped the A's score more than three runs Tuesday for the first time since July 2, but they still lost 11-4 … Reggie Sanders said Tuesday that he'd welcome a trade to the Red Sox, with the Boston media speculating that a deal could happen despite the presence of Wily Mo Pena … Alex Gordon had three hits Tuesday to break out of a July slump and also stole his 10th base.

NL Quick Hits: In his first appearance since reclaiming closing duties, Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday to pick up his first save of the season … Kerry Wood (triceps) has begun a minor-league rehab assignment at rookie-ball, with a move up to Single-A scheduled for next week … After lining out as a pinch-hitter Tuesday, Barry Bonds is just two hitless at-bats shy of tying his career-worst 0-for-23 slump … Including among the Phillies' 26 hits Tuesday were a pair of two-run homers from Ryan Howard … Randy Johnson (back) reportedly felt good after a bullpen session Tuesday, but is not close to returning … Todd Helton was scratched from Tuesday's lineup because of a headache … After tossing a perfect inning in his first rehab appearance Tuesday at Triple-A, Ryan Dempster is on track to return this weekend … A Daily Dose "buy-low" pick last week, Bronson Arroyo tossed seven shutout innings Tuesday … Barry Zito won Tuesday for the first time in seven starts … Roy Oswalt made a one-batter appearance out of the bullpen Tuesday, relieving for the fourth time since his rookie season.

[Hache Man]

Dontrelle Scuffling in Florida
Dontrelle Willis was knocked around at home again Wednesday, allowing six runs on 11 hits in three innings. Willis has gone nine straight starts without a win dating back to May 29 and is now 7-9 with a 5.13 ERA on the season. While he's been reasonably effective on the road, going 5-2 with a 4.47 ERA in nine starts, Willis' ugly outing Wednesday dropped him to 2-7 with a 5.64 ERA in a dozen home starts.

The home-road split is likely a fluke, but Willis' declining control is worth being concerned about. After walking just 2.1 batters per nine innings when he went 22-10 with a 2.63 ERA in 2005, Willis' walk rate has jumped to 3.3/9 in 2006 and 4.1/9 this season. Never a big-time strikeout pitcher despite a reputation that says otherwise, Willis' strikeout-to-walk ratio is down to 84-to-55 in 121 innings. Throwing over 800 innings through the age of 24 might be catching up to him.

While the Marlins hope that Willis isn't washed up at 25 years old, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* With the Cardinals in Florida, Scott Rolen has traveled back to St. Louis in order to have his ailing left shoulder examined by a team doctor. Rolen has started 16 straight games, but hit just .246 with zero homers and a .634 OPS over that stretch, giving him a measly .709 OPS in 79 games this season. It's possible that Rolen will get a cortisone shot and jump right back into the lineup, but the odds are against him turning in a productive second half.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are expected to hear an official word on Chris Carpenter's elbow injury Thursday. Carpenter has gotten second and third opinions on his status after experiencing continued soreness following surgery to remove bone spurs in May, and manager Tony La Russa indicated Wednesday that further surgery remains an option. Carpenter hasn't pitched since giving up five runs in six innings against the Mets on Opening Day.

* NBCSPORTS.COM VIDEO: Fantasy Fix – Second-Half Studs and Duds

* As expected (and discussed in this space yesterday), the Angels have optioned Ervin Santana to Triple-A. His rotation replacement hasn't been named officially yet, but the fact that Dustin Moseley worked in relief Wednesday night suggests strongly that it'll be Joe Saunders. Saunders went 3-0 with a 2.97 ERA in five starts filling in for Bartolo Colon and Jered Weaver earlier this season, but has gone just 4-7 with a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A.

His 84-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 86.1 innings at hitter-friendly Salt Lake suggests that Saunders' high ERA is somewhat misleading, but at best he projects as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. Following Santana's demotion, manager Mike Scioscia made it clear that the Angels aren't giving up on the 24-year-old and expect him to reclaim a rotation spot by season's end. In the meantime, Saunders should get at least a month's worth of starts to impress.

* According to the Kansas City Star, the Royals are "sifting trade offers" for Octavio Dotel, with the Red Sox, Dodgers, Indians, Tigers, and Braves "among those teams known to have some interest." Dotel would likely act as a setup man in all those destinations, so his fantasy value figures to plummet the moment he's traded. Meanwhile, Joakim Soria will likely take over as the Royals' closer once Dotel is dealt, which will give his fantasy value a huge boost.

* Assuming his minor-league rehab appearance Thursday at Triple-A goes well, Ryan Dempster is expected to come off the disabled list Friday. Dempster hasn't pitched since June 22, but manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday that he'll immediately resume ninth-inning duties once he returns. That'll push Bob Howry back into a setup role after Howry went 6-for-7 in save chances with Dempster out.

* Erik Bedard was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday against the Mariners because of a stiff neck. Daniel Cabrera took his place and struggled on three days' rest, allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings to drop to 6-10 with a 5.30 ERA on the year. While being scratched from a start is obviously never good news, the current plan is for Bedard's next outing to simply be pushed back to Friday against the A's, which is a better matchup for him anyway.

* Roger Clemens' first four outings came against NL teams and he posted a 5.09 ERA while racking up 22 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. Since then he's started five times against AL teams, compiling a 3.24 ERA, but has managed just 12 strikeouts in 33.1 frames. The inability to overpower AL lineups likely isn't a coincidence. After back-to-back eight-inning, one-run starts to begin July, Clemens has allowed 14 hits with a 5-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11.1 innings.

AL Quick Hits: After throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, Curt Schilling (shoulder) has been cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Saturday at Triple-A … With Schilling due back soon and Jon Lester still waiting in the wings, the Boston Herald speculates that Julian Tavarez's loss Wednesday may have been his final start … Johan Santana held the league's best offense to three runs over eight innings Wednesday, but dropped to 11-7 when the Twins failed to score more than three runs for the 11th time in his 20 starts … An MRI on Eric Chavez's injured back came up negative, so he's expected to return this weekend … According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox are "actively seeking to deal Wily Mo Pena" and are also trying to find a right-handed hitting outfielder to replace him … Phil Hughes (hamstring) is nearing a return after tossing four innings of one-run ball in a rehab start Wednesday at Double-A … Marcus Thames made a sprawling, game-saving catch Wednesday, but suffered a strained hamstring on the play … Demoted to Triple-A after losing his rotation spot to Matt Garza, Kevin Slowey tossed a complete-game shutout Wednesday.

NL Quick Hits: After sitting out two weeks with a shoulder injury, John Smoltz racked up 11 strikeouts in seven shutout innings Wednesday … Likely hobbled for a few days by a sore ankle anyway, Derrek Lee has decided to begin serving his five-game suspension … Handed an early 9-0 lead against a Giants lineup that didn't include Barry Bonds, Carlos Zambrano exited after five scoreless innings to pick up his NL-leading 12th win … Starting Wednesday despite manager Ned Yost saying that Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino would take his job, Rickie Weeks went 0-for-4 to make him 9-for-65 (.138) since coming off the disabled list … After sitting out Tuesday's game thanks to a headache, Todd Helton returned to the lineup Wednesday with his ninth homer … Greg Maddux left Wednesday's game with a hamstring injury, but said afterward that "it's more of a cramp than a sprain" … Hitting just .189 since June 1, Marcus Giles is expected to sit out three straight games while working on his swing … Willie Harris has officially come back to earth, going 1-for-7 Wednesday to make him 6-for-40 (.150) this month.

[Hache Man]

Bullpen Report: Week 16
Tom Gordon was activated from the disabled list this past week, then revealed he's going to try and pitch through a partially torn labrum. The Phillies are going to try and "manage" the injury for the remainder of 2007 and all of 2008, but if they manage the injury as well as they manage the rest of the team Gordon will require surgery soon enough.

It's a development that knocks Gordon's value down quite significantly, and it's a good idea not to count on him for much while pitching at less than 100 percent. That he also isn't likely to pitch more than a couple of days at a time further limits his value, and his days as a closer could well be done. The club may try and ease Gordon back into the role if Brett Myers doesn't return as planned, but Antonio Alfonseca has done a fine job, Myers is due back in a week, and Gordon would have to pitch well for that to happen. The odds are against everything aligning properly for the right-hander to return to the role.

All closers are rated in one of the following categories: Locked In, Secure, Shaky, In Danger, Filling-in, Co-Closer or DL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Jose Valverde (Locked In)

Key setup men: Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon, Doug Slaten

Valverde appeared in just one game this week, recording a save in a scoreless inning against the Padres. Pena hasn't looked as dominant as of late while giving up 10 baserunners, but just two runs, in his last 4 2/3 innings. Continued struggles might mean Lyon becomes Valverde's backup again, but manager Bob Melvin has indicated that he sees Pena as a future closer and he'll remain in that role for now.

Atlanta Braves

Closer: Bob Wickman (Secure)

Key setup men: Rafael Soriano, Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Oscar Villareal

A poor week before the All-Star game got Wickman downgraded to 'Shaky', but he's bounced back with three scoreless innings and a win since. That Soriano has given up three runs over his last three appearances adds to the logic for keeping Wickman in the role for now. I'll bump him back up to 'Secure' this week, but he's still on the low end of that spectrum.

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Chris Ray (Secure)

Key setup men: Paul Shuey, Chad Bradford, Danys Baez, Jamie Walker

I recommended buying Ray in all leagues when he was kept out of a save situation two weeks ago, and the advice is already looking rather sound. The right-hander has rebounded with five straight scoreless innings, giving up just three baserunners and striking out 10 during that span. There's still some risk that he'll lose confidence and revert to his previous ways, but Ray is much more likely to turn in an excellent second half and resemble a great long-term option.

Boston Red Sox

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon (Locked In)

Key setup men: Hideki Okajima, Brendan Donnelly (DL), Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez

Papelbon pitched in two games this week, notching a save with a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays in the first and then throwing another scoreless inning in a one-run loss to the Royals. Okajima is working on a 17-inning scoreless streak, dating back to June 3. Amazingly, that's only his second longest stretch of the year, as he had a 21 1/3 inning streak after giving up a homer to start the season. Delcarmen had been a mild disappointment for Triple-A Pawtucket this season, but he's pitched much better since a promotion to the majors. He could take over eighth inning duties down the road, and he's fine to use in deep AL-only leagues for now.

Chicago Cubs

Closer: Ryan Dempster (DL), Bob Howry (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Angel Guzman (DL), Carlos Marmol, Mike Wuertz, Kerry Wood (DL)

Dempster threw a perfect inning for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and will again pitch in a game on Thursday. He should be activated on Friday or Saturday and then move right back into the closer's role. Howry, who went 6-for-7 in save opportunities despite giving up eight runs in 13 outings while Dempster was out, will return to a setup role. While the right-hander did a fine job, Marmol could be chosen to close next time the club has a vacancy. Despite taking a loss on Tuesday, he's been excellent to date and has long-term closer potential. Guzman is currently rehabbing his strained elbow in the minors and could be back later this month, but he hasn't pitched in 10 days and is more of a sleeper for 2008.

Chicago White Sox

Closer: Bobby Jenks (Locked In)

Key setup men: Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal (DL), Boone Logan

Jenks has fallen into a bit of a slump, giving up seven runs and blowing three saves over his last seven appearances. It's a development the team could ill-afford with the rest of their bullpen in shambles, but it doesn't really matter as the club has long been out of playoff contention. As long as Jenks is healthy and eventually snaps out of the funk, the team will look forward to using him as their closer in 2008.

Cincinnati Reds

Closer: David Weathers (Secure)

Key setup men: Eddie Guardado (DL), Jon Coutlangus, Mike Stanton, Jared Burton

Weathers started the week with back-to-back scoreless innings in non-save situations, but his next two outings didn't go nearly as well. In the first, Weathers gave up a run and brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth against the Braves, but he retired Andruw Jones to protect a one-run lead and earn a save. In the second, Weathers was charged with a blown save after giving up a run in the bottom of the 10th. A few excellent defensive plays bailed him out of further trouble in that one, and the Reds did end up winning the game in 15 innings. The outings aren't something that should affect his value yet, but it's worth watching.

Guardado threw a 30-pitch simulated game on Tuesday and reported no issues. He'll continue to pitch on the side and could be back in a week or two.

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Joe Borowski (Shaky)

Key setup men: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Tom Mastny

Borowski started the week by blowing a one-run lead in the ninth after two singles and two sacrifices scored the tying run for the Royals. The Indians won the game in the bottom of the inning, giving Borowski a victory. The right-hander followed up the blown save with a pair of scoreless innings and a save later in the week. The club will explore upgrade options at the deadline, but with so few quality players available it could be a seller's market the team decides to stay away from. Either way, expect to hear a lot of rumors in the coming week.

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Manny Corpas (Shaky)

Key setup men: Brian Fuentes (DL), LaTroy Hawkins, Jorge Julio, Jeremy Affeldt

Fuentes is recovering from a strained rib-cage muscle in the minors and should be activated on Thursday. However, he won't go back to the closer's role just yet. Corpas has converted all three save opportunities put in front of him thus far and has given up just one run since Fuentes went down. The club will still go back to Fuentes as soon as he's healthy and effective in middle relief, but it's a good sign for Corpas' long-term value.

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Todd Jones (Secure)

Key setup men: Joel Zumaya (DL), Fernando Rodney (DL), Jose Capellan, Macay McBride

Jones picked up two more saves with scoreless innings this past week. He hasn't given up a run in eight innings since getting a vote of confidence from management on June 28. Rodney will throw from a mound this weekend and could be ready to rejoin the club within a week. He'll resume eighth inning duties right away, though he's no lock to be effective.

Florida Marlins

Closer: Kevin Gregg (Secure)

Key setup men: Armando Benitez, Henry Owens (DL), Matt Lindstrom, Taylor Tankersley

Gregg appeared in three games this week, picking up two saves and giving up one run. Benitez struggled around the change in months, but he's rebounded with 5 1/3 scoreless innings since. However, Gregg has pitched well enough in the closer's role to have some job security now. It'd take more than a bad outing or three to get him removed in favor of Benitez.

Houston Astros

Closer: Brad Lidge (Shaky)

Key setup men: Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, David Borkowski

So who had July 17 in the pool for the date of Lidge's first save? Along with Mariano Rivera not garnering his first save until April 28, Lidge's drought was among the more surprising events as it relates to bullpens. Lidge struck out two and walked one in a scoreless inning while recording said save. While the right-hander is still a risk to implode for mental reasons, he looks like a pretty strong bet to recover after giving up just one run in his last 18 innings of work. He'll need a few more outings under his belt before he can move up to a 'Secure' ranking, but expect it to happen.

Kansas City Royals

Closer: Octavio Dotel (In Danger)

Key setup men: Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria, Joel Peralta, David Riske

Dotel hasn't been as dominant as he once was since returning from the disabled list, but his slider's back and his fastball is still a plus pitch. His command hasn't been exceptional, but that he pitched two scoreless innings against tough offenses (the Red Sox and Indians) this week should help his trade value. The Dodgers are supposedly interested in the right-hander, but another setup man is low on their list of priorities and the Royals reportedly asked for too much anyway. Expect the team's demands to come down as the deadline nears and Dotel to end up in a setup role on August 1. Greinke remains next in line.

Los Angeles Angels

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scot Shields, Justin Speier, Dustin Moseley

K-Rod totaled three scoreless innings and a win over two outings this week, lowering his ERA to 2.16. Shields was working on a 24 2/3 inning scoreless streak before giving up a pair of runs to the Rangers on Sunday. Speier is back from an intestinal infection and has struck out four batters and given up one run in two innings thus far. It'd probably be best to wait another week before activating him in AL-only leagues, but he should have value over the season's final two months.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Takashi Saito (Locked In)

Key setup men: Jonathan Broxton, Yhency Brazoban (DL), Chin-Hui Tsao, Rudy Seanez

Saito blew a one-run lead in the ninth inning against the Giants to start his week, but the Dodgers ended up winning the game in extra innings and Saito followed with two scoreless innings for saves later in the week. Tsao's shoulder continues to be an issue and he's back on the disabled list for a second time. Despite looking strong to start the season, he's still not someone that should be counted on.

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Francisco Cordero (Locked In)

Key setup men: Derrick Turnbow, Matt Wise, Carlos Villanueva, Manny Parra

It was a strong week for Cordero, who struck out six and picked up three saves in four scoreless innings of work. Parra will work out of the bullpen for now, but he has a very intriguing future in the club's rotation and won't be here for long. He can be used in deep NL-only leagues in the meantime, however.

Minnesota Twins

Closer: Joe Nathan (Locked In)

Key setup men: Pat Neshek, Juan Rincon, Matt Guerrier

Nathan continued his dominance this week, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings while earning a pair of saves. Neshek celebrated the announcement that the team thought he could be a future closer by recording five shutout innings of work over the last six days. For those who don't know, Neshek has a blog that he updates frequently. There are a lot of insightful posts detailing the life of a ballplayer in addition to some entertaining discussions, so I recommend checking it out.

New York Mets

Closer: Billy Wagner (Locked In)

Key setup men: Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano

Wagner lowered his ERA to 1.52 with three shutout innings of work this week. He also picked up three more saves, bringing his season total to 20. Guillermo Mota's strikeout and walk ratios are about the same as before he was caught cheating, but he's also giving up more hard hit balls. His current 6.08 ERA should come down at least a little due to luck alone, but he's not a good bet to be as productive as he was before the suspension.

New York Yankees

Closer: Mariano Rivera (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth, Luis Vizcaino, Brian Bruney

It's about time. Rivera finally had a dominant week for the Yankees, earning four saves with 5 2/3 scoreless innings of work. With the Yankees playing better and Rivera due for more save opportunities anyway, the future Hall of Famer is in for a big second half. If Rivera's setup men can hold on to leads more frequently than they have he'll be a threat to save 20 games in the second half.

Oakland Athletics

Closer: Huston Street (DL), Alan Embree (Filling-in)

Key setup men: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero, Rich Harden (DL), Dallas Braden

Street threw a simulated game on Monday and reported no problems with the nerve in his right arm. He'll make an appearance in the minors this weekend, and could be activated as early as Monday. The club has no incentive to rush him back or put added pressure on him, but he'll probably return as a closer anyway. He's fine to activate for next week's games. Check in on Sunday to see how his rehab is going, as Embree could be worth using as well. Once Street is back, Embree will return to a setup role. If Street has to head back to the disabled list, Casilla is more likely to take over than Embree.

Calero is back from right shoulder inflammation, but he hasn't looked particularly sharp yet. It's an injury that could linger, and I'd hold off on activating him if possible. Harden is back on the disabled list as well after throwing just 6 2/3 innings since returning from injury. He'll be someone to take a flier on next season, but his draft price is going to have to drop by 75 percent or so to make it worth the risk.

Philadelphia Phillies

Closer: Brett Myers (DL), Antonio Alfonseca (Filling-In)

Key setup men: Tom Gordon, Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary

Myers threw a simulated game on Tuesday and is set to start a rehab assignment on Friday. He should be back late next week, though he doesn't need to be activated in fantasy leagues just yet. With Gordon pitching at less than full steam, Myers could return to closing duties right away. Due to the uncertainty with both Gordon and Myers I wouldn't recommend dropping Alfonseca in shallower leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Matt Capps (Locked In)

Key setup men: Salomon Torres, Damaso Marte, Shawn Chacon

Capps threw a scoreless inning in a non-save situation in his only appearance this week. Torres has backed off of trade demands and will resume pitching the eighth inning for now. He still could be trade bait, but the odds are that he'll be a Pirate through the end of the season.

San Diego Padres

Closer: Trevor Hoffman (Locked In)

Key setup men: Scott Linebrink, Heath Bell, Cla Meredith, Kevin Cameron

Hoffman notched his 26th save with another scoreless inning this week. The outing lowered his ERA to 1.85, which would be the second best mark of his career if the season ended today. Not bad for a 39-year-old. Bell's ERA finally climbed over 2.00 with a couple of poor outings, but he bounced back with three straight scoreless appearances. I'm still banking on him putting up an ERA below 3.00 from here on out. Meredith has given up just one earned run in his last 7 2/3 innings, but the club still trusts Linebrink and Bell more at the moment.

San Francisco Giants

Closer: Brad Hennessey (Secure)

Key setup men: Randy Messenger, Kevin Correia, Jonathan Sanchez (DL)

Hennessey threw two shutout innings in the Giants' 8-7 loss in 12 innings to the Dodgers on Saturday, then picked up a save with a scoreless inning against the Cubs on Tuesday. He's still less than two weeks removed from being taken out of a save situation, but I believe he has some job security. Correia continues to struggle in a setup role, so Messenger is next in line for now. He's far from an exciting option, however.

Seattle Mariners

Closer: J.J. Putz (Locked In)

Key setup men: Brandon Morrow, Chris Reitsma, George Sherrill

Putz was credited with four saves after hurling 4 1/3 scoreless innings this week. It's July 19 and his ERA is 0.79 and his WHIP is 0.55. Take that in for a second. Reitsma has returned from the disabled list by giving up one run in two innings of work spread over three outings. Morrow still has trouble hitting the broad side of a barn with most of his pitches and the club doesn't trust him in close games at the moment, so Reitsma has already moved back into an eighth inning role.

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Jason Isringhausen (Locked In)

Key setup men: Ryan Franklin, Tyler Johnson (DL), Russ Springer

Isringhausen is still pitching some of the best baseball of his career, lowering his ERA to 1.45 with two more shutout innings this week. The Cardinals will do everything they can to stay in playoff contention while trying to defend their title, so Isringhausen should see plenty of save opportunities in the second half.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Closer: Al Reyes,

Key setup men: Gary Glover, Brian Stokes, Shawn Camp

Reyes was activated from the disabled list on Wednesday after missing the minimum of 15 days due to a rotator cuff strain. He threw a scoreless inning later that day and will resume his duties as closer immediately. A strong couple of weeks would give him a good deal of value at the trading deadline, but the Devil Rays have warmed to the idea of keeping him around for another year. Glover is next in line.

Texas Rangers

Closer: Eric Gagne (Secure)

Key setup men: Akinori Otsuka, Joaquin Benoit, Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson

Gagne notched two more saves with scoreless innings this week, and the Rangers are going to make him readily available over the next two weeks. Since he looks like the best option out there to contenders needing a closer, expect them to ask for the moon, then take the best offer if nobody caves in by July 31. Otsuka has been rumored in trades as well, but he's much more likely to remain with the club.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer: Jeremy Accardo (Secure)

Key setup men: Casey Janssen, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor

Accardo went 2-for-3 in save opportunities this week, recording two against the Red Sox and then blowing one against the Yankees in a game the Blue Jays would ultimately lose. Frasor's recent struggles have ensured that Janssen is next in line, but Accardo still has plenty of job security.

Washington Nationals

Closer: Chad Cordero (Secure)

Key setup men: Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome (DL), Luis Ayala

Cordero threw three more scoreless innings this week, picking up a pair of saves in the process. He should have plenty of trade value if the Nationals decide to move him, but there has been almost no noise coming out of Washington on the issue.

[Hache Man]

What To Do With Weeks?
In my haste to recommend Jonny Gomes last week, I blanked on B.J. Upton's imminent return. Sure enough, that relegated Gomes back to the bench. He should be DHing regularly, but until then he can't be used in a mixed league. Thanks to all who emailed on that point. Let's get to it.

American League

Kason Gabbard, SP, BOS – The 25-year-old southpaw opened some eyes with an eight-strikeout shutout against the Royals on Monday. He wasn't too bad in his previous start against the Tigers, either. He's fairly hittable, and allowed a surprising rate of home runs at Triple A despite his groundball tendencies. I'm not saying he can't carve out a career as a fourth or fifth starter, but starting him in AL-only is still a roll of the dice right now. He could stick even after Curt Schilling returns. AL: $3, Mixed: No.

Joakim Soria, RP, KCA – Now is the time for a pre-emptive pickup of Soria if he's available in your league. He's been dominant in recent months, and will assume KC's closer job when Octavio Dotel is traded. AL: $18, Mixed: $10.

Joe Saunders, SP, LAA – The combustion and demotion of Ervin Santana should lead to a rotation spot for Saunders. I think he can keep his ERA under 5, for what that's worth. You know, 5 is the new 4 as far as ERAs go. Our kids are going to think 6 is an OK ERA. AL: $4, Mixed: No.

Matt Garza, SP, MIN – As Garza keeps tossing up scoreless innings, my doubts on him start to fade away. No reason he can't post a 3.80 ERA moving forward, which is useful in most leagues with more than eight teams. AL: $15, Mixed: $5.

Scott Baker, SP, MIN – I've always liked Baker, and it's nice to see him succeed. Once again, his command has been superb. When the hits don't drop in he'll have some nice starts. However, as a guy who's always around the plate, he will be prone to 5-7 run explosions randomly. AL: $9, Mixed: No.

Mike Mussina, SP, NYA – Moose is a popular mixed league add this week, even though his last two starts haven't been anything special. His strikeouts are way down, and despite the name value it's time to put him out to pasture. By that I mean you can only use him in AL-only. AL: $11, Mixed: No.

Lenny DiNardo, SP, OAK – No one seems to trust DiNardo, but he's posted many scoreless starts this year. Though his 3.72 ERA is fine, his other numbers in his eight starts have been ugly. His groundball tendencies can't be discounted, but he remains risky in all leagues. AL: $2, Mixed: No.

National League

Mark Reynolds, 3B, ARI – Reynolds went nuts in May after injuries granted him a big league opportunity. He was terrible in June but is hitting well once again in July. Projection systems validate the 25 HR pop, and he's worth owning in deep mixed leagues again. NL: $13, Mixed: $2.

Jo-Jo Reyes, SP, ATL – Joey Jo-Jo may stick as the Braves' fifth starter with Kyle Davies demoted, though that will change if they acquire a starter. Didn't like the big man in mixed leagues when he came up a few weeks ago and nothing's really changed. NL: $4, Mixed: No.

Julio Franco, 1B, ATL – Franco, a former teammate of Pete Rose the year I was born, hooked on with Atlanta in attempt to push towards age 50 as a big leaguer. We're all rooting for him, but he's a non-factor in fantasy. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Buddy Carlyle, SP, ATL – The 29 year-old righty has risen from the ashes to become the Braves' fourth starter. He's a textbook journeyman, having traveled from Mobile to Japan to Las Vegas and everywhere in-between. He's got decent peripheral stats this year in nine starts, though it should be noted that he's done his finest work against the Pirates and Nationals. You could still throw a few bucks his way in NL-only, if he's out there. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Jake Fox, 1B/OF, CHN – Fox started the year as a catcher but had been playing first base and the outfield recently in Double A. With Derrek Lee serving his suspension and some other players banged up, Fox could get some at-bats over the next week or so. He's got good power but unless he really mashes he'll be back to the minors shortly. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Jason Kendall, C, CHN – The Cubs are banking that Kendall has something left, and failing that at least he can handle the pitching staff. However, intangibles don't count in fantasy baseball. At most, Kendall can provide a .290 average. That's possible but still unlikely so I suggest you leave him on the waiver wire. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Bobby Livingston, SP, CIN – Homer Bailey's injury and the likelihood of a Kyle Lohse trade should make Livingston's job relatively secure. He's known for amazing control but doesn't throw hard and is very hittable. I wouldn't try him in any league despite his hitting prowess. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, COL – Jimenez can bring it in the high 90s, and he has a plus changeup too. However, his control was terrible in Triple A. The Rockies have granted him a rotation spot, but there's no reason to expect him to figure it out against tougher competition. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Cody Ross, OF, FLA – Ross has shown pretty good power before in Triple A. He had a nice run (albeit in a tiny sample size) in April until he tore his hamstring. If the Marlins are facing a southpaw, Ross is worth using in any league. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Tony Graffanino, 1B/2B/SS/3B, MIL – The versatile 35 year-old is showing surprising power, with seven home runs in 77 at-bats since the start of June. With the benching of Rickie Weeks, Graffy should play semi-regularly. He's the classic supersub, and is worth a few bucks in NL-only. NL: $6, Mixed: No.

Yovani Gallardo, SP, MIL – If Gallardo isn't already owned in your league, pick him up now and join a better league next year. NL: $40, Mixed: $20.

Rickie Weeks, 2B, MIL – Outside of his five home run/five steal April, Weeks has been either hurt or terrible this year. Now he's been benched. He's been a huge disappointment, but may be feeling the lingering effects of wrist surgery. He could make a nice post-hype sleeper for 2008, but right now there's no reason to keep him around. NL: $3, Mixed: No.

Moises Alou, OF, NYN – Look for Mo to rejoin the Mets sometime around Tuesday against the Pirates at Shea. You know the story on Alou – he hits when he's on the field. He's a fine pickup in all leagues; ride out the wave of health. NL: $16, Mixed: $8.

Cesar Izturis, SS, PIT – Izturis is a Pirate now, which could lead to a slight increase in playing time. He could even regain full-time status if the Bucs can dump off Jack Wilson's contract on someone. Regardless, Izturis has negative fantasy value. NL: No, Mixed: No.

J.D. Durbin, SP, PHI – Durbin has been a promising pitcher plagued by health issues his entire career. The hard-thrower made the Futures Game in 2003 but needed surgery to fix a partially torn labrum by May of '04. He was never healthy enough to earn a real look with the Twins, and ran out of minor league options. Then the fun began as teams tried to sneak him through waivers and he became a Diamondback, Red Sox, and Phillie in the course of a few weeks. The 25 year-old was not impressive in Triple A for the Phils, but injuries have granted him a rotation spot. He recently posted a fine start against the Dodgers but I'd pass for now. NL: No, Mixed: No.

Noah Lowry, SP, SFN – Lowry is a popular recent add in mixed leagues. He's got a 3.50 ERA despite poor control and a below average strikeout rate. Lowry has morphed into a groundball pitcher since striking out 172 back in '05. His WHIP will remain high; his ERA is headed up – I would pass in all but the deepest of mixed leagues. NL: $12, Mixed: $3.

Jim Edmonds, OF, STL – Edmonds finally came off the DL last night, going 1 for 3 against Tim Hudson. Look for decent power and some ribbies while he's healthy. He's someone to consider in deep mixed leagues. NL: $12, Mixed: $2.

[Hache Man]

Surgery for Carpenter
The Cardinals' worst fears were realized Thursday, with the announcement that Chris Carpenter will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. Carpenter hasn't pitched since Opening Day and had bone spurs removed from his elbow in May, but having T.J. surgery this late in the season means that the odds are now stacked against him making a significant impact in 2008. At best, he might come back for the final two months, but likely wouldn't be at full strength.

Already under the Cardinals' control through 2008, Carpenter signed a three-year, $50 million contract extension in December. The deal takes him through the 2011 season, but to get there he'll have to first come back from a major arm injury for the second time in five seasons. After missing most of 2002 and all of 2003, Carpenter came back to become one of the best pitchers in baseball, going 51-18 with a 3.10 ERA in 645.1 innings from 2004-2006.

He's one of the best success stories of a pitcher bouncing back from major surgery, but doing so again at the age of 33 figures to be far more difficult. With his value for 2007 gone, keeper leaguers shouldn't rely on Carpenter being a fantasy asset until 2009. Even then, it's probably wishful thinking to count on a 34-year-old with his history of arm problems jumping right back into the mix as one of the league's premiere pitchers.

While the Cardinals' already forgettable post-championship season gets even worse, here are some other notes from around baseball …

* In the midst of a 0-for-21 slump and absent from the starting lineup for three straight games to rest his sore legs, Barry Bonds returned in style Thursday against the Cubs, going 3-for-3 with two homers and six RBIs. Both homers came against left-handed pitchers (starter Ted Lilly and reliever Will Ohman, if you're keeping track), giving Bonds 19 long balls this season and 753 for his career.

Just two homers away from tying Hank Aaron's all-time record, it's possible that the Giants will rest Bonds on the road this weekend in Milwaukee, which coincidentally is where Aaron's 755th and final homer came on July 20, 1976. In another interesting twist of fate, the Giants open up a seven-game homestand Monday against the Braves, for whom Aaron played 21 of his 23 major-league seasons (and hit 733 of his 755 homers).

* NBCSPORTS.COM VIDEO: Fantasy Fix – Dodgers Thoughts

* Lost in the shuffle of Carpenter going under the knife is that the Cardinals did get some good news Thursday. Jim Edmonds returned from the disabled list after sitting out over a month with a pinched nerve in his back, starting in center field and going 1-for-3. Meanwhile, Scott Rolen received a cortisone shot in his injured shoulder and is expected to return to the lineup soon. However, as discussed in this space yesterday, Rolen is a poor bet for a strong second half.

* With Ben Sheets' injury securing his spot in the rotation for at least the next month, Yovani Gallardo resumed starting Thursday after spending three weeks in the bullpen and picked up right where he left off. Gallardo shut out the Diamondbacks for six innings, improving to 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 23-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in four starts. Toss in his relief work and the 21-year-old right-hander has a 2.34 ERA and 31-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 34.2 innings.

* After watching him go 1-5 with a 7.31 ERA and 25-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in seven starts since early June, the Braves optioned Kyle Davies back to the minors Thursday. Davies pitched reasonably well early in the season, but at no point did he look like the one-time top prospect who put up fantastic numbers in the minors. Instead, he looked much like the same guy who struggled through injuries while going 3-7 with an ugly 8.38 ERA in 14 starts last season.

Davies is still just 23 years old, but he now sports a 14-21 record and 6.15 ERA in 237 big-league innings spread over three seasons. With the Braves potentially looking to add a veteran starter or capable bat before the trading deadline, Davies could be on the trading block. He's just a couple years removed from ranking as one of the best pitching prospects around, so if the Braves have officially soured on him they'll likely still be able to cash him in for some value.

AL Quick Hits: After homering in a minor-league rehab game Thursday at Triple-A, Mike Piazza (shoulder) could come off the disabled list this weekend … Batting .354 at the end of May, Kevin Youkilis has hit just .238 in 37 games since … Optioned to Triple-A Thursday, Jorge Cantu said that he doesn't expect to ever play for the Devil Rays again … Torii Hunter (hamstring) expects to be back in the lineup Friday, but Michael Cuddyer (thumb) may miss several more games … In the lineup Thursday only because Cuddyer was scratched, Jason Kubel went 3-for-4 with a homer … Hitting just .125 this month, Orlando Cabrera was given what manager Mike Scioscia called a "mental day off" Thursday … After essentially playing with a 24-man roster since July 1, the Rangers finally placed Akinori Otsuka (forearm) on the shelf Thursday, making it less likely that he'll be traded … C.C. Sabathia allowed four runs in six innings Thursday, but once again got good run support on the way to becoming MLB's first 13-game winner … Daisuke Matsuzaka walked a career-high six batters in Thursday's loss to the White Sox.

NL Quick Hits: X-rays on Lance Berkman's injured hand showed no structural damage, so he'll remain in the lineup while wearing a protective pad … Originally expected to return Thursday, Brian Fuentes' (ribs) timetable has been pushed back several days … Josh Johnson (forearm) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Friday at Single-A … With a homer Thursday, Andruw Jones is now hitting .321 with four homers and 11 RBIs in seven games since the All-Star break … Handed a 6-0 lead in the first inning Thursday, Tom Glavine still failed in his bid for career win No. 299 … After back-to-back rough outings at Triple-A, Homer Bailey has been placed on minor-league disabled list with a strained groin … Eric Byrnes said Thursday that long-term contract talks with the Diamondbacks have broken down … With Ryan Dempster (oblique) due back Friday, Bob Howry converted what might be his final save chance Thursday, making him 7-for-8 in Dempster's place … If a bullpen session Friday goes well, Randy Wolf (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment next week at Single-A.

[Hache Man]

Week That Was
Tommy John surgery, trades, another ding to Big Papi and more in this week's Week That Was.

Kip Wells:: Kip Wells looked like, well, someone other than Kip Wells Wednesday night, blanking the Fish for 8 innings. You could here whispers all around the stadium "who are you and what did you do with Kip" as Wells posted goose egg after goose egg. Ok, enough clowning around. Only teams desperate to make a major run from the cellar should gamble on Wells. One outing does not a season make. You can do better (and if you cannot, play for next year).

Ervin Santana: In the culmination of a quick and ugly fall from grace, the Angels sent Ervin Santana to AAA. Fact is Ervin, who shares a real first name with "Magic" Johnson, has been anything but magic so far in 2007. A 6+ ERA is just not the answer to any question (unless the question is "what Angels pitcher is doing his best Kei Igawa imitation?"). Ok, again, enough of the pathetic attempts at humor. If you are in a keeper league, keep Santana. If you are out of contention, go get Ervin at the bottom of his value. He is a classic case of a pitcher that just needs to recalibrate. He has the talent (unlike Kei) and he will be back. Final thought here -- if you have some FAAB money left, Joe Saunders makes a good risk/return investment for the rest of the year.

Chris Carpenter: In news that makes Cardinal fans (and Carpenter owners) reach for the bottle of Maalox, Chris Carpenter will undergo Tommy John surgery. Not only is he done for this year, he is likely cooked for 2008 as well. Wow, was this thing mismanaged or what? Attempting rehab to try and get something for their huge investment in 2007 has cost the Cards 2008 as well. The Cards have no choice but to hope someone took out insurance. However, in fantasy world, you should keep Carpenter only if you are in a long term keeper league, paid way, way below healthy Carpenter market price, and have league rules that allow you to keep a player in 2008 even though they will not pitch until 2009. Hey, maybe the Yankees can dump Igawa on the Cards? Nah, Carpenter will provide a better return on investment this year than Ew-Gawa.

Yovani Gallardo: . Yovani Gallardo looked strong again Thursday, beating Arizona with 6 very solid innings. Fact 1 – Gallardo's minor league numbers are staggering. Fact 2 – Ben Sheets is often hurt and no one knows how soon he will be back to form after the latest injury. Fact 3 – Gallardo is better than Claudio Vargas (if not other members of the Brew Crew rotation). Bottom line: Gallardo is a must buy in all formats. The only problem is that it is probably already too late.

Cesar Itzturis: The Lou Piniella merry-go-round continues as the Cubs dealt Cesar Izturis to the Pirates. This deal is a bit confusing. First, why do the Pirates want Cesar? They already have Jack Wilson, Jose Bautista, Freddy Sanchez and Jose Castillo (i.e, 4 players to fill 3 slots). So, it seems that Itzturis's value will stay down for the near future. Only another deal can save Cesar's fantasy season. Second, the Itzturis deal does mean more consistent time for Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot and Mark Derosa. All are good third MI candidates for deep leagues.

Octavio Dotel: According to a number of reports, the Royals have received multiple offers for Octavio Dotel. One's initial reaction would be that Dotel's value will plummet. Well, of course his value is higher as the KC closer than as a set up man for a contender. However, do not downgrade too much. Dotel posts strong ratios and strikeouts. Also, on a contender, he will be in a position to vulture wins over the last two months. If there is a Dotel owner in your league panicking, go fleece him. If you own Dotel, hold unless you are so dominating the pitching categories that quality consistent innings are unimportant to you. Final thought here – do you think the Yankees could use Dotel as a bridge to Mo? Oh, that's right, they let Dotel go last year and spent the money on Igawa. Doh!

Chris Capuano: Capuano tossed 7 quality innings Wednesday, reversing the recent trend of injuries and bad outings. Maybe the emergence of Yovani Gallardo inspired Cap. Maybe the injury to Ben Sheets forced Cap to realize that the staff needs a leader. Or, maybe he got two-plus weeks of needed rest, worked off the rust and is ready to post solid numbers the rest of the way. I vote for option three. Cap is a buy low candidate in deep NL leagues.

Jason Kendall: The Cubs continued the catching merry-go-round at Wrigley by acquiring Jason Kendall from the A's. So? First, I see no way to throw a barb at Kei Igawa here other than to say that Kendall's value decreases just by virtue of not getting to hit against Igawa. Second and more relevant, do not break the bank on Kendall. He has no power, his speed has diminished and his average has not been up to snuff. Thus, unless you are in a very deep NL league and have a very sorry catching corps, I would hold my FAAB for a more lucrative player. The one opportunity that the deal does create is in the AL where Kurt Suzuki (who can hit) will get regular AB's in Oakland. Now there is a shot at catching lightning in a bottle. Oh, and for those of you who think Piazza will do a lot of catching for Oakland, think again.

David Ortiz: According to Terry Francona, Big Papi's left shoulder strain is not that serious. Could be. However, when you add in a knee that will need surgery, you have a very expensive roto player with serious risk. My advice: If you can move Papi for a quality hitter with no known injury problems, do it. Winning roto is about minimizing risk.

Kei Igawa: Are some of you wondering why I am so hard on Kei Igawa? First and foremost, it entertains my readers. Second, it might be because the Yankees paid the gross national product of a small nation for a pitcher who anyone who spent 5 minutes in little league would have known could not possible provide a return on that investment. Or, maybe because I never thought they Yankees would run such a sorry starter out to the hill that I would find myself rooting for the horror movie himself (Mike Myers) jog out of the bullpen and toss underhanded jelly donuts. Oh, you want fantasy advice – here is some – cut Igawa. Phillip Hughes is on his way back to the Bronx shortly.

And last, but not least, this week's Schultz Says: "Defending World Series champions are usually a good source of dependable rotisserie talent. This year, though, with the exception of Chris Duncan, the St. Louis Cardinals have been a bottomless pit of stats with no one pleasantly exceeding expectations. Even Albert Pujols hasn't been providing a satisfactory return on investment. Although it would be fun to blame it on baseball's favorite killjoy, Tony LaRussa, this is simply a cursed year for the Redbirds. With the news this week that Chris Carpenter will have Tommy John surgery and Scott Rolen's shoulder is acting up, it might be wise to look elsewhere if you're scrounging for talent at your deadline . . . unless the Pujols owner in your league is ready to cut bait on Phat Albert -- he seems veerrry motivated after his coach's All-Star slight. Hmmm, maybe LaRussa had the larger picture in mind in San Francisco . . .

If he can remain healthy, Andruw Jones should be poised for a tremendous second half. While the science of predicting strong second halves from anyone not named Johan Santana can be a bit akin to reading tea leaves, a couple factors work in Jones' favor. First off, as you may have heard, he's in a contract year, a time in every athlete's life that inspires them to work hard from day one and finish strong. It's an effort well worth making: you can spend the length of your next contract resting up for the next contract year. Second, we woefully underperformed in the first half. Under the Tony Gwynn theory, the best time to get the about-to-be Hall of Famer is when he's hitting .240 so you can enjoy the benefits of his climb towards his typical .333. Over the past 5 years, Jones has consistently hit around .260. As he is currently batting .220, he's a good bet to get hot and come near his traditional benchmark. The team that has him is surely down on him, it's worth a shot to try and pry him away on the cheap.

In his brief visit to the big leagues before going down with an injury, Phil Hughes made quite an impression. When he does return, which should be quite shortly, he will continue his chase of Johnny Vander Meer's hitless inning streak. Hughes won't be joining Francisco Cabrera, Jimmy Leyritz or Bucky Dent on baseball's list of one-hit wonders, but those expecting Hughes to consistently dominate like he did in his last outing -- only his second big league start -- should give themselves a bit of a reality check. Keep your expectations tempered and expect him to pitch like a 21 year old learning how to pitch in the major leagues.

Response: Once again, pretty good stuff. However, I do want to note that the Cards have not been as bad roto-wise as the baron of the bottom of the page would have you believe. Jason Isringhausen has been a solid and reliable closer and Ryan Franklin has come off the scrap heap to post a 1.32 ERA and .082 WHIP. Not too shabby: .

Personal Note: I write this week from the baseball mecca known alternatively as "the Windy City," the "Second City" or simply Chicago. Cubs fans here are very excited about their team (Sweet Lou and his antics not withstanding). What I found most intriguing is the new summer Saturday event of choice when not going to Wrigley – cleaning one's apartment (you cannot make this stuff up). Also, Cubs fans have decided to simplify their view of the baseball world this year. One fan, when asked what Chicagoans have to say about the team that has not won since the first decade of the last millenium, responded simply "Go Cubs." Who knows, simple phrases and clean apartments could bring Chicago to baseball nirvana for the first time in . . . . well, a VERY long time.

[Hache Man]

AL Team-by-Team Notes
A few people have asked, so I'll start this column with a checkup on my Krause Publications Experts league squad. Unfortunately there will be no successful defense of last year's title, as I've been running between seventh and tenth over the last couple of months. Below is the team I drafted, along with the players I have now.

C - Ivan Rodriguez (12)
C - Gerald Laird (20)
1B - Lyle Overbay (15)
3B - Hank Blalock (13) - Ryan Braun
CI - Edwin Encarnacion (21) - Kevin Youkilis
2B - Jeff Kent (8)
SS - Freddy Sanchez (16) - J.J. Hardy
MI - Jose Vidro (23) - Jose Lopez
OF - Vladimir Guerrero (1)
OF - Vernon Wells (3)
OF - Adam Dunn (7)
OF - Rocco Baldelli (10) - Luis Gonzalez
OF - Jeff Francoeur (11)
DH - Chris Duffy (18) - Richie Sexson

P - Chris Carpenter (2) - Kelvim Escobar
P - Jake Peavy (4)
P - Brandon Webb (5)
P - Rich Harden (14) - Orlando Hernandez
P - Jose Contreras (19) - Dave Bush
P - Chuck James (22)

P - Billy Wagner (6)
P - Brad Lidge (9) - Jeremy Accardo
P - Octavio Dotel (17)

So, I went pitching heavy and it bit me, as can happen. I currently have 27 hitting points and 36 pitching points in the 12-team league. I thought the hitting could be middle of the pack, but there have just been too many disappointments.

On to the notes.

American League Notes

Baltimore - The rumors about Erik Bedard being available seem far-fetched, but the Orioles will gleefully part with Steve Trachsel and could surrender Daniel Cabrera if it brings top talent in return. Cabrera has a 5.30 ERA this season and a career mark of 4.87 in four seasons, but there isn't a pitching coach in baseball that wouldn't like to have a shot at turning him around. Cabrera and Jay Payton to the Mets for Lastings Milledge would make a lot of sense. … Garrett Olson was sent back down to Triple-A Thursday, but he'll get a permanent spot once the Orioles move a starter. He's erased doubts about his ability to stay in the rotation with his performance in the minors this year, and he should turn into a long-term No. 3 for Baltimore. It's too bad the Orioles face the Yankees and Red Sox too often down the stretch to make him a quality option in AL-only leagues. … Jay Gibbons and Corey Patterson both have OPSs approach 1000 in July after three-month slumps to open the season. Unfortunately for the Orioles, it's probably come too late for either to bring back a decent return in trade. Fantasy leaguers, though, will benefit. Patterson is again a fine play in mixed leagues. Gibbons could an option for power-starved teams if the Orioles move Payton or Kevin Millar. He's still not playing enough right now, something that needs to change.

Boston - The Giants and Red Sox continue to be linked, with Omar Vizquel, Randy Winn, Dave Roberts and, gulp, Matt Morris getting mentioned as possibilities for Boston. Still, I don't see how there can be much to it. Morris' trade value is gone. Winn is owed $16.25 million in 2008-09 and Roberts is due $13 million over the same timeframe, making them way too expensive to be carried as fourth outfielders. Vizquel has made it clear he doesn't want to be a utilityman. About the only thing that would make sense is Julio Lugo for Vizquel and one of the outfielders. However, now that Lugo has turned it around, the Red Sox aren't going to be looking to make a change there. They probably weren't in the first place. … Bobby Kielty to Boston still could be a possibility if Wily Mo Pena is moved for a reliever. Kielty wouldn't have any fantasy value with the Red Sox, but he would be a nice asset against left-handers. … Curt Schilling (shoulder) is nine or 10 days away from bumping Julian Tavarez to the bullpen. Kason Gabbard isn't as good as he's performed his last two starts, but he's on his way to securing a permanent rotation spot and he should be picked up in AL-only leagues. … Fortunately, David Ortiz's shoulder injury sustained Friday isn't serious. He'll probably be back by Monday.

Chicago - With four homers since the break, Jermaine Dye's trade value is on the way back up. The Diamondbacks have been mentioned the most frequently as a suitor for Dye. The Padres were shocked by the White Sox's asking price of Khalil Greene and Scott Linebrink. The Yankees, Mets and Angels could be sleepers to land him. Arizona won't want to part with Carlos Gonzalez for a rental, but Micah Owings could be up for grabs, and if the White Sox are willing to move Jon Garland along with Dye, then the Diamondbacks could get serious about trading Gonzalez, either Carlos Quentin or Conor Jackson and a good young arm. The White Sox, though, want to keep Garland and make a run next year. … While Dye's value is climbing, Jose Contreras hit a new low after he gave up 10 runs to the slumping Red Sox on Friday. Since he won't bring back anything valuable, the White Sox might just keep him and hope for the best. Contreras' velocity isn't where it should be, so it doesn't look like he's going to bounce back in a big way. Maybe he'll be an adequate No. 4 the rest of the way if he begins to realize he can't throw his fastball by hitters. … Javier Vazquez is a sell-high candidate. He has a nice run every year, but he still ends up with an ERA over 4.00. Of course, he'll remain strong in WHIP and strikeouts even when he does begin to struggle a bit, so he shouldn't be given up cheap. … The White Sox could activate both Scott Podsednik (ribs) and Darin Erstad (ankle) Monday and return them to the top of the order.

Cleveland - Because of the way Trot Nixon is playing, the Indians could acquire a corner outfielder and still keep Franklin Gutierrez in the lineup most of the time. Nixon no longer gets the benefit of the doubt after a year and a half of well below average production for a corner outfielder. Gutierrez might not prove to be much of an offensive upgrade, but he will play some great defense when he slumps. He could be an asset in AL-only leagues the rest of the way. … It doesn't look like the Indians will be getting much help from the minors. Shin-Soo Choo won't be an option before September because of an elbow injury, and left-hander Tony Sipp underwent Tommy John surgery. Andy Marte seemed to have it turned around for a while last month, but he's batting .243/.282/.434 for Triple-A Buffalo now. He'll need a big finish if he hopes to be considered for a starting job next spring. Adam Miller's finger still seems to be a problem, as he's been lit up three times in a row for Buffalo. With the exception of Friday's complete game, Jeremy Sowers (1-4, 4.72 ERA) also hasn't been any good since his demotion. The Indians will have to go back to Jason Stanford it they lose a starting pitcher to injury.

Detroit - It's been suggested that the Tigers could be in the mix for Adam Dunn, but if they add a hitter before the July 31 deadline, it'll probably be a left-handed bat for the bench. Marcus Thames, who had overtaken Craig Monroe on the depth chart, probably won't miss too much time after going on the DL with a strained hamstring, and Monroe returned Saturday after sitting out a couple of games with back spasms. If the Tigers did decide to go all out for a big bat, Mark Teixeira would make more sense than Dunn. Comerica Park isn't at all kind to left-handed power hitters, and Dunn's defense would be a problem if he's asked to play left. The stadium would also give Teixeira trouble -- he's hit .217/.280/.464 in 69 career at-bats in Detroit -- but at least he's already plenty familiar with the league's pitchers, and there's at least as much of an opportunity to upgrade at first base as there is in left. … The Tigers likely will trade for relief help before the deadline anyway, but Joel Zumaya (finger) and Fernando Rodney (shoulder) seem to be making steady progress. Rodney could be back next week after a brief rehab assignment, and Zumaya said his finger no longer bothers him. He's probably three or four weeks away.

Kansas City - The Royals indicated last month as though Zack Greinke had overtaken Joakim Soria as the primary fallback to Octavio Dotel. It's obviously a big concern now with Dotel a top candidate to be traded. Until giving up a homer Saturday, Soria had been flat-out dominant of late, allowing seven hits and striking out 24 in 18 1/3 scoreless innings since the beginning of June. Greinke has been pretty good during the same timeframe, amassing a 3.12 ERA, but he can't compare with that. It seems likely that Soria will be the choice to close. That makes more sense anyway, as Greinke's future likely remains in the rotation. I don't buy the talk that the Royals are going to move him to the Braves or Cubs. … Ryan Shealy (hamstring) began his rehab assignment on Saturday, but it's unclear whether he'll get his starting job back. The Royals currently have Ross Gload, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler sharing time at first, with Esteban German playing the hot corner when Gordon slides over. There's no sense is trying to figure out in advance who will be at the position on any given day. "There is just no rhyme or reason for it. It's just a hunch or feel, or matchups," manager Buddy Bell told MLB.com. Shealy will probably start against lefties and the occasional righty after coming off the DL. It could be some time before he's worth using in AL-only leagues. … Scott Elarton (foot) is coming off the DL to start Tuesday, which is great news for fans of the Yankees and Rangers. He'll face both teams during his first week back.

Los Angeles - I'm not going to argue with Ervin Santana's demotion; the time had come. Still, the Angels seemed to be setting him up for it. We're talking about the guy with the most well known home-road splits in the AL. He has a career ERA of 3.16 in Anaheim and a 7.16 mark in away games. Still, the Angels had him make 11 of his 19 starts this year on the road. Coming out of the break this year, they had three games at home, six on the road and then six at home. With the freedom to do practically anything with the rotation, they still arranged it so that Santana would start games four and nine -- putting him on the road in both outings. Of course, he never made it to the second one. Joe Saunders is taking Santana's place on Sunday and should prove to be a nice upgrade. He's worth using in AL-only leagues right away. … The Angels shook up their lineup on Friday, dropping Reggie Willits from first to ninth in the order. It's the same thing manager Mike Scioscia did with Chone Figgins last year. It's bizarre that Scioscia seems to view the two spots as nearly interchangeable, but that's the way it works in Anaheim. Since he loses an at-bat a game, Willits won't be worth using in shallower leagues until he moves back up. … The Jose Molina trade suggests a new-found confidence in Jeff Mathis. He'll get to stick around as Mike Napoli's backup.

Minnesota - While it won't make up for losing Michael Cuddyer to a sprained thumb, the Twins might finally get Rondell White (calf, hamstring) back this week. He'll likely be the primary DH initially, with Jason Kubel playing left field and Garrett Jones, Darnell McDonald, Lew Ford and Jason Tyner all seeing time in right. … With White DHing, Jeff Cirillo could start over Nick Punto at third base against left-handers. Punto, a switch-hitter, is batting just .190 versus southpaws this season. It'd be great if the Twins could upgrade at third base before the deadline, but barring that, they might as well get Cirillo into the mix more frequently.

New York - It's safe to assume the Yankees have more in store than a backup catcher upgrade from Wil Nieves to Jose Molina. Andy Phillips has done a fine job at first base lately, but the Bombers know they can do better. The rumored Ty Wigginton-for-Scott Proctor deal would further upgrade the bench, but it wouldn't do much to address first base. Wigginton and Phillips are very similar offensively and neither should be playing first base against right-handers for a contending club. I imagine the rest of the AL contenders would love to see the Yankees make that move and do little else to address the offense. … Johnny Damon says he's healthy and started to show it with his first two extra-base hits in three weeks in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. There was also a favorable report on Jason Giambi's status Saturday. If the Yankees thought they could count on those two hitting anywhere near their career levels over the final six weeks of the season, it'd be easier to stand pat for now. Damon seems like the better bet of the two. … Phil Hughes' fourth rehab start will come Monday. It's possible that he'll switch places with Kei Igawa after that, though it's at least as likely that he'll make one additional rehab start over the weekend. He's likely to have value in mixed leagues during the final two months.

Oakland - The Jason Kendall trade was probably just the first step as the A's become full-fledged sellers for the first time during Billy Beane's reign. Kurt Suzuki will be the regular catcher for the rest of the season, giving the team plenty of time to evaluate whether a veteran needs to be brought in during the offseason. Suzuki likely will prove to be an adequate regular. He doesn't have the power to be a fantasy force, but he's worth using in AL-only leagues now and he could be a $6-$8 player next year. He should have a .350 OBP and 10-12 homers in his best years. … The A's have to play Mike Piazza regularly at DH after activating him Friday, but that might not keep Jack Cust out of the lineup. Cust has 100 points of OPS over anyone else on the team, so he needs to be in there most of the time, even if it means playing him in right field. Piazza should start every day until the trade deadline. If he's not moved then, perhaps he'll clear waivers and go in August. … Huston Street (elbow) is due back this week after his rehab appearance Saturday. He might have to be eased back into the closer's role, but it won't be long before he replaces Alan Embree.

Seattle - The Mariners are still winning often enough, but they're averaging just under four runs per game this month, suggesting that some changes to the lineup would be a good idea. The obvious move would be to promote Adam Jones, move Raul Ibanez to the DH and to start convincing Jose Vidro how every great team needs a great pinch-hitter. Not only would it likely boost the offense, but it'd aid the defense as well. Vidro can still start over Ibanez against lefties and help back up Richie Sexson at first base. Maybe it won't happen quite that way initially, but it's at least 50/50 that Jones will be up before the end of the month. He shouldn't be an asset in mixed leagues right away, but he could be a major asset in AL-only leagues.

Tampa Bay - The Rays seem serious about keeping B.J. Upton in center field and Jorge Cantu is again looking to be moved after his demotion to Triple-A, so it's hard to tell what they would do at second base if they traded Wigginton. Josh Wilson might get most of the playing time, but he's strictly in the "capable stopgap" category. Giving Cantu one last chance at the position would make more sense. Moving Akinori Iwamura to second and going with Evan Longoria at third base seems like the biggest long shot of them all. However, if Upton is moving to the outfield permanently, Iwamura should prepare to play second base in 2008. Longoria won't be kept down for long. … Don't expect to see Elijah Dukes in center at any point over the rest of the season. He's been on the restricted list for a month now, and there's been no timetable for him to report to Triple-A Durham. … Carl Crawford should be kept active this week. The ankle sprain he suffered Saturday isn't believed to be very serious.

Texas - The chances of a Mark Teixeira deal seem little better than they did a week ago. Perhaps the Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees can't be counted completely out, but each of those teams is more likely to address its pitching needs and hold on to its best prospects. The Braves also seem less than serious about pulling off a major deal. The Angels might be the most significant suitors. The Rangers would surely prefer to move Teixeira out of the division, but if they can pull off a deal that helps them long-term, it shouldn't matter where they're sending him. If they could grab both Casey Kotchman and Ervin Santana, it'd make sense to pull the trigger. The real darkhorse here is San Francisco. The Giants could offer up Noah Lowry, Jonathan Sanchez and one of their less desirable contracts (probably Winn or Morris) in an attempt to bring in a star to replace Barry Bonds as a foundation of the franchise. Still, it'd make more sense for them to do the deal in the offseason than it would now. I think Teixeira is staying. … Akinori Otsuka (forearm) is also remaining in Texas now that he's going to be on the DL through the deadline. If the Rangers can sign Eric Gagne to an extension, then they probably won't be big players on July 31. Joaquin Benoit is available and should be attractive to contenders. C.J. Wilson would be pursued if the Rangers put his name out there, but they'll keep him and look to move Ron Mahay instead. Kenny Lofton and Brad Wilkerson are the hitters most likely to go. There just isn't much interest in Sammy Sosa. He might get a pink slip in August to make room for Jason Botts. … Hank Blalock (ribs) still isn't ready to make hard throws, so he's at least three weeks away.

Toronto - Troy Glaus is supposed to be available, but a deal is increasingly unlikely. The Padres don't appear to have the money to bring him in, and both the Angels and Dodgers are getting by with their current third-base situations. A trade to the Yankees would make sense, since the Bombers could use him at first base and then move him back to third if Alex Rodriguez leaves, but the Jays would surely prefer not to move him within the division and Glaus might block a trade to an East Coast team anyway. Matt Stairs, Josh Towers and maybe Scott Downs are the Jays most likely to be dealt. … The Jays finally dumped Jason Phillips and brought up Curtis Thigpen to share time with Gregg Zaun. Thigpen could get 40-50 percent of the starts for now and 60 percent in September as the Jays try to decide how he fits into their plans for 2008. A line-drive hitter with pretty good on-base skills, Thigpen is rather similar to Zaun, though he doesn't switch-hit. He's a little below average defensively, so he'd probably be better off catching 80-90 games per year, not 120-130. If the Jays go forward with him, they should trade Zaun over the winter and bring in a stronger defender to handle part-time duties. … With few contenders looking for catching help, Zaun doesn't figure to go now. He loses fantasy value with Thigpen up, but he's still the superior option of the two in AL-only leagues at the moment.

[Hache Man]

Chasing History
History is about to go down. Barry Bonds stands just two homers shy of tying immortality. With 753 career home runs, the Giants legend is about to become baseball's home run champion. Hank Aaron has been the game's leader since Opening Day in 1974, but Bonds could surpass him this week as San Francisco hosts the Braves and Marlins. Tom Glavine is also just two wins shy of becoming just the 23rd member of the exclusive 300-win club. He'll face off against the Pirates in his journey to join Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux as the only active players to hit the milestone. Meanwhile, ARod is just one RBI from becoming the first player in baseball to 100 RBI, and he's just two long balls from joining the 500-HR club.

Also, soon-to-be 49-year-old Julio Franco signed with the Braves, Chris Carpenter is done for the season and Curt Schilling, Moises Alou and Scott Podsednik are closing in on their returns. Aces Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano and John Smoltz are some of the other top two-start hurlers, while Lenny DiNardo, Yovani Gallardo and Andrew Miller are also strong plays with their multiple matchups. The Week Ahead breaks down the latest around the league to help you make those tougher lineup decisions.

Two-start pitchers:
Great options:
Johan Santana MIN @ TOR Shaun Marcum, @ CLE C.C. Sabathia
Carlos Zambrano CHC @ STL Kip Wells, @ CIN Matt Belisle
Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS @ CLE C.C. Sabathia, @ TB Andy Sonnanstine
C.C. Sabathia CLE vs. BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka, vs. MIN Johan Santana
Chris Young SD @ COL Ubaldo Jimenez, @ HOU Jason Jennings
Jeremy Bonderman DET @ CHW Javier Vazquez, @ LAA Joe Saunders
Aaron Harang CIN vs. MIL Chris Capuano, vs. CHC Sean Marshall
Chien-Ming Wang NYY @ KC Scott Elarton, @ BAL Brian Burres
Tim Hudson ATL @ SF Matt Morris, @ ARI Livan Hernandez
Roger Clemens NYY @ KC Odalis Perez, @ BAL Jeremy Guthrie
John Maine NYM vs. PIT Shane Youman, vs. WAS Jason Bergmann
Derek Lowe LA @ HOU Jason Jennings, @ COL Ubaldo Jimenez
John Smoltz ATL @ SF Matt Cain, @ ARI Doug Davis
Javier Vazquez CHW vs. DET Jeremy Bonderman, vs. TOR Roy Halladay
Chad Billingsley LA @ HOU Chris Sampson, @ COL Jeff Francis
Yovani Gallardo MIL @ CIN Matt Belisle, @ STL Kip Wells
Jeff Francis COL vs. SD Greg Maddux, vs. LA Chad Billingsley
Matt Cain SF vs. ATL John Smoltz, vs. FLA Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Willis FLA @ ARI Doug Davis, @ SF Matt Cain
Chad Gaudin OAK @ LAA Bartolo Colon, @ SEA Felix Hernandez

More strong options:
Andrew Miller DET @ CHW Mark Buehrle, @ LAA Jered Weaver
Kevin Millwood TEX vs. SEA Horacio Ramirez, @ KC Scott Elarton
Greg Maddux SD @ COL Jeff Francis, @ HOU Chris Sampson
Chris Capuano MIL @ CIN Aaron Harang, @ STL Brad Thompson
Lenny DiNardo OAK @ LAA Kelvim Escobar, @ SEA Miguel Batista
Shaun Marcum TOR vs. MIN Johan Santana, @ CHW Jose Contreras
Bartolo Colon LAA vs. OAK Chad Gaudin, vs. DET Kenny Rogers
Matt Morris SF vs. ATL Tim Hudson, vs FLA Sergio Mitre
Daniel Cabrera BAL vs. TB Scott Kazmir, vs. NYY Mike Mussina
Livan Hernandez ARI vs. FLA Sergio Mitre, vs. ATL Tim Hudson
Doug Davis ARI vs. FLA Dontrelle Willis, vs. ATL John Smoltz
Jason Jennings HOU vs. LA Derek Lowe, vs. SD Chris Young
Jeff Suppan MIL @ CIN Kyle Lohse, @ STL Mike Maroth
Jose Contreras CHW vs. DET Justin Verlander, vs. TOR Shaun Marcum

Other two-starters:
Kyle Kendrick PHI vs. WAS Jason Bergmann, vs. PIT Shane Youman
Miguel Batista SEA @ TEX Brandon McCarthy, vs. OAK Lenny DiNardo
Jake Westbrook CLE vs. BOS Julian Tavarez, vs. MIN Matt Garza
Sergio Mitre FLA @ ARI Livan Hernandez, @ SF Matt Morris
Chris Sampson HOU vs. LA Chad Billingsley, vs. SD Greg Maddux
Matt Belisle CIN vs. MIL Yovani Gallardo, vs. CHC Carlos Zambrano
Julian Tavarez BOS @ CLE Jake Westbrook, @ TB J.P. Howell
Kip Wells STL vs. CHC Ted Lilly, vs. MIL Jeff Suppan
Jason Bergmann WAS @ PHI Kyle Kendrick, @ NYM John Maine
Andy Sonnanstine TB @ BAL Erik Bedard, vs. BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka
Kip Wells STL vs. CHC Carlos Zambrano, vs. MIL Yovani Gallardo
Horacio Ramirez SEA @ TEX Kevin Millwood, vs. OAK Dallas Braden
Matt Chico WAS @ PHI Cole Hamels, @ NYM Tom Glavine
Shane Youman PIT @ NYM John Maine, @ PHI Kyle Kendrick
Odalis Perez KC vs. NYY Roger Clemens, vs. TEX Robinson Tejeda
Ubaldo Jimenez COL vs. SD Chris Young, vs. LA Derek Lowe
Scott Elarton KC vs. NYY Chien-Ming Wang, vs. TEX Kevin Millwood

Team-by-team Game Totals:
Eight-game weeks: CHW, DET, MIL, SEA
Seven-game schedule: ARI, ATL, BOS, CIN, CLE, COL, FLA, HOU, KC, LA, NYY, NYM, OAK, SD, SF, STL, TEX, WAS
Six-game schedule: BAL, CHC, LAA, MIN, PHI, PIT, TB,TOR
Five-game schedule: none

Rain threatened games:
Monday 7/23: LA @ HOU (40%), SEA @ TEX (40%)
Wednesday, 7/25: BOS @ CLE (40%), LA @ HOU (40%), MIL @ CIN (40%)
Thursday, 7/26: SD @ HOU (40%)
Friday, 7/27: SD @ HOU (40%)
Saturday, 7/28: SD @ HOU (40%), LA @ COL (40%)
Sunday, 7/29: LA @ COL (60%), SD @ HOU (60%), WAS @ NYM (60%), NYY @ BAL (60%), PIT @ PHI (60%)

According to National and Local Weather Forecast, Radar, Map and Report

Stadium Factor:
ESPN - MLB Park Factors - Major League Baseball
Park Factor compares the rate of stats at home vs. the rate of stats on the road.
A rate higher than 1.000 favors the hitter. Below 1.000 favors the pitcher.

Top Hitter's Park Schedules:
2. Great American Ballpark (Reds) 1.181 runs – 4 vs MIL, 3 vs CHC
3. Kauffman Stadium (Royals) 1.179 runs – 4 vs NYY, 3 vs TEX
4. Coors Field (Rockies) 1.141 runs – 3 vs SD, 4 vs LA
6. Jacobs Field (Indians) 1.123 runs – 4 vs BOS, 3 vs MIN
9. U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) 1.082 runs – 4 vs DET, 3 vs TOR

No Games: 1. Fenway Park (Red Sox) 1.268 runs, 5. Wrigley Field (Cubs) 1.125 runs, 7. Yankee Stadium (Yankees) 1.103 runs, 8. Dolphin Stadium (Marlins) 1.092 runs

Top Pitcher's Park Schedules:
3. Tropicana Field (Devil Rays) 0.851 runs – 3 vs BOS
4. Busch Stadium (Cardinals) 0.885 runs – 3 vs CHC, 3 vs MIL
6. Minute Maid Park (Astros) 0.900 runs – 3 vs LA, 4 vs SD
8. Shea Stadium (Mets) 0.922 runs – 3 vs PIT, 3 vs WAS
11. Rogers Centre (Blue Jays) 0.932 runs – 3 vs MIN

No Games: 1. Turner Field (Braves) 0.821 runs, 2. Petco Park (Padres) 0.845 runs, 5. Metrodome (Twins) 0.896 runs, 7. RFK Stadium (Nationals) 0.912 runs, 9. PNC Park (Pirates) 0.926 runs, 10. McAfee Coliseum (Athletics) 0.929 runs,

Caught Stealing %:
Easiest to steal against (total SBs)
1. Jorge Posada, NYY 64-for-84 SB - 4 @ KC, 3 @ BAL
2. Jason Kendall, CHC 61-for-76 SB – 3 @ STL, 3 @ CIN
3. Michael Barrett, SD 57-for-70 SB – 3 @ COL, 4 @ HOU
4. Russell Martin, LA 52-for-81 SB – 3 @ HOU, 4 @ COL
5. Paul Lo Duca, NYM 46-for-62 SB – 3 vs PIT, 3 vs WAS

Facing these catchers is bad news for Brian Roberts (29-for-34 SB), Corey Patterson (21-for-26 SB), Alex Gordon (10-for-13 SB), Brandon Phillips (18-for-25 SB), Ryan Freel (15-for-23 SB), Willy Taveras (24-for-32 SB), Kaz Matsui (17-for-19 SB), Felipe Lopez (14-for-20 SB), Chris Duffy (13-for-17 SB)

Toughest to steal against (total SBs)
1. David Ross, CIN 25-for-45 SB - 4 vs MIL, 3 vs CHC
2. Kenji Johjima, SEA 27-for-44 SB – 3 @ TEX, 4 vs OAK
3. Jason Varitek, BOS 30-for-40 SB – 4 @ CLE, 3 @ TB
4. Brian Schneider, WAS 31-for-45 SB – 3 @ PHI, 3 @ NYM
5. Brad Ausmus, HOU 32-for-42 SB – 3 vs LA, 4 vs SD

Facing these catchers is good news for Corey Hart (16-for-19 SB), Ryan Theriot (15-for-17 SB), Kenny Lofton (21-for-25 SB), Carl Crawford (31-for-38 SB), Grady Sizemore (25-for-29 SB), Josh Barfield (10-for-13 SB), Jose Reyes (47-for-60 SB), Shane Victorino (29-for-32 SB), David Wright (21-for-23 SB), Jimmy Rollins (16-for-20 SB), Juan Pierre (40-for-49), Russell Martin (17-for-20 SB)

American League:
Baltimore: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Boston: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago White Sox: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Cleveland: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Detroit: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Kansas City: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Angels: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers
Minnesota: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
New York Yankees: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Oakland: (6 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Seattle: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers) note: TUE vs TBD
Tampa Bay: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Texas: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Toronto: (5 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Yankees and Rangers play at least three left-handers. That's good news for Jorge Posada (.351 vs LHPs), Derek Jeter (.333 vs LHPs), Manny Ramirez (.372 vs LHPs), Magglio Ordonez (.432 vs LHPs), Brandon Inge (.328 vs LHPs), Craig Monroe (.329 vs LHPs), Maicer Izturis (.344 vs LHPs), Reggie Willits (.378 vs LHPs), Orlando Cabrera (.329 vs LHPs), Mark Teixeira (.385 vs LHPs), Sammy Sosa (.329 vs LHPs), Marlon Byrd (.346 vs LHPs),

And bad news for Bobby Abreu (.235 vs LHPs), Alex Rodriguez (.253 vs LHPs), J.D. Drew (.217 vs LHPs), Curtis Granderson (.158 vs LHPs), Casey Kotchman (.225 vs LHPs), Gary Matthews Jr. (.213 vs LHPs), Kenny Lofton (.211 vs LHPs), Victor Diaz (.323 vs LHPs)

National League:
Arizona: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Atlanta: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Chicago Cubs: (6 vs. Right-handers, 0 vs. Left-handers)
Cincinnati: (4 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
Colorado: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Florida: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Houston: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Los Angeles Dodgers: (6 vs. Right-handers, 1 vs. Left-handers)
Milwaukee: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
New York Mets: (2 vs. Right-handers, 4 vs. Left-handers)
Philadelphia: (3 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers) note: THU (vs TBD)
Pittsburgh: (3 vs. Right-handers, 3 vs. Left-handers)
San Diego: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers))
San Francisco: (5 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
St. Louis: ( 4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)
Washington: (4 vs. Right-handers, 2 vs. Left-handers)

Notes: The Diamondbacks, Reds, Mets (four) and Pirates play against at least three lefties, while the Cubs don't see any. That's good news for Brandon Phillips (.357 vs LHPs), Norris Hopper (.322 vs LHPs), Moises Alou (.348 vs LHPs), Jose Reyes (.343 vs LHPs), Paul Lo Duca (.330 vs LHPs), Ronny Paulino (.361 vs LHPs), Freddy Sanchez (.344 vs LHPs), Derrek Lee (.335 vs RHPs), Angel Pagan (.328 vs RHPs)

And bad news for Eric Byrnes (.241 vs LHPs), Chad Tracy (.186 vs LHPs), Chris Young (.203 vs LHPs), Scott Hairston (.212 vs LHPs), Stephen Drew (.222 vs LHPs), Ryan Freel (.128 vs LHPs), Adam Dunn (.218 vs LHPs), Shawn Green (.195 vs LHPs), Chris Duffy (.211 vs LHPs), Jason Bay (.221 vs LHPs)

Some scheduled two-start pitchers in week 18:
Josh Beckett, Fausto Carmona, Justin Verlander, Jose Contreras, Carlos Silva, Jesse Litsch, Kei Igawa, Gil Meche, Joe Blanton, John Lackey, Miguel Batista, Brandon McCarthy, Andy Sonnanstine, Erik Bedard, Chuck James, Noah Lowry, Ted Lilly, Mike Maroth, Scott Olsen, Brandon Webb, Brett Tomko, Roy Oswalt, Jeff Suppan, Kyle Lohse, Ian Snell, Tom Glavine, Justin Germano, Aaron Cook, Matt Chico, Cole Hamels

Latest on the injury front:
Outfielders:
Moises Alou (quadriceps) – might return on Monday
Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) – out indefinitely
Freddie Bynum (hamstring) – return late July
Endy Chavez (hamstring) – return late July
Michael Cuddyer (thumb) – return early August
Chris Denorfia (elbow) – out for the season
Chris Duffy (ankle) – return late July
Darin Erstad (ankle) – might return on Monday
Carlos Gomez (hand) – return early September
Bill Hall (ankle) – return late July
Josh Hamilton (wrist) – return early August
Scott Podsednik (oblique) – might return on Monday
Jason Repko (groin) – might be out for the season
Juan Rivera (leg) – return August
Jayson Werth (wrist) – return late July
Rondell White (calf) – return late July
Preston Wilson (knee) – out for the season

Infielders
Willy Aybar (hand) – out indefinitely
Jose Bautista (hand) – return early August
Hank Blalock (arm) – return mid-August
Aaron Boone (knee) – return late July
Juan Castro (elbow) – out indefinitely
Joe Crede (back) – likely out for the season
Adam Everett (leg) – return August
Alex Gonzalez (bereavement list) – day-to-day
Cristian Guzman (thumb) – out for the season
Nick Johnson (leg) – out indefinitely
Howie Kendrick (finger) – return late July
Ian Kinsler (foot) – return August
Corey Koskie (concussion) – out indefinitely
Dallas McPherson (back) – return August/September
Doug Mientkiewicz (wrist) – return mid-August
Melvin Mora (foot) – return early August
Pablo Ozuna (leg) – return August/September
Scott Spiezio (finger) – return early August
Neifi Perez (suspension) – return early August
Miguel Tejada (wrist) – return early August
Marcus Thames (hamstring) – return early August
Jose Valentin (leg) – out indefinitely
Daryl Ward (calf) – return early August

Catchers:
Eliezer Alfonzo (knee) – return August/September
Henry Blanco (neck) – return mid-July
Hector Gimenez (shoulder) – likely out for the season
Vance Wilson (elbow) – out for the season

Designated Hitter:
David Dellucci (hamstring) – return September
Jason Giambi (foot) – return mid-August
David Ortiz (shoulder) – day-to-day, might be out until Wednesday
Mike Piazza (shoulder) – return mid-July
Mike Sweeney (knee) – out indefinitely

Starting Pitchers:
Brandon Backe (elbow) – return August/September
Micah Bowie (hip) – return mid-July
A.J. Burnett (shoulder) – return early August
Chris Carpenter (elbow) – out for the season
Matt Clement (shoulder) – return August
Gustavo Chacin (elbow) – return mid-July
Zach Duke (elbow) – return early August
Freddy Garcia (shoulder) – out indefinitely
Mike Hampton (ribs) – out for the season
Rich Harden (shoulder) – out indefinitely
Shawn Hill (elbow) – return early August