Hache Man
"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"
Re: Fantasy Baseball News 2007
NL Team-by-Team Notes
It seemed evident already, but Carlos Zambrano made it perfectly clear with his near no-hitter Saturday that he's not hurt. Yes, his velocity has been down at times this year, but it's always improved as his starts have gone on, and he now seems to be over the first-inning troubles that plagued him earlier. The Cubs aren't going to trade their ace, and they'd be smart to get him locked up ASAP if they could still get him to agree to a deal similar to the one that was supposed to get done (reportedly $80 million-$85 million over five years) before the sale of Tribune Co. in April. Even if they can't get him signed now, it'd be a bad idea to trade him when the NL Central title and wild card are both clearly within reach. While Jacque Jones is obviously available, the Cubs are going to be buyers, not sellers, at the deadline. Zambrano is likely to be a top-10 fantasy pitcher the rest of the way and top five is hardly unrealistic.
National League Notes
Arizona - With the Diamondbacks having the DH available, Scott Hairston got to start all three games against the Orioles, going 3-for-9 with a homer and two walks. He should have had a second homer, but Corey Patterson went well over the fence to rob him on Saturday. Carlos Quentin is back doing nothing this month after a nice surge in the second half of May, so perhaps it's time for Hairston to get a long look. It wouldn't be difficult at all to justify demoting Quentin, who is hitting .171 with no homers and a 13/0 K/BB ratio in 41 at-bats during June, and the Diamondbacks could keep Mark Reynolds in the mix by playing him in left field on occasion. If Quentin stays, then Reynolds, who hasn't driven in a run in 53 at-bats this month, will likely head back to the minors soon. ? Randy Johnson (glute) can come off the DL on June 26 and hopes to be ready then. With Thursday off, the Diamondbacks won't need to give Edgar Gonzalez another start in his place.
Atlanta - Another 0-for-4 on Sunday dropped Andruw Jones' average under .210. Still, it's not much cause for concern. Andruw has always been streaky, and while it's possible he's having some trouble dealing with the increased pressure from his free agent year, he's going to hit at least .250 with big power numbers. A trade seems highly unlikely, as Jones can void any deal and would do so, according to agent Scott Boras. Jones was overdrafted in many fantasy leagues this year, but he's a legitimate buy-low candidate now. Expect 20-25 homers and at least 60 RBI the rest of the way. ? Jarrod Saltalamacchia won't always play first base against lefties ? the Braves also like to give Brian McCann his days off versus southpaws ? but it's safe to assume he'll be in the lineup every time Atlanta is up against one. He could also play first versus righties is Scott Thorman's slump continues. Thorman had a nice offensive game in a losing cause Sunday, but he's really hurt the Braves with his .236/.265/.421 line. Atlanta might also want to take a look at Yunel Escobar at first base. He wouldn't be a regular there, but if he could adapt quickly, he could play against lefties when Salty is catching. ? With a sore neck and a poor track record against Boston, Tim Hudson is a mediocre play in mixed leagues this week. He has a 9.49 ERA in five starts versus the Red Sox since 2004.
Chicago - Aramis Ramirez (knee) will be eligible to come off the DL on Friday and hopes to be ready then. The Cubs will have to keep Mike Fontenot around, which could mean that Angel Pagan will join Matt Murton in the outfield at Triple-A Iowa. Felix Pie, Cliff Floyd and Jacque Jones are all left-handed hitters, but manager Lou Piniella apparently won't try a strict platoon with any of them. Besides, Mark DeRosa will be an option as a right fielder against lefties after Ramirez comes back. ? Derrek Lee deserves a five-game ban for throwing the first punch in Saturday's brawl. A decision could come as soon as Monday, but Lee won't serve the suspension before Ramirez returns. He should be fine to keep active this week. ? I like Sean Marshall as an NL-only starter, but it'd be very risky to use him in road starts in AL parks against the Rangers and White Sox this week. Jason Marquis is also a weak play versus Texas.
Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo keeps saying he's not hurt, but if he isn't, then he's just not any good. The velocity isn't there, and he's not getting swings and misses. Sure, he has 15 strikeouts in his last five starts, but six of them have come against pitchers and he had only four in the three starts before that. He could still be injured even though he's not feeling any pain. A DL stint would be best for him and the Reds, especially since it'd give the team a chance to look at Phil Dumatrait. ? With four homers in the series against the Rangers, Adam Dunn now ranks second in the NL behind Prince Fielder. It looks like this is the year he'll be traded, even though the fact that he can void his 2008 option limits his value. While the focus is going to be on AL teams, it's possible that the Padres and Astros could prove to be two of his strongest suitors. San Diego is known to be interested and can offer Clay Hensley, relief help and a prospect. The Astros aren't supposed to be in the mix this time around, but he'd make an awful lot of sense at first base if the team doesn't mind returning Lance Berkman to right field on a full-time basis. ? Ryan Freel's favorable examination on Friday gives hope that he could return from a concussion at the end of the month. ? Eddie Guardado (elbow) is expected back from the DL this week. He'll likely be a setup man initially.
Colorado - The Rockies' recent surge might make them buyers at the deadline. At the very least, it would seem to make it a whole lot less likely that Brian Fuentes and Garrett Atkins will be moved. Both are under control beyond this year anyway, so the Rockies won't be losing either and getting nothing in return. If GM Dan O'Dowd does go looking for help, the top priority would be relief pitching. A catcher could also be a possibility, and rumor has it that they'd pursue Michael Barrett if the Cubs decided to move on. ? The Rockies would target a catcher because rookie Chris Iannetta still hasn't stepped up to secure the job. Yorvit Torrealba is getting most of the time right now, but he's not showing much power, perhaps because of the shoulder problems he suffered through last year. If the Rockies could pick up Barrett, they'd turn Torrealba into a backup and let Iannetta play regularly in Triple-A. The Royals' Jason LaRue is another option for Colorado.
Florida - Josh Johnson (elbow) will make his season debut Monday against the White Sox and could soon be an option in mixed leagues. He's worth using in NL-only leagues right away. ? Demoted to open up a spot in the rotation for Johnson was rookie Rick Vanden Hurk. Byung-Hyun Kim gets to remain a starter as a result, though he'll work out of the bullpen this week because of off days. ? The Marlins also called up Brett Carroll and demoted Reggie Abercrombie. Carroll, 24, was hitting .302/.341/.548 at Triple-A Albuquerque, but that's a great environment for hitters and he was batting just .189/.246/.358 in road games. Overall, he had a 37/6 K/BB ratio. The Marlins want him to play center field against left-handers, but he's better utilized in a corner if he has to be utilized at all. ? Since Carroll isn't the answer and Alfredo Amezaga fits best in a utility role, the Marlins have to be in the market for center field help if they want to contend this year. Alejandro De Aza may not return from his ankle injury and probably wouldn't be very productive anyway. Kenny Lofton would be a nice fit in Florida if he becomes available next month. Elijah Dukes, Rocco Baldelli and Corey Patterson are other possibilities. ? Mike Jacobs (thumb) is still likely a week away.
Houston - Obviously, Craig Biggio needs time off at this point in his career and the Astros did win Sunday anyway. Still, how can manager Phil Garner justify playing him in such bad situations and then sitting him in a home game against a left-hander (Jarrod Washburn)? Biggio has an OPS 200 points better versus lefties and 160 points higher at home. Last year, he was 220 points better against lefties and 330 points better at home. Since he must play, the Astros at least need to make sure they're getting the most out of Biggio's limited ability at this point. Garner just doesn't seem to get it. ? Brad Lidge blew his only save chance since returning the closer's role, but he still had a better week than Dan Wheeler, who blew a save in the eighth, took the loss and shoved a teammate in Wednesday's game. Lidge still has some margin for error, even though he's looking for his first save of the year. ? I recommended Jason Jennings in mixed leagues last week and he immediately came down with a sore shoulder. He's a far weaker choice now, especially with the Angels up this week. ? Adam Everett's broken leg won't have a big impact in fantasy leagues unless it causes the Astros to trade for a shortstop. They'll probably be content with Mark Loretta and Eric Bruntlett for the next 6-8 weeks. Loretta will be the smart lay in NL-only leagues, even though Bruntlett may be the superior choice for Houston after defense is factored in.
Los Angeles - Jason Schmidt hasn't been ruled out from his Thursday start yet, but it looks like he'll go back on the DL with his shoulder problems still sapping his velocity. Surgery could be looming. The Dodgers haven't given an indication about who would take Schmidt's place in the rotation, but since they need to shake things up a bit, it'd be no surprise to see them go to Chad Billingsley. If Billingsley is available in your NL-only leagues, consider stashing him away in advance. He has the upside to be of use in mixed leagues after the break. ? Wilson Betemit was seemingly on the way back to securing regular playing time at the hot corner, but then he went 0-for-10 against the Angels over the weekend and looked particularly bad against Kelvim Escobar on Sunday. He's still the Dodgers' best option at third base against right-handers, but manager Grady Little won't hesitate to give Tony Abreu another chance. ? Matt Kemp is 9-for-21 with a homer since his callup, so he'll keep stealing playing time away from Andre Ethier. He's the better option of the two in NL-only leagues right now.
Milwaukee - Rickie Weeks' return from a sore wrist will come Monday, but it doesn't look like he'll be returning to the leadoff spot right away. Corey Hart has excelled there and could continue to bat first for now. He's worth playing in mixed leagues. The Brewers could drop J.J. Hardy in the order if they want to keep Weeks near the top. Hardy is batting .200 with two homers, three RBI and five runs scored in 60 at-bats this month. In just two short weeks, he's gone from being arguably the most valuable player in the NL to likely All-Star snub. ? Yovani Gallardo won't wow hitters with his stuff when he makes his major league debut on Monday, but I'm still looking forward to it more than I was Homer Bailey's a couple of weeks ago. If he can overtake Dave Bush or Claudio Vargas and stick around following Chris Capuano's return from a strained groin, he could turn into quite a force in fantasy leagues. The odds are better that he'll have to wait until August or maybe even 2008 for a permanent spot, but he's well worth watching.
New York - The Mets aren't waiting for the deadline, reportedly inquiring about both Mark Buehrle and Brad Lidge recently. Buehrle makes a lot of sense for the team, and the Mets have two young center fielders the White Sox would love in Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez. I see Milledge as the more valuable property, but he's still the better bet to go. If the White Sox decide they're out of it, getting Milledge in return for three months of Buehrle would prove to be quite a coup. ? Lidge seems less likely to become available before the All-Star break, as the Astros aren't out of it in the weak NL Central. They might prefer to move Dan Wheeler anyway. Lidge is under control through 2008, and with the way he's throwing lately, he'd probably cost more to acquire than Buehrle. Mike Pelfrey would be the logical asking price. ? Carlos Beltran seems to be moving around in the outfield just fine despite the sore quad that he says has led to his dreadful performance of late at the plate. The thing is that Beltran isn't even working deep into counts like he usually does. He's put together some of the worst at-bats you'll see from a legitimately great player. Maybe the Mets can't afford to sit him with Moises Alou and Endy Chavez both on the DL, but they also can't afford to keep batting him third while they wait for him to work his way out of it.
Philadelphia - Brett Myers (shoulder) isn't coming along as quickly as hoped, but he is throwing off a mound and shooting for a return before the end of the month. Barring a setback, he'll beat Tom Gordon (shoulder) back from the DL. ? J.A. Happ rejoined Triple-A Ottawa's rotation last week after dealing with a minor elbow injury, and if he pitches well his next couple of times out, he should get a chance to overtake Kyle Kendrick to become the replacement for Freddy Garcia in Philadelphia. He wouldn't be a great bet in NL-only leagues, but he is more of a sleeper than Kendrick. ? Jimmy Rollins hasn't exactly been consistent with his power stroke. He had nine homers in his first 22 games, none in his next 36 and now four in his last 11.
Pittsburgh - Maybe I was a little overly critical in the site's news about the decision to remove Shawn Chacon from the rotation (there's a first time for everything). The Pirates made the switch not because of his poor outing against the Yankees, but because they wanted to try him as the top setup man in front of Matt Capps. Chacon should have been in the rotation over Tony Armas Jr. right from the start of the year. He's nothing special, but there are plenty of worse fifth starters around. ? John Van Benschoten will probably be one of them, though he was worthy of an opportunity after battling back from his shoulder problems to post a 2.73 ERA for Triple-A Indianapolis. Unfortunately, his stuff just isn't what it once was. He might hold his own against lesser offenses, but he shouldn't have any value in NL-only leagues. ? Jack Wilson went 5-for-11 after returning to the lineup in place of the ailing Freddy Sanchez on Friday, but it wasn't his bat that led to his benching in the first place. Now that the Pirates believe Jose Castillo can handle shortstop, at least until Brian Bixler is ready, Wilson should be aggressively shopped next month. ? Sanchez (flu) and Chris Duffy (hamstring) could return to the lineup after Monday's off day.
St. Louis - Anthony Reyes' return to the majors on Sunday didn't go as hoped, though he did settle in nicely after an ugly five-run first inning against the A's. He needs to stick in the rotation, with either Todd Wellemeyer or Kip Wells getting assigned to the bullpen. The Cardinals' sense of urgency in picking up a starter could increase further this week if Braden Looper's sore shoulder puts him on the DL. Tomo Ohka makes a ton of sense for them either way. Ohka would likely have a little value in NL-only leagues if he's picked up. I still expect good things from Reyes, though it might be for the best to keep him reserved for one more week. ? David Eckstein didn't want to go on the DL with back spasms, but the Cardinals weren't going to continue to play short-handed. Aaron Miles will be a full-time player for at least the next 11 days, with Brendan Ryan starting against lefties. ? Juan Encarnacion has quietly put together a 17-game hitting streak. I wouldn't normally recommend him in mixed leagues, but he wouldn't be a bad play this week with the Royals and Phillies on the schedule.
San Diego - The Padres were quick to call up Chase Headley ? easily their most marketable offensive commodity ? when Kevin Kouzmanoff hurt his back last week. Kouzmanoff is expected back at some point during this week and Headley isn't going to be a bench player, so expect him to return to the minors soon. He will be an option if Kouzmanoff suffers a more significant injury later. Kouz does have a history of back problems, so it is a possibility. If Headley remains in the organization beyond the trade deadline next month, he could potentially push Kouzmanoff to left field in 2008. ? Brian Giles (knee) could go on a brief rehab assignment and then return this weekend or early next week. Terrmel Sledge and Hiram Bocachica will lose playing time following Giles' return. It's possible that Bocachica will be sent down to make room for him.
San Francisco - Getting swept by the Red Sox knocked the Giants 10 games back in the NL West, putting them in position to be sellers at the trade deadline. They're not going to give up yet and they may try to acquire relief help soon, but with the way things are going now, it looks like Matt Morris, Randy Winn, Ray Durham, Pedro Feliz, Omar Vizquel and Ryan Klesko could all become available next month. It'd be very smart to move Morris while he has some value. He's mostly a junkballer these days, and the Red Sox showed Sunday that good offenses can knock him out quickly. Winn has bounced back nicely from his poor 2006, but he's due $16.25 million between 2008 and 2009, which is far too much for what he provides while being used as a corner outfielder. If the Giants could dump his contract, it wouldn't matter what they received in return. ? Rich Aurilia, a complete bust after getting a two-year, $8 million contract in December, apparently will go on the DL due to neck pain. That'll give Kevin Frandsen a little value in NL-only leagues for the next couple of weeks. Ryan Klesko will play first base against righties if his body holds up, with Pedro Feliz perhaps moving across the diamond versus lefties.
Washington - John Patterson (elbow), Jason Bergmann (elbow), Jerome Williams (shoulder) and Mike O'Connor (elbow) are all on rehab assignments, meaning changes to the Washington rotation should be coming soon. Matt Chico is the only current starter seemingly guaranteed of surviving, though it could also be quite some time before Micah Bowie is sent back to the bullpen. Patterson and Bergmann should be back right around the end of the month, with Williams following soon thereafter. O'Connor, Shawn Hill (elbow) and Brandon Claussen (shoulder) probably won't be options until after the break. ? At least the Reds can take solace in the fact that the Nationals aren't reaping huge rewards from the Gary Majewski-Bill Bray trade either. Felipe Lopez's struggles are well documented, and Austin Kearns had just five homers and 26 RBI in 69 games. Kearns is likely counting down the days until RFK Stadium closes. He's hitting .203 with nine extra-base hits at home and .305 with 15 extra-base hits on the road. A trade next month could be a possibility.
NL Team-by-Team Notes
It seemed evident already, but Carlos Zambrano made it perfectly clear with his near no-hitter Saturday that he's not hurt. Yes, his velocity has been down at times this year, but it's always improved as his starts have gone on, and he now seems to be over the first-inning troubles that plagued him earlier. The Cubs aren't going to trade their ace, and they'd be smart to get him locked up ASAP if they could still get him to agree to a deal similar to the one that was supposed to get done (reportedly $80 million-$85 million over five years) before the sale of Tribune Co. in April. Even if they can't get him signed now, it'd be a bad idea to trade him when the NL Central title and wild card are both clearly within reach. While Jacque Jones is obviously available, the Cubs are going to be buyers, not sellers, at the deadline. Zambrano is likely to be a top-10 fantasy pitcher the rest of the way and top five is hardly unrealistic.
National League Notes
Arizona - With the Diamondbacks having the DH available, Scott Hairston got to start all three games against the Orioles, going 3-for-9 with a homer and two walks. He should have had a second homer, but Corey Patterson went well over the fence to rob him on Saturday. Carlos Quentin is back doing nothing this month after a nice surge in the second half of May, so perhaps it's time for Hairston to get a long look. It wouldn't be difficult at all to justify demoting Quentin, who is hitting .171 with no homers and a 13/0 K/BB ratio in 41 at-bats during June, and the Diamondbacks could keep Mark Reynolds in the mix by playing him in left field on occasion. If Quentin stays, then Reynolds, who hasn't driven in a run in 53 at-bats this month, will likely head back to the minors soon. ? Randy Johnson (glute) can come off the DL on June 26 and hopes to be ready then. With Thursday off, the Diamondbacks won't need to give Edgar Gonzalez another start in his place.
Atlanta - Another 0-for-4 on Sunday dropped Andruw Jones' average under .210. Still, it's not much cause for concern. Andruw has always been streaky, and while it's possible he's having some trouble dealing with the increased pressure from his free agent year, he's going to hit at least .250 with big power numbers. A trade seems highly unlikely, as Jones can void any deal and would do so, according to agent Scott Boras. Jones was overdrafted in many fantasy leagues this year, but he's a legitimate buy-low candidate now. Expect 20-25 homers and at least 60 RBI the rest of the way. ? Jarrod Saltalamacchia won't always play first base against lefties ? the Braves also like to give Brian McCann his days off versus southpaws ? but it's safe to assume he'll be in the lineup every time Atlanta is up against one. He could also play first versus righties is Scott Thorman's slump continues. Thorman had a nice offensive game in a losing cause Sunday, but he's really hurt the Braves with his .236/.265/.421 line. Atlanta might also want to take a look at Yunel Escobar at first base. He wouldn't be a regular there, but if he could adapt quickly, he could play against lefties when Salty is catching. ? With a sore neck and a poor track record against Boston, Tim Hudson is a mediocre play in mixed leagues this week. He has a 9.49 ERA in five starts versus the Red Sox since 2004.
Chicago - Aramis Ramirez (knee) will be eligible to come off the DL on Friday and hopes to be ready then. The Cubs will have to keep Mike Fontenot around, which could mean that Angel Pagan will join Matt Murton in the outfield at Triple-A Iowa. Felix Pie, Cliff Floyd and Jacque Jones are all left-handed hitters, but manager Lou Piniella apparently won't try a strict platoon with any of them. Besides, Mark DeRosa will be an option as a right fielder against lefties after Ramirez comes back. ? Derrek Lee deserves a five-game ban for throwing the first punch in Saturday's brawl. A decision could come as soon as Monday, but Lee won't serve the suspension before Ramirez returns. He should be fine to keep active this week. ? I like Sean Marshall as an NL-only starter, but it'd be very risky to use him in road starts in AL parks against the Rangers and White Sox this week. Jason Marquis is also a weak play versus Texas.
Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo keeps saying he's not hurt, but if he isn't, then he's just not any good. The velocity isn't there, and he's not getting swings and misses. Sure, he has 15 strikeouts in his last five starts, but six of them have come against pitchers and he had only four in the three starts before that. He could still be injured even though he's not feeling any pain. A DL stint would be best for him and the Reds, especially since it'd give the team a chance to look at Phil Dumatrait. ? With four homers in the series against the Rangers, Adam Dunn now ranks second in the NL behind Prince Fielder. It looks like this is the year he'll be traded, even though the fact that he can void his 2008 option limits his value. While the focus is going to be on AL teams, it's possible that the Padres and Astros could prove to be two of his strongest suitors. San Diego is known to be interested and can offer Clay Hensley, relief help and a prospect. The Astros aren't supposed to be in the mix this time around, but he'd make an awful lot of sense at first base if the team doesn't mind returning Lance Berkman to right field on a full-time basis. ? Ryan Freel's favorable examination on Friday gives hope that he could return from a concussion at the end of the month. ? Eddie Guardado (elbow) is expected back from the DL this week. He'll likely be a setup man initially.
Colorado - The Rockies' recent surge might make them buyers at the deadline. At the very least, it would seem to make it a whole lot less likely that Brian Fuentes and Garrett Atkins will be moved. Both are under control beyond this year anyway, so the Rockies won't be losing either and getting nothing in return. If GM Dan O'Dowd does go looking for help, the top priority would be relief pitching. A catcher could also be a possibility, and rumor has it that they'd pursue Michael Barrett if the Cubs decided to move on. ? The Rockies would target a catcher because rookie Chris Iannetta still hasn't stepped up to secure the job. Yorvit Torrealba is getting most of the time right now, but he's not showing much power, perhaps because of the shoulder problems he suffered through last year. If the Rockies could pick up Barrett, they'd turn Torrealba into a backup and let Iannetta play regularly in Triple-A. The Royals' Jason LaRue is another option for Colorado.
Florida - Josh Johnson (elbow) will make his season debut Monday against the White Sox and could soon be an option in mixed leagues. He's worth using in NL-only leagues right away. ? Demoted to open up a spot in the rotation for Johnson was rookie Rick Vanden Hurk. Byung-Hyun Kim gets to remain a starter as a result, though he'll work out of the bullpen this week because of off days. ? The Marlins also called up Brett Carroll and demoted Reggie Abercrombie. Carroll, 24, was hitting .302/.341/.548 at Triple-A Albuquerque, but that's a great environment for hitters and he was batting just .189/.246/.358 in road games. Overall, he had a 37/6 K/BB ratio. The Marlins want him to play center field against left-handers, but he's better utilized in a corner if he has to be utilized at all. ? Since Carroll isn't the answer and Alfredo Amezaga fits best in a utility role, the Marlins have to be in the market for center field help if they want to contend this year. Alejandro De Aza may not return from his ankle injury and probably wouldn't be very productive anyway. Kenny Lofton would be a nice fit in Florida if he becomes available next month. Elijah Dukes, Rocco Baldelli and Corey Patterson are other possibilities. ? Mike Jacobs (thumb) is still likely a week away.
Houston - Obviously, Craig Biggio needs time off at this point in his career and the Astros did win Sunday anyway. Still, how can manager Phil Garner justify playing him in such bad situations and then sitting him in a home game against a left-hander (Jarrod Washburn)? Biggio has an OPS 200 points better versus lefties and 160 points higher at home. Last year, he was 220 points better against lefties and 330 points better at home. Since he must play, the Astros at least need to make sure they're getting the most out of Biggio's limited ability at this point. Garner just doesn't seem to get it. ? Brad Lidge blew his only save chance since returning the closer's role, but he still had a better week than Dan Wheeler, who blew a save in the eighth, took the loss and shoved a teammate in Wednesday's game. Lidge still has some margin for error, even though he's looking for his first save of the year. ? I recommended Jason Jennings in mixed leagues last week and he immediately came down with a sore shoulder. He's a far weaker choice now, especially with the Angels up this week. ? Adam Everett's broken leg won't have a big impact in fantasy leagues unless it causes the Astros to trade for a shortstop. They'll probably be content with Mark Loretta and Eric Bruntlett for the next 6-8 weeks. Loretta will be the smart lay in NL-only leagues, even though Bruntlett may be the superior choice for Houston after defense is factored in.
Los Angeles - Jason Schmidt hasn't been ruled out from his Thursday start yet, but it looks like he'll go back on the DL with his shoulder problems still sapping his velocity. Surgery could be looming. The Dodgers haven't given an indication about who would take Schmidt's place in the rotation, but since they need to shake things up a bit, it'd be no surprise to see them go to Chad Billingsley. If Billingsley is available in your NL-only leagues, consider stashing him away in advance. He has the upside to be of use in mixed leagues after the break. ? Wilson Betemit was seemingly on the way back to securing regular playing time at the hot corner, but then he went 0-for-10 against the Angels over the weekend and looked particularly bad against Kelvim Escobar on Sunday. He's still the Dodgers' best option at third base against right-handers, but manager Grady Little won't hesitate to give Tony Abreu another chance. ? Matt Kemp is 9-for-21 with a homer since his callup, so he'll keep stealing playing time away from Andre Ethier. He's the better option of the two in NL-only leagues right now.
Milwaukee - Rickie Weeks' return from a sore wrist will come Monday, but it doesn't look like he'll be returning to the leadoff spot right away. Corey Hart has excelled there and could continue to bat first for now. He's worth playing in mixed leagues. The Brewers could drop J.J. Hardy in the order if they want to keep Weeks near the top. Hardy is batting .200 with two homers, three RBI and five runs scored in 60 at-bats this month. In just two short weeks, he's gone from being arguably the most valuable player in the NL to likely All-Star snub. ? Yovani Gallardo won't wow hitters with his stuff when he makes his major league debut on Monday, but I'm still looking forward to it more than I was Homer Bailey's a couple of weeks ago. If he can overtake Dave Bush or Claudio Vargas and stick around following Chris Capuano's return from a strained groin, he could turn into quite a force in fantasy leagues. The odds are better that he'll have to wait until August or maybe even 2008 for a permanent spot, but he's well worth watching.
New York - The Mets aren't waiting for the deadline, reportedly inquiring about both Mark Buehrle and Brad Lidge recently. Buehrle makes a lot of sense for the team, and the Mets have two young center fielders the White Sox would love in Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez. I see Milledge as the more valuable property, but he's still the better bet to go. If the White Sox decide they're out of it, getting Milledge in return for three months of Buehrle would prove to be quite a coup. ? Lidge seems less likely to become available before the All-Star break, as the Astros aren't out of it in the weak NL Central. They might prefer to move Dan Wheeler anyway. Lidge is under control through 2008, and with the way he's throwing lately, he'd probably cost more to acquire than Buehrle. Mike Pelfrey would be the logical asking price. ? Carlos Beltran seems to be moving around in the outfield just fine despite the sore quad that he says has led to his dreadful performance of late at the plate. The thing is that Beltran isn't even working deep into counts like he usually does. He's put together some of the worst at-bats you'll see from a legitimately great player. Maybe the Mets can't afford to sit him with Moises Alou and Endy Chavez both on the DL, but they also can't afford to keep batting him third while they wait for him to work his way out of it.
Philadelphia - Brett Myers (shoulder) isn't coming along as quickly as hoped, but he is throwing off a mound and shooting for a return before the end of the month. Barring a setback, he'll beat Tom Gordon (shoulder) back from the DL. ? J.A. Happ rejoined Triple-A Ottawa's rotation last week after dealing with a minor elbow injury, and if he pitches well his next couple of times out, he should get a chance to overtake Kyle Kendrick to become the replacement for Freddy Garcia in Philadelphia. He wouldn't be a great bet in NL-only leagues, but he is more of a sleeper than Kendrick. ? Jimmy Rollins hasn't exactly been consistent with his power stroke. He had nine homers in his first 22 games, none in his next 36 and now four in his last 11.
Pittsburgh - Maybe I was a little overly critical in the site's news about the decision to remove Shawn Chacon from the rotation (there's a first time for everything). The Pirates made the switch not because of his poor outing against the Yankees, but because they wanted to try him as the top setup man in front of Matt Capps. Chacon should have been in the rotation over Tony Armas Jr. right from the start of the year. He's nothing special, but there are plenty of worse fifth starters around. ? John Van Benschoten will probably be one of them, though he was worthy of an opportunity after battling back from his shoulder problems to post a 2.73 ERA for Triple-A Indianapolis. Unfortunately, his stuff just isn't what it once was. He might hold his own against lesser offenses, but he shouldn't have any value in NL-only leagues. ? Jack Wilson went 5-for-11 after returning to the lineup in place of the ailing Freddy Sanchez on Friday, but it wasn't his bat that led to his benching in the first place. Now that the Pirates believe Jose Castillo can handle shortstop, at least until Brian Bixler is ready, Wilson should be aggressively shopped next month. ? Sanchez (flu) and Chris Duffy (hamstring) could return to the lineup after Monday's off day.
St. Louis - Anthony Reyes' return to the majors on Sunday didn't go as hoped, though he did settle in nicely after an ugly five-run first inning against the A's. He needs to stick in the rotation, with either Todd Wellemeyer or Kip Wells getting assigned to the bullpen. The Cardinals' sense of urgency in picking up a starter could increase further this week if Braden Looper's sore shoulder puts him on the DL. Tomo Ohka makes a ton of sense for them either way. Ohka would likely have a little value in NL-only leagues if he's picked up. I still expect good things from Reyes, though it might be for the best to keep him reserved for one more week. ? David Eckstein didn't want to go on the DL with back spasms, but the Cardinals weren't going to continue to play short-handed. Aaron Miles will be a full-time player for at least the next 11 days, with Brendan Ryan starting against lefties. ? Juan Encarnacion has quietly put together a 17-game hitting streak. I wouldn't normally recommend him in mixed leagues, but he wouldn't be a bad play this week with the Royals and Phillies on the schedule.
San Diego - The Padres were quick to call up Chase Headley ? easily their most marketable offensive commodity ? when Kevin Kouzmanoff hurt his back last week. Kouzmanoff is expected back at some point during this week and Headley isn't going to be a bench player, so expect him to return to the minors soon. He will be an option if Kouzmanoff suffers a more significant injury later. Kouz does have a history of back problems, so it is a possibility. If Headley remains in the organization beyond the trade deadline next month, he could potentially push Kouzmanoff to left field in 2008. ? Brian Giles (knee) could go on a brief rehab assignment and then return this weekend or early next week. Terrmel Sledge and Hiram Bocachica will lose playing time following Giles' return. It's possible that Bocachica will be sent down to make room for him.
San Francisco - Getting swept by the Red Sox knocked the Giants 10 games back in the NL West, putting them in position to be sellers at the trade deadline. They're not going to give up yet and they may try to acquire relief help soon, but with the way things are going now, it looks like Matt Morris, Randy Winn, Ray Durham, Pedro Feliz, Omar Vizquel and Ryan Klesko could all become available next month. It'd be very smart to move Morris while he has some value. He's mostly a junkballer these days, and the Red Sox showed Sunday that good offenses can knock him out quickly. Winn has bounced back nicely from his poor 2006, but he's due $16.25 million between 2008 and 2009, which is far too much for what he provides while being used as a corner outfielder. If the Giants could dump his contract, it wouldn't matter what they received in return. ? Rich Aurilia, a complete bust after getting a two-year, $8 million contract in December, apparently will go on the DL due to neck pain. That'll give Kevin Frandsen a little value in NL-only leagues for the next couple of weeks. Ryan Klesko will play first base against righties if his body holds up, with Pedro Feliz perhaps moving across the diamond versus lefties.
Washington - John Patterson (elbow), Jason Bergmann (elbow), Jerome Williams (shoulder) and Mike O'Connor (elbow) are all on rehab assignments, meaning changes to the Washington rotation should be coming soon. Matt Chico is the only current starter seemingly guaranteed of surviving, though it could also be quite some time before Micah Bowie is sent back to the bullpen. Patterson and Bergmann should be back right around the end of the month, with Williams following soon thereafter. O'Connor, Shawn Hill (elbow) and Brandon Claussen (shoulder) probably won't be options until after the break. ? At least the Reds can take solace in the fact that the Nationals aren't reaping huge rewards from the Gary Majewski-Bill Bray trade either. Felipe Lopez's struggles are well documented, and Austin Kearns had just five homers and 26 RBI in 69 games. Kearns is likely counting down the days until RFK Stadium closes. He's hitting .203 with nine extra-base hits at home and .305 with 15 extra-base hits on the road. A trade next month could be a possibility.